Bolt Action- Fallschrimjaeger vs US Paras

I popped round to Kent's last night for a game of Bolt Action, slightly rusty on the rules so we decided to do a nice easy Meeting engagement.

Kent used his typical US Para force with 11 dice.

• HQ
• Medic
• 3x large squads (10-11 men with tough fighter)
• 57mm AT gun
• 3" mortar
• Bazooka
• Sniper
• Grey Scout car
• Sherman

I took a much smaller panzer platoon supported by some Fallschrimjager (7 dice)

• 3x panzer IVs
• 1x 233 armoured car
• 2x 8 man squads (3x SMG, 1x LMG each)
• 1x 81mm mortar

Kent has been busy while I've been away, painting like a man possessed (as always) and using some of the funds generated to get some new terrain- a cigar box mat and some Sarissa buildings to add to his stuff, it looked, really, really good. His gaming/hobby room is fantastic too, a permanent work station and the now live streams his painting!

Set up: The table, Kent came on from the left, my guys from the right.

 A fallschrimjaeger squad advances into the village- the second squad has already occupied the larger building on the right.

 The US paras scout around their right flank.

 The mortar observer peaks out of the house, while the pnzer IV advances to cover the centre of the table.

Tthe para squad passes a farmhouse.

On my right flank two panzers advance.

As do the US paras- they are not going to be intimidated by the panzers!

 On my left the sherman dukes it out with the panzer and 233 armoured car. The Sherman is hit several times and pinned the Sherman 3 times. 

However, the greyhound had worked around the flank and gets a shot on the weaker side armour, knocking the panzer out!

 In the centre Kent continued with his aggressive infantry tactics. Sergeant Brad decided to assault the panzer IV but was unsuccessful, so he repeated the trick the next turn which was also unsuccessful....

 The US officer watches on and offers some advice to sergeant Brad...

 Third time lucky! The third close assult destroys the panzer.

 Towards the end of the battle, my squads occupy the two buildings on the left.

 Turn 7, the US para's can't assault my infantry on the second storey- nah, nah nah nah. However the squad photographed earlier did get into position and overran my other squad capturing the other building.

Result: A hard fought but very close 4-4 draw with the Germans tenuously holding on.

Lessons learned: Small, expensive forces like this need to be used carefully, especially vs large veteran, tough fighter paratrooper squads! I could have got a couple more points if only I could have finished off the last man in a couple of units but too many targets, not enough dice!

Early on it looked like my mobility would be able to make a difference, specially after my mortar destroyed the 57mm AT gun but in the end I had too many targets and Kent's aggressive use of his infantry squads meant I was unable to focus fire enough and finish off squads. As usual though it was an entertaining game.

I hope to get another game in before I head back to Kiribati.

Craig