Bolt Action- Free French vs Fallschrimjager

Kent asked for a game late yesterday and since we haven't gamed in quite a few weeks I jumped at the opportunity and grabbed one of my lists.

We decided to play Maximum Attrition as it had been a while and wanted a simple game.

I took my Free French
Reg HQ
2x 8 man Vet squads
2x 8 man Goumier squads (tough fighter)
1x Reg MMG
1x Reg mortar
1x Reg 75mm Sherman
1x Reg Greyhound AC
1x Reg M3A1 Half track
1x 57mm AT Gun

Kent Ran his Fallscrimjager
1x Vet HQ
4x 9-10 man Vet squads(1 with flamethrower)
1x MMG
1x 105mm recoiless gun
1x Panzer Mk III
1x 222 AC
1x Reg Mortar
1x Panzershrek team

Turn1: Panzershrek team advances along a hedgerow

The Free French Sherman advances to the high ground.

On the Free French right flank infantry advance to occupy a copse, supported by the half track which has a second squad embussed.

The German Mk III advances and fires at the Sherman which catches fire! Fortunately the crew remain with their tanks and pout the fire out.

German infantry spread out along the hedgerows.

Turn 2: The panzer III moved forward to engage the Sherman, and avoid the 57mm AT gun,  but missed. The greyhound then put a shell through its side armour and brewed it up. First blood to the French. The Sherman then reversed of the hill after being hit by the 105mm recoiless gun.

Meanwhile two squads and the MMG team advance with the 222 armoured car.

The US MMG team takes up position on the hill but two men are killed by the Germans in the hedgerow before they can deploy. Just out of sight my infantry squad move out and destroy the panzershrek but in return are hit by the German 105 and obliterated to a man.

Meanwhile the pins are mounting on the half track, the men aboard have jumped out but the half track itself isn't going anywhere- and is eventually pinned out of the game. In the distance you can see the 222 armoured car which is responsible for some of the pins.

Next round and there were 8 pins!

The Sherman continues to move towards the right flank but is hit by the panzershrek which needed a 2+ to immobilise/destroy it and rolled a...1. The Sherman was pinned out of the game though as the crew were not able to do anything else in the game. My regular 1st lietenant had run over to get the Sherman moving but he was cut dwon by rifle fire from the hedges.

In the past couple of turns the armoured cars duke it out without causing any damage,

The Germans then attacked the now undefended hill...

Only my mortar team, the lone MMG gunner and 57mm are on the reserve slope.

On the far right some brutal assualts go in vs the infantry in the copse. Both sides lose a squad over several bloody assaults.

So after a promising start Kent once more got himself back into the game and we ended with a 6-5 draw. A good hard fought game. more open terrain than we usually use and that made for more of a " game of trying to suppress rather than assualt but still lots of fun tactical decisions needed to be made.

Well, the half track was disappointing and underwhelming so will be ditched for some more infantry (maybe the Russian slogans ion its sides confused the crew). I will be upgrading my officer to a veteran and adding another MMG team instead- although it got hammered I really like the BoltAction.net RoF 6 MMG, much more useful. I think I will also swap the 57mm for a bazooka for a bit more mobility and see how that goes.

Thoroughly enjoyed the game after several weeks without any gaming and hope for a rematch soon.

Craig