Bolt Action AAR Attack on Ben Kharzi (updated 05/09/2018)

[Volleyfire!]

After many months of painting, purchasing, and planning we played our first game of Bolt Action last week. I've played a few games at shows with the lads from Doncaster when they've had a participation game on just to get a feel for the rules and see if I liked them. In order to get more use out of my mat which I bought from Tiny for my Sudan collection the obvious choice had to be WW2 North Africa, and inspired by Captain Blood's thread on here I decided to pitch in. When I do something I tend to go the whole hog as they say, so it has rather overtaken my spare time for months now. We've been playing this game for two Sundays now and it looks like it will continue for at least one more, so here are some photos of the game in progress thus far. Photos courtesy of the Axis commander with some contraption he calls an 'Ipad', whatever that is?

View looking down the table from the town which was in Axis hands. The Allies were launching a frontal attack with 4 Indian platoons (3 Sikh one of which were vets and the Rajput Rifles who were Inexperienced) and 2 British Essex Regt platoons, supported by a pair of Honeys. The Italians held the town with a unit of MSVP on the left, a unit of Bersaglieri alongside, and two units of regulars, plus a unit of regulars in the abandoned village on the outskirts. To help them they had three CV33's one of which was a flamethrower, a Breda 20mm, and a Breda HMG. Afrika Korps assistance was lost in the desert at the start, one was the remains of a Kampgruppe and the other a Kradshutz patrol out looking for downed airmen. Neither side was aware that there were 2 Luftwaffe airmen hiding in a wadi just outside town awaiting discovery. If the Allies got within 3 inches they had to expose themsleves, 6 inches for Axis troops.
Unbeknown to the Axis the Allies were expecting two LCMs stuffed with SAS whose mission was to raid the docks and destroy the fuel and ammo dumps before heading to the transmitter station to capture any codes they could find an destroy the building.
Their appearance caused consternation in the Axis ranks!

[Volleyfire!]

The Blackshirts on the Axis left await the enemy.

We had two minefields one of which the Allies were allowed to drop a barrage on to try and clear it. Unfortunately for them after firing countless shells and finally scoring 6 sixes they were told it was in fact a dummy.

[Volleyfire!]

The unstoppable Italian flamethrower which trundled forwards and wiped out two Indian platoons of Sikh regulars that were trying take capture the abandoned village. Unfortunately for the Sikhs they lacked anti tanks weapons and were having to rely on another platoon with a Boyes, their Carrier with another Boyes, and the two Honeys.

Unfortunately for the Sikhs the Germans managed to get a side shot at the first Honey with a 222 armoured car and hit the fuel cans on the tanks which promptly went up in smoke. Oddly enough the Allied player controlling the tanks had been saying how much he was enjoying the rules 5 mins earlier, however at this point he changed his tune completely    A CV33 armed with a Solothurn meanwhile came up the road from Ben Kharzi and blew the track off the other Honey. Eventually it took so many pins it blew up.

This left the flamethower free to continue frying the poor Indians, scratch one Carrier too.

[Volleyfire!]

Meanwhile a platoon of Essex' finest had stumbled upon the hapless airmen hidden in the wadi and some redcaps were dispatched by HQ in a Tilly to collect them. Fortunately for the Allies HQ also decided to send a box of AT Grenades along as well, but only enough for one platoon. Meanwhile the landing craft appeared in the harbour and the attack went in on the docks.

Afrika Korps rushed to fend off the attack in their rear.

At the moment the SAS aren't getting on very well with the first LCM party all but wiped out, caught on the harbour jetty. Allies reinforcements in the shape of 3 Crusader I & IIs have arrived (the Umpire felt sorry for the Allied player) but the Axis look to have the upper hand. We shall see what happens next Sunday. To be continued.....

[lethallee61]

Wow. All your hard work has paid off in spades. What a beautiful looking table and game.

Very envious. 

[SABOT]

Just lovely. You can see the hard work that’s gone into to all of that  and worth every effort too. Just fantastic, a real joy to look at those photos. Please post more up when you can. Top notch. 👍

[BillK]

Fantastic looking board and miniatures.
Wonderful AAR and pics, thanks for posting them.

[OSHIROmodels]

Great looking table 

[joekano]

That looks spectacular - well done on the terrain!  Can I ask what company you got the mats from?

Chris

[moiterei_1984]

  Awesome looking game indeed!

[Ragnar]

Marvelous setup and fun report, to boot.

[Volleyfire!]

That looks spectacular - well done on the terrain!  Can I ask what company you got the mats from?

Chris

Mats came from Tiny Wargames, I thoroughly recommend their service.
http://www.tinywargames.co.uk/

[Helen]

Thank you for sharing your AAR, collection and photos. Good to read the Italians were dishing out some to the Allies.

It certainly takes time to build a collection, well done so far. Its always nice to see your own collection being used. I'm still going with my project, but I'm in no hurry.

All the best,

Helen

[Volleyfire!]

Are you sure it was left turn for the trattoria?

Veteran Sikhs hide behind the disabled Honey on the left, the one on the right is already brewing up. Meanwhile a platoon of Essex decides it's prudent to lie low in the wadi at the top of the pic.

Anyone for Sunday roast??

The first LCM reaches the jetty in the background, whilst a unit of Bersaglieri dash past HQ to try and stop them from blowing up the ammo and fuel dumps. Figures carrying small packs were deemed to be demolition experts and these had to remain alongside a target for one move to set their explosives before getting well clear of the explosion when it came.
Since this was a learning curve game for the players I decided not to include mortars or on table artillery, and ignore officers morale boosts for platoons, as well as the extra order dice officers can generate.

[Cat]

Wow, that looks great — you're off to a super start!