USAAF learn how to fly……

A “Bolt Action” scenario

Tuesday night saw a Bolt Action scenario – capture and take off the board secret documents hidden in a vehicle in the centre of the table – between USA forces ( Alistair and Mike T ) and a mixed force of Germans ( Rob and Tim ). NB with the amount of rain we’ve had lately we elected to use the club river sections as wet roads, it only seemed right.

The German Assault troops took quick advantage of sluggish US movement and quickly closed on the prize, however at some cost as a US MMG caught them in the open…nasty!.

US troops started to envelope both wings. Their left coming up against stiff German resistance and they had to pull back with heavy losses. The US right was the opposite with the doctrine of move and fire showing itself to be quite useful! The Kriegsmarine unit were on the receiving end of this onslaught and quickly dissolved.

Whilst this was going on the captured secrets were making their way to the German edge of the board and victory. Time for the now notorious ill fated USAAF to make and appearance. However after failing to appear US heads started to drop, As with all other games we’ve had the USAAF showed themselves to be particularly adept at attacking their own troops, blue on blue style, so breaths were being held all round! The next turn however it appeared and decimated some German assault troops ( x11 hits!)…ouch!

Not to be put off the Germans started to roll up their right wing, and, confidence increasing, made swift progress to the table edge with the booty.

Noting a potential defeat in the making US troop manoeuvred quickly and put to flight the group holding the prize.

Undeterred the prize was picked up by a German officer

The scenario ran for six turns with an option for more, dependant on die roll. We ended up with one more turn before scenario end. It was a case of which coloured die came out first……

It was German and with typical flair the officer sprinted for the table edge and off to collect his medal!

A German victory and enjoyable game.

Words & pictures by Mike Travis

The Battle of Santo Malanca

Taking advantage of cold weather but low snow levels the Austrians under Kollorfeldt launched a column with the objective of seizing the import town of Santo Malanca. However Kollorfeldt, presuming his opponent was unable to fight in the wintery conditions gives little thought to scouting or screening his flanks and allows his Croats to bring up the rear.

Unbeknownst to him, Campari’s General Avvio has not only managed to locate the Austrian column but is about to launch an attack on his line of March…….

With the town a little way up the valley, Kollorfeldt was sure that he would be able to seize it and it’s important bridge and settle down somewhere warm in time for supper. His reverie was disturbed when a trooper from the Dragoon regiment providing the advance guard rode up and told him the way was blocked by red coated infantry. He had little time to think before the sound of artillery came from his right flank and he knew he had blundered into a trap.

Kollorfeldt ordered his first two infantry units forward, together with the dragoons. He would lead an attempt to burst the through the blocking force. Order were sent to General Gummstiefel to turn the rearmost elements of the column to face the flank attack and to send the Croats round their flank to force them to disengage.

The dragoon’s cantered up in the powdery snow and drew their swords their change was short, and already they could see that their own flank was in danger from Avvio’s cavalry. As they closed with their foe a strong volley of musketry rolled out and cleared many of the brave men from their saddles. The charge closed, but the horses wouldn’t press home against the line of steel. They recoiled and a second charge went in. More musketry and more saddles cleared. Madness perhaps, but success would clear they way for the infantry and open the road ahead for the column.

Kollorfeldt cursed as he watched the dragoons fail to batter through the enemy infantry. As a young ensign he had charged with Eugene and against the Turks – cavalry was unstoppable then. He turned and ordered his men to deploy into line. He would have to shoot his way clear.

At the rear Gummstiefel was in trouble. The Croats advance had forced the artillery to draw back but Kollorfeldt’s movement to the front had split the column in two and now he was flanked by Campari re was little he could but try and find space to fight so he ordered his regiment about and started to retire. He called for a messenger to pass a note to the Kollorfeldt – but he had scarcely time to dictate his message when the man when down in a hail of lead. A quarter of the regiment lay dead around him – Gummstiefel prayed for nightfall.

Kollorfeldt’s advance had ground to a halt and now it was clear there was little he could do. All around him his men lay dying, cut down by the sabres of attacking cavalry or shot by heavy volleys of musketry. How would he survive the disgrace of this defeat? In the last rays of the winter sun he saw his chance – he ordered his staff to draw their swords and together they spurred their horses forward, galloping clear of the carnage the small band cut through the Campari ring and away form the battle. Someone had to bring the news to imperial headquarters – Gummstiefel was clearly to blame for losing contact with the rest of the column and had dragged the whole lot to destruction….yes..that would do….

Some notes:
A scenario based on one from Neil Thomas’s One Hour Wargames and in turn based on Salamanca. Alistairs’s Austrians had two choices, stand and fight it out or try to cut their way clear. Andy’s Campari  army managed to defeat them in detail once the colon had broken up, but it could have been different had Alistairs dragoons cut their way through or Andy’s cavalry ran out of space then they galloped into the the gap between two Austrian regiments! A nice simple game, but a tough one.

Words & photos by Stuart Insch