Bolt Action: For the free France!

Fight for the liberty of France continued last friday, when i had a battle against clubmate Juhas early war germans. We had a scenario based battle where the germans had tasked to occupy a nearby town of the bridge they captured last time. As the germans advance has been fast there would be no artillery support available in this battle.

French comander giving last orders to the defenders before the battle

Defenders of France                            

Command Squad                               
3x Infantry squad                 
Machine gun team                                   
Mortar team                                          
Anti-tank rifle team                                  
Renault FT-17 tank                                    
Light howitzer                

German Attackers

2x Command squad (+1 bonus and +2 bonus)
4x Infantry squad
Armored car
Mortar team
Sniper team
Tank (cant remember the model)
Anti-tank cannon
Medic

This was or battlefield

The defenders of France had made preparations for the oncoming battle before the germans arrived, so French deployed into the houses.


German commander decided to deploy his infantry on to the right flank and also into the midle of the battlefield.
Armored car and tank rolled towards the town from the left flank, supporting each other. Infantry on the right were also supported by the anti tank cannon.

French commander sent his trusted Renault FT-17 tank to meet the germans on the right flank. The tank saw an opportunity to make a huge inpact on the German force and targeted the command team of the right flanck. Luckily for the germans, the commander only lost two of his squad members but was saved himself.

Renault FT-17 acting as a gatekeeper into the towns right side

Light howitzer ready to bombard anyone in view.

Soon the howitzer saw its first target. The German armored car speeded towards the town. Howitzer fires and narrowly misses it, flying shrapnel and dirt to the cars side. This proved to be too much for the cars driver who decided to reverse as fast as he could. It took couple of turns for the driver to be convinced by his gunner to drive back towards the town.

German tank also advanced towards the town, seeing the armored car reversing, it also saw where the shot came from. The tank opened fire at the howitzer and managed to hitting and killing a gunner.

On the midlle of the board two german squads got orders from their nearby officer. One squad was ordered to run in the cover of the light fence and use the same road as the tank and armored car. The other squad was set to sneak into the town trough the woods, on the righ side of the town.

German squads line up behinde the fence

Soon the squads receive new orders

Over at the right flank, the massive german formation with two squads, anti-tank cannon, medic and the other command squad were advancing forward. One of the squads was hit by mortar fire and went to the ground, suffering some casualties. The germans soon noticed the French mortar spotter sending message pidgeons from the nearby forrest. Nearest german squad opened fire, but the spotter managed to send one more pidgeon before he was gunned down by second turn of shooting from the german squad.

German right flank

Leader of the whole german force, after loosig his squad members

In the town, French infantry squad on the left most building notices that it is out of position and leaves the house and runs to the midle building. There is still a machine gun team in the left most building.

In the middle of the board, the german squad trying to enter the town with the vehicles got shot to pieces by two full French squads in the middle building and the machine gun in the left building.

German squad, couple of footsteps before the French unleash hell on them

German mortar got into firing position earlier in the game, and now its spotter sent the coordinates to strike the french howitzer. The german mortar fire was deadly accurate and first round hit the howitzer killing the crew.

The French mortar team positioned close to the howitzer saw their countrymen perish before their eyes. They knew that  they were now the only slim chance that the left flank had of stopping the german vehicles before the anti-tank rifle team could relocate. Despite their best efforts the mortar team did not hit the german tank closing in the town on a high speed.

Anti-tank rifle team making a quick relocation to the other side of the town

On the right flank the germans were trying to close in on the town. They pushed their anti-tank cannon into a firing position, forcing the Renault to reverse back into the town. The French soldiers on the right most house also opened fire onto the germans, trying to hold them back.

The german mortar targeted the middle house and hit, french troops in the house suffered some casualties. Also the german tank closed in right next to the house and fired with its machine gun in point black range, trying to pin the french.

At this point the French commander ordered the two squads in the middle building to exit, fearing that they would be pinned into the house and the german mortar was allready zeroed in. This was a move that costed the lives of alot of his men, but also the german tank got destroyed. The tank chased the French footmen now in the field at the middle of the board, turning the back of the tank to a direction that it should not have done. The anti-tank rifle team made a quick dash behind of the tank, set their gun into position, quickly aimed and fired. They hit the exhaust system of the tank and setting it on fire and taking it completely out.

The germans behind the fence saw their tank on fire and the french soldiers running in the field. They quickly adapted to the sitation and opened fire on the french who had no casualties. They suffered major casualties. The germans took a reinforcement squad from the right flank and it also opened fire into the other french squad on the field. After a turn of firing the german squads assaulted the french squads taking them out, but they also took casualties in return.

The Renault reversing on the road, saw their infantry squads getting beat down at the field. The gunner of the Renault also noticed that behind the german squads there was a german officer and his squad. He unleashed a short burst with his machine gun, rolling 6 to hit, to wound and for exeptional damage, killing the officer.

The game was closing to a end. The germans had made good advance into the town, but now they had the right most house to clear. The german commander looked at his troops who had taken a beating during the battle and none were at full strenght. He ordered squad after squad to take the right most house, but none of his men came back out of that house. He loaded his submachine gun, ran to the house and kicked in the door. He looked and the remaining surprised french infantrymen and unleashed burst after burst with his weapon and killed them to the last man. This german counterpart of srgt Spears from band of bothers had earned his medals and shown why he was in charge. This took the game for the germans. But the battle had coused major casualties to the german forses. For the french the casualties were also horrific.


This was one of the greatest battles i have had in bolt action, and i hope that there is more to come. Also the whole early war setting is something that i realy enjoy.

Ill try to open the galleries for my french and brittish troops during this week, so stay tuned!