Bolt Action - Game Report 1

Action in Normandy July 1944 - Solo Game

Introduction

The purpose of this game was to start re-familiarizing myself with the rules, and to have a bit of fun. I don't have two sides in 28mm, so I used my 20mm figures with the ground scale reduced to 20mm to the inch. It makes fighting on a 48" square table the equivalent of fighting on a 60" square table!

I chose the meeting engagement scenario from the rules. However, I did allow the scenario to run on beyond the 6 moves in order to see what would happen and of course to secure the benefit from rules familiarization - as best one can playing solo.

Forces

To make it more balanced I invited my friend Dave to prepare the German plan, and I gave him 3 sample orbats to choose from. He chose the Wehrmacht orbat an understrength infantry platoon, reinforced with a StgIII, an HMG section, a sniper and a Panzerfaust team. 

I fielded an understrength 9 Platoon C Company 1st Bn Duke of Glendons Light Infantry, supported by a Churchill from C Squadron 147th Regt RAC and a FOO, and a Mortar section.

Aerial Photo from Spitfire Recon

This view is an oblique view from the oblique camera on the spitfire recon of the objective from the South

German Plan

General Concept: 

• To move quickly into position and remain static to engage the enemy as they advance
• 1st Move all units get to ‘RUN’; this will take the StuG III, PaK38, Sniper and MMG teams into position; PzSchreck into the woods; the others half way to their objective.
• 2nd Move may require more tactical ‘Adv’ move, but if no enemy contacted / sighted then RUN again into position. 
• Open fire at close range when the enemy are in the open or moving when possible.
• Movement: . – See following diagram
• SNIPER Team to the upper floor of building ‘A’.  Spotting & Sniping on the left flank
• MMG Team to the upper floor of building ‘B’.  180 arc SW to NE  covering the left flank, the approach down the road and the bocage encl in front of Sec 2
• 2nd Section – to the enclosure;  LMG & loader on the right in the NE corner; rifles and smg to their left
• 1st Section – to the wooded are on the hill to the right of 2nd Sec.  Rifles & SMG on the left & within the wood;  LMG & loader on the right, within the wood but able to fire to right flank;  PzFaust to its right, able to fire to the right flank, or move if necessary to cover the left.
• Pln HQ to follow 2nd section and position outside the enclosure on the reverse slope.
• THE FALL BACK POSITION for these three units are the woods and wooded hill to their rear.
• PzSchreck Team to the woods by building B, covering the road and high ground hill ‘U’.  To engage armour only. 
• PAK 38 to the right of woods to cover the right flank. 
• StuG III to Building ‘B’, sited to take advantage of the cover of the building, arc covering high ground ‘S’ to ‘X’, the road, woods and enclosure between the two.

Contingency

• Should the enemy come against the left flank the StuG III and PaK38 can pivot to face 
• 1st Section to reorientate to face the threat only if the right flank is secure.

British Plan

Battle Report from OC 9 Platoon

1 Sect arrived as planned on time with the Mortar Section

Subsequent recovery of imagery from returning recon flights showed the Germans had already started to deploy. We didn't realise the strength of forces we were fighting.

The FOO had an exceptional good view of the Germans deploying.

However the FOO managed convince his betters that we needed an Uncle Fire Mission, which caused significant causalities on the Germans in the Bocage!

Meanwhile I had to delay our advance as there was significant congestion to our rear and both 2 Sect and the Churchill were very late arriving to join us. Once they arrived we could move forward, however, the delay meant that we could not capitalize on the the success of the artillery fire mission.

Once the advance started it went well, until the closer we got to St Mere le Chappele. The first challenge was that the Germans had posted an HMG in the ruins of the village which supported by a StgIII proved a significant obstacle, and pinned down 1 Sect.

Secondly we were subject to intense and accurate sniper fire from the buildings NW of the village, which cause casualties to 2 Sect and pinned them down.

Our Churchill tank came forward to engage the StgIII. There was a long exchange of fire with the Germans failing to even register a hit of the Churchill. Which seemed unable to secure a hit in return. Until a shot from the StgIII penetrated and destroyed the Churchill.

Whilst we were trying to make some progress, at least our fire support was increasingly accurate and our Mortar section proved extremely effective in suppressing and then driving of the remainder of the German Infantry, who were seen by the FOO moving to their rear.

With the inability to advance and with the threat of the StgIII moving forward to engage 2 Sect, I sent the PIAT team forward. They managed to move to close range and with two shots were able to destroy the StgIII. At which point I decided to withdraw my platoon as we had insufficient strength to secure the village.