Bolt Action - Game Report 3

Sicilian Meeting Engagement - Aug 1943

Introduction

I took the 9pl 1st Bn Duke of Glendon's Light Infantry (1 DOG) into battle at Entoyment in a Bolt Action Tournament. There were three scenarios to fight against a disparate variety of enemy forces. This was Game 1.

Situation

The British landings in Sicily have been successful. Losses are moderate and now the mission is to enlarge the beachhead as soon as possible to gain space for the follow on forces to land and deploy.

Enemy Forces

Intel reports suggested that despite the Germans lack of trust in the Italians, that they have committed Italian forces against the British area of oppositions. Given that they are fighting on home ground they are likely to be a more difficult opposition than they were in the Desert. A deserter has reported that the enemy commander in the area is a certain Sottotenente Josh, a young man of skill and cunning.

Friendly Forces

9Pl has 3 sections each of 8 men including a LMG and its Piat team, they are supported by a Churchill from C Squadron 147th Regt RAC and a FOO, and a Mortar section from the Bn Mortar Platoon.

Mission

9Pl 1 DOG is to conduct an advance to contact, destroying any enemy in they encounter

Combat Report

The report is prepared by OC 9Pl.

We started our advance cautiously following the main road, as we wanted to secure the bridge. I sent 1 sect left to find a position to cover our planned crossing. Meanwhile myself and 2 Section came on to the left of the road and 3 Section to the right. We left the road to the Churchill. The FOO and the Mortar section came with me. The Foo to deploy into the building to look for targets of opportunity, and intention was to set the Mortars up the base plate in cover to the rear of the building.

Our Churchill managed to slow the advance of an Italian section, but it was wholly unable to find the range to destroy an Italian armoured car that was causing us severe problems from our left flank. The car's automatic cannon disrupted and pinned down 1 Sect who failed to advance to the covered position we needed.

The FOO called for fire but he managed to transpose the grid reference of the target and the fire ended up 1500m in the rear of the Italian lines. 

Our mortar section were taken out before they could bring effective fire to bear on the enemy. The Italian mortars managed to successfully find the range and started to cause issues for 2 Sect which were pinned down and unable move forward.

3 Sect managed to occupy the building to the right of the road and brought effective fire on the Italians to our front.

The advancing Churchill was effective in suppressing the enemy even though it failed to destroy the armoured car. Its machine gun fire supporting 3 Sect was sufficiently effective to destroy a rifle section.

2 Sect were in serious trouble, their morale was fading fast but they managed to stay with us and fell back after the fight in good order.

Outcome

The result was a draw with one unit lost from each side.