Bolt Action - Game Report 7

Battle for Key Positions - Sicily Aug 1943

Introduction

Kevin and I wanted to try again relatively soon so that we wouldn't lose momentum in our understanding of the rules. We were joined in this venture this time by Paul, who was given a sub-command to play around with.

Situation

The allied advance across Sicily has started to gain momentum. However, the Germans were using every opportunity to counter-attack and cause delay. 1 DOG's mission had seized its initial objective, and C Coy led by 9Pl has been ordered forward to exploit the success. 

Enemy Forces

A scratch force of German Grenadiers  was known to have been in tactical reserve in 1 DOG's sector. Reports from local resistance fighters indicated that this reserve had been reinforced with engineers, mortars and an armoured car. Officer reinforcements had been identified; an Oberfähnrich Frith seems to have been assigned to Leutnant Parry's platoon.

Friendly Forces

CO 1 DOG had assigned OC 9Pl an M5 halftrack from divisional resources and a Bren Gun Carrier from the Bn Carrier Platoon, a FOO, and a Mortar section from the Bn Mortar Platoon and Sgt Grimes from the Bn Sniper Platoon. 9Pl had recently been reinforced following earlier casualties; along with his 2 veteran sections he now had a new regular section from the Bn reserves.

Mission

9Pl 1 DOG is to secure the four objectives, and to destroy any enemy that try to seize them.

Combat Report

This report was submitted after the action by OC 9Pl, with additional commentary from Sgt Grimes.

The objectives we had to seize were located across the Bn front. Given my resources it was impractical to seize them all in one go. I decided that I need to secure at least two rapidly and then move to seize the remaining two as circumstances permitted, and at the least to use fire to deny them to the enemy.

I deployed my new regular section in the M5 half track to seize the objective on the hill to my right front in a coup-de-main. I left the Piat team mounted in the Bren carrier as my anti-armour reserve. 1 and 2 sections would advance with me through the centre to secure the building and then be prepared to move left or bring down fire as required.

Sgt Grimes was able to deploy along with the FOO and the MFC early into overwatch positions.

The FOO reported an enemy section advancing on the buildings, he brought in an artillery strike, which was only sufficient to pin them in place for a while.

3 Section were able to debus from the M5 Halftrack and seize the objective on the hill. From there they ha excellent fields of fire and were able to bring fire down on the enemy infantry to prevent them advancing. Unfortunately the arrival of the German armoured car managed to destroy the halftrack. We needed its firepower.

With the seizure of the building objective by 1 Section it was able to rush the building over the road. The Germans infantry section in the cornfield rallied from the artillery and fire from 3 Section and launched a vicious counterattack and overran 1 Section before they could secure the building. 2 Section tried to press on through the woods, but they came under sustained and accurate fire from the German section on our left, and the armoured car which was brought forward to engage them.

I deployed the PIAT team from the Bren carrier into the objective building, looking for the opportunity to engage the armoured car behind the other building. At that time we heard anxious raised German voices followed by some wild fire from the other building, and the FOO reported that Germans were seen running to the rear in panic from the building. I rapidly redeployed the PIAT team to the building to try and engage the car, but it withdrew from its exposed position.

Sgt Grimes reported that he was able to deploy effective fire from his position to damage the enemy HQ forcing it out of the battle. He was able to eventually maneuver to a better position to be able to bring effective suppressive fire down, along with the Bren carrier on the left most German infantry section. Throughout this action 2 Section grimly held their position despite their casualties.

Outcome

An interesting battle. The British one by 2 objectives to 1, but it was getting very close as we moved into the extra game turn. Another fine game to learn lessons on tactics and the rules.

ADLG - Game Report 15

Galatians (72) vs Graeco-Bactrians(46)

Another army for me to try my luck with. I have to confess that I consider myself still in the experimental stage of ADLG gaming; trying different armies and tactics to see what can work, what cannot and what is damn right suicidal.

For this experiment I chose the Galatians. I mixed in some Greek's but I have to confess that I think the Army List is a little ambiguous on this Army and a couple of others in relation to options and tribes. I shall be asking questions in the forum to see if the wise and well read can explain to me the options better.

My initial deployment placed my Cavalry on the right, and the main infantry commands in the centre and left. My plan, as much as it was, was to delay and hold on the right, and to use my elite heavy swordsmen in the centre to breakthrough past Paul's elephants and their supporting medium javelinmen. 

I had reasonable command dice and for once the impetuous Galatians closed the distance quite quickly with my line conducting a right wheel to engage. I even withdrew my cavalry to better protect my flank. Albeit at the expense of two light cavalry units. 

Contact is made, and this is where it started to fall apart. My attack in the centre did not go well. The Elephant destroyed and elite heavy swordsmen in one round of combat and disordered another. I destroyed one of the javelinmen but the other was a stand off!

After this I missed an opportunity to zoc his light cav and prevent his cataprachts from closing in rapidly to destroy my cavalry and chariots.  On the left we closed to close combat with the pikes, and along the line we failed to have any success with the majority of my troops losing the first round of melee.

Outcome

With the disorders caused and the losses from the cavalry engagement and the centre my army lost cohesion and lost the battle.

Lessons Learnt

• I perhaps allowed the cavalry to become too engaged, and expected much too much of them to succeed against the cataphracts.
• I certainly missed the opportunity to use zocs to pin and delay to my advantage. 
• I could have aligned better on the charge on the left, but in the end the dice ruled against me.
• As for the centre; let's just say that when the gods are against you .... bow down and await your fate

age of eagles computer assisted

Age of Eagles (et al) Computer Assisted

Introduction

In the past few years I spent a lot of time solo-gaming. I found that one of the biggest challenges was sticking to the game sequence. The more complicated the rules the greater the challenge. As a (relatively) competent programmer I wanted to see how I could automate the sequence and take some of the trudge of calculating combat etc. 

The major breakthrough I had was that I, like many other wargamers, allow our fingers to do the walking over the quick reference sheets. Making sure we point to a factor on the sheet to count them. My epiphany is why not do the same on the touchscreen of a computer and then let the computer roll the bones for you.

It is also interesting that using this solution has helped me introduce the game systems to new players. It liberates them from the mechanics of combat calculations and instead seems to place them in the command seat making battlefield decisions on moving and committing their forces to action.

I have tried this a number of times with different rule sets now with varying degrees of success. I think one of the better solutions I have come up with is for Fire and Fury and Col Bill Gray's Age of Eagles rules and the derivatives.

Age of Eagles Solution

This set of pictures are from the Age of Eagles variant, but I have adopted for all of the games on this welcome screen. It helps if you are familiar with the rule system, but I think you will appreciate the effect I am trying to achieve even if you are unfamiliar with the specifics of these rules. 

This is the initial screen where one can set the game scenario features. One can save and load scenarios. I have also added some features to play solo. Basically these allow the player to generate different courses of action, weight them and then computer chooses the plan the commander follows.

 There are a couple of additional features as well to do with doctrine etc but I can cover those in more detail in a later post if people are interested. There are two other features. The first displays the die rolls - a confidence building measure! The second allows the program to manage events such as the arrival of reinforcements etc. I will cover the "Adjust Casualties" button later.

The convention is that for those options, such as combat modifiers, the option is selected when it goes gold as per the display dice rolls selected here.

The Event manager has a number of options for handling random time of arrival, decrementing dice rolls etc. This is all set up before the game starts.

On to the game. I have programmed the application to follow exactly the sequence of play. As with most games the first thing every thing to do is to determine who has the initiative.

Next up in Age of Eagles et al is the First Player's Tactical March Phase

Starting with Reserve Movement. In this case I have selected modifiers for conducting Reserve Movement last time and being disordered. (Other factors might apply but this is just to show the principles!)

By pressing "Check" the computer goes away, rolls the bones, and calculates the answer. Remember that in selecting the modifiers and pressing "Check" it is your finger on the touchscreen that is doing all the work. 

We aren't using a  mouse here! the tablet is as easy to hold and use as a Quick Reference Sheet!

Let's move on the Tactical Movement. In this case I have chosen a number of other options for this unit. A slight difference here is that in order to get the +1 for detached leader one merely has to press the Detached Leader button, or similarly for Attached Leaders or Cover etc. 

And the results are here. Perhaps I should explain the dice rolls showing as [4 + 4] in this example. The first 4 is the D10 die roll, and the +4 are the positive modifiers. 

In Age of Eagles et al it is important to capture the fact that someone is disordered, not because it is a factor but because one looks up the result on a different table. Hence it allows the computer to give you the correct and expected answer.

So onto the Defensive Firing. I won't bother showing the Attackers fire phase as this is identical, so pay attention! 

If you play these rules the form looks very much like the quick reference sheet. It has the range bands across the top, with the weapons down the left and the fire factors for each category weapon where the two intersect. For the artillery the factors are Heavy on the left medium and light on the right.

One then simply calculates the total fire factor at the target and then one uses the slider to register the fire points. Choose the factors and then press "Fire". The Artillery modifier is not really a modifier, it rather ensures that the result relates to artillery and not infantry.

The other wrinkle I have added to help those who need to take of their socks to count to twenty is that I have added a calculator. 

All one has to do is to press a fire factor and the calculator pops up. Simply select the number of elements/models firing at that factor. Use the multiplier if relevant from a half to two times, and then press "Add" and this cumulatively adds the calculator total to the Fire factor.

As suggested the results are very straightforward after pressing "Fire". In this case the computer rolled a 7 and the modifiers were +1. As you can see because we selected firing at Artillery it only shows the effect on artillery.

On to Charge Combat, and where casualties mount; if you get your charge going in correctly and in numbers. So this works in a similar way to the other screens. 

A minor note is that where there is a button and an associated text box such as "Troop Rating", and "Outnumbered", one selects the text and it cycles through in the box to its right the options available. I think the selections are fairly predictable. 

At the bottom it shows the cumulative modifiers for the attacker and defender; another confidence building measure to reassure the players that all is in order and the computer knows as much as they can calculate in their heads. The nice thing is doing it this way it is very difficult to miss factors.

And finally after one has pressed the "Fight the Melee" one gets first the Attacker result.

And then the Defender result. Didn't the Austrians do well!

A final word on the "Adjust Cas" button you have seen throughout. One of the nice features in the game is that once a side has reached 30% losses it starts to suffer a -1 modifier on tactical march for each 5% after that. This means that at 35% losses one suffers an immediate -2 modifier. That means in my experience that as the losses mount it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the momentum going forward and Brigades start going backwards rather than forwards! In this solution losses are tracked and this figure is calculated by the computer. However, given that losses in the Melee can mount and when their is one element or stand left in a Brigade it departs the field means that one needs a means to adjust the casualties recorded to align with the dead pile next to the table. This table allows for that correlation and adjustment. 

Conclusion

So far I have had good reaction for this tool. It is surprising how intuitive it is given we all stab our fingers through paper quick reference sheets from time to time. In point of fact my Fire and Fury quick reference sheet is now over 30 years old and quite tatty!

If you have any thoughts or questions on this tool then please just let me know. It is only one of a number of these tools I have created for a wide variety of rules.

Bolt Action - Game Report 6

Meeting Engagement in Sicily (part 2) - Aug 1943

Introduction

Following on from the Bolt Action Tournament I seized on the opportunity of a further Bolt Action game with Kevin, to further hone my understanding of the rules. Kevin had played before but not recently, and not with version 2.

Situation

Given the increasing fragility of the Italian commitment to the axis alliance, the Germans had moved up a Panzer Grenadier Battlegroup to face of 1 DOG's sector. The Brigade mission was to expand the bridgehead further along the valley where 1 DOG's last action was. The Brigade commander had ordered 1 DOG forward again to advance to contact and clear the sector of enemy forces.

Enemy Forces

Overnight patrols detected the German Panzer Grenadiers arriving. A captured reluctant ost troop grenadier reported that the most forward troops were a platoon of 3 sections, supported by a mortar section, armoured car and a half track commanded by a Leutnant Kevin Parry. He was described as new to the front but a wily and experienced tactician.

Friendly Forces

CO 1 DOG had secured the support of an M5 halftrack from divisional resources and a Churchill from C Squadron 147th Regt RAC. Along with 2 of his 3 veteran sections and a FOO, and a Mortar section from the Bn Mortar Platoon, OC 9Pl was well placed to give a good account of himself. 

Mission

9pl 1 DOG is to advance to contact in sector and destroy any enemy they encounter.

Combat Report

The report was written by OC 9Pl after the action.

We managed to infiltrate the FOO and the Mortar Fire Controller (MFC) into overwatch positions before we advanced. This was timely and was instrumental in the action that followed.

My plan was to advance on the bridge crossing, as we would need that later. Additionally I hoped it would prove to be a magnet to draw the Germans onto my weapons so I could destroy them by long-range fire. 

I advanced 1 Section on my left to secure the woods covering the bridge. That way they could secure my left flank. I left 2 Section in reserve, mounted in the half track. The Mortar baseplate deployed behind me, with the Tank moving towards the bridge.

The Germans advanced down the road with their armoured car with a Panzer Grenadier section to the right of this with the platoon commander. Another section was heading for the bridge across the field system, and we heard engine sounds from our right flank.

Our FOO called in a divisional artillery shoot on the enemy to our left front. It was exceptionally well timed and accurate. It destroyed the armoured car and seriously pinned down the enemy infantry in the woods 

1 Section went into ambush in the woods, and not a moment too soon as the Germans recovered from being pinned by the artillery and started to advance. They were extremely tenacious and continued to advance under fire to 1 Section, who returned fire and both the enemy and 1 Section suffered a number of casualties.

In the centre the Churchill and mortar section pinned down the German infantry in the field heading for the bridge. They never left the field system, and their morale broke under sustained fire and eventually retired. They were no longer a threat.

On our right the Germans had discovered a ford across the stream for their halftrack, and debussed an infantry section to take us from the rear. In response I ordered 2 Section forward on the halftrack to occupy the building on our right as a strongpoint. While the Churchill was engaging the enemy in the centre the enemy halftrack broke forward and brought its machine guns to bear on the Mortar section destroying them in one volley. 

The half track withdrew after destroying the mortar section and then came under fire from the 2 Section in the house which forced the vehicle to withdraw. 

By this time, with the centre no longer being threatened, I recalled the Churchill to support 2 Section and to engage the enemy half track. The tanks shooting was appalling and they failed to register a main gun round on target. Eventually the combined firepower of 2 Section, the halftrack and the tank MGs destroyed the Germans who had debussed from their halftrack, and at that point the enemy had no more stomach for the fight and withdrew. I regrouped and consolidated my position. 

Outcome

A British victory 3 to 1. A very exciting game that went both ways in the middle. Kevin and I both enjoyed it and learnt a lot about the rules - once we found the correct place in the aforesaid rules!

I am sure we will all be playing more BA in the future as an alternative to ADLG.