A few months ago me and my friend Steuart, decided that we would do a series of scenarios based on the great tv series "Band of Brothers." Due to my having the figures already in 15mm before I discovered the rules "Bot action", we used them and kept the measurement for shooting and movement the same as 28mm.
Steuart played the U.S playing the 1st Platoon of Easy company using the historic strength and organisation of the Platoon rather than a point system. I played the German forces that were spread out over the battlefield but were entirely unknown to the the U.S player and were not activated until discovered by the paratroopers, also there were a few surprises thrown in as well.
The U.S mission is to lead his Platoon from the landing zone and secure the village of Saint Come-du-Mont and to blow up the highway bridge over the river Douvre. The Intelligence Corp had informed them that there were a few German squads of mixed abilities in the área and also a pillbox that due to being well camouflaged they have failed to locate. The Platoon would be transported by 2 Dakota C47s, The Jump would be at night at around 02.00 a.m, also they must careful there would be other platoons landing in the área so they would have to watchout for friendly fire.
U.S force consists of as follows
Platoon HQ 1 officer with SMG, 1 NCO with SMG , 4 Pvts with rifles.
Mortar Squad 60mm Mortar 6 Pvts with Rifles
1st Rifle Squad 1 Sgt with SMG, 8 Pvts with Rifles, 2 Pvt with LMG, 1 Cpl with SMG
attached 2 Pvts with Bazooka. Squad also include antitank grenades
2nd Rifle Squad 1 Sgt with SMG, 8 Pvts with Rifles, 2 Pvt with LMG, 1 Cpl with SMG
attached 2 Pvts with Bazooka. Squad also include antitank grenades
3rd Rifle Squad 1 Sgt with SMG, 8 Pvts with Rifles, 2 Pvt with LMG, 1 Cpl with SMG
attached 2 Pvts with Bazooka. Squad also include antitank grenades
Attached from Company HQ 4 Pvts with 2 LMG.
The topography of the terrain, with the photos that air recon have been provided below
The German Force misión to hold and secure the village of Saint Come-du-Mont and to defend the Highway bridge over the river Douvre.
German Forces consists as follows
Ostruppen Squad of 6 Pvt with rifles and NCO with SMG,
Regular Heer Squad 6 pvt with rifles, 2 pvt with LMG and NCO with SMG in a lorry.
Fallschirmjager Squad 7 pvts with SMG, 2 Pvts with LMG and officer with SMG.
2 MMG teams
SDKFZ 222 Light Armoured car.
SDKFZ 251/1 Half Track "Hanomag"
Panzer IV.
With it being a night drop we used the Bolt action night fighting rules for spotting enemy units before being able to fire.
The mechanic we used to simulate the parachute drop was the old method of dropping tissue paper over the drop zone, each piece of paper had a number on it to correspond to the actual figures. We used two boxes to simulate the two different Dakotas.
The first Dakota "flew" over and most of the paratroopers landed in the correct zone. If the paper landed in rough terrain or the road, then Steuart had to throw 1D6, if the score was 1 then the paratrooper was injured badly and removed from the game. If a paper landed in wáter or marsh then a 1D6 was thrown and if a 1 or 2 was thrown the paratrooper was removed fron the game. If the paper fell off the table a 1D6 was throw each new turn and they would be allowed to enter if the result was the same or less than the current turn number.
The Paratroopers from the first drop succesfully land with only a couple of troopers going astray.
The second Dakota flys over the landing zone.
This landing is more spread out with a couple landing further north of the table and one unlucky paratrooper drowning in the marsh área.
Because Bolt Action uses dice to give activation to groups of soldiers. I introduced a Regroup phase where the dispersed paratroopers would move to their NCOs. This meant when any U.S Squad was activated it could only move or fire etc with the troops within 1 inch of the NCO.
On the batlefield there was 12 black plastic squares all labelled underneath with either a German forcé or other things that could be triggered into action by spotting moving paratroopers or paratroopers being able to spot them. The first things discovered was a herd of cows and a lorry full of supplies. During the regrouping phase a squad of Obstruppen spotted some running Paratroopers and came out of the house they were billeted in. They killed a couple of Paratroopers only then to be fired on by a LMG that had landed very close to the house.
A Bazooka team advancing on the left flank came across a medium machine gun nest over the stream, but due the the darkness was unable to do any damage.
The 3rd Infantry Squad grouped together and began a flanking operation on the right, being careful to use the hill for cover.
On the left flank the advance is being held up by the stubborn German MMG
With the Obstruppen squad getting doublé pins they are soon routed and the U,S units begin to move up the road in the centre, lead by the platoon HQ squad.
A German arnoured car is spotted on the road on the right flank by a LMG squad who are the first U.S unit to be eliminated.
As a Bazooka team makes a dash between áreas of cover it is spotted by a MMG team in the Pillbox and eliminated
The 3rd Squad carry on with their flank move and Steuart declares an advance and fire move on a black square ahead and in the open. We work out the firing and the target figures are placed and fire back. Next Steuart then uses a whole squad to fire on the target, this he does with devastating affect with only two surivors. It is now I ask him to look closely at the figures that I had placed before. They are a lost squad from another división commanded by their own Company Commander Dick Winters who had landed off the table . luckily Winters has survived the friendly fire, but not he is not very impressed with his own troops,
The Platoon HQ advance over the hill to spot a truck with a German regular infantry squad just disembarking. The Hq squad gets cut down and retreats with only the Platoon officer surviving.
The 2nd Parachute Squad advances over the hill and blows up he truck and eliminates the German squad.
A bazooka and mortar tean both take on the armoured car. The bazooka team hits causes massive damage. But their luck runs out when Steuart throw a 1 and a 3 on the damage table. Only panicking and setting the armoured car on fire.
The remnants of the HQ Squad run towards the objective, only to see a German Fallscirmjager Squad on the other side of the river,, racing to defend the bridge
All 3 Rifle Squads mostly in one piecet, rendevouz near the hill to prepare an assault on the bridge.
The German armoured car's crew pass their morale test and put the fire out. they then fire their light cannon and MMG at the bazooka tean killing them instantly. They next set their sights on the mortar crew.
Steuart's fear of tanks is realised when from the village a Hanomag and a Panzer IV roll out to start shooting up the 1st Rifle squad.
A Bazooka team that has crept around the back of the pill box and now entered the town prepares to fire point blank into the flank of the Panzer. Steuart needs 3+ to hit, The Bazooka operator must have been nervous because he rolls a 2 and misses.
The HQ officer charges heroically to the bridge. Because he has a SMG he throw 2D6 and does extremley well, getting a 5 and a 6 killing two German Paratroopers. All the German paratroopers apart from the LMG have SMGs which I need one 5 or 6 to kill the officer with 10 dice or I lose the combat and the game. I managed to get about 3 hits and the U.S Officer is cut down and the game, set and match point for Steuart was gone.
Seeing the heroic deeds of their officer, the rifle squads charge forward, but the 1st squad is pinned by the tank.
Whilst one squad shoots and weakens the Germans guarding the bridge, the other squad crosses and assaults.
The paratroopers quickly set the charges on the bridge ready to blow it up, missión accomplished.
Finally due to me forgetting to move the tank out of the way because I was too busy trying to stop the Bridge assault. The bazooka team get a second chance and finally knock out the tank.
This was a great game with plenty of cinematic moments. It had been a few months since my last game of Bolt Action and Steuarts only second game, but we managed to finish the game in the alloted time. The rules for nightfighting were fun and didn't really slow down gameplay. We might have not actually got all the rules right but as it was a scenario and not a points or tournament game, it didn't seem to matter. Next Game will be Brecourt Manor, I just have to get my hands on some 105mm artillery.
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