We’re back with another update from our Four Star Generals! This week, we’ve prised them away from their paint and clippers, stuffed some order dice into their bags and chained them to the HQ store’s gaming tables!
Each General has taken on his three other counterparts this month, playing a grand total of twelve games between the four of them. We’ve selected a few of the best ones to show off to you, complete with commentary from the Generals themselves!
Due to the low point values involved, the Generals elected to play simple victory point-based battles, rather than any of the objective-based scenarios in the Bolt Action core book.
This month, the key battle we’re featuring is Kalon’s Soviets versus Chris’s Germans.
Kalon vs Chris
Deployment
Chris deployed his units with the intention of quickly advancing down the road and capturing the ruins surrounding the crossroads. He spread out across the open ground, using the low walls and craters for cover.
Kalon positioned some of his units in the ruins around the crossroads, with his mortar positioned in the open ground to the rear. From this strong point, he intended to dig in and repulse the advancing Germans.
Turn 1
The game opened with a duel between the two armoured cars, with Kalon’s BA-10 spraying Chris’ Sd.Kfz 222 with machinegun fire. Chris activated the Recce ability and reversed back down the road, with the commander screaming obscenities at his driver.
Chris’ officer snaps into action and advances alongside the Opel Blitz and one of the infantry squads. The second infantry squad leaps from its transport and scuttles into the cover of a ruined building.
Mirroring his German counterpart, Kalon’s 1st Lieutenant snaps into action and orders the mortar to engage the enemy commander, while driving the conscripted riflemen across the road into cover behind the BA-10.
The Soviet LMG squad moved into the building opposite the German second squad and opened up, scoring a single casualty.
Having remained in the truck, Chris’ medic finally disembarked and scuttled up behind the advancing Germans, ready to patch up any casualties.
Turn 2
Turn 2 opened with the armoured cars exchanging more fire with very little damage caused.
Drawing a second order dice, Chris snapped the rest of his force into action, with both his infantry squads swarming over the ruins, opening fire on the Soviet infantry and the artillery spotter across the river. The medic and the officer move up behind the infantry, with the officer firing at the Soviet LMG squad.
The Soviet attack opened up with a mortar barrage on the closest infantry squad, which went wide. The LMG squad caught the medic in the open ground, killing him in a hail of bullets.
With mortar rounds shrieking in overhead, the BA-10 fired at the Sd.Kfz 222 with its main gun, the round glancing away down the road. Opening up with its hull machine gun, the BA-10 manages to destroy the Opel Blitz.
Kalon’s inexperienced infantry squad charged the armoured car, destroying it with a barrage of hand grenades, much to the surprise of both players.
The Soviet officer darts into cover behind the BA-10, while the SMG squad unleashed a fusillade of bullets against the second German squad, killing 6 and an exceptional damage which kills the LMG gunner.
Turn 3
The last turn of this short and brutal game begins with the Soviet mortar missing another shot.
With his next activation, Kalon snapped his men into action, sweeping his SMG squad past the surviving Germans in the ruins, to gun down the German officer.
The BA-10 raced down the road to engage the first German squad, but missed entirely.
With his last remaining squad, Chris elected for death or glory, charging the inexperienced squad and causing 5 casualties. In retaliation, the Germans caused 3 casualties which triggered a break check. The Germans failed their morale test and broke, which cost Chris his last order dice and brought the game to a close.
Kalon
This was certainly a nasty game, I really didn’t expect my Inexperienced Riflemen to be as useful as they were, If I had to pick a favourite unit from this game it would have to be the SMG squad just for the number wounds caused by the unit and the ‘Soviet Firing Squad’ as it was dubbed when they lined up to take down the German Officer.
Chris
This game was certainly a wake-up call to what my opponents could bring in 500pts. I was not expecting my army to crumble so quickly. One thing I can take away from this game is to make sure that any transport vehicles I am using are not left out in the open after they have delivered their cargo so that I don’t provide my opponent with an easy order dice. I definitely need to rethink and work on my tactics for future games.
The Second Round
Ewan vs Connor
Ewan has deployed his Soviets to advance quickly over the open ground and make use of their more mobile weaponry to close the distance. On the left-hand side of the road he has set his Guards and 2 SMG Squads in positions to quickly close with the enemy.
Supported by both their officer and the attached BA-64, the inexperienced squad has been deployed to attempt to hold off the oncoming British. Finally, Ewan’s T-26b has been deployed onto the road in order to quickly advance and take up firing positions on the enemy.
Connor has deployed his British Sections to make use of Ewan’s weakly defended flank and has set up one of his Rifle Sections to oppose the Inexperienced Squad supported by their Officer whilst on the opposite flank the Mortar and remaining Rifle Sections have set up to prepare to defend against the advancing Soviets. The Mortar spotter hides in the top floor of one of the houses. Finally, the Vickers VIc has set up on the far end of the road opposing the T-26b.
The game ended with Connor winning 4 victory points to Ewan’s 1.
Connor
This game was a lot of fun, Ewan put up a fantastic fight and made me work for the dice I secured, my seven-man section held off plenty of fire before being swarmed by two SMG squads and destroyed but they died stubbornly. My Mark VI was the MVP for me, taking down the BA-64 on a side armour shot in the second turn and then zooming behind the T-26 and blowing out its back armour with the Autocannon.
Ewan
This was a really enjoyable first game of Bolt Action, that’s first EVER game, even if it was a very painful lesson in proper deployment. I was proud of how well my troops performed against the fierce fighting force of the British.
Looking to start your own Bolt Action force? Grab one of these excellent starter sets from our webstore!
Dan Hewitson
Craig Nixon