Friday, December 14, 2012

Panzergrenadiers do Bolt Action

Joe's British v. Jim's Panzergrenadiers

Joe's returned from Broken Hill for Xmas thirsty for wargames.  I introduced him to Bolt Action - lending him my British and trying out my new 28mm Panzergrenadiers.   Envelopment Scenario, 1040 pts on 10x6 table, Germans attacking.  To compensate for the large table we made duration 8 turns and made it that the Germans had to exit the table between the field and the wooded hill on the British rear edge to gain 3 VP's per squad.
The German force looked rather small with 2 PG squads & HQ in 3 Hanomags, plus 1 STUG.  The Brits had 4 squads of infantry plus lots of support including a 6 pdr & my unlucky Cromwell.  TheGermans came on with the Hanomags on the left and the STUG on the right.   The STUG was supposed to stop the British left from moving to their right to meet the main German attack, but for the first time ever the Cromwell did something, popping out from behind the village to fire down the road and pop the STUG on turn 1.
The Hanomags pressed on to their left somewhat spread out due to the effects of an artillery barrage as the British all moved to their right to meet them.  The panzergrenadiers in the lead half track debussed and took on the Cromwell with a panzerfaust.  Three 5's or 6's later the Cromwell had reverted to its normal state of "toast".  
Without armour support the British right melted away under the German firepower.  Their PIAT was bayoneted & the 6pdr now in position on the river line missed every shot.  The British infantry in the cornfield managed to destroy one PG squad, but one PG squad, the HQ & all 3 Hanomags ran the gauntlet to exit the table in the 3 VP zone.

When the STUG died, things looked black for the Germans, but a panzerfaust turned the game back on its head and the German plan came good in the end.  A very enjoyable game.

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