Bolt Action Solo Campaign #2 - Steel Fist

Stickler had barely time to source a decent bottle of red. When orders to came through to head back to the front, The reds were attacking and his embattled platoon were called to plug the gap counter attacking to blunt the communist assault.

Stickler was nervous but grabbed his helmet and called his NCO's to the makeshift command. headquarters. 

The Russians has crossed the railway line and were driving towards the outskirts of Blocverst. Stickler would not reach the front until turn 2 hopefully in time to reinforce the defenders.

(I rolled randomly on the terrain chart which resulted in a large amount of open space and a heavily wooded area. I then rolled for the direction of attack. The Russians would push right.)

The defenders were made up of a section of Volkstrum and a HMG team holding the tree line on the right flank. Whilst in the centre of the table a StuG was hidden amongst the outhouses and fences of the local farm houses. The Assault gun had developed some engine trouble and whilst immobile (the first bad roll) was in a good position with a clear view of the open good to it's front.

The ruskies opened up with their customary barrage, the Volkstrum dived for cover amongst the light woodland, two men were killed before battle was joined.

Worst still the StuG took a direct hit and exploded (The second poor roll.) The front was wide open.

On came the Russians.

Unfortunately all the German dice came out of the bag first allowing the Russians came on in waves, I rolled incredibly high on the majority of rolls which saw the Russians bolstered by Tanks and Halftracks. (Another series of unlucky rolls for the German defenders.)

The German defenders were out numbered perhaps 15:1 and were advancing fast before Stickler's Platoon had even entered the table.

Stickler had no choice, he knew the battle was lost before it had already begun. But orders were orders. He rushed his men forwards looking to defend the row of houses to slow the Russian advance.

Meanwhile the Russians poured forward skirting the defenders in the woodline.

In the centre of the table Russian Armour and AFV's ran for the gap left by the burning StuG. However Werner and his Panther was able to blunt the advance destroying a T34 before it react. The first piece of good luck all evening.

It would not last the Russians secured a secondary bombardment which landed on the beleaguered Volkstrum, yet more casualties, as they sheltered in their fox holes the Russian Infantry moved ever closer.

Whilst the battle for the wood was going badly the open ground was to be a graveyard for Russian armour as another dice was taken from the bag. (only 7 to go to break the attackers.)

The Russians pressed their advantage ignoring the defenders the arrogance of the artificial foe.
Pinned down the Volkstrum were unable to stop the human wave that over ran them killing them to a man.

The woods where clear and the Russians pushed forwards towards the ruins of Blocverst.

The attackers passed the wreck of the StuG there was simply to many of them.

An uneven dual. Waltz had been picking his targets and had a number of kills to his name when his war ended.

The AT gun put an end to the snipers deadly work.

The death of Waltz pushed the Germans to breaking point and Stickler ordered his men to retreat. The higher ups would not be happy but he would be sacrificing his been for nothing if he stayed.

The Russian steamroller rolled on.

Aftermath.

That was test of real self discipline.

A serious of good rolls on both the likelihood table gave the Russian's artillery (1-3 on a D10)  and a strike on the STUG (6 on a D6, followed by a further 6 in a D6) seriously harmed the German defence before the game had even started.

Unlike the first game I rolled higher on the blinds tables 8,9,10's which generated multiple squads and Russian Armour, that coupled with a number of turns where the majority of the Russian dice came out of the bag first put the Russians firmly in the driving seat.

I need to be more considered in my force selection in future games for the Germans, do I need my transport in every game if I am on the defensive?

Each transport element not only generates an extra 'C' blind which in the case of this encounter resulted in 3 T-34's..... buts puts a further dice in the bag, useful if they come out early, less so when the Russians went first and were far more numerous.

It felt rather historical in my mind.

My defenders sat in the tree line watching as dice after dice appeared out of the bag and each one generated a section of infantry, plus armour, plus more infantry, plus more armour...

I knew i was done for before Stickler even had an element on the table. :-(

But one had to try.

In campaign turns Stickler turns from hero to villain,

The responsibility for the Russian breakthrough is placed firmly on his inability to hold the line and he is sent to the rear and stripped of his AT gun.

Only his "friends" higher up saved him from a visit to the SS.

Stickler is sent to man an OP with a single squad. 

War can be cruel.