US Armybook review

As more reinforces for my Bolt-action Americans came in i also recieved Armies of the United States armybook which gave more in-sight into units and vehicles used by US durning World war 2. I already review German Armybook, and also take a look at Soviet book (which i will be reviewing soon) i will also compare US book versus these so let´s begin

Cover of US armybook

The book it self is standart Bolt action smaller format which i found ok, because it is more easily carried in backpack than classic A4  format. As with every BA book it is covered with miniatures photos, Osprey Artworks and wonderfull graphic layout. First pages of book is about US involvent in World War 2 , their battles and tactics.

Next chapter is armylist where you found two new rules for US forces. First is called Gyro-stabilisers which gave your veteran tanks capability to fire on move without modifers. second one is Modern communications which negates modifers for calling reinforcements, both new rules are ok in my opinion and not game-breaking, although as always German players would disagree - since they not get any new rules in their book.

Following special rules is unit availible to  US players - it contains 21 infantry units (the infantry weapons teams and command units counting) including profiles for Engineers,Glider troops, Marines, Rangers or Paratroopers. they are following by 9 artillery units (AT, AA cannons and real arty pieces) 30 vehicles and 14 transports and tows.

the last chapter is Theatre selector which gaves players specific armylists for battles/campaings they are divided to three parts - first is fighting in North Africa, second consting of Western Europe and Italy armylists and the third is for forces fighting in Pacific.

Very interesting that US army doesnt have ability to choose standart troops as veterans  (while you can choose US veterans through Additional Units PDF availible through Warlords webpage.

it is worth mentioning only US infantry unit who get somesort of additional rule is Rangers who are capable of running before game begins thanks to their Rangers lead the way special rule. on other side what i like that Marines are just regular GIs with different weapon loadout (well they carry much more BARs) - but if you want to make real Devil dogs you can always make them veterans.

What i really like on book are background information boxes which are put across book, it includes info about some unsung American heroes (other than Murphy,Winters etc., while these men was heroes without doubt some less known US heroes are nice addition) and some other informations about US army in WW2.

Overall i like this book it had nice layout, no game-breaking things, and  essential for every US player out there

Bolt Action Silence the gun AAR - now in english

Previously published battlereport or After Action Report from game we played this week it was our first game. We played at approx. 750pts i was playing US reinforced platoon from book AoUS while my friend used AoG reinforced platoon. list we´re following. We are begining with Bolt action so sorry about table and unpainted miniatures but hope you will like it.

Elements of 41st Armoured Infantry Regiment:
All Veteran

• 1st Lt. Taylor armed with thompson smg
• 2 squads each of eight men armed with two thompsons and two BARs, squads had tough fighters upgrade
• Sniper team
• Medium mortar
• MMG team
• Forward Air observer
• Bazooka Team
• Lone Medic

German Defenders

• Lt. with assistant both equipped with STG 44
• panzergrenadier squad with hanomag counting 8 men, 2 two MG42, squad leader with MP40 smg
• grenadier squad counting 8 men, 2 MG-42 and squad leader with MP40 SMG
• SS squad of six men equipped entirely with STG-44 transported by Hanomag
• MG-42 MMG team

From Report of Lt.Taylor:

My patrol discovered large artillery gun located in Village Dreils , i then contacted my CO for futher orders, and as i predicted we had been tasked to take it out before Krauts know what hit them, the gun was lightly guarded only one grenadier squad and stationary german MMG so it if we would be lucky we can move in and out fast, but in this goddamned war nothing goes according the plan......

AAR:

Germans started their game near objective they deployed one squad in ruin and MMG team deployed in undamaged

house. mobile reserve in form of panzergrenadiers is already on way while SS in not far behind.

US troops deployed their snipers on hill, Mortar on open ground  MMG and observer in white ruin and 1st squad, Platoon leader, Bazooka and Medic on edge of forest. 2nd Squad is left in reserves and trying outflank maneover from right. Us observer calls down airstrike on the ruin with grenadiers while mortar put some shells on house but unable to smash through the roof and snipers arent able to harm MMG team. US strike group advance to the forest near the bocage planing to takedown grenadiers in ruin. Knowing that Dough boys are comming grenadiers lying in ambush aiming at bocage.

In second turn the Americans ordered another Airstrike on MMG house, while first strike has been delayed, the Waffen SS squad arriving on scene and rushing toward
battle. the Germans sprung their ambush as US forces moved to the bocage, and while US troops took heavy casaulties they inficted also same on germans, MMG returning fire on mortar and while taking down two crew-members , mortar returning fire but without effect.

Observer was finally able to contact Air force and one P47 strafed the ruin while attack was not devastating the more effect was worse and US troops charged the building while second outflanking squad arrived on scene.

The second squad is wiped out by arriving SS troops but giving enough time time to send squad commander and bazooka team took positions in ruin. Air observer managed to target SS squad.

at the start of fifth turn second Thunderbolt arrived and wipeout SS squad  - only single trooper remained, the germans then tried to assault building with everything they´ve got but every assault failed (killing three americans) due morale issues last squads was unable to launch attack and US contested the objective the mission ended draw

Bolt Action report - Silence the Gun 750 bodů,Normandie

Der Kampfreport – 750 pts. 
Úkol byl jasný – udržet dělo, než přijdou posily a vykopat Amíky zpět na pláže. To se ale snadněji řekne než udělá… Na straně Němců :
 Lt. + doprovod s Stg44, čerstvě vybalenýma z krabice 1 x Haklmani (7 granátníků s 2 x Mg42, Oberst s Mp40) 1 x pěchota ( -//-) 1 xWaffenSS  v haklu(6  SSáků s Stg44) 1 x MMG ( MG42) 

Na straně US 
1st Lt 
Medic 
Bazooka team 
Sniper 
Airstrike FO 
Medium mortar 
2 jednotky s 2x BAR a 2 x SMG . 
Scénař: Hold until relieved (Cíl mega-dělo uprostřed Stolu)

Stůl uprostřed dominuje německý těžký kanón

Začínám a bráním. Zuppa. Vysadím se tedy pěchotu do ruiny, mgéčko do baráku. S tím, že první kolo dorazí granátníci v haklech a od druhého budou na cestě SSáci, kteří to dočistí. Tolik k plánu. Začínám a bráním. Zuppa. Vysadím se tedy pěchotu do ruiny, mgéčko do baráku. S tím, že první kolo dorazí granátníci v haklech a od druhého budou na cestě SSáci, kteří to dočistí. Tolik k plánu. 

Americký deploy

Hayden dělá z ruin ještě větší ruinu, objednává airstrike na barák s mgsem a pocuchá střechu minometem. Granátníci v ruině se opevňují a míří na boccage, z které počítají, že se vynoří ´muričani. U nich se většina zatím schovává v lese…a připravuje na průlom. 


V druhém kole se MMG špičkuje s minometem, hakl hlásí plnou parou vpřed a američani vybíhají na boccage, kde je vcelku pocuchá německá střelba. Blb žádá v vysílačce o další letadlo. Němcům přijíždí hakl s Waffen SS. Třetí kolo začne decimací granátníku v ruině drobným náletem a poté útokem na bodáky od Amerikánů. Ty zbyli v ruině 2. Bazooka tak nějak netrefí hakl a Američanům se přiblíží boční podpora, pouze proto, aby byla rozstřílena na kaši společným úsilím granátníků a SSáků, kteří si vylezli na boccage. MGčko se tak nějak špičkuje s mortarem a snajpry. Klasika. Čtvrté kolo..Američan navádí letadlo na SSáky, ti společně tak nějak postupují k ruině a střílí. Američani tak nějak všichni nabíhají do ruiny – jak vedení, tak bazooka team a opevňují se. Týpkovi u minometu došla trpělivost a utíká. Granátníci nasazují bajonety a lopatky a utloukají  američany s bazookou. 

Vorwarts!

Páté kolo. Hayden to „dobře zahrál“ a Thunderbolt rozsekává ssáky, z kterých zbývá jeden jediný. Stg44 jsou fajn, ale proti letadlu nanic. Granátníci odmítají rozkaz jít opět to ruiny, tak kolem nich proběhne poslední ssák Karl a umře. I Herr Oberst se pokusí  dobít ruinu a také bohužel skončí neslavně…mrtev. Sniper opět netrefí okno v baráků, kde je zašité MG42 

Hold the line men!

Dále se nepokračuje. Výsledek je tedy plichta – němci zabírají dělo MGteamem, amík velitelem a 2 blátošlapama.  Hráli jsme na stole  5 * 3,5 na dlouhou. Na malý formát ideál, na větší už by jsme se asi nevešli. Hra nám mile utíkala, ani se moc nehledalo v pravidlech..…příště flak. Ty émerický 2 airstriky dovedou hrou slušně zamíchat – a to i na obě strany. 

Přeživší Essesák

Postupující Hakl

Timeline miniatures review

We started to play Bolt Action recently and we were looking for some cost effective Normandy houses. I stumbled upon Timeline Miniatures and ordered a few pieces through ebay.

The delivery was faster than the Blitzkrieg, items were send the same day as I paid by paypal. So thumbs up for this.

"Sprues" of Timeline buildings

The packing itself was OK for a small / private company, nothing to complain about. Photos attached.

First thing you notice is “OMG, that is huge!”. And it is. The little ruin is 7,5 x  5 inches, the bigger are 8 * 4,5 by base. The chimney is 6 inch tall. Massive.

The quality of lasercut is quite good, better than eg. Spartan games, the pieces go out very easily. Again, thumbs up.

The parts fits well together

The design of the building yells “I was made by someone  with a  brain!”. At the farmhouses, the roofs are detachable as same as first floor, so manipulation with models inside is ok. The houses are very easy to assemble, everything fits just as it should, so it´s a few minutes of dry fit and then a little of PVA a voilà! Ready.

The design of buildings , of course, is limited by technology and it does not contain such many details as resin cast and compared to Sarrisa, they are less fancy and detailed. But compare the price though. I was nicely surprised by a lot of manageable details like door frames, window shutters etc. It could be better, but again – cost effective.

Scale comparsion on left Warlord German and "Hakl" or as it more known Hanomag

The building are quite normal to paint, if you ever worked with MDF, it should be no problem.

So, overall, the sets are awesome. If you are not a billionaire and you want to start with Bolt action / Weird war, they seem perfect for Normandy. Because for the same money you get really a thick, urban terrain.. I was surprised in a good way and satisfied, which does not happen regularly these day and we are going to buy a few sets from Timeline in close future…     

Build up and painted ruin

Another pic of tabletop ready ruin

Timeline buildings with custom made Bocage

Bolt Action - Hells on Wheels

41st in Normandy 1944

For last few weeks i have been tailoring my plans for American forces, until i settled on 41st Armoured Infantry  from 2nd Armoured division in Normandy circa durning Operatio Cobra.
Troops of 41st Armoured Infantry used camouflage uniforms similiar to USMC camouflage used in their Pacific campaing, the uniforms were discarded in late 1944 because of often friendly fire between Allied Units.  



However even the US project was short-timed i take it as intersting modeling opurtinity to make really distictive  United States Reinforced platoon. for base models i also used USMC models because they are really nice but i would propably dont build ut USMC force since Pacific isnt much popular here.

Work in progress 1st Infantry squad

Devising list was easy, i started with 4 regular engineer squads each with 2 BARs, and two SMGs. last squad is also sporting Flamethrower. next i added some infantry support in form of two MMG teams, bazooka team and Medium mortar team. Platoon command is represented by 1st Lt with one trooper escort, Medic with assistant is also present. for some heavy support i choosed M8 Greyhound and M3 Halftrack


So this is humble begining of my 41st AIR for Bolt-Action game

Post more progress soon.

Recenze: Bolt Action - Armies of Germany

Tato recenze se věnuje armybooku pro hru Bolt Action který se věnuje Německým  silám v období let 1939-45. 

Do rukou se my dostali rozšiřující pravidla pro Armády Německa do Bolt actionu, ačkoliv v základních pravidlech najdete mnoho jednotek pro Německé reinforced platoony, kromě nových jednotek také nabízí pravidla tzv. Theatre selectory, což jsou nové organizační struktury pro určité bitvy či období, nechybí tu proto selector pro Operaci Citadel nebo například Wacht on the Rhine. Celkem kniha obsahuje 18 těchto selektorů od Blitzkriegu až po pád Berlína.

V knize se po obsahu v kapitole German army of World War II se seznamíte z historii Německých sil, jak se z hrdé armády která si podmanila téměř celou Evropu až po trosky které bojovali,umírali a nakonec se vzdali v ruinách Berlína. "Fluff" je spíše třešnička na dortu celé knihy.
Další část knihy je věnována armylistu zde nalezneme to kvuli čemu si knihu kupujeme nové jednotky.
celkem je obsaženo 26 pěších jednotek, 16 děl a houfnic, 53 tanků, stíhaču tanků, samohybných houfnic a obrněných  vozů, a nakonec 15 transporterů a tahačů dělostřelectva , tedy téměř 100 jednotek vskutku obdivuhodné číslo.

Následují zmíněné Theatre Selectory kterých jak už bylo řečeno jich je 18. Každý selektor vám umožní používat jiné jednotky a vozidla která byla pro dané období typická a některá z nich mají speciální pravidla ( většinou se jedna o opevnění zdarma, při použiti některých z konce války si hazíte zdali vaše vozidla mají dostatek paliva.

Pravidla jsou velmi dobře graficky zpracovaná , hodně obrázku jak artworku tak fotek modelů či z her Bolt-Actionu a celkově mají vzhled AAA produktu. kromě pravidel je text obohacen různými citáty a zajímavostmi z historie Německé armády během 2. světové války.

Trochu zklamáním je že Němci nedostali žádná nová speciální pravidal ale to je vynahrazeno množstvím vybavení a techniky které mají Německé síly k dispozici

pro mě 8/10