Hold until relieved: Clearing the Reichswald February 1945

I had been itching to do another Bolt Action game with Ian again. Also, I wanted to see how an Armor only game would go. 

 Aerial recce shows the German advance on the Canadian positions. 4th Canadian Armored Division with elements of Canadian 3rd Division and 2nd Canadian Armored Brigade. The objective for the Germans is to advance any units where the German marker are. The Canadians are to try and deny this objective. The Canadian units were made up of 8th Canadian Brigade mounted in Universal carriers with 3rd Anti-Tank, Royal Canadian Artillery in support. The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa also had their machine-gun jeep.

The Germans are made up of a Panzer IV regiment, a Tiger regiment, a Panzer III company, a captured T-34/85 regiment of the 2nd SS. In support was a Nebelwefer, and a 75mm Infantry gun. Also, a battalion of Panzergrenadiers mounted in Hanamogs.

 Daddy vs Ian, My new RA beret  with RA cap badge. I need to find Ian a German army field cap.

 German tank commander's view of the battlefield.

 Canadian Recce Regiment holds the left of the line. 

One Sherman is toast! Eat Nebelwefer rockets!

See Daddy, they blew up!

And more rockets pound the Canadian positions.

German armor advances towards the town.

My Firefly just took out the Nebelwefer!

And my Shermans run forward. The 6pdr gun just took out a Panzer IV, and the Sherman hit a Tiger in the arse, but caused only a small fire, which the crew put out.

 Not only Canadian but German Panzer III get burnt up, as well as a few Hanamogs. All the German tanks turned to take out the Canadian Shermans. My Churchill had engaged the T-34/85 causing some minor damage. Before it could engage, the Churchill then withdrew to the rear of the village.

 The last Canadian armor goes up. The German HQ Hanamog knocks out the Dailmer Armored Car. The sharp eyed commander sees Canadian infantry fall back. Also, having gotten fired upon by the Firefly hiding in an alley, 

What the heck?! How did he do it again!? All my armor are now in that fireball! Unknown to me, Ian had sacrificed his Kubelwagen crew to recrew his Nebelwefer, which rained rockets into the rear of the village, taking out my armor!

 The last offensive act the Canadians did was to advance and throw grenades at the 75mm gun taking out all the crew.

It was a close game, Ian really enjoyed it, and he also liked out now fire and smoke, made from cotton balls dipped in Burnt Orange paint. 

Fury - International Trailer - At Cinemas October 22

 Still haven't seen this yet, but I figure it might show some good tank stuff from the war. Though, as it's Hollywood, I'll consult my Osprey books such as the Duel series to check the facts

German Envelopment on Canadians Kapelsche Veer, Rhineland, January, 1945

I finally got Ian to play a game of Bolt Action with me, by limiting the force we both have to about 1200 points.

Canadian troops
8th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 11 figures with a Universal Carrier armed with 3 bren guns
North Shore New Brunswick Regiment, 7 figures

A German division with armor and artillery support move to push back the Canadian 8th Brigade from their position on the Rhine.

 Canadians entrenched with a Sherman and 6pdr gun in support.

Queens Own Rifles and a Scout car await the German attack

The German's get a preliminary bombardment, immobilising the Sherman, raining hot iron on the French-Canadiens taking cover behind the tank, while the other units suffer minor casualties.

The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa take hits

The Queens Own Rifles prepare to advance.

The Germans make a mounted charge towards the Canadian position

Whereby the Queen's Own advance to contact

The PIATs take out tank, the 6pdr was hit by the German's Nebelwefer, the Panzer III with Panzergrenadiers were all taken out.

German Engineers walk up to a woods and sets fire to them to create a smoke screen on the Canadian position.

 The Queen's Own Rifles tries to hold onto the wood while being pressed by the Hanamog and Panzergrenadiers.

 Two German regiments move up using the burning forest as warmth.

The Panzergrenadiers let loose with all they have

resulting in Ian removing the Canadians to his front. The Universal Carrier died under a rain of grenades. 

German artillery moves up to pour fire onto the remaining Canadians, but are taken out by a German regiment. 

Germany saved for another day.

Top Secret: Canadians vs Germans January 1945

 The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders begin thier advance to capture the German rations. This was a 1200 point vs 1200 point game. 

The Germans take up positions in the village on the German border.

The German artillery spotter and MG42 team take up position in the roof of the watchtower.

While the rest of the garrison holds some trenches, supported by a 75mm infantry gun, a Hanamog 251 and a Kubelwagen with an MG42 and Panzercretch

The Highlanders begin to race up

While the Germans tuck in to turn them into porridge.

The Anti-Tank tow gets knocked out, imobilizing the 6pdr for the rest of the game.

While the gun grew gets ripped apart by heavy machine-gun fire.

The Hanamog moves up adding twin machine-gun fire

pinning down the mortar.

as a German eagle flies over the town, we see a Fort Garry Horse Sherman dueling with a Panzer III, which has been able to imobilize the tank.

A sneaky Canadian major runs up a back alley to try and hit the objective

while the German spotter notes him and sends a Kettlekrad to head him off.

the Kubelwagen moves up opening fire on the mortar taking it out. The Germans were able to hit their objective first. The armor was taken out, and the Candians getting removed. 

Another German victory.

Envelopment: The Siegfried Line; December 1944 Canadians vs Germans

 The Third Canadian Division decides to strike the German defences in response to the German attack on the Second Canadian Division earlier in the week. The objective is to get as many Canadian units on the German second of the table by turn 6.

It was a close game all day. The Germans attempted to push back each Canadian advance, and did quite well in holding them back.

It was just after this shot was taken that the 3rd Anti-Tank, RCA took out the Tobruk bunker and a further artillery strike followed by an RCAF airstrike cleared the woods of German infantry and recce support. By the end of Turn 6, the Germans were reduced to a single infantry battalion, and one Panzer Regiment, which choose to withdrawl rather than be destroyed. The Canadians cracked the line and will now consolidate their positions to break through to drive into the heart of Germany. Unless I get a game in tomorrow, this might be the last one for 2014. An interesting year for sure on this front.

I had no idea that I would be getting back into this gamming period. It was rather sad how I came about it, as I had to visit Calgary, Alberta for my mother's funeral back in April. Since I was there, and I had the chance, I was able to pick up the beginnings of a Bolt Action force. My son and I started off with two boxes of infantry each. Then over several months, I have been able to add armor, jeeps, artillery. In the coming year, I will no doubt slow down my force build up as I have almost all the I need for a German and Canadian force.

I may build up my Pacific force, as I don't need much for them. I have a British brigade, a Canadian brigade and an Australian Militia Brigade. 

Happy New Year to those who visit this blog.

Demolition: Germans vs Canadian Second Division

 The British and Canadian armor in lager. The Germans have decided to push through the area with their offensive in the Ardennes.

The British 51st Highland and Canadian 2nd Division hold just before a cross roads in Holland.

The Canadian infantry mount up and led by a Recce unit, prepare to push back the Germans to their front.

The Germans emerge from the forests. The Luftwaffen Feld battalion act as a recce screen supported by a Whirlwind and a 75mm Infantry gun and a Hertzer.

On the second turn, the Canadian Armor advances against the German onslaught. The SS lead a mounted charge. A lucky shot from the commander's 37mm gun hits a Sherman gun mantle blasting the tank apart. The other tanks are then swarmed by SS Panzergrenadiers and anti-tank fire, and grenades.

The combined headquarters are well defended. On the far left, the Duke of Wellington's Regiment begin their advance to contact.
The Germans were a bit hesitant all game. Ian took a look at all the kit I had and felt he couldn't win. I then showed him what I would do, and proceeded to make a massed tank charge directly at the HQ. In one move, the Germans won.