Bolt Action Key Positions Battle Report - 1250 Points

In this post, we take a look at a game of Bolt Action that I played before the COVID-19 shutdowns occurred. Here you will see my 1250 point British Army take on a German force at Forbes Hobbies in Cambridge (Ontario, Canada). This Battle Report features the results of a Bolt Action Key Positions game. This is a mission from the main rule-book.

Now, let’s get into it!

The Forces

My British army included the following… a Wolverine Self Propelled anti-tank gun, a 6-pounder anti-tank gun, one light mortar team, a forward observer team, one medic, a three man command team, two ten man squads of infantry, two five man infantry squads (each loaded up with three SMGs) and three Universal Light Carriers. This gave me 13 command dice. At first, this list was mostly a regular one, but we upped the points level, so I made some of the troop squads into Veterans.

My opponent brought the following in his German army… three eight man squads, one seven man squad, two lieutenants, a flame thrower team, a Panther tank and a Scout car. This gave him 9 command dice. The Panther always eats up a lot of points so there are not many troops here.

Clearly the British have the edge in numbers, but not necessarily skill. The Germans have heavier armour and better trained troops.

With the sides created, we rolled for scenario and built the table.

The Scenario – Key Positions

We rolled and settled upon Scenario 3, Key Positions for this Bolt Action battle. We then determined that there would be three objectives. I chose to come in with half of my force in reserve and the other half as part of a first wave. My opponent choose to go with his whole force as his first wave. This action would give him access to his full force right from the start of the game.

Bolt Action table set up for a Key Positions battle. — A look at the table set up before deployment. The flag on the left far side of the table is actually on the main floor of the house on the left. There is another objective marker just behind the duplex.

Forbes Hobbies

As a note for those local to me, I played this game at one of the gaming tables at Forbes Hobbies in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. They have the best gaming space in the area and they sell those buildings and Bolt Action miniatures. That is some good information to know if you are looking for any nice models.

Back to the Bolt Action Key Positions Mission

Back to the mission. The goal is to end with more objectives in control at the end of the game than your opponent. We placed the objectives before determining sides. There are four in total to control. The game would last for six rounds with a 50/50 chance of there being seven rounds instead.

We then rolled to see who would choose the table sides.

I won the choice of sides and decided to go with the close side. The reason for this is because I have four vehicles in my group and planned to use the roads to grab those roadside objectives quickly.

Turn One

I drew the first few dice and decided to march my footslogging soldiers onto the table with a tank hunter to give them cover.

The British footsloggers take the table with the cover of a tank hunter along side them.

A look at the table at the end of Turn One. You can see that I have been fairly lucky with my Tank Hunter. Two pins, no damage yet. The enemy also put a pin on my Forward Observation Team (the team to the right on the hill).

What you see above, are all of my forces at this time. As you can see, he has two vehicles on the road. What you cant see is his troops behind the houses. Check out the image below. All of these German soldiers start the game running for nearby cover. Yikes!!!

Advancing German Troops in a Game of Bolt Action — Look at all of those German Soldiers rushing across the field!!! Yikes!

Turn Two

In turn two, I take control of two objectives. Control does not matter until the end of the last turn, but I figured it would be easier to sit on and hold the objectives than try to push my opponent off of them.

Here you can see my group holding the building with the first captured objective. I am taking fire, but holding. Behind that unit is my commander and medic.

I advance my Tank Hunter and shoot a solid hit on the Panther. The Panther becomes immobile. I also call in a bombardment using my Forward Objective.

A picture at the end of turn after the dice are cleared. Notice in the bottom right that my Six Pounder Gun takes the field! It would spend the whole game firing on the Panther and Scout Car.

Turn Three – Bombardment

Here is where it starts to get interesting. My troops now control two out of the four objectives. My opponent controls one. Lots of pins spread all around. My unit defending the house even has four pins on it at this point.

The British bombardment comes in to help slow down the advancing Germans.

A look at the gaming table at the top of turn three. The British are still heavily outnumbered, but more reinforcements will come.

In the top left, you can see a coin representing where the bombardment would hit. It comes in on the top of the turn.

Not a lot of damage, but it does spread pins around. The pins help force command rolls to, and reduce the effectiveness of, the hit units.

With the bombardment out of the way, let’s look at the other action from this round!!!

Turn Three – The Flame Thrower Incident

Both sides really push for Bolt Action key positions during turn three. Let’s check out the action!

The group of Germans in front of the house goes down to avoid damage from a Bren Carrier. Meanwhile a German flamethrower team makes it close enough to the house to take a shot.

Seeking retribution, my commander and two other soldiers (all armed with SMGs) take on the flame thrower team at point blank range.

They take them out. I then send in reinforcements for the house.

Turn Three – Reinforcements

At this point I firm up my positions with reinforcements.

A second universal carrier drives to the house and its five man troop of soldiers reoccupy the objective house.

On the opposite side of the table, I maintain control over an objective. My tank hunter hits the Panther with a second hit and jams its turret. The Panther is now stuck in position with a turret that will not move. Looking by the house, you can see a group of Germans running up and a group of Germans occupying the house and claiming the objective.

Turn Four

At this point, the Germans control one objective and the British control three.

Right off the top, German soldiers take out the British Tank Hunter with a Panzerfaust strike.

The British Tank Hunter suffers a devastating blow from German Panzerfaust.

My British troops assault the troop that fired the panzerfaust. They take out the German infantry with ease!

Turn Five

Over on the other side of the table, my Forward Observer team came down from its perch on the hill to make a rush towards an objective in case there is a turn 7. He would be able to make it to the one by the Tank Hunter between now and turn 6 or 7.

A look at the other side of the table at the top of turn. The Forward Observer team is still in play, but they climbed down the mountain. They planned to make a run for the objective by the flaming Tank Hunter.

Turn Five – Absolute Devastation

Feeling emboldened from turn 4, I decided to push my footsloggers by the burning Tank Hunter. I had a 10 man unit taking on an 8 man unit. I figured that I had an okay chance. My troops ran in and took out four soldiers. The enemy landed seven hits on my squad, forcing my squad to lose the fight.

Check out my opponent’s rolls!!! I think this was one of my few veteran teams and they got totally obliterated. All the enemy needed was 5s or 6s. There are seven right there!!

At this time, I firmed up control of the objective near the field.

A longer shot view of the action on the table. Not many units left on this side. That Panther tank is no threat because it is both immobilized and has a jammed turret. You can see the scout car hiding from my Six Pounder Gun.

On the opposite side of the table, my troops maintain hold of the objective house. There is not much left of the advancing Germans here thanks to the guns on the Bren Carriers and one of the German units has seven pins at it!!!

Turn 6 – Opponent Concedes Victory

Having seen his troops positions deteriorated, and with the night getting late, my opponent decided to concede victory over to me. At this point, my troops hold two objectives and his hold one.

We do not play a sixth round and analyze the table. My opponent concludes that his force with 7 pins is done for and that the firepower of the team inside the objective house is too much for him. The team behind the pinned one is too far away to get to assault the house on turn 6.

There is no way for him to reach the second objective that my side claimed. He could get to the uncontested objective with his armoured car, but he fears the six pounder and I would have sent in two teams of soldiers, to the objective would have been in contention.

If I remember right, we rolled to see if there would have been a turn 7. There would not have been. My opponent was happy with his annalysis of the battlefield and the British win the game.

Wrapping it up…

There you have it. The British win the battle!!!

This Battle Report for Bolt Action key positions was a long time in the making. I always enjoy writing battle reports, but they take a lot of effort. This game dates back to December, but it is finally up!!!

If you haven’t checked out Bolt Action before, the game is by Warlord Games and the books are published by Osprey Games. Both are great companies that I really like. Special thanks goes out to Forbes Hobbies for providing the gaming space and scenery for this battle. If you like Bolt Action, they keep well stocked of Bolt Action Army Boxes and PlastCraft Games Model kits (the houses in this battle report).

Until next time, Happy Gaming Everyone!!!