Bolt Action SCW game

Bolt action.  We like the rule set.

Welcome back to the long delayed game report of the Bolt Action  kinda' SCW, kinda' Pulp themed game.  It was actually a second time around for the scenario, the first was played with Greg right after New Years, the second game a week later with Roger.  

We'd left the set up very much the same with the exception of an extra ruin on the table - an improvement thanks to my older granddaughter.   We also left the German squad with helmets on the truck to start the scenario.  The location of all the units was as in the set up blog entry a few weeks ago. 

Anyway, on to the game.  The initiative die went heavily in favor of the Nationalist, Roger getting 4 of six units to move before my dice color showed up, and repeated the performance in turn 2.   The result was that the Carlists were nearly in town, the helmeted Germans were nearly in the board center to link up with the Zeppelin troopers and the Mexicans were squared off against the Assaulto Squad, both under cover on their respective hills.

Carlists on the march!

In the center, the 'International' unit, headed by a famous two gun wielding amateur anthropologist barely made it into cover as they saw lots of Germans moving up to their front and rear.  Well so much for sneaking into the village.

Republican Regulars issuing forth from an aquarium model that is just such a great ruin!

And at that point, the worm seemed to turn.  For turns three and four, the impetus dice pretty much favored the Republicans.   The Guardia Nacional and International brigades saw off the squad of helmeted Germans, then the fellows from the Zeppelin.  

The high water mark of the helmeted Germans.  The combination of Guardia rifles and I.B. smg's  proved too much for the teutonic wave.

 The troops from the Zeppelin move on to the hil vacated by the I.B.

 The Assaultos kept the Mexicans busy, although the Asaultos suffered more casualties and pin markers over the several turns of shooting.  Oh, yes, the Squad of Republican Regulars tore up the Carlists with amazingly accurate firepower. Then the dice settled down, gently giving no more than two units in a row on either side a run of initiative.

The Guardia Nacional  were down several figures, the International Brigade unit only by one.  The two squads of Germans and the Carlists were down to or nearly at 50% strength and would be subject to morale tests.  We called the game at six turns, rolled for a seventh but were unsuccessful for another turn. 

The scenario played well, was exciting and since we used mostly inexperienced units, hinged on morale a lot. Only one unit on each side was veteran rated.  Next up will have to be a game using a small number of machineguns, as there are no other support weapons in the Basement of Doom. Unless my granddaughter returns with the aliens from the space ship.  Then all bets are off!