Bolt Action Top Secret AAR (U.S. vs. German)

Last night was the weekly club meeting in Rockton.  We were scheduled to play Bolt Action as well as continue a Napoleonic play test.  I brought the troops for BA.  Attendance was a bit light this week, so it ended up being myself (Americans) vs. a Father Son team Brian and Nick (Germans).  This was a first for me to play Americans as my son is always American. 

German Commanders Brian and his son Nick

Since I was running the game I had decided to try Top Secret as it is one scenario I had not yet played.  Our Host Mark provide the table which was half of his large game table (Napoleonic game was being played on the other half).  I did take the opportunity to debut the new hedges my son made as well as some of my 28mm buildings.

Table set up, the objective was place next to the damaged house

Germans initially deployed to their center and left

U.S. countered with a Paratrooper Sqd and MMG to the right and everything else flooding the center 

A small engagement erupted on the U.S. right as the Germans threatened the mortar spotter in the ruins

By the end of turn two the Americans were poised to pounce on the OBJ

Taking up a covering position in Ambush

Turn three erupted in a swirl of activity.  The Germans pounced on the objective first.  They took casualties, but  were then passed it back to a officer team before a U.S. SQD could counter.  Finally the U.S  drew a die and were able to strike before the officer team could escape.  The Officers were eliminated and the objective was now firmly in VET paratrooper hands.  I made a rules error at this point and forgot to role to displace the paratroopers who had just one the assault.  As a result the paratrooper SQD was left next to the wall instead of moving back even 1".  The German commander did have one unit in range to assault barely to the wall.  This is when I discovered my error on the displacement move.  As it was a friendly game and Nick was very excited to assault with his Vets I let it ride and paid a heavy price.  His vets brought 14 dice and wiped out the paratroopers with the first roll of seven scoring five kills.  The only hope was to eliminate the Germans so the objective would remain in place.  this was not meant to be as I only scored three kills.

German Vets take back the Objective

It would come down to the first die for turn 4.  The U.S. had two squads within striking distance.

U.S. poised to strike on turn four

 Alas it was not meant to be as the Germans drew the first die and beat a hasty retreat with the objective.

Moving away with the Objective

Unfortunately my phone/camera died at this point.  The only hope for the U.S. was to get enough firepower on the escaping squad as they would be able to move off the edge on turn 5.  Before that could happen Nick rolled a six with the mortar and perfectly placed smoke to the rear of the escaping Vet Grenadiers ensuring they could no longer be shot at.

A German victory!

Despite my critical error in not displacing this was a great first time out for the Top Secret scenario.  I really like the fact that the game develops much quicker.  there is no sitting back and waiting for the action.  Players must stay focused on the objective.  It is so easy to get distracted by targets of opportunity and take your eye off the true objective.  At one point my opponent was going to fire instead of take the objective with an assault which would have ensured a U.S. victory.

In classic Bolt Action style it was a nail biter until the end.