Bolt Action Battle Report - The Phoney War - German Reconnaissance Patrol - Part 2: French Counter Attack

Aware that the French had started to move forward in numbers now Lieutenant Sheer requested air support. At the start of turn four drone of plane engines could be heard from the German lines. The pilot homed in on a infantry squad advancing in open ground. The French troops hit the deck. The pilot rolled a double 6 so at least the hits were halved by going down, but still suffered six causalities. As the planes drones faded into the distance the French unit was still operational and the the counter attack was still on.

Picture: German Air attack in progress

The Germans ended the turn on an upward note as an unfortunate French squad moved into sight of the German artillery and 5 infantry got caught under the blast marker. 

 Picture: German half track hit by HE!

 Picture: French Squad targeted by German artillery.

 Pictures: German air attack!!

The battle in the centre was becoming critical. The Germans had more infantry by the central objective, but no armoured support. French units were moving in, but it would be a struggle to to dislodge the Germans now entrenched behind ruined walls. 

 Picture: French unleash 'Hell' on poor Germans in the open.

The half track containing the engineers would be critical in the next turns fighting. However, the dice gods favoured the French. The Char-B1 hit the Hanomag with the howitzer, but failed to damage, however the light AT gun pierced the side armour, but only stunned the crew. The half track was subsequently hit, by the AT rifle, mortar round and various small arms fire, without the opportunity to rally the Engineers were pinned out of the game (and effectively destroyed).

The last turn was finely poised....

  Picture: Battle for the central objective turns 5 and 6 action

...However, the Char-B1 failed its order test and didn't move. The French defending the ruined buildings in the North of the village caused 6 casualties on the Germans who had come from the destroyed truck (despite having only 1 pin they had previously failed several order tests). The German squad moral had gone and they subsequently broke. Elsewhere on the battle field squads had suffered significant causalities and critical units failed order tests. With that the 7th turn roll failed and the game ended with both sides within 6" of the objective and no clear controlling side. Both sides had suffered badly and showed perhaps

Picture: French Lieutenant having a causal cigarette as the Germans pull back.