USA vs Japan: 1000 pts Bolt Action "Sectors" battle report vintage style!

[@TheEccentricMan]

The US leadership tests were out of this world. 1 heavy howitzer is just about ok, but 2 is over the top in a friendly game for me.

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

Well like I said I got my JSU-152 and a heavy mortar for my Soviets and love to do the 1, 2 punch with them by first the mortar followed up with my next dice with the JSU as you have the slow load rule with it, which usually is enough to either super pin or carve them down to over half strength, infantry squads. The only ones that can keep from being that is the 15 man japanese squads, as there is just so many in them that they can shrug off the attrition. I do the same with my Germans but I only have a medium mortar as I used the points savings so as to have the Schurzen skirts on the Brummbar.

[@tri-starwargaming]

Definitely I agree, being pounded to the ground is not enjoyable for anyone nevertheless, these kind of lists, introduce an interesting tactical challenge, a different way to approach the game, it emphasizes movement over shooting - Salvatore.

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

Again heavy howitzers are no joke and having 2 really paid off for the Japanese force. This is why I like my JSU-152 and Brummbar as they have the added benefit of being able to move to a location that they can see and so fire on unlike a fixed type and having to rely on a spotter and if they are taken out so the howitzer/artillery is also sort of gone until they can move to another place and so have a new line of sight.

[@danepatterson8107]

Two heavy howitzers have no place on a table-top using models of this scale!

[@Adventurefamily1]

Question about the flamethrower you rolled to hit but I thought it was d6 automatic hits?

[@tri-starwargaming]

In Bolt Action version 1 flamethrowers hit automatically, in this battle report we are playing version 2. On page 67 of the current Bolt Action rulebook it states that you got to hit first. I hope this helps - Salvo.

[@timo.9451]

Salvo.. this is what happens when you don’t play with your Italian 😅 one order fail after another 🙈🙈 anyway nice game 👍🏻👍🏻

[@tri-starwargaming]

So true... :( Next time I will make sure to bring some of the new Arditi to the table! - Salvatore.

[@McBurnside6380]

I always fail one and two pin order tests. Even if I have officer support. That was a highly unusual amount of failed orders that you had in this game though. Still, nice battle report. Except your battle mat was too small, lol.

[@tri-starwargaming]

As Mickey uses to say: "the dice tell their story". Our battle mat was improvised for the occasion, we will do better next time :) - Salvo.

[@danepatterson8107]

Very enjoyable, short & efficient battle report. But Please! Less camera motion. I like the detail shots, but the motion is too much. I just played BA Tuesday (Game Keep, Hermitage TN). My complaint with the game is that playing both sides with even points doesn't feel realistic enough for my tastes; It feels like 40K too much. It's better than 40K, but that's a low bar. I need to try Command Decision and its campaign books some day.

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

They say in the rule book that the points is for balance. If you want something different there are the campaign books, or you can even do lop sided and even somewhat historical if you want. The worse one that I was in was a 2,000 point German force against a 3,500 Soviet and 1,500 US. And lets just say I surprised myself that I was able to last until about the middle of turn 5. By that time all I really had left was a med mortar, my 1st Lt and assistant, a battered immobilized Puma, and a Sd Kfz 251/9 Stummel. I was pushed off of all 3 objectives and was about to be wiped out if it went to turn 6.

[@danepatterson8107]

@@ChrisS-fh7zt The indirect weapons are badly modeled. Things like 105mm howitzers don't belong on-table at this scale and bad indirect fire rules make them better to shoot direct with thus creating even more a-historic play. Indirect weapons like 81mm mortars just suck. It just feels like 40K too much where you end up in a melee mob at the center of the table and the first attacker usually wins. I don't have the enthusiasm for the game (or the income) to warrant buying MORE of their $30 and $50 campaign books.

[@tri-starwargaming]

I hear what you guys are saying, possibly you may be interested in our upcoming homebrewed skirmish level WW2 rule set - Salvatore.