Video of a US reinforced platoon attacking a town in a training exercise

Video of a US reinforced platoon attacking a town in a training exercise 

 I finally found it: a video showing a reinforced platoon conducting an attack. 3 squads (of 5 engineers as they have satchel chargers), 3 5 man rifle squads (cover party for each assault squad with a light machine gun, a mediam mortar squad (with spotter), MMG squad, Bazooka squad, 2 tanks in reserve. Command by a platoon commander (by himself).

Turn by Turn Description:

Initial bombardment of the objective and then smoke (!) rounds before the infantry go in, Note: Smoke rounds seem to suck in Bolt Action. 

1st squad in wedge formation, rest in column. Medium mortar deploys behind them. 

Lead squad in the centre, one other squad on each flank. 

Recoilless rifle between 2 of the squads, bazooka next to the right and the LMGs between them.

Smoke stops firing before the infantry goes in as all infantry units opens fire on the defenders in the buildings. 

Medium mortar using a spotter does counter battery fire on enemy mortar.

Left squad runs into the first objective building (doing an advance and then a run), rest of the infantry shoot at other targets, they assault and take it.

LMG squad gets pinned so mortar fires smoke(!) to cover them.

Left squad shoots at one building and the LMG team shoot at 2nd from upstairs,

They switch to a new building as the other squad assaults the 2nd building,  again doing an advance and then a run.

Platoon CO gets into the first building and goes to its roof.

One squad uses a Engineer demo charge(!) to enter another building.

Bazooka shoots at t the next building and left squads assaults it (with a grappling hook to the 2nd level!).

 Bazooka fires smoke(!) and the LMG team come up to support the squad with the Bazooka.

Last squad and RR comes into town.

Squad attacks the next building from the roof and work their way down. LMG team covered the door.

Tanks come in from reserve and shoots the next building, Squad goes in and assaults the basement with an engineers charge.,

One injury gets a medic.

Last building surrenders when their army reaches it's break point.

Company commander gets 2nd platoon through to the next target.

Note: The enemy seems to consist of about six, 5 man squads of infantry with LMG's and 1 mediam mortar.

Conclusion:

To win in a buildup area, use Surprise, firepower, good troops. Do an artillery barrage first, then a smoke barrage. Use engineers to assault buildings, rifle squads to cover them with LMG's. MMG and Bazooka to cover flanks and shoot into buildings. Mortar in the rear for support and tanks in reserve to come up later. Medic at the back for support.

The Army list:

It works out with early war Sherman's to be 1100. Have to get some extra platoon commanders but making the heavy weapons commander inexperienced makes it work! I do have to drop the Recoilless Rifle though and not replace it with another bazooka.

 

Total Points: 1097

Order Dice: 16

Platoon #1

*Version 3 - U.S. - Rifle Platoon

Platoon Commander

Platoon Commander (Version 3 Rulebook page 220) 30Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Platoon Commander  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Infantry

Infantry Squad (Version 3 Rulebook page 221) 66Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 1 Infantry with BAR M1918A2 Automatic rifle 30" 2 n/a

Infantry Squad (Version 3 Rulebook page 221) 66Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 1 Infantry with BAR M1918A2 Automatic rifle 30" 2 n/a

Infantry Squad (Version 3 Rulebook page 221) 66Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 1 Infantry with BAR M1918A2 Automatic rifle 30" 2 n/a

Medic

Medic (Version 3 Rulebook page 221) 23Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Medic Medics  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a

Forward Observer

Forward Observer (Artillery) (Version 3 Rulebook page 221) 75Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Forward Observer (Artillery) Infiltrator  with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Anti-tank

Bazooka Team (Version 3 Rulebook page 224) 60Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Bazooka team 24" 1 +5 Team (2 men), Shaped Charge

Platoon #2

*Version 3 - U.S. - Engineer Platoon

Platoon Commander

Platoon Commander (Version 3 Rulebook page 220) 30Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Platoon Commander  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Engineers

Engineer Squad (Version 3 Rulebook page 222) 55Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a

Engineer Squad (Version 3 Rulebook page 222) 55Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a

Engineer Squad (Version 3 Rulebook page 222) 55Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a

Platoon #3

*Version 3 - U.S. - Heavy Weapons Platoon US Town attack training platoon 1100

Platoon Commander

Platoon Commander (Version 3 Rulebook page 220) 21Inexperienced Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Platoon Commander  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Heavy Weapons

Medium Machine Gun Team (Version 3 Rulebook page 223) 50Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Medium Machine gun team 36" 6 n/a Team (3 men), Fixed

Mortar Team (Version 3 Rulebook page 224) 45Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Medium Mortar team 12"-60" 1 HE Team (3 men), Fixed, Indirect fire, HE (2")

Platoon #4

*Version 3 - U.S. - Armoured Platoon

Command Vehicle

Sherman Medium Tank (Version 3 Rulebook page 227) 195Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 M4 Sherman 75mm medium tank Tracked - 9+ Easily catches fire, Weak Sides     Turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun 60" 1 +5 (75mm) HE (2"), Gyro-stabiliser (Veterans only)     Co-axial MMG 36" 6 n/a     Forward facing hull-mounted MMG 36" 6 n/a Front arc

Cmd Vehicle Options

Command Vehicle rule (v3) (Version 3 Rulebook page 188) 10 Command Vehicle special rule

Vehicle

Sherman Medium Tank (Version 3 Rulebook page 227) 195Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 M4 Sherman 75mm medium tank Tracked - 9+ Easily catches fire, Weak Sides     Turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun 60" 1 +5 (75mm) HE (2"), Gyro-stabiliser (Veterans only)     Co-axial MMG 36" 6 n/a     Forward facing hull-mounted MMG 36" 6 n/a Front arc

 

Units and terrian I need for Bolt Action 1941

I've gathered nearly all my wargaming stuff (ignoring old sad 40K stuff from 20 years ago) in one place and looked through my Bolt Action units I have.

I also have all my board games in one place (not very accessible at the end of the table). Once I get another bookcase I can move all my table top wargames there too.

Current army list:

PickList
British 2-pdr Portee	1
British Anti-tank rifle team	1
British Bren Carrier	2
British Bren Carrier (Boys AT)	1
British Forward Observer (Artillery)	1
British Infantry (equipped as modeled)	3
British Infantry Tank Mk II Matilda Mk II	1
British Infantry with Light Machine gun (requires loader)	2
British Infantry with Rifle	24
British Light Mortar team	1
British Medic	1
British NCO with Rifle	5
British Platoon Commander	2
British Sniper Team	1

I need: 

British 2-pdr Portee

British Medic and stretcher bearer 

 

I only have 20 Bardia Australian infantry with rifles but I have another 52 metal and plastic 8th army and BEF figures I can use to use as them and one NCO with a rifle.

 

And EVERYTHING needs to be put together and painted! I could also use a 3-ton truck, a 30 CWT truck, another two Vickers machine guns, another two 3 inch mortar's, another Vickers light tank, another Crusader 1/II, three universal carrier's with a 2 inch and 3 inch mortar and a Vickers machine gun and an 37mm light AA gun on a portee truck, 

Italian 10th Army OPFOR:

I have a box of 36 Italian infantry I can convert to different types 

1 M11 tank

I need:

Another box of 30+ Italian infantry 

2-3 more tanks

2-3 light armored transports

2-3 artillery pieces

2-3 anti tank guns

2-6 mediam machine guns

2-6 mediam mortars

2-6 light mortars

3-6 infantry transports and towing vehicles

 

Terrain - Everything :( 

I do have some desert colored pieces of terrain I can use to represent sandy terrian and add some 3d effect to the battlefield, but that's about it.

A 6x4 battle mat for the desert

A collection of white washed and desert colored MDF buildings for North Africa (and can be used  in Spain too!)

Destroyed buildings

Palm trees

Scrub bushes 

Small oasis

Sand colored rocks

Sand colored hills

Sand colored cliffs

Scrubby trees

Dried out wadi's

Desert roads

Telegraph poles

Desert bomb craters

Minefields

Barbed wire

Anti tank ditch

Fox holes

Slit trenches 

Gun Positions

Reinforced trenches 

Concrete entrenchments

A desert airfield

Goals for 2025

I didn't paint anything I think and didn't get much games in 2024, but I hope to get some moving in 2025. I did learn how to play Glory is Fleeting but that was the only wargame I played in 2025. 

I have moved my gaming table to a location I can actually use it, and I've got all my terrain in place and painting supplies ready to begin. 

I still need to get a new cheap bookcase to move all my RPG, wargame and history books to be close to the table in one room.

My wargaming goals for 2025:

1: Build, paint and deploy to the battlefield, a 1000-1250 sized Bolt Action army of the Australian 6th Division circa 1941 North Africa. Aiming for 1100 as that is the Cancon tournament size, though I won't make it, or have it ready for Cancon 2025. I believe I have all the figures and vehicles for it already.

2: Buy, Build and Paint an Italian 10th army 1941 as an Opfor. I have most of the troops and 1 tank.

3: Get some solo games running of both these armies and blog them. 

4: Get a game or two at a local gaming club for Bolt Action

5: Far future - deploy the army to a tournament.

 

6: Get the Warlord Epic Waterloo figures out and play some solo games with them to learn some Black Powder.

 

7: Paint both armies. This is very much a far future thing.

 

8: Get my Glory is Fleeting Anglo-Portuguese army to some tournaments and get some games with Dave.

9: Actually GET my Battletech: Mercenaries box from CGL. I will believe it when I see it.  

10: Start making videos of solo game play and get them uploaded to YouTube. There is a lot I need to learn, and I probably need a new phone and a stand for it. I hate shaking cam! Learning editing and effects is going to be very challenging too. 

11: Paint some backgrounds for pictures and videos using Bob Ross techniques. This is going to take a lot of practice. 

 

12:  Get WW2 training pamphlets from Caviler books on how to do a platoon and company sized attack and defence. All the ones I can find on the internet involve a platoon attacking a single(!) enemy emplacement.  I want to know  and learn how a company attacks another company of equal size.

Napolean vs Bugs Bunny in a table top wargame

 This is a far far better show to watch than Ridley's Scott's utter crap.

Wargaming is in part 1. 

Team Fortress 2 figures for Bolt Action

 So I spent a lot of time over the holiday watching ALL of the Team Fortress 2 Meet the Team videos and I found STL files for tabletop miniatures for them at https://www.thingiverse.com/flyingpenguin/designs and downloaded the file.

And Now I Want To Build A Bolt Action Army based on it. Degree of Difficulty : I can't print 3D models. Also: I would need to quote one of the above videos every time I move or roll one of the  figures, possibly causing my opponent to throttle me.

Engineer: Engineer Infantry.

Sentry bots: MMG, HMG and Medium Mortar.  The Dispenser is part of the crew and loader for LMG.

Sniper: The Sniper. 

Heavy Weapons Guy: Squad LMG.

Scout: 2nd and 3rd runners for platoon and company commanders.

Solider:   Basic rifleman. Probably have to take as late war Germans so 4 of the 5 men in the squad can carry a panzerfaust.

Demoman: Grenade Launcher or Light Mortar.

Spy: Artillery Spotter, Platoon and Company Commanders.

Medic: Medic.

Pryo: Flamethrower.

Trucks: Unarmed lorries.

Objectives: The Red and Blue Briefcase, The Sandvitch, Archimedes the Pigeon, teleporter out and in.

 

In other news, my wonderful partner got me the Bolt Action V3 rules. YAY!