Bolt Action – New ‘Mixed Bag’ Armies of Germany list
by Dennis ‘Matt Varnish’ Campbell
In my previous article here, I mentioned trying out three lists and seeing what I’ll take to some upcoming events. Troubles at the Kruppe plant (aka 3d Printing issues) mean the Panzer IIs were still on the factory floor, and thus I would take either the gunline army or Mixed Bag list out for a spin vs Scott Roach.
Our order for the new Armies of Germany book and my MMG teams not having arrived yet meant probably not the Gunline list, so I decided to put together a list that had many of my new units painted and I could try out the ‘Hit Squad’ idea:
Rifle Platoon
Officer (veteran) SMG 43
3 Veterans with SMG 51
Hanomag (reg) 62 156
Heer Infantry x6 60
1x LMG 15 75
Heer Infantry x6 60
1x LMG 15 75
Heer Infantry x6 60
1x LMG 15 75
Panzerbuchse Anti-Tank Rifle 25
Light Mortar Team (Inex) 21
Light Mortar Team (Inex) 21 448
Heavy Weapons Platoon
Officer (reg) w rifle 30
Medium Mortar 45
Spotter 10 55
Medium Mortar 45
Spotter 10 55
Panzerbuchse Anti-Tank Rifle 25
Panzerbuchse Anti-Tank Rifle 25 190
Artillery Platoon
Officer (reg) w rifle 30
Medium Howitzer 90
Medium Howitzer 90 210
Armour Platoon
Czech 38t 135
Command Tank 10 145
8-Rad 95 240
18 OD 1088
Game plan was, have the guns and such holding my backline, Outflank with the ‘Hit Squad’: Hanomag, Veteran SMG HQ guys and 1 of the Heer squads. My two other Heer squads would try and stay out of fire lanes and grab objectives from turn 3 onwards. Anti-Tank Rifles and Light Mortars try and pin stuff.
Scott, of course, would throw a wrench into those plans by not taking his French (he was going to take 2x Char-B) but going gunline DAK on me, he had two 8-man Heer squads with LMG, 1x FSJ squad with LMG and SMG, 3 medium mortar with spotters, one MMG team, one medium howitzer, a Pak 36, a PaK 40, and an 88 with Forward Observer:
I won’t go through the whole game but needless to say, him putting guns on Ambush with clear lanes down both sides of the table to cover my outflanking did not work out too well for me.
We had rolled up Top Secret, which forces us to go for the middle which happened to be a roadway with clear LOS, Long Table Edge deployment with Meeting Engagement. I naturally opted for Outflank for my Vet HQ, Heer and Halftrack and 1st Waved everything else.
He First Waved everything. My big guns survived his artillery strike and eventually shook the pins off, I was able to use the ATRs to kill off the PaK36 crew right after he killed my 8-Rad who had Recce’d out of the 88’s fire lane.
My 38t and ATR on the other flank made short work of his FSJ after they had SMGed my observer in a orchard barn. He Ambushed both his big guns to cover my Outflank, and when they came on, he did NOT miss.
Both squads took 6 out of d6 hits and I had five guys out of 10 stumble out of the wreck. Next turn I assaulted his 88 with one squad (should have gone for both) His flanking squad was threatening my small teams but I was able to hold him there, meanwhile he advanced infantry put to behind a building, ready to take the objective.
I ranged in with a mortar and one howitzer, put on a tonne of pins, got him down to one man, and ultimately that one man staying represented the tie breaking decider on Kill points, I had five kill dice to his six.
Lessons: Overall was happy with the list, just less so how I used it. I had a plan and then promptly forgot about it. Gone was the “I’m going to pin out the 88 with L Mortars and ATRs” when faced with an advancing threat of eight angry DAK guys with no shirts on.
I recced the 8-Rad into a spot where the PaK-36 had LOS. To be fair table had lots of hedges but not many LOS blocking buildings (on that flank) Even outflanking, when I disembarked the survivors, I should have put both units within 6 of the 88 to assault them with both, I left my Veterans with SMG (Tough Fighter) too far out, so when my next turn came I could only assault with three regulars and not the two remaining SMG guys.
I still almost killed the 88 crew.
Trim the Fat, obviously this wasn’t fully optimised, if it were the two platoon HQs would be Inex and have Pistols (saving 20 points), once I get the turret printed the 38t will have the cheaper Recce turret saving another 20 points. I’m debating going down to five men each in my Heer (save another 30 points) but then beef out the HQ veterans to have one more guy, OR just stick with two Heer but make them bigger.
The ATRs were great at picking off small teams, but I only had one Light Mortar range in all game, although it did kill an MMG team. I left both my Mortar Observers (and since the Howitzers can’t have observers.. my ONLY eyes) way too far forward and they both got killed.
8-Rad gets picked off by PaK38
My two 10.5cm Howitzers before getting Artillery bombarded by the Forward Observer
My freshly-painted small teams advancing and trying to keep the central objective clear of DAK
Next Up, trying out the gunline list until my tanks are ready, catch you later!