British

By Tom Burgess

My good friend Charles Christy and I recently played our first WW3 “Team Yankee” version 2 game.  Because the new rule book already had the new stats and points for the Challenger in it, Charles was able to sneak in three Challengers into his list.

Mission and Forces

I went with an attack stance for my Soviets and Charles chose to maneuver.  We rolled up Counterattack for the mission with him defending. The battlefield has a small urban center surrounded by some hills and woods.

I was running a typical single formation Motorized Rifle Battalion (MRB) with one BMP-1 company and one BMP-2 company. I had some decent support to include a T-72 Tank Company.

Charles had two formations, a FV432 mounted Mech Infantry company and a Recce Troop. He notable had a unit of eight VF432 Mortar Carriers and unit of eight Abbots to make the most out of the new WW3 TY2 artillery rules. And of course he had those lovely three Challenger tanks.

Deployment

Charles chose to defend with his FV432 Mech Co protecting objective in his deployment area.

He used spearhead moves to flex out to the objective in the neural quarter, but due to the new WW3 TY2 spearhead rules, he was much more limited in his ability to move as far as he would have liked.

Counterattack only gives the attacker a tiny deployment area, which can be a big problem for large Soviet formations like mine. I used my BRDM-2 scouts to push my deployment zone off to my left, effectively doubling the area I could deploy in.

Charles’ Challengers, due to their very high point cost went into his reserve pool as did an AAA unit he would not be needing.

My plan was to heavily weight my left and concentrate on the objective in the neutral quarter. My T-72s would “follow in support” and swing even wider to left rear board corner.  I knew Charles’ Challengers would come there behind my main effort. I needed to leave the T-72s hanging back to take the initial hit and tie those Challangers up. My infantry wound swing through the urban area and demonstrate against Charles’ FV432 Mech Co to keep them pinned in place.

Turn 1

Why do I always take two artillery units with my Soviets, two chances to lay down smoke? After the 2S1 Carnations failed to range in a smoke screen (with Forward Observer assistance!) my BM-21 Hail rocket launchers  put in a nice smoke screen that ties in a large building with nearby woods to mask the approach of my main effort.

I caused no damage to Charles in Turn 1. I’m not even sure I took a shot. The first turn for my Soviets is always about positioning and getting in close.

Because my main force was so well screened by smoke and terrain, Charles really did not have much to shoot at, expect for artillery on my infantry. He continued to swing his Recce Troop out to his right to get into good over-watch positions where he could hit my T-72s.

Charles also deployed his ambush (four Milan Teams) and relocated them forward into the large building where they would have a target rich environment next turn.

Turn 2

In turn two, I continue my swing to the left with my BMPs, who with support from advancing infantry with RPGs make short work of Charles’ Scorpions.

My infantry continue to push in the center and Charles suddenly realizes that his Milan teams are about to be assaults before they even fire.

Fortunately for Charles, he only lost one Milan team to the Soviet infantry assault as he broke off immediate after the initial Soviet melee.

Charles’ Challengers come in on turn, right behind my T-72s as expected. Note the Sthurms waiting off to the right in the below image, knowing that the T-72s are bait that Charles’ Challengers cannot ignore.

Charles’ Challengers knock out two T-72s and long range fires from his Swingfires kill and bail a T-72 as well.

Turn 3

In turn three, my T-72s moved to flank and destroy two Challengers.  Knowing exactly where the Challengers were going to come in at. I left the T-72s in the corner so that no matter what, the surviving T-72s would be able to maneuver for flank shots.  Really Charles’ reserves needed to wait a bit longer and let his Swingfires get a turn or two more of shooting at the T-72s.

Turn 4

My infantry pushed through the large building and took the FV432 Mortar Carriers under RPG fire while my BMP-1s moved to flank Charles’ rear “gunline.”

The BMP-2s run rampant on what is left of Charles’ Recce Troop. Note how far Charles’ forces are now away from the objective in the neutral quarter.

With just three T-72s left, then last Challenger is knocked out.

By the end of turn four, it is clear that the only way Charles can keep the game going is to assault with his Mech Infantry company against my Soviet infantry in the center urban area. With way too many BMPs, ZSU-23/4 and BRDM-2s rolling around the area, this simply is not a viable option he concedes at the bottom of turn four.

Tough game for the British.  The new Challenger is a beautiful and scary beast, but it’s not going to stand up to AT22 flank shots. It’s ROF of 1 on the move to me makes it far less intimating  than a M1IP or Leo 2.

The new artillery rules had a big impact. When Charles ranged in on my infantry, I totally cleared the impact area. In most cases I was able to rally and move forward, but when I did not rally I did not hesitate to fall back. Fortunately, I only had to do this once, and it was with my “demonstrating” infantry on my right who I could afford to have fall back.

This game was not the best test of all the new kit the British have now in WW3 TY2, but as best as I can tell, the Soviet player really does not need to change tactics to face the British under the new rules and the new list. As always, maximize smoke to screen your advance and get in close as quick as possible.

In the end of the day it was a good game and I’m sure Charles will be scheming on how to use the other new British items against me in or next game.

Welcome to the first episode of the BattleVault, a monthly US podcast dedicated to all things by Battlefront Games.

In the first half, Ed and Tom talk about last month’s new release  of the 21st Panzer Division book and card set.

In the second half, they look ahead to the upcoming World War Three (Team Yankee) British book release.

The boys close  episode one out with “Rules that Ed forgot” and a look at Flames of War and WW3 Team Yankee events coming in Feburary and March 2020.

By Igor “Tadcaster” Torgeson

Choosing your Colours
After Matt Varnish’s , I’ve been tasked with British painting. Warlord’s new line of ships from the Age of Sail is close to my heart, as I spent some time as crew aboard HMS Rose, a replica of the British frigate from the Revolutionary war. Many of you will be familiar with HMS Rose, as she was purchased by 20th Century Fox and renamed Surprise for the film Master and Commander.

When it comes to painting British ships, I have good news and bad news. The good news is by the time of the Napoleonic wars, the colours of ships in the Royal Navy were mostly standardized. The bad news is I said “mostly.” Royal Navy captains had great latitude in the painting and upkeep of their ships, whether it was the hull, the sticks (masts and yards), or the brightwork (decoration).

With the way many remember the Korean War today or have learned about it in school or through hearing about it from others, America was nearly single-handedly holding the line against the Communist North. In truth, Great Britain and it’s Commonwealth had a massive presence, with three full brigades exhibiting tactical brilliance and heroism that is still studied today. This article will examine the British and Commonwealth forces present in the Bolt Action – Korea book, and examine what has evolved in their units, rules, and Selectors since the end of World War II.

For anyone who has played British or Commonwealth forces in Bolt Action, the special rules available will be familiar. The same, in fact; you have the two core special rules of Bombardment (rolling two dice per unit for preliminary bombardment and picking the best result) and Artillery Support (free Artillery Forward Observer). You also have the option between five National Characteristics, choosing one. This is the point where you should start constructing the framework for your army, as these can define the way your force fights, and even the way your units are filled out.

Embarking on a Great Crusade D-Day Mega-Game

The Huntsville Historical Gamers gathered on 8 June to recreate the Allied Invasion of Europe. Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase of Operation Overlord, was known as Operation Neptune. Operation Neptune began on D-Day (6 June 1944) and ended on 30 June 1944. By this time, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on 19 August 1944.

With June once again upon us that’s the time of the year to do a set of D-Day battles and with the Screaming Eagles at D6 Games in Rochester Mn on June 1st that’s exactly what we did!

After two years of mid-war battles and tournaments, we’re all pretty excited for the release of Fortress Europe: new lists, more powerful vehicles and new stats to give a new flavour to FOW V4. Now that the book is only a couple of weeks from hitting the shelves, it’s time to have battle with the new forces – and we can’t wait to see how the “new” games taste.

With my friend Stefano Grombi, a veteran both for FOW and wargaming in general, we had our first battle with Fortress Europe lists. Reading the book it’s one thing, playing a game with the new lists is another.

By Austin Coped

V4 Late War is so close I can almost taste it! And BLUF: While not super in-depth or unique, the British lists are super competitive with the lists that have been shared. List Gold!

***Disclaimer*** Buy Churchills before they go up in value from supply and demand!

Now that you have my initial thoughts, I want to show you a deep dive into the units, the formations and the rundown of National rules and tidbits of info I have run across. First up Special Rules.

Finally, the Late War has come! After two years from V4 release, we’re nearing to the most significant and hyped WW2 period, the latter two years of intense fighting towards Berlin. Battlefront is going to launch Late period with Fortress Europe, the first Late War book covering the period between the end of Mid-War period to D-Day.

The focus of this book is to ferry players from the desert and Russian plains to the later stages of war pre-D-Day. So, for British, we’re talking about the invasion of the Italian boot. In Mid, the British generals can count on a single book that is a bit outdated if compared to the last German Ghost Panzer army list. If you played a game between 8th Army vs Ferdinand or Panzer IV spam you’ll surely have that “unbeatable” feeling.  We can still win the day, since FOW scenarios are based on taking and defending objectives, but it’s really hard when you face lots of frontally uncrackable tanks. Well, in late-war this is going to change…

, in sunny (and smoggy) Los Angeles California was recently home to a 28mm scale face-off between Rommel’s DAK and a mixed band of allies. The event was hosted by NoDiceNoGlory.com, with prize support from , and , and the chapter. This event was played with the Bolt Action rules set and featured armies primarily from the Western Desert book released last year by Warlord Games.

The event was inspired by Brad at the and based loosely on his event, Suns Out, Guns Out down in Australia, as well as inspiration from the gents at the . Even though we ran the event with tournament style, one-on-one games on 4×6-foot tables, the goal of this was for to compete for the overall victory of one’s side, and not try to dominate each game to be the top player.