Bolt Action Far East - (Not) Breaking the Jitra Line 1941

Wow this seems rather green and lush compared to the number of recent desert games. A great club game bringing together various players collections of Far East forces with an encounter based loosely on the breaking of the Jitra Line in 1941 and the blocking force at Nangka.

Japanese forces advance on mass looking to capture the bridge and break through the US forces defending it.

The Marines were dug in and were able to pour fire into the charging Japs.

Both sides were able to pick their own support points so we (Japanese) opted for a light tank to break the line.

However the Yanks were ready for them, rushing forward with satchel charges meant for destroying the bridge instead throwing under the tank and immobilising it. There would be no breakthrough today.

Games like this really get the creative juices flowing despite several projects on the go, some of the new Warlord releases for the Far East are very nice..... I must stay focused.

Going Green...... Marines and Irregulars.

Yet again a minor distraction but in my defence it does complete the last of Marines and Insurgent figures on a couple of projects... this pile of lead had been languishing in boxes for several years and going for a common palette allowed me to rattle through them relatively quickly.

These extra's will come in handy for the US Marine selections within the Bolt Action units list.

.50 Cal Heavy Machine Gun team, a useful extra to keep the Japanese hordes at bay.

The 81mm mortar team and forward observers will add a little more fire power to the table and can be used in a direct or indirect role.

Leap forward about 50 years and these last three chaps will bolster the Zikanga Insurgent forces. these were from Spectre Miniatures and their launch kickstarter from a number of years ago... It might be a touch warm in deepest Africa for a balaclava. 

That's all folks......

WW2 Pacific War.... Bolt Action

Somewhere in the Pacific - US Marines and Japanese Infantry fight it out looking to secure the cross-roads. Having painted up the 'spare' Japanese I thought I would give them a run out using Bolt Action and 750 points to give a balanced game.

Wasting no time. The first Japanese section rush towards the cross-roads.

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The US Marines were a little more cautious taking cover behind the sandbag emplacement, the Japanese were more numerous, but the smaller marine sections could throw out some serious fire power. While other Marines advanced from the west.

A further section took cover behind the pig sty overlooking the cross-road.

The Japs chucked everything at the emplacement, knee mortars, snipers nothing would budge the marines.

The rash move by the Japanese saw them forced 'down' and were slowly worn down.

Meanwhile a second Jap sections rounded the native lodge poured fire into defenders.

Just as the game was swinging in the Japanese favour, a veteran section of British Infantry joined the fight, together with Snipers and Flame Throwers evening the odds... The clock ticked down with neither side able to secure the junction.

A fun encounter, Bolt Action is growing on me, especially with our house rules on Hand to Hand and the random order cup mechanism.

Westwind & Battle Honours Japanese - No figure left behind.

A minor distraction..... I really should be focusing on the Western Desert, but with the re-org of the Pacific forces to fit Bolt Action, I thought I would get these completed as they were hiding in one of the storage boxes. It's amazing how quickly you can turn these out when a gaming is looming.....

First up the last of the Japanese, a collection of a few infantry and other odds and end, mostly Westwind's Berlin or Bust Range, with a couple of old Battle Honours for good measure.

Another Officer and/or Forward Observer.

A couple of First Aiders..... They were unarmed so why not sling on an armband.

Two Japanese Infantry pushing an invisible donkey, I am pretty sure I used it in another project, they might be drafted into an Infantry section, but given the choice between painted or discarded no mini is left behind. 

A glimpse of what is entering the paint table - a hard working pair of US Marines, humping a .50 Cal to the front.

A slight detour now back to Vichy France.

Jungle crawler. Chindits vs Japanese.

With the 75th Anniversary of VJ fast approaching and weather in the UK actually hotter than Burma today. A short solo encounter with the recently painted Chindits. With so few figures I thought I would try something a little different from your traditional stand up fight making use of rolling terrain similar in style to a dungeon crawler type scenario.

"After a hit and run mission on a Japanese supply dump the Brits met at the rendezvous before heading back towards their own lines."

Starting at the centre of the table the Chindits have to exit the table but have very little idea as to the correct path. The route is created by drawing at random one of the directional cards. If on a roll of a 6 on a D6 the path comes to an end and an alternative path has to be created forcing the Brits to retrace their footprints. Meanwhile an endless stream of Japanese follow behind.

D3 turns into the game the first scout appears cautiously following behind the retreating Chindits. The first red dice goes into the bag for the Japanese. Each turn more Japanese reinforcements are rolled for.

The Brits head out, after a few meters the path splits, the raiding party takes the right hand path, with a lucky draw on the cards.

 Meanwhile more Japs fill the jungle trail as they had down the track following the raiders.

A fire team at the rear of the rag tag column pour fire into the pursuers as they attempt to slow the chasing pack. The Japs duck back as the path creeps towards the edge of the table as another straight is pulled from the deck.

The Japs keep on coming the final card hits the edge of the table and the raiders are away.

A fun quick encounter, it needs a little more work with dead ends and clearings but it has potential for future solo encounters.

Right back to the brushes those Hittites won't paint themselves.

Haitian Church and Prep for Hammerhead 2019

The Church at Croix-des-Bouquets is the back drop for next weeks outing at Hammerhead.

More on the game setting later next week, but with every Church must come a bunch of Nun's that will need protecting from the various factions.

It's been a while since these ladies have graced the table but will be perfect to add a little bit of flavour to next weeks game. As will the women and children who are looking to seek refuge from the fighting raging across Haiti.

The Church is ready painted and comes from the guys at Tablescape, time permitting I will probably touch up the doors and windows with a couple of washes, but it's a great fit for the on going project.

Meanwhile the French gain some very useful reinforcements in the shape of two sections of skirmish troops to bolster the republic.

With several pieces still needed for next Saturday it's looking like a busy couple of nights on the brushes. You can find us at GL09 in the Gamers Lounge be sure to come and find us.