Bolt Action in Action

I finally have completed enough miniatures to play Bolt Action.  My goal was to complete two basic Armies by March, but life interfered.  Ryan and I have played two games now: a 500 point game and an 830 point game.

Last night, my Heer army was crushed by the M4 Sherman.  I think bad luck on the dice contributed, along with some deployment choices that left me in the open. We played the Envelopment scenario, with Ryan playing the Ammies on defense.

American List Basics

2d Lt and 1 man
4 infantry squads (three with 7 men and BARs, one squad with 6 men and ATGs, but no BAR)
Light Mortar
HMG Team
Sniper Team
Air Force Observer
75MM M4 Sherman

All US units were regular, except the Observer who was Veteran.

German List Basics

2d Lt (Regular)
2 Heer Regular Grenadier Squads (LMGs, 2 Panzerfausts in each squad)

Capt +1 man (Veteran)
1 Veteran Grenadier Squad (LMG, 2 Panzerfausts)
1 Veteran Grenadier Squad (LMG)

Light Artillery (Reg)
MMG Team (Reg)
Sd.Kfz.231 Armored Car (Reg)

Highlights

Ryan brought his Sherman on to the table with his first move and proceeded to chew up my infantry with the two MGs and main gun.  I also lost soldiers to his two infantry squads on his right flank. 

I tried to get my Panzerfausts in close, losing one entire squad to the HMG and infantry.  I did get two of the weapons within 6 inches of the Sherman…both missed.

We played four turns before I threw in the towel having lost five entire units.  I was disheartened to learn that my light artillery can only pin his tank; there is no chance of a penetration.  I did score a hit at the end of the game with the arty, but it didn't make a difference.  We will play a few more times before I start altering the lists.  I suspect some of my misfortune reflects playing skill and an exceptionally bad day of dice throwing.  If not, I'll build the Panther model that is in the closet!

Bolt Action - US Army Infantry

Since I have last posted, I finished my US Army infantry for Bolt Action, and I have made significant progress on the Germans. The leg infantry are Wargames Factory figures; the crew-served weapons are Warlord Games products.

Basing

For the crew-served weapons, I based the units on chipboard, using South Korean 100 Won coins for the figure bases.  I used wood filler for the terrain base.

Modifications

As noted previously, I built the Wargames Factory figures in my hotel on a busy trip, with no reference to the Army lists.  Having spent time developing several force options, I decided to modify several figures to create an Air Forward Observer unit.  The Americans receive two air strikes per game with this unit.  I carved up a backpack, included as stowage in the M4 Sherman kit, to create a radio base and handset.  I melted and stretched sprue for the radio cable and antenna. The radio isn't accurate enough to win a modeling competition, but it looks fine on the war-game table.

Finished Platoon

My Americans are ready for battle, but I eventually need to add an aircraft model. I used a mixture of Vallejo, Tamiya, and craft acrylics on the models.  I applied a base coat, used Citadel Earth shade wash for shading, and applied highlights. 

Once my German force is complete, I plan to add the aircraft, a scout vehicle, and possible some trucks to round out this Late War platoon.

M4 Sherman for Bolt Action

M4 Sherman (75mm gun)

Catching a sale on www.squadron.com, I picked up a 1/48 scale Hobby Boss M4 Sherman for Bolt Action. At $14.00, the cost was less than half the going rate for other manufacturers.

The Hobby Boss kit brought back memories of my scale modeling projects; however, I didn't feel obligated to worry too much about the smallest bits.  This tank will be handled on the gaming table.  I also worried much less about the painting results, but I am very pleased with the final result.

Warning - Instructions are Wanting

I have one major gripe about the Hobby Boss kit: the instructions.  I was merrily following them step-by-step, and I fortunately realized that the instructions directed construction of two options for the suspension bogles as sequential steps.  At several points, construction options are not explained well.  Web reviews mentioned that the angle on the front glacis is incorrect; I'm not too worried about this flaw in a wargaming model.

Breaking Out the Airbrush

I have the cheapest airbrush known to man - a Testors model purchased at the Post Exchange toy section.  It is a simple sprayer; anything resembling nozzle control isn't optional.  One of my phobias in scale modeling was ruining a model during the painting process.  Since the model will be used for gaming, I was liberated from worry.  I also sprayed with acrylic paints for the first time.  Given the winter temperatures here, I set up a spray booth of sorts using a plastic bin in the washroom: I never would have attempted this with toxic enamels.  

Using Vallejo Olive Drab, I sprayed thinned OD as an initial layer.  I screened off the bottom half of the tank with paper, and lightened the top half with a blend of olive drab and white.  I should have made it even lighter since the weathering washes made the model too dark.

Weathering and Lightening

While working on my Warmachines project, I ended up with left-over Armor wash and applied it liberally to the tank.  It didn't flow into the recesses too well, so the wash darkened the panels too much. Now I know why modelers paint a gloss coat before using washes.  I also used an ink wash, carefully applying it to the recessed areas.  I then lightened the panels up significantly with a wet brush of an Olive Drab and White mix.  The machine guns were painted black and dry-brushed with gun-metal.

For weathering, I used three different brown tones of craft paint, heavily thinned as a wash as well as applied with a dry brush.  I tried to mimic mud splashes along the sides and front of the vehicle.  To finish up, I added a small amount of white glue to the darkest brown, using it to fix small amounts of ground cover to the track areas and front.

The overall build time wasn't too bad, and I'm sure this M4 will see a lot of gaming action.  I won't worry too much if it gets dinged up given the price point.  Great local prices on Tamiya 1/48 scale models have shifted my initial Bolt Action plans from the Pacific to the Late War in Europe. I eventually will get back to the Pacific, but I want to try out this modeling scale and game at a lower cost given my limited budget and varied interest.  I bought several Warlord Games German units, the Germany Army supplement, and Wargames Factory Infantry after New Years. My US infantry is on the paint table.  Hopefully, I'll be playing 1000 point games by March!

Protectorate Army

Protectorate of Menoth

I finally finished the Protectorate of Menoth battle group from the Warmachines starter set.  The project took a long time - I hit burnout with painting at the midway point.  I did have the chance to try several new techniques.

High Exemplar Kreoss

Scale Change

This was my first project in a scale larger than 15mm.  These steam-powered warriors were huge.  It took a lot more time, and paint, to get this small group completed.  The miniature quality was top-notch, but I could improve my clean up skills on resin models.  The close-up shots reveal mold lines that I didn't noticed during clean-up.  I started painting 28mm WW II infantry figures last night, and they were small in comparison!

Crusader and Repenter 

Paint Change

I started modeling with Craft Paints from the local hobby store.  They work okay on 15mm figs in my opinion, but the paint quality tells.  Having purchased Tamiya acrylics for some of the metallic colors and Privateer Press paints for the maroon sections, I was impressed with the paint flow and quality.  I won't be tossing all of the craft paint out, but I'm switching to higher quality paints from here on.  Vallejo paints are similarly great to use.

Crusader Close Up

Techniques

I followed the three layer painting approach outlined in the Warmachines rulebook.  I'm not happy with the white areas, partially because of the paint quality.  The whites are Craft Paints, and they didn't layer as well.

Vanquisher

For shading, I used Privateer Press Armor wash for the steel areas.  I mixed Citadel Agrax Earth Shade with the Armor Wash for the gold sections.

Exemplar Cinerators Unit

As noted in my previous post (documenting a failure), I used Sculpey clay to make rocks for the bases.  I'm pleased with how the bases turned out.  I also tried Gale Force 9 for the ground cover for the first time.  Finally, I tried to fix the sand on the base, mixing white glue into the paint when coloring it.

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone is enjoying the New Year.  I haven't blogged in months, but I have recently made progress on several projects.  I'll be posting several articles soon on Warmachine and Bolt Action figures.

Ryan and I did get in a quick DBA game last week - Thessalians versus Ptolemaic.  Unusually, I actually won - 4 to 1.  The Thessalians were bunched up, and my Knights finally took a toll on the units. We played about four rounds of Knights pursuing deeper into enemy territory, and fortunately none of them were schwacked.

Ryan killed off my Elephant in the first turn with his Psiloi - rolled a six for his PIPs and did well on the attack.  After that, he had a rough time of it.

Halfway Hill

Distractions

I have not blogged in awhile, but I have been making progress on several projects.  I have also been significantly distracted by World of Tanks, an online game that I play with my son.  I'm not a video game fan normally, but the game is quite fun.  The historical aspect has also pulled me in.

Halfway Hill

I have several ongoing modeling efforts at the "halfway point"

Warmachine

Ryan and I are halfway done with painting up two Warmachine Armies from the starter box. 

Painting is also complete on a Convergence of Cyriss battlegroup, but the basing work is only halfway done.

This hasn't stopped us from playing.  

Ryan once again quickly defeated me this morning - taking out my Warcaster early in the game.

Bolt Action

I have my US infantry primed up.  I also have started work on the bases for the HMG and 60mm Mortar.  I'm planning a separate post on this project once it is complete.

I scored a good deal on a Squadron sale of 1/48 Hobby Boss Shermans.  I couldn't resist starting the model build.  

A warning for anyone building Hobby Boss tanks - watch out for needless steps.  The mid-production 75mm Sherman has several options for road wheels, but the instructions are not clear.  I almost built extra road wheels....a tedious effort.

As a secondary distraction, I discovered that the Tamiya 1/48 models can be bought significantly cheaper here in Korea than from US websites.  I'm tempted to shift my BA plans from the Japanese to a  German opponent to keep costs down.

DBA

I have MDF-based road and river pieces ready for finishing.  This project has been on hold since the BA and Warmachine bugs bit.

Napoleonics

I haven't touched my 15mm Napoleonic project in almost a year.  This isn't a priority since I don't really  have an opponent. Ryan likes DBA and skirmish games.

Lots of fun ahead!

Minor Mods

My desire for variety overcame trepidation about attempting figure conversions.  Carving up a few Wargames Factory figures turned out to be easy.  I kept it simple.

I would rather not have several "guy throwing grenade" figures, but I could not find another arm configuration that worked for this torso. To change up the pose slightly, I cut off the "finger pointing hand" on the straightest arm in the pack, replacing with a gripping hand. I used an M1 rifle with ammo pouches on the stock as the weapon. The pose looks a bit stiff, but I can live with it.

I also wanted to model a standing figure with the anti-tank grenade equipped rifle, but the arm angle would not work. Cutting off and repositioning the hand proved very easy.

Overall, I am happy with the results. I am looking forward to getting home next week with figures ready for painting. I ordered some Warlord Games units yesterday for my American force, so I should be playing pretty soon.

In closing, it has been a somber day here in Washington, DC, as I reflect on the losses on 9/11 and afterward.

Jet Lag Modeling

For the second time, I brought a wargame project along on a trip back to the States. I always suffer from jet lag, waking up around 3 AM. Working on a project is better than watching infomercials.

I am assembling my Wargames Factory WWII Americans for Bolt Action. The package contains 30 soldiers, and I will be able to field three infantry squads, an officer, and a sniper.

28mm WW II Americans

This is only my second 28mm plastic model effort, the other one being our recently acquired Warmachines models. The details look good, but I was disappointed by the lack of flexibility with the poses and weapons. The box includes a sprue full of weapons, but the figure sprue lacked right arms with open hands. All the right arms have molded in weapons, binos, etc. I am not ready to try converting the figures. In any case, there are enough options to meet my needs.  The assembly went smoothly, but I learned that getting both arms positioned can require patience when gluing.

Work in Progress

I should finish the whole set on this trip. I may wait on the small packs and canteens, given my lack of tweezers. Bolt Action coming soon!

War Maintenance

I had planned on finishing two gaming projects before jumping into a new game.  Well, that didn't happen; I've jumped into two new games. I did make some progress recently on figure storage and DBA terrain. I also acquired some material that might work for Warmachine and Bolt Action terrain pieces.  We shall see.

Terrain & Storage Projects

I'm working on DBA roads and rivers, based on Jeff Franz's terrain design.  I have finally carved up the pieces from chipboard, and I've acquired wood filler for the texture and clear nail polish for the water. Will post photos when the pieces are finished some day.

I've also decided to mount sheet magnet on the bottom of figure bases for my 15mm armies.  Lacking access to a US-style Home Depot here in Seoul, I asked a Korean friend about sources for thin steel sheets and "extruded" foam.  I hit a home run on the steel, purchasing more than I will need for about $7.

I'm skeptical about finding extruded foam insulation here; I have only seen a form of beaded foam used as insulation material.  When I described what I was seeking, my Korean colleague had some scrap foam material used for gym floors or play areas.   He wasn't sure what I meant by extruded foam.

I'm going to experiment with the green pieces for creating terrain.  I'm a little concerned that it will flex too much, and any wood filler or other ground cover might crack.  The set of 2'x2' black pieces could be used to create a 4'x4' battle board for Warmachine if affixed to plywood.  I bet that other gamers have experimented with the material, so I'm going to search the web before wasting too much time.  Will post the results later.

Warmachine Test Run

We were too busy having fun to take any pictures, but Ryan and I played a test game of Warmachine, pitting a 19 point Khador force against a 16 point Convergence force.  We played for an hour, learning the rules as we go, before running out of time.  We are still in the midst of painting and basing, so it was a messy looking game.  However, the rules are relatively easy to learn, and I'm sure it will play much faster when we have the basics memorized.  

One aspect of the game that we both like is the damage system for the "Warjacks," which are steam-powered, large robots.  The model's statistics card depicts a damage grid.  When you take damage, you roll a d6 to determine what part of the model is hit.  When damage accumulates in one area, your mobility or weapons may be crippled. The Warjacks can also take a lot of punishment.  

Your "General" is a Warcaster, which commands the other units and is able to cast spells.  Ryan's Khador faction has an ice theme, and his Warcaster used an "Icy Gaze" feat (a once per game capability) to freeze my heavy Warjack.  It was getting pounded into the dust when time ran out.

Warmachine Base Failure

Upgrading Bases

I found a blog post concerning Warmachine model base improvements; the modeler created a wooden floor design using clay.  Believing that Sculpey polymer would do the trick, I created rock piles for the Protectorate of Menoth figure bases in our starter box.

Melting Point

Unfortunately, I learned that the 275 F baking temperature exceeded the melting point for the bases, ruining them.  I guess the other modeler used an air dry clay or other base material.

Fortunately, I didn't try this with the Warcaster figure that is already glued to the base!  I did salvage the baked rocks, which will be applied to unmelted bases or a terrain feature.

Warmachine - Painting Convergence of Cyriss

We took the plunge into Warmachine, buying the introductory battle box to complement Ryan's Convergence of Cyriss battlegroup.  This will give us three factions for small scale battles.  The models are great in terms of quality and detail.  This project is a nice diversion from historicals.

Painting Convergence of Cyriss - Round 1

Using my available paints, which were selected for historicals, we worked up an initial, layer based paint job of two Conversion miniatures.  The Convergence of Cyriss is the newest faction in the Warmachine game.  We used gray primer and Folk Art brand craft paints, painting as a team.  Ryan's paint skills are improving.

Base color - (25/75) Gun Metal and Light Gray

Second Layer - (50/50) - Gun Metal and Light Gray

Gears - Gun Metal or Bronze

Light Shading - (50/50) - Silver and Light Gray

Inset areas - Gun Metal

Cortex and weapons highlights - Ultramarine Blue, Sky Blue, and White

While the Bots look okay, the models were much darker than the box illustrations and lacked a certain flash.  My paints work great for 15mm gun barrels and swords; Steampunk calls for a more metallic look.

Round 2 - Tamiya Paints

A trip to the I-Park mall's Tamiya Hobby store solved the problem.  I picked up three acrylic jars - flat aluminum, gold leaf, and chrome silver.  The gold and chrome will be used for the Khador and Protectorate of Menoth factions.   I hit key sections of the models with the aluminum, creating more contrast.  We are pretty pleased with the results.

This was my first time using Tamiya acrylics, which appear to be mixed for airbrush use.  The paint quality was excellent.  The paints dry quickly on the palette, but a brush full of water every so often worked fine. 

Ryan is making progress on his Khador models, and I'll be painting the Protectorate force. Unfortunately, one Khador Warjack arrived with two left legs, so we are awaiting a replacement part.

Warmachine Diversion

My son dog-watched for a friend who went to the States on vacation. They gave him a battlegroup set for the Warmachine "Convergence of Cyriss" faction.

He is pretty pumped about trying a fantasy game for a change, so it looks like we will buy an opposing army. I am finally ordering some minis for Bolt Action this week, and I plan on purchasing the 2-player battle box. It looks like a good value.

Reviewing the rules, web reviews, and Warmachine fan sites, the game mechanics look solid. It also appears to support a decent game without too much investment. Welcome feedback if anyone has tried this game before.

Armies of Imperial Japan

My hotel wifi is unreliable, so I will be disciplined and brief in this review. Interestingly, I am writing this post from a joint US-Japanese base near Tokyo.

BLUF

The Imperial Japanese Army supplement for Bolt Action captures the essence of the Pacific War in its equipment, unit, and theatre selector lists.

Strengths

The supplement captures the spirit of the Japanese well in its National Characteristics, and I think the key infantry formations were covered effectively. The equipment list is quite comprehensive. If you want strong tanks, the IJA is not for you.

The progression of theatres from the Japanese thrust into China, SE Asia, and finally the Pacific Isles captures the state of the Japanese forces well. Likewise, the defensive campaign, to include home island defensive plans, hits the key battles effectively.

Weaknesses

If the theatres were expanded, I would have appreciated more coverage of China, Early fights with Russia, and New Guinea. I also think the bicycle rule should be limited to theaters were bikes were used.

There were a few typos for transliterated Japanese.

As you can see, the strengths clearly outweighed the weaknesses.  I will be buying figs soon to get started on a Guadalcanal-focused set of armies.

Starter List

Here's a 500 point list based on that critical island fight.

(R)egular 2d Lt + 2 riflemen   70 points

R 1st IJA squad (NCO, 6 riflemen, 2 man LMG team)    90

R 2nd IJA squad (NCO, 6 riflemen, 1 ATG rifleman)    82

R IJA Grenadier Squad (NCO, 5 rifles, 2 2-man knee mortar teams) 150

R Sniper team   50

(I)nexperienced Type 92 70mm Infantry Gun.   32

(I)nexperienced Light Truck (for Tow).  25

Total 499 points

 

Bolt Action Army Supplements

I recently received the British and Imperial Japanese Army supplements for Bolt Action. I like both for very different reasons.

The Commonwealth

As a Yank, I am fairly ignorant of Commonwealth force structure and accomplishments beyond the well known campaigns- North Africa, Normandy, etc. I haven't read much on the Burma campaign, but my reading on the Pacific and visit to the excellent Australian War Museum in Canberra had broadened my knowledge of the Aussies' efforts in Papua New Guinea.

I bought the British supplement on a bit of a whim, thanks to Amazon marketing, hoping it would cover the Pacific more than the American supplement. I was disappointed on that point, but pleased with the rules on other points.

Equipment!

US kit is rather standardized and boring.   I never knew the Brits had so much variety in vehicles. This point alone makes the army an appealing topic. I appreciate the fact that Warlord did not obviously design the list around their planned model releases. I doubt they will produce this many vehicles given market realities, leaving room for scratch building and kitbashing.

National Characteristics

The Commonwealth fielded a diverse force. I appreciate how BA provides a range of options for the Army specific capabilities. As a minor gripe, I do think a matrix that matched the characteristics to each commonwealth force would be great. I know such a matrix would generate a lot of debate, but I suspect the Aussies, Canadians, Kiwis, and other nationalities would all appreciate highlighting their individual strengths.

Raiders!

The list for Brit commando raids into Europe is inspiring. I suspect that many tourney players will avoid it, but I am a sucker for light infantry and special ops tactics. This list almost pulled me off my Pacific game plan,

Pacific Woes

I will not belabor the point that the Pacific War theatre selectors remain limited. Also, the Burma list appears to give the Chindits too much heavy support. Nonetheless, we are free to build out Aussie and other forces using the units identified in the supplement.

Will post my two cents on the Japanese supplement soon. My connection or Blogger is acting flaky right now.

Balanced History - Two Reviews

Two business trips, a great family vacation to Japan, and a hectic work schedule in-between has kept me off the Blog lately.  I finally have the gumption and inspiration to post.  First, a book review of sorts on two histories that I am reading simultaneously - the authors both share a common approach despite the difference in topic and period.

Guadalcanal by Richard Kern

While riding a bus to my son's swim meet in Daegu, another parent suddenly asked to take a picture of me (with her phone of course) reading this very detailed history of Guadalcanal.  Why?  Her father works with the author, Richard Kern, in Virginia.  A few hours later during the meet, her father had already replied back, thanking her for the post....a normal experience in the digital age of course.

This history contains more details on the Guadalcanal campaign that I thought one could find in a single published account. The author used extensive primary source material to include significant use of Japanese sources.  I really enjoyed the balanced use of sources.  Too often, a military history will provide one side of the story, merely sketching the enemy's actions and point of view.  Not Kern.  He addresses Japanese strategy, operations, and tactics at an equal level with the American point of view.

I've read the US Army's official history of Guadalcanal, which gives plenty of coverage to Naval and Marine operations, and Kern's text surpasses it for depth.  One aspect of this book that I found most interesting was his attempt to cover Naval, Air, and Ground operations in balance.  

Given that praise, the book is tedious at times.  Barbara Tuchman noted in an essay on writing history that selection of material is an important aspect of the art of a good history.  Choosing what to exclude without losing the sense of what really happened is a difficult task.  If I have one criticism of Kern's rich history, it is the lack of selection.  In comparing US and Japanese accounts of aircraft losses, for instance, he provides the details for virtually every sortie during the campaign - a bit much.

The book is certainly an inspiration for my upcoming Bolt Action gaming plan.  I am locked on the plan to play Bolt Action in the Pacific, starting with a US Army 168th Regiment-based army and a Japanese foe.  I'll expand to the USMC as my collection expands and painting skills in 28mm improve (assuming no other sudden, expensive distractions....like wargaming the American Civil War).  Modeling the Aussies in New Guinea and British Chindits would also be appealing....more on that in a later post.

Shelby Foote's Civil War Histories

I'm also working on the three volume serie covering the American Civil War by Shelby Foote.  I borrowed the volumes from my library as an e-book, and I've completed the first one.

Similar to Kern, Foote does a great job of providing both the South and North perspectives on the key engagements.  Also similarly, he provides a level of detail on the politics, strategies, and campaigns that I find incredible.  I detected a slight leaning toward the Southern sources, in terms of detail and coverage, so I wasn't surprised to find in his notes that he was from the South.  Nevertheless, the history does a remarkable job of placing Lincoln's decisions on the War within the context of Union politics, and I didn't note a bias in the tone of his work.  Having lived in Maryland, I must admit a lack of familiarity with the battles further the West, so the first volume's coverage of operations along the Mississippi and in my home state of New Mexico were enlightening.  

Despite the level of detail, Foote's narrative certainly flows better than Kern's.  I suspect the difference can be attributed to the source material and Foote's writing style in equal measure.

I shouldn't have started this reading adventure given my other irons in the wargaming fire....DBACW and the upcoming Longstreet rules by Sam Mustafa are starting to look tempting. Will my venture into 10mm figures finally happen with the American Civil War?
When will I ever finish my Napoleonic armies for DBN and Lasalle?

I'm working on DBA terrain and a few more 15mm French artillery stands right now, but I'll be buying a batch of 28mm WW II figures soon.

Japanese 500 Point List

Built around Warlord Games' Imperial Japanese boxed set (Warlord Games store site), this 500 point list will make a good opponent for the 168th Infantry on Guadalcanal.  I can add more infantry squads and heavy weapons to create a 1000 point Army later.

The IJA list:

• 1st Lt and 2 men - Regular (R) - 85 points
• Air Force Forward Observer - R - 75
• 1st Squad (NCO, 7 riflemen, 2-man LMG team) - R - 100
• 2nd Squad (NCO, 7 riflemen, 2-man LMG team) - R - 100
• Type 92 MMG team- R - 50
• Light Mortar team. - R - 35
• Type 92 70mm Gun - Inexperienced (I) - 32
• Truck (for Tow) - I - 33
• Total Points: 500

In addition to the boxed set, I will need to buy an infantry squad, the 70mm gun, and truck. The MMG and Lt Mortar teams both lack the third crewmen needed to comply with the rules. Warlord recently released new USMC figures to correct a similar discrepancy, so I hope they do the same for the Japanese at some point. 

When expanding the list later, I would add a tank, of course.

168th Infantry Regt Army List

I have sketched out a Bolt Action 500 point list based on the 164th Infantry's early actions on Guadalcanal.

The list is based around the Wargames Factory American Army set, which includes 30 figures.  The Wargames Factory set represents Late War Americans, an imprecision that I am willing to accept.

• 1st Lt plus two soldiers - Inexperienced - 74 points
• 1st Squad (8 men incl NCO with SMG, 1 BAR, 1 antitank grenade) - Inexperienced - 66
• 2nd Squad (8 men incl NCO w/SMG, 1 BAR, 2 antitank grenades) - Inexperienced - 68
• 3d Squad (7 men incl NCOw/SMG, 1 BAR) - Inexperienced - 57
• HMG Team - Inexperienced - 49
• 37mm Antitank Gun  - Regular - 50
• Jeep (for tow) - Regular- 21
• M3A1 Stuart -  Regular - 115

Both Company B and Old Glory make an M3A1 Stuart tank model, an uncommon vehicle.

This list captures the essence of 168th operations on Guadalcanal, and I could add a Marine platoon later to create a 1000 point list. Now it is time to work out an opposing Japanese list!

A Good Find

Bolt Action - War in the Pacific

Bolt Action's scale enables gaming in the Pacific more so than other popular WW II games.

Japanese Army Type 95 and 97 Tanks destroyed on sandbar

I am interested in the Pacific theater, but I am also interested in modeling US Army operations, as an Army veteran.  The American Army supplement lacks a Theatre Selector list for the Army in the Pacific, so I hit the Internet for inspiration, stumbling on a wonderful resource: the US Army's Center of Military History.

The Army published a series of detailed accounts of operations in World War II, known as the Green Books. These great histories are now digitized and available on line:

http://history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/collect/usaww2.html

Guadalcanal

Although I knew of the US Army's role in operations in New Guinea and the Philippines, I learned from the Green Books that soldiers fought alongside the Marines early in the longest battle of the Pacific: Guadalcanal. The 168th Regiment, a North Dakota National Guard unit subordinate to the Americal Division, arrived as reinforcements, equipped with 37mm AT guns, mortars, trucks, and, interestingly, 16 British Bren Gun Carriers. The Marines provided supporting firepower with 75mm tank destroyers and M3A1 Stuart tanks.

Bolt Action Options

I think this battle may fit as the inspiration for my initial Bolt Action effort: the US Army vs. the Imperial Japanese Army. Because I have never painted 28mm figures before, I plan to paint up Wargames Factory Americans as my first effort because they are less costly. My second project will be Warlord Games Imperial Japanese. Eventually, I will add a Marine platoon to the fight, mirroring the force mix during the early fights on the Matanikau river against the Japanese 28th Infantry.

Jeff's Farewell Game Day

Jeff and Ryan at Battle

Jeff Franz has been the orchestrator of our DBA games in Seoul, and he gathered the largest group yet for one more game day.  We had six experienced players, and Tony's daughter Erin also gave DBA a try with a few games, using my Galatians.

The seven armies:

• Warring Chin Chinese (II/4A) (See the Army on Jeff's Blog) --Jeff
• Late Ottomans (IV/55b) --Ian
• Kommenan Byzantines (IV/1)--Tony
• Late Imperial Romans (II/78)--Ryan
• Late Persians (II/7)--me
• Kappadokians (II/14)--Rob
• Galatians (II/30b)--Erin

A few snapshots follow.

I didn't manage to track all of the results, but Jeff once again dominated his games.  He also helped teach Erin, playing his Chin Chinese against the Galatians.

Chin Army engages Galatians

Ian and Tony's game resulted in a major engagement on the Kappadokian's flank. The Kappadokian camp is the yellow square.

Kappadokians battle Ottomans

Ryan lost three games against Jeff, Tony, and Ian, but he beat me. Roman Blades chopped up the Persians rather quickly. 

Persians and Romans advance

Ryan eventually lost to Ian's Ottomans; however, his Light Horse managed to impel a flank attack during the bout.

Ottoman Horse Recoil from Roman Light Cavalry

My Persians lost against the Romans and Byzantines, but I managed to beat Rob in a difficult match, thanks to great dice rolls. Rob places a river down the center of the board, rated as ordinary.  It really complicated maneuver. 

Kappadokians Cross the River

Ian aggressively engaged Tony's Byzantines, but I didn't catch the final result.

Byzantines Vs. Ottomans

Jeff, we will all miss your extensive DBA knowledge, organizational skills, inspirational painting, and sportmanship.  Best of luck in San Antonio!