Bolt Action II Duel in the Sun Escalation Campaign – Round #3

Round 3 – 550 points (choose from options below)

Reinforced Platoon

• Lieutenant – First or Second
• Infantry squads

Plus

• Medic
• Machine gun teams
• Mortar teams
• Additional Infantry squads
• Transport vehicle or tow (soft-skins or armored)
• Anti-tank teams
• Field Artillery, Anti-aircraft or Anti-tank gun
•  Armored Car

 Round #3 will start 1/8/17 and must be completed by 2/5/17.

The second battle of Longstop Hill (21–23 April 1943) was fought between British and German forces over the tactically important heights of Djebel el Ahmera and Djebel Rhar, which guarded the road to Tunis, the chief headquarters of the Afrika Korps. After a grueling battle, the British finally won through, paving the way for an Allied advance on Tunis and total victory in North Africa

.

The battle is typical of the bitter hill-to-hill fighting that the Americans and the British had to endure as they clawed their way across the highlands of Tunisia.

FORCES

This scenario is designed to be played with equal points values on both sides. The following reinforced platoons should be used to represent the forces involved:

Only Two Players Per Side!

Defenders - Axis

Larry – Italians

Tim – Germans

Jim - French

Art – Germans

Frank – Germans

Hunter - Germans

Attackers - Allies

Phil – Americans

Mark – SAS

Mike – British

Jim – French

John – Americans

Hunter – Americans

SET-UP

Terrain

The hill should dominate the center of the table, but shouldn’t be closer than 12” to any table edge. It should be adorned with some hurriedly prepared defenses (like sandbag emplacements, dug-outs, etc.).

The defender sets up at least half his force on the hill, no closer than 18” from any table edge. Any units not set up this way are held in reserve.

The attacker does not set up any units at the start of the game. He must nominate at least half his force to form his first wave. Any units not included in the first wave are held back in reserve.

SPECIAL RULES

Preparatory Bombardment

The attacker rolls a die: on a 2+ a preparatory bombardment strikes the enemy positions. On a 1, the barrage fails to materialize, but you have your orders and the attack must go on as planned.

First Turn

On the first turn, the attacker must bring his entire first wave onto the table. These units can enter the table from any point along either long table edge, and must be given either a run or advance order. Note that no order test is required to move units onto the table as part of a first wave.

Very Rough Going

The dry, rocky slopes of Longstop Hill are impassable to all vehicles. For other units, the entire hill counts as rough ground.

Objective

The attacker is trying to destroy the forces on the hill. The defender is trying to hold the hill at all costs!

Game Duration

Keep a count of how many turns have elapsed as the game is played. At the end of Turn 6, roll a die. On a result of 1, 2 or 3, the game ends, on a roll of 4, 5 or 6 play one further turn.

Victory!

At the end of the game calculate which side has won by adding up victory points as follows. If one side scores at least 2 more points than the other, then that side has won a clear victory. Otherwise, the result is a draw!

·          

• Both players score 1 victory point for every enemy unit destroyed.
• They also score 1 victory point for each of their units on the hill and within 12” of the table’s middle line at the end of the game.

BA 2nd - Duel in the Sun – Round #2 - Score

Round ends January 7, 2017!

Attackers - Allies

Phil – Americans           4

Mark – SAS                    4

Mike – British                4

Jim – French                 4

John H. – Americans      2

 
Defenders - Axis

Larry – Italians            1

Tim – DAK                   2

Art – Germans             2

Frank - Germans         4

Hunter – Germans       3



 


Score
Allies -   2
Axis   -   1

Bolt Action II Duel in the Sun Escalation Campaign – Round #2

Round 2 – 425 points (choose for options below)

Reinforced Platoon

Lieutenant – First or Second

Infantry squads

Plus

Medic

Machine gun teams

Mortar teams

Additional Infantry squads

Transport vehicle or tow (soft-skins or armored) 1 per infantry unit in the reinforced platoon.

Anti-tank teams

Round #2 will start 12/4/16 and must be completed by 12/31/16.

ROUND #2 SCENARIO 9 (Modified):  CARNAGE AT KASSERINE PASS

The Battle of Kasserine Pass was Rommel’s last great achievement in North Africa. It was also the first big engagement between US and German forces.

Rommel slaughtered the inexperienced, badly led American troops, pushing them back over 80km from their original positions. It was only stiff resistance from the British at Thala, along with dwindling supplies, that forced Rommel to withdraw.

The following scenario focuses on an action that took part during the early stages of the battle, when the Axis troops were trying to break through the pass

FORCES

This scenario is designed to be played with equal points values on both sides.

 Germans, Italians and French are attackers.

 USA, British & Commonwealth and French are defenders.

SETUP

 
Terrain

The battlefield should be set up as shown on the scenario map.

The battlefield is split into three areas: two highland areas on the flanks and an area representing the pass in the center. As many hills, rocks and boulders as possible should be placed in the two highland areas. No terrain is placed in the pass itself.

Exactly 12” from the table middle line, on the US side of the table, the US player must set up a line of obstacles (sandbags, barbed wire, etc.) across the pass (but not into the highland areas). This is the defensive line constructed by a unit of US Engineers to block the pass.

The defenders also place their minefields at the same time as setting up the obstacles (see the scenario special rules below).

The defenders can also position one 6” x 6” emplacement in each of the highland areas on his side of the table, up to the middle line. Each emplacement should be big enough to be occupied by a single infantry squad, but no bigger.

Note that the rocky ground here is too hard for units to dig in, so the Dug-in rules cannot be used.

DEPLOYMENT

The defender sets up the Engineer squad within his set-up zone, on the pass area. He then sets up one Infantry squad in each emplacement. He then places up to half his remaining units anywhere within his set-up zone. Units not set up to start with are left in reserve.

The attacker’s units are not set up on the table at the start of the game. The attacker must nominate at least half of his force to form his first wave. This can be his entire army if he wishes. Any units not included in the first wave are left in reserve.

SPECIAL RULES

FIRST TURN

During Turn 1, the attacking player must move his entire first wave onto the table. These units can enter the table from any point on the attacker’s table edge, and must be given either a run or advance order. Note that no order test is required to move units onto the table as part of the first wave.

DESERT WARFARE

This scenario is set in the desert. See the rules for Desert Warfare. However, remember that the Dug-In rules cannot be used.

DESERT FIGHTERS

All units on the Axis side have the Desert Fighters special rule (here) for free. No American units have this rule.

MINEFIELDS

The defender has one minefield section plus two dummy mines section per full 1,000 points of his force. Plenty of mines had been delivered to the Americans defending the pass, but they had arrived so late that they were hastily laid. Attacking units are only hit by minefields on a 5+, even if they are Inexperienced or Regular.

DISORGANISED DEFENDERS

The defenders are badly led, and suffer from poor communication. Reserves require an order check with a –2 penalty to move onto the table. The US special rule Modern Communications does not apply in this scenario.

RESERVES

The defender’s units can only enter the table from their table edge, along the central area representing the pass.

The attacker’s units can only enter the table from their table edge, along the central area representing the pass.

Neither side can use outflanking maneuvers during this scenario.

MEDICS & OFFICERS

In this scenario it is likely that more than one player will be on each side. 

·         Medics can attempt to heal another players troops (regardless of nationality). 

·         Officers cannot influence or issue orders to another player’s troops. 

OBJECTIVE

The attacker must try to move as many of units as he can into the defender’s set-up zone or off the defender’s table edge. The defender must try to stop him. Note that in this scenario, attacking units are allowed to deliberately move off the table from the defender’s table edge to reach their objective.

GAME DURATION

Keep a count of how many turns have elapsed as the game is played. At the end of Turn 6, roll a die. On a result of 1, 2 or 3 the game ends, on a roll of 4, 5 or 6 play one further turn.

VICTORY!

• At the end of the game, calculate which side has won by adding up victory points as follows. If one side scores at least 2 more victory points than the other then that side has won a clear victory. Otherwise the result is deemed too close to call and honors are shared – a draw!
• The attacking player scores 1 victory point for every enemy unit destroyed. He also scores 2 victory points for each of his own units that is inside the defender’s set-up zone (even if only partially), and 3 victory points for each of his own units that has moved off the enemy table edge before the end of the game.
• The defending player scores 2 victory points for every enemy unit destroyed.

Attackers - Allies

Phil – Americans

Mark – SAS

Mike – British

Jim – French

John – Americans

Hunter – Americans

Defenders - Axis

Larry – Italians

Tim – Germans

Jim - French

Art – Germans

Frank – Germans

Hunter - Germans