Adepticon 2024! Now as three time veteran of this amazing convention, let’s dive into to my first event of AdeptiCon 2024; Bolt Action Combat Patrol! This event is held in high regard by all who have played in it in the past, and I was certainly looking forward to playing in it again. With the Mid-War theme this year, I brought a Soviet Combat Patrol based on of a Soviet Tank Brigade that was thrown into the Second Battle of Kharkov in early 1942.

My Army – 450pts, 8 Order Dice

2nd Lieutenant – Reg (50) +1 extra man (10)	60
Guard Squad – Reg NCO SMG (13) 5 men with Rifles (50)	63
Guard Squad – Reg NCO SMG (13) 5 men with Rifles (50)	63
Guard Squad – Reg NCO SMG (13) 5 men with Rifles (50)	63
Anti-Tank Rifle Team – Reg	30
Anti-Tank Rifle Team – Reg	30
GAZ Jeep – Reg Pintle MMG	36
T60 – Reg Armor 8 Light Autocannon w/ coax MMG	105

Game 1
Search & Destroy vs Paul G (US)

Three objectives equally spaced along the centerline of the table, the twist? At the start of each turn they moved a random 2d6″! Then in order to capture the objective, you had to assault the objective, needing two 5+ hits on it to destroy it. Each objective was worth 3 VPs and 1 VP for each enemy killed.

My opponent was Paul G, running a veteran American based off the 1st Infantry Division in Sicily. The list has an Lt team, two big squads, a Bazooka Team and a Jeep to carry them.

Game Highlights

• Turn 1
  • Everything arrives via First Wave.
• Turn 2
  • Objectives move mostly across the centerline, only a couple inches. Paul’s Bazooka Team kills my Gaz Jeep.
  • GIs kill two Guardsmen from across the table.
• Turn 3
  • Objectives move 9”, 10” and 10” towards Paul’s table edge 🙁
  • T-60 moves up an misses both shots on a easy GI target
  • My ATR and Guard squad on my right flank kill one GI each.
  • Paul charges and is able to destroy two objectives in the assaults.
• Turn 4
  • Lone remaining objective moves 3” to my right.
  • T-60 shoots the GIs nearby trying to put some pain on the advancing GIs, kill three and only put 1 Pin on them.
  • Drunk on Budweiser, and looking for revenge, the  GIs assault the tank, and force an order check on an “On Fire” roll. The tank crew bail out and flee the board, GIs back up 1”.
  • I charge the GIs, and survive with one man! What a bloody CQC!
• Turn 5
  • I charge the remaining objective and destroy it, but I’m still down by 4 VPs!
  • Paul wisely starts to pull back to his table edge, getting behind cover or out of line of sight. I am unable to push him effectively and we call the game.

Result – Loss
4VPs to 8VPs

Game 2
Flare vs Andy B (Japan)

This mission had 12” visibility due to nighttime conditions. There was a special Order Die in the bag that represented a flare that would go off. But unlike the flare mission last year, this time the flare stayed up until the flare die was pulled again next turn. This gave an interesting twist to an already difficult mission. Andy was running a solid Japanese list. He had an Lt team, Vet Scouts, two infantry squads, an ATR team, Light Mortar Team, Sniper and a HA-Go Tank.

Game Highlights

Andy forward deployed both his Sniper and his Scout Squad.

• Turn 1
  • First Wave on both sides.
  • Flare – Light.
  • Ha-Go gets first blood with two kills on an unlucky Guards squad.
• Turn 2
  • T-60 kills the Sniper’s assistant while Down, but the pesky Sniper holds its ground.
  • Japanese ATR puts a Pin on the T-60.
  • Flare – Darkness.
  • Ha-Go tries to kill the T-60, but only puts a Pin on it.
• Turn 3
  • Ha-Go tries to go three for three on three different units, misses the T-60, but kills one Guardsmen in two different units.
  • Flare – Light.
  • IJA squad charges and kills the GAZ Jeep.
  • ATR puts a Pin on Ha-Go, and the second one misses.
  • Andy then has some incredibly bad luck and fails three Order Checks in a row! Each unit only had 1 Pin on them!
  • T-60 then an Order Check fails check and backs up.
• Turn 4
  • Flair – Darkness
  • T-60 fails an Order Check again!
  • Guards at point blank kill 3 IJA men but, as Fanatics so they hold.

Result – Draw
0 to 1 Dice Draw

Game 3
King of the Hill vs Jim (DAK)

The Mission

The mission was simple, whoever controlled the lone objective at the end of the game would be the winner. Game could end as soon as Turn 4 if someone was on the objective. If the objective is contested or no one on it, the number of kills would determine the winner at the end of the game. Full Deployment, both sides all in, no Reserves or Forward Deployment.

Jim had an Lt, ATR Team, a Flamethrower in a squad Pioneers, a Vet Squad with assault weapons, a Panzer I, and an 8-Rad.

Game Highlights

• Turn 1
  • Panzer I puts a Pin on a Guards squad, no kills.
  • Sd.kfz 231 8-Rad puts a Pin on the T-60 but fails to penetrate.
• Turn 2
  • 8-Rad shoots the hut with my Guardsmen in it, kills 1, only 1 Pin.
  • ATR from across the board forces a Crew Stun on the 8-Rad.
  • T-60 puts Pin on Panzer I.
  • GAZ Jeep rolls up and kills one from the Vet Pioneers Squad.
• Turn 3
  • T-60 puts the Panzer I On Fire, its holds with 3 Pins.
  • Guards in the hut kill the Grenadier Assault Squad.
  • Guard squad on my left killed Jim’s Lt with an incredible super six!
  • 8-Rad fails an Order Check and reverses.
• Turn 4
  • Jim’s Flamethrower in the Pioneer squad roasts the Guards in the hut and forces them to flee the table.
  • ATR forces another Crew Stunned on the Panzer I.
  • Second ATR snipes the Flamethrower out of his squad with Exceptional Damage!
  • My Jr Lt moves up and kills two more of the Pioneers, but they pass the Moral Check and stay on the table.
  • Roll to see if the game ends, it does not.
• Turn 5
  • T-60 puts another crew stunned on the Panzer I.
  • Guards charge and kill the remaining Pioneers, then consolidate into the hut.
  • 8-Rad kills 1 Guardsman in the hut, 2 pins though.
  • German ATR hits GAZ Jeep, but no penetration.
  • Roll for game end, it does. Objective contested, 3 kills to his 1

Result – Win
3-1

Final Thoughts

Three hard-fought and well played games with my opponents had me with a 1-1-1 record on the day. Not great by my standards but I still had an amazing time. Walking around and seeing the hobby level so high was incredible. The armies on display were some of the best I’d ever seen. Andrew has done a really great job in making sure that we don’t lose sight of the hobby and focus solely on the tabletop results. Thank you Andrew, Sam, and Tom for an amazing tournament. Great mission design and a smooth running, on time event. I couldn’t ask for a better time!