The Chicago Four Star Open is back for its third year! Hosted at the world-famous Chicagoland Games Dice Dojo, Four Star went full Third Edition this year. With Third still so new it was a wide open field and everyone took to the event with the goal of putting this new edition through its paces. The format was:
- Three Games
- 1,250pts
- 18 Order Dice Max
- 4 Platoons Max
- Players picked one secret Secondary Objective each Game
With 18 players crammed into the basement and plenty of Old Style on hand, the Four Star Open had the makings for a perfect day of Bolt Action.
Our Forces
Andrew – The Chindits were back for another Four Star. My collection was in a pretty solid spot for Third Edition and I only had to add second 25-pdr to bring the Chindits to Third Edition readiness. My force was three Platoons – Rifle Platoon, Artillery Platoon, and Armored Platoon. Except for the Artillery Platoon (Reg), every unit was Vet. The core of the army was four units of eight Vets. Three with all Rifles and one with x4 SMGs in a Truck. Supporting those Vet Infantry units were two Light Mortars, a PIAT, a Medic, a Forward Artillery Observer, two 25-pdr Light Howitzers, a Stuart V and a Stuart Recce. At 16 Order Dice I felt good about the total number of units, even with three two-man teams and Light Tanks.
Ben – First event of Third Edition for me! I went with a tried-and-true method for writing my list… what do I have that doesn’t require any additional painting? The Winter US got the nod with a heavily mechanized format. I brought a Rifle Platoon, a Heavy Weapons Platoon, and an Armored Platoon to the event. The Rifle Platoon consisted of my Platoon Commander (with one buddy), three eight-man squads of US Infantry (one with two BARs, the other two with a BAR apiece), and a pair of transport half-tracks (taking the 5pt upgrade making them M2A1s and gives the HMGs 360-degree arcs). The Heavy Weapons Platoon consisted of a Platoon Commander and three MMG teams, and the Armored Platoon rounded it out with an M8 Greyhound (with pintle HMG and the Command Vehicle upgrade), two Hellcats (with pintle HMGs and Recce), and an M16 MGMC AA half-track. The list lacked indirect fire (or much HE in general), but still had solid punch with all those newly buffed HMGs.
John – Heading into this event I was pretty new to Third Edition so I wanted to bring a well-balanced force while leaning into some of the new rules and updated platoon structure. My 17 Order Dice list included a Rifle Platoon with four rifle squads, a Forward Artillery Observer, and a Sniper Team, a Recce Platoon with a large squad of SMG-toting Veterans, a second Artillery Observer, and a Recce Truck to ferry the Vets, an Artillery Platoon with two 25-pdr Light Howitzers and a Bofors Heavy Autocannon and finally an Armored Platoon with a Grant and the small-but-mighty Vickers Light Tank Mk VI C. This North Africa army includes several mainstays from my collection, but never before have I been able to field them all in a single force. The list building flexibility in Third Edition allows for all kinds of unique and interesting compositions.
Game 1 – Seek & Destroy
Andrew – For this Kill Point game, I squared off against CJ and his horde of Inexp. French infantry. Four massive units of riflemen supported by a Med. Howitzer, Med. AT Gun, Sniper, Forward Artillery Observer, an FT-17 and the mammoth Char B1 Bis. Between our two Artillery Observers we called a four separate Artillery Strikes and two of them randomly scattered – nowhere was safe on this battlefield. As this was a pure Kill Point mission, the continuous bombardment only added to the chaos. We exchanged artillery and AT fire with our infantry trying to get into an advantageous position. Around Turn 4 I was in a winning position, but my Stuart FUBAR’d and made a break for the nearest table edge putting it out in the open and in the direct line of fire from the Char B1. Needless to say, the Stuart didn’t survive much longer. That put CJ right back into the game and we ended Turn 5 with a 4-4 draw. CJ played a tight game and never overexposed his troops. It was as great game that came right down to the wire.
Result – Draw (4-4)
Ben – Game 1 was Kill Points as Andrew mentioned, with each player coming on via First Wave in opposite table quarters. I started the day facing Jim and his Japanese force, including three big fifteen-man squads of infantry, a couple of Medium tanks, and support in the form of a Light Howitzer, Med. Mortar, MMG, Sniper, some Suicide AT Teams, and a Forward Artillery Observer. The First Wave deployment being limited to table quarters made things cramped quite quickly as both sides raced for available cover. I knew one of the things I wanted to prioritize was knocking out that Artillery Observer if I got the chance. Jim managed some really impressive rolling and made just about every 5+ Cover Save through half of Turn 2, while also knocking out one of my Hellcats with an indirect howitzer shot, so things started out a little rough, but I was able to eliminate his Artillery Observer early before he could call in a strike and then proceeded to focus on the IJA support units as they tried to move into position, including destroying a howitzer and its horse limber. Jim was getting close to threatening my weak left flank when the game ended as I had pushed hard along the right side, but my strategy of focusing down smaller teams paid off and I took the win.
Result – Win (6-2)
John – To kick off the event I played against John P’s North Africa-themed Italians. We were both excited for the thematic matchup, but our forces were out place when we ended up playing on a (very cool) winter themed table! John’s army included four large squads of Regular infantry supported by MG and Mortar teams, a Medium Anti-tank Gun, Artillery Observer and three Italian tanks. The table-quarter deployment for this scenario forced us both to cluster their units in the available space – and since we both brough Artillery Observers the first few turns saw many units being pinned, and a few outright destroyed, by artillery bombardments. A FUBAR’d Order Test caused John’s Command Tank to flee off the table, putting me ahead on Victory Points. From that point I played rather defensively and while several of my units were nearly wiped out, the game ended before John’s Italians were able to finish them off. It was a close game that could have swung either way.
Result – Win (5 – 1)
Game 2 – Key Positions
Andrew – A Vet Jagdpanther. Holy smokes a Vet Jagdpanther. I am staring across the table from a Vet Jagdpanther and I have *checks notes* three Light AT Guns and a PIAT. Considering the -1 Pen modifier at Long Range, that Jagdpanther would ignore every hit outside of 24”. My only hope was for Shane & Maple to aggressively close within the effective range of my Light AT. I did have a 16 to 10 Order Dice advantage though and in a mission with seven objectives scattered around the table those extra units are a big help.
The game started even enough but at the top of Turn 2 a big squad of Vet. FJ with Assault Rifles and LMGs rolled a FUBAR and ran off the table leaving a massive gap in the German line on the right flank. My Chindits swarmed forward into the opening to press the advantage. The Jagdpanther rolled unopposed down the middle of the table, and I used the only real AT asset I had – the PIAT. Through sheer luck and missed shot from a German Sniper the courageous PIAT Team found themselves within Point-blank range of the Jagdpanther. They had one chance to bring the beast down and they did their duty. A single shot through the side armor left the Jagdpanther a smoking wreck. It was Bolt Action at its finest – perfection.
Shane & Maple put up a noble fight but with the center and right flanks open, there wasn’t much they could do to stop the Chindits from securing most of the objectives.
Result – Win
Ben – Game 2 I faced Joel with his Soviets. He brought along a pair of Rifle Platoons filled with Inexperienced Green squads, a couple of Commissars, a pair of Snipers, a Heavy Weapons Platoon that included an MMG and a Mortar, and an Armored Platoon with a Katyusha, T-34, BA-10, and a big ol’ IS-2. His core infantry and officers were all Inexperienced, but his supporting units were Regulars. We had six objectives on field, and with Reserves allowed I decided to put two of my squads in their half-tracks to Outflank on my right to try and break one of his rear objectives during the midgame, which meant I was down fairly significantly on dice (18-10 I believe) in the bag/on field for the first few turns. Joel started off with a big swing, firing a Katyusha shot that knocked out one of my Platoon Commanders as well as an MMG Team, and badly damaging a second MMG. Cougar the Greyhound took swift retribution, rolling on field and knocking out the Katyusha and a Platoon Commander a little later in the turn. However, losing those units on my left flank left one of my ‘home’ objectives very vulnerable, with a single MMG Team in a building holding it.
Across the board Soviet units were falling, but it remained close on objective claiming. My Hellcats played cat and mouse with the IS-2 throughout, utilizing cover and Recce to dodge shots as best they could, while my right flank Hellcat managed to knock out the T-34 and mostly clear the way for the Outflankers, who showed up in force at point-blank in Turn 3, wiping out Joel’s Platoon Commander and putting the Inexperienced squad in rough shape. The two half-tracks then proceeded to pelt the BA-10 with HMG fire and brought it down after a turn, which freed the objective for my infantry to capture. The nail in the coffin that secured the win was when Joel’s squad that was pushing my left flank failed a one-Pin Order Test (including the Commissar reroll) and FUBAR’d, shooting the Commissar point-blank after he had killed at least four of their men trying to get them moving during the game. Total Order Dice killed was 16-3, but objectives were very close at 3-2. And I managed to snag my Secondary Objective by killing over half Joel’s Oder Dice.
Result – Win (3-2)
John – For my second game I played against John M and his balanced US force containing a core of mechanized infantry in half-tracks, a pair of Bazooka teams, several Mortar and MG teams, an MMG Jeep and a 76mm Sherman. I’ve seen John at several past events and I was happy to have a chance to finally play against him. For this mission we battled for control over five objectives. We alternated placing the objectives and ended with three on my left flank, one near the center, and one on my right flank. I was able to secure three of the five objectives early on thanks to one of my infiltrating Artillery Observers and running a rifle squad towards the center objective. John’s half-tracks countered, deploying large squads of American GIs in position to retake several objectives. My outflanking veterans in their recce truck arrived in time to keep one objective under my control, but a last-second assault from John’s full-strength rifle squads against my infantry squad that had been reduced to five men allowed John to capture the center objective. There wasn’t enough time for me to mount a counter-attack and John took the victory.
This was another close game that came down to the final couple of Order Dice. My Artillery Observers were once again effective in slowing down the enemy, but this game reinforced the importance of timing. Games can often be decided by which player makes their move at the perfect time to secure a victory. My and John’s forces had traded blows throughout the game but his decisive strike in the closing moments gave him the edge and the win. I look forward to a rematch at a future event!
Result – Loss (2-3)
Game 3 – Hold Until Relieved
Andrew – Although Dave didn’t bring any Heavy Tanks, he did have two Pumas, two Panzer IIs and a StuH 42. I was up against what felt like a full armor company. In support was two Light Mortars, two ATRs, two double LMG squads and a Half-track with a full AR assault squad aboard. My Stuarts and 25-pdrs had their work cut out for them. Luckily the mission favored my list as my Vet Infantry would be very difficult to shift off the single objective in the center of the table. At the top of Turn 2 I threw caution to the wind and poured my forces out of cover towards the objective. I focused my Artillery Bombardment and suppressing fire to keep Dave’s two infantry squads stuck in the back and then prayed the German armor didn’t cut my men down before they made it to the objective.
Luck was on my said and three of my Vet units swarmed the objective and Dave was not able to clear them. MVP awards out to both my Medic (I think he saved five models this game) and the Stuart. That little tank dueled with both a Puma and the StuH and no only survived, it also knocked out the StuH! Talk about punching above your weight. This was another close game that could have easily broken the other way. Dave was right in it the whole time and without my ability to roll some insane Cover and Medic saves, it would have been a different result.
Result – Win
Ben – At the end of the day I faced CJ and his French. Another Inexperienced swarm of squads as the core force, supported by some Vets in Trucks as well as Armored and Artillery Platoons, with a Medium AT Gun and Medium Howitzer along with a Char B1 Bis and a Renault FT. He also had a Forward Artillery Observer (those are gonna be common this edition, especially for the forces that get double strikes). This game was only one single objective in the middle of the table, and without heavy HE options of my own, clearing out that many squads was going to be a bit rough. We both utilized ruins on our edge of the board to get overwatch on the objective and began trading shots across the field. He placed his first Artillery Bombardment right on my big manor house ruin, and also landed an AT hit on my left Hellcat, putting them both out of commission for a turn as they rallied in the early game. My central squad also had to rally from the strike, and he was able to easily plop a squad on the objectives putting it firmly into his control as the rest of Inexperienced French troops moved up to maintain control on the objective. A squad of Veterans in a truck rushed up my left flank to try and block Cougar from getting into an advantageous position as well. The truck died, but they slowed the flank up enough with Pins and bodies that I wasn’t able to prioritize the middle.
I poured a ton of fire into that objective and killed a lot of Inexperienced Frenchmen, but unfortunately with a failed order check in the middle I lost any chance of getting my own infantry on the point even if I managed to clear the last of them, so CJ was able to hold on and take the win. I made a few tactical errors and at a couple times disregarded the key tenet of wargames: PTO (Play the Objective), instead going for a kill on a unit that was less consequential. Hindsight is 20:20 as they say, but regardless it was a fun and well fought game, and CJ played it well and earned the win.
Result – Loss
John – To end the day I played against Dice Dojo founder Lexx and his fully-mechanized German force consisting of a couple of Grenadier squads and accompanying half-tracks, two small veteran assault squads in Heavy Field Cars, a Motorcycle with MMG sidecar, a Panzer IV, and two 8-Rad Armored Cars. Fortunately for me this mission had us battling for control of a single objective in the center of the table so Lexx’s army’s mobility wasn’t as useful as it would normally be. Additionally, the mad scramble for the objective forced us to focus our units on driving towards the center giving my Artillery Observers a target-rich environment. After deploying our forces both Lexx and I acknowledged that this game would be a bloodbath and it lived up to that expectation!
Our AFVs immediately started blasting one another and my artillery units had their hands full attempting to halt the German armored advanced. While the heavy-hitting units were busy my rifle squads charged towards the objective and were able to seize control. From that point my priority became keeping those riflemen alive until the end of the game. Fortunately for me my Artillery Observers were very effective in this game. Despite rolling a 1 for all four bombardments, causing them to scatter 3D6″ in a random direction, every bombardment hit multiple enemy units and heavily damaged several of them. The consistent barrage of pins successfully ground the German assault to a halt. When the game ended my rifle squads had lost many soldiers to enemy fire, but they managed to hold the objective till the bitter end and thereby secured my second win of the day. Lexx and I had a lot of fun in this chaotic and destructive game. It was a great way to end the day!
Result – Win
Final Thoughts
Andrew – The Four Star Open is always a special event. It’s local and has a perfect “game club” vibe. Maybe it’s the basement? Whatever the reason, the impeccable vibes from 2023 held strong into 2024. Even with Third Edition still so new, everyone approached the event with pure excitement for what is looking like the best version of Bolt Action. Shane once again knocked it out of the park. No small feat when your players haven’t played many games of Third Edition. He handled all rules questions and edge case situations with ease. The Secondary Objectives were an inspired choice that added an extra element to the games. I hope to see more of them! The prize support was, well, shockingly good. Everyone walked out of there with at least a box of models. But more importantly – everyone just looked like they were having one hell of a good time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ben – Gotta love a Four Star Open! First event of Third Edition for me, and I am enjoying the changes more than ever. Still in the learning phases of the edition, so some of the changes were forgotten at times, but the event was a great time and Shane ran it well (especially while having to play as a Ringer!). I love the Secondary Objectives aspect of the event, and while we discussed some changes to them to make them a bit easier (as it seems like they were very rarely accomplished), I am excited to see them in future events as well. It was really great seeing all the lists folks were coming up with in the new format, and it got my hobby hype back up to work on some expansions to my collection so that I can fill out the new Platoon structures for my existing forces (need many more Platoon Commanders!). So excited for the future of Bolt Action and the Four Star Open.
John – What a fun day! Like most players I am still adjusting to the changes in Third Edition but every game I’ve played of the new edition has been a blast and I can’t wait to play more. The Four Star Open continues to be a top-tier event with a full house of 18 players, exceptional tables and missions, and incredible prize support. It was thrilling to see all of the different forces people put together using the new platoon structures. There has never been a more exciting time for Bolt Action. Shane deserves a ton of credit for running such a smooth event (with help from Sam) and for making sure that everyone walked away with a great prize and smile on their face from a fantastic day of gaming. I’m already excited for next year!
Chicago Dice 