The Chicago Dice Bolt Action Learning League is well underway. Follow along as we recap our weekly games during the League.

Week 4 – 750pts – Reverse Commute

The Mission
Starting Week 4, the games are now played at 750pts without any unit restrictions. The first mission is the breakthrough-style Reverse Commute. From the mission description:

Suburban residents who work in the city fight to pass city residents who work in the suburbs. In
the grim darkness of the Chicagoland rush hour, there is only war.

The mission featured full deployment, all units started the game on the table. No Reserves, no Infiltrators. Once the players had finished deployment, a Preparatory Bombardment commenced against all units on the table. Players scored 3 VPs for each unit that escaped off their opponent’s long table edge and 1 VP for each unit that ended the game within the enemy Deployment Zone.

Andrew V (Italy – East African Campaign) v Kevin K (USA)

The Game
Similar to my game last week with Zak, I played another Border Wars 2025 practice game to help Kevin prepare for the event. So while the rest of the League played their first round of 750pt games with Reverse Commute, we set up our 1,100pt Border Wars forces and squared off for Fog of War.

• US Bazookas! Kevin’s only AT was a pair of Bazooka Teams, and they were more than a match for my Light Semovente Tank Destroyers.
• For reasons that are still unknown, Kevin’s Heavy Weapons Platoon Commander remained stuck in Reserve for the entire game. We are not sure what he was up to back there but it was a clear dereliction of duty. I think Kevin failed four Morale 10 checks to arrive from Reserve …
• Wow, HMG Teams are good. Kevin brought forward three Reg. HMG Teams this game and they put in the work. Watching my Inexp. Colonial Infantry taking damage on a 2+ was brutal. Thank goodness for Cover Saves!
• It wasn’t until Turn 6 that I launched the Colonial Cavalry into close combat. Hardly a noble charge, they were waiting until their target had been whittled down to a single rifleman. Needless to say, even with the defensive bonus of holding a building, he didn’t stand a chance.
• Worth noting that Kevin did not have a single vehicle in his force, and I had five AFVs – three Light Semovente Tank Destroyers, a M11/39 Tank, and an Autoblinda Armored Car. I want to call this out because our game was incredibly close all the way through. My vehicles didn’t run amok unchallenged, and Kevin didn’t overwhelm me with his infantry. What may have looked like a total mismatch on paper was actually a well-balanced game on the table.

The game remained tied all the way through Turn 5. It wasn’t until Turn 6 that the Italians moved into the lead. At the end of Turn 6, I held one objective, and the other two were contested. We were tied on kills (four each). The final count was 7 VPs for the Italians and 5 VPs for Kevin’s Americans. A close win for the Kingdom of Italy! – Andrew

Russell R (Germany) v Hayden R (USA)

The Game
American commuters have been attacking north from Bucktown with orders to push through to The Lake near Rogers Park, inflicting as much damage as possible along the way. At the tip of the spear, a Hellcat, MG Jeep, Transport Jeep, Bazooka Team, HMG Team, two Platoon Commanders, a Heavy Weapons Infantry Squad, two Infantry squads, and an FAO. Jump off is scheduled for 10:30hrs, staging on the south end of Lincoln Square.

Across the way, and unaware of each other’s presence,  a German Rapid Strike Force consisting of a Platoon Commander and two six-man infantry squads (all mounted on motorcycles) escorting a 223 Armored Car, Puma Heavy Armored Car, Panzer IV Aufs A, Sd.Kfz. 250/11, and an MMG Motorcycle line up.  Their order was to strike south through enemy lines to secure and hold a major road network and the Costco Warehouse near Kimball and Fullerton. German Force Jump off, also set for 1030hrs.

Both sides waited patiently, watching the enemy get hit with long-range artillery. Both were equally surprised to get hit by the other. German arty was slightly more effective, handing out Pins to almost all units and killing one soldier. American artillery landed five Pins, no more than one on any unit.  

Even though the Americans got the worst end of the Prep Bombardment, they did a better job of recovering and moving forward en masse. German forces were caught flat-footed and panicky. It went so far as a German Puma ignoring a direct order to advance and engage; instead, they reversed off the board. Three units used Recce, two missed, and two just kinda sat there. Americans were able to consolidate forces, call in an Air Strike, and move up their Hellcat, which then took out a German MMG Motorcycle. Other units pushed forward or rallied to shed Pins.

Turn 2, the Germans are down on OD, at 6:11 after a disappointing Turn 1 (by the way, the Puma crew has been arrested and “delt with” appropriately) but catch a lucky break. The American Air Strike fails to come in, and the Germans defy odds and pull the first OD of the turn. The forward-most Motorcycle is able to make it from a vulnerable position to off the board.  Shortly thereafter, the German Platoon Commander made an escape move and cleared the edge of the board.  Germans get two across the line for 6 VPs, and the third Motorcycle unit is set to leave the board in Turn 3. 

American forces move up to trigger a few escape moves while pushing their advantage on their left.  They take out the German 250/11 with a Bazooka and rain hot hell down on the last German motorcycle squad, who froze behind a small stand of trees, taking casualties and Pins, until finally trying to make a run for it in Turn 4 and were caught by two ambushes. By the end of Turn 4 Germans were down to just two units, the 223 and Panzer IV. 

But as the Americans were cutting up and driving off the lion’s share of the German units, they were fighting back. The Panzer IV scored some crucial hits and started taking out US units, knocking them out before some key units could exit the board.

Through end of Turn 4 and into early Turn 5 there was a slim – slim – chance the Germans could win, and a more optimistic slim chance that the Germans could force a draw. But it wasn’t meant to be. Too many living Americans, too few effective Germans. Americans were too much for the Germans today. Hayden was a smart commander, took advantage of his opportunities, and rolled well.  Germans tried valiantly but couldn’t get it together. – Russell

Logan X (Germany) v Dave F (Italy – Bersaglieri)

The Game
You’re in for hell. The Italians know of our operation and are launching counteroperations. We will lay down a barrage. Fight your way through.

With that, the German forces mobilized. The Preparatory Bombardment momentarily halted the Bersaglieri, but the Germans came under a similar barrage. When the dust settled, there were few casualties on either side. Having taken cover in rocky outcroppings, the German troops fanned out toward the flanks. Immediately, the Italian L6/40 and L3/33 fled the battle. The German Nebelwerfer launched its salvo toward the right flank, destroying an AB41. Suddenly, the operation seemed manageable. One squad of German infantry took cover in an empty hangar on the right flank, laying down fire at Bersaglieri troops. The German Light Mortar pushed up the right side, but was shot down. On the left flank, the German Sniper Team neutralized the Italian Light Mortar. A German Command Squad and an infantry squad advanced to take cover behind some fencing. Bersaglieri infantry engaged them, but the Germans pushed forward and gunned them down. Another Bersaglieri infantry squad took cover in centrally located ruins. A German Command Squad took cover in nearby ruins and exchanged fire with them. A previously pinned-down German infantry squad sprang into action, assisting the Command Squad. With that, the Bersaglieri surrendered.

This was a rough game for Dave. He lost two of his vehicles to failed Order Tests spurred by Pins from the Preparatory Bombardment and a single AT Rifle shot (Turn 1 and Turn 2). My Nebelwerfer scored a lucky Turn 1 kill on his third vehicle. While it was a German win, it didn’t feel like a fair game. I’d love a rematch when we have time later. – Logan

Zak K (Partisans) v Giuseppe I (Germany)

A wild game vs the always lovely Giuseppe. Early Prep Bombardment went well for the Partisans, with the German Panzerschreck Team fleeing the table and my Medium Mortar zeroing in on a squad of German troops on Turn 1. However, from here it was nearly all downhill for the Partisans. An excellently placed Artillery Observer flare from Giuseppe hit four Partisan units and locked them in place for a turn. Then my Medium Mortar failed three Morale 8 Order Tests in a row. Ultimately, the grey wave of Germans marched forward, and after my troops failed to destroy an Open-topped tank as it left the board to score. The other German vehicle also survived unscathed and ended the game in my Deployment Zone. A total win for Hot G, 4-0. I was sorely missing my Anti-tank Guns. Panzerfausts are good, but are not a replacement for reliable AT. – Zak

Jacky L (Great Britain – Polish Independent Brigade) v Rob R (Soviet Union)

The game ended with Rob taking the win with 7 Order Dice off the table. I managed to get one squad into Rob’s Deployment Zone.

It started off with Rob taking out two full squads and an Armored Car with Prep Bombardment, and I couldn’t get mine. Then I rolled a FUBAR with the only squad in my Deployment Zone, my AT Rifle and Light Mortar failed their Order Tests with one Pin each. My Armored Car (shown above) missed Point-blank with its Autocannon at Rob’s T-60. By Turn 5, my Platoon Commander failed to issue a Snap To with a FUBAR while aboard a Halftrack, leaving it to the mercy of two Soviet tankettes in Rob’s Deployment Zone. The rest of my army did their best to hold off the Soviets and managed to take out a Soviet squad. Rob rolled hot this game, while my new dice decided to turn on me. – Jacky

John V (France – Colonial Vichy) v Sammie A (Great Britain – ANZAC)

My Vichy faced off against Sammie’s dazzling Aussies last night, and the Frenchmen tallied their first win. Things got off to a tough start for the Allies when the Prep Bombardment knocked out their A9 Cruiser Tank. One of my rifle squads took some brutal punishment after a lucky strike from an Australian Light Mortar and a hail of fire from an opposing rifle squad, but the NCO and LMG gunner managed to hang in there (thank goodness for Stubborn). The Vichy took advantage of the gap opened up by the destroyed Cruiser, pushing hard up my left flank and eventually getting into the scoring zone. A few unfortunate failed Order Tests for the Australians and a lucky 5+ hit with my Med. Mortar put the Australians further on their back foot. In the end, the Vichy numerical superiority and some one-sided dice luck secured the victory. However, Sammie’s Matilda II was able to knock out one of my FTs with a Point-block shot into its side, scoring the first kill against my trio of barely serviceable “tanks”. – John

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League Standings After Week 4

Player	Force	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	Points
Zack D	Yugoslavia (France)	3	2	1	–	7
Maple S	Soviet Union	4	3	1	–	10
John V	France – Colonial Vichy	4	1	3	–	6
Andrew V	Great Britain – BEF	4	3	–	1	11
Sammie A	Great Britain – ANZAC	4	–	4	–	4
Dave F	Italy – Bersaglieri & France – FFL	4	–	4	–	4
Zak K	Poland & Partisans	4	–	2	2	6
Terry D	Finland	2	1	1	–	4
Adam S	Great Britain	3	1	1	1	5
Logan X	Germany	4	3	–	1	11
Jacky L	Great Britain – Polish Independent Brigade	4	2	2	–	8
Rob R	Soviet Union	4	2	1	1	9
Lexx D	Great Britain – SAS	2	–	2	–	2
Kevin C	USA	1	–	1	–	1
Giuseppe I	Germany	4	3	1	–	10
Nate B	USA	4	2	2	–	8
John M	USA	3	2	–	1	8
Russell R	USA	4	1	1	2	8
Hayden R	USA	3	2	1	–	7

Dispatches from the Front
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 – 500pts
Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 – 750pts
Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 – 1000pts