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

Week 6 – 750pts – Fuel Shortage

The Mission
Fuel Shortage has been kicking around since AdeptiCon 2023 Bolt Action Doubles. The inspiration for Fuel Shortage came from an Age of Sigmar scenario that I read about many years ago. The “push your luck” concept behind holding and then destroying the objectives was just too interesting to pass up. It’s a unique mechanic for a mission, and I have not seen it used in Bolt Action before or since.

Players have the choice of when to score (and thus, destroy) their objectives. The longer you hold, the more points you score. But that leaves you open to counterattack. You need to find the balance and strike when the time is right.

Andrew V (Great Britain – BEF) v Logan X (Germany)

I packed up the same double-Matilda II (Matilda²) BEF list as my game against Jacky and headed out to Prism Games here in Logan Square to meet Logan for our game.

… wow. It could not have been closer. For context, the mission is locked to end at Turn 5, and objectives can only be scored at the end of the turn. At the end of Turn 4, I held my three objectives, and Logan held his three. My right objective was under pressure from a squad of Logan’s Grenadiers, and Logan’s right objective was under pressure from a squad of BEF. Logan made the decision to score (and remove) his right objective and scored 4 VP. I decided not to score my right VP and try to hold until Turn 5 and score the max 8 VP. It was a decision that would either end the game in a crushing defeat or a narrow victory. After a thrilling four turns of play, we had reached the critical moment.

In the end, the final score was 24-20 in my favor. I managed to hold my right objective and scored all three at the end of Turn 5 for the maximum 8 VP each. Logan scored two of his objectives on Turn 5 (8 VP each) and one on Turn 4 (4 VP). What a fantastic, tactical, close game. – Andrew

There’s a power station on the border of the eastern front. Take it or at least don’t let them have it.

With that, the Germans set out for close-quarters combat. They spread themselves evenly across the zone. The British had beaten them there, for the most part. The German Sniper on the right flank quickly eliminated the NCO of the centrally located BEF section. Under the threat of more fire, they retreated. A Matilda II and a Light Mortar fired back into the German Sniper Team. The central German infantry squad received significant fire as well. On the left flank, a German Light Mortar and AT Rifle laid fire on the same Matilda. The Light Mortar Team eventually fell to the returning fire. Also on the left flank, the German Forward Artillery Observer snuck into the cover of some trees. He tried to call in a Barrage, but his radio malfunctioned. After some quick repairs, the Barrage arrived pinned down a second Matilda II and another Light Mortar. Slowly, a German infantry squad advanced along the left flank as a BEF section advanced on the right. These Brits killed a Platoon Commander on their approach. The Germans decided to blow the power transformer on the right flank under fear of the British taking it. At the final moment, the Germans on the left flank hesitated, unable to advance on the British-held transformer. A central German Squad misjudged their position, choosing not to charge at the British central transformer. Though, a well-placed Panzerfaust shot did immobilize one of the Matilda IIs. The right flank British Section finally closed in to kill the Sniper Team that had sent their brothers packing. As the dust settled, the Germans were not able to claim the power station.

This was a great game. Andrew and I really assessed each other’s threats well. I had to burn an objective on Turn 4. I was hoping to contest his objectives on the left and/or central. I failed somewhere between 8-10 Order Tests during this game, but I passed every Morale Check (and there were many). If the left flank infantry had passed their final Order Test, or if I had chosen to Run the central Infantry rather than Advance, there was a chance one of them could have survived to contest and force a German victory. Andrew commanded his force skillfully, though, pulling out a 24-20 victory. Great game! – Logan

Dave F (Italy – Bersaglieri) v Zack D (Yugoslavia (France))

My Italians and Zack’s French clashed today, in some forgotten part of the North Africa theater. Hot Italian dice rolls and a bold push by Italian Light Armor put me into a favorable position early on. The dice were not in favor of the French, and their Renault tanks nearly quit the field early on due to some failed Order Tests. In the end, the Italians emerged victorious. Thanks again Zack! I’m glad we got a chance to play. I also think this is my first win with my Bersaglieri, maybe ever? lol – Dave

Russell R (USA) v Giuseppe I (Germany)

Russell’s force: x2 Platoon Commanders, x2 7-man Marine Squads, Light Mortar, x2 HMG Teams, Greyhound, M15 MGMC, and Jeep with HMG.

Giuseppe’s force: Platoon Commander, x3 8-man Infantry squads, Forward Artillery Observer, Panzerschreck, Marder III, and Stummel.

Turn 1: First Wave; US spreads the field, sending the HMGs to the flank objectives and placing the two Marine squads in the center with a Platoon Commander. The second PC was killed while arriving on the field. German forces took the center and right objectives with Infantry and had a great opportunity in pulling the last four OD to deploy. Unfortunately, they were only able to kill the one US PC. On the US side, the Light Mortar was the MVP rolling on the board and taking out half of a German infantry squad.

Turn 2: Germans get the first four OD out of the bag. Making good use of them, the Marder took out the M15, the Stummel blew out the HMG Team on the left flank, and one of the two US Marine squads was forced Down. In return, the US Mortar fired again and finished off the German Infantry squad it hit on Turn 1. The Greyhound hit the Marder, and then scored Massive Damage, but the Germans saved. Giuseppe saved quite well all game. At the end of Turn 2, both sides controlled two objectives.

Turn 3: Both sides mostly maneuvered to regroup from Turn 2. German Artillery Bombardment came in, but to my great relief, misfired 18″ away from its initial aim point and harmlessly pulverized 201 square inches of empty tabletop. The US shifted troops left to retake and cover that flank’s objective. The Germans pushed back the Greyhound, scared the Jeep driver, and pushed up their right flank. The US Light Mortar is MVP again for dropping an egg into the top of the Marder, and while it did no damage, it put a Pin back on it, which caused the Marder to fail an Order Test and almost reverse off the table. Three turns and three hits for the Light Mortar! At the end of Turn 3, the Germans held two objectives, the Americans three again. The US destroys the objective held on their left flank to secure 1 VP.

Turn 4: You could feel it in the air. This would be it, the turn that tells the tale. The Germans again get early pulls and continue to put pressure on while the US Infantry slid back towards the center. In the process, the US lost the Jeep and the Light Mortar. At the end of Turn 4, the Germans held their original two objectives, and the US held the two they had from the start of the game. The US was down to just five units while the Germans had seven of their original eight.

Turn 5: Basically, the US forces go Down and hold on to their gains. The Germans were just too far away to get within contention range, and a patch of rough ground kept them from reaching an empty Objective. So, in the end, a Pyrrhic Victory for the US, which lost half their force and only killed one German unit. The final score was 17 to 16. If kills had counted for VPs or if there were a Turn 6 Giuseppe would have won easily.

By the way, neither HMG Team fired a single shot the whole game. One was killed early, and the other was too far away, holding an objective blocked by woods. – Russell

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League Standings After Week 6

Player	Force	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	Points
Zack D	Yugoslavia (France)	6	2	2	2	12
Maple S	Soviet Union	6	2	2	2	12
John V	France – Colonial Vichy	5	2	3		9
Andrew V	Great Britain – BEF	6	5	–	1	17
Sammie A	Great Britain – ANZAC	6	1	5	–	8
Dave F	Italy – Bersaglieri & France – FFL	6	1	5	–	8
Zak K	Poland & Partisans	6	1	2	3	11
Terry D	Finland	4	1	2	1	7
Adam S	Great Britain	4	1	3	–	6
Logan X	Germany	6	3	1	2	14
Jacky L	Great Britain – Polish Independent Brigade	5	2	3	–	9
Rob R	Soviet Union	6	4	1	1	15
Lexx D	Great Britain – SAS	2	–	2	–	2
Kevin C	USA	1	–	1	–	1
Giuseppe I	Germany	6	3	3	–	12
Nate B	USA	5	2	2	1	10
John M	USA	4	2	1	2	10
Russell R	USA	5	2	1	2	11
Hayden R	USA	4	2	1	1	9

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