The Great Fire 2025 Recap

The Great Fire was held at Old Guard Games in Milwaukee on Saturday, Sept. 6. You can view the full event rules; at a high level the format was:

  • Three Games
  • 1,250pts, 16 Order Dice, and 4 Platoons max
  • Germany, US, and Great Britain must use their Armies of book.
  • Soviet Union and Japan must use the Rulebook Army List.
  • The 12 “Minor Powers” must use Further Axis & Allied Nations PDFs.

With a full house of 30 players, it was the biggest Bolt Action event yet at Old Guard and the Chicago Dice Team wasn’t going to miss out on the action. After a quick 90min drive north we hit the tables and prepared to roll some dice.

My Force

I went with a relatively low Order Dice force for the event – 12. But those 12 Order Dice contained four units of seven Vet Heer Infantry, a Vet Platoon Commander with four SMG buddies, a Vet Artillery Observer, a Regular Heavy Weapons Platoon (solo PC, MMG, AT Rifle, Med. Mortar) – all supported by a Vet 7/1 Heavy AC Flack Half-track and Vet Tiger I. That’s right, the Kriegsmarine were back at Old Guard with a 406pt-Veteran-Panzer Ace–Command Vehicle Tiger I in support. I was certainly on the lower end of Order Dice but the units I had all packed some serious punch. If I didn’t take any needless early losses, the core of Veterans should be enough to carry the day.

Game 1 – The Ammo Bunker

The Mission – Single objective in the middle of the table (the Ammo Bunker) worth 9 VP at the end of the game if you could capture it. To capture the bunker, you needed to have more Infantry and/or Artillery units within 6″ of the Bunker than your opponent. But all non-transport vehicles within 6″ canceled out two Infantry / Artillery units. So, your AFVs couldn’t capture the Ammo Bunker, but they could shut down enemy control. Players also scored 1 VP for each enemy unit destroyed.

Highlights – In Game 1 I squared off against Andrew P and his Poles. Andrew had a core of Veteran Infantry (two squads) and Veteran Lancers (two squads) backed by an Artillery Platoon of double Medium Howitzers and double Light Autocannons. Armored support was four 7TP Light Tanks – two with a Light Autocannon and two with double turret MMGs. I was outnumbered and outgunned. To even stand a chance I’d need the Tiger I to carry the team.

Andrew and I wasted no time getting down to business. We both kept a handful of units in Reserve and Outflank so the first two turns flew by. The Tiger struggled to get online and missed time and time again with the big gun. Andrew’s little 7TPs scored a series of glancing hits that resulted in two Engine Damage results which immobilized the Tiger well outside of 6″ from the Bunker. And then the Outflanking Cavalry arrived. I was in trouble. Long-range LMG, MMG and a lucky Artillery Strike kept the Poles at bay just long enough to sneak three units within 6″ of the Bunker. Andrew was in position to sweep in with the Lancers but it was not to be. In the closing stages of the game, luck left the Polish side as both units of Lancers, failed critical Order Tests to move and get within scoring range of the Bunker.

We ended the game even on kills with five each but I, somehow, managed to hold the Bunker netting an additional 9 VP. It was an incredibly close game and without a couple of crucial failed Order Tests at the end, it would have been a win for Andrew and the Poles. A fast, furious, and exciting game!

Result – Win (14-5)

Game 2 – Command Posts

The Mission – This mission had both players place their own Command Post (CP) between 6″ and 12″ from their long table edge. At the end of the game, players scored 3 VP for controlling their own CP, 9 VP for controlling the enemy CP, and 1 VP for every enemy unit destroyed. To make things more interesting, this mission used Fog of War with three “dummy” Order Dice in the bag that were a different color from both players. Once the third Dummy OD was pulled from the bag, the turn immediately ended. Neither player could ever be certain if they would get to activate all of their units.

Highlights – My second opponent was Ryan J leading a force of combined arms Brits. Ryan had a Sherman V, a Priest, a Kangaroo APC, two squads of five Airborne, two big squads of Regular Infantry, a Sniper Team, MMG, PIAT, Med. Mortar and a Company Commander rolling around in an up-gunned Bren Carrier.

Ryan played cagey with his Reserves and counter-attacked my Outflanking squads and Platoon Commander on Turn 4. What I thought would be a game winning move only provided Ryan with more kill point VPs. Ryan’s Priest went on a tear and destroyed two full units of Kriegsmarine who had been left on their own deep in enemy territory. While all this was happening on the left, my right flank was held by the Tiger. Ryan moved both his Sherman and PIAT Team to counter the Tiger and even managed to light it on fire, but the Tiger’s crew held their nerve. With all this madness on the flanks I was able to sneak a squad of Kriegsmarine up the middle and threw them into desperate assault against the lone unit defending the British CP – an MMG Team. It was simultaneous combat – four Vet Kriegsmarine vs. three Reg MMG crewmen. I scored a single kill, and the Brits whiffed. With the MMG removed I now contested the enemy CP.

At the end of Turn 6 we had each scored 6 VP for kills, and I was in control of my own CP for an additional 3 VP. My desperate assault and worked and a single Kriegsmarine unit contested Ryan’s control of the British CP. What a game that was! It came down the final turn and Ryan had the edge in kills for most of the game. My full complements to the young British commander. We expect great things in the future.

Result – Win (9-6)

Game 3 – Beer, Wine & Cheese

The Mission – Three objectives across the middle of the table. At the end of each Turn, check for control. If a player has control of an objective, they score 3 VP. Once an objective is scored, roll a die. On a 5+ the stores have been exhausted, and the objective is removed from the table. Kills are also worth 1 VP each. With the objectives open for scoring on Turn 1, players needed to move quickly to both capture and contest before the score got out of hand.

Highlights – Third and final game and it was against the head of Chicago Dice Paints; Shane! Shane’s Best Painted-winning Winter US looked phenomenal on the table, and I was thrilled to matchup with him. Shane rolled up with several big squads of US GIs supported by two M15 AA Half-tracks, an M18 Hellcat and an M10 Wolverine. There was even a single four-man squad of Military Police to make sure all that armor arrived when it needed to. Leading this US Army force was none other than George S. Patton serving in the role of Company Commander.

Shane jumped onto the right objective early with a squad of Mechanized Armored Infantry hopping out of their Half-track at the end of Turn 1. I ran my squads up as quickly as possible but without Transports I was too far away to contest any objectives. An early lead for the Americans! Shane continued to put on the pressure with a massed push on the left flank. The US TDs, an M15 and Patton all moved to oppose the Tiger. But luck was with me and I pulled the first OD of Turn 2 and quickly eliminated the M18. The M10 moved to counter but missed its shot. Things began to collapse quickly for the US after that.

Shane’s objective disappeared at the end of Turn 2; I controlled the right and middle objective brining the score to an even 6-6. But without US control of the left Shane could no longer score and was forced to contest the middle – under the watch of three Kriegsmarine squads. Full marks to Shane for continuing the fight all the way to the bitter end. Two massive Company Commander Snap Tos had a chance to swing the game back in favor of the US, but a few critical missed shots left them exposed. A tense game for the first half that swung into full German control.

Result – Win (15-6)

Final Thoughts

The Great Fire was the fourth Bolt Action event hosted at Old Guard Games and each one has been a great time. Josh and the staff are always welcoming, the space is incredible, and the vibes are world class. If you haven’t made the trip to Old Guard, you are missing out!

I ended the day with a surprising 3-0. When I saw the mission preview I was worried. The objectives needed multiple units to control them and outnumbering your opponent would be important to secure victory. I only had 12 units and one of them was a 406pt Tank! I was fully expecting my Kriegsmarine to be outmaneuvered each game. Luckily, the Tiger did what it needed to do; survive. It made it through all three games without being Knocked Out and it absorbed an absurd amount of fire. There were plenty of close calls and it was almost destroyed multiple times but when the dust settled that 1/48 scale beast stood tall. I never expected it to work as well as it did. Maybe Heavy Tanks are not as terrible as the internet would have you believe?

Kris did a fantastic job running the event. The event was well managed, and all the games ran on time. No easy feat, especially with 30 players. Even more impressive as this was Kris’ first time as a TO! Kris even made custom objective markers for each of the three games. Now that is something you don’t typically see. Kris already has plans for their next event – Crossing the Rubicon – a narrative, two-round, Axis v Allies Team event. Sign me up!

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