Tank War! Wittmann Strikes! Bolt Action Battle Report

Bolt Action Tank War brings World of Tanks to the table top! In this Bolt Action Battle Report we'll look at Tank Ace Michael Wittmann in his Tiger going up against a platoon of US Sherman tanks. The setup is a small village with a waterway down the center. For this battle the tanks can cross it anywhere. The playing area is 4x6 and the US forces enter from the short Eastern edge and have to exit the western edge. There is a road down the center of the table. Wittman must stay alive and destroy all three Shermans.

Wittman costs a whopping 519 points in the Bolt Action Tank War supplement. However he does have a few perks for the price. Wittmann comes with the special rule "Fierce Ambush" which allows him to fire his main gun twice from ambush. He also has four Skills: Lucky, Hair Trigger, Eye for Terrain and Battle Awareness. Lucky allows him to cancel an enemy damage roll against him. Hair Trigger allows him to shoot after a run move. Eye for Terrain lets him go hidden after a move as long as he is at least 12 inches away from any enemy units and in cover. And Battle Awareness allows him to reposition his vehicle within 12 inches after everyone has deployed .

The three M4A1 Sherman Tanks are regular at 195 each which gives the US total 585 points. A slight advantage?

Turn one starts with Wittman hidden at the top of a small hill on the west side of the board. The three Shermans enter and immediately separate to spread out across the town. The first Sherman does not quite get to cover...

"All right platoon split up!!" bellowed Archie from the command tank. "Charlie take the center through town, Bo break left. I'll take the right side of town. Keep your eyes open, there may be krauts out there."

Wittman briefly surveyed the town below his position and watched the US forces break formation. He calmly stated "Bobby, prepare to fire, lead tank, on mine." The round was loaded and ready and there was only a brief pause as Wittmann waited for the Sherman to make a turn exposing its flank.

"Fire." It was as if the command and firing were simultaneous. Woll had been with Wittman for quite a while and they had developed into a synchronicity.

Charlies lead Sherman erupted in a large explosion as the Tiger's round ripped into it.
"Archie! What the heck was that!" screamed Bo, "Charlies out of action!"

Bo quickly surveys the field seeing nothing. "Could be an 88 hidden out there! Could be armor too!"

"Move out" Wittman calls, "Make for the hedgerow." The Tiger begins its ponderous advance. (Using his Eye for Terrain, Wittman goes hidden in the near hedgerow)

"Bo, use the cover of the buildings, see if you can spot anything," Charlie called out. "I'll swing around and try to get across the stream to flank him."

"You got it sarge" Bo replied, easing his tank around the outskirts of the hamlet. "Be ready on that trigger Stan"

Bo's Sherman crept down an alleyway and as he began to clear the house beside him, "Tiger!" he yelled. "There's a bloody Tiger over there!! FIRE" The Sherman's gun blazed and for the quickness of the shot it was true and hit the Tiger. (The Sherman rolled a 6 and then another 6 to score the hit, a truly lucky shot, but there was no damage)

Wittmann heard the loud clang as the Shermans shot bounced off the armor and he brought his turret to bear.

"Shoot the thing Archie!! For the love of God shoot it!!" Bo exclaimed as the Tiger turned toward him. Archie's Sherman cleared the last building and as he moved to the stream he fired on the run. The shot sailed just over the front of the German Tiger.

Wittmann barely began the order as his gunner BalthasarWoll fired on the second Sherman, hitting it and sending flames erupting from the doomed vehicle. Archie cursed and moved across the stream in an attempt to flank the German armor. Pausing briefly in the cover of a nearby cottage he prepared his crew.

Wittman again moved his Tiger into the nearby foliage and prepared an ambush.

"Alright boys, get ready. We move out, break left and try to get behind that thing. Fire as you have the shot, we won't have that many." Archie said a brief prayer and gave the order.

Wittmann watched as the final Sherman moved out of cover and turned toward him. One more shot and it was over.

CONCLUSION:
Wittman's point value seemed to pay off royally. Although he didn't need to even use all his special abilities. Didn't even get to fire twice from ambush as hi first shot destroyed each Sherman and the others were in cover each time. The dice worked in Wittmans favor too. Three rolls that all hit, three rolls that all penetrated and three destroyed enemy tanks.

We have a couple other tank battles to come! Stay tuned!
Have A Great Battle,
The Old Crow