The Republican forces would deploy along and in front of a low ridge at the top end of the above pictures, the attacking Nationalists would deploy at the bottom of the picture. Their objective was to capture the Republican deployment point, which Dave, commanding the International Brigade troops had placed the other side of the ridge.
The Republic got off to a good start with their order dice coming out of the bag in quick succession, this hemmed in the Nationalists when they deployed, if they were in line of sight of the enemy they were limited to deploying in a six inch radius from their deployment points, it also enabled Dave to set up some deadly lines of fire.
The Nationalist attack got under way with the initial advance being either out of range or sight of the Republican troops, my attack was going to plan, a sound plan I thought but I was to make some serious tactical errors, by the end of turn three it was looking highly unlikely that I would achieve the objective, but we pressed on, Bolt Action games can be quite unpredictable.
Dave chose an anti-tank gun has one of his support options, it did not do a great deal after its first firing, but it did immobilise the Nationalist Panzer I, so job done really, it was to seriously impact on the Nationalist plans.
Without the cover of the tank and effective fire support from the other squads the Legionaires had to run the gauntlet of Republican fire, the NCO casualty rate was particularly high, we played until midway of turn five, but there was no way that the Nationalists could achieve their aims, the Republicans had been able to transfer men to contest the deployment point should the highly unlikelihood of the Nationalists reaching it materialise.
I totally misused my mortar, anti-tank gun and LMG squads, giving the attackers on the flank far too little support, Dave meanwhile had set up deadly fields of fire, that I completely failed to neutralise.
A fine game none the less, using the Sharp Practice deployment points worked well I thought and as ever Bolt Action gave a splendid flow to the proceedings.
Hasta la Vista