With Phil enjoying a rare day off, we set up a 1,250-point Bolt Action battle in the Western Desert, continuing to explore 3rd Edition mechanics. The battlefield, featuring new desert terrain, had a cinematic feel, with adobe buildings, rocky outcrops, palm trees, and scrub creating an immersive North African battleground.
We didn’t finish the game, but by Turn 5, Phil had the advantage, controlling an objective and leading in casualties. Had I played more conservatively with my colonial troops, things might have gone differently.
The Battlefield & Forces
While the terrain setup looked fantastic, our deployment choices had some serious consequences. The buildings in the center blocked key fire lanes, limiting the effectiveness of MMGs and anti-tank guns. Most of the action took place on the flanks, with Phil’s tanks dominating the right, while my L6/40 and tankette harassed his SAS and LRDG units on the left.
Phil’s British 8th Army was well-rounded, with armor, indirect fire, and elite mobility. His Matilda II was nearly invincible, absorbing everything I threw at it, while his M3 Lee, with its medium AT gun, light howitzer, and MMG, provided deadly versatility. His 6-pounder anti-tank gun was positioned well but didn’t last long. The real nightmare came from his artillery observer, who, thanks to the British national rule, was able to call in two artillery barrages in the game—each one dropping pins across multiple units and wrecking my battle plan. His medium and light mortars added to the chaos, keeping me constantly pinned. Meanwhile, SAS jeeps and LRDG trucks brought mobility and firepower, but they ran into my L6/40 and tankette on the left flank.
My Italian force was a mix of infantry, light armor, and support weapons, but struggled under pressure. The Bersaglieri moved well but were pinned before they could gain an advantage. Colonial troops pushed too far forward too early, which ended up being a mistake, as they were quickly cut down by British rifle squads and LMG fire. My two MMGs were ineffective due to poor positioning, while my medium howitzer landed a few hits but couldn’t compete with Phil’s constant bombardments. My light anti-tank gun and anti-tank rifle were wasted against British armor, with my AT rifle in particular being in the wrong place—it should have been targeting the SAS jeeps instead of trying to dent the Matilda.
On the vehicle front, my L6/40 light tank and L3/33 tankette were the stars of my force. The L6/40 pressured Phil’s SAS jeeps, forcing them to Recce and burn order dice, which allowed the tankette to move in and cause real damage. Meanwhile, on the right flank, Phil’s tanks were completely in control, and my M11/39 medium tank was an absolute disaster—firing multiple shots that hit nothing before rolling a FUBAR and fleeing off the table. One of my only major wins was my mortar landing a direct hit, instantly wiping out Phil’s 6-pounder anti-tank gun.
Turn 1 – Deployment Mistakes & Artillery Spotting
It didn’t take long to see the flaws in our deployment. The buildings in the center blocked crucial fire lanes, making my MMGs and anti-tank weapons much less effective. Meanwhile, Phil positioned his artillery observer in an ideal spot, ready to call in a barrage that would set the tone for the match.
On my side, my sniper took up position… and promptly missed his first shot, setting the tone for his entire performance. The Italian national rule preventing enemy units from running in Turn 1 allowed me to get into good positions early, but I made a huge mistake—I completely forgot to deploy my artillery observer, which meant I missed out on a key asset for most of the battle.
Turn 2-3 – Artillery Barrages, The Great Italian Tank Rout & Left Flank Fighting
Phil’s artillery observer did serious work, dropping his first artillery barrage, which pinned multiple Italian units and disrupted my advance. The mortar fire added to the chaos, forcing me to go Down constantly just to avoid casualties. The colonial troops, which I had advanced too aggressively, were torn apart, as Phil’s rifle squads and LMG teams shredded them with focused fire. If I had played them more cautiously, I might have had a better chance at contesting objectives later.
On the right flank, Phil’s Matilda and M3 Lee quickly took control, outgunning everything I had. My light anti-tank weapons failed to do any real damage, and my AT rifle was in the completely wrong position, wasting shots against heavy armor instead of picking off light vehicles.
Then, the biggest disaster of the game happened. My M11/39 medium tank fired multiple shots and missed every single one. Before it could even attempt to redeem itself, it rolled a FUBAR, panicked, and drove straight off the table. Losing a crucial piece of armor without it even being destroyed was an absolute disaster.
The left flank was a different story. My L6/40 light tank applied pressure to Phil’s SAS jeeps, forcing them to Recce away and burn an order dice. This set up my L3/33 tankette for success, as it was able to move in and wipe out key SAS and LRDG units, securing that side of the battlefield for my Italians.
Turn 4 – Infantry Clashes, The Tankette’s Heroics & A Lucky Mortar Shot
With my medium tank gone, my remaining forces were struggling to hold the line. Phil’s infantry in hard cover were nearly impossible to dislodge, and my Bersaglieri became pinned under constant fire. The LRDG truck was eventually destroyed, but its troops had already done enough damage. My sniper, now with multiple chances, still failed to hit anything—particularly Phil’s artillery observer, who survived the entire game and continued calling down barrages.
My mortar team finally found its mark, scoring a direct hit that deleted Phil’s 6-pounder anti-tank gun in a single shot. This was one of the only moments where my indirect fire actually worked, and it was satisfying to remove one of Phil’s key anti-tank assets.
Meanwhile, on the left flank, my tankette continued its reign of terror, moving freely and clearing out the remaining SAS units. The L6/40 had done its job forcing the Recce moves, and the tankette capitalized on it, proving to be my best-performing vehicle of the game.
Turn 5 – A Likely British Victory
At the start of Turn 5, we had to call the game, but things were looking clear. I held one objective with my light mortar, while Phil controlled the other with a full-strength infantry squad and his tanks dominating the right flank. Phil also had the advantage in the dice graveyard, as I had lost far more units than he had. My forces were heavily pinned, my colonial troops were gone, and my remaining armor was limited to a tankette. If we had played on, a British victory was almost certain.
Interested in Wargaming in Gozo or Malta?
Despite the loss, this was a fantastic game, and with the British Army book on the horizon and hopefully expanded rules for minor nations like Italy, I’m looking forward to refining my strategy for the next match. If you’re interested in Bolt Action, historical wargaming, or any other tabletop wargames in Gozo or Malta, reach out! We’re always looking for more players.