Bolt Action WW2 Rules

The problem with going to wargames clubs, is that they encourage you to go out and buy things, that normally you would not bother with. We had a visit from Lee Lowe, who games at the Aftermath club in Norwich, he brought along the Bolt action rulebook for us to peruse. I guess you can see where this is heading already!!

Yep, I went and ordered a copy, just for research purposes you understand!!

I am a tight fisted old git, so my copy was purloined via Amazon, for £15 all in.

So what do you get? Well its a nice hardback book, the same size your standard Osprey book, albeit a lot thicker, 216 pages in total. It appears that Warlord are in collaboration with Osprey for this ruleset, as the book contains a fair few colour plates from various Osprey WW2 books.

All very useful reference sources for painting your collection of WW2 figures. talking of painted figures, the book also contains a number of pictures of quite well painted Bolt Action figures. a veritable feast of wargamers porn in fact.

Everything you need to play is included in the ruleset, there are a set of basic lists for the major players included, you will however, need to make some suitable status markers, mostly for pinned units, and the way the turn sequence is worked, will also required some suitable coloured dice, or chits. The rules are carefully geared towards encouraging gamers to invest in additional bits and bobs, like special order  dice, and pinned markers. There is also going to be a series of supporting army books, for the major forces. My biggest fear is that the army books will go along the route that the old GW40K lists did, with more ridiculous things added, for players to form their own super beardy armies. 

Anyway time will tell on that one, and as I have no intention of collecting a WW2 force any day soon, its not really going to bother me. My short arms, and deep pockets will stop me investing in any special bits and bobs, I prefer to spend my hard earned pennies on more figures etc. You pays yer money, and makes yer choice.

So will they work for the Spanish Civil War? well a bit of work is required constructed the various army lists for both Nationalists and Republicans, but then thats half the fun of it!!

From a quick flick through, and reading various AARs on t'internet, the rules look easy to master, and hopefully should provide a good game for Friday club nights. Whether they can replace our "Disposable Heroes" rules, time will tell, but we'll give em a shot, and report back.