[Nanashi]

Tanks. Spearmen can’t do anything to armor (though spearmen are typically paired with lunge mines and/or artillery who can) and a “Dakka Stuart” (usable by US and anyone with lend lease) as well as early Panzer 3 (usable by Germany and a few of the more minor axis) can make a lot of shots against big groups of infantry.

Artillery is another option. Spearmen can only charge so far, but bigger howitzers will hit from almost anywhere and (with the spotter) can use cover. With 15 figure they’ll likely start to form clumps vulnerable to HE.

[Nanashi]

Another thing on the new FAQ: The new Gepanzerte’s armored cab is more expensive (45 points) than every other armored cab (30 points). Is this an error?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Nanashi.

[Nanashi]

Since this has already been necrobumped, figured I’d mention one weird thing about Open-Topped I noticed recently. The actual open topped rule is “Open-topped armoured vehicles are pinned by hits from small-arms in the same way as soft-skins and infantry.” (plus some other stuff not relevant to this). This specifies small arms so, strictly speaking, this means an HMG or long distance anti-tank rifle making a frontal attack against a veteran 8+ open-topped won’t pin, but using small arms to make the same attack will. Same issue applies with long distance anti-tank rifle or anti-tank rifle vs. 9+ open topped.

[Nanashi]

I was referred to the “Volkssturm pistol stuff is historical fantasy.” Pistols are only included because weird game mechanic interactions. I’d ditch it if I could figure out a way to make it play nicely with all units needing to fire if one does that doesn’t sound terrible.

As for the panzerfaust only: Even taking the claim photos showing it are just from practice sessions as true.

1: Armies of Germany references it happening.
2: Bolt Action has many rules for things that are outright documented to be myths, often even acknowledging in the book some game mechanics reflect popular perception over history. Sherman’s flammability is a prime example.
3: There’s two models in the Last Levy model set that only have panzerfaust.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Nanashi.

[Nanashi]

I’m aware, but as mentioned a unit armed with one-shot weapons only doesn’t work within the rules since all models in a squad must shoot if one shoots. I could not figure out a way to write an exception as a special rule without it being extremely ineloquent. If someone can come up with a eloquent ruling for a special rule, please tell me.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Nanashi.

[Nanashi]

Instead of more units being ignored for determining control of objectives (as seems to be a popular want), perhaps change objectives so that rather than infantry instantly gaining control if on one uncontested, use a Capture Number system where objectives only shift control after ([models]*[consecutive turns spent uncontested on objective]) is equal to or greater than a required number? Would allow for more variety in objectives (securing a building or rigging a depot to blow needs more bodies than securing a man-portable McGuffin), prevent small units from deciding them (without making them useless for objective purposes), encourages multiple units to be sent after an objective, encourages larger squads, and discourage the minimum strength inexperienced squad that does nothing but run up to objectives before the end of the match.

[Nanashi]

AoFatA was where I derived pistol prices from, but can you point to any examples of them being -2/+1 point over unarmed though? All the unit with pistols that don’t have “free” weapons (HQ unit) and are not from AoFatA I’m aware of are the British Home Guard (clearly overpriced by either since it’s +2 over unarmed), the Late War Paracadutisti from the errata document (-3), Guerilla Cell from Empire in Flames (-3), and the Guerrilla/Partisan Cells from Korea (-3), so I don’t see the evidence for -2.

[Nanashi]

I know motorcycles and horses are called out as options, I’m just trying to find any vehicles that do double duty.

[Nanashi]

Thanks.

[Nanashi]

PIAT is unpopular though not a never. Maybe indirect fire optional extra (Versatile)? Later models supported it, and it was apparently a heavily used feature. Makes it more than just worse bazooka.

[Nanashi]

Does anyone actually use anti-tank grenades at current pricing? I’ve heard even Soviet players, who have them for free on their infantry squad, don’t really get use out of them. Perhaps drop their cost all the way down to “+1 per 2 units (round up)” or give them serious buffs/rework?

Edit: Actually, I think it may be worthwhile to note all the options that rarely, if ever, get used. Seems like it would identify everything overpriced and underpowered.
Senior officers
Anti-tank grenades
Light mortar team
3 man officer teams (due to losing small team rule)
Air Observer (as much a victim of really bad rules as it is power per point)
MMG/HMG teams
Medics

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Nanashi.

[Nanashi]

What could be done to make light anti-tank guns and anti-air more useful? Currently they’re rare because they eat a slot used for a very useful howitzer.

Light AT might be doable with the three in one slot thing since it would mirror real usage (overlapping fields of fire), but that might be overkill for light howitzer. Maybe only one spotter per howitzer fielded this way? Could also drop the cost of standalone AT guns.

Anti-air seems a bit harder though. Short of giving it its own slot, I’m not sure how to make them work.

Oh and a small thing: Reword Fire and Maneuver so it doesn’t specify the rifle needed and works for all Americans with “Rifles” other than snipers. As currently worded, a model with a Johnson Rifle wouldn’t benefit without a bunch of extra text. Also wouldn’t work for an M2 Carbine or M3 Carbine since it says “M1 Carbine”, but M3 was bulky enough I could see it deliberately excluded (sniper with lower range, but no night fighting penalties) and M2 Carbine would be an Assault Rifle (which already has Assault) if it differed statistically.

[Nanashi]

Germans were hardly the only ones with questionable ammo lots during the wars. World War era bolt actions were absolutely designed with cartridge failures like ruptured cases in mind. “Questionable Ammo” as an option to reduce the cost of last levy troops by giving them Stoppages would be reasonable.

[Nanashi]

That’s a gross over exaggeration (if even remotely historic). The quickest way to disprove it is to point out that lacquered steel case ammo is still used today, primarily with Soviet pattern small arms. If there was any issue, it’s the MG42 being finicky and fragile.

[Nanashi]

Make Volksturm/Partisan options have all the weapons options the British Home Guard gets as a baseline (pistols, shotguns and more stuff). Half the fun of fielding such irregulars is being able to give them weird mixes of weapons and still make sense.

A minor one that just occurred to me: Make US Paratroopers (and maybe late war marines in a theater selector) have access to Johnson Machine Guns as LMGs instead of the M1919a6. At over 30 pounds the M1919a6, is absolutely not an LMG, just a lighter MMG but the Johnson is a legitimate historic LMG used by US paratroopers.

Maybe “sub-armies” with alternate national rules instead of just limiting to theater selection, with restrictions on what infantry can be taken? Examples could include Imperial Japanese Navy (instead of Imperial Japanese Army), SS (instead of Wehrmacht), and maybe US Marines (instead of the Army most assume). Commonwealth and Chinese already kinda work this way.

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