I’m trying to get a handle on our latest Bolt Action session, and get some opinions.
We had eight players and an umpire simulating the Battle of Elsenborn Ridge (Battle of the Bulge) on an 6ft x 12ft table. We used Tank War.
Unusual for the game was the use of “platoon” order dice, and I’m not sure we actually had the best methodology for the “platoons.” We had Allies with 12 Order Dice and Axis with 16 Order Dice. We ran into a problem as each tank or squad could be activated or a whole platoon could be activated.
I think we should have allowed for each player to have a pool of order dice in hand along with a single “bagged” order die per platoon the player controlled.
So, it would be something like this for one side:
Player 1 “Red Dice” (2 platoons = 2 bagged Order Dice) 10 vehicles or squads = 10 Order Dice in hand
Player 2 “Black Dice” (1 platoon = 1 bagged Order Die) 5 squads = 5 Order Dice in hand
Player 3 “Maroon Dice” (1 platoon = 1 bagged Order Dice) 7 vehicles = 7 Order Dice in hand
Player 4 “Gray Dice” (2 platoons = 2 bagged Order Dice) 12 vehicles = 12 Order Dice in hand
You should get the gist of it.
What experience have players had with large battles?
Are there better ways to play a game this size?
Should the “No Dice Available Rule” have been invoked? (No dice = No play.)
Should the game involve “sectors” or “sections” with two players facing off?
YMMV.
And as always,
Roll Sixes!
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