Game scale

[Spencer Sanders]

What is Bolt Actions game scale.  Not the figures, but distance.  1″ equals how many meters/yards/feet/etc.?

[Nat]

Its a relative / moving gaming scale – aka arbortary distances.

Now what I mean by that is that there is no time frame for an order so therefore there is no relation of speed so distance people move is flexible (think the difference between a T34 and a KV1, but both move 9″ an order in game).

Also weapon ranges … a Lee Enfield rifle has a accurate range of about a mile (the limiting factor is the firing persons eye sight /sights :p) … yet has 24″ range… a Bren gun had a shorter accurate range yet a game range of 36″…

And lets not get in to the ranges of howitzers or even katyshas…

[coljacksimpson57]

It is quite notional.   Old timers in the wargames community know that increased realism equals decreased playability.

[Eric T Holmes]

Hello fellow gamers:

If using Bolt Action weapon ranges, the scale is roughly 1 inch = 20 yards. Use of additional, varied, and denser terrain features gets you into a line-of-sight “see it, shoot it” game and still allows for maneuvering.

With a figure-scaled game 25mm-28mm at 1” = 5 ft or  25mm = 1.5 m (approximately 1::60 scale), therefore the 4-foot by 6-foot playing surface is about 80 yards by 120 yards.  Compare this with the following … An American regulation football field is 360 feet long by 160 feet wide (120 yards long by 53⅓ yards wide) and a soccer pitch is 345 feet long by 222 feet wide (115 yards by 74 yards).

YMMV

 

 

[Kar98k]

What is Bolt Actions game scale. Not the figures, but distance. 1″ equals how many meters/yards/feet/etc.?

 

Bolt Action has no precise ground or time scale. These aspects of the game are somewhat abstract and tailored for gameplay rather than adhering to any actual scale. That is to say, ranges are adjusted for playability while maintaining a level of practicality.  It would have been nice had they mentioned this in the rules because this question does come up from time to time.

However, some rule books do mention this interesting aspect of gaming for the benefit of a new player the to hobby. The Flames of War rule book for example does this, but also stress that it uses a none linear scale rather than an abstract scale.

[Nat]

@eric … like to see what pistol you are using to have an accurate range of 120 yards.

[L.T. Russell]

Howdy Nat!  IINM, max effective range for a standard military rifle, with iron sights, is gonna be something like 600 yards.  To shoot a point target at a mile, you’d need a sniper-grade weapon, match ammo and a decent scope….AND be a better than average shooter.  You could maybe hit an area target at a mile with iron sights.  I made Sharpshooter in the USMC.  I could hit a man-sized target at 500 yards, with an M16.  A .303 Enfield fires a full-length rifle cartridge, unlike the M16, but it’s not gonna make much difference for normal people….

The Bren gun probably has a longer barrel and does have an integral bipod.  While not designed to be as accurate as a rifle, it’ll be better at area targets.  With an M60 machinegun, with only a bipod, I could hit area targets at 1200 yards….and Stuart’ll tell ya a Bren is as good as any machinegun.  Just busting your chops, Stuart!

[Author]

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