New player here

[Kevin]

Hello, I am just getting into Bolt Action with some friends of mine. We have all chosen a different country and I am currently building an army of US Airborne. One problem I am coming across is the difference in the rulebook (2nd edition), and the Armies of the United States book.

For example, one of them states that Paratrooper platoons can have a BAR for +20 points, but the other one does not mention BAR’s as an option. I understand that if we are doing something set to a specific theatre and timeframe (Market Garden, etc.) then there are specific limitations for that theatre, but what about just general gameplay?

Thanks for the help!

[Michael Sykes]

Hi, I’m also just starting out and doing a 82nd airborne army, I’ve wondered this as well, as far as I’ve discerned it seems to be the glider troops that get the BAR though I could well be wrong!

[Kevin]

How far along are you with the build? I am painting my troops in groups of 12 or so to break it up a bit. I’m about 40% complete. I plan on posting a few pictures later on to get some feedback, I would be interested in seeing pictures of your 82nd guys as well!

[Nat]

Hi both welcome to the wonderful game!

The lists in the rulebook are a ‘get you by’ lists and are superseded by the ‘armies of…’ books.  IE if you have both ignore the lists in the rulebook.

Some units have entries in campaign books and not the armies of ..’ books so dont worry if people mention stuff you dont have rules for (check out wg.easyarmy.com for lists!)

As to game play – so long as you agree with your opponent / run what the theatre list allows and go for it!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Nat.

[Jacob Carter]

If you are building some Market Garden or later paratroopers, there is a dedicated squad build-up included with the Band of Brothers box that came out after the Armies of… book that covers the units you want to build.  It should take precedence since it’s the most recent unit build.

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[Nat]

@Jacob Carter – that squad entry is also found in the ‘Campaign: battle of the bulge’ book

 

 

 

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Nat.

[Michael Sykes]

I’ve made maybe half of mine I think, but only painted one! Wanted to get the scheme down before I batch them, going to do probably half squads at a time I think. I was keeping a glider squad to utilise the bar and paratroop squads as assault loaded with smgs, but with the battle of bulge kit sounds like could have both in one! I was going for market garden though so could be different. Attached my test mini

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[Stuart Harrison]

@Jacob Carter:

“It should take precedence since it’s the most recent unit build.” – not really.  It’s an additional option available for use from Market Garden onwards and generic reinforced platoons as an alternative, it doesn’t replace the AoUS entry.

[Jacob Carter]

I misspoke, what I meant is that there’s almost no reason to use the AoUS paratroopers if you are able to use the (Late War) paratroopers in a game didn’t actually mean that they “replace” the entries.  Specifically for the Market Garden book, using the Late War is going to be much better than using the basic paratroopers from AoUS with how restricted those units are.

[Kevin]

Update- Still very much into BA, been busy painting a lot of my US Airborne miniatures as well as some starting to build some terrain/buildings. Gotten several days worth of games in with some friends and have ironed out alot of the kinks with rules, but still learning every day new rules or rules that were misinterpreted. Here are some pictures of what I have worked on, to include one board layout. Don’t judge the board too harshly, the buildings used were old HO scale railroad buildings my family made 25+ years ago, and yes, I used cut up cardboard for the road lol.

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[Kevin]

A few more pics attached. Also, for anyone who was iffy on whether or not to do decals, do them. It’s not as hard as I thought it would be, and I am by no means an expert.

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[Paul Nettle]

The plastic US Airbourne has a sheet in it that says you can have two LMG plus a BAR per squad.  The armoured support for the US Paras in Market Garden was mainly British 11th Armoured Division until later in the campaign when it was the British Guards Armoured Division.

[Author]

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