Rules Questions

[Stuart Harrison]

It isn’t applied – there are no modifiers to the indirect fire process except for the ranging in process. The -1 to hit for inexperienced is only applicable to direct fire, same as the to hit modifiers for cover and long range.

The only penalty for being inexperienced with indirect fire is the inability to benefit from spotters.

[Greg]

How does, if at all, the fanatics rule affect vehicles? In the Army Special Rules, Death Before Dishonor section of the Armies of Imperial Japan book says “…Every unit in this list has the Fanatics special rule…”.

[Gerry Brawley]

The Fanatics rule ( RB page 90 ) only affects infantry/ artillery units. If they lose 50% or more in a round of shooting they would normally have to take a morale test. Fanatics ignore this.

[Master Chief]

US Forward Observer and Airstrike on Buildings

I just picked up Bolt Action recently and am enjoying it very much. This may have been asked before but I have a couple of questions on the US Forward Air Observer and Airstrike on buildings.

My US battleforce consists of 3 US Reinforced Platoons. Can I do the following:
1) Select 1 US Forward Air Observer for each Reinforced Platoon.

2) Each US Forward Air Observer can call 2 airstrikes.

3) In any turn I can set up 3 airstrikes, one each for each Forward Air Observer, providing I get the required order dice.

Refer to the rules on page 125 for Airstrikes against buildings. Which “calibre” of HE should the aircraft use?

Does it depend on the aircraft type dice roll on page 86? Is it 2D6 for rolling 1-2, then 2D6 for rolling 3-4 (HE3), and 3D6 for rolling 5-6 (HE4)?

[Janos900]

Hi!

I have played quiet a lot with the first edition, than now we started playing again with the second edition, lots of changes, and I am confused. We have no second edition German army book only first. I been erased from the table with a single Panzerwerfer 42 cost only 115 point in the first army book. This wonder weapon can shot every turn even in ADVANCE, hit only on 6, but can roll for all targets within 6″ from the nominated target. With penetration of 3? I have lost 4 complete unit within 3 turns. He was able to hit 3-4 of my units every turn, and rolled 4 times 6 from 11 dice roll. The units all suffered D3 pin, than the veteran infantry figures died on 1+ (penetration 3 means save only on 2, or?), all units lost half of the figures, than rolled a morale check with 2-3 pins, and destroyed. If this is all right how could this weapon only cost 118 point? I know my units was jammed in a bottle neck so can be extreme, but still which other weapon is able to destroy 2-3 units in a turn for this very low points?

[Graestoke]

Your opponent has to place a template for a heavy mortar (haven’t got the rules with me to remember the diameter) over the intended target unit. and then any units within 6 inches of the template are considered viable targets.

For every unit he requires to roll a 6 to hit. If he hits the target unit this does not automatically mean he hits the other units within range. Each are rolled seperately. I don’t understand how he managed to hit 3 or 4 units every turn if he rolled four 6s in 11 attempts?

The number of models under the template determine the number of casualties so your guys must have all been super close.

Also, remember if a friendly unit is wothin 6 inches of the target unit then it cannot fire.

You also have the option to go down prior to the roll to hit (which halves hits).

If what you described was legitimate and all dice rolls were made then I’d get your opponent to buy a lottery ticket 😂

[Gerry Brawley]

When he places the original template he should maximise the number of models under the target. Also be aware that he can target an empty building and then target all units within 6″ of the building.

[Janos900]

He was able to roll to hit 3-4 units a turn, for 4 turns long. So he was able to roll 11 times during the game. And he rolled 4 times 6! And with this he killed 4 units, all small unit, FO team, Medic team, Machine gun, officer team. The template is 3″+6″because of the rules, so 9″ radius, all units was no bigger than 3 figures.

[Master Chief]

Wow, that’s the luck of the roll!!

[Janos900]

Hi Guys,

I have a few question:

If we have a close combat and I would like to hit a specific figure (NCO or LMG for example) if I roll a 6 for hit than 6 again I can chose to remove my opponent figure like in the shooting process? Or in close combat this is not possible?

Do we use the HE weapons penetration against the infantry figures? Like veteran figures need to remove on 5 or 6, but with a penetration 2 we remove the figures on 3,4,5,6. Or penetration is only against armoured vehicles?

If somebody don’t want to use templates, what is the recomended dice instead of 1″, 2″, 3″, 4″. I am asking this, because we like to play bigger battles with 20mm figures (I know very heretic), but still we have the collection, with the same size table, so this is working for us. But the templates is for 1″ bases, and the 20mm figures are smaller. So I try to find a simple solution. The 1st edition dice table looks stronger to me than the samples. This indicate a lots of arguments in our club, so a third person opinion would be very usefull.

Thanks in advane!

[Master Chief]

I managed to pull these out from the rulebook:
Page 79:
Roll to inflict damage in the same way as for shooting, including inflicting exceptional damage on rolls of 6 followed by a 6 as explained on page 58. Note that no Pen modifiers apply in close quarters.

Page 69:
The penetration value of HE shells, which is applied on the roll to damage for all targets hit, also varies with the …

[Janos900]

Thanks very Much!

That was quick!

Any suggestion for the third problem?

[Master Chief]

I think a simple way could be to create your own template using cardboard, and scaling down each inch by 20/28 or 5/7 i.e. 1 inch becomes 5 sevenths of an inch.

[Stuart Harrison]

The weapon stat “Pen” applies vs all targets as stated by Master Chief (p61, Weapons, Pen, second sentence).

Pen modifiers (side, rear, top, long range) only apply when using a heavy weapon vs armoured vehicles (p106, Vehicles, Shooting at Vehicles, Damage vs Armoured Targets, second para).

An alternative for your third issue would be use the dice numbers from the table (ie: D3/D6/2d6 etc) but limit it to the number of figures in the target unit.

[Janos900]

Thanks very much.

Well, are You able to squize 12 figures(2D6) under the 3″ template?
The dices from the table gives You more hit than the template, that is our problem. We had a huge unbalanced result, when the multiple rocket launcher (Panzerwerfer 42) was able to hit 4 units within 3 turns and did 2D6 damage on each, because that weapon is work as a heavy mortar but can roll for all units in 6″ radius. Penetration is 3, with 2D6 your average hit is 7! Roll seven dice and only the 1 is miss. I found this very very unbalanced, specially because the weapon only cost 120 points. Plus D3 pin! So you lost 6 figures (50%) than roll for the morale with 3 pin (happened twice!). This weapon can kill with lucky dice roll full squads even in one turn. So I believe the 3″ can not be equal with 2D6 it is just too strong.

[Author]

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