What do YOU want to see in Bolt Action v3?

[Nat]

Senior Officers – If you could take them instead of a junior officer as opposed to in addition you’d see more of them… as it is they are surpless to requirements in most games
AT Grenades – The ‘issue’ is the hitting of tanks… I’ve used them a fair bit… more against open topped vehicles though… so prehaps the lowering of points (down to 1 each)
Light mortar – already discussed
3 man teams – IF the options for upgrading the additional guys that are in stalingrad come across might more of them
Air Observers –
MMG /HMG teams – make them artillery for taking exceptionals + additional PINs & they should become more useful
Medics – need to be better than a 6+….

[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.

[Kar98k]

That reminds me. I would also like to see restrictions for some weapons on firing from within buildings, bunkers, and basically an enclosed area. For example, there should be a penalty (or simply not allowed) when firing a bazooka, Leichtgeschütz 40, Panzerschreck, panzerfaust, and other such weapons from an enclosed space. Note however that the PIAT would be an exception, so that make it a bit more popular.

Anyway, I would like to add this to my list:

1) Vehicle MGs reduced in effectiveness – especially co-axial and hull mounted MGs on tanks and other enclosed vehicles.

2) Forward observer units (Artillery and Air) are given the following restrictions: Not front-line combat units: Forward observer units can’t assault into close quarters. They will fight in close quarters if assaulted. In addition, they are ignored for the purposes of determining control of objectives.

3) Spotters have the following restriction added: Spotters are ignored for the purposes of determining control of objectives.

4) More smoke rules, but still keeping it simple. Rules for vehicle smoke projectors, smoke grenades, allow some other guns to be able to fire smoke, and not just “all howitzers and mortars” – oh, and not just indirect fire, but also add rules for direct fire. Basically include some common ways WW2 combat troops made smoke. Contrary to popular belief, combat forces had multiple ways to make smoke (even tanks like the Panzer IV and Sherman had smoke shells), and for one reason or another some countries used smoke a lot more often than most gamers realize.

5) Change the rule for Firing Smoke (p.97) to a random direction and distance if the shell does not land on target. Maybe make the distance a D6+6 instead of 12”.

6) Snipers being adjusted somehow so that they are tone down a little, or cost more points to get. Sometimes, snipers seem way too powerful in a game of Bolt Action.

7) Would be nice to see the “Different Methods for Activating Units” and “Bolt Action Alliance Mission Pack” included, or at least added as optional choices for players to pick and choose. See below:

8) restrictions to bazookas, Leichtgeschütz 40s, Panzerschrecks, panzerfausts, and other such weapons firing from an enclosed spaces. Not the PIAT though for obvious reasons.

Different Methods for Activating Units

 

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Kar98k.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Kar98k.

[Nat]

1) yep, all vehicle mounted MGs need looking at… espically the quad maxim!
2) not sure on this as they’re not really used that much any way…. are they?
3) removes about the only reason to take an inexperiance one :p
4)agree
5)agree
6)give models in a squad a 4+ bounce? (ie on a 4+ you get to ignore the exceptional and pick as normal) along with giving MMGs /HMGs /Mortars the same small arms exceptional protection as artillery should do the trick?
7)alternative activations – either a free download off the resources site or an appendix
..extra missions – something that came up on FB… a GAMERS campagin book, for progressing units with XP etc.. be a good place to put alsorts of extra missions and generic scenarios
8)issue is not so much the weapons but the perposly loose nature of building rules…. if I can fit a 12 man squad into a small shack why cant I fire a panzerfaust from it :p
this I’d put in to expanding the building rules… ie giving rooms a occupancy number then say certain weapons need X capacity free… so a panzerfaust would be occupancy (1) saying it needs 1 space free to be able to fire… a panzershrek /bazooka could be occupancy (5) so if the building floor wasnt occupancy 7+ then althoug the team could go in there they couldnt fire (or take D3 hits per occupancy thats not free – so occupancy (5) fires with only 3 spaces available takes 2D3 hits :p

 

[Jim Ripley]

You could fire a Panerfaust , Shrek or Bazooka from inside a building but the back blast of pressure and extreme heat , would kill or badly injure anyone in the room behind you , besides probably setting the building on fire

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Jim Ripley.

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[Kar98k]

Agreed, having a few more guidelines for buildings would be nice so that buildings in Bolt Action are less abstract and more defined.

Rules for buildings do not have to be overly complex – we wouldn’t want that! However, just a few more guidelines to take care of the more common game mechanic issues. There are a few ways to go about this, but which ones would be the best? Well, that is a good question.

[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.

[Kar98k]

There has been side talk about this and all, but is there actual real plans for a V3 of the rules?

[Nat]

Official word is – no

However, a couple of authors have said ‘we’re not looking at it any time soon, but what sort of thing would we look at’ on podcasts  & WL like to go ‘Heres X book’ with no leaks /official rumours…..(or open betas)

[Alan Tibbetts]

Fix SMOKE. Instead of letting opponent move it to their advantage when it isn’t on target (1st edition smoke must have been really broken), have it drift in a random direction 2D6 or D6+6 inches.

MMG teams – a la Juggernaut have them do 1 pin for firing at a soft target in range and another if they achieve a hit.

[Kar98k]

Fix SMOKE. Instead of letting opponent move it to their advantage when it isn’t on target (1st edition smoke must have been really broken), have it drift in a random direction 2D6 or D6+6 inches.

It seems the new smoke rules on page 97 are not favored by a lot of people because for the most part, this has already been changed by a lot of Bolt Action groups. Most of the clubs/groups I know or game with use the D6+6 inches in a random direction. It would be great if they just errata-fix this and make it official.

MMG teams – a la Juggernaut have them do 1 pin for firing at a soft target in range and another if they achieve a hit.

Alan, what a simple, easy, and appropriate addition. Great idea! That being said, I would add that the MMG also doesn’t suffer from long range and one crew remaining penalties – “A minimum of two crew is always needed to fire at full effect”(page 73).

Automatic Pin Special Rule: If not firing at long range and not reduced to one crew, MMGs automatically cause one pin for firing at a soft target, and another pin if the MMG scores one or more hits.

[Stuart]

Nothing too drastic, but some minor tweaks (which may come with additional point costs):

* Crew served MMGs to inflict D2 (D3?) pins on a hit to replicate the suppressive fire role.

* Crew served AT weapons (PIAT, Bazooka etc.) to be HE (1″), to replicate the explosive effect, giving them better utility against troops.

* Adjust ‘to hit’ rules so that Veterans get a +1 in contrast to the Inexperienced getting -1.  This would also apply to mortars and indirect artillery (zeroing starts at 5, not 6), reflecting the effect of combat experience on aiming/targeting.

* When using direct fire HE against units behind cover (soft or hard), give a bonus to hit equivalent to the half the HE radius starting at 3″ (3″= +1, 4″= +2), replicating the shrapnel and blast effect.

* Add in points amount for SAS (Armoured Jeep) with the twin Vickers K MGs on the front (currently only give points value for HMG equipped jeeps).

* Late War NWE SAS list (Normandy books) to allow for a few more Marquis options (e.g., light mortar, PIAT) (but thanks for adding in the deception teams in the Errata).

* Look over the experimental aircraft rules and work out a way to incorporate them formally into the game.

[Alan Tibbetts]

With a +1 to hit Veterans would be hitting on 2’s a lot, too much, overpowering. Better to give them an extra dice for every 3-4 they already get at the same to hit number.

[GeneralJimbo81]

Have to agree with Alan. +1 to hit for Vets is overpowered. When I first got into BA just over a year ago we accidently played this in our first game and it was clear there would be no reason to take anything but Vets. We then read the rulebook a bit closer.

[harryb]

I know this is going to be a stretch… but a cut down faster/light version for large armies. 100 figure plus…10 vehicle…a big  battle version.

Most players have lots of figures now and it’s sometimes slow to play with lots of units per dice. Unless of course you have lots of players per side playing their unit parts.

Just a thought.

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