Help needed to build my first Bolt Action Army

[wedgie2007Participant 84xp 2]

Hi all,

I am wanting to build the US and German forces to fight mainly early D-Day through to the battle of the bulge. I normally am a Napoleonic wargamer but since I was a small child I have had a passion for all things WW2 and I have finally collected a few boxes from Warlord Games from their Bold Action range. These are the items I have purchased so far.
US Forces
US Airborne Platoon (Able)
US Airborne Platoon (Bravo)
US Airborne Platoon (Charlie)
M3A1 Half-Track
M3A1 Half-Track
M3A1 Half-Track
US Airborne Jeep (1944-45)
US Airborne Jeep (1944-45)
US Airborne Hand Carts
US Airborne Hand Carts
US Airborne Hand Carts
US Airborne – 75mm Howitzer & Crew
US Airborne – 75mm Howitzer & Crew
US Airborne – 75mm Howitzer & Crew
US Airbourne 57mm Anti-Tank Team
US Airbourne 57mm Anti-Tank Team
US Airborne HQ
US Airborne – Bazooka & 60mm light mortar team
US Airborne – Bazooka & 60mm light mortar team
US Infantry Platoon (Alpha)
US Infantry Platoon (Bravo)
US Infantry Platoon (Charlie)
US Infantry Platoon (Delta)
US Infantry Platoon (Echo)
US Infantry Platoon (Foxtrot)
US Army – Battalion Command Set
Jeep with 50cal Machine Gun
Jeep with 50cal Machine Gun
Jeep with 30cal Machine Gun
US Tank Platoon
M24 Chaffee Tank
M24 Chaffee Tank
M24 Chaffee Tank
M18 Hellcat Platoon
German forces
Late War Panzergrenadiers
Late War Panzergrenadiers
German Grenadier Platoon 1
German Grenadier Platoon 2
German Grenadier Platoon 3
German Grenadier Platoon 4
German Grenadier Platoon 5
Oak Leaf Spring Camo Waffen-SS Platoon 1
SD.KFZ 251/10 (PAK 36) Half-Track
German Army – Kubelwagen
German Army – Heer 75mm LEiG 18 Artillery
German Heer 105mm Gun & Crew
German Heer 105mm Gun & Crew
German Army – High Command
German Army – Heer Forward Observation Team (FOO)
German Heer 75mm Pak 40 AT Gun (Winter)
German Heer 75mm Pak 40 AT Gun (Winter)
German Heer 81mm Medium Mortar
German Heer 81mm Medium Mortar
Hanomags
Hanomags
Hanomags
Hanomags
Hanomags
Hanomags
German Army – Waffen-SS Sniper, Flamethrower and Panzerschreck Teams
Waffen-SS Forward Observer Team
Waffen-SS HQ
Blitzkrieg German Panzer Crew
Panzer IV
Panzer IV
Panzer III
Panzer III
Stug III
Stug III
Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer
Panther Ausf. A
Panther Ausf. A
Panther Ausf. A

Aircraft
Allied Air Power
Typhoon
Spitfire Mk.Vb
Spitfire Mk.Vb
US Thunderbolt
P-51 Mustang
Nazi Air Power
Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
JU87B-1
JU87B-2
JU87B-2

I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to putting my forces together, I was hoping to build these units “easy” Company 101st US Airborne, 2nd Armoured Division with 4th Division attached and 12th SS Panzer Division, it is very difficult to build these units according to their historical order of battles with the rules as all games are by a point system.
Any help creating these units within the confines of the Bolt action rules would be greatly appreciated.

P.S Those purchased items are what I have now I am expecting another 25+ boxes of Infantry, Tanks and Vehicles in the next 6 weeks from Warlord Games.

[olliepMember 6011xp 2]

Err….. Wow…. that’s more than “a few boxes”!
Apologies in advance if the below sound a bit harsh…
Where to begin…. honestly, stop buying boxes!
I would strongly suggest buying and reading the core rulebook, the Armies of Germany and Armies of the US, and the related Campaign books if you haven’t done so already, before you do anything else, as you’ve gone overboard somewhat! 🙂
Bolt Action is played at platoon level, so your army is going to consist of a couple of HQ units, a few squads (with transports if points allow), a few support units and up to a single tank – there are restrictions on what you can add in terms of support/armour in a standard platoon chart, plus further allowances/restrictions if you’re using a theatre specific one. Tanks are scary things in Bolt Action as in reality, not much can hurt them
There is also the Tank War expansion for playing big tank battles as well, which is where your tank platoon boxes will come into play, but for a standard game these won’t get used normally.

To give you an idea, this is one of my 1000pt German lists:
2nd Lt & Assistant
Forward Air Observer & Assistant
Heer Grenadier Squad 1 (10 man)
Heer Grenadier Squad 2 (10 man)
Heer Grenadier Squad 3 (10 man)
Sniper team
Heavy Mortar Team
MMG Team
Pz IV ausf H

That list will give me an evenings worth of gaming entertainment.
Whilst you can build your historically accurate lists, I honestly don’t see you using half of the kits you’ve bought already
Sorry if that sounds like I’m killing your ideas (I build crazy-sized armies as well for other games systems so I can understand where you’re coming from), but at 28mm using Bolt Action rules as they are,  you’re really not going to be playing the size of  games that use all this regularly enough to justify the expense from my perspective.

[limburger 21711xp 0]

@wedgie2007

That’s probably enough plastic to build a 1:1 scale version of both armies 😉

You’re probably going to need the theatre and army specific books (if you don’t have them already).
With D-day as your focus those would be :

– Armies of Germany (2nd edition) : generic lists covering the entire war

– Armies of America : ditto for the USA

– Battleground Europe – D-day to Berlin (D-day themed in more detail)

– (optional)  Campaign : Battle of the Bulge

– (optional) Campaign : Operation Market Garden

– (optional) Campaign : Road to Berlin

(source : https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/rules-books/bolt-action )

Warlord also sell the Osprey series of historical books if you want a bit more detail. I got a few of their DAK themed books which cover the basics from uniform to actual formations.
I’m sure the more dedicated historical gamers on this forum can give you a list of interesting books.

[innes 11111xp 1]

Looks like you’ve got enough for your first 20 bolt action armies there.

As olliep said, Bolt Action is a platoon level game.

Most infantry lists have compulsory : HQ team, 2 squads

You can then add : more squads, specialists weapon teams, 1 artillery, 1 armoured car, 1 tank.

Mostly though, you will only have the points to field one under strength platoon with some support units.

You might want a different ruleset if you want to field bigger armies. Something that caters for company level engagements rather than platoon level.

[wedgie2007Participant 84xp 1]

Thanks, guys for all your replies I appreciate all that you have said, I am coming from Napoleonic wargaming where I have 5000+ figures for French and British. I came to this game with the wrong mindset thinking that I can create huge battles using the Bolt Action Rules like I can with my Napoleonic.

Maybe its time to create my own house rules so I can have my own large engagements on my 6ftx4ft table.
I’ll have to reorganize my collection as I still have these boxes of stuff coming this week and in the next few weeks stuff from warlord games should be arriving:

6xRubicon 1/56 US 2½ ton 6×6 Truck CCKW-353
1x Bolt Action: Panzer 38(t) Zug
1xUS Army Jeep with 50 Cal MMG
1xUS Army Jeep with 30 Cal MMG
1xVolksgrenadiers Squad
1xGerman Luftwaffe Field Division Squad
1xGerman Army – Tiger Zug
1xKing Tiger Platoon
3xGerman SD.Kfz 251/2 Ausf D (8cm Granatwerfer) Half Track
1xBolt Action: Marder Zug
1x Blitzkrieg Panzergrenadiers (30+3 Hanomags)
2xItaleri 1:56 M3 Stuart Model Kit
1xAcademy Messerschmitt BF109G-6 1/72 Model Kit
1xAirfix 1:72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VA – Model Kit
1xAcademy Typhoon MK.IB 1/72 Model Kit
1xItaleri Ju-87 B2/R2 Stuka 1:72 Model Kit
1xRubicon 1/56 Micheal Wittmann & Balthasar ” Bobby” Woll
3xUS Army – Forward Observer Officers (FOO)
1xUS Airborne Boxed Set
2xUS Army – Battalion Command Set
1xUS Army – Marine Corps HQ Set
2xM3 Stuart
1xBolt Action: US Armoured Car Squadron
1xBolt Action: Sherman Crocodile Flamethrower Tank
1xGerman Fallschirmjager Boxed Set
1xGerman Army – High Command
2xBlitzkreig – German HQ (1939-42)
1xUS Airborne HQ
1xUS Army – Battalion Command Set
3xUS Army – 3” Anti-Tank Gun
1xBolt Action: US M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon
1xM21 mortar carrier half-track
3xSd.Kfz 251/1 Ausf C Hanomag (German Halftrack)
1xSd.Kfz 251/7C Pionierwagen with panzerbuchse 41
1xGerman Pioneers
3xGerman Army – Heer/Waffen-SS Kettenkrad
2xGerman Schwimmwagen with stowage
1xFlakpanzer IV Wirbelwind
1xBolt Action: US Army Characters (Winter)

I guess i went a little overboard with my collecting, i didn’t want to miss out on anything. its most annoying to have a game or build an army only to find that you have a unit missing and need to wait weeks or months for it to arrive.

I will just have to play small games of Bolt action with rolling reinforcements coming onto the table at certain points of the main battle so the units can all get a chance to shoot at each other…lol

[olliepMember 6011xp 1]

If you’re looking for larger scale battles, then maybe look at Flames of War? 15mm will allow you much larger forces on a 6×4 🙂

[limburger 21711xp 0]

Larger scale WW2 games tend to be at 15mm or 20 mm instead of 28mm.

Might I suggest looking at Battlegroup:Overlord instead of Bolt-action ?
It does allow for bigger games although you still need one heck of a table to field your entire collection.

The plastic infantry kits in the Afrika Korps and 8th army sets have so many options that you don’t need the HQ variants of their faction. I suspect the same is true for the American and generic German army sets as well.

However I do know the feeling of not having a ‘complete’ army when buying into a system. Especially if there are no local retailers.
Warlord do have more than a few 1000 point army lists that are as close to perfect for when you want a new army that is playable without having to worry about missing out on ‘vital’ parts. In fact with their D-Day starter set you would have had the basics of both an American and German army.

[piersParticipant 25489xp 0]

I think someone just likes buying figures.

 

On a 6 x 4 in 28mm that amount will have to be ranked up like Napoleonics…

I wouldn’t say Battlegroup is of much use either, on a 6 x 4 in 28mm you’d only be fielding a platoon or so. Perfect if you want to play that level, but from use of models, no real increase over BA except maybe an extra tank or two.

I’d concentrate on making usable forces for one of the systems and play a game that suits your gaming space rather than cramming as much on as possible, as WW2 wasn’t a war that was notable for its shoulder to shoulder formations…

[wedgie2007Participant 84xp 3]

I was wrong my table is not 6ftx4ft its 12ftx8ft (don’t know how I got it wrong, I’ve only had it for a week and not used it…lol)

My perfect game is not to place all the forces on the table at the start but to have the other units roll on as reinforcements etc, Just like in the band of brothers when the 2nd armored came and gave them support when pinned in the hedgerows by the Germans.

There certainly is a course for an argument that I might be a figures “buyer” but if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t be a true wargamer now, would I?

[olliepMember 6011xp 0]

There are already rules for reinforcements coming in later in the game in Bolt Action, but again that’s still within the confines of the points in the game. One of the key mechanics of Bolt Action is pinning, where a unit takes hits and becomes less effective rather than just killing them – They don’t get wiped out and leave the table as such just hunker down under fire. If you’re planning on massed reinforcements you’re just going to have a traffic jam of units on the table edge. I don’t think the 28mm scale and mechanics will really suit what you’re looking for in terms of sizes of engagements
As @piers says above, find a system that suits your space rather than trying to force everything in, but for me I’d be looking more at Flames of War with 15mm as opposed to 28mm.

[wedgie2007Participant 84xp 0]

@olliep

I appreciate what you guys are saying about the 15mm and flames of war. I am not a young man nor do I have young eyes especially after painting all those 18mm Napoleonic. I chose bolt action figures(28mm) because they are a lot easier to paint and they look really nice, I do appreciate that the Bolt action rules might not support my idea of a WW2 wargaming battle but it came in the Band of Brothers starter army and I thought I might use it.

There are many people, including clubs, that do not follow the point system and still use the Bolt Action rules, there are players that have 4000pt armies also that play large scale club battles, as I said previously I can make my own house rules that support large scale 28mm engagements on a 12ftx8ft table, without the need to have them to be shoulder to shoulder like Napoleonic infantry.

[torros 23816xp 1]

For what it’s worth my suggestion would to find an engagement or scenario that you like the look of and paint up both sides for that . Dont  worry about  how many points you have, maybe this way would  give you something to aim at completion wise

[olliepMember 6011xp 0]

And that’s perfectly fine, if you can find players who want to take on the challenge then go for it, I just didn’t want to see you put all the time, effort and more importantly cash into building all this and end up disappointed 🙂
My germans total 3600pts, but I never use all of them (in fact I don’t think my Tiger/ Tiger II have ever been put on the table!)

[wedgie2007Participant 84xp 0]

This is my kind of late war idea (taken from the warlords Waffen-SS Platoon Pack)
Command Squad:
1x Officer, 1x NCO with MP40 SMG, 1x 2-man radio team with rifles, 1x Medic, 1x rifleman
Squad/Section:
2×9-man squad: 2x NCOs with MP40 SMGs, 1x 2-man MG42 LMG team, 5x riflemen
Mortar Squad:
1x 81mm mortar with 3 crew
2x men with StG44 assault rifles
x9 of these platoons for a company with a company command base, I would also add other support units like Artillery and antitank just haven’t worked that part out yet.

For my US Airborne
Platoon Command: 1x Officer with Carbine 1x Assault Platoon commander with carbine 1x platoon sergeant with SMG 2x radio with rifle 2x Runners
2xSection:
1x sergeant with rifle 1x corporal with SMG 1x LMG 1x Assistant LMG 1x Ammo Bearer with rifle 7x men with rifles.
Mortar Squad:
1x sergeant with SMG 1x mortar gunner with rifle 1x assistant mortar gunner with pistol 3x men with rifles.
x3 of these platoons for a company with a company command base, I would also add other support units like Artillery and antitank just haven’t worked that part out yet either.

I have not worked out what structure I am going to do for the platoons from the 4th division and the 25th SS division or the armor brigades for the 2nd US Armor and the 12th SS Panzer, that is my basic plan until I can lay everything out and great a proper battle order for all.

[piersParticipant 25489xp 0]

Now a 12 x 8…

 

Yep… you will play 28mm using Battlegroup on that!

 

[Author]

Posts