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Want to play some WWII games and was interested in bolt action. Have a couple of questions

Is the game balanced. Played 40k for many moons and the unbalance of the game drove me nuts does bolt action suffer from these issues?

the assault on Normandy set is their starter set.. Is this good value? Does it come with everything I need to play a game?

What's the most common points most games are played at? 1000? 500? Some games get clunky when you play at a high number of pts (40k).

Most of the troops are fairly generic. It's "humans vs humans" that you're dealing with here, and a bolt action rifle is a bolt action rifle. So generally, imbalance is not an issue. That's not to say that everything's perfect, and you'll find arguments about various things that one nation gets and another does not. But it's not really an issue like with 40K, where every empire is unique.

There's one exception - don't let anyone use vehicular flamethrowers.


Finally, be aware that the lists have some issues regarding some historical elements. For instance, due to what appears to be sloppy list writing, the Soviets get access to Panzerfausts before the Germans do. Just be aware of that sort of thing. And since it's an historical game, don't be afraid to overrule the published lists when appropriate.

I have found it balanced. I hear flame throwers are OP but never used them myself. Other than that we have had a fine time playing.

I purchased two starter armies that are 1000 points and the rules. That got me enough to play the average game and wasnt too expensive either. That way you get 2 proper armies of your choice.

1k I hear is recommended. its also the starter army size.

But I have only played games at 1k, they have been fun and cinematic so far, but at the same time rather tactical.

It's best played with lists using the same battle or theatre of war, to prevent late-war material from overpowering earlier kit.

Yeah I read somewhere that vehicle with flame throwers were a little over powered. I am just going to be playing with a few friends so there is not much to worry about. Also watched a battle report and it seems like a real fun game. Thanks for the replies looking forward to starting this game

As I understand it they recently knocked vehicle-borne flamethrowers down a couple of inches range (18-12 or something? I'm not 100%). They are still crazy good though, but at least they are taking some effort to fix it.

Vehicles with flamethrowers are pricier as well, a friend got me a Churchill Crocodile for my British platoon (500 pts) and just adding in that beast would've put me at nearly 1000 pts!

Yeah they just recently changed the range on the flamethrower on vehicle. Just saw it on their website. Seems like warlord games listens to the community and responds with changes. So that's a very positive thing when looking if I should get started in this game. Nothing is worse then when a company ignores its community. I also heard from my local shop that warlord games can be difficult to get in stock. He compared it to xwing where they may be out of certain models for months. Does supply seem to be a problem in your areas?

 Chute82 wrote:
Yeah they just recently changed the range on the flamethrower on vehicle. Just saw it on their website. Seems like warlord games listens to the community and responds with changes. So that's a very positive thing when looking if I should get started in this game. Nothing is worse then when a company ignores its community. I also heard from my local shop that warlord games can be difficult to get in stock. He compared it to xwing where they may be out of certain models for months. Does supply seem to be a problem in your areas?

The main rules designer, Alessio Cavatore, even posts on the Bolt Action facebook group and actively discusses the game with everyone. It's really very refreshing. They keep the FAQ and errata updated as well.

Warlord has had stock issues due to the long turnaround of resin production; however, with so many things being released as plastic kits that hasn't been a problem for their most popular models. For instance, for Germany alone, in plastic, you can now get Panzer IV and Panther tanks, Puma armored car, and Hanomag half-track, plus either late-war German infantry or early-war German infantry.

For your previous question, Assault on Normandy is a great value, but is discontinued. D-Day Firefight (infantry) and Armoured Fury (tanks) are their current starter sets.

HOWEVER! Warlord is having a great holiday promotion. If you get the D-Day Firefight set you get a free tank of your choice - either expand the US forces with a Sherman or the German forces with a Panzer IV. http://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/deals/products/bolt-action-starter-game-d-day-firefight/
If you and a buddy each got the starter set, each with a free tank, and swapped figs and order dice, you could have 40 US Infantry and a Sherman vs 20 German infantry w/ a Panzer IV and two Halftracks.
Plus each starter comes with a mini rulebook, order dice for each side, pin markers/etc, and a modular ruined farmhouse.
Alternately you could get the D-Day Firefight and the Assault on Normandy (if you can locate one) and have more infantry, or add the Armoured fury set which gives you the tank battles rules and a bunch of Shermans and Panthers.
Honestly starting Bolt Action is pretty easy


Automatically Appended Next Post:
How many of you and your gaming buddies want to get into Bolt Action? Do you have a budget? I'm a Warlord Sarge so I'd be more than happy to help you maximize your purchasing power

If you don't mind me jumping in the thread, I've been looking at this game for a while myself. I have to say, the models look great, and I've heard good things about the rules. I guess my main question would be, what differentiates this game from Flames of War, other than the scale? I have a fair bit of stuff for FoW, and I'm curious to see what this game offers over it.

The biggest thing is that the turns are more interactive. You alternate activating units as you pick dice out of a cup/bag. So there's much more back and forth and less waiting around than in FOW.

I find the game to be pretty balanced overall... but Americans are OP due to their faction special rules that allows them double airstrikes, as well as their use of automatic rifles and some other nonsense.

Oh yes, not having a -1 penalty to shooting when moving is amazing.

Americans are enjoyable to play since they can be more mobile than most armies. Their main issue is that they aren't as adept as dealing with heavy armor as other armies.

chaos0xomega wrote:
I find the game to be pretty balanced overall... but Americans are OP due to their faction special rules that allows them double airstrikes, as well as their use of automatic rifles and some other nonsense.

Double air strikes aren't THAT amazing. Brits get artillery for free after all. Especially with the errata on weapons and putting pins on tanks given that most aircraft are firing HMGs....

 Maniac_nmt wrote:
Double air strikes aren't THAT amazing.

Especially when they redirect...

 Maniac_nmt wrote:
Brits get artillery for free after all.

Hey, that's completely fair and balanced. No one better touch my free observer with errata, no one!

I'm not bothered by artillery, I've yet to see it do anything but become a liability for the player using it. Thus far, every time i've seen an artillery observer used my opponent has rolled a 1, allowing me to redirect it onto his own force instead. And then there was todays game, where my preparatory bombardment (envelopment mission) rolled a 6 against his observer team of 1 model, successfully wounding on a further 6 roll, killing him before the game even started.

I have started playing recently and have found the game pretty balanced. Everything in the game is killable and or you can put enough pins on anything to take them out of the game. Coming from 40k (playing since 3rd), this is a fresh breath of air. Plus side is the army lists are not going to be changing a lot... No worries for units being left out of a codex and all.

The dice drawing system for who goes is the biggest reason I think. You always have a chance to counter your opponent if your dice comes up!

When I started playing bolt action I found it one of the easiest games to play. I went straight in and bought the japanese 1000pt army set.

I prefer this to 40k by far, i find it more enjoyable and strategic to play.

I think the rules are balanced,

though can be a bit hard to find matching theatres. For example at my club people play: japan, usa, and russia
So most of the times I play against russia as much as I do USA.
But thats never an issue to not play the game.

I think the only negative thing, though I only state this from a time consumption point of view is the terrain.
When we set a table up (depending on where you want the game to be set) requires a lot of time setting up, roads, buildings, walls bushes + trees.

can be looking at 30/45min table set up.

but you can also play on tables filled with fields, with little terrain at all!

and games can last a very long time if youre play style is stealth, running between buildings.

but thats just being picky. I love having my tables filled with terrain!

I personally dont use flame tanks, as i dont have any lol I dont even use any of my tanks mainly because theyre not worth the points as theyre no match against most german/russian and US tanks i fight against.
I prefer my japanese tank hunters. 3 of those bad boys on the table can easily destroy most vehicles you come into contact with, much to my friends annoyance

My largest japanese tank I own is literally the same size of the average gemans tank tracks. could hide behind a Stug easily!

hope my ramblings have helped

St1mp0 wrote:
When I started playing bolt action I found it one of the easiest games to play. I went straight in and bought the japanese 1000pt army set.

I prefer this to 40k by far, i find it more enjoyable and strategic to play.

I think the rules are balanced,

though can be a bit hard to find matching theatres. For example at my club people play: japan, usa, and russia
So most of the times I play against russia as much as I do USA.
But thats never an issue to not play the game.

Japan vs Russia isn't inaccurate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_border_conflicts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet%E2%80%93Japanese_War_(1945)

 Maniac_nmt wrote:
Japan vs Russia isn't inaccurate:

Indeed not. But how do the Japanese cope with a late war Soviet army? That was pretty one-sided, in historical terms.

If I may make a suggestion to the OP: Avoid big tanks especially if you are German. As cool as a Tiger II is it was too pricey.

Well I ordered a starter set for myself, can't wait to read the rulebook and play a few games. thanks for all the replies

 Tailgunner wrote:

 Maniac_nmt wrote:
Japan vs Russia isn't inaccurate:

Indeed not. But how do the Japanese cope with a late war Soviet army? That was pretty one-sided, in historical terms.

I think better than real life. Infantry don't really change much and would be similar to fighting the Brits or US. Big tanks are generally not worth the points and can mostly be ignored although a SPG like an ISU-152 would be scary as hell but suicide bombers still have a chance of damaging them.