bolt action Archives - Page 7 of 7 - Felix's Gaming Pages

"You know, when I was in the Sudan…"

I’ve always had a bit of an affinity with the Home Guard, though surprising I never really use to watch Dad’s Army very much. I have probably seen more episodes in the last five years than I have in the thirty before then! It is a classic British comedy set during the dark days of World War Two focusing on the (mis)adventures of a Local Defence Volunteer platoon as they prepare for what back then was seemed an inevitable German invasion.

Of course the LDV became known as the Home Guard, but referred to by many as Dad’s Army, hence the name given to the sit-com. It ran to eighty episodes from 1968 to 1977 and as well as the TV shows, there was a film, radio shows and a stage play.

There have been quite a few unofficial versions of the Dad’s Army platoon including this one for Flames of War that I mentioned back in 2008. I have also been painting some 15mm Home Guard miniatures for Flames of War using some old metal models I bought many years ago.

In some ways it’s nice to see that Warlord Games are going to release a licensed version of the Walmington-on-Sea platoon for Bolt Action.

We’re delighted to be able to show off our officially licenced Dad’s Army Home Guard platoon boxed set. Based on the long-running TV series, these superb miniatures are now available to pre-order!

During the dark days of 1940, Britain was under dire threat of Nazi invasion. A massive citizen army, the Local Defence Volunteers, was raised to defend their families and homes. Although armed with old or ad hoc weapons and equipment the Home Guard, as it became known, was a vital part of the defence of British shores. Based on these proud defenders of the realm, the classic TV series, Dad’s Army produced some of television’s most enduring catchphrases and characters as it followed the adventures of Walmington-on-Sea’s Home Guard platoon.

There are 18 models in the box, consisting of the platoon in both civilian clothes and in battledress. Along with the verger, the vicar and ARP Warden Hodges.

They do look very good and very much have caught the character of the actors who played the parts in the sit-com.

Will I get a box? Well you never know.

Partisans Band – Bolt Action Workbench

Painted a (very) little more of my Bolt Action Partisans.

Still some way to go…

Pre-order: Bolt Action Armies of France and the Allies

The other day I mentioned that Warlord Games had released a PDF for the Italians, what I said then was

Now he will have the rules, not sure about rules for my models though.

Well what I had missed was the announcement that the Bolt Action Armies of France and the Allies was aavailable to pre-order.

World War II was truly a ‘world’ war, and many nations joined the fight against Germany and the Axis. This latest supplement for Bolt Action covers the armies of France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Holland and Belgium that stood against the German Blitzkrieg, as well as the resistance forces that sprung up in the aftermath of occupation.

I think I will use those rules for my partisan band.

Bolt Action Italian Army List

This posting is for Simon, though I suspect he might already have seen this.

Warlord Games have published on their website a PDF of a get-you-by army list for the Italians.

Update: the PDF is no longer available now the Italian Army book has been published.

The latest in our recent series of ‘get-you-by’ lists in here! Allowing you to field Italian armies of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini this army list gives you the basics of the Italian army during World War II. A full list will be published in the ‘Armies of Italy and the Axis’ later this year but for now this will allow you to take on the might of the Allied forces!

Avanti Camerati!

I am still in the process of painting my Partisan Band for Bolt Action.

Whereas I went for irregulars, Simon went for the Italians. Now he will have the rules, not sure about rules for my models though.

Bolt Action Partisans

I started painting my Bolt Action Partisans using Vallejo Flat Earth (983).

Still some way to go…

Undercoating the Partisans

Having based my Bolt Action Partisans I gave the models a white undercoat.

These are very nice miniatures and there is a nice range of poses and characters within the band itself.

Though there is a “Soviet” feel to the partisans, I have decided to go down a French Forces of the Interior (Forces Françaises de l’Intérieur) or FFI force. Though I think some of the figures could be used for some 1920s gangsters games, look at the bloke on the right of this lot.

I am not too sure about the female partisan, as someone said to me, that bloke’s wearing a skirt!

I have been thinking about “transport” and armour for them. Tamiya do a 1/48th scale Citroen Traction 11CV which would work really well I think. As for armour I am tempted by the Bolt Action Char B1 bis and paint it up in FFI colours.

Bolt Action Partisan Band

After thinking about Bolt Action for a while and reflecting on the rules I finally decided on which force I was going to build. My regular opponent Simon was going Italian, so I actually had quite a wide choice of potential foes, from Early War French, British Desert Rats, Anzio which would mean regular British Infantry and US forces, Russians and even Germans towards the end of the war. I did initially think about Greek, they used regular British equipment so would be quite easy to model. I did consider Late War Germans, so I could get a JagdTiger in 28mm…. but in the end I decided that I would go totally irregular and go with Partisans, so just infantry, or maybe a car or truck or two.

Through mail-order I bought from Warlord Games their Partisan Band, which in theory contains eight figures, quite pleased to find that my parcel contained ten figures.

After cleaning the castings, I stuck them to two pence pieces using super glue, after that was dry, using PVA and Citadel Sand I covered the bases.

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

Bolting

I know, I know, a new set of rules, a new scale and more painting!

Written by veteran game designers Alessio Cavatore and Rick Priestley, Bolt Action provides all the rules needed to bring the great battles of World War II to your tabletop. Using miniature soldiers, tanks and terrain, you can fight battles in the shattered towns of occupied France, the barren deserts of North Africa, and even the sweltering jungles of the Pacific.

Players get to decide which of the major or minor World War II powers they would like to represent, and then construct their armies from the lists provided. Army options are almost limitless, allowing you to build the kind of army that most appeals to your style of play. The choice is yours.

Created as a joint project between Warlord Games and Osprey Publishing, the leading independent military history publisher, Bolt Action is sure to be the most popular new wargame on the market.

I have been intrigued by Warlord Games’ Bolt Action rules for a while now so was pleased to get hold of a copy.

Initial impressions are very positive, it is an extremely well produced publication, with great looking photographs.

I’ve not had a chance to read it fully or even play the rules, but one of the reasons I am looking forward to playing the game is I like the idea of using order dice.

One thing I do need to decide is which army to go for.

I do quite like the look of the Assault on Normandy starter set.

Assault on Normandy starter set gives you everything you need to pit your tactics and wits against your opponent as you recreate the great battles of World War II on the tabletop! In addition to the glorious Bolt Action rulebook and eight Orders Dice, you will find forty hard plastic, multi-pose 28mm miniatures as well as terrain for them to fight over. This is a great starting point as you seek to defeat your foes and bring an end to the greatest conflict in history.

This is the perfect starting point for Bolt Action, and I would have probably bought it if I knew it was available when I bought the Bolt Action rules…

The ruins are very nice and hopefully will be available separately.