Bolt Action
"From the cities of Europe, through to the deserts of North Africa or the islands of the Pacific, Bolt Action puts you in command of the most brutal and famous battles of the Second World War.
Using its innovative order system that replicates the challenges faced by commanders on the battlefield, Bolt Action is fast paced and exciting, and is suitable for veteran wargamers and newcomers alike, with a range of starter sets and complete armies to get your collections off the ground.
Here you’ll find the iconic units of all the major combatants - from famous tanks like the Tiger, T-34 and Sherman to infantry units equipped to fight in all the theatres and environments of WWII from winter snows to jungle or desert heat, and a depth of units to satisfy the most specialised of interests."
Publisher: Warlord Games
Type: Tabletop Miniatures Game
Playstyle: Competitive
Genre: Historical (WWII)
Mechanics: Dice
Assembly Required: Yes
Pre-painted: No
News + Updates
Service title
Other Info
Service title
Battle Reports
How to Get Into the Action
Below are some affiliate links for things I myself have purchased and tried out. See you on the field!
Start Here
Bolt Action has been around for a long time and over the course of its life, Warlord Games has released numerous 'starter box' kits to jumpstart a person's collection. I went with the Band of Brothers box, as I love the show and it comes with a contingent of both US and Germany forces as well as some dice and templates you'll need; great for two people. If you're looking for a place to start just for one person, see the Expansions section below. The 3rd Edition of the rulebook is available now on Warlord's site, and should be available for retailers in mid-November.
Expansions
Which nation, and then which group you decide to play with is up to you. Here are a few suggestions:
Extras
Terrain and a nice game mat will really help this game pop on your tabletop! Not long ago I discovered Micro Art Studio's pre-painted terrain and I absolutely fell in love with it. Does require assembly but after that it's good to go! Below is a link to one building, but there are a ton of other options to create a nice town or country side (assembly required though!)
As far as battle mats go, get whatever feels appropriate for the game you are playing. I've found a generic grassy field works for a majority of my games. I also prefer neoprene (like mousepad material), but cloth can be more budget-friendly. For size, whatever fits the space you have available. Many games may have a predetermined size though, sometimes 3'x3' or 3'x6'. The link below is similar to what I use.
For a bit of added flair, you could use dice themed to your squad's nation.
Storage / Transport
The Jucoci has the slotted sides for height-adjusting your trays as needed and if you magnetize the tanks, works great with keeping them stable during transport. The Iris bins are more budget friendly and stackable, though I've found I have to take the turrets off most of the tanks as the trays are just barely not tall enough with them on.