15 mistakes you do in Bolt Action



In the last few games (and passing foreign forums) I noticed a few mistakes that some people make or inconsistencies in the rules. Alternatively, rules that are not played completely. That's why I decided to made a short list of (in my opinion) the most common mistakes. This is english translation of my original post in czech, so sorry for possible mistakes.

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  1. Medic and assistent
    Lots of people overlook one important thing when buying assistants to Medic. They do not have to buy weapons as other HQ units and follows the rule as depicted on the model, but also apply to medic restrictions on weaponry. So no doctor with a pistol and assistant with a submachine gun ...
  2. Medic and healing
    When it comes to healing with doctor, you need to think about two things. First, in addition to the infantry, he can heal artillery crews. Second, he only heals wounds from small arms fire. So no heavy weapons, exceptional damage and close combat. Thing that is overlooked is that a medic can not heal wounds from a sniper!
  3. Officer's bonus to morale
    Unit can not take more than one bonus for the morale from officer nearby simultaneously. So taking two platoons or bonus big officer can never help you to stack up morale. And not forgetting that the unit can never have morale value higher than 10.
  4. Arty without tow
    Rules on page 74 clearly state that any gun that is heavier than the medium (or without wheels) can not move itself. However, this means that without tow you can not come on the table from reserves or during First wave . There is gentleman's agreement about one "free movement" or  placing it on the edge of the table, but according to the rules is doomed to eternal stay off the table.
  5. Sniper and cover
    Sniper ignores all bonuses for cover. Whether it's a soft/hard cover, gun shield or bonus for the building. But a lot of people forget that he also ignores bonus for hidden set-up! Sniper without pin almost always hits on 2 + or 3 + for a long distance.
  6. An aircraft shooting and pins
    Sad thing about flak fire on the aircraft is that happens after the plane arrives and deals out pins to nearby targets. And these pins are of course included for the flak fire (if was flak gun in range) rendering it almost useless. As if it was not an aircraft mechanic itself quite OP...
  7. Aircraft and target destroyed
    Interesting situation is when the Air Observer is calling airplane on target, which was in the turn before airplane arrives destroyed. If the player controlling the aircraft on arrival throws 1-3 nothing happens, but from 4+ plane has flown on the table and since there is no longer the targer, the attack is simply canceled. No pins, flak and observer could not call another plane (only if it was an American who can call a second). Again, you can have gentleman's agreement that the current situation can be counted as 2-3 (change targets and aircraft can arrive in the next round), but it is the house ruling, as in section 4.
  8. Recce escape and order
    Some people forget that Recce move can be taken even after unit has been issued order. But then it will change order dice to down. Vehicle can not perform more the one Recce escape per round or shoot after performing it.
  9. Throw of 1 = fail 
    Throw of 1 during hitting or damaging is always a failure. Always. Regardless of how big pen bonus gun has or it is shoting on the infantry or tank.
  10. Exceptional damage
    A lot of people confuse the mechanics of how to trigger the exceptional damage. Mistaked from other games think that is activated when you roll to hit, but ED only occurs when granting damage. So if u injuries thrown 6, the player may throw the dice again. If you re-rolls a 6, it's exceptional damage and you can choose wounded model. If it does not  score 6 for the second time, nothing happens and the wound is still dealed normally.
  11. The terrain is not obstacle
    When a unit attacks a unit that is hidden behind a Obstacle, its changed initiative and the attacker and defender are fighting at the same time. However, many people automatically takes any rough terrain for obsacle and it is wrong according to the rules. So if you attack a unit in the forest, attacker goes normally first as if nothing happened. However, if the forest have a wooden fence, attacker go along with defender.
  12. Down divide aircraft and HE hits
    Because common sense says that when you are lying on the ground so you have less chance that you are hit by fragments, down order divide (downward) number of HE hits (direct and indirect) and shots from airplanes.
  13. Anti-aircraft gunfire
    Strangest is that flak shooting never need LoS. Just that the aircraft is in an arc of fire. Among other things, this means that the flak vehicles with long-range (which usually have a arc of fire 360 °) can shoot at the planes almost always. Interestingly, the flak shooting is compulsory. So flak units must shoot, even if they are hidden or have ambush order. Ambushing units go down afterward.
  14. Hidden set-up and First wave
    Units that can always start game in hidden set-up (Spotters, Observers, Snipers) and must go in Fist wave, they can still use their ability for hidden set-up and not go from the table edge. But they are normally counted for limit of maximum available units for the first wave.
  15. Tough guy with a machine gun
    Lots of people get confused with the rules of the weapons with Assault rule and models with Tough fighters. Both of these rules say that the model has 2 attacks in close combat. Not, it gets +1 to attack. So they do not stack and infantryman can never have more than two attacks. The only unit that has 3 attacks is cavalry and then the Polish Lancers with 4.
Polish cavalry high as fuck. Attacking tanks with sabres and shit.

That's all and I hope that list helped you.

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Comments

  1. And again this shit about Polish cavalry attacking tanks and armoured vehicles with sabres... Geezus...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you - this is a really really useful list, and you've brought to my attention a couple of finer points which I hadn't realised :)

    A couple of queries though:

    9) In the latest FAQ they specifically state that the "1 always fails" idea technically only applies to rolls to wound...although of course they do note that exceptions are very very rare.

    ...and...

    14) It might be a feature of translation, but you state certain units "must go in first wave", but as I understand it they can opt to come on later if they wish.

    I hope this is of use.

    Right. I'm off to sharpen the sabres of my Polish Cav. And their tin-openers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad this list helped you :)

      Ad 9 - New FAQ states that 1 hit is success - but Tank Wars (which has special skill for tank crew and is much easier to get bonues for 1+ hit) states that is fail. So now we have two official statements about this case and theyre againts each other :)

      Ad 14 - Yes, you're right :) "must" shoudl be listed as "could". But I think, everybody get the point anyway :)

      Delete
  3. Thanks, Potan! Keep up the great work.

    ReplyDelete

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