Bolt Action

Bolt Action is a platoon-level World War II tabletop miniatures game that combines accessible rules with rich historical detail, catering to both beginners and experienced wargamers. Players collect, assemble, and paint models representing WWII soldiers, vehicles, and artillery, then lead their forces in objective-driven battles across customizable tabletops.

Game Structure and Components

To play, each participant fields a “reinforced platoon”—a core of infantry supplemented with support teams and vehicles—within a set points limit, usually between 1,000 and 1,250 points for balanced games. The key components include the official rulebook, your painted miniatures, a standard tape measure, six-sided dice, order dice, pin markers, and gaming tokens.

Bolt Action features a variety of historical factions drawn from nations that fought during World War II, each offering distinctive playstyles and special rules that reflect their historical tactics and strengths.

Major Factions

• Germany: German forces excel at combined arms, featuring powerful tanks, disciplined infantry, and flexible command rules. Their “Blitzkrieg” special rule allows officers to coordinate multiple units, supporting quick and decisive attacks.
• United States: Americans boast mobile infantry, paratroopers, and air support. Their special rules emphasize initiative and adaptability, exemplified by “Fire and Maneuver,” enabling units to advance and shoot more efficiently.
• Soviet Union: Soviet armies field large numbers of infantry backed by resilient tanks. Their special rules focus on quantity and aggressive tactics, allowing units to rally more efficiently and overwhelm opponents through sheer numbers.
• United Kingdom: British forces have versatile unit choices, especially elite veteran infantry like paratroopers and commandos. Their faction rules benefit artillery, forward observers, and outflanking tactics for asymmetric play.
• Imperial Japan: Japanese armies excel at unusual tactics such as Banzai charges and aggressive assaults. Their faction strengths include morale bonuses and unpredictable strategies, rewarding bold maneuvers over conventional fighting.

Minor Powers

• Italy: Italian factions can be customized with light infantry, mountaineers, and colonial troops. Their forces tend to be less mechanically strong, but versatile with options for both Axis and Allied alignments.
• France: French armies use special rules like “Forward Artillery Doctrine” to call in extra bombardments and field motivated troops with unique defensive strategies.
• Hungary: Hungarians feature flexible infantry and unique heavy weapon options, such as the “Mace Thrower,” with rules emphasizing engineering and resilience.
• Finland: Finnish units are high-quality and gain special bonuses when ambushing or suffering casualties. Their army composition favors small, elite units with upgraded morale and shooting capabilities.
• Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Others: These factions offer asymmetric or specialized tactics based on historical context; for example, Poland features early war cavalry and armor, while Romania gains access to Axis support units.

Playstyle Comparison

In summary, each Bolt Action faction brings unique flavor to the tabletop, adding replay value and tactical diversity. Some players pick factions based on historical interest, others for unit variety or desired tactics. Army selection affects model options, special rules, and overall battlefield strategy.