We’ve seen some absolutely cracking new plastic kits since the launch of Bolt Action: Third Edition, and the (multi-part plastic) ball just keeps on rolling with the new US Airborne (D-Day) sprue, found in both the Platoon box and the Currahee! army set. Let’s take a look at what you get on our newest Bolt Action sprue:
We’ll start with the basics – six dynamically posed bodies in the iconic M42 jump uniform – in this case the ‘reinforced’ version with additional material at the knees and elbows worn by the Airborne for the D-Day landings. This uniform themes these paratroopers squarely around the initial operations in Normandy and makes them instantly recognisable on the tabletop from other American forces. These uniforms are an absolute joy to paint, and like many other American units can be got to a great looking battle-ready state in no time at all. Much of the ‘belt kit’ such as rifle magazine pouches, canteens, and grenades, are already modelled onto the bodies, saving you time when assembling, but of course we’ve also included loads of optional extras such as backpacks, entrenching tools, SMG magazine pouches, and more to allow you to fully customise your models and have them carrying as much kit as you want!
Now, you don’t want your troops wandering around unarmed – they need weapons (and limbs!), and we’ve managed to cram a huge variety onto this sprue. Fans of the legendary M1 Garand rifle will find no fewer than seven of these weapons, in a wide variety of aiming, reloading, firing, and carrying poses, giving you a huge variety of possibilities for even your ‘basic’ riflemen. In addition, for those who prefer something a bit lighter and handier, we’ve also included three M1A1 carbines, with their folding ‘paratrooper’ stocks – in Bolt Action terms, these also count as rifles.
Moving on to the more specialist equipment, fans of automatic firepower (I.E. everyone who fields an American force) have plenty to cheer about. Four SMGs, of which two are the classic Thompson, and two the later M3 ‘Grease Gun’, are backed up by a Browning Automatic Rifle, and an M1919 light machine gun, modified to be fired from the hip, giving this sprue plenty of punch at short, medium, and long ranges. While the M3s were not used during the D-Day landings themselves, some later images show paratroopers in the M42 uniform using them – so we included them to give you even more choice when designing your force.
The shooting doesn’t stop there, either. Designed for maximum versatility, the sprue includes components allowing you to make a Bazooka anti-tank team, perfect for engaging enemy armour right after your Airborne land, and a sniper team armed with an M1903A4 Springfield rifle for picking off enemy commanders. We’ve also managed to fit a host of extra parts on, including binoculars, maps, ammunition belts and cans, a satchel (which could either contain lifesaving medical supplies or a rather less medicinal demolition charge), and even an M-227 Signal Lamp. This strange device was designed to allow the elite Pathfinder formations to mark out drop zones for their comrades, and is a great way to represent these squads on the tabletop.
All of those options – and we still haven’t mentioned the heads! With a whopping 14 of them on the sprue, you can choose exactly how heroic you want each of your Airborne to look. The majority are in scrim-netted helmets, many with field dressings prominently affixed to the front, for that classic paratrooper look, and we’ve also included a pair of bare heads (and a spare loose helmet), one of whom has a bandaged head wound. The final trio of heads bear the iconic ‘Mohawk’ haircuts made famous by the legendary ‘Filthy Thirteen’, and are a great way to represent this elite unit, or perhaps your Pathfinders.
All in all, this sprue is perfect for building an enormous variety of US Airborne squads and teams – all of which will have rules in the upcoming Armies of the United States: Third Edition – and forms the core of an exciting new American range. Not bad for a single frame, right? With this awesome new sprue, the US Airborne receive a massive boost, just in time to board their transports and cross the Channel. Want to be among the first to get your hands on them? Pre-order them today!
