Bolt Action has been around for a long time now, and over the course of the many awesome Campaign and Theatre books a whole host of special rules have been developed to represent all sorts of different units, battlefield conditions, and situations. Some appear only once, while others have a great many variations across multiple books! When we began developing Bolt Action: Third Edition, we wanted to take the opportunity to compile these rules, and present a ‘definitive’ version for the new edition to make things as simple as possible for wargamers – no more worrying which version of Mountaineers you’re using!
Special rules in Bolt Action are broadly split into three different categories – unit special rules, weapon special rules, and special rules that affect the table or game itself – the latter are optional for use in games, allowing you to tailor your battlefield and experience exactly how you like it!
A brief note – the unit and weapon rules sections are of course not exhaustive – there are and will always be weird and wonderful units and equipment out there which need their own unique special rules to properly represent them on the tabletop – these can be found in the relevant unit entries. The rules we’re discussing today are far more common, and apply to many units and weapons across Bolt Action!
We’ll start by looking at a couple of unit special rules – this is by no means all of them, but some we think you might be particularly interested to see! First up, we have Engineers:
This rule, which keen-eyed Bolt Action fans will have already cast their eyes over in the rulebook preview images, is designed to represent the prowess (and equipment) of assault engineer units – German Pioniere, for example – when it comes to clearing enemies out of defensive positions. It’s also the defining factor of such units for the purpose of the Engineer Platoon Selector, meaning you can only field these dangerous units within their own formations, rather than making your entire army out of them! For more detail on exactly what this rule does, you’ll have to wait for the close combat rules reveal in a few weeks’ time, but rest assured – it’s part of a wider change!
Next up, we’ve got Fieldcraft:
This one is nice and simple, and replaces a wide swathe of rules such as the aforementioned Mountaineers from Second Edition. Rather than differentiating between degrees of skill at moving through particular types of terrain, if your unit is a bunch of ultra-fit mountain troops or jungle warfare specialists, they’ll get Fieldcraft – it’s the same across the board, so there’s no confusion!
Next, let’s jump over to the weapon special rules to look at one of the bigger changes – anti-tank guns!
Anti-tank guns were hugely important during the Second World War, particularly when firing from concealment, and with the new Armoured Platoon Selector making it easier to field multiple tanks, we wanted to make sure that they didn’t run rampant over every tabletop! With this new rule, anti-tank guns (including those mounted on vehicles!) are much more likely to score first-round hits against enemy vehicles when not moving, which encourages tactical use of both cover and the Ambush order, and makes the battlefield a far more dangerous place for incautious tankers – just as it was in real life!
Finally, we move towards the back of the rulebook, and the whacking great Optional Rules section. Here you’ll find everything you need to customise your games of Bolt Action to represent virtually any scenario imaginable. Beach landing at night with minefields aplenty? Check! Fighting through the fortified ruins of Stalingrad in a blizzard? You bet! Creeping through harsh jungle terrain while checking for booby-traps and the enemy, all in blistering heat? No matter the situation, there’s a set of rules for it – and those are just a few examples! Think of this section like a great big toolbox for making Bolt Action into exactly what you want it to be. Whether you’ve got a gorgeous handmade table that you want to feel as good as it looks, or you want to add some extra spice and variety to keep you and your opponent on your toes, the optional rules have you covered!
These of course are only a very few of the new and updated special rules included in the Bolt Action: Third Edition rulebook – make sure to pre-order your copy now so that you can find out about all the others at the end of September!
