Bolt Action: World War II Wargames Rules: World War II Wargaming Rules [Hardcover]

If you like a gentleman's approach focusing on maneuver not minutia this is the WWII rules set for you. Bolt Action focuses on WWII infantry fights with a wide array of supporting weapons from heavy machine guns to calling in air strikes. Game play starts by selecting an infantry platoon or company reinforced by supporting guns or tanks. The game is usually played on a 4ft x 6ft game table with about 40 to 80 miniatures on each side. Though focused on the infantry platoon the rules are clean enough to easily fight large battles with hundreds of models in a reasonable amount of time.
For each unit you and your opponent select (each squad, gun team or vehicle etc) you place a marker or colored die in the orders cup/ bag. Players draw at random and whoever's color is drawn that player selects a unit and issues an order. Units fire, advance (move and fire), run (move twice), ambush (overwatch or opportunity fire), rally a pinned unit, or down (take cover). Selecting who and when to fire and advance or ambush is critical. As units are shot at they can be pinned and take casualties. Pinning reduces a unit's effectiveness. So, as in any good infantry battle, the object is to pin down and attrite your opponent before assaulting and seizing your objective. Units then close assault their opponent. It is critical to pin and damage your target multiple times and reduce their combat effectiveness before closing. Though not as highly detailed as other rules sets, Bolt Action allows for differing rates of fire, different armor penetration and covers a wide range of infantry weapons, AT weapons, artillery, guns, machine guns, and a broad variety of tanks, vehicles, and air support. Bolt Action also covers assaulting and fighting within buildings and fortifications. Though it may not satisfy the needs of the gamer or enthusiast who insists on differentiating between every variation of armor, weapon, unit etc Bolt Action fully captures the flavor and pace of WWII infantry combat. Bolt Action, as with most of the excellent rules developed by Warlord Games, the gamer spends his or her time playing and maneuvering rather than rolling dice, consulting tables and sorting through long multi-step simulation processes to get to a result.
Do not be intimidated by the thickness of the book. There are not a lot of complex rules. The bulk of the book is pictures and diagrams, discussions about the hobby, and unit construction. The clear open outline format of the book makes the rules clear and not dense on the page. The production quality is excellent. Well constructed, well written, lots of beautiful pictures, excellent clarifying diagrams, very good tables. The rules are well structured focusing on the basics in the beginning chapters and expanding on the various supporting equipment in the second half. The rules are meant to showcase colorful eye catching terrain and 28mm miniatures and favors moderate to dense terrain. Though it will play well for infantry clashes in North Africa or the Russian steppes, as in real life, the team with tank support will dominate the battle on open ground. Bolt Action fits well with the tone and intent of Warlord Games other rules, Hail Caesar!, Pike & Shotte, and Black Powder. The emphasis is on relaxed simplified fast friendly play and not fussy awkward and tense tournament style rules.

While I'm still waiting on my pre-order copy from Amazon (had a gift card, yay!!) I have had the privilege of reviewing this book at the local game shop and even playing a game. To cut to the chase: I will be playing this game many more times.

Anyone that has been around historical tabletop gaming for any length of time is well aware of the quality typically produced by Osprey, and this book does not disappoint in that regard. Strong, professional binding, nice size (not too big, not too small), and of course wonderfully illustrated with a mix from Osprey's extensive gallery as well as great gaming photos from Warlord Games.

As for the rules themselves, I feel they are rather elegant. Easy to learn yet challenging enough to hold your interest, especially given the variety of units possible in the period. I won't go into rules details here (that's easy enough to find elsewhere online) but the random activation sequence is what really drives the game.

Combining Ospreys super production values with the player-friendly rules style of Warlord Games is a total win in my opinion. In all my years of gaming, I have never had any interest in WWII. But these rules are such fun that I now find myself very much interested, simply because I want to play them and this has created a desire to learn more about the troops, tanks, and battles from that period of history. Fun and history....isn't that what this hobby is all about?

Its not pointlessly complicated or overly wordy, instead everything is neatly set out - clearly and succinctly explained.
You wont be stuck on what to do next or become lost in text as it doesn't beat around the bush. It doesn't skimp either.

It is obvious that the game has been play tested because of the tight mechanics that make each unit count.
This is achieved thru rules on morale, intuitive combat modifiers, and a flexible order system. It is able to bring together "realism" and depth along with simplicity - the rules can be remembered easily.

Morale is dealt with elegantly, in a way that makes it important (fittingly); A unit receives a pin marker if another unit has scored at least one hit (regardless of casualties) and for each pin marker the unit receives -1 to each D6 roll to hit, check morale or perform orders; if a pinned unit retains a "Down" order (receives -1 to hit and does nothing) it removes one pin marker and so a badly shaken unit has this alternate option to rally if it is heavily pinned and deems that a successful rally order is unlikely to be achieved.

Any scale of miniatures will work. The rules would do just as well in a sci-fi setting.