Bolt Action Modern Rules

Hello all - for my followers in the US - happy post-Thanksgiving!  I've certainly had my fill of Turkey at this point and will be spending some time on the exercise apparatus as a result.

I've enjoyed Force On Force (FOF) in the past and some parts of this modification are inspired by those supplements (even if you don't play the rules there are great scenarios in those books, worth buying just for that).  Bolt Action is "my speed" of rules given all the systems I play so modifying them for modern was the best approach to keep me from having to remember yet another set of rules.

Clearly credit goes to the folks at Warlord Games for creating Bolt Action to begin with ... and to the folks who have provided excellent source material and examples in Force On Force and it's supplements for how to approach modern warfare.

Hopefully, the minor changes made here:

• Make BA work for both symmetrical and asymmetrical warfare.  My purpose being to use this for my Operation Iraqi Freedom games but also for when my friend Dan Kerrick gets his US and Russian stuff done for a hypothetical engagement between the two super powers in Europe.
• Keep to the simple and straight forward approach in Bolt Action - not defining every single difference between the numerous amount of weapon types available to the modern solider.  For example, there are just two weapon types listed for all the various man-portable AT weapons.  RPGs and SMAW are one entry and the rest are Light AT Weapons (LAW and similar).

I should have my first battle report up using the modification sometime after next weekend as I'll be playing my first Operation Iraqi Freedom game next Sunday.

Ok, pictures below show a preview of the QRF.  You can download the QRF in PDF format here.

NOTE:  Version 3.1 rules and army lists are available HERE (rules) and HERE (army lists).

 They are meant to be printed on two double-sided sheets of 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper.  Please email feedback to sotek486@yahoo.com - looking forward to see if anyone finds them useful.

28mm ACW Confederate Brigade

A bit rushed this morning due to family stuff ... but figured I'd quickly post up the pictures of Armistead's brigade and my Confederate army general.  Pictures below as usual.  Again, another big thanks to Steve Dake for doing the majority of the work here.

Army Commander

Army Commander

Brigade Commander

Brigade Commander

9th Virginia

9th Virginia

57th Virginia

57th Virginia

53rd Virginia

53rd Virginia

14th Virginia

14th Virginia

38th Virginia

38th Virginia

Limbered Artillery Battery

Deployed Artillery Battery

28mm ACW Union Brigade

Much progress has been made on the ACW front as hopefully you've seen from our previously posted battle report using our new rules called This Hallowed Ground.  As a follow up to that battle report, here is one of a few posts I'm doing covering the completed "brigades" for each side.  Of course, the actual order of battle for a brigade can vary from battle to battle, but for the purposes of building the armies we are building in "brigades" that see 1 x brigade commander, 5 x infantry units and 1 x artillery unit completed.  Special thanks to Steve Dake for doing the majority of the paint work here.

Below you'll find three regiments from the Irish brigade combined with the 20th Maine and 5th New York.  I've also included pictures of one of the army commanders.  The Iron Brigade is also complete and will be covered in a separate posting.

Next up will be Armistead's brigade for my Confederate army.

Army Commander

Army Commander

Brigade Commander

Brigade Commander

20th Maine

20th Maine

69th New York

69th New York

28th Massachusetts

28th Massachusetts

116th Pennsylvania

116th Pennsylvania

5th New York

5th New York

Limbered Artillery Battery

Deployed Artillery Battery

Modern - 28mm Iraqi Tanks

Just in case you thought my modern project wasn't progressing I have some pictures to share with you today.  I've contracted out my Iraqi and US vehicles to a local painter (Seth Amsden).  He has delivered the first batch of Iraqi vehicles and they look outstanding.  This first batch covers T-55 and T-72 tanks being used by the Iraqi Army and Republican Guard.

Seth is just about done the second batch which adds a BMP-1, BMP-2, BTR-70, BRDM-2 and an MTLB for the Iraqi forces.  The US vehicles are 2x M1A1 Abrams tanks, 2 x Amtracks, 2 x Bradleys and 3 x Humvees (1 x 40mm grenade launcher, 1 x 50 cal. and 1 x TOW).

I have a USMC squad complete and waiting to be based.  30+ Iraqi insurgents are also in progress.  I'll be running a game at DundraCon in February (Advance on An Nasiriyah).

To be clear, these are pre-reformed Iraqi forces - early war when they were still fighting against the coalition forces (hence they are poorly maintained and rough looking).

Pictures below - enjoy!

Painter:  Seth Amsden

4 x Iraqi Army T-55s
(Models are die cast from Ebay)

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Army T-55

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72s
(Models by Empress Miniatures)

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72

Iraqi Republican Guard T-72

Stay tuned - more to come very soon.