Gentleman's War! New Bolt Action Starter Set

[@Eman1182]

One thing that's also nice is that the Island assault box comes with the same colored orders dice so if you pick up both of the starter boxes, you'll have two full sets of 12 order dice.

[@tabletophobbies.terraintec2697]

I really hope WG could do more like these , maybe a 1940 blitz set with French and Germans so also themed staters

[@WoofyMcDoodle]

sadly early war is not really that much played. Most people play late war armies, even tho early war can be pretty fun

[@eggiwegs]

For those pin markers, a friend of mine painted the numbers on the base of each pin dial white. We use them all the time now they’re great. Simple procedure, he just got a flat side of foam from a blister pack wet with diluted white paint. Then from about four inches above you just drop the pin base numbers down onto the painted foam. Gets the numbers painted quick with minimal fuss.

[@MajorSvenGaming]

As someone to has the starter army boxes for both DAK and the 8th army I am very excited to be picking up this set. More infantry and an armoured car slots into both collections so neatly.

[@jsizzlesaurusrex]

AND HE IS BACK!

[@iiiiiii5]

Good to see new content coming from Warlord. Thanks for the great summary

[@aaronsomerville2124]

This boxed set looks very tempting actually. Thank you for the nice breakdown of the contents!

[@bazza1carter]

A good review and for once a balanced starter set. If anyone wants a pick and play for BA then this is it, the theatre might not be to everyone's liking but the armoured cars can be be used in NW Europe so there's no redundancy if peeps want to expand into other theatres.

[@SPD3DPrinting]

Your videos are very helpful! Thank you for the explanations, tips and ideas. If you have time, please consider doing a Bolt Action Command Teams review, different officer ranks, why to use them and how they work. Have a great day!

[@E_Platypus_Unum]

My group have so many pin markers we just put them in a bin and just use them for each pin

[@TroyTempest777]

Great breakdown of what looks like a good new boxset! The war in the desert has lots of cool tanks,artillery,infantry etc..lots of cool units to use plus you can always use your units in games set in Crete,Italy etc👍

[@roha2317]

I have this kit and shared it with someone, we are very happy with it! For the British especially it's worth swapping out the mortar for that free artillery observer.

[@jsizzlesaurusrex]

white paint in the grooves in the pin markers make the numbers on them much more visible

[@1rnw792]

Do you think you could do a video on how to build on this set for both matched play, but also for playing through the western desert campaign book?

[@HollywoodWargaming]

If you want to do either of those I would simply recommend picking up another box set of Infantry for both sides and following my Early/Mid War build videos for those sets while following this build guide for the contents of this box set. 24 infantry isn't enough for competitive play and if you want to run the Western Desert book you'll have trouble filling out the points requirements for some of the matches and end up with very similar lists from battle to battle. This starter set is really best for getting small skirmish games in. A general rule of thumb though, avoid building duplicates of special weapons like Mortars and AT Rifles, as you can often only field one of each. For DAK, if you plan on playing western desert, perhaps build a few extra LMG teams, as the Schutzen squads let you get an LMG for free.

[@giacomovergara3453]

I think the set looks cool

[@warfilgames]

I just put a white drybrush on the red pin dials, they're fine at their job

[@zeekasr]

Hey man! love your vids, I just got into Bolt Action with the Marine Corps. In one of your old vids I believe you mentioned not being able to take 3 BARs for the U.S. .. Has that since been changed? Apparently it mentions you can in the "Armies of the US" or one of the pacific campaign books? I don't have any of those yet but the online Army builder says that's where it's located.

[@HollywoodWargaming]

I think that was with the airborne not being able to take BARs unless you run them as US Veteran Infantry instead of Airborne. The Marines should be fine. I could be mistaken though. Check out EasyArmy.com and mess around with the Generic Reinforced Platoon options in US Forces.

[@ajlynch123]

It’s exciting to see a new video! Do you have any content coming on all the new Star Wars Legion announcements?

[@HollywoodWargaming]

Yes!

[@LongLe-wx8gb]

Can you do a video on competitive US list?

[@thomasshaw61]

I WOULD DEFINITLY GET A SET!I GOT THE STALINGRAD COLLECTOR,S EDITION SET AND THE PEGASUS BRIDGE SET!I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING EVER SINCE!I AM ON MY SUMMERBREAK,NOW AND I WILL HAVE TO WAIT,UNTIL I GO BACK TO WORK,TO GET THEM!

[@davebeattie9573]

Nice video and review. As for the platoon composition, I have a little nitpick. While balancing everything (based on figure builds) is all well and good in a friendly game, it would run into problems in a competitive setting, remember one of the things that appears on every force selector is the phrase "Equipped as modeled". As such, I always work out what I want to field, based on points from an appropriate selector (usually 1000pts) before I assemble anything, (saves someone moaning that your force isn't game legal). To that end I used my copy of the Western Desert supplement, picked two appropriate reinforced platoons, and then attempted to build two platoons of equal value using just the contents of this set. For the British I used the 1940-42 Commonwealth Infantry Brigade selector. Notes on this selector are that the British infantry sections can not equip their NCOs with SMGs, so the squad NCOs must have rifles (the British North African selectors tend to have early war Infantry sections. The British don't get NCO w/SMGs until Mid/Late war and North Africa is largely an early war setting). Also the Humber Mk II is a fully enclosed vehicle and so can not be pinned by small arms fire. They also get a free artillery observer (Yes, a 100pt model for FREE!) The force I worked out was Regular - 2nd Lt + 1 man both equipped as modeled = 60pts Regular - Infantry Section (Early War) - NCO w/rifle + 6 men w/rifles + 1 man w/LMG = 100pts Regular - Infantry Section (Early War) - NCO w/rifle + 6 men w/rifles + 1 man w/LMG = 100pts Regular - Forward Observer (Artillery) + 1 man both equipped as modeled = 10pts (observer is free, but his buddy is 10pts) Regular - Light Mortar team (2 men w/team weapon) = 35pts Regular - Boys anti-tank rifle team (2 men w/team weapon) = 30pts Regular - Humber Mk II armoured car = 95pts National Characteristic Special Rule - Rapid Fire = FREE! Total Points Cost = 430pts (and uses all 24 figures for the British) For the Germans I used the 1942 DAK Light Africa Division. Notes on this selector are that the Schützen squads get their first LMG for free (Yes, a twenty point weapon upgrade for free), and can have up to two LMGs per squad (also german LMGs/MMGs roll 1 more dice than anyone else). Schützen squad NCOs can have SMGs. The Sd.Kfz 222 counts as an open topped vehicle, and so can be pinned, but not damaged by small arms fire (any weapon without a Pen value, so rifles, LMGs, SMGs and even pistols). The force I worked out was Regular - 1st Lt + 1 man both equipped as modeled = 85pts Regular - Schützen Squad - NCO w/SMG + 6 men w/rifles + 1 man w/LMG = 83pts Regular - Schützen Squad - NCO w/SMG + 6 men w/rifles + 1 man w/LMG = 83pts Regular - Light Mortar team (2 men w/team weapon) = 35pts Regular - Anti-tank rifle team (2 men w/team weapon) = 30pts Veteran - Sd.Kfz 222 Light Armoured Car = 114pts Total Points Cost = 430pts (and uses 22 of the 24 figures for the Germans) Both forces are balanced (though I hate that the Brits get a free 100pt model), and more importantly are game legal, so you won't need to rework things if you're up against a competitive player, and both lists can readily be expanded to a full 1000pts with a few simple additions (and in my case for my British, 1 minor tweak to the existing list). For example My planned first expansion for the Germans is Veteran - Brandenburgers (Africa) Special Forces - NCO w/SMG + 9 men w/SMGs + squad has anti-tank grenades = 230pts Regular - MG34 LMG team (3 men w/team weapon) = 50pts Regular - MG34 LMG team (3 men w/team weapon) = 50pts Veteran - Panzer III Ausf J Medium Tank = 240pts Total Points Cost for the expansion force = 570pts Total Points Cost for the expanded reinforced platoon = 1000pts My planned first expansion for the British is Regular - Infantry Section (Early War) - NCO w/rifle + 6 men w/rifles + 1 man w/LMG = 100pts Veteran - Sniper team (2 men team) = 65pts Veteran - Royal Engineers Infantry Section - NCO w/rifle + 7 men w/rifle + 1 man w/LMG + 1 man w/flamethrower = 180pts Regular - Light Artillery + Spotter (3 men with team weapon) = 65pts (NOTE: use the artillery observers buddy as the spotter) Regular - Quad tractor = 15pts Regular - Infantry Tank Matilda Mk II = 155pts Total Points Cost for expansion force = 580pts Total Points Cost for the expanded reinforced platoon = 1000pts Before people start saying "my points don't add up" remember the free artillery observer lost his buddy, thereby reducing the starter platoon to 420pts. The figure will be used as the spotter for the light artillery. Also I used the EasyArmy.com Bolt Action force selectors to select everything (saves having to keep track of things on paper or in my head), so it's all game legal and points accurate. Once a player gets more into the game they can then start experimenting by altering their basic lists (such as upgrading the mortar to a medium one w/spotter, or changing unit experience, but need to make deductions to pay for them). Other ways to change things is to swap out one unit for another at equal value, etc, etc.

[@roha2317]

I don't think this will work: there are 7 squads for the British while there are only 6 order dice in the kit. Swapping out the mortar for the artillery observer will do the trick though.

[@davebeattie9573]

@@roha2317 I never saw the lack of order dice as a problem for a number of reasons. First, at least for me, I have more than enough order dice that the short fall simply doesn't occur. But thanks to your reminder, I now realise that not everyone will have that luxury, particularly if this is their first foray into Bolt Action. Second, If you want to stick to a one order dice per unit idea, then simply do not include the free artillery observer, and transfer the extra man into one of the other units. As they are all regular the 10 point model can easily slot into either the HQ team (my own Jock Column uses this set up of Officer w/pistol, man w/SMG, man w/rifle). Or you can add the extra man to one of the rifle sections, turning it into a 9 man team instead of 8. A third alternative can be found on page 213 of the 2nd edition rules book. Titled 'NOT ENOUGH ORDER DICE?'. This explains how to handle a shortage of order dice. Hope that clarifies things in relation to any confusion I may have caused with my original post.

[@mattcappelli5822]

Thanks for the video. I do think this is a great overall boxed set. I like the direction WG is going with this. However, I have two issues... 1) for the price point, I would have liked each army to have a command blister so you don’t have to make leaders out of the sprues. 2) I don’t like WG is “paywalling” the ACs. That’s a very GW move so hopefully this isn’t a sign of things to come

[@HollywoodWargaming]

Agreed. I doubt the demand of armored cars is high enough for them to pull that though. You can always go snag a 1/48 Tamiya Humber or 222 though. Theyre beautiful models.

[@mattcappelli5822]

@@HollywoodWargaming agreed. I highly doubt WG is sweating the paywall for these two vehicles. I hope it’s not a “testing the water” to see how reactions will be. I’m confused by 1/48 scale kits. I bought a Soviet Jeep from Tamiya and it looks hugely out of scale

[@SeaRaven227]

@@mattcappelli5822 You can get a 1/56 222 with Rubicon, it's identical with this one, in fact i'm pretty sure Warlord got the license from them.

[@Salty_Sassenach]

It's £70 or $85 here in the UK from alternative sites

[@HollywoodWargaming]

unfortunately that’s not the US site price. Warlords a bit weird about that.

[@matejaobrenovic3338]

Oh for fucks sake I just bought my starter set

[@hellcat64]

i wish they would ut in a building. or they could have introduced new desert terrain. like dunes or a oasis

[@HollywoodWargaming]

It would be nice but at the same time Warlord's official terrain isn't that great, and throwing in something from Sarissa would have made it cost anothe $50+

[@kanrakucheese]

One non-obvious caution about this set: Trying to fit the British forces as pictured (or you as recommend) into early war requires they be running some veterans, since they're the only non-officers to get SMGs early war. Doable "mid-war" without issue though. As for settings/factions for starter sets: I feel anything Soviet is out since the free infantry is HUGE at 500 points and limited models. If one were to go strictly for symmetry and balance, the obvious answers are Free French v Vichy France and Greek Resistance v. Greek Resistance, but obviously neither of those has much popularity. As for the dice: Use a deck of dollar store playing cards (one player is red, other is black) for initiative. Keeps the odds and it's easier to randomize anyways. Not sure on a good solution for already ordered units that doesn't need a 3D printer though.