Medics & Ambulance - Bolt Action Unit Guide

patreon.com/HollywoodWargaming

[@mrwolverinio]

Nice to see you're still putting out bolt action videos. Great work!

[@durzod2052]

A game recently made me look at medics. I was playing against 1940 French, with lost of inexperienced infantry. The medic had ample time to practice his trade! I'm not certain, but he probably made his points back, if not more so.

[@Erzbischof1968]

At least it is a cheap option to gain an additional orderdice and when he saves a model it's worth the double. I often take a medic on my list, just for the orderdice.

[@user-db3ln2xz4t]

You should cover the various small arms and their uses. (Pistol, rifle, shotgun, smg, assault rifle, automatic rifle, lmg)

[@dougearnest7590]

From a novice wargamer, for what it's worth: First, thanks for these videos, and for this one in particular. Yes, the basic rulebook (as an afterthought) tells us what medics can do, but doesn't provide for a player to purchase one. That was a tad confusing. I realize it's a game and that some degree of realism has to be sacrificed for playability, but the rules for medics needs major work. Here are my thoughts -- For a reinforced platoon, there should be more than one medic and they should be spread around the table. Medics should be free or extremely cheap (cheaper than 23 points cheap) and they should be self activating as needed -- and need no order dice -- because they are not combatants and are doing their own thing while the guys with guns are doing something else. Also, there is no disincentive for targeting medics - it's not like the players will be subject to penalties after the game for violating the rules of war. So perhaps shooting a medic has a small chance of adversely affecting the morale of the closest unit, and a larger chance of getting them pissed off (an extra dice or two? at least for the next turn they shoot.) "I know what you're thinking. You wanna take a shot at the Doc. Well, if I roll a one you'll make us cry. On a 4, 5, or 6 we get plus 1's to hit your sorry asses next round, and then we'll castrate your wounded with a dull rusty knife. So you have to ask yourself 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, punk, do ya?"

[@DukeExeter]

As for reacting to charges, weapons out of range (basically pistols) can wait till the attckers get into range to shoot but suffer the -1 for long range, so your medic team can shoot back at assaulting enemies and then count as tough fighters in the close combat

[@IndustrialFaith]

Medics sound pretty realistic, for a wargame, and actually kinda handy. Nothing special, but it's the little things that do the oddest things that can win you games. Also see the old "17% of the time it works all the time." Dice games, I tell you...

[@jesserudolph276]

Glad to see you back!

[@sithyuu7696]

This hollywood is definitely wargaming

[@ClassicColt45LC]

I agree with you for the most part, but you missed a SUPER valuable medic… The squad or specialist trained medic. 5-10pts to give some of the most elite units in the game the “feel no pain” rule. Granted you don’t get the extra order dice or the versatility of a dedicated medic but whenever I see that upgrade in a squad it’s an auto include for me.

[@jasonrobert8098]

Medics are weird in BA. On one hand I always find ambulances and medics cool models and love seeing those big red crosses on a white background. On the other hand, when I see medics in WW2 movies it seems more like they are saving lives for after the battle rather than patching a guy up to keep fighting in the battle. Not sure if they belong in a WW2 wargame like BA. In any event I’d like to see how they are improved in V3!

[@seanm9824]

Since it's a HQ, the 5 points to give your medic a horse can be worthwhile if you've got cav in the list. Quite useful to keep up with Polish lancers, for 15pts cheaper than the ambulance (and you get recce to stay safe, and can occasionally run to kill empty transports) Also, the luftwaffe selectors in D:Day British/Canadian can take inexperienced medics for 18pts.

[@4TheLion]

Flamethrower+medic in an sdkfz 250/1

[@dougpopson5734]

would u do a best of for french

[@rodento3220]

When I started I played very aggressively and having a medic to reduce the damage taken while advancing made the difference more than once . However now that I am more focused on DAK (And not 44-45 grenadiers with STGS) they don't seem do do nearly as much.. What do you think?

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

Only with small arms fire, if it is inflected with HE, heavy weapons, and flamethrowers then nope that roll of 6 is not going to save them. This is why I have only took a medic 4 times out of the 70+ games that I have played.

[@HollywoodWargaming]

Yes it's one of big sticking points mentioned in the video.

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

@@HollywoodWargaming Oh you should of touched on the Finnish Kaukopartio squad where each one in the squad is a medic and so get to roll for the 6 if they start to take casualties, just remembered them. But I sure like your channel as it helped me with a few decisions on how to go with my 4 factions US Army, USSR, Germany, and finally Imperial Japanese Naval Landing Force.

[@kanrakucheese]

You mentioned losing the medic costs you an order dice, but didn’t mention that Medics *give* an order dice for a mere 30 points and, as far as I can tell, can still hold objectives. That’s a pretty good deal as long as they don’t die too quick (and if the enemy is using one of their attacks to target a medic, instead of just putting them in splash, it was worth at least a fraction of those 30 points) Some campaign books have an upgrade to give infantry medical training. That's *definitely* not worth it since there's no extra OD.

[@derFredausdemVideo]

He said in the video that the Geneva Convention rule also prevents the medic from holding objectives