who dis?

So close; basing done on the infantry and just the vehicles to go.

Nearly time for a proper beauty parade.

Lots of support choices, including a light howitzer and medium and light mortars.

There are seven infantry squads, which is the maximum you can field in a normal reinforced platoon in (v2) Bolt Action. Two compulsory, 4 additional, plus a free inexperienced squad from the Soviet national rules.

I have used four different manufacturers: Warlord Games, Plastic Soldier Company, Wargames Factory, and Eureka Miniatures. I will do a size comparison in a future post.

There will be a mix of SMG and rifle armed squads.

And a commissar, comrade. You need to look to the political needs of your troops.

I started assembly around June 2023, and painting in February this year. It feels like a record for me. I kept colours to a tight palette and batch painting really suited the army.

And now to plan a game. It could happen. You never know.

FOO Fighters

See what I did there? Also, see what I did here: a FOO team for my Soviets.

Read your Armies of … book, folks. I noticed here right at the end that one of the Soviet’s national rules is massed batteries, where off-board artillery gets a buff by rolling two dice and taking the larger for the area of effect. I have been on the receiving end and it is can be game changer.

These two are assembled from the Warlord Games Soviet infantry box. They are also the final piece of the current puzzle. Now onto basing!

that’s not a rifle

This is a rifle.

Soviets can take three anti-tank teams as a single choice in the standard force org chart.

While I may not regularly use all three slots, adding these two a/t rifle teams from the Warlord Games Soviet box to the Plastic Soldier Company team I completed earlier gives me the option.

Ura!

replacement pool

I found a few Soviet soldiers from Wargames Factory that didn’t have paint yet.

I think I left them out initially because they are all kneeling, which I’m not so keen on as a pose in squads that are otherwise mostly running.

If LMG squads are thing, they will have a role to play.

And, a few extra bodies will be help ensure that any squads are full-strength, if I want to go that way.

Squad MG

I have a feeling that squad based LMG might become more common in v3 of Bolt Action that is expected in September this year.

Just in case, I have have assembled and painted a few to add to the pool, ready for basing.

These are all from the Wargames Factory Soviet box, including the woman on the left.

Sniper Team

I kind of hope that snipers change in v3, perhaps loose the ability to auto-kill team weapons in exchange for an extra pin. Just a thought.

I suspect that snipers will remain a useful tool, rules changes or not, so including a team is pretty near compulsory.

These two are from the Wargames Factory Soviet box.

I have used one of the female heads for the sniper, because, well, just because.

big smg sqaud

I have decided that a large squad armed with SMG will get to ride in the half-track.

They might be just regulars, but that many shots up in your face can still cause havoc

The sqaud will take a/t grenades that will be represented by some of the models wielding molotov cocktails.

These figures are Wargames Factory. I’m still not in love with them. They are OK, and with paint on (and once the basing is done) will look fine on the table.

I have also done a junior officer, out leading from the front as is proper.

Good luck, Comrade. You’re going to need it.

which way is the front

Soviet armies in Bolt Action (nearly) always get one free, inexperienced infantry squad.

This means I need a bunch of rifle-armed soldiers ready to do their bit in the Great Patriotic War. Even if their bit is bloody and brief.

It is amazing how effective an inexperienced squad can be on the table. Sure, they are rubbish shots and will go down as often as they straight-up run away.

But sometimes that extra dozen fellows do their part beautifully. Hold an objective; throw out just enough shots to cause a crucial extra pin.

It is Bolt Action- so you can never be truly sure.

maximum maxim

I know there are mixed views on the effectiveness of MMG in Bolt Action. But they are iconic, so I nearly always include them in my armies. And the Soviet Maxim is so distinct it has to be included.

These are from the Plastic Soldier Company Soviet Heavy Weapon box. I like the stances on the Maxim teams. Both the firing one above and this pair moving to a new position.

Basing to follow, of course.

Now back to the infantry.

(many) thoughts and (some) feelings

Warlord Games have announced that a third edition for Bolt Action is arriving September.

Every rule set has limitations, and Bolt Action has been played many many times around the globe. No doubt the suggestion box at Warlord HQ is bulging with ideas.

My feelings are mixed. It is likely the new edition will be at least as fine as the current edition. Different things will bug me. Equally, it might bring in new players- new opponents and more opportunities to play. This is a good thing(tm)

But. I don’t really want to buy new books. I kind of hope new army books are released. There are a lot of FAQ and altered national rules, altered points, and maybe new theatre selectors are all huge opportunities for the game. But, I still don’t want to buy new books.

And if the new edition is rubbish. Shrugs shoulders. No-one is coming to take away my library. Just like SAGA, 40K, WHF, Sharpe Practice, and Lions Rampart, …, I can play any edition I like.

And there is always Konflikt 47. That is a fine game.