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Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:46 am
by Spevna
I was reading a thread on The Lead Adventure Forum where they were discussing the use of walkers in games on Bolt Action.
I am quite keen to use advanced tech on games of Bolt Action.
I though they made some good points and had some useful ideas. I wanted to share them here and see if anyone has any other thoughts.
You could probably do it simply using armored car stats for gears and perhaps having them move as infantry.
No point overdoing it, vehicles are pretty abstract in Bolt Action anyways.
And you could forbid them from entering buildings etc. where the size and weight would be an obvious disadvantage. But I don't think you want them to suck in any terrain like wheeled vehicles generally do.
There has to be a reason to use them. If they are just like armored cars or light tanks, what's the point? Beyong aesthetics orcourse.
Granted, this is all dieselpunk tech, but in game terms this is how we've used Gearkrieg combat mecha. They are equivalent to armored cars and light tanks, but they can maneuver through restricting terrain that wheeled and tracked vehicles cannot -- wooded areas, rubble, steep slopes, etc. This allows them to bring the benefits of AFVs to places normally not possible.
1. Fire support: Imagine in the rubble choked streets of Stalingrad if a light assault gun could 'walk" along with infantry to provide support, or ascend a steep slope and use an AT gun on advancing enemy forces.
2. Rapid flanking through restricted terrain: the combat walker could move through restricted terrain for scouting or attack purposes, and retreat back through that terrain leaving traditional AFVs unable to follow.
3. Non-traditional attacks: In Gear Krieg most combat walkers can "transform" from walking mode (standing up) to travel mode (legs folded up for travel). In one fun game a US player realized his combat walker could "stand" up and peek over a Normandy hedgerow and fire at surprised German units, get a partial cover bonus and then retract his legs back to vehicle mode for travel. He then would scoot off, pop back up and fire, repeat, etc. It drove the German player nuts!
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:17 am
by Primarch
I had read something similar; Move as infantry, cost as a regular tank. What you lose in speed you gain in the ability to manoeuvre.
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:27 am
by Spevna
Seems to make sense.
I think the best way to go about it would be to find a similarly armed and armoured vehicle and just use that with infantry rules. I reckon that a 1 light mech with a single gun would be a good stand in for this;
I don't see a need to add a cost to it as it should be something that is discussed before game so you and your opponent can think of the best way to balance it out.
Would there need to be any changes to how terrain is dealt with?
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:59 am
by Primarch
If you categorize it as moving like infantry, but unable to move up a building, that should give you a fair trade off for losing the speed of a vehicle. Right now, vehicles can only turn once or twice a turn, whereas infantry can move fairly freely. Vehicles can't cross certain types of terrain, whereas infantry can. I'd probably also let tje walker ignore things like low walls and maybe even wade through water as well. I don't think you'd need to change very much at all.
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:17 am
by Lovejoy
Ooh, I like this and approve of sci-fi hokum in Bolt Action (must get painting that inappropriate Copplestone Robo-Hitler mini). I got the impression that down the line after theatre books are released, some weird war supplement might happen. About the rule, some Infantry tanks in Bolt Action are slow, you could just choose a tank with this rule to represent the walker, or add the slow rule to another tank which is representing it if that makes sense. But moving as infantry seems a good solution. I admit I have only played the once and may be talking out of my fundament, but in any case BA is clearly the kind of gentlemanly game where points are secondary to the enjoyment so it doesn't matter.
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:32 am
by YellowStreak
WWII mecha? My interest in BA just increased....
Actually I was looking through the BA website a while back and saw they have specific figures for the US 100th/44nd RCT. Do they have special rules, or is it just to provide appropriately Asian-featured figures?
(I've read up a lot on the 100th/442nd and once had the opportunity to help interview a number of veterans for an article on the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbour).
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:38 am
by Lovejoy
I think they get a veteran rule that most US forces can't access, others may be more certain.
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:09 am
by Spevna
YellowStreak wrote:WWII mecha? My interest in BA just increased....
Actually I was looking through the BA website a while back and saw they have specific figures for the US 100th/44nd RCT. Do they have special rules, or is it just to provide appropriately Asian-featured figures?
(I've read up a lot on the 100th/442nd and once had the opportunity to help interview a number of veterans for an article on the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbour).
Bloody interesting bit of military history right there. Would be a great army to make.
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:09 am
by Spevna
Lovejoy wrote: But moving as infantry seems a good solution. I admit I have only played the once and may be talking out of my fundament, but in any case BA is clearly the kind of gentlemanly game where points are secondary to the enjoyment so it doesn't matter.
I too have played just once, but fully agree with what you said.
Re: Bolt Action and walkers/mecha
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 4:19 am
by Spevna
So, in summary, the points we seem to agree on so far;
1. Find a tank that is a close approximation and use those stats for your walker/mech.
2. Movement should be like infantry. The added maneuverability will make up for the loss of range.
3. Walkers/Mech can step over low walls (what constitutes "low" should be discussed prior to the game).
4. Walkers/Mech can wade through shallow water (what constitutes "shallow" should be discussed prior to the game).
5. Walkers/Mech cannot move to upper floors of a building.
Any other thoughts? Seems pretty good so far. We should try to organise something in the new year so we can test drive it.
