Below is an overview
of the Bolt Action league rules I’ve used with success. You’ll need to gauge your local group’s
ability to field the point values called out in the rules and adjust
accordingly. Also, remove the ‘red vs.
blue’ rule, if you feel your group would be better off having more open
opponent restrictions.
The League will run
for 10 weeks
Weeks 1 through 5 will
be 1,000 point games and weeks 6 through 10 will be 1,250 point games
Forces must be
representative for a specific time period and/or theater, for example July 1944
through May 1945, Western Europe.
Army lists can be
based on generic or theater lists. Since my group has some very experienced
WWII gamers, we allow for some bending of the list rules, but point values are
maintained. So, legal lists can also be
modified for historical accuracy; however, if you “break the BA rules” for a
historic reason, the players must provide evidence of the historic rational.
Tank and infantry
lists are allowed. (I have also run Tank only or Infantry only leagues as
well. All work, as long as people know
the rules ahead of time.)
Bolt Action Version 2
rules are to be used.
I allow for a modified
transport rule when running tank list only events.
Players have two
options regarding transports for your troops. They can follow the BA rules and
pay for a transport for each unit and use them in the game, or they can pay 50
points for a group of “virtual transports” that bring all foot units to the
edge of the battlefield.
In between games, players
can alter their list by changing one order die. However, if you have suffered
two losses in a row, you can completely change your list before the next game.
Games must be red vs.
blue and played in historically representative terrain for the forces. Era-appropriate
theater scenarios are encouraged, if players are willing to try some (yes, some
of these are asymmetric but worth playing). Otherwise, the basic scenarios
along with the store binder scenarios are allowed. (In my store, we maintain a binder with play
testing scenarios from a variety of sources to add to the standard book
scenarios.)
This league will have
a painting competition component as well. On the league evening of the even
numbered weeks, there is a painting competition. All painting entries must be
from the player’s current force.
Week 2 – Single figure
Week 4 – Multi-man team weapon
Week 6 – Vehicle
Week 8 – Full squad (Min of 5 figures)
Week 10 - Diorama (No larger than 8” x 8”)
Points are as follows:
Games – Win: 10 pts,
Tie: 4 pts, loss: 1 pt
Painting – Win: 10
pts, Simply entering: 4 pts. (Note, if you win, you get 10 points, not 14)
Players can play as
many league games as they want. League games must be played at the store but
don’t need to be done only on league nights. This allows for missed games or to
try to overcome a loss with a win.
Only a player’s best 8
scores (painting and gaming combined) will count toward their points. Tie
break will be the tied players’ top 9 scores, and if needed, top 10 scores,
etc.
League points example: if a player plays 9
games with a W-L-T record of 4-3-2 and participated in 3 of the painting
competitions, that player’s league points would be a total of 56 points based
on their top 8 scores. In this case,
that would be 4 wins at 10 points each, 2 ties at 4 points each, and 2 painting
entries at 4 points each. (40+8+8=56). So, the player participated enough to
overcome all three losses.
By counting fewer scores than the total number
of opportunities, players can make up for missed league weeks (life and
business travel happens, at least in my group), and players can get in an extra
game or two to “erase” a loss suffered during the league. This keeps people
engaged and doesn’t allow for runaway leaders as easily. I use 8 out of a total of 15 scoring opportunities (10 league nights and 5 painting comps), and found that it works well with the absences. Feel free to vary this number to suit your group.
