Bolt Action: Western Desert Boot Camp Live Blog – Saturday

@oriskany and Justin return for the third part of the Scorpions of the Desert and this time we’re going to look at blowing stuff up!

We learn about the combat tactics used by the different forces fighting in the conflicts of the western desert.

The first of our Boot Camp Gongs has been awarded!

Ron has been lucky enough to score snake eyes on an order check, showing his Germans have nerves of steel and earning the Don’t Panic! prize.

We’ve heard about how the British 8th Army can be played, now Charlie takes us through some of the Bolt Action tactics for the German Afrika Korps.

The armies are moving over from the hobby bench to the gaming tables as the Boot Campers start getting stuck into Bolt Action.

Oriskany talks with Mick and Rob about their game which is using two larger armies to fight out a campaign game.

Here we’re seeing the two sides clash amongst the blasted ruins of a desert village. It seems like things are going very well for Rob and Mick is having a bit of bad luck with the dice!

The Boot Camp battles have begun, and our warmongers have deployed their troops!

We’re getting stuck into a bit of an asymmetrical battle here between the British and the Germans. A battle is going on between this very fresh set of Sikh recruits for the British and the grizzled Germans.

Have you played out any games like this where you’re learning the rules and like to feel it out with a scenario or two where you kind of throw the army creation rules out the window?

In commemoration of the incredible endurance of one Sikh carrier on the live stream, Rot6 added their own artistic impression of the dauntless vehicle.

Behold, Amara the Immortal Carrier!

To finish off the Scorpions of the Desert series, @oriskany takes us through the various support weapons the armies brought with them to the desert.

It’s time to look at tanks, artillery, and all the other big toys.

So, the livestream is over and it featured some superb heroes on both sides. Credit has to go to Amara The Immortal Carrier, but the British really showed off their mettle throughout the game as a whole.

This was a fascinating game and it showed off what you can do mechanically with the game when it comes to something different like a trench network. The difficult terrain rules simulating the whizzing by of bullets really adds to the drama and makes you think differently when it comes to tactics.

Boot Campers Martin and Bob are waging war across one of our fantastic desert trench tables.

We stopped by to hear how they have found playing Bolt Action on this particular battlefield.

This is a massive slice of cheese as Oriskany says but here is the trailer for Tobruk…it might get you in the mood for some Western Desert fighting.

When Per brought his 8th Army up against the Afrika Korps, he was on the back foot.  His men were outnumbered; exposed to Max’s unrelenting German rage.

Enflamed by pride and the seduction of an easy victory, a few troops from the Afrika Korps climb atop their crated cover, open a rally of machine gun fire…and miss two of the three men directly in front of them.

They should have gone to German Specsavers.

The 8th Army seeing a small advantage move forward to assault, and a gruesome combat ensues. Although in the end the brave men of the 8th lost their lives, the Afrika Korps lost good soldiers.

It was a lesson to Max and his Afrika Korps in the follies of war but, more importantly, a fascinating battle to watch on the tabletop!

Oriskany is running his campaign this weekend recreating Operation Crusader.

The first games of the campaign are underway and Oriskany shows us how the map is shaping up.

If you’re taking part in our Bolt Action project competition this weekend, it should be nice to know you’re not painting alone. The guys here are progressing with their armies, and we’re all excited to see the completed battalions on Sunday!