Written by renowned games designer (and veteran of previous editions) Alessio Cavatore, Bolt Action: Third Edition features a whole host of revised and updated rules to provide the most enjoyable games possible, while maintaining the essential ‘spirit’ of Bolt Action that we all know and love.
So, what can you expect from Bolt Action: Third Edition, and from Warlord Games over the coming months? Well, first off, the game will be out in late September of this year – definitely a month to circle in your calendars! Bolt Action veterans can expect to find a game that’s very recognisably the one they know and love, with many core mechanics intact, but one that’s been refined, updated, and tuned to provide even smoother gameplay, while new players will be welcomed to a system that’s easy to pick up and learn. A brand-new, completely re-worked army list selection system provides fantastic new opportunities for fielding truly unique forces, while the new scenario generator brings fun, challenging new missions to the tabletop.
While we’re all incredibly excited about Bolt Action: Third Edition, we’ve also got loads of other awesome releases for many of our other ranges between now and late September, and we’re going to give them the attention they deserve. This means that you won’t hear very much more about the new edition of Bolt Action from us until around July, when we’ll begin showing off all the new features in earnest and taking pre-orders! We know you’ll have questions, of course, and we’ve prepared a few bits of info that we’re certain you’ll want to know right away:
Can I still use my current models and armies?
Absolutely! We put a lot of work into ensuring that the majority of Second Edition armies fit into the new force selection system with minimal additions. You’ll likely find, however, that you’ll want to invest in some units that you might not have considered in the current edition, as there have been widespread changes to points costs and individual unit rules!
What about my rulebooks?
The Bolt Action: Third Edition rulebook will immediately supersede the Bolt Action: Second Edition rulebook, and all existing Armies of… books. Contained within the main rulebook will be five ‘starter’ army lists allowing you to construct forces for Great Britain, the USA, the USSR, Germany, and Imperial Japan, while other nations will have similar lists available as PDF downloads. These will allow you to start playing right away, and will be familiar to Second Edition players, but each will be replaced by a regular, ongoing series of releases of Third Edition Armies of… books.
Campaign and Theatre books will remain valid, as the background and scenarios are still very much relevant, but the vast majority of the units contained therein will be updated and addressed in the new Armies of… books. We’ve taken the opportunity of Bolt Action: Third Edition to completely overhaul unit profiles, special rules, and points from across the dozens of sources from the first two editions, and collate them, making it easier than ever for players to field their chosen armies.
Do I need any different dice, tokens, or templates?
Nope! Bolt Action: Third Edition still uses all the Bolt Action staples we know and love – d6, Pin markers, our multi-function templates, and of course the iconic Order Dice activation system – it wouldn’t be Bolt Action without it, after all!
Will there be any further books or FAQs released for Second Edition?
At this stage, it’s all hands on deck for Bolt Action: Third Edition, so there are no more Second Edition book releases planned. Similarly, the FAQ currently available on the website is the final one for that edition – however, if you have any rules questions regarding Second Edition, you can always continue to email them to info@warlordgames.com and we’ll answer them on an as-needed basis. Please note, our award-winning Customer Service team won’t be able to give you any more information about Third Edition at the moment – it’s strictly Top Secret!
Is there anything else I should know right now?
Just that the best way to get all of your Warlord Games news (including Bolt Action updates which will start in earnest in July) is to sign up to our twice-weekly newsletter, if you haven’t already!
