| 2D6Wargamer | 23 Dec 2017 5:57 p.m. PST |
I recently "inherited" two 20mm WW2 miniature armies (i.e. American and German). I want to know if it is possible to use them to play Bolt Action. I realize that the scale of the soldiers is a bit off (i.e. 20mm versus 28mm) but can adjustments be made to accommodate the scale difference and let me play Bolt Action? If it is possible would it be as simple as buying a Bolt Action Starter set and swapping in the 20mm minis? Thank you in advance for your help. |
| Ivan DBA | 23 Dec 2017 6:11 p.m. PST |
I would play it with no changes to the measurements. Bolt Action's scale is pretty abstract, with distances compressed for the tabletop. In fact, a good number of folks use 15mm figures, making no changes to the measurements/scale specified in the rulebook. So the answer is, Yes, you absolutely can play and probably wont' observe any problems using 20mm figures. |
| BattleCaptain | 23 Dec 2017 7:23 p.m. PST |
You'll have no problems whatsoever using 20mm. It's actually a pretty good compromise between the detail of 28mm figures and the bigger battlefield effect provided by 15mm. |
79thPA  | 23 Dec 2017 7:45 p.m. PST |
You can play Bolt Action with anything from 6mm to 54mm figures. I wouldn't adjust anything for 1/72 figures. |
| Ceterman | 23 Dec 2017 8:01 p.m. PST |
Absolutely. No problem whatsoever. |
 Schulein | 23 Dec 2017 9:53 p.m. PST |
Been there, done that. No change needed. |
| steamingdave47 | 24 Dec 2017 3:41 a.m. PST |
Games will probably look a bit better with 20mm. I would guess there might be more choice of kit and figures in 20mm as well. |
| Dan in Vermont | 16 Mar 2018 7:51 a.m. PST |
quick question. If I use 20mm figures, as opposed to the official 28mm, would I still base a single 20mm figure on the BA 25mm base? |
| uglyfatbloke | 23 Mar 2018 8:56 a.m. PST |
No; base them as you see fit. |
| GReg BRad | 26 Mar 2018 3:55 a.m. PST |
I play 20mm and base them on 20mm bases. No problem |
| Asteroid X | 27 Mar 2018 4:35 p.m. PST |
I base 20mm figures on pennies. Helps them to stand better, gives a bit of room for basing and is inexpensive. |
| Lonely Gamer | 28 Mar 2018 1:57 p.m. PST |
I also have two large 20mm WW2 armies and use them in games of Bolt Action all the time…
A short battle report here -
link |
| Dan in Vermont | 29 Mar 2018 8:13 a.m. PST |
pennies!! what a great idea…..especially because the diameter of a penny is 19.05mm…much cheaper than the pack of clear plastic 20mm disks………which come out to about 25 cents each…. |
| Lonely Gamer | 01 Apr 2018 10:19 a.m. PST |
All my 20mm figures ( and 15mm figures ) are mounted on 1p's. I also use 2p's for mortars, MMG's etc, they are also on most of my 25mm / 28mm figures as they are the same size as the 25mm bases, and of course much cheaper. |
| uglyfatbloke | 02 Apr 2018 5:15 a.m. PST |
We've started to move from 2 pences to plastic/MDF, but only because we travel with our figures a lot and it's a matter of keeping the weight down. Also, plastic figures on plastic bases can be packed two per slot in a 36-slot K&R case with no real risk of chipping or breakage. 2 cases lets us take a company for each side plus a section of mortars, MMGs, AT guns without breaking our backs (or flight restriction) with our luggage. |
| FlyXwire | 14 Apr 2018 4:34 p.m. PST |
20mm figs work great for Bolt Action –
I only recently collected some Chindits and Japanese in 28mm, to help a friend get some of his Bolt Action gaming going, otherwise I would have remained exclusively 20mm for WW2 skirmishing (Bolt Action or otherwise) -
Spend your money on your terrain setup and use those 20s! |
| uglyfatbloke | 15 Apr 2018 1:09 a.m. PST |
Love the mat in the bottom picture. How did you make it? |
| FlyXwire | 15 Apr 2018 5:54 a.m. PST |
UFB,
With pet hair clippers and acrylic spray paint. The base faux fur "fabric" can be a tan color (which I use), and this can serve as the basic road bed color that one clips out, and as a contrasting color to the sprayed-on foliage green colors. On other mats I've made, the fur's tan serves as a default crop field color.
For Bolt Action, a simple 4 ft. X 4 ft. (or 6X4) mat can work well as the basis for many scenarios – with a simple [single] road net, and some clipped out areas to serve as positions to place buildings on, or entrenchments, or field overlays, etc.. Having a clipped-out, traversing road on the mat can serve as a scenario's axis of attack, or as an unrelated feature (not of importance for other scenarios), but having a road feature as part of a game mat is such a time saver for setup, and when foam hills are placed underneath the fur mat for creating elevations, there's never a worry if the road system will lay flat either – as it's part of the mat. |
's favorite historical WWII theaters to game and model.
