The Chicago Dice Bolt Action Learning League has begun. Follow along as we recap the weekly games during the Bolt Action League.
Hobby Update
Alongside the games for our learning league, we have a Hobby Progress Tracker where players are awarded points for each step of building and painting their armies. We all know Bolt Action is more fun when it’s played with fully painted armies on beautiful tables, but many of us struggle to motivate ourselves to push through and get paint on the models. The players in the league have really latched on to this competition. Since the start of the league, we have had over 160 units assembled, over 100 primed, with around 50 fully painted and based. On top of that, players are really pulling out the stops with unique conversions, thematic basing, impressive details, and weathering. This is their first ever Bolt Action army for several players, which is doubly exciting. – Sam
Week 2 – 500pts – Prisoner Capture
The Mission
Prisoner Capture was pulled from the Polar Vortex 2023 packet and adapted to Third Edition. In this mission, players score points for “spotting” enemy units with their Platoon Commanders (PCs) and Command Vehicles (CVs). Any enemy unit within 24″ of the PC/CV that is either in the open or behind Soft Cover (or within 6″ behind Hard Cover) is automatically spotted at the end of the turn. PCs and CVs that are Down cannot spot. Each spotted unit is worth 1 VP at the end of the game. If players destroy an enemy unit in close combat, they score 3 VP for “capturing a prisoner”. And if you manage to defeat a PC or CV in close combat and capture them – that’s worth 5 VPs.
There are no points for kills, just spots and captures. This is a mission that rewards cagey play as you don’t want to destroy an enemy unit before you have a chance to spot them!
Andrew V (Great Britain – BEF) v Dave F (France – FFL)
I went into Game 2 with the same list as Game 1. I wasn’t planning on making any adjustments, and having both a Platoon Commander and a Command Vehicle was perfect for the Prisoner Capture mission. Dave, on the other hand, not only brought a new list, it was also a new army! Dave ran Italian Bersaglieri last week and rolled up to our game with a fresh Free French Foreign Legion Combat Patrol force from Askari Miniatures that he picked up at Little Wars 2025. So major respect to Dave for running a brand-new nation for our game – no easy task!
Dave and I deployed our forces and took up positions behind cover. Neither of us wanted to give away any early unit-spotted VPs. I had an advantage because both my Platoon Commander and Command Vehicle could spot enemy units, so I pressed my officer and AEC forward. I scored the first kill early and eliminated the French AT Rifle Team. With that unit gone, Dave only had VB Launchers to contend with the AEC and Recce Carrier. We took up strong firing positions, and for the next five turns, it was LMG and VB shots exchanged at range. Units were spotted on both sides, and the score remained close.
Heading into Turn 6, VPs were 4-3 in my favor. I had spotted four of Dave’s units, and he had spotted three of mine. But to secure victory, you had to win by at least two VPs. The only way for one of us to get the win was to abandon cover and risk an assault to capture a prisoner (and net 3 VPs). I charged forward towards a lone Legionnaire with a squad of five BEF, and although the Frenchman was able to club a Brit down, my squad secured a prisoner and the win.
Two weeks in a row with a game that came down to the last turn! The game could have gone either way, and with a bit of luck on those VBs, and think Dave would have had the win. – Andrew
Logan X (Germany) v Zak K (Partisans – Poland)
The German command heard rumors of Polish Partisan forces amassing nearby. Information was needed. A stealthy infantry force was dispatched to gather as much intel about this group as possible.
One squad of German Grenadiers posted up inside a centrally located building and immediately retreated after seeing the firepower of the Polish MMGs and Mortars (a Turn 2 FUBAR). Another squad of Grenadiers pushed up the left flank, gunning down one of the two Partisan Commanders. A third squad of Grenadiers pushed into some trees to the right. They were immediately spotted, and the Partisans unleashed everything they had on them. Two Infantry squads, an MMG, and a Medium Mortar opened up at the trees. Granted protection by their positioning, the Grenadiers held their ground but needed to regroup (nine Pins on a Veteran unit!). The Poles used this opportunity to rush them, taking their NCO captive.
After a bit of positioning, the German Sniper was able to remove the second Polish Partisan Commander. The left flank Grenadiers pushed forward, firing into Partisan infantry and causing them to panic (this was FUBAR number two). Then, the Grenadiers launched forward to capture their own prisoner. Knowing the area was clear of mobile forces, the German Commander pushed up the mid-left field to record the extent of the Partisan MMGs and Medium Mortars before retreating back into cover. Seeing the German Commander retreating, the Partisan infantry squad with the captured NCO opened fire into the building. The German Commander was slain. Thinking the conflict over, the German Sniper Team retreated, but the Polish Partisans weren’t finished fighting (we began Turn 7). They grabbed the Sniper Spotter as a prisoner, and an MMG shot the German Light Mortar from afar. There were heavy casualties on both sides, and strategic intel was radioed back to both HQs. This resulted in an 8-8 tie. The Germans spotted five units and held one prisoner. The Partisan force held two prisoners and spotted two units. – Logan
Nate B (US) v Jacky L (Great Britain – Polish Independent Brigade)
A pub fight went too far between my US and Jacky’s Brits. The Brits had to wait too long for their armour support while the Americans got to snag a prisoner. Win for the US 11-5. – Nate
John V (France – Colonial Vichy) v Rob R (Soviet Union)
Victory for Rob’s Soviets. Another loss for my Vichy. Rob played smart and used my numerical superiority to his advantage, spotting all nine of my units with his command tank while I could only spot a few Soviets. I had a desperate gambit in the final turn of the game, attempting to assault Rob’s Command Tank to capture the crew. But SMG-toting Tank Riders cut my squad down before they could go for the tank. A well-played and fun game!
I may be 0-2, but the FTs have all survived both games, so I consider that a victory. – John
Zack D (Yugoslavia (France)) v Hayden R (United States)
Hayden and I threw down between the French (Yugoslav) and Americans. The fighting was close, but the US took the win with a captured soldier and good tank maneuvers. Turns out tanks really revolutionized warfare and are hard to stop. Who knew? – Zack
Russel R (Germany) v Lexx D (Germany)
I played Lexx for Week 2. German v. German. Straight up slugfest for four turns. Lexx conceded three Order Dice into Turn 5 once I was lucky enough to be able to use those three draws to finish off two of his three vehicles and drive off the third, while maintaining all of mine. While we were technically tied at the end of Turn 4, it was clear that Lexx wouldn’t be able to secure any more Victory Points, while it was virtually impossible for me not to. Good fun! Takeaways: Cover Saves are awesome when to make them, horrible when you don’t. Unfortunately, in this game, Lexx missed too many saves at the wrong time. Also, German Infantry MMG teams can throw out a lot of lead. – Russel
League Standings After Week 2
| Player | Force | Games Played | Wins | Losses | Draws | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zack D | Yugoslavia (France) | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| Maple S | Soviet Union | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| John V | France – Colonial Vichy | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| Andrew V | Great Britain – BEF | 2 | 2 | – | – | 6 |
| Sammie A | Great Britain – ANZAC | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| Dave F | Italy – Bersaglieri & France – FFL | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| Zak K | Poland – Partisans | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Terry D | Finland | 1 | 1 | – | – | 3 |
| Adam S | Great Britain | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| Kevin K | Germany | – | ||||
| Logan X | Germany | 2 | 1 | – | 1 | 5 |
| Jacky L | Great Britain – Polish Independent Brigade | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| Rob R | Soviet Union | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| Lexx D | Great Britain – SAS & Germany | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| Kevin C | USA | – | ||||
| Giuseppe I | Germany | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| Nate B | USA | 2 | 2 | – | – | 6 |
| John M | USA | 2 | 1 | – | 1 | 5 |
| Russel R | USA & Germany | 2 | 1 | – | 1 | 5 |
| Hayden R | USA | 1 | 1 | – | – | 3 |
Dispatches from the Front
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 – 500pts
Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 – 750pts
Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 – 1000pts
Chicago Dice 