Combat Patrol Event Rules

Bolt Action Combat Patrol is a 3-game tournament of small battles between recon elements. Each round is only 90 minutes and games are played on a 4×4′ table. Effective Combat Patrol forces will find the right balance of speed and firepower.

The theme for AdeptiCon 2023 Combat Patrol is The End of the Beginning 1942-1943. It is not required for players to bring armies around this theme, but it is highly encouraged. Give the AdeptiCon Theater Selectors a review for inspiration!

We will do everything possible to ensure themed matchups during the events.

Army Building Requirements

  • Instead of using a Generic Reinforced Platoon or a Theater Selector, all players must use the Combat Patrol Platoon.
  • Review the AdeptiCon Theater Selectors for inspiration when creating your Combat Patrol Platoon.
    • Combat Patrol uses Theater Selectors only as guidance and inspiration. All Combat Patrol Platoons are built using the Generic Reinforced Platoon in EasyArmy.
  • A Combat Patrol Platoon contains units from one Nation selected from the Armies of… and Campaign… books.
  • Your force must be formed using a single Combat Patrol Platoon.
    • A Combat Patrol Platoon is 450pts max.
    • A Combat Patrol Platoon is 8 Order Dice max.
  • A Combat Patrol Platoon may include units from Theater and Campaign books if the unity entry states that the unit is allowed in the Generic Reinforced Platoon.
  • For clarity, in EasyArmy you are building a 450pt Generic Reinforced Platoon with the restrictions below.

Combat Patrol Platoon

Use the Generic Reinforced Platoon in EasyArmy.
The platoon is made up as follows:

1 Lieutenant (1st or 2nd)
2 Infantry Squads

plus:

Headquarters
0-1 Medic
0-1 Chaplain
0-1 Intelligence Officer

Infantry
0-3 Infantry Squads
0-1 Machine Gun Team
0-1 Mortar Team
0-1 Anti-Tank Team
0-1 Sniper Team
0-1 Flamethrower Team

Artillery
0-1 Artillery, Anti-Tank or Anti-Aircraft gun

Armored Car
0-1 Armored Car or Recce vehicle: Armor 8 max

Tank
0-1 Tank, Tank Destroyer, Assault Gun, Self-Propelled Artillery and Anti-Aircraft Vehicle: Armor 8 max

Transport and Tows
0-3 Vehicles: Armor 7 max

Note – The Extra Selection rule is allowed. You are allowed to bring 0-3 US MMG Teams in the Machine Gun Team slot of the Combat Patrol Platoon. You are allowed to bring 0-3 Soviet Anit-Tank Teams in the Anti-Tank Team slot of the Combat Patrol Platoon.

Combat Patrol Platoon Special Rules

  • The Leadership Standard – The Morale level of the Lieutenant must be equal to or greater than the Morale level of the majority of the units in the platoon not counting the Lt (rounding up).
  • No free units or equipment of any kind (free British Artillery Observer, free Soviet Inexperienced squad, free Schützen squad LMG, etc.)
  • No weapons with HE 3” or HE 4”.
  • No vehicle-mounted flamethrowers.
  • Maximum of 1 infantry flamethrower.
  • Maximum of 3 vehicles.
  • Unit specifics:
    • The M3 Stuart Tank is allowed, but cannot be given the additional hull-mounted LMGs (Dakka Stuart).
    • The M5/M5A1 Stuart Tank is not allowed due to the Reinforced Armor rule.
  • Forces, units and Theater Selectors from Campaign: Korea are not allowed.
  • Players using a Commonwealth force from Duel in the Sun, Campaign: Western Desert or Campaign: New Guinea, view the Commonwealth National Rule breakdown.
  • The Sept. 13, 2022 FAQ & Errata will be used for the tournament.

The Ban List – These rules, units and Selectors are not allowed in Combat Patrol:

  • 37mm M2 Canister Round – Campaign: Mariana & Palau Islands
  • Canister Shot – Campaign: Italy: Tough Gut p121
  • IJA Bamboo Spear Fighter Squad (Late War) – Armies of Imperial Japan
  • Gurkha Section – Armies of Great Brittan
  • Gurkha Paratroopers – Empires in Flames
  • The M3 Stuart is allowed, but cannot be given the additional hull-mounted LMGs (Dakka Stuart) – Armies of Great Britain, Armies of the United States
  • Brandenburgers – Campaign: The Western Desert, Duel in the Sun, Ostfront
  • IJA General Influence – Campaign: New Guinea p116
  • Fortifications
  • Any Heroes/Special Characters
  • War Reporter – Optional rules
  • Warplanes – Optional rules
  • Any rules, books, updates, etc. published after Jan. 15, 2024 will not be allowed.

AdeptiCon Combat Patrol & Doubles House Rules

  • Turret Jam – The Turret Jam rule is not used.
  • Wrecks – Leave the wrecks of all knocked-out vehicles on the table. The wreck counts as passible Hard Cover.
  • Command Vehicle – Players must declare their Command Vehicle when it is deployed or arrives from Reserve.
  • Tiger Fear – Tanks that cause Tiger Fear are not affected by Tiger Fear.

Event Format

Players will participate in a total of 3 games. Each game will be 90 minutes long. Match-ups will be predetermined for Game 1. The Game 2 and Game 3 match-ups will be based on Battle Points. Axis vs Allies match-ups will be made whenever possible.

Schedule

Thursday, March 21, 2024:

3 – 325pm – Check-in
325 – 330pm – Briefing
330 – 5pm – Game 1
5 – 545pm – Break and Players’ Choice voting
545 – 715pm – Game 2
715 – 8pm – Break and Best Battlefield voting
8 – 930pm – Game 3
930 – 10pm – Scoring and awards

Event Awards

Medals will be awarded to:

  • Best Overall – Player with the highest total points.
  • Best Appearance – Player with the highest Appearance score.
  • Best Battlefield – Table with the most Best Battlefield votes.
  • Player’s Choice – Player with the most Player’s Choice votes.
  • Best Allies – Player with the highest Allies score, that is not Best Overall.
  • Best Axis – Player with the highest Axis score, that is not Best Overall

Event Scoring

The overall score for each player is a combination of:

  • Battle – 60 points max
  • Appearance – 30 points max
  • Sportsmanship – 30 points max
  • Theme/Comp – 5 points
Appearance Scoring

Appearance score will follow a rubric:

Paint Rubric – Bolt Action – 2024Download
Sportsmanship Scoring

Be gracious in victory and defeat.

Operating on the assumption that all players are good sports, opponents are automatically granted 10 points for Sportsmanship for each game. If opponents turn out to be less than good sports, players need to report it to the TO’s table, before the start of the next round, using the following categories and examples as a guideline. Keep in mind; everyone gets a little salty now and then, forgets (or misplaces) their tape measure once in a while, temporarily forgets how a rule works, or changes their mind about a decision, etc.

Salty Attitude: Complain a lot. Constantly ask to see your rules—even for basic things. Act put-out if you ask to see their rules. Do not communicate intentions or establish agreement with regard to movement, line of sight, etc. Are impatient, dismissive, curt, etc.; sore losers or ungracious winners.

Unprepared for Play: Show up very late. Haven’t read the tournament rules. Haven’t read the mission description. Don’t have the majority of the things needed to play the game (have to borrow a lot).

Incompetent Play: Unable to execute the core rules of the game without frequent referencing or coaching. Spend inordinate time looking things up (i.e. do not have materials prepared, marked, or printed for quick reference)

Questionable Play: Not quite cheating, but not aboveboard either. ‘Generous’ measurements or movement. Frequently take back movement or other decisions after they are in process. Not clearly distinguishing between similar units. Not keeping track of scoring. Abuse ‘playing by intent’ by failing to establish what their intent is, but taking advantage of what it ‘could have been’.

Sportsmanship Deductions: In all cases, the judge(s) will decide whether the described behaviors are Minor, Major, or Extreme instances.

  • Minor instances will be minus 1-4 points each.
  • Major instances will be minus 5-9 points each and a visit from the TO.
  • Extreme instances will be minus 10 points and a visit from the Head TO.
Theme/Comp Scoring

Theme, also referred to as Comp, is a soft check against hyper-competitive, WAAC army lists. This is not to be confused with the overall event theme (1942-43). Each army list submitted by the deadline is automatically granted 5 Theme/Comp points. If the army list contains a force construction more appropriate for a WAAC competitive event, points will be deducted. Examples of a deduction include:

  • Inclusion of an Inexp. Indirect Fire weapon when the rest of the force is Reg. and/or Vet.
  • Inclusion of an Inexp. Transport/Two when the rest of the force is Reg. and/or Vet.
  • Unit spam (Cavalry, Flamethrowers, Howitzers, etc.).

To put it another way, Combat Patrol and Doubles are hobby-first events. Yes, we are all playing to win, but not at the experience of the opponents experience.

Army List Submission

Players are required to submit Army Lists in advance for review. Failure to submit Lists by the deadline will result in a points deduction. Lists are due by Sunday, March 3, 2024. Submit to Andrew at ChicagoDiceTeam@gmail.com.

Note on EasyArmy – We all use it, we all love it. But double check those lists against the book.

Players must bring five copies of their list to the event – three for opponents, one for the TO and one for themselves.

Questions?

Contact Andrew at ChicagoDiceTeam@gmail.com with any questions.

AdeptiCon Bolt Action Homepage