Polar Vortex Bolt Action Escalation is a three-game tournament. Games will increase in point level each round with Game 1 at 450pts, Game 2 at 750pts and Game 3 at 1,000pts. The action will build from a small-scale clash of patrols to an all-out battle!
The unofficial theme for the event is The Desert! We’ve got multiple players already committed to bringing North Africa and Mediterranean themed forced for the tournament and hope to see more! The theme is not required, only encouraged.
Please visit the Polar Vortex website and Facebook page for information on the convention. A Polar Vortex Badge ($25-$45) plus a Bolt Action Tournament Event Ticket ($15) are required.
Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel.
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 Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. Submit to Andrew at ChicagoDiceTeam@gmail.com.
Note: You will be submitting three separate lists. One list for Game 1, one list for Game 2 and one list for Game 3.
Adepticon Primer
Polar Vortex is a proving ground for Adepticon 2023. I will be using this event as a chance to gather feedback and playtest missions for Adepticon Combat Patrol and Doubles. All feedback on the missions, platoon structure and scoring is appreciated.
Army Building Requirements
- Players must use the same Nation for all three games.
- Units and Theater Selectors from Theater and Campaign books are allowed.
- In Game 1, players must use a single Combat Patrol Platoon up to 450pts. and 8 Order Dice.
- In Game 2, players may use either a single Generic Reinforced Platoon or a single Theater Selector up to 750pts and 10 Order Dice.
- In Game 3, players may use either a single Generic Reinforced Platoon or a single Theater Selector up to 1,000pts and 14 Order Dice.
- If you use a Theater Selector, you must use the same one for both Game 2 and Game 3.
- Players are not required to use the same units from one game to the next.
- Example: The units used in Game 1 do not have to appear again in a later game.
- For players using a Commonwealth force from Campaign: Western Desert and/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 units and Selectors are not allowed at Polar Vortex:
- 37mm M2 Canister Round – Campaign: Mariana & Palau Islands
- British Forward Naval Observer – Campaign: D-Day: Overlord
- German Schützen Squad – Campaign: The Western Desert
- IJA Bamboo Spear Fighter Squad (Late War) – Armies of Imperial Japan
- Any Heroes/Special Characters
- War Reporter – Optional rules
- Warplanes – Optional rules
- Campaign: Korea
Unofficial Event Theme
The unofficial theme for Polar Vortex 2023 is North Africa! Players are welcome to join in this friendly hobby challenge and bring a Mediterranean/North/East Africa Theater themed force. I will do what I can to ensure thematic matchups on thematic tables whenever possible.
To clarify, there are no points to win, no awards to seek, no impact to your tournament VPs in any way. There is only glory and the respect from your fellow hobbyist.
Game 1 – 450pts:
- Instead of using a Generic Reinforced Platoon or a Theater Selector, all player must use a single Combat Patrol Platoon.
- 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.
Combat Patrol Platoon
1 Lieutenant (First or Second)
2 Infantry Squads
plus:
Headquarters
0-1 Medic
0-1 Chaplain
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
Combat Patrol Platoon Special Rules
- No free units or equipment of any kind (free British Artillery Observer, free Soviet Inexperienced squad, free Schützen squad LMG, etc.).
- 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 (rounding up).
- No weapons with HE 3” or HE 4”.
- Maximum of 1 infantry flamethrower.
- No vehicle-mounted flamethrowers.
- Maximum of 3 vehicles.
- The M3 Stuart tank is allowed, but cannot be given the additional hull-mounted LMGs.
- No “Special Characters” or War Reporters allowed.
- Forces, units and Theater Selectors from Campaign: Korea are not allowed.
Game 2 – 750pts:
- The Game 2 Platoon contains units from the same Nation as Game 1 selected from The Armies of… and Campaign… books.
- Your force must be formed using a single Generic Reinforced Platoon or Theater Selector.
- No Tank/Armored Platoons allowed.
- If you use a Theater Selector, you must use the same one for both Game 2 and Game 3.
- The Game 2 Platoon is 750pts max.
- The Game 2 Platoon is 10 Order Dice max.
Game 2 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 (rounding up).
Game 3 – 1,000pts:
- The Game 3 Platoon contains units from the same Nation as Game 1 and Game 2 selected from The Armies of… and Campaign… books.
- Your force must be formed using a single Generic Reinforced Platoon or Theater Selector.
- No Tank/Armored Platoons allowed.
- If you use a Theater Selector, you must use the same one for both Game 2 and Game 3.
- The Game 3 Platoon is 1,000pts max.
- The Game 3 Platoon is 14 Order Dice max.
Game 3 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 (rounding up).
House Rules
- Turret Jam: The Turret Jam rule will not be used.
Model Requirements
All models used in the tournament must follow these requirements:
- All models must be WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
- Minimum three colors
- Based
Any models that do not meet these requirements will not be allowed on the table.
Event Format
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.
Grudge Matches
Have a grudge to settle? Want to challenge an old friend to battle? That’s what this event is for! As long as both players agree, let Andrew know and he will get your Grudge Match set for any of the three games. That’s right! You can Grudge Match all three games if you’d like!
It’s time to settle the score.
Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023:
9:00am – 9:30 – Check-in and Briefing
9:30am – 11:00am – Game 1
11:00am – 12:00pm – Lunch Break and Players’ Choice voting
12:00pm – 2:00pm – Game 2
2:00pm – 2:30pm – Break and Best Battlefield voting
2:30pm – 5:00pm – Game 3
5:00pm – 5:30pm – Scoring and awards
Event Scoring
The overall score for each player is a combination of:
- Battle
- Paint
- Sports
- Theme/Army List Submission
Sportsmanship Scoring
Operating on the assumption that all players are good sports, opponents are automatically granted 10 points for Sportsmanship for each game. If it turns out that player’s opponents are less than good sports, players need to report it to the TO, 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.
Paint Scoring
Paint will be scored using a rubric:
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 Friday, Jan. 27, 2023. Submit to Andrew at ChicagoDiceTeam@gmail.com.
Note: You will be submitting three separate lists. One list for Game 1, one list for Game 2 and one list for Game 3.
You should bring three copies of each list to the event. One copy for you, one for your opponent and one for the TO.
Note on EasyArmy – We all use it, we all love it. But double check your lists against the book.
Players and Forces
Remember to “be cool and bring North Africa themed forces” 🙂
| Player | Force | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben T | US – Invasion of Sicily – VI Corps |
| 2 | Ernie O | Germany – 1941 DAK Light Division |
| 3 | Al M | France – Free French Forces |
| 4 | – | – |
| 5 | Zack D | Italy – Fucilieri |
| 6 | John V | UK – 1940-42 Commonwealth Infantry Brigade |
| 7 | Shane W | Germany – Battle of the Bulge Falschrimjager |
| 8 | Sam Y | UK – South Africa |
| 9 | John M | US – Late War Armored Rifle Company |
| 10 | Jim B | UK – Commandos |
| 11 | Zak K | Partisans – Warsaw Uprising |
| 12 | Jeff H | UK – LRDG |
| 13 | Brady M | Soviet Union – Vistula-Oder Offensive |
| 14 | Robert S | France – Vichy |
| 15 | Dan L | Germany |
| 16 | Jacky L | Hungary |
| 17 | Joshua T | Soviet Union – Sealow Heights |
| 18 | August T | Finland |
| 19 | Lexx D | Germany – Fallschirmjäger (Italy 1943) |
| 20 | Jason M | Germany – Operation Watch on the Rhine |
| 21 | Tom L | US – 1942 – Operation Torch |
| 22 | Seamus H | UK – North Africa |
| 23 | Joe Valice | France – The Battle of France |
| 24 | Anthony Santiago | US – 1943 El Guettar |
| – | The Ringer | Italy – HGD Sicily |
Prize Support
Prize support is being generously provided by:
- Lighthammer Forge – Custom design work, 3D printed and laser cut gaming accessories.
- Warlord Games – Designers, manufacturers and distributors of finely detailed historical and science fiction miniatures.
- Chicagoland Games: The Dice Dojo – Chicago’s largest gaming store!
Community
Join the Chicago Bolt Action Facebook Group for updates, hobby progress, list discussion and questions.
Results and 2022 Event Packet
- The Polar Vortex 2022 results are available for review.
- The full Polar Vortex 2022 Event Packet is available:
Questions?
Contact Andrew at ChicagoDiceTeam@gmail.com with any questions.
Chicago Dice 