After playing Bolt Action for two years and poking around on various discussions online, I have seen many ways to run your Lt, but I also see people demanding that their ways is ‘the only way’ to use a Lt, which I think is incorrect. Many of the ways that Lts have been used are effective in various and different situations. So rather than to say “This is the best way” I wanted to list “This is every way” in terms of how Lts could be used and what options would be most effective when going for that use.

For choosing how to field the Lt, I consider the following options: Rank, Rating, number of assistants, weapon options and Transport vehicle. The Transport is of course a separate unit, but is vital for some uses. My examples below are not definitive, not strictly set and are only intended to show that there are many ways to use Lts.

The Lt Tax

Rank: 2nd Lt/Junior
Rating: Inexp.
Assistants: None
Weapons: Not important
Transport: None

The Lt Tax Lt is based around the idea that you are required to field an Lt in your Platoon, but the Lt doesn’t fit into your tactics. So go for the utter minimum 35pt setup so you have more points to spend elsewhere. You can use this type of Lt for the Morale bonus which I will mention below, or you can just hide them away and go down at the end of each turn.

The Morale Bonus Lt

Rank: 2nd Lt/Junior
Rating: Vet
Assistants: None
Weapons: Pistol
Transport: None

Using an Lt for their Morale bonus and not for direct combat seems to be the most appropriate way, but a way that few players use. This type of Lt specifically is armed with a Pistol to prevent you from being aggressive with the Lt, they are not supposed to shoot or charge, they are supposed to run between friendly units giving the Morale bonus to help clear pins during firefights. I find having a single Snap To be quite useful here, as you don’t have to use up a whole activation just for moving your Officer, rather you Snap one squad who get the Morale bonus and also move the Lt to a second squad in one go, ready for your next Order Die for the second squad. You can potentially have the Lt assist many squads in one turn this way.

The “Come along lads!” Lt

Rank: 1st Lt/Senior
Rating: Regular
Assistants: One
Weapons: Rifles
Transport: None

This type of Lt is the one in the middle of an advancing infantry blob. One assistant for the additional wound but not loosing Small Team, armed with a Rifle for the extra range as they shouldn’t get too close to the enemy.

The Mini Assault Squad Lt

Rank: 2nd Lt/Junior
Rating: Vet
Assistants: Two
Weapons: SMG/AR
Transport: Jeep/Car

This type of Lt is often taken based in the idea that you must take an Lt, so even though it’s an expensive unit, you can’t not take it so the points are moot. If you look at it this way then going Vet with two assistants is “only” about 40pts extra and makes it the most dangerous that an Lt can be, and the Transport gets them where they need to go quickly. This Lt can be used to finish off enemy squads that have been weakened by other fire, or can take out enemy weapons teams like Snipers or Arty.​

The Armored Assault Lt

Rank: 1st Lt/Senior
Rating: Vet
Assistants: Two
Weapons: SMG/AR
Transport: Light Armored Transport (Sd.Kfz. 250, Universal Carrier, Komsomolets, ect.)

This type of Lt is very much an extension of the Mini Assault Squad Lt, but has a slightly different use based on the rest of the army. You would take at least one full assault infantry squad to go in with your Officer in this case as part of an aggressive armored thrust. With the larger Transport you could fit a Flamethrower Team or Bazooka/PIAT in with the Officer, or in some cases squeeze the Lt onto the main Transport rather than having their own. You might additionally support this thrust with an Armored Car or Light Tank (or both). This may end up being a large chunk of a Platoon (many hundreds of points at the least).

The Arty Lt

Rank: Junior (if German), Senior (anything else)
Rating: Regular
Assistants: One
Weapons: SMG
Transport: None

Have the Lt and his buddy close enough to your Arty and Mortar to activate both of them when you get your first Order Die in the turn. Also provides a little bit of protection for your Arty in case you get outflanked. – mineral_water_69

The Gunner Lt (British/Universal Carrier specific)

Rank: Junior
Rating: Inex
Assistants: None
Weapons: Any
Transport: Universal Carrier with twoLMGs

A variation on the Lt Tax Lt, by putting your Lt tax in a double LMG Bren Carrier, you essentially get a second Armored Car slot for your Platoon. Your Lt can drive around in a Bren Carrier firing the pintle Bren all game, possibly jumping out to grab an objective in the last turn. – Joldfieldy

The Extra Pin Lt (US/Finland)

Rank: 2nd Lt/Junior
Rating: Regular
Assistants: One
Weapons: Rifle
Transport: None

For the US and Finns, often the most sensible option is just to give them rifles to make the most of national traits, and regular to not have a to-hit penalty. The Finnish player should just leave them on Ambush in Hard Cover (normally Small Team, Hard Cover, Range will leave the enemy fishing for Super 6s) and hopefully drop a Pin on something (Transports are favorite target). The US player can afford to move them around to take pot shots (again sticking to Hard Cover). It doesn’t bring a huge amount to the table but it’s much more likely to get that extra Pin than the Lt Tax Lt. It should be noted that the Finnish don’t actually have the Lt Tax Lt option in the first place so I find it more or less a no-brainer for them, especially as the Lt will become Veteran if the extra guy gets plinked off. – MrZakalwe

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Feel free to jump into the discussion either on the original Reddit post or in the comments below and for more content, including a full discussion video on the use of Officers, check out the ED-SKaR YouTube Chanel.

– ED-SKaR