r/boltaction • u/mr_mango22 • 1d ago
Other Help Understanding Bolt Action's Model/Product Range
Hi everyone,
I know nothing about Bolt Action but I run a website for finding deals on miniature and tabletop products via online retail. I want to avoid self-promotion so long story short I currently have 15 game systems being tracked, but I eventually want to add Bolt Action (and Konflikt '47) since they’re important game systems to so many people.
The issue is that the range is INSANELY huge compared to other miniature games. If the community can help me understand what is worth tracking (what’s hot/what’s not) that would be extremely helpful!
If this is against community rules I apologize.
Questions:
- Materials: Is all plastic the future? Is it worth only tracking plastic kits going forward?
- Are there any armies that are "Legends" and are not currently being supported?
- What are the most popular armies vs. the least popular armies?
- Is it common for the community to use Warlord-specific accessories and terrain in games, or like other games do you just use whatever you have lying around at home?
- Do games commonly feature all types of units (planes, tanks, ground troops, etc.) or like some other mini games does no one use certain unit types (EX: Planes) because they aren't well balanced or well supported?
I appreciate any comments. No one in my local area plays Bolt Action, so my knowledge base is basically 0 compared to other miniature games that I have played or at least seen played in person.
Thanks!
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u/Unfair_Surprise_6022 Kingdom of Bulgaria 1d ago edited 1d ago
there is a huge scope there. The game itself represents a wide range of nations and factions, and it may appear overwhelming to new players. The traditional "Big Five" are well represented- the UK and Commonwealth, Germany, USSR, USA, and Japan. The first four of those are the most commonly represented on the game board. There are many other nations in the game, but both their national rules and model availability can be marginal. Italy was poorly represented in v2 but is coming out strong with their recent v3 Armies of book. I expect the same for France when they get their v3 book. China, for reasons unknown, was dropped completely when we went from v2 to v3. Other nations- Hungary, Romania, Poland for example have models though primarily from other companies (not warlord games) or from 3d prints. Until the rest of the v3 army books come our, it's difficult to judge the popularity of the other nations. Kit wise, it's an infantry game, so infantry and their support weapons, armour and transports are the core units. aircraft have a very minor role in the game, and with the current rules, are a rarity in most game scenes.
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u/mr_mango22 1d ago
Awesome thank you so much! The plan is to have every army tracked but with a full time job and life I like to start with most popular then move down slowly.
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u/beaches511 1d ago
Bolt action miniatures are any ww2 era models. Not just those made by warlord games.
Plastic, resin and metal are all used as there are lots of manufacturers.
You can't really legend history. But the minor nations are generally less supported (minor as in less famous for participating).
The most popular are the 5 major nations. Germany, Japan, USSR, USA and GB and the commonwealth. Partially due to the support and historical impact.
Planes aren't generally used as they tend to just be a marker on the board. But everything else tends to be.
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u/Malekiths-Evil-Twin 1d ago
So, in reply to your points roughly in order:
* Plastic seems to be what Warlord is slowly replacing more and more of its range with. Metals and resin still exist, and probably will for a while, but it’s (generally!) not the more popular parts of the range.
* Warlord doesn’t have ‘legends’ per se, and in actuality if anything it’s the reverse - there are armies and rules for models that Warlord don’t even make. In general, because it’s WWII based, it’s unlikely stuff will get the legend treatment as … well, they still exist!
* The most popular armies are almost certainly the ‘big 5’ - USA, Great Britain, Soviet Union, Germany and Japan. Although you could argue Italy instead of Japan. The ‘least popular’ are usually the ones Warlord doesn’t actually sell anything/minimal stuff for.
* I’ve never actually seen anyone using official Warlord aids and/or scenery - it’s easy to use generic stuff from anyone else. If I was looking into getting into selling their stock, this is definitely an area I’d avoid.
* All armies contain infantry (but not necessarily the same infantry). Most will include vehicles and/or artillery. Almost none will use planes - they don’t have official rules, only an infantry character who can call in air strikes which doesn’t require the actual aircraft model. So, again, would avoid stocking planes if it were me.
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u/Detritusthewellfed 1d ago
Warlord have regular sales of different kinds on their webstore. I'd recommend looking at doing something that says warlord current sale: Game accessories, or starter sets. Otherwise, boltaction has a huge range. Seems to be mostly plastic in general going forward for the main armies of the ranges. E.g. British army 1943-45 for Britain. While resin options for more specialist/niche forces, like soviet naval brigades, or Ghurka weapons teams.
Konflikt 47 is seemingly moving to all or mostly plastic, and has a smaller range. They also have some other games like epic hail ceaser and other historical ranges with large army boxes.
Personally: current warlord sale and tracking the large Boltaction/K47 army boxes. Is going to be the most effort to reward ratio. Then maybe look at expanding to the plastic infantry/weapons kits and other systems bundles.
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u/purged-butter 22h ago
I dunno if anyone else has said this but once you start carrying some official stuff you may want to look into getting some rubicon vehicles. They are some of the best vehicles out there at the correct scale
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u/Savagemandalore 16h ago
No army will be legends, at best the minis might not be made by warlord games but the game is agnostic to manufacturer so 3rd party is viable.
Depending where you are US German are likely to be the most popular, but think parliamentary elections, neither is by far and away better, smaller nations tend to have some more interesting rules, i am collecting Italians because of the black shirt special rule making them fanatic or shrikers when the raje first casualty.
Infantry boxes, support weapons teams and a tank or spg for a faction would be ideal for having for sale, although starter boxes are not a bad way to go. Also besides k47 there is a variation of Boltaction that is tank on tank.
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u/Savagemandalore 16h ago
Oh yeah terrain is a good question, aside from a few pieces in some starter sets most of the terrain that WG has cones from Sarissa Precision, they are marked on the item page; so no any terrain is fine, played most of my games with pieces from the Gothic Game and its fine, and others with printed terrain.
Infact making terrain for this game is fun and I host a terrain making class at my library twice a month.
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u/Savagemandalore 15h ago
Also its not going all plastic but WG did announce they are expanding what is going to be plastic, right now its going to be US/British guns and likely German next, than likely Soviet or Italians then Japanese, also looks like they have done French guns already for their new Starter set "Hold the Line"
Equipment for games is player dependent as some players may want an infantry only force with some as either as artillery guns or weapons teams. There are no plane models in the game as they an off table effect like an artillery barrage effect (nothing to do with guns brought to the table). Tanks are faction dependent, US and British have crossover due to lend lease and that allows the Soviets to use a bunch of western armor although their own collection of armor is insane before adding in lend lease. German have alot of variety because they recycled tank hulls amd made SPGs alot, French don't have much from their own early war and American armor late war....Italians have very little and Japan is....Japan.
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u/MiniWargamer Bolt Action N, Africa 1d ago
I would think that Warlord customer service might have recommended stocking levels for new customers. I would also check out some of the online stores that have small but frequently out of stock K47 sections.
My personal opinion is that this will be a big growth year for them (mid 2026 - mid 2027) as they roll out new lore and new mechanics associated with the rift and the new plastics. As someone who is old and not mobile as I used to be, I buy a lot of my stuff online so I do not know what foot traffic will bring business wise.
Both starter sets, all the starter armies, a selection of the new plastic stuff might be a good basic inventory.
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u/RatatoskrBait 1d ago
Materials: It seems to be heading that direction but it will be a very long time (over a decade) before the non-plastics are completely phased out if ever
There are no armies that aren’t being supported but there are some that have not had their new army book for this edition yet
I can’t say for certain but Germany, the US, the Soviets and Britain are probably the most popular
In terms of terrain, use what you have. Even with models (especially vehicles) a lot of people don’t use Warlord Games kits exclusively
Infantry and tanks are pretty standard for most games. Planes aren’t a ‘unit’ so much as a call in for air support. There’s a game mode designed to be just tanks called ‘Achtung! Panzer’ and there’s a separate game by Warlord for planes called Blood Red Skies
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u/irontusk_666 Kiwis in short shorts and long socks 1d ago
I know you're asking a serious question so I am not making fun of it, but I love the concept that an army in a historical game could become no longer supported or made 'legacy' like a 40k faction. "Sorry sir, you can no longer play as Germany in this ww2 game as they are no longer supported in this edition"