Bolt Action - War of the Worlds

Some enjoyable Bolt Action games of late and with a number of long train journey's got me thinking about how I might adapt them to cover my War of the Worlds Invasion Earth forces.

I much prefer knowing one or two rule sets really well, which keeps games flowing rather than the constant picking over rule sets, so I thought I would have a crack at tweaking Bolt Action and adding in elements from the original Martian Empire Rules.

Where possible I have looked to keep to the main rules for Bolt Action.

A few more play tests are required but feed back was pretty positive given it's first out with a couple of regular Bolt Action players.

On with the game - Crown Forces are looking to hold the line on the approaches to Winchester.

The British line, the cream of the British army, heavy cavalry, lancers and guns in emplacements. Surely this would be enough against the invader. 

Red weed had already started to creep into the eco-system, before the war machines were seen on the horizon, Fighting Machines, Handling Machines and smaller scout machines marched forward.

A fighting machine towered over a column of refugees as the guard rushed words to distract the tripod.

As the Martian raised its heat ray the heavy batteries let fly from behind the wooded ridge supressing the machine long enough for the column to stumble on.

As the local yeomanry advanced the fast moving scout walkers scuttled forwards wading into the valiant militia as they attempted to form up. The handling machine turned to face the tide of humanity trudging down the road. 

In a rare victory on the day the life guards caught a unit of Martians outside of their protective hoods, cutting them down before they in turn were wiped out by the fighting machines heat ray.

The invaders pressed on as the Royal Artillery fell backwards having been stripped of their infantry cover.... England was not yet defeated but the invaders would take some stopping.

A good first run out. Some things to ponder before the next game.

• The Heat Ray needs perhaps a slightly shorter range and when firing at infantry perhaps need the penetration score dropping to stop them all being completely wiped out in a turn.
• 
  
• The massed infantry ranks adding additional +1 for each stand beyond 2 felt right, but might need a limit to the number and arc of fire.
• 
  
• Artillery worked well at pinning the main tripods several times the main fighting machine was pinned and had to rally/repair themselves to stay in play.
• 
  
• Hand to Hand combat needs a slight rework allowing units to fall back rather than simply wiped out, I am thinking the difference between kills, becomes pins and units fall back 12" to keep them on the table.

All in all nice to get these guys back on the table.