Bolt Action V2 first game

V2 is still a couple of weeks off release date & we haven't got a copy, but we figured we'd gleaned enough info from the net to play a game near enough to V2.  This the result of our research - mostly from the video referenced from the Warlords weekly email.

Camp Cromwell’s unofficial list of changes in v2
Item	Details as we think they are
Friendly Fire (Barrage)	Random direction 2D6”
Template for HE	Diams are: 1”, 2”, 3”,4” for 1D2/3, 1D6, 2D6, 3D6 Fire at houses still use the D
AA fire	Made effective
Rally Test	Don’t count -1 per pin in Command Test
Staying Down	-1D3 pins if staying down at end of turn
MG’s +1 dice	LMGs 4, MMGs 5 (incl. vehicles)
LMG range	Now 36”
Vehicle MG	Generally have co-driver to fire it
Reece Evade	Only if not already activated this turn
Commander	Activates other units within 6”.   1, 2, 3, 4 units for 2ndL, 1stL, Capt, Maj.
Double 1 Command Dice	Take off 1+D6 pins
Dense Terrain	Can see into it, but not thru it
Assault Rifles	Range 18”
Assault special rule	Re-roll hits for another hit (instead of 2x dice)
Pins in Assaults	Not removed after assault adjudicated
Shaped Charge	No -1 to hit
Snipers	No +1 to hit. Can’t snipe at less than 12”.
Flamers	Need 3+ to hit (no cover modifier)
Scenarios	More of them

The scenario we played is Surrounded - the defender starts with half their army in the centre of the table.  The attacker's first wave comes on turn 1, both sides reserves from turn 2.  Units can be brought on from any edge, but not the same edge as the enemy's last reserve.  To win you have destroy 2 more enemy units than you lose.

The Brits are the defenders.  The Germans tried to rush their position from the near side with mounted Panzergrens in the first wave.  But the Brits had got two units into ambush before the infantry dismounted & while the Germans wiped out the Brit MMG, they were then badly shot up themselves.  

The freedom to bring on reserves on any edge subject only to not being the same edge as the enemy's last reserve is maybe a bit gamey, but it can lead to scary sideplots.  The German mmg wiped out the 25 pdr on the LH ridge, but got wiped in turn by infantry from the half track.  On the left the bug with PIAT crew took on the German HT's.  The 251 had to retire, but the Stummel got lucky, killed the Piat crew leaving the Carrier isolated nearer enemy than friends & so it was also lost.

The Germans had pretty well given hope of victory on turn 2, but formed a defensive line in the woods and desperately tried to hang on for draw.  

The British barrage came late but took out a unit when it did.  Somehow, despite going to 7 turns, the Germans held on with 1 unit of 1 man, 1 of 2 and the 3 men & the 2 HTs surviving out of 9 units (small units of vets hiding the woods are hard to finish off).  The Germans had lost 5 units but they had taken out 4 Brits so salvaged a draw.

It was very enjoyable game and we had no problems adjusting to the new rules. We can't be sure we've got all the new rules right, but we think that Warlords seem to have done a pretty good job of V2.  Not all the new rules came into play, but those that did worked fine.