Bolt Action players who've been wanting to field Gurkhas, Anzacs or Indian forces in their Second World War games finally have a book made for them. Nottingham's Warlord Games has opened pre-orders for Armies of the British Commonwealth Third Edition, a 128-page hardback packing six full army lists and a long-awaited plastic Gurkha kit, both shipping in July.
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Start organising for freeThe book covers Australian, Canadian, East African, Indian, New Zealand and South African forces, with each nation getting its own background, special rules and force-selection guide. There's also a standalone Commonwealth Units section so you can use the book without owning the main British army book. Pre-orders include a metal figure of Havildar Umrao Singh VC, the Sikh artilleryman who earned the Victoria Cross holding a Burma gun pit against a Japanese assault.
The headline release is the new plastic Gurkha Infantry Platoon, a 30-figure box in jungle uniforms. Each sprue contains Lee-Enfields, PIATs, light mortars, flamethrowers and plenty of the famous kukri knives, enough kit to build a full Indian-army Gurkha force. OnTabletop's coverage flags more Victoria Cross hero models on the way too, leaning into the historical-heroes angle that's defined the third edition since launch.
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Find events near youIt's a sensible bet from Warlord. The Burma and Pacific theatres are massively under-served compared to North-West Europe in 28mm plastic, and Gurkhas in particular have been a metal-blister-only option for years. A proper plastic platoon box at 28mm should drop the cost of fielding a jungle force significantly.
If you're new to Bolt Action and fancy mustering a Commonwealth force, this is a tidy entry point. The book and platoon both go up for pre-order now, with delivery in July. Looking for a club to play with? See who's gaming near you on Backseat Gamer.
Sources: Warlord Community | OnTabletop
