The Bolt out of the Blue 10.0 Beta

[Elxaime]

A few quick comments (just one turn in):

- Once dawn arrives, it looks like air interdiction effects kick in immediately. I had the impression in the old Bolt that interdiction didn't start right away, in order to represent the two sides being mainly engaged in air supremacy early on. I do notice the helo airstrikes are available at first light, but not fixed wing. But these two mechanisms seem at odds. If the opening turns are an air supremacy battle, wouldn't that affect not just availability of fixed wing airstrikes, but also availability of attack helo strikes and enabling of air interdiction effects?

- Should the border companies each side has, particularly in the Berlin area, start the game entrenched (or at least in improved positions)? I would assume the decades of Cold War had hardened the frontier line of contact

- some bridges in the Berlin area (e.g., 353,234) have been marked as Wired, but I don't believe the scenario uses the Wired bridge rule. At least I assume so - I have a Pact border unit next to that wired hex and it hasn't triggered. I know this is an issue in some of the Prucha France 1940 campaign scenarios, where the designer needs to represent that some bridges will be dropped but doesn't want to wire everything - in which case the intermediate solution is to require manual bridge destruction while having certain bridges start already blown. But since I don't see any already blown bridges at the start of Bolt 10.0 beta, I assume the wired status is a mistake/oversight?

- also, there is an unbridged stream across a primary road at 365,387; secondary road at 172,263; secondary road at 284,456 and 372, 328

(more comments six turns in)

- air interdiction, when it hits, is very fierce. I assume this is the designer's intent to compensate for removing airstrikes/artillery by map, to compensate?

- I have noticed that when an enemy HQ is spotted by EW, or any unit by your special forces, you can target the (otherwise unspotted) enemy HQ or unit with ANY of your air assets, including attack helos. If the issue can't be resolved within game mechanics, probably need a recommended House Rule that attack helicopters cannot hit hexes not spotted by units of their own organization (e.g. not by just spetznaz).

- I think a fuller explanation in the (updated) Bolt design notes to explain the philosophy behind the interplay between the a) interdiction damage, b) removal of air/arty strikes by map as a default optional rule, c) the special forces/deception units; and d) EW spotting of HQs would be very helpful to guide new players in what to expect

- Some of the Soviet Spetznaz (e.g. the unit that lands at 41,335) appear to be flagged as demolition units. This means they can't dig in. Why have some flagged as demolition? I don't believe they have a bridge destruction capability. This may be a left over from old Bolt, with its various special forces strategies.

- Speaking of which, why get rid of the special operations strategies? It would be nice to be able to select some to augment the air drop choices. It is rough on airborne as it is, so having some deception units to slow enemy reaction would be nice (and would seem appropriate).

- the 1/71 Czech Special Forces unit has the counter appearance of special forces but appears to have the stats/flagging of a regular infantry unit, it also deploys in the rear with 4th Czech army HQ, instead of behind enemy lines like other special units

- In the rear areas, there really aren't any troops guarding the main cities and VP spots, meaning that once the regular forces have rolled through, the rear is basically empty. Border companies mark the border, but that's it. I recall from a past design discussion that it was a matter of not wanting to overload players with too many units. But it seems to me that isn't as big a problem with the new design, since helos are now abstracted and releases are timed. So I suggest revising adding at least a company on each VP hex in the home countries, fixed, to represent Interior Ministry, gendarmerie, militarized police, etc.