Bolt Action – E-Series and Löwe House rules

We just covered the E-10 and E-25 from the Ambush Miniatures Kickstarter Panzerdivision Cerberus, and I saw a lot of people asking how to use them in their games, for example in Bolt Action.

I want to take care of that and wrote some house rules for these units to be used in the third edition of Bolt Action. You will need the core rules for Bolt Action 3rd edition as well as the Armies of Germany supplement book from the same edition to use these unit entries. These are unofficial fan-made rules for private use only and are not affiliated with Osprey Games or Warlord Games.

As it depends on how you want to integrate these models into your game and which narrative you want to pick up, there are certain basic options for these. I used the unit entries from the Armies of Germany book and cross-referenced and calculated how these modifications would affect the point values and such, and this is the result. To keep them as flexible as possible, I provide unit entries from Inexperienced to Veteran for all of them. It is up to you whether you want to play them as the dire Last Stand scenario or as if the war continued into 1946 (and onwards). Therefore I kept the options for Panzer Aces, like Tiger II and other late-war vehicles had. But you are free to use them as unproven prototypes, manned by inexperienced crews, like the Panzer VIII Maus is covered in the book.

If you wish to do so, you can drop the Panzer Ace and add Unreliable or Götterdämmerung (Panzer VIII Maus, p. 63 in Armies of Germany) from the unit profiles provided below. Depending on how hopeless you want to paint the situation, without point reductions to the unit entries. Otherwise reduce the points by 10% if you wish.

All of these vehicles would be added as entries to the Late War Force Selection Guide on p. 125 in the Armies of Germany book. All pictures by Team Würfelkrieg.

Tanks

Panzerkampfwagen E-50

The E-50 was planned as the standard medium tank of the E-series, intended to replace the Panther and provide a more practical and unified design for German armoured forces. It combined a well-sloped hull with strong armament and a more rational production approach, aiming to deliver a vehicle that was powerful, reliable, and easier to build in quantity. In many ways, the E-50 represented the German attempt to refine the medium tank into a true all-round battlefield machine.

(Use these house rules or just use Tiger II from p. 62, as it is Tiger II without Hull- and CoAx MMG and an added Inexperienced tier)

Cost: 332pts (Inexperienced), 420pts (Regular), 508pts (Veteran)

Period: Late War

Weapons: 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun

Damage Value: 11+ (super-heavy tank)

Options: May add 1 pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts

Special Rules: - Panzer Ace

Panzerkampfwagen E-75

The E-75 was the heavy companion to the E-50 and was intended to succeed the Tiger II as the German Army’s main heavy tank. Heavier armour, a stronger chassis, and a powerful main gun would have made it a formidable opponent in any direct engagement. Like the rest of the E-series, it was designed with standardised components in mind, but in combat terms the E-75 would have been a true heavyweight, built to dominate enemy armour through superior protection and firepower.

(Use these house rules or just use Tiger II from p. 62)

Cost: 383pts (Inexperienced), 484pts (Regular), 586pts (Veteran)

Period: Late War

Weapons: 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun

Damage Value: 11+ (super-heavy tank)

Options: May add 1 pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts

Special Rules: - Reinforced Front Armour
- The 128mm Pak 44 was almost as effective at long ranges as at short range, so it does not suffer the -1 penetration penalty when shooting at targets at over half range. It counts its full +7 penetration bonus at all ranges.
- Panzer Ace

Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe 

The Panzerkampfwagen Löwe was one of the more ambitious German heavy tank projects of the war, envisioned as a breakthrough vehicle with exceptional armour and heavy armament. Various proposals were made for the design, ranging from a somewhat lighter version to an even more heavily protected super-heavy concept. Had it been built, the Löwe would likely have been used much like other German heavy tanks: as a fearsome assault vehicle intended to smash through enemy positions and challenge opposing armour head-on. However, work on this main battle tank was halted in July 1942 in order to begin development of an even more colossal project – the Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus!

(Use these house rules or just use Panzer VIII Maus from p. 63)

Cost: 362pts (Inexperienced), 452pts (Regular), 543pts (Veteran)

Period: Late War

Weapons: 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun and 1 forward-facing hull-mounted MMG

Damage Value: 11+ (super-heavy tank)

Options: May add 1 pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts

Special Rules: - Armoured All Around
- The 128mm Pak 44 was almost as effective at long ranges as at short range – so it does not suffer the -1 penetration penalty when shooting at targets at over half range. It counts its full +7 penetration bonus at all ranges.
- Panzer Ace
- Slow

Tank Destroyers

Jagdpanzer E‑10

The E-10 was intended as a compact and highly mobile tank destroyer, part of the wider E-series effort to simplify German armoured vehicle production. With its low silhouette, sloped armour, and emphasis on ease of manufacture, it would have been well suited to ambush tactics and rapid redeployment. Rather than standing in the line of battle as a traditional tank, the E-10 was conceived as a deadly hunter, striking from cover before slipping away again.

(Use these house rules or just use Hetzer from p. 66)

Cost: 194pts (Inexperienced), 236pts (Regular), 279pts (Veteran)

Period: Late War

Weapons: 1 casement-mounted forward-facing super-heavy anti-tank gun

Damage Value: 9+ (medium tank)

Options: May have Schürzen armour skirts for +10pts

Special Rules: - Weak Sides
- Panzer Ace
- Fast

Jagdpanzer E‑25

The E-25 was a proposed fast tank destroyer designed around the principles of standardisation, low cost, and a very low profile. Its sloped armour and compact hull would have made it a difficult target, while its intended high-velocity gun would have given it the punch needed to threaten even well-protected enemy armour. The E-25 would likely have filled a role similar to the more successful German tank destroyers, relying on speed, concealment, and firepower rather than brute force.

(Use these house rules or just use Japdpanzer IV L70 from p. 65, as this is basically a Jagdpanzer with the LV 70 upgrade, a pintle mounted MMG instead of the hull mounted and without the reinforced frontal armour)

Cost: 217pts (Inexperienced), 260ts (Regular), 303pts (Veteran)

Period: Late War

Weapons: 1 casement-mounted forward-facing super-heavy anti-tank gun and a turret-mounted MMG with 360-degree arc of fire

Damage Value: 9+ (medium tank)

Special Rules: - Panzer Ace

Self Propelled Artillery

Flakpanzer VII Löwe

The Panzerkampfwagen Löwe-Flak was a proposed anti-aircraft variant of the Löwe concept, adapting the heavy tank chassis for the dual purpose of air defence and ground support. Such a vehicle would have combined the protection of a heavy tank with a weapon fit capable of engaging aircraft, soft targets, and lightly armoured vehicles. Like the base Löwe, it remained a paper project, but it reflects the German habit of experimenting with specialised variants on powerful chassis.

Cost: 307pts (Inexperienced), 372pts (Regular), 438pts (Veteran)

Period: Late War

Weapons: 2 turret-mounted heavy autocannons and 1 forward-facing hull-mounted MMG

Damage Value:

Options: May add 1 pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts

Special Rules: - Armoured All Around
- Flak
- Slow