Bolt Action Base Sizes Guide | Infantry, Vehicles & Weapons Teams

Last updated: June 2026. Covers Bolt Action 2nd & 3rd Edition basing conventions. Always check your tournament's rules pack for any house requirements.

Bolt Action by Warlord Games is the world's most popular 28mm World War II miniatures wargame. Basing your miniatures correctly matters for gameplay—HE templates, unit spacing, and movement all interact with base size. Unlike Warhammer, Bolt Action does not enforce rigid base sizes, but the community has settled on clear conventions that most players and tournament organizers follow.

This guide covers the standard base sizes for infantry, weapons teams, vehicles, artillery, cavalry, and Konflikt '47 weird war units. Each section includes a quick-reference chart so you can find what you need fast.

LITKO manufactures precision laser-cut miniature bases in every size used in Bolt Action—round, square, and custom shapes—in clear acrylic, plywood, and with magnetic bottoms. We also make Bolt Action-compatible tokens, pin markers, and accessories. If you need a base size we don't stock, the LITKO BaseMaker tool lets you order custom dimensions.

Bolt Action Base Sizes — Quick Reference Chart

The chart below lists every standard base size used in Bolt Action, what types of units typically use it, and examples. Warlord Games supplies 25mm round bases with most infantry kits. Weapons teams and larger models use 40mm or 60mm rounds, or custom team bases.

Base Size	Unit Type	Examples	Shop at LITKO
25mm Round	Standard Infantry	Rifle squads, SMG teams, officers, medics, forward observers, all individual foot soldiers	Shop 25mm Round Bases
25mm Square	Alternative Infantry	Same as round; some players prefer square for a parade-ground look or easier ranking on trays	Shop 25mm Square Bases
Lozenge / Pill	Prone 2-Man Teams	Sniper teams, PIAT/bazooka teams, light mortar teams (crew lying down)	Shop 25x50mm Pill
40mm Round	2-Man Weapons Teams	MMG gunner + loader, anti-tank rifle teams, flamethrower teams	Shop 40mm Round Bases
60mm Round	3-Man Weapons Teams	Medium mortar, HMG, medium anti-tank guns with crew	Shop 60mm Round Bases
Large Oval / Round	Artillery, Heavy Guns	Howitzers, heavy anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns with full crew	Shop 52x90mm Oval
No Base	Vehicles	Tanks, armoured cars, half-tracks, trucks, jeeps—vehicles sit on their own hull	—

Important: Bolt Action does not have a single official document dictating base sizes the way Games Workshop does for Warhammer. The sizes listed here reflect what Warlord Games ships with their plastic and metal kits, and what the community has standardized. Most tournaments accept any reasonable base as long as you are consistent within your army.

Infantry Basing

The 25mm round base is the de facto standard for all individual infantry in Bolt Action. Warlord Games includes 25mm round plastic bases in every infantry box. This size matters because the HE template rules and unit spacing guidelines in the rulebook are built around 25mm bases.

Base Size	Unit Type	Examples	Shop at LITKO
25mm Round	Standard Rifle Infantry	US GIs, British Infantry, German Grenadiers, Soviet Riflemen, Japanese Infantry, Italian Bersaglieri	Shop 25mm Round
25mm Round	Assault / Close-Quarters Infantry	SMG squads, Pioneer/engineer squads, tank riders, assault engineers, commandos	Shop 25mm Round
25mm Round	Officers & Characters	Lieutenants, captains, majors, political officers, medics, forward observers, forward air observers	Shop 25mm Round
25mm Round	Specialist Infantry	Paratroopers, partisans, resistance fighters, ski troops, gurkhas, marines	Shop 25mm Round
25mm Square	Alternative Infantry (any of the above)	Some players use square bases for ease of ranking on movement trays or personal preference	Shop 25mm Square

Round vs. square: Either is acceptable. Round bases are the Warlord Games standard and are what you will find in every box set. Square bases are sometimes preferred by players who also use movement trays for larger formations, or by those crossing over from Flames of War or other rank-and-file games. Whichever you choose, stay consistent across your army.

Why 25mm? The Bolt Action HE template has an inner circle of 1" (25mm) and an outer circle of 2" (50mm). Basing infantry on 25mm rounds means templates interact predictably with squads—a direct hit catches the model, and nearby models are measured from the base edge. This is why 20mm or 30mm bases, while occasionally used, can cause gameplay quirks.

Weapons Teams — MMG, Mortar, Sniper & More

Weapons teams are the backbone of a Bolt Action army's fire support. The basing approach depends on crew size and whether the weapon is fired prone or from a standing position. There are two common approaches:

• Team base: Mount the weapon and all crew on a single base (40mm for 2-man teams, 60mm for 3-man teams). Cleaner look, easier to move.
• Individual bases: Each crew member on a 25mm round, with the weapon unmounted or on its own small base. Allows casualty removal.

Many players use a combination—the weapon and one crew member on a team base, with additional crew on individual 25mm bases nearby. Tournament organizers generally accept any approach as long as it is clear which models belong to the team.

Small Arms Teams (2-Man Teams)

Base Size	Weapon	Crew & Notes	Shop at LITKO
25x50mm Pill	Sniper Team	2 crew (sniper + spotter). Often modeled prone. The pill base fits two prone figures side by side.	Shop 25x50mm Pill
40mm Round	Anti-Tank Rifle	2 crew. PTRD, Boys AT Rifle, PzB 39, Solothurn. Gun + loader on one base.	Shop 40mm Round
40mm Round	PIAT / Bazooka / Panzerschreck	2 crew. Handheld anti-tank launcher + loader. Can also use lozenge if prone.	Shop 40mm Round
40mm Round	Flamethrower Team	2 crew. Operator + assistant. One of the most feared weapons in the game.	Shop 40mm Round
40mm Round	Light Mortar	2 crew. 50mm mortars (US M19, German 5cm leGrW 36, British 2-inch mortar). HE + indirect fire.	Shop 40mm Round

Heavy Weapons Teams (3+ Crew)

Base Size	Weapon	Crew & Notes	Shop at LITKO
60mm Round	MMG (Medium Machine Gun)	3 crew. Vickers, MG34/42 on tripod, Maxim, M1919A4. 36" range. Fixed weapon.	Shop 60mm Round
60mm Round	HMG (Heavy Machine Gun)	3 crew. M2 Browning, DShK, Breda M37. 60" range, +1 penetration. Fixed weapon.	Shop 60mm Round
60mm Round	Medium Mortar	3 crew. 81mm / 82mm mortars (US M1, German Granatwerfer 34, Soviet PM-41). Indirect HE fire.	Shop 60mm Round
60mm Round	Heavy Mortar	4 crew (gun on 60mm, extra crew on 25mm). 120mm mortars. Devastating HE. Fixed, indirect only.	Shop 60mm Round

Tip: If you plan to base your weapons teams on single round bases, LITKO 40mm and 60mm bases in clear acrylic let the terrain mat show through, giving a clean diorama-style look without a visible "puck" under your team.

Vehicles — Tanks, Armoured Cars & Transports

Vehicles in Bolt Action do not use bases. Tanks, armoured cars, half-tracks, trucks, jeeps, and all other vehicles sit directly on the table on their own hull or tracks. This is different from some other wargame systems. The model itself defines the vehicle's footprint for line of sight, shooting, and close assault.

Category	Examples	Scale & Notes
Light Vehicles	Jeeps, Kubelwagen, motorcycles with sidecar, Bren Carrier, Universal Carrier	1/56 scale. No base needed. Motorcycle riders may be individually based on 25mm when dismounted.
Armoured Cars	Sd.Kfz 222, M8 Greyhound, Daimler, BA-6, Type 92	1/56 scale. No base. Recce vehicles use the same no-base convention as tanks.
Half-Tracks & APCs	Sd.Kfz 251 Hanomag, M3 Half-Track, Type 1 Ho-Ha, Bren Carrier	1/56 scale. No base. Transport capacity varies; infantry mount/dismount per rules.
Trucks	Opel Blitz, GMC CCKW, Studebaker US6, Bedford OY, Type 97	1/56 scale. No base. Soft-skin transports are tempting targets—keep them behind cover.
Medium Tanks	Sherman M4, Panzer IV, Panther, T-34/76, Cromwell, Chi-Ha	1/56 scale. No base. The workhorse armour of every major belligerent. Note: the Panther is Damage Value 9+ (medium) with Reinforced Front Armour.
Heavy Tanks	Tiger I, IS-2, Pershing, Churchill, King Tiger	1/56 scale. No base. In-game, heavy tanks can dominate but cost massive points.
Tank Destroyers / SPGs	StuG III, M10 Wolverine, Jagdpanzer IV, SU-76, Semovente, M8 Scott HMC	1/56 scale. No base. Often open-topped; vulnerable to pins but cheaper than tanks.

Vehicle scale note: Bolt Action uses 1/56 scale for vehicles, which aligns with 28mm infantry. However, motorbikes are sometimes closer to 1/48 and crew-served weapons can be slightly overscale for playability. This is normal—Warlord Games prioritizes the tabletop look over strict scale accuracy.

Artillery & Anti-Tank Guns

Artillery and towed anti-tank guns in Bolt Action present the biggest basing challenge. The gun model itself can be large, and the crew of 3–5 figures needs to fit around it. Here are the three common approaches:

1. Single large base: Gun and all crew on one oval or round base (100–120mm). Creates a mini-diorama. Easiest to move. Warlord supplies laser-cut MDF ovals (120x92mm for large guns, 100x80mm for smaller guns) with some kits.
2. Gun on base, crew separate: Mount the gun on its own base, put each crew member on a 25mm round. Allows casualty removal. Most flexible for gameplay.
3. Hybrid: Gun plus one or two crew on the base, remaining crew on individual 25mm bases. Good middle ground.

Gun Type	Crew	Recommended Basing	Shop at LITKO
Light AT Gun	3 crew	60mm round or small oval. E.g., 37mm PaK 36, US 37mm M3, QF 2-pounder, Type 94.	Shop 60mm Round
Medium AT Gun	3–4 crew	52x90mm oval or 80–100mm round. E.g., PaK 40, US 57mm M1, QF 6-pounder, ZiS-3.	Shop 52x90mm Oval
Heavy AT Gun	4–5 crew	100–120mm round or 120x92mm oval. E.g., 88mm Flak 36/37, US 3-inch M5, QF 17-pounder.	Shop 100mm Round
Light Howitzer	3 crew	60–80mm round. E.g., US 75mm Pack Howitzer, German leIG 18, Soviet 76mm regimental gun.	Shop 60mm Round
Medium / Heavy Howitzer	4–5 crew	100–120mm round or oval. E.g., US 105mm M2A1, German 10.5cm leFH 18, Soviet 122mm M-30.	Shop 100mm Round
AA Gun	3–4 crew	46x75mm or 52x90mm oval. E.g., Bofors 40mm, German 2cm FlaK 38, Soviet DShK AA mount. Often dual-purpose.	Shop 46x75mm Oval

Tip for tournament players: If your local scene requires casualties to be removed from artillery teams, base each crew member individually on 25mm and leave the gun model unbased or on a minimal base. This gives you maximum flexibility without arguments over line of sight or spacing.

Cavalry & Motorcycles

Cavalry sees action in many Bolt Action armies—Polish lancers, Soviet cavalry, Italian Savoia Cavalleria, and more. There is no single mandated cavalry base, but the community has settled on common options.

Base Size	Unit Type	Notes	Shop at LITKO
25x50mm Pill	Standard Cavalry	Warlord ships cavalry with 25x50mm pill-shaped bases (hemispherical ends). Most common cavalry base in Bolt Action.	Shop 25x50mm Pill
30x60mm Rect.	Larger Cavalry Models	Extra room for dynamic poses, scenic basing, or larger horse sculpts. Common for Warlord metal horses.	Shop 30x60mm Bases
50mm Round	Mounted Characters	Officers, standard bearers, or single mounted commanders. Round base distinguishes characters from rank-and-file.	Shop 50mm Round
25mm Round	Dismounted Cavalry	When cavalry dismount, riders go on standard 25mm infantry bases. Horses can be left on their cavalry base as a marker.	Shop 25mm Round
Varies	Motorcycles / Sidecars	Solo bike on 25x50mm pill or 40mm round. Sidecar on 50x75mm or similar. Or leave unbased like a vehicle.	Shop 25x50mm Pill

Konflikt '47 — Weird War Base Sizes

Konflikt '47 by Warlord Games and Clockwork Goblin Miniatures takes Bolt Action into alternate history, adding rift-tech walkers, power-armoured infantry, genetic monstrosities, and the walking dead to the WWII battlefield. The core basing conventions are the same as Bolt Action, with additions for the larger and stranger models.

New edition (2025): Warlord Games launched a new edition of Konflikt '47 in September 2025, with a full 2026 roadmap of books and kits. Base sizes for existing units are unchanged from the previous edition — the rules updates focus on mechanics, not basing. Every chart on this page remains accurate.

All standard Bolt Action infantry, weapons teams, vehicles, and artillery use the same base sizes listed above. The chart below covers the weird war units unique to Konflikt '47.

Base Size	Unit Type	Examples	Shop at LITKO
25mm Round	Rift-Tech Infantry	Totenkorps (German undead), Soviet Shtrafbat zombies, US Paragon enhanced soldiers, Shocktroopers with rift-tech weapons	Shop 25mm Round
40mm Round	Heavy Infantry / Exosuits	US Heavy Infantry in Tesla armour, Soviet Guards armoured infantry, British Automated Infantry (Galahad)	Shop 40mm Round
40mm Round	Genetic Monstrosities	Schreckwulfen (German werewolves), Nachtjager (vampiric creatures), Soviet Ursus Infantry (man/bear hybrids)	Shop 40mm Round
No Base	Light Walkers	US Coyote / Jackal, German Spinne, Soviet Cossack walker. Treated like light vehicles—sit on their own legs.	—
No Base	Medium / Heavy Walkers	US Grizzly / Kodiak, German Thor / Zeus, Soviet Mastodon / Mammoth, British Guardian. Vehicle rules apply.	—
25mm Round	Jump Infantry / Rocket Troops	US Firefly jump infantry (backpack repulsorlift), German Fallschirmjager in Falcon flight armour. Based as infantry when landed.	Shop 25mm Round
60mm Round	Rift-Tech Weapons Teams	Tesla cannon teams, gravity pulse weapons, rift-tech energy weapon crews. Based as standard 3-man weapons teams.	Shop 60mm Round

Note on walkers: Konflikt '47 walkers follow vehicle rules—they do not need bases. The model stands on its own legs. Walker size (Light, Medium, Heavy, Super-Heavy) determines its Damage Value and whether it uses the Two-Legged or Multi-Legged movement rules. If your walker is unstable on the table, a clear acrylic base from LITKO can provide stability without affecting gameplay.

Pin Markers & Tokens for Bolt Action

Pins are central to Bolt Action's morale system. Every time a unit takes fire, it accumulates pin markers that make it harder to act. Tracking pins clearly is essential—no one wants to argue about whether a squad has 3 or 4 pins in the middle of a crucial morale check.

LITKO manufactures several types of Bolt Action-compatible pin markers and accessories:

Product	Description	Best For
Nation Pin Dials	Premium UV-printed dials combining a numbered pin counter (0–9) with an integrated dice dock sized for official Warlord Games order dice. Available for US, German, Soviet, British, Japanese, and more.	Players who want an all-in-one pin tracker + order die holder per unit. Looks great on the table.
Pinned Token Sets	Translucent red acrylic tokens numbered 1–4 (25 tokens per set). Place next to the unit to show pin count at a glance.	Players who prefer simple, stackable markers. Easy to read across the table.
Immobilized Gear Tokens	Red acrylic gear-shaped tokens (20mm). Mark vehicles that have been immobilized by damage or terrain.	Tracking vehicle damage results during the game.
Bullet Arrow Tokens	Bullet-shaped red acrylic tokens with a directional arrow cut through. Use as fire markers, ammo tracking, or objective markers.	Versatile marker for fire lanes, ammo status, or custom game rules.

Shop Nation Pin Dials Browse All Bolt Action Accessories

Choosing a Base Material

Your base material affects the look, weight, and finishing options for your Bolt Action army. Here is a quick comparison of LITKO's available materials:

Material	Best For	Characteristics
Clear Acrylic	Gaming mats, "invisible base" look, display boards	Transparent, lets your terrain mat show through. Clean, modern look. Available in 1.5mm and 3mm thickness. Popular for Bolt Action because the base disappears on textured mats.
Plywood	Traditional basing, texture work, painting, flocking	Easy to prime, paint, and add sand/flock/static grass. Warp-resistant microplywood in 0.8mm, 1.5mm, and 3mm. Closest feel to the plastic bases in Warlord kits.
Magnetic / Flex Steel	Army transport, magnetized carry cases	Peel-and-stick magnetic base bottoms and flexible steel bottoms that pair with magnetic sheets in your carry case. Essential for anyone who transports their army to game nights or tournaments.

All LITKO bases are precision laser-cut in the USA, which means consistent sizing across every base in your army—no warping, no variation. When you are building a 10-man squad, every base is exactly 25mm.

Movement Trays for Bolt Action

While Bolt Action is a skirmish game with individual model activation, many players use movement trays to speed up deployment and early-game movement. A 5-man or 10-man tray lets you move your whole squad as a group, then pop models off the tray as casualties are taken or when you need to spread out. LITKO makes movement trays for 25mm round and 25mm square bases in a variety of formation sizes.

Need a Custom Size? Use LITKO BaseMaker

Bolt Action's flexible basing means you might need a size that is not in our standard catalog—a specific oval for your artillery diorama, an oversized round for a scenic command vignette, or a custom rectangle for a motorcycle sidecar. The LITKO BaseMaker tool lets you specify any shape (circle, square, rectangle, oval), any size, and choose from over 25 colors of acrylic or plywood. Order packs of 10, 25, 50, or 100.

Build Custom Bases with BaseMaker

New to custom bases? Our companion guide walks through how to get custom bases made — what BaseMaker can produce, choosing a material, exact sizing, and ordering in volume tiers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What base size do Bolt Action infantry use?

The standard base for all individual infantry in Bolt Action is a 25mm round base. This is what Warlord Games includes in every infantry box set. The game's HE template rules and unit spacing are designed around 25mm bases. Some players use 25mm square bases instead, which is equally acceptable.

Does Bolt Action have official base size rules?

Not in the way Warhammer does. Bolt Action does not publish an official base sizes chart. The convention is to use whatever base the model came with—25mm for infantry, 40mm for 2-man teams, 60mm for 3-man teams. Vehicles do not use bases at all. Most tournament organizers accept any reasonable base as long as you are consistent within your army.

Should I base my weapons teams together or separately?

Both approaches work. Basing the entire team on a single 40mm or 60mm base looks cleaner and is easier to move. Basing crew individually on 25mm rounds allows casualty removal. A popular middle ground is to mount the weapon and one crew member on the team base, with extra crew on individual bases. Choose the method your local group prefers.

Do vehicles need bases in Bolt Action?

No. All vehicles—tanks, armoured cars, half-tracks, trucks, and Konflikt '47 walkers—sit directly on the table on their own hull, tracks, or legs. The model itself defines the vehicle's footprint. This applies to all vehicle types regardless of size.

What is a lozenge base?

A lozenge (or pill) base is an elongated oval shape used for two prone figures. Warlord Games includes lozenge bases in some kits for sniper teams, PIAT/bazooka teams, and light mortar teams where the crew is modeled lying down. You can order custom lozenge shapes through LITKO BaseMaker.

Can I use clear acrylic bases for Bolt Action?

Yes. Clear acrylic bases are popular in the Bolt Action community because the base virtually disappears on a textured gaming mat, giving your miniatures a more immersive diorama look. LITKO clear acrylic bases are laser-cut to precise dimensions. Since Bolt Action does not enforce base material rules, any material is acceptable.

What bases do Konflikt '47 units use?

Konflikt '47 shares Bolt Action's basing conventions. Standard rift-tech infantry (Totenkorps, enhanced soldiers) use 25mm rounds. Heavy infantry and exosuits typically use 40mm rounds. Genetic monstrosities (Schreckwulfen, Nachtjager) also use 40mm. Walkers are treated as vehicles and do not need bases—they stand on their own legs.

What size are artillery bases in Bolt Action?

It depends on the gun. Small anti-tank guns fit on a 60mm round. Medium guns work well on 80–100mm rounds or ovals. Large howitzers and heavy anti-tank guns often use 100–120mm rounds or 120x92mm ovals. Warlord Games sometimes includes MDF oval bases with their artillery kits. You can also base the gun separately and put each crew member on an individual 25mm base.

Related Base Size Guides

• All Base Size Guides — Master index for every game system
• All Miniature Base Sizes — Size-first reference, every shape and material
• Historical Wargaming Basing Guide — DBA, Black Powder, SAGA, Chain of Command
• Flames of War Base Sizes Guide — 15mm WWII & Team Yankee
• Warhammer Base Sizes Guide — 40K, Age of Sigmar, The Old World, Kill Team
• Age of Sigmar Base Sizes Guide — All factions, 4th Edition quick-reference chart
• Magnets for Miniatures Guide — magnet sizes, magnetizing & storing your army