Coastal Defence Bunker Review

Bunker Buster

Want something that looks quintessentially WWII to add to your Bolt Action battlefields? Well, you can't go wrong with the Coastal Defence Bunker from Warlord Games.

Not only does this bit of scenery look the part, it will also provide some interesting game play as you or your opponent figure out how best to assault it.

This is the kind of bunker used on the Atlantic Wall on the coastal areas of north west Europe, providing a fierce bastion of defence for the invading British, Canadian and US troops to breach. Any game depicting the D-Day Normandy landings would benefit massively from at least one of these on the table, bearing down on the amphibious attack.

The folk at Warlord have clearly done their homework on this (and I should say Italeri have as well, who made the kit in association with Warlord), as it matches up very well to images of the real-life constructions. Those historically inclined may be interested to know that it follows the R612/R680 templates for coastal defence bunkers, featuring its distinctive flanking wall. During the war, they would have commonly housed either 7.5cm anti-tank guns or 10.5cm field howitzers. However, during a game of Bolt Action they can provide much needed cover for infantry and heavy weapon squads too.

Easy Build

Each kit contains one bunker, consisting of a couple of hard plastic sprues. Don't throw the box out before building the model, as the instructions are on the back of the packaging. They include a single diagram clearly marking out where each component fits, along with a short description. Being hard plastic, the kit can be stuck together using plastic glue.

Putting the miniature together is relatively straightforward. There are few parts and it all fits together with no hassle.

Remember not to glue the roof on. It's handy to have this section be removable for easy access to the interior when manoeuvring troops in and out.

A lovely little feature is the rear doors that actually open, allowing defenders to sally forth and hunt down remaining attackers, or for assaulting troops to break their way in. It might just be a peculiarity of mine, but there is just something so endearing about having a door that actually opens and closes on a model. Top marks for that!

Painting the bunker is straightforward, which is perhaps unsurprising considering it is largely one colour. I primed it in a medium grey, gave it a black wash and drybrushed it with lighter greys. Some of the details, like the bullet holes, were given another wash to deepen the recesses and then an extra highlight was dry-brushed over it to accentuate the damage. The doors were painted a dark metallic and then given a black wash.

The roof is an interesting prospect. The bumpy surface on top was given a burnt umber base coat and a lighter shade of brown was dry-brushed over it to highlight it. Then the real fun began by giving it a turf covering. This was achieved by PVA gluing some flock to it and then adding some grass tufts. This really brings the piece to life, adding some extra colour to what could be a monotone model.

Final Thoughts

Despite being a blocky, grey building, the Coastal Defence Bunker actually has some real character. The odd bullet hole here and scratch there adds a bit of interest to what is, essentially, a boxy structure. Its 'scars' inject some extra drama into it.

The interior is perhaps one area that could be better, as there isn't the same level of detail inside. For instance, it doesn't have the lines that are apparent on the outer walls that suggest slabs of concrete; it is simply flat plastic. It would have been great if there were some extra little details added, like a trench coat hanging from one of the walls, a discarded helmet or some other quirky titbit to bring it even more to life. A floor section to represent the concrete ground would have worked well too, rather than having the playing surface showing through.

To be fair, this is a minor issue. The inside of the building is rarely on show while playing and more adventurous modellers could add some extra details to the interior themselves if they wanted. It could be viewed just as much an invite to personalise it rather than lacking in any way.

The outside of the model is great, it matches up just right scale-wise with the rest of the Bolt Action range and would make an ideal piece of terrain for any first-time battlefield builder to get stuck into, being relatively easy to put together.

This is a brilliant piece of terrain to add to your collection, taking your Bolt Action games to the next level.