Bolt or dart throwers are large crossbows that shoot a spear-sized missile. They are so large that they are mounted on their own stand, often with wheels so they can be pivoted easily. A crew of two or more is required to wind back the powerful torsion arms and position the huge bolt ready for firing. On the whole, these weapons are nowhere near as large or cumbersome as stone throwers and cannons.

Bolt throwers are fired in the Shooting phase along with other missile weapons. To fire a bolt thrower it must first be turned on the spot so that it points towards its intended victim. The bolt travels straight forward and (hopefully) hits the first target in its path. In a unit of troops this will always be a regular trooper, Only if there are no rank-and-file troops in the first rank hit by the bolt will it be necessary to randomise which model in the first rank is hit.

To determine whether the bolt strikes its target, roll a D6 to hit using the crew's BS in the same way as bow shots, crossbows, and other missile weapons. The usual modifiers apply, except no penalty is imposed for turning the machine, as it is designed to be used in this way. See the Shooting section for details.

If a hit is scored work out damage as described below. If the shot misses then the bold hits the ground or sails into the air and comes down harmlessly somewhere else.

A bolt thrower is a powerful weapon which can hurl its bolt through several ranks of troops, piercing each warrior in turn. If it hits then resolve damage against the target using the bolt thrower's full Strength of 6. If the model hit in the first rank is slain then the bolt hits the trooper in the second rank directly behind: resolve damage on the second model with a Strength of 5. If the second rank trooper is slain then a model in the third rank is hit: resolve damage with a Strength of 4. Continue to work out damage as the bolt pierces and slays a model in each rank, deducting -1 from the Strength for each rank pierced.

A model damaged by a bolt thrower sustains not 1 but D3 wounds, which means that even large monsters can be hurt or slain by a hit from a bolt thrower. Armour saves are not allowed for hits from a bolt thrower because the missiles are so fast and deadly that any armour is pierced along with its wearer. As saves are not taken, a target with only 1 Wound will be slain if it takes damage, there is no need to roll the D3 to decide the number of wounds. Remember that Ward saves can be taken as normal against damage from a bolt thrower.

The bolt thrower hurls a sharp spear which causes considerable damage. The chart below shows its details.

Bolt throwers are made from solid wood and iron. They have a profile like a creature, with a Toughness value and a number of Wounds which they can sustain before they are destroyed.

The Movement rate is the speed which the bolt thrower can be moved by its full crew. If a crewman is slain, the bolt thrower's speed is reduced proportionally. A bolt thrower cannot move and shoot in the same turn except to turn to face its target.

Some bolt throwers have a crew of two and if one crewman is slain then the remaining crewman can just about get by without slowing up the machine noticeably. Should a bolt thrower require a larger crew, then the loss of a second crewman will reduce its rate of fire to every second turn in the same way as for stone throwers and cannons.

• Align the bolt thrower on target and roll to hit.
• Resolve Damage at Strength 6. No armour save is allowed for a hit from a bolt thrower.
• If the target is slain roll damage against the second rank at Strength 5.
• Continue rolling for damage until you fail to slay the target or run out of ranks.

Deduct -1 from the Strength for each rank already pierced.