Tabletop Simulator battle reports: how to record a Bolt Action game
Tabletop Simulator (TTS) is a physics sandbox on Steam where players build and play tabletop games online. It does not know the Bolt Action rules. The players handle that, just like at a real table. What it gives you is a clean top-down view, easy measuring and a game you can play with someone on the other side of the country.
Finding a Bolt Action table
Bolt Action content for TTS comes from community mods on the Steam Workshop: tables, terrain packs, army models, order dice and tokens. Quality varies, and mods can disappear or lose textures when the original files go offline. Before you record, load the whole game once to make sure everything shows up. Always credit the mod authors in your video description.
The mods are fan-made and not official Warlord Games products. Players still need their own rulebook and army books.
Recording setup (free)
- OBS Studio to capture the TTS window plus one mic per narrator. 1080p at 30 fps is plenty.
- Discord or a game voice channel if you play remotely. Record each player's audio on their own track if you can.
- Turn off TTS chat pop-ups and any on-screen names that players do not want shown.
Camera habits that make TTS reports watchable
- Save a fixed overhead camera position and go back to it between activations.
- Zoom in for shooting and assaults, then cut back to the overhead view.
- Show the range ruler or line of sight for every shot so viewers can follow the call.
- Use different coloured order dice for each side and show the draw every time.
Narration
Narrating afterwards over the edited footage gives you a tighter video. If you narrate live, agree beforehand that you will say the die colour, the unit and the order on every activation.
Editing and uploading
Cut setup time, add turn title cards and YouTube chapters, and paste both lists in the description. Mention in the title that it is a Tabletop Simulator game so viewers know what to expect.
A note on names and rules
Bolt Action and Konflikt '47 are Warlord Games trademarks, and the rules are copyrighted. It is normal to name the game in your title and talk about what happened. Do not share scans or screenshots of rulebook pages or army books, and do not present your video as official.
Recorded a TTS game? Send it to us. Thinking of playing for real after trying it digitally? Our beginner's guide covers what to buy first.