British and Commonwealth Armoured Lists In Late War

Hi everyone, not sure if this post is a rambling or a list discussion, probably a bit of both, but I thought I'd start talking about my thoughts on British armoured lists - please note that this is not British tank lists as I don't have enough experience with churchills to give an opinion.

So what are the options in a British armoured platoon, well you have about 4 separate tanks in a few configurations. 'Bog standard' shermans, Sherman fireflies, Sherman 76mm - Italy and cromwells - desert rats overlord. Whilst some lists you get the Sherman on it's own, you usually get it with 1-2 fireflies. The 76mm can get a firefly, as can the rats - but these present their own problems. 

Beyond The Foxholes Episode 13

Hello All

Welcome to Beyond The Foxholes Episode 13

We join Ben, Adam and Winner Dave as they talk all things Flames of War

In Act 1 we go through what we have been up too, the nice new Grand Tournament Model and the Italy world wide campaign.

Then in Act 2 we go through the Mail Bag, talk about the next late war book preview in Wargames Illustrated and round out the act with commonly overlooked rules.

Then finally in Act 3 we round out the episode with 10.1 and a look at defensive fire.

AAR - Early War - Japanese Hohei Chutai V Soviet Light Tankovy Batalon - Dust Up

Winner Dave had just finished his Japanese Infantry list for the Welsh Open so we thought a rematch of our first EW AAR was a good idea. Dave had changed his list since then and had a few more artillery pieces, I had also planned to change my list but my new unit hadn't turned up yet, so I used the same list I had last time. We decided to play Dust Up so Dave could have a chance to attack my tanks, something he hadn't been able to do so far as my list also auto attacks. I arrived at Dave's and we set about playing.

3rd Japanise Division HQ with Regimental Banner Full Infantry Platoon Full Infantry Platoon 3 Type-89 Tanks 3 Type-89 Tanks 2 Type-38 75mm Guns 2 Type-41 75mm Guns

Soviet Light Tanks HQ T-26 8 T-26 + Rear MG 8 T-26 8 T-26 10 KhT-26 6 BT-7a 5 DshK AA Guns Sporadic I-153

Generated by WWPD's BatRepper Software.

WWPD Italian Campaign - FJ V Ghurkas - No Retreat

Alex and I planned our first game for the Italy campaign...I had planned on running my usual list, but the devil (green or otherwise) makes work for idle hands and I ended up fiddling.

FJ HQ with Fausts

2 Big FJ Platoons with attached Shreks and Faust cmd

1 Small FJ Platoon all with fausts and attached Shrek

Flak 38s

Light Guns

3 Nebs

4 Mortars

4 PzIV

Alex took the an Armoured Company

HQ & 2ic, 105mm Breakthrough gun toting Shermans

2x 3 76mm Sherman platoons

2 x GhurkaRoos

25 pdrs for artillery

3 Universal Carriers for Scouts

A Spitfire for air support

We roll No-Retreat...ugg I hate defensive battles.

The Board medium-light density

WWPD Italian campaign - 26th Panzer v Dismounted Cav - Cauldron

Hi all and welcome to another exciting Italian game. This time my 26th panzer took on Paul's dismounted cav army. Unfortunately Paul had the old Cassino list so we ported it over to the new book, and fiddled with what we had at my place to get it in line with the new books - so apologies for the typhoon as a warhawk!

WWPD Italian Campaign - 26th Panzer Division

Hi and welcome to my attempt at an axis list for the new Italy compilations.

What are my thoughts building a list this time?

1) I like German armour lists which are mobile and can attack yet not be too vulnerable to infantry AT

2) I like combined arms (so recon, smoke, arty)

3) I want uniquely Italy book units

4) I want some high end AT too!

WWPD Italian Campaign - Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653 vs Dismounted Cav - Breakthrough

Hello All  My first WWPD Italy campaign AAR, I was facing Paul W's Dismounted Cav. I turned up at his place and was first taken aback by how lovely the board was! Paul as always out doing himself with the terrain.  Paul was using Dismounted Cav, a personal favorite list as you can swap your platoons around when you know what your facing, a massive advantage. Paul unsurprisingly turned 3 guys from each platoon into Bazookas! We rolled up Breakthrough so I was the attacker and we got going.

Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653 HQ Elefant Elefant Elefant Elefant 2 Panzer IV + 2 Panzer III N 1 Sd Kfz 223 + 2 Sd Kfz 222 3 Nebs

US Dismounted Cavalry HQ 2 Sections of Dismounted Recon (3 teams turned into Bazookas) 2 Sections of Dismounted Recon (3 teams turned into Bazookas) 2 Sections of Dismounted Recon (3 teams turned into Bazookas) 2 M4A3 Sherman 76mm + 3 M4A3 Sherman (Late) - Please note that the 76mm's were played by Easy 8's and the A3's by 76mm's. 4 Stuarts 2 T19 105mm HMC 4 105mm Artillery AOP

WWPD Italian Campaign - 6th Armoured Division vs Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653- Cauldron

So Ben and myself managed to get an Italy game in the other day, we both had agreed tank forces but the mission was random. I won’t repeat the lists but link to mine and Ben’s.

I chose the side with the river running through, and placed Ben placed the objective on the front left and back right of the area. I placed the infantry covering the front left objective with the regular shermans in the field behind, with a 76mm platoon in immediate ambush.

Ben rolled firstly for his Panzer3/4’s and rolled a 6 placing them behind the hill. The elephants though ended up in opposite quarters after a 1 and 3 were rolled. Ben deployed his IC to support the panzer ¾’s and the elephant on my left. I deployed  my 76mm to hopefully to the long outflank on Ben.

Area Nine Italian Buildings Review

For my birthday this year I was a very lucky WinnerDave, my wife bought me some Buildings for the Italy board I'm working towards.

I had this company brought to my attention by eBay no less, which is good as otherwise I don't think I would have found them http://www.areanine.net/

I got the multi pack - 14 (in the middle), the church - 15 on the right and an out house - 10 on the left.
The multi pack consists of 4 buildings, 1 ruins, and 6 wall sections.

I made one small modification to them, which is to glue plasti-card inside the roofs and upper sections, so they don't slide about too much (thanks to Andy for the suggestion)

WWPD Italian Campaign - 6th Armoured Division

6^th Armoured Division

Welcome once again to another look at the lists we’re going to use in our part of Italy. One of the obvious things about the Italy compilations is the awesome infantry lists you get, in fact I think the British and commonwealth rifle lists are some of the best available. But what about British armour?

I honestly had looked, and liked the 76mm shermans but not though of doing much else, as I only had  box of 5, and well you need 6 for two small platoons, so thought very little else. Until Ben popped round with a spare soviet 76mm Sherman – and a quick head swap later I had my 6^th British 76mm Sherman – and the start of a 6^th Armoured Division.

I’ve used shermans a few times for Brits/Canadians, and there are normally 2 problems I encounter – 1) standard shermans are a bit rubbish, 2) fireflies are expensive and have no HE. Well this time I have 2 new toys, 76mm and 105mm shermans, lets see what I can come up with.

WWPD Italian Campaign - Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653

Hello All

So with the WWPD Italian campaign coming up and the new Italy books in hand I was really excited to take part. I had missed out on the Normandy Campaign as I didn't have a suitable army and I was determined not to miss out this time, but having spent the last 9 months focusing on Soviets I had zero forces suitable for the campaign.

When I finally got my hands on Fortress Italy I looked through the book and fell I love with the Hermann Goering Division, they had something in their history that applied to me, maybe its just that I do love elite units. But I was worried they wouldn't quite be quick enough to paint up for the campaign. So I came up with plan B, do an Elefant company first (who doesn't like heavy tanks after all!) and then turning it in a Hermann Goering tank company once the Elefant list was done. With this in mind I wrote two lists with the same core models.

WWPD Italian Campaign - NZ Infantry vs FJ's - Breakthrough

Hi everyone and welcome to the first of hopefully many Italian games.

There are many great rivalries in sports, Bath vs Gloucester, Man United vs Man City, and of course myself vs Winner Dave.

This time we knew Italy was at stake, and that we were both likely to try an bring our ‘A’ game – yeah not quite what happened. I arrived at Dave's to find a small village awaiting me

WWPD Italian Campaign - Fallschirmjäger

I've been looking forward to getting the new Italy books ever since they were announced and even more so when I discovered that the next global campaign run by WWPD would be Italy based.
I'd put my FJs to one side to focus on Soviets lists in Desperate Measures, but now its arrived it's time to lightly dust off the FJs.

The number of options is certainly good, and now I can run an Italy list with with the LW German player's essential PanzerFausts (don't leave home without one).

If it wasn't for the upcoming global campaign, I think I'd leave the FJs well alone and keep on playing with Soviet armour...as it is, I've got to make the best of the situation.

Beyond the Foxholes Episode 12 - On The Road to The Art of War

Hello All

Welcome to Beyond The Foxholes Episode 12 - On The Road to The Art of War

We join Ben, Alex and George live from Alex's car on the road to The Art of War (well live from their bed for part 1!)

In Act 1 talk about their lists for the weekend, what they think they'll face and how well they will or won't do!

In Act 2 We have a few interviews for you with some regular faces. (sorry for the audio in this section, I have a new mic for interviews and I'm still getting use to it)

In Act 3 & 4 the guys round out the episode with an AAR for the weekend and a few future plans.

The Art of War AAR and Photo Dump.

Hello All

Last weekend I went to The Art of War tournament in Sutton in Ashfield near Nottingham. The gaming hall the event was held in was a converted church and looked fantastic!

The tournament was Late War, 1750pts and the main restriction was Briefing book lists only (or no PDF's), there was also a slight restriction on army selection type based on your ranking. I had to take either a Tank list or a Mech lists, I choose a tank list and went with a Guard Tankovy list from Desperate Measures.

Japanese Type 38 and Type 41 Guns

Good morning,

Today I finished off my Japanese list with the addition of a Regimental Gun platoon and a Field Artillery battery.

Both platoons get the "fire bursts" national rule, so I don't have to re-roll hits when bombarding. The Type 38, is a heavy gun with a gun shield.  It can fire bombardments (AT3) or be used in direct fire (AT8)

Type 38 75mm Field Artillery