Bridge By Bridge Compilation Review

Hello All,

Dr Cox here with a review of the Axis Market Garden Book, is going to be different to the Allied one, mainly as I haven’t played the axis forces in the book, or really any axis forces, so any comments will be appreciated!

Again I like the layout of the book, and unlike the allied book, I think it really has a lot of new lists, and for that reason alone I’m happy I bought this!

Fallschirmjagerkompanie (vet and trained)

Well I do have a fair amount of experience killing these guys thanks to Winner playing them. Firstly with VDH they get to ignore the allies rule which is brilliant, and those Panzefaust traps are an annoyance as always!

I like the fact these lists can access all manner of interesting support including some older panzer models, and the inclusion of rifle recce, should also help them out a little bit. All in all though I think FJ will continue to bring the best that Fearless Vets (and at times fearless trained) have to offer, but still so pricy once you add fausts!

Schwere Panzerjagerkompanie

Now this is a list I’m working towards currently, mainly thanks to my lovely Christmas present from ben of some jagpanthers. I’m loving the fact it’s a vet list, so you should be hard to hit with that damn AT15 now, whilst the stugs, can ignore AT15 as they’re toast anyway! You get some nice AA, supporting troops from various places – I’m especially liking the security section for a cheap 6^th platoon! But I don’t know how well the artillery will mesh with the list.

Grenadier Kompanie

Again comes in two flavours CV and CT, and of course the ability to take lots of short range infantry anti-tank. I personally think this is not a bad list, you can max out on infanty, pioneers, schreks and MG’s with some decent tanks and anti tank to back them up. It may not be award winning but I could see it sitting solidly.

Pioneer Lehr

Finally making an appearance! I love the history of these gentlemen, m one concern is in fair fights, the extra points for any minefields and wire may be squandered, and I see assaulting other infantry teams hard due to little HMG goodness.

Panzerkompanie

Another list which I like the look of, as it’ll suit my complete lack of subtlety! It is very obviously the more confident brother of those lists in BGG, and now gets the little bit of artillery, though lacks recon still. I can really see myself playing this with about 8 panthers my triples and some Assault rifle Grenadiers on the charge!

Euling

Now this is another very interesting list, coupled with the Euling’s ability to start his units in prepared positions, this is a real defenders list. If you come across this list without pioneers I think you’ll struggle, having fortified MG with fausts is needed and minefields and HMG nests is nasty and reminds me of my first game at Brighton Bash!

Harzer

So you like HMG’s? well roll up roll up! It may be RT, but with the Sichereits companies, and the 12 HMG’s a platoon, you should still stop any infantry in it’s tracks, or at least until you end you game due to the need to leave. You’ve also got enough AT from the Flak88’s and Schwere panzers to stop yourself being over run by tanks. Don’t know if this is competitive but would be fun to try out!

Von Swoboda

What can I say, love at first sight! Who doesn’t want to field 16 Flak36’s? Again I have no idea if it’d work, but at least it has the always defend rule, just need to make sure you have enough other units so in a half on half off mission you get all these bad boys on the field.

Brinkman

Now a list I like, lots and lots of FV halftracks racing to the objective, a little bit of armour, but this really appeals to me, it’s proper mobile warefare, and has the right mix of support available to make it interesting to me too, but it would be PSC half tracks I think to keep it cheap!

Graebner

Ok I was wrong, this is the always attack, mobile list I’ve wanted! With spearhead moves, and recon deployment first, you should be on top of the enemy from turn one if you do it right. Against armour though I can really see this list struggling, and to me I think that’ll limit it’s all rounder abilities, but it’s a must for any campaign I think.

Knaust

First off wooden legs rule! Again for historical reasons we have an infantry list pretending to be mech, and whilst it may get 4 armour slots, the Panzer4’s and 3’s don’t strike me as too threatening

Hummel

Now again a list with some great history surrounding it, and a interesting force to field as well. I think for spamming the tiger it’s great, but will require careful use, as there is very little to help it you go off piste. But hey CT tigers with no skills will be appealing to some.

Arnheim

Now in many ways I wish we had more of these sorts of list, a ahistorical but plausible list. I wish that in Market garden they had a list where XXX Corps had reached the para’s as I think them facing off against this list would be very interesting for all those ‘what if’s’. Again a decent selection of units with wide choice in the compulsory sections, and FV to boot!

Spindler

Now this is a nice infantry FV list, able to take on most things I think. Plenty of options in the compulsory section and access to MG/faust can provide a strong core, whilst you get a couple of armour slots, and a broad mix of other support options. I could really see myself using this as a german infantry list at a tournament, with the rerolls to reserve ensuring you don’t have to wait till turn 3!

Stug Batterie

Now I know there is a lovely one in Grey wolf, but I don’t think it got a whole platoon of those lovely StuH’s.

Schwere Panzerkompanie

It certainly has teeth this list, even if there are only a few teeth there! KT’s are just so many points, and yes they are fearsome, but worth it in this new age of AT15 everywhere? Maybe you need to meta the meta, I know they all take AT15 so I’ll go for PZ4’s but they know I’ll do that so I’ll go for KT’s…

Tetau

Whats more to want from a German list than more men than an average Soviet list! Add to the mix flame tanks converted from French Tanks and you have a very fun and interesting list.

Conclusion

Well there it is my brief run down of BbB, I feel it actually covers a lot of bases, with Tank, mech and infantry lists in all shapes and sizes with some interesting unusual lists for those campaigns. I think I’ll probably stick with more generic lists, but I honestly think this book has something for everyone.

Thanks for reading

Dr Cox