A List For Reading Warefare

Hello everyone!

I'm writing this from hospital on my phone after a minor procedure so sorry if any auto correct mistakes slip through. No cause for concern though, if I have my way I'll be up at Reading as planned in a few days!

A year ago, at the Warfare event I got my first look at the Early War Book, Barbarossa. I'd been playing at events all that year (2014) with big Italian infantry lists and wanted something new, exciting and better for my back! Getting those stands in and out of cases under the tables all year occasionally made me wish I had a force which would fit in one, small box.

It definitely fits in a large shoebox!

I'd also spent a year at events and had only ever attacked a few times but played aggressively, so a small, auto attacking Tankovy list may suit me. I won't know until I get to use it as I've only played one game since March 2015 and followers of our Facebook page may remember the list was nowhere near finished then from the pics I'd put up from time to time.

1iC T34s 1941 with a long range gun and good firepower

Combat Platoon of 2 T34 1940 well armed and quick

Combat Platoon 4 T28 with upgrades to make them great assault tanks

Support Platoon 3 BT7a for good firepower and an extra template pin

Weapons Platoon 5 Kht130 for putting pressure on

Since getting those tanks done I've finished all the infantry, aircraft and rocket launchers and whilst these took longer to paint are the smallest fraction of the force in terms of points:

Support Platoon Guards Rockets Launchers for double wide templates

Support Platoon Unarmed Sappers for screening and occasional assaults

An Aircraft to provide air cover and to strike tough targets

Guards Rockets notwithstanding it's 6 platoons of mostly confident conscripts and an aircraft. The idea is to put pressure on my opponent and try to pin or kill guns that an hassle my tanks at range with up to three templates (including a double wide)  and then advance, whittle down and finally assault. As this isn't the usual hammer and anvil Soviet list with lots of big platoons I'll need to play with a little subtlety! (And hope for tables that won't cause me to take lots of bogging checks!)

At the time of writing it's a few days before the Reading event which is fantastic. Not only is there two Flames of War tournaments but loads of other wargames events too. On top of this there is a sports hall full of wargames traders and an area to buy and sell your own models secondhand. I thoroughly enjoyed the event last year so booked a hotel for this year's event early just along the road from the site at Rivermead Leasure Centre.

Reading is one of the competitions where you can submit both an Axis and Allied army; something that's come up alot on social media and whether to bother or not. I'm definitely bothering and as I said above this is because I wanted to field a smaller list that attacks but because I've never used the list... ever... the stability of an Italian Infantry list that I'm used to will go with it.

These will all be fun challenges along with the special diet and recovery after hospital, it should make for a fun event!

Wish me luck, unless you're in the same comp... then stomp on my army mercilessly!

Happy gaming everyone!

James