Updated LFTF, check on Devil's charge Winter Training, NGFS and AOP changes :)

LFTF November Issue, updated.

Most important changes here:

 Where can an Air Observation Post be placed?

An Air Observation Post may be placed anywhere that its flight stand can fit on the table, but may not be placed so that it’s flight stand overlaps any team or Linear Obstacle, and the centre of the flight stand must not be in, on, or within 2”/5cm of a wood or building.

Does an Air Observation Post limit where the enemy can place Ambushes?

No, not unless they are using the Column Security special rule.

If an Air Observation Post is across the halfway line in a No Retreat or similar mission, is this enough to stop the game ending with a defender victory?

No. An Air Observation Post across the halfway line will not prolong the game, so the defender has won.

An AVRE can demolish an Obstacle with its Petard mortar. Can it gap a Minefield in this way?

No it cannot. It can only clear Obstacles that it can actually demolish.

In the No Man’s Land mission, only Fortified Platoons are deployed on table. How do I play this mission if I have a Fortified Company that doesn’t have any Fortified Platoons?

The mission is a recommendation for games between two Fortified Companies where normal missions would result in an uneventful stalemate. However, it is not always appropriate.  In cases where one side is a Fortified Company, but has no Fortified Platoons, you may be better to play a normal mission with the company that has no Fortified Platoons as the attacker.

Can my force be supported by multiple Naval Gunfire Support options?

Like Air Support, only one company in your force may have Naval Gunfire Support.

A Heavy Cruiser uses a Double-width Template that must be aligned with the table edges. Can it be either way around or must it be a specific way.

You must choose a table edge at the start of the game before Deployment as the one from which the naval gunfire is coming. If there is a table edge entirely within your Deployment Area, you must choose this table edge. The template must be aligned with this table edge as if the guns were firing from beyond the edge ofthe table.

Can an NGFS Air Observation Post or NGFS Observer team Spot for other artillery batteries, and can other Observer teams Spot for Naval Gunfire Support?

No. The Naval Gunfire Support does not have a Staff team, so its Observers cannot Spot for or other batteries, and vice versa. Company Command teams can still spot for Naval Gunfire Support using the Spotting With Company Command Teams rule on page 126 of the rulebook. Other Command teams cannot use the US Excellent Communication rule on page 240 of the rulebook

 Naval Gunfire Support

With the publication of Overlord, we are taking the opportunity to update Market Garden’s naval gunfire support to match.There are now three Naval Gunfire Support options:

• HMS Warspite for 250 points

• HMS Roberts for 150 points

• LCG support for 75 points.

A Commando may have support from multiple LCG (Landing Craft Guns), but only one option may be taken as either HMS Warspite or HMS Roberts.

Only one company in your force may have Naval Gunfire Support.

The rules for Naval Gunfire Support

become:

For each you have Naval Gunfire Support, your force will field an NGFS Air Observation Post or NGFS Observer Rifle team that can only Spot for an Artillery battery of Confident Trained Naval Guns. Choose which you will field at the start of each game before deployment.

A NGFS Air Observation Post or Observer Rifle team cannot Spot for other artillery batteries, and other Observer teams cannot Spot for Naval Gunfire Support, although a Company Command team can Spot for Naval Gunfire Support as normal.

The guns are not deployed on the table, but have the range to hit any target on the table. They do not have a Staff team.

When firing an Artillery Bombardment with Naval Gunfire Support, position the Artillery Template as if the fire was coming from a table edge chosen at the start of the game. If there is a table edge entirely in your Deployment Area, you must choose this table edge.

Naval Gunfire Support always uses the smallest Artillery Template available, electing to re-rolling misses rather than use a larger Template

HMS Warspite is a 6-gun battery with Anti-tank 6 and Firepower 1+.

HMS Roberts is a 2-gun battery with Anti-tank 6 and Firepower 1+.

An LCG is a 2-gun battery with Anti-tank 4 and Firepower 3+.

Red Bear has been revised and reprinted.Do I have to buy a new copy to find out what has changed?

No. You can download the changes from: www.FlamesOfWar.com/RedBearUpdates

Historical Scenario-based campaign at the Nopat and Taktiikka club

We had a nice tournament at the club last Saturday. The idea was to have 6 tables, each with a scenario and forces supplied by the organizers. We had plans how to grade the winners, but in the end it for too complicates so fun was what we got :)

This was very good experience for all, as who got to play lists who don't usually play and for me it's was very good to know the enemy better :)

Crossing of Maas EW 

French defending, Germans attacking with possibility to have Night attack, nobody took it, as they thought that Stuka is needed from start... (French won both games :) )

Sevastopol  MW

with CC soviets defending and Germans and Romania attacks. Here the defender prevailed as well, the infantry horde from MW was new thing for those who played this.

Road to Messina

v2 Roadblock scenario, I got to play this with US list, my first time, the Tiger was big problem, but in the end I had to ARP's going to kill that, but we did not have time to see the end here...

Uranus

Ortona - the little Stalingrad

this was my creation, the Canadian forces equipment got changed bit. This was played twice, with both sides winning it, so ok.

No man's land

Finns versus Soviets, this I also played with somebody who has only experience with US tanks playing the Soviets and me the Finns, got the objective and won 5-2.

Panzer!

Been thinking about going for something completely different for a while now, and was originally thinking about doing a tank army out the SU arsenal, which I have none myself.

Now I'm hell-bent on trying out my Panzer General skills with the workhorse, PZIV-centered lists, mostly inspired by the writings of 'Panzer' Dan Larsen.

Here's my first creation, with 14 Panzers, AA, 3 Recon elements and 2 Smokers. 9 Platoons at ease.

The general idea is to smoke the opposition somewhat securely where it hurts the most, and manouver the crap out of him (in the end at least, guess it will be the other way round before that happens...)

So, here's the list #1, will update on the progress later on.

Version B Lots of stuff in the air with all the AA and Panzers, still a smoker and lot of small, angry cars arriving in your backdoor :)

Kullervo's Finnish Jääkäri Komppania - alku / The Beginning

At last some sunlight to take photos. But before that thanks are in order to VonRichthofen to accepting me as a co-writer. Who am I? Go here or just let my miserable existence be because the most important part of me is here. Down below:

I am a fluff player and honestly I have played only couple of games FoW before so I am focusing to what is closest to me. Fluff orientated armies! And as you know FoW is the Fluff-Heaven. There are so much fluffs that you have a couple of lifetimes to spent vacuuming them!

First and still work in process army is Finnish Jääkäri Komppania. Technically Jääkäri Pataljoona 3 and one of its companies supported by Sturmi Joukkue and lots of more stuff. It is badly undone. Only 5 bases ready and two almost ready Sturmis. Still some shopping to do and so on. I will try to get something done in future so be ready.

Red Bear re-visited

So, the soviet pleas were heard by the BF, and now it seems the horde will be viable again.
For a German infantry player that is not necessarily such good news...

Anyway, as for tactics against the Russians, let's review the what used to work...

Smoke

Smoke them, make them move, Hen & Chicks means they can't hit you, except with MGs and there are quite a few of those in a 10 tank company...

Cats

Kt, Tiger, Panther used to be the poison versus russians, now the Su-100 might be the cure..

Infantry

Well, your German infantry stand costs more that Soviet LL tank, go power-armour, defending is defending, but in FFA, Dust-Up and the similar will be painful, plus the New Udarny seems to be something that puts the German infantry to a test as well.

NGFS

If only the Prinz Eugen could fire it's 8 guns like it's western counterparts...


This is not a whine, but I'm hoping to hear from you all about how the new changes effect the game, and let us review what used to work, especially when it comes to removing hordes :)

Looking for collaboration / Kiinnostaako Flames of War blogi yhteystyö?

Writing a Flames of war blog alone is something I like to do but if somebody wants to do posts here, I'd like to hear from you. Any ideas how to make the blog more interesting would be something I'd like to hear.

- Finnish language posts?
- AAR's
- Tactics
- Cartoons
- Painting stuff
- Another games

Please contact me at mikko.hellemaa(at)gmail.com

ETC 2013 - Team Tournament BBB-FJ

Team tournament - Winning is all

So, after the bad show on the ESC, felt like I should stay off the beer and have a better gaming day.

1st round we got to face off against Canada, I played the very nice Pole and his Canadien Infantry list.

The Scenario was Breakthrough and he had, those armored APCs, Land Mattresses, 6 pounders, UCs, Wasps, M10s and Infantry, he elected to do Night attack, which allowed me to move to defend the objectives under cover of darkness, his first Infantry platoon was destroyed pretty early, when he assaulted my short scouts, the next round I assaulted the remains and killed his CiC as well.

The M10s arrived from the reserves, and promptly killed my StuHs but got finished themselves also in the process, by trap teams, StuH and finally my CiC. The last rounds were mostly bloody assaults from both sides, leaving the Canucks no other option but break my co morale, which failed, his only effectives in the end were 3 6 pounders, so after his Mattress failed to range-in, we called it 4-3 for me.

The second game was against Spain and I faced Canadien Recon tanks in dust-up. I had the joy of downing an AOP in the game, the game itself was pretty uneventful, although my trap teams caused him all sorts of trouble, including a free kill with his left behind, bogged down 2iC in the woods. I almost stole the game with my StuHs and recon arriving from the reserves, but he realized the danger just in time to have his CiC tank with the huge artillery to delay me enough to not make it. 2-3 draw.

Third game was Fighting Withdrawal versus Hungarians and a US tank list with Shermans,Jumbos, Stuarts, Priests, Recon Jeeps, Infantry and stuff. I deployed my objectives to the left and center and he put his next to my center objective. I never had any real danger in this one and his arty kept trying to kill my 88s, once he managed to kill one gun, only to have VDH resurrect it...

I actually had my StuHs in ambush and never had to deploy them, the 88s fired a salvo at 5 Stuarts, hit 6 times and destroyed the platoon, needing 6s... There was a bit of assaulting in the end, but FJs are pretty good at that business, so no real worries there either, 6-1 for me.

This concluded the day, and spent the night grabbing just a couple beers and fine dining.

The Sunday started with lot less hangover... And we merrily headed to the Master Center again. First game was Surrounded against Serbian gameshop owner, and his US tanks, with Shermans, TDs, Sherman 105s, 2 Infantry platoons, Mortars and Recon, he had Abrams with the lot. I had been facing all sorts of artillery in the tourney, so promptly spread my troops, which wasn't such a great idea as he had only the mortars for indirect. In the end it didn't matter that much, he lost his 105s early by failed assault on my Fjs, 2iC Faust and 1 Schreck, both pinned, hit and maimed, rest of the Sherms were bogged so his best anti-infantry weapon down. After that, I cleared the infantry platoons in leisure by StuHs and FJs. He got the game to 4-3 by killing the 88s and one FJ platoon.

The Last game was Counterattack versus Slovakia and I got to defend against Aufklarungs, with Cannons, a KT, StuHs, Recon, Nebs and HT infantry. The HT infantry started by doubling to end of  a street where only my 88s could see them ;) I foolishly did not target the 2iC but maimed the platoon and it left the map. The 2iC almost took the Objective when I slept... StuHs were unkillable, I hit them with everything, 3 trap teams and so on. My StuHs cleaned the Cannon platoon and I started moving my FJs a bit late to defend the far objective, with my remaining 2 StuHs, lucky for me, he forgot to move his 2iC once, which was enough for me to get a StuH to contest, only had to survive a round of shooting from his StuHs to win...

And I save everything, 4-3 and a nice 4 wins 1 draw for me, Team Finland raised from last years position 1 place and us newbies for the team gained invaluable experience.

Thanks to the Organizers for the very well organized tournament! And thanks to all my opponents for tough games.

ETC experiences 2013 - ESC

So better late than never, I guess... I took my Fallschirmjägers to the Novi Sad, Serbia to fight friendly wargamers from all over the world.

I started my games very tired and thirsty in the singles tournament, had a cassino list and started by having to fight Cossacks in dust-up, I did my best to try to take the objective but just did not have enough umph to make dent in the soviet masses, in the end I did not have enough to hurt even the lowly Lees, whiffing all of my 3 schreks shots and stuff. Anyway, the best I could hope in this would have been a tie, so better to lose so at least somebody is happy :) 1-6

Next game was versus my team mate, very drunken now after loosing his first game as well, was defending against 30+ Beutepanzers in surrounded, happily survived the grumpy, drunken maneuvers to 6-1 win. Shame on the TO's for the match-up though, traveling to Serbia to fight a club mate is not too fun.

Last game I faced a Trained BBB Fj list in counterattack, had been drinking a lot at the time and when I got to defend, was over-confident... although maiming the opponent, his fearless Stugs stayed alive long enough to kill my CiC/2iC and 4 platoons... 3-4 and a good lecture on not drinking while gaming...

No heroes for tournaments?

Well, the title is something that many players agree, but the root here is as always, few lists and few heroes, Patton, Von Heydte, von Suck and so, well, with bbb fj list, you really want those pf  traps, you need Vdh to have them, no heroes, no traps, bad list.

No heroes, no Patton, the list is there still.

People say Fj are not good for tourneys, when somebody gets good games with them, it's because They have Vdh and traps, ffs, you win, OP, you lose, I said so... Can't win...

Happy hunting, everybody, and I would drop Vdh if could get the traps wo him, always, I don't like heroes,
really, but hey try kg kastner without Kastner....

EDIT. Bake without bake, I really think the problem is those heroes every list can have.

Guest from the West coast Canadien Infantry defending versus BBB Fallschrimjagers.

Went to Panssari museum in Parola last Sunday with my 2 oldest sons, and no other than Russ from the NorCal gaming circuits,  Russ posted a nice AAR of a game we managed to play, instead of obstacles like morning flight, wife, work and so on. Do enjoy.

AAR Canadien IINO defends BBB FJ in Pincer


Here's the text and pics:

I managed to get in a game vs Mikko while in Finland. Both of us made a sacrifice to play-we ended 2 hours before I had to get up and catch my plane the next day and Mikko had to convince his wife that playing FOW late on a weeknight was somehow a good idea-after school and before work the next morning!

Anyways, Mikko played his FJ from market Garden and I played a Canadian list his friend had.

Mikko's List: HQ+ Heydte + 4 Trap teams + 3 mtrs + 3 schreks, 2 large FJ platoons, 3 StuH42s, 4 Pak40s, 2 88s, small mortar platoon and a small Recce platoon (3 stands). He combat attacked the schreks and a mortar each to his infantry platoons (12 and 13 stands each), and added the 3rd mortar to his small mtr platoon to make a 3 tube battery.

Russ's borrowed Canadian list: HQ, Full Rifle platoon with 3 De-Frocked Priests, Short Rifle platoon with 3 De-Frocked priests, 4 6 pdrs + Trans, Arm Recce pltn (2 Shermans, 2 FFs), 4 M-10Cs, 4 3" mtrs, 3 Carriers, 3 WASPs.

Scenario: Pincer. With my limited amount of infantry, heavy AT but not a lot of "digging out" power, I didn't  opt  for the night attack and hoped I would roll to be the defender-which I did.

I started with the full rifle platoon, mortars, 6 pdrs and the armored recce on the board (see picture 1 below). Mikko weighted his attack to my left and came at me with both infantry platoons supported by mortars, Paks and Stuh42s. The 88s were set up where they might get a shot in but he didn't have transport for them so they couldn't move.

As he came forward, I tried to trim his numbers with the mortars but didn't do much. His trap teams popped on his side and advanced towards  my solo units (Observers and commanders) on my right flank while everything else went in on my left. I waited one turn too long to deploy my ambush, which resulted in my 6 pdrs having to ambush further back then I would have liked.



As Mikko came in he used his mortars (very effectively) to smoke off portions of my force while shooting with StuH42s, a Pak40 shot or two and his infantry to start to bring my infantry platoon down. Assaulting was tough at first because I had a lot of DF shots.

Finally, on turn 4, I received 2 reinforcements. I brought in my WASPs and M-10Cs. I hit his Recce platoon with 1 WASP, killing 2 and the 3rd ran away and blew up his StuH42s with my M-10Cs. (Picture 2) One of his infantry platoons had lost 5 or so teams but he was still very infantry strong. On his turn 5, with good use of smoke and careful assaults, he wiped out my infantry platoon and drove me off the objective.  (Picture 3-probably taken just before I lost the infantry platoon)

On turn 5, I brought in my short rifle platoon and fired everything at his infantry (lots and lots of MG shots) but I didn't quite kill enough. My infantry assault went in and was counter-attacked back. I had to send my tanks in-because it was that or lose the game. After 1 round of assault and counter-assault, facing 2 Shreks and 2 Panzerfausts, my platoon was destroyed. (Picture 4).

So, a 3-4 loss for me. In retrospect, I could have been more aggressive with my tanks, should have put my ambush down on my turn 1 and a few other minor things. Nothing glaring. With Heydte giving him morale of 2+ (higher command so he can re-roll many checks), you really do have to kill the FJs to the man. It was a fun, close battle and it is obvious that Mikko really knows how to handle his FJ list.

For me, I would not build my Canadian Infantry list like his friend did-it was very strong AT but too strong in my opinion. I generally want more infantry and/or more firepower to dig troops out. I like the Carriers and the WASps of course, If I had run into Panzers from the Meuse or something I probably would have been happy to have all that AT I suppose (12 AT 15 shots per turn + 12 AT 11 shots per turn + 4 AT 10 shots per turn).

Anyways, good times and Mikko is a fun opponent to play. We both learned some things here and there. The Panzerfaust trap teams are quite useful even if you are attacking. You basically get a single team assault force that runs around and threatens individual units or tanks. I did kill 2 of them but who cares-they don't count towards anything. Anyone that plays FJ and doesn't bring Heydte and 4 trap teams is crazy. He never managed to raise anyone from the dead but it wasn't for lack of trying...

ESC / ETC 2013 - Tournament up next week in Serbia!

So it begins, it's my first international competition and not too little at that. First on Friday, I'll be moving my Cassino Fallschirmjäger in Dust-Up, Counterattack and Surrounded.

Thanks for WWPD's Eric Riha for the concept.

There seems to be 47 players in the Singles tournament, so some action guaranteed.

After the ESC, there's the Dinner Party, guess will need to tone down on drinking a bit, there :)

The main event will be the ETC and it's 3 games on Sat, 2 on Sun.

Bridge by Bridge list for that, the emphasis here is winning more than not loosing platoons, so I have stuff I wouldn't normally use, like 3 tank platoon and trained 88's, although I'm gonna try the twin battery in near future.


I'll try to update the blog a bit from Novi Sad as well, but might not be able to.

Faerie Story - 2ID meets the 6th FJR in a magical dust up

Once upon a time, in a Land far, far away, the Necromancer was brooding, the nasty forces of good had invaded his land, and won a battle or two, against the superior armies of evil..

As the dawn broke, the Scouts reported a disturbance in the Force, and further investigations made it clear that a contingent of Mighty Wood Elves was in the vicinity, the Necromancer shivered at the thought, then hardened himself for the up and coming onslaught...

So, still trying to get as many practice games before the ETC I can, sometimes making my Significant Other  not too pleased...

We played a Dust-Up Mission with the following lists at 1780:

2ID from the Devil's Charge

6 FJR from the Bridge By Bridge

I won the first roll and chose a quadrant where I got a good fields of fire, and the stone church to move from, My paks did do nothing, until in the very end, they had a few misses against US reserves.

I choose to put a 2iC with a stummel, my recon, the StuHs and FJ2 to delayed reserves,

The US deployment, and the village, where it all went down...  the US player deploys the 155mm, AT guns, one SS and Infantry platoon.

This was also the last picture I took, sorry about that. 

FJ turn 1 : The FJ1 moves inside the church, paks dig in, stummels try to, 88 takes shots at the 155mm's but misses. I pop a Faust trap, that assaults the Guns, but misses, gun team did not...

US turn 1: US arty targets and kills the 88, also kills a team or two from the FJ1 IIRC. Digging-in Stuff, the SS moves forwards, Infantry truscott trotts teams across the clearing, into the building... (pfft, my first ever 2ID encounter this..).

FJ turn 2 : The FJ1 moves through the Graveyard and preps the Doubled up platoon for assault, Stummels smoke, Direct Fire from 88 and FJ1 is enough to pin the platoon and the assault goes in, and slays the teams in the building next to the objective.

US turn 2 : The TDs Deploy to the Village Square. Using .50 cals to root out FJ1, Infantry platoon fails to un-pin. Guns fail to hit the building (1 shot from a bunker buster hits on a 6. 4 teams in the building, brrr..)

FJ turn 3 : I get reserves, StuHs arrive. I deploy two Faust traps, who promptly shoot their Fausts at the TDs, scoring 2 bails,  StuHs bail one, the Infantry is Pinned so I assault...

Schreck team destroys the last active TD, the battle with the US infantry goes a bit against the odds, with the US staying for the end, and finally killing the last of the FJ1 including the CiC. The TDs leave though, and the Infantry platoon consolidates, now with 2 teams..

US Turn 3:

No reserves.

 Artillery ranges on a StuH, bailing the assault gun, the AT-guns fire on the Stuhs, bagging one.

Then the US player makes a rather bad move, by doubling up his 2iC to help with holding the OBJ.

FJ Turn 4:

2 Reserves :)

I bring the FJ2 and the Scouts.

Last Faust trap assaults a 155mm gun, kills it and consolidates another one.

StuH fail to un-bail, last active StuH fires at the doubled-up 2iC, who promptly attaches himself to the AT gun platoon, whose bazooka team was linking them here.

3 Kills later, the 2iC is still there (2 warrior saves, live and let die...) , but the AT gun platoon loses a Baz, Gun  and the Cmd team.

88 shoots at the 2iC scoring 2 kills, the CiC gets it, and the 2iC removes bravely the second last team from the infantry platoon. 

US Turn 4 :

Sole survivor check for the Infantry platoon succeeds and the team promptly kills the last Faust team.

1 Reserves, he gets the Mortars against my advice, and moves the to effective range. The 155mm unpin and 

fire a 2 gun bombardment on FJ2, 1 kill.

the At guns fire at the FJ2 1 kill.

FJ Turn 5 :

StuH fails to unbail. FJ2 moves to assault range of the AT Guns. Fail to pin. StuH shoots at the 2iC but fail the FP check on 2+... 

Stummels bombard the snot out of the moved Mortar platoon and 88 adds to mayhem.

FJ2 Assaults and the At guns are no more.

The Mortar platoon breaks.

US turn 5 : the sole survivor check fails for the infantry, company morale with 2iC: 2!

It's all over.

5-2 for the Germans.

 

Video Games -- the Horror.

Bought a PS3 game yesterday, Bethesda Id Software couple of years old 1st Person shooter called Rage. It was only few euros and it sort of reminded me of fond memories with Fallout saga, and also quite a few RPG sessions from my youth.

Don't know if it's me getting old, or are the games getting more difficult nowadays, last night stayed far too long awake trying to blow up a hummer with a turret, with bullets running out all the time,,, Guess I'm more fit to pushing little men on a table..

Thinking about joining the Red Menace...

Hah,

At our club in Finland, the Eastern Front is close and close to the heart as well, I've been looking for another force for quite a long time now, but it's starting to seem like the Russians are my choice, no matter the bad talk I read about them.

So far I'm thinking of having either a Strelkovy or Tankovy... Gotta look up some of the speed-painting techniques...

FJ Pioneers vs. Harckocsizo Szazad at 1780 points

FJ Pioneers vs. Harckocsizo Szazad at 1780 points.

So, I got to test this list in Counter Attack versus infantry-eating beast called Zrinyi II. My opponent had made tiny changes to his list, and now had 15cm artillery as well, he had 3*3 Zrinyis, 2 Panthers, 40mm AA, Pioneers with Wagon, Nebs, Toldi and 15cm guns.

I completely missed (he almost forgot them himself) his supply wagon and made a very bad job at putting up the fortifications, as the idea is to get the enemy come to you, when you have AT4 infantry...

The place where time stood still, my elite infantry stays put from beginning to finish...

The concentrated enemy, just had to use my nebs on those instead of smoking to let me move my troops...

The firing squad

overview of the battle

Marders and Nebs cause casualties. Zrinyi and heavy artillery kill some Pioneers.

Trucks dead, 15cm ranged in, and fearless stay pinned...

Stugs arrive from the mobile reserves, promptly on turn 3...

Can't really relate this battle too well, made mistakes, would know more how to use the forts next time, but not too sure I'll want to as I don't think this list is competitive enough, and I'm a bit of a competitive person...

Afterthoughts: 

I killed 3 platoons to make this 3-4, lost none, had to put the Stugs in reserve, for the fear of getting the marders in third round and losing them too easily. Another smoker would have been godsent as I couldn't move the troops, for the fear of getting wiped out by the HBG assault guns.

Gonna test the FJ Pioneers tomorrow.

I seriously think these guys are not tourney-worth but gonna try them versus those 'we eat infantry for breakfast' Hungary HBG tanks.

Here's the list...

The idea behind this is rockhard combat platoons with FTs, two trucks for fun. Two mobile platoons for AT and limited Air for people who bunch their tanks... 6 Platoons, no problem with Armoured Reserves with Marders TA0. Will let you know how this went :)

Flames of War Online Youtube Commanding FJs remotely...

So, me being me, I finally let my big mouth get me into mr. Kepler's wonderful world of flames of war - online. The link to the BF forum topic here really interesting to see how this goes.


  Part 1
 
  Part 2
 
  Part 3
 
  Part 4
 
  Part 5
 
  Part 6
   
Part 7
 

Preparation game vs. Hungarian HBG list from hell :) Pics and thoughts... Not a proper AAR

Sorry not a proper AAR at all, just wanted to share my thoughts after meeting the worst thing I could imagine, and surviving... well almost, fearless isn't...

Had a list from BBB with VDH all the traps, Stuhs, 88's(my first time with these and lost them without firing them at all...) , Pak40s, mortars, no 'real' artillery and short scouts with PzF

OpFor was 10 Zrinyi II's (Hungarian StuH with HBG), 3 panthers, pioneers, nebs, Toldi recce tanks and nebs.

We chose to play the Breakthrough as I haven't really played that before. The game proceeded very quickly, and ended on round 8 or 9 when Vdh rolled 1 for company morale, Hungarians having passed theirs before...

I really feel this list can win vs. anybody given the player(me..) is up to his game... I would not play this kind of list if the scoring was done BF style only, but with the upcoming ETC, the winning is more important.

Setting Up the factory did not block LOS, my bad placement of 88s seen below...

Finally got a proper Feldherr backpack with right sized slots...

FJ 1 ready to move to seize the objectives. Mortars seen behind them.

FJ 2 with it's attached stummel, holding the another flank with Paks.

Recon move.

Nebs, blissfully unaware of the fanatical faustmen, Eric and Karl, ready to drive them off the table... 

Reserves of the Hungarian, they did not fare so well after entering..

Perceptions of the units:

The trap teams were wonderful again in directing and delaying the enemy, one trap team eliminated the nebs in first 3 turns...

88's got smoked, then killed by the HBGs, Vdh resurrected one, these I need to think again, how to use them successfully.

StuHs were not stars here, but they forced the enemy to move the longer way.

The Recon caused trouble for the enemy by having that Faust and being a buffer for possible infantry early attack through woods, these I think will be useful.

Paks I really like, they were not stars of the game, but really forced the enemy movement again.

FJ with Schrecks and Fausts is the bomb, pure staying power and willingness to assault tanks... :)

Stummels were essential in keeping the enemy's no save guns to minimum fire.

ETC 2013 - Big Points vs. Little ones...

So gonna be going to the ETC - Fow Tournament as part of the Team Finland, and it's gonna be my first big tournament, 5 rounds of pure fun... Or not.

Well to the point of the title. Last year the big points as in Wins, meant that a team that scored less on BF scoring than some in the last ladder, actually managed 5th place, for they had more wins. I'm not criticizing this, but it means new approach to the lists, you can have 'glass cannons', you don't need 9 platoons, you can sacrifice platoons f.ex. As the 4-3 is a lot more valuable than 1-1, or 3-2.

Certainly, a list that does not leak points is not a bad approach, but there is also the possibility of always meeting the worst possible opponent, due to pairing, so it's not completely random, and you can't count on meeting all-comer lists, but it's quite probable to meet some specialized ones, all in theory certainly.

Looking forward to this experience and hopefully meet some of the fellows from forums I've had the pleasure to share thoughts with.

HQ Attachments V3 FAQ

This is confusing stuff, but here's the rulebook entry modified by the errata: Here's the modified whole rule... MAY ATTACH GUN TEAMS You have 2 choices with Gun teams in the HQ Support platoon: - "You can attach them all out" - “You can attach out up to half of the Gun teams, retaining at least two Gun teams in the HQ Support Platoon.” “Whichever you do, no more than half of the Gun teams, but always at least one gun, may be attached to any one platoon.” The any ONE platoon is the key here, you can attach everything out as long as you have enough combat/weapons platoons or you can divide the Gun teams evenly to your platoons.

FOW LW Tournaments generally allowed books.

This is something people seem to wonder about, tournaments tend to let you know which books are allowed. Here's a BF run LW tournament example, that's pretty standard for a non-themed tourney. 




Earth & Steel 
Turning Tide 
Dogs and Devils 
Cassino 
Hell’s Highway 
A Bridge Too Far 
V3 Forces Book 
Red Bear 
Grey Wolf 
Market Garden 
Bridge by Bridge 
Nuts! 
Devil’s Charge 
Blood, Guts and Glory 

Army lists available on the Flames of War website listed under Official 
1944-45. (This does not include any army lists currently ‘Under Review’.)

Location Change - Moving is hell... Nothing to do with Fow

Well, now I can safely say I've lived in all kinds of accommodations, barring igloo. We just moved after living in a wooden house built post-war for almost 3 years. The owning a house really opened a new world to a city-dweller. I still think it's the optimal form of living if you don't consider your own time really expensive...

I've done my share of gardening, branch-cutting, mole-hunting, mouse-trapping, cutting down trees and the myriad stuff that the interior of an old house needs to be done in order to keep rolling... I even changed the windows of the thing before we sold it. The last three years were also snowfall records here in Finland...

Selling a house in the economic climate of today is another thing I don't really like, especially a fringe-of-city one, still we managed to get that done, so might be getting more gaming done in the near future.

Our sons have aged from 5-3-  to 7-5-2 years old during the stint to the country-side, and happy to move to apartment in the capital, as they tend to sense the emotions of the parents. Funny enough, now we've got beach less than 500 m from the house, not to mention the public transportation, the shops and social life :) As in the small town we got rumors, cars and petty politics..

It's quite heart-warming when your neighbors are really sad to see you go, never imagined myself as the good neighbor type...

Last Tourney game - Hasty Attack vs. Finnish Jääkäri List 3-4

The final game, was me against the overall winner of the Tourney, Oskari, a very capable and friendly opponent from Nopat & Taktiikka Club, we ended up having the best three from our club in the tournament...

IIRC he had:


HQ

Full Recce Jääkärit with Törni

Another Jääkäri platoon

Full Pioneers

German Stugs

Panssari Platoon with 4 T-28s

Heavy Artillery

Light Artillery

Pak40 platoon


I 'won' the roll to attack, and he chose the table-edge with the woods in the middle and large escarpment.

He had the heavy arty and Törni platoon covering the other obj behind the crop field, next to the rocky escarpment, the other obj, was on the other flank, hugging the small copse of trees, covered by the Pioneers and Stugs.

I had my big platoon of FJ on my left flank with Stugs, the Paks I put to cover my objective on the right.

I started getting my reserves right from the start , and started manouvering them via the 'monastery' and crops towards the left flank objective. I lost few teams and couple of stugs to the Artillery and Stugs of his on the way.

He started advancing with Törni's recce platoon towards my objective, I put my LG40s from the reserves to help with defense there, also the Stummel platoon went to the south end of the vineyards, but lacked the range for anything but the Törni boys.

The attack went pretty well, and was assaulting the objective on round 4 successfully, the Stugs of his I managed to destroy by the combined effort of Schrecks and Stugs, he did not get any reserves on turn three...

Then round four for Finns, 5,6 for reserves, 5,6 for scattered deployment, T-28s and Jääkäri platoon bang on the objective..... Some swearing by me here, sorry for that... The 'blue' platoon was gutted, and my 'yellow' (need to repaint the edges....) platoon stayed pinned for the rest of the game...


The pioneer remnants assaulted my depleted platoon, only to be wasted in DF...
The Törni assault #1 was bounced by the defensive fire by Paks/Light Guns. Later, by the combined effort of Stummel direct fire and Pak shooting, the whole platoon quit the field, after Törni failed his 2+ (2 out of 3 games in the tourney...).

I deployed my Traps to see if I could kill the t-28s but in vain, we were both weary so decided to call it quits, Finn casualties were Stug Platoon, Pioneers and Törni platoon, mine were LG40s, Stugs and 'Blue' FJ platoon, so 4-3 to the jääkäri.

Afterthoughts:

Nothing much to add, if he'd had to attack, it would have been painful exercise for him, but that's how the dice roll, if he'd put the reserves to anywhere but here.. might have taken the objective, been 4-3 to me, bad dice and good dice on both sides, fearless isn't always that, I still don't think arty is a threat enough.

Delightful game until the crushing reserve roll, still managed a good fight after that, hardest game by far.

Tourney Game 2 - No Retreat vs. Panzers to the Meuse PZIVs

My second game was against very aggressive and experienced tanker on a very nice Africa table, he wasn't thrilled to meet my force in this particular scenario...

His list had 2 + 4 +4  PZIVJs , PanzerGr platoon with 4 HTs, 3 IV/70s, 8-rads and Nebs.

I deployed both FJ platoons bit interlocked with the Schrecks on the side with the objective, the footprint was wide enough to make the flank march difficult if not impossible.

The Co, 2iC, first Platoon and the Ducks were on my face very fast, shooting with no effective. I just sit on gtg. One PzFaust killed PZIV on the second platoon.

On 2nd turn, the Ducks moved to Assault range, the Panzers/HTs maneuvers to  better assault me in next turns, some casualties maybe, can't really remember it was hectic...

The table,  Panzers attack from the left side.

The Panzers waste no time, closing the distance

I decide to deploy my ambush, the Paks/Schrecks shoot and Destroy 2 IV70s and Bail out the last.  I shot one Schreck with movement ROF, and assaulted the platoon successive, one down... 

After a very 'lucky' Pak Ambush, Guderian's ducks are burning.

The following turns I witnessed aggressive assaults, first Mounted Assault was thrown back, with no casualties. The shooting from the Tanks started to take toll. I started moving my other platoon to flank, to make the Opponent to react them. 

Before the storm, Trap teams causing harm in the back.

When I get my Stugs from the reserves it looks bad for the attack, the Mounted Assault push my Platoon back, and I'm rolling morale, with the old Necro pulling the dead back to fight. We get called on time and there is one last assault on the Paks, which goes south and with no casualties on FJs, 6-1 to me.


Afterthoughts:

This was my second game with the list ever, and I started to grasp the capabilities of it a little better, my list was the Rock for the Scissors in this particular mission, still I think I managed to keep my calm and with more practice should get more from the Trap teams, the Meuse list is aggressive and the mounted assault is very dangerous in the hands of someone who knows how to use it. VonW I played against is very experienced tourney player who also let me into many useful tidbits about the European scene, which I'm thankful for.

Tourney Game 1 - FFA vs. 7th Armoured US Tank list

My first game was against player, who hadn't played Fow after v2, so as I was a bit rusty as well, so was he.

The game started a bit late, which left to us not completing it in time either.

IIRC he had something like this.

CiC Sherman of sorts 2iC with Jumbo

1 Sherman platoon of 4-5 tanks, 76mm and stuff, Jumbo as well

1 Sherman platoon of 4 tanks again stuff.. As an infantry player I haven't paid that much attention to the different versions, apart from the HBG stuff...

1 ARP platoon with gun in tow

1 HT Mortars platoon

1 Recon with M2 and jeeps

1 large platoon of Veteran Priests

We played on a generic French rural scenery.

I deployed on the side with the railway, the Paks with VDH in the forest at the middle, second (schreckless) FJ platoon left of it, on the objective, LG40s in the corner woods, the Big FJ platoon was behind the big red brick building (that had no openings on sides/back), the mortars between them and the Paks. Stugs were behind the building to the left of the red railroad building.

US player deployed the CiC behind the right flank forest, Bigger Sherman platoon in the middle and Priests behind it, smaller tank platoon was behind the church, with the ARP and mortars on the road at the left flank, the Scouts were also there.

US Player got the first turn and promptly pushed forward, shermans sniped one Stug. the Armored OP moved on the left flank, the ARP bunched behind the small building at the middle.

On my turn I popped all four trap teams, 3 on the tank platoon at the left and one on the Priests. I managed to assault and kill the Jumbo and bail out a Sherman. Shermans counter-assault finished one trapper. My Bigger FJP moved forwards, while the PAKs, LGs and the second FJP dug in. Stugs moved behind the 1 FJP. My Stummels fired a bombardment on the bunched up halftracks, destroyed 2! and killed a few teams as well :)

2nd Turn for the US player revolved on trying to smoke the Paks, Slapping a bombardment on the Stugs/FJs and trying to kill the Trap teams...

I moved my FJs forward and Smoked the Shermans in the middle. Trap teams shot unsuccessfully, while everybody else more or less stayed down.

In the latter rounds, the Shermans in the middle concentrated on the Paks, killind one with MG fire... The Priests kept hitting the Stugs/Big FJP but rather ineffective, Trap teams kill off the Sherman platoon near the church, Stugs move forwards on my right flank, while trap team manages to kill a Priest. What's left of the ARP assaults the trap team next to the church, and lose one to DF. Trap team is killed.

The recon platoon assaults my obs in the forest, only to be wiped out by my FJP, the big Sherman platoon manages to score another Pak but it gets brought back from the dead by the VDH.  Sherman OP drives to the Flank of my Stugs and scores one. I ignore it as time gets thin, Shermans divert from the right objective and move to intercept my bigger FJP.

Another Pak gets killed by the Priests and VDH helps to re-roll and promptly helps the Paks and himself out from the battle (#%6&&""##) ... I kill off the ARP and start on the Mortars, while my infantry starts the assaults on the big Sherman platoon, I kill one, and they fail their roll, so must break off, only the space is very limited, my consolidation forces them to assault range of my CiC who assaults... Another Sherman burns, and we get time-outted...

I don't have much experience on FFA, TBH my tournament experience is very limited altogether, but this was a learning game for me and certainly for the opponent...

End result was 3-2 for me as I killed 3 platoons and lost 1.