Market Garden Redux Trinity

So two lists down and who knows how many more to go! Like I said, there are a lot of cool lists in this book and I think highlighting some of the neat and different is a worth while excursion.

So without further ado let me get to it.

So V2, not a lot of love for the 88. Plain and simple it sat on a lot of shelves. I had never taken them until I got my King Tigers and since then I haven't looked back. I love the things. They sit back and dominate the ground before them, cut down planes from the skies and look badass while getting it all done.

When V3 came along my 8 tiger list quickly fell to 7 tigers, and 4 88s to ensure that the new plane rules didn't bite me in the ass and to provide more rounds going down range to allow my tigers to move, it was a great thing.

And then Kampfgruppe Von Swoboda (KG VS) came along, and changed the game again.

So KG VS was formed up from four regiments of AA batteries in Germany and sent to the front to support other units do the actual fighting with the tremendous range and firepower that 33 8.8cm FlaK36s could bring along with 12 85mm retooled soviet guns and a bevy of 3.7 and 2cm guns.

So what does that mean in game terms?

More gun teams than you can shake a stick at.

The combat platoons of KG VS are Anti aircraft batteries of varying caliber.  You have to have one 8.8 or 85mm battery of up to four guns. Yup I said it. Four gun 88 battery. Game on boys and girls.  Heck even the 85mm guns in four gun batteries are awesome and the price is right at 115 points for four of those AT 12 guns.

You can take a battery of 3.7mm guns or continue on with the 88 love. And really why not? Or the option for a fourth Combat pl of 8 x 2cm guns is there and this is an awesome choice to give your 88s some great stand off and anti infantry support. With gun shields and ROF 4 these can lay down some serious hurt and all for 115pts for 8.

So with 88s and 2cm Flak 38s the four pls totaling 12 88s and 8 flak 38s comes out (with gunshields and extra crew for the 88s) to a whopping 795pts but for those who like to gamble and look to dig in their 88s you can cut off the gunshields and bring on everything here for a slim and trim 735. Or if you think the extra crew aren't worth it, keep the gunshields and sit at 670pts. Either way these are cheap. Just think about putting down 36 AT 13 shots a turn. Think about that... Seriously... And that's the first 800pts of your army.

So with the core of the force squared away you begin to make the choices that will separate your list from others and how you're going to get it all done!

At this point you add artillery, up to three slots worth of cost effective guns. With either SS Nebelwerfers or 10.5cm guns. You can have three three gun batteries for 480pts if you took it all.

Continue that with some infantry, here I think the 25 stand infantry company will be the way to go. Simply putting that many bodies between yourself and the enemy is always a good thing for your guns and will certainly annoy recce and Tank Destroyer teams trying to sneak past your lines.

But the reality of this list is you can't fill your points (you can, but you won't, I know you wont) without taking some of Hummels tigers. Again, GAME ON! With up to 4 Tigers as your only armoured option, you can add another 4 88s to the list bringing your shot total up to a fun 42 88 shots a turn. This is the hilarity you can pull with this list. I guarantee that is going to hurt. Even needing 6s thats 7 hits. At 5's 14 AT 13 hits, consider that against almost any armoured list. What is left after you shoot that turn? Really? At that point I guess you just have to fire the arty in!

So in 1780 you get
HQ
3 x 4 8.8cm FlaK36 batteries (2 with transport)
8 2cm FlaK38s with transport
4 Tiger 1Es
Sicherheits company with comd with panzerknacker, 16 x rifle stands and 2 x light mortars
3 SS nebelwerfers

7 platoons (8 with KG) 42 AT 13 shots a turn, 36 AA dice (should an entire air wing be coming) the ability to lay smoke templates and some armour to roll up the table once the majority of work is done.

Did I mention it always defends? So the real question is do you ambush with the 88s or the tigers?

Until next time.

Market Garden Redux Part Deux

For those who've read my King Tiger Tactica it's no surprise I like the big cats, mostly because people say they couldn't win. So when I opened up Bridge by Bridge I was overjoyed to see not only a Schwere Panzer company of King Tigers, and Kamphgruppe HUMMEL!

So you're telling me that there is a list, with tigers, with worse training, no ace skills, it's unreliable and it no longer has wide tracks? You had me at unreliable...

The list has some options, King tigers to beef up the ranks when you need some real fire power to knock out pesky Jumbos (my new bane). There are two artillery slots, with rockets, light or medium guns. There are two Infantry slots with either halftracks or dismounted options. AAA is light in this list and sadly it has no armoured AAA, what I wouldn't have given for some Quad 2cm on halftracks in this list. But 88s will have to suffice! And last but not least you can take some BF 109s in air support!

So while the list isn't as deep or varied as the Canadian Rifle Coy it's not to be sneezed at either. This lets set up in a number of ways from Arty to Infantry heavy but always with tanks at the front.

So as soon as I saw this list I played around with it coming up with numerous options. And one of the things I've really liked about the new lists in Bridge by Bridge is I haven't been truly happy with any of the lists. I never quite get the combos I want. AND THAT IS AWESOME! I love that there is some list friction and that choices have to be made. This book doesn't have the super tailor made fits like a glove lists it has the make it work mentality that I love and I think should be more present in the game.

So when combinations didn't work for me I did what I enjoy with the 1Es, I added more tigers. Here's a sample list based on the force of Tigers that linked up with Kamphgruppe Knaust. I went one for one with the tigers of history here.

HQ
2 Tigers: 290pts

Combat platoons
Hummel Schwere Pz Pl - 4 Tigers: 580pts
Hummel Schwere Pz Pl - 4 Tigers: 580pts
Hummel Schwere Pz Pl - 2 Tigers: 290pts

Yup. Thats it. 12 Tiger 1Es. 1740pts of GAME ON!

Games will be quick and one sided. But they'll be fun.

For those more moderates,

HQ
2 Tigers: 290pts

Combat platoons
Hummel Schwere Pz Pl - 4 Tigers: 580pts
Hummel Schwere Pz Pl - 2 Tigers: 290pts

Support platoons
SS Panzerspah 3 cars: 130pts
SS Panzergren with 1 Faust: 230
SS Rocket Pl 3 Nebs: 120pts
Luftwaffe 88s x 2 Dug in: 110pts
1750pts 6 pl

Either way this list should be fun with burning Tigers all over the table.

Until next time

Market Garden Redux

So it's been a while since I've posted and things have been pretty crazy for me with life and work but with some new releases from Battlefront and a tournament or two coming up I figured I'd get some motivation from writing about some of the new cool stuff that late wars new supplement has to offer.

I figured I'd start small and not do the book in one go but instead pick out some of my personal favorites and interests within the book. There are more than enough reviews, previews and spoilers to give away lots of stuff so I want to really focus on some of the care and attention BF gave to some of my favorite forces.

So with my growing Canadian force and the love of not only my home country and my chosen profession I immediately turned to the Rifle Company.  Some things haven't changed, the special rules for the Canadians remain the same with both Woodsmen and assault troops which keeps the Canadians moving forward in the direst of moments. The lone addition is Duckbills which grants most of the fully tracked vehicles in the list wide tracks but also makes them slow tanks. I can go either way on this one.

So the Rifle company is the be all end all of a flames of war force (I say this as an Infanteer), and the Canadian list in Market Garden is chocked full of options. There are of course the three Infantry platoons, with four weapons platoons, and 13 other options that allow you to custom tailor this force to be anything you want. Again, it is awesome.

I'm a big fan of Infantry as we've said, and these ones go out of their way to be really awesome in that they have armoured transports in spades that they can ride in for cheap. Defrocked priests, LVTs armoured trucks and the one we've all been waiting for the RAM KANGAROO!

And I just can't wait to see this hit the table and let me do this...

With front armour 5 and the option for .50cals I think these are going to be sweet.

If you read my blog at all you should know that I'm a huge fan of Universal Carriers, if you don't know this go back and read some of my earlier posts. The option to run PIAT battery carriers that will fire 14 PIATS instantly as mortars into the air, with the same stats as 81mm mortars albeit at rng 14, again, it's cool so I'm sure I'll be doing it.

HOORAY FOR UCs!










So the big talk of this book has been the improved ammunition of the Fireflies and the 6 pdrs, at AT 15 and 11 both are going to be huge in the list. I've always been a fan of the 6pdr and now I'm sure I'll have that much more reason to take them.

So the list can rock two pls of Shermans, and either an anti tank pl, SP or otherwise (again the 17pdrs are at 15 on those bad boys). A breaching group is also available as are three artillery options including the new Mattress battery which will be throwing down some huge volleys of fire as the whole four guns counts as 16 if they all fire (they have to reload though so it may not happen all the time).

With air support and an AOP the Canadians are at the tip of the spear and I think they'll be showing up on the tournament scene as a force to be reckoned with.



The list options are endless from a defensive Infantry force studded with AT and artillery to an in your face armoured Infantry assault.

I can't wait to take a list like this for a spin.











Rifle Company HQ - 1x CinC Rifle, 1x 2iC Rifle (30 pts)

Rifle Platoon - 1x Command Rifle/MG, 1x PIAT, 1x Light Mortar, 6x Rifle/MG (190 pts)
- Transport - 3x RAM Kangaroo (20 pts)

Rifle Platoon - 1x Command Rifle/MG, 1x PIAT, 1x Light Mortar, 6x Rifle/MG (190 pts)
- Transport - 3x RAM Kangaroo (20 pts)

Rifle Platoon - 1x Command Rifle/MG, 1x PIAT, 1x Light Mortar, 6x Rifle/MG (190 pts)
- Transport - 3x RAM Kangaroo (20 pts)

Carrier Platoon - 1x Command Universal Carrier, 2x Universal Carrier (100 pts)
 .50 cal MG - 3x Upgrade additional Hull Mounted MG to .50 cal MG (15 pts)

Anti-tank Platoon - 1x Command Rifle, 4x 6pdr (late) (150 pts)

Mortar Platoon - 1x Command Rifle, 1x Troop Carrier, 2x Observer Rifle, 4x ML 3" Mk II Mortar (130 pts)

Canadian Armoured Recce Platoon - 1x Command Sherman V, 1x Sherman V, 1x Sherman Firefly (320 pts)

Anti-tank Platoon (SP), RCA - 1x Command M10C 17pdr, 3x M10C 17pdr (380 pts)

Air Observation Post - 1x Auster AOP (25 pts)

1780 Points, 8 Platoons

Some might say Infantry is back, I say it never left.

Now onto Germany.

Until next time.

Bocage Prototype

I'm back from the dead, with a new terrain prototype.
 
So it's been a while. Work was crazy, life even crazier. But after some well needed rest and a bit of inspiration I'm working on some bocage to bring some Western front to my table space.

So this is the prototype. I really wanted to get the feel of bocage with the tangled mess of trees grown into earth mounds.

I think lanes like this will be cool to fight along. 

 

I love the visuals of people fighting through the branches to fire, let alone move through them.

So I think the thickness will work, and I've rounded off the edges so that they can be connected on different angles. It is a work in progress so changes may happen but I thought I'd show you what I had at this point.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Blatant flames?

Until next time.