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Getting Started with FoW WW2
#1
Just thought I'd post some information regarding getting started with Flames of War for WW2.

FoW splits WW2 into 3 main eras:
  • Early (39–41)
  • Mid (42–43)
  • Late (44-45)

Unless you have pockets deep enough to buy the figures ready painted (a FoW infantry platoon of around 38 figures will set you back somewhere between £30 and £40 on ebay, armour a whole lot more), theres going to be some serious time and investment in the painting and basing of the models. So you're going to need to decide on an era in which to start playing.

The late era is appealing because it has some of the most popular campaigns to fight; D-Day, Market Garden, Ardennes offensive and the Russian counter offensives in the east.

The mid era is worth exploring as it opens up the battles in North Africa (quite topical at present), which have a more British leaning over late war, and the German offensives in the east.

But don't forget the early part of the war. Here you can let fly with the German Blitzkreig and have fast paced battles with light armour and even horses.

So there are a number of options to consider.

I've started by getting myself the Open Fire starter set. This includes 2 Stugs and 3 Shermans, a paperback version of the rules and some themed dice. Be aware that there are no infantry units in the starter set. So I supplemented it with a platoon each of US and German infantry, both late war. If you're unsure about which units fit into which era Battlefront helpfully label the model packs with the era they are applicable to.

The FoW rules and supplements are all very glossy and photo heavy and the rules are straight forward. There are a number of omissions from the rules with the big one being opportunity fire and it seems that any rules deemed to slow the game down have been removed.

It will be interesting to see if the rumours about GW producing a set of WW2 rules are true and how they match up to FoW.

Si
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#2
Are the three era's compatable? Would someone playing early war be able to play against someone with a late war army, via rules, or game balance?
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#3
There are elements that cross over from early to mid and mid to late. Having an infantry based force would provide most compatibility. Armour is a different issue. Later tanks had much better armour and armament than earlier war tanks. Given the level of armour on some late war german tanks they would be impossible to knock out with early war allied anti-armour.

However, the lists are modular so within an era you could pick a core unit and then platoons from other eras to build up a force that could play across the eras with only some minor changes.

British infantry will probably work across eras, even with the uniform differences, and the late armour platoons could be substituted for early armour.

The USA were fairly consistent from 1943 onwards so that would also be a good choice.

German armour changed colour scheme from early to mid/late war but that aside its possible to base your Germans on say panzer grenadiers who didn't change a great deal.

You'd probably alao want to make a decision on which campaign you were interested in. Africa is a good theatre to play in but you need to consider whether to buy the africa theatre infantry packs (rolled up sleeves etc).

The army lists are great books in their own right. If you've never seen them I'll have them with me on the 9th May.

Si
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#4
Simon I bought the FoW Open Fire starter set today. After I get through this weekends Malifaux madness, I will get around to giving the set a good look over. I am scheduled to play Rachael at Warmachine this coming Tuesday, but if none of our other semi-regular Historical chaps are going to be present the week after, I would love for you to run me through an intro game.
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#5
(08-10-2011, 06:14 PM)Gareth Wrote: Simon I bought the FoW Open Fire starter set today. After I get through this weekends Malifaux madness, I will get around to giving the set a good look over. I am scheduled to play Rachael at Warmachine this coming Tuesday, but if none of our other semi-regular Historical chaps are going to be present the week after, I would love for you to run me through an intro game.

I've got a game of Cutlass pencilled in with Simon on the 18th.
Figures painted in 2016: 4 Blush
"What this game needs is a panda with a chaingun."
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#6
OK not an issue, it gives me more time to look over the rules. May need to get a fifth league game in anyway, or try Bloodbowl Manager, as I originally planned.
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#7
Great !

Look forward to some 15mm FoW.

I've got some Commandos based up, so will try and get some Germans done so we can at least have a couple of squads of infantry to back the tanks up.

Sounds obvious but it helps to have some infantry in order to explore that part of the ruleset.
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#8
Looks like it's going to be the first of November before I am free now simon, so plenty of time.
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#9
ok stupid question time!! Are Infantry stands composed of the same amount of figures as per the silouette in the army books?
Flames of War- Irish Guards    Bloodbowl- Orcs, Humans
Cutlass- Teddy Bear Pirates     Warhammer- Bretonnia, Ogres
6mm WW2- XXX Corps            28mm WW2- Rules of Engagement, Bolt Action, Chain of Command
28mm Zulu War- Still painting !!  SAGA Normans, Saracens
Bolt Action - German and British Infantry
Malifaux - Gremlins
Guildball - Butchers,Hunters, Farmers
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#10
Santa was very good to me. Got open fire starter set, some fireflies and more shermans, mortar carriers and dingo armoureed cars, plus a sherman arv. Also have a British Guards infantry platoon, so nearly enough for a basic force
Flames of War- Irish Guards    Bloodbowl- Orcs, Humans
Cutlass- Teddy Bear Pirates     Warhammer- Bretonnia, Ogres
6mm WW2- XXX Corps            28mm WW2- Rules of Engagement, Bolt Action, Chain of Command
28mm Zulu War- Still painting !!  SAGA Normans, Saracens
Bolt Action - German and British Infantry
Malifaux - Gremlins
Guildball - Butchers,Hunters, Farmers
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