SS-Stormtroopers are terrible, we might use them for a late game but not this one as SS-Panzergrenadiers actually fit the theme. They’re marginally better up close, but the difference between 8 dice at range 2-4 and 6 dice at range 2 is pretty big. I’ll also have close to 100 SS-PGs available; though probably won’t use nearly that number.
I managed to get pics of Kursk and the Battle of Britain previously, but not D-Day. Should hopefully get some of this as well.
I’m organizing a large (approx 3000 pt per side) game of Battle of the Bulge on Sept 28th. Probably going to use an all-SS (or at least mostly) force including an SS King Tiger, Pahtner, and Panzer Platoons as well as several sections of Jagd(panzer/panther)s. The Allies will be mostly US and largely Screaming Eagles. They’ll have a company of Shermans (M4A1s with M4 Rhinos as platoon leaders, M4A3(105)s attached) and a platoon of Easy Eights.
We’ll also be using a winter map that I’ll help design and somewhat need to get started on!
Well yes, if you were using them to take out other aircraft I’d have to start wondering about you.
Stukas aren’t too good against heavy tanks - they just don’t have enough dice. They have the same SR/MR dice as a Panzer III F; you don’t expect it to take out an IS-2, etc. I can’t stress enough that they need to wait for their potential target to be disrupted - not only does it lower the defence and make it possible for the Stuka to do some serious damage, but also reduces it’s attack against your aircraft to only hitting on 6’s. (Of course this doesn’t matter as much against fixed howitzer/etc units, or those with little/no AI values).
I’m honestly surprised by the amount of players now saying the SS Panther G is overcosted, etc. SS Determination makes it a very powerful piece and a game winner. Yes the Panther D is good and cheap, but I don’t think it replaces the G.
If you got nothing because of a bad roll that’s hardly the plane’s fault. At least you didn’t throw it at your opponents army like so many players tend to - that’s a sure way to lose your plane. The best way to use the Stuka, or most aircraft, is to keep it back and look for opportunities. Try to soften targets up first with your AT units.
It has a bit better than a 1-in-3 chance of disrupting a defence 6 units, and jumps up to 62% vs defence 5.
Panther Ausf D (GE, Rare)
Cost 35 pts
Speed 4
Defence 6/4
AI 7/7/6
AT 15/13/11
Extended Range 12
Superior Armour 2
Compared to the SS Panther G it loses SS-Determination and gets -1/-1/-0 anti-vehicle attack. Pretty good for the points though.
Hmm… a couple T-70s to tie down enemy units while the Su-152 blows them up… sounds fun.
I’m still not sure about it. The firepower is nice, but your enemies being able to drive through you is not. However with the right backup…
I’ll have to try it out. It does seem correctly priced at 51 though.
I’m more excited about the BA-10M - I like early war scenarios and this one will make quite an impact.
Two new russian units posted: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aa/welcome
The BA-10M is nice for early war games, and even later war can be useful to hunt down support units.
The Su-152 has a nice attack against both soldiers and vehicles with Bombardment. It has the good defence and hulking mass of the KV-1, but also a drawback - no defencive fire - meaning units can easily move around (or through) it to get out of arc. However they still have to get passed the defence. An interesting unit.
If you come up against a Parabomb army, or SS-PG based one you will be in trouble. A Fanatical Sniper will help against the SS-PGs (and any other support units), but not so much against the Screaming Eagles. Adding a Hero (of the Soviet Union) should be nearly automatic; they are good against anything and the HotSU can spawn off of your KV-1/Cossack OR a Partisan. Additionaly, Partisans are always nice if you roll Urban Combat)
With that in mind here’s one build to think about:
KV-1
Cossack Captain (Rider)
Guards T-34/85
Hero of the Soviet Union
Communist Partisan x2
Fanatical Sniper
Soviet Grenadier
With Partisans its usually best to place your units second so you can see where the enemy has his and attempt to disrupt his movements. If he actually places any along the map edge I would happily sacrifice a Partisan to tie a few units up for a turn or two. Otherwise place them either closer to the middle so then can make their way to the objective or close to roads (depending on how difficult the terrain is).
The T-34/76 is decent, but the Guards T-34/85 has a bit more firepower that your force may need.
1 Rifle Battalion
1 Assault Gun Company
1 Katyusha Battery
1 Air Support
TANK BATTALION
2 Light Tank Companies
1 Tank Company w/ HQ
2 Heavy Tank Company, 1x HQ
2 Guards Tank Platoon
1 Sherman Tank Platoon
1 Lee Platoon
3 ATG Batteries
While it’s true that most of the WotC maps are on grass, not all of them are. Additionally many players have made their own custom desert maps, and I’m helping to work on a winter one (for Battle of the Bulge)
Unfortunately (for the Axis) the Rangers are also out, and are quite a match for the SS-PGs. They may not be ruthless or have the raw Firepower but their re-roll is extremely useful.
I’m hoping to do a scenario using perhaps a company of them… most liekly in a pacific setting; we haven’t done anything large-scale in the Japanese theatre.
There are, but with each new set and rules clarifications or changes many become obselete.
The latest greatest winner was this:
6x SS-Panzergrenadier
3x Grizzled Veteran
1x SS-Haupsturmffurher
1x BMW R-75
1x Wehrmacht Expert Sniper
1x Imperial Sergeant
2x Honour-Bound Heroes
IIRC, this army went on undefeated at the tournament.
However since then heroes have been restricted, so it’s no longer a valid army.
The original GenCon tournament only hade the Base Set was available:
1x Churchill Crocodile
1x M4A1 Sherman
2x 6-Pounder Antitank Gun
1x Vickers Machine-Gun Team
1x “Red Devil” Captain
1x M1 Garand Rifle
1x Bazooka
One of the earliest and most deadly armies was a fairly simple all uncommon ones:
4x M4A1 Sherman
2x Humber Scout Car
It could deal with most threats and was very mobile. With Set II Veteran M4s were often used.
Many Set II German armies only used infantry, particularily SS-HSF, SS-PG, PAK 40, Panzerfausts, and Wehrmacht Snipers, though they differed in amounts. BMWs were added with Set III, and Grizzled Veterans with Set IV. The German all-infantry army is still very powerful.
Set II also brought about another power army - the Parabomb:
1x Screaming Eagle Captain
9x Screaming Eagle Paratrooper
1x Humber Scout Car
Defence 5/5 infantry with hard charger were extremely difficult to overcome, and the Humber could secure the objective early on (that is if you didn’t simply drop PTs on it immediately). The Captain was usually kept off board so he couldn’t be eliminated, but still provide his +3 initiative modifier. He would be brought out if the SE’s needed the extra firepower (generally against SS-PG swarms, as in the German All-Infantry army).
Russian armies have also become more popular, using the Cossack Captain/KV-1 combo to greatly impaire the usefulness of enemy infantry:
KV-1
Cossack Captain
T-35/85
T-70 x2
Barbed Wire x4
However there are many variants on this theme (I find that one particularily lacking in anti-infantry capability, despite the cossack).
With Set V previews started there’s already going to be some influence on army builds - the Rangers are powerful and will definately have an impact on tournament games.
Your opponent has the right to see the cards for your units at any time.