Posts made by General Di Caro

The Crocodile’s limited range of 8 hexes, not to mention slow speed, is a good reason why it’s point value isn’t near that of a tank that can damage it from 12 hexes away.

I usually play 100 point armies, but sometimes play 150 points.  In these cases, there is room for just one, maybe two German tanks if one wants to have a versatile force.

The Tiger tank’s 63 points is prohibitive in 100 games.  Along with a Haupsturmfuhrer, you have just 30 points left to build an army.

I have found the 49-point SS-Panther to pack enough fire power without taking up too much “space” in the army.
Thoughts?

Yes… no unit with subtype artillery in this game can board a vehicle with Transport ability because they have 0 speed in Movement phase.  Inspiring Lieutenant doesn’t affect this rule. (He allows artillery to move in movement phase with +1 speed special ability).

In World War II, most German artillery was transported to the front by horse, according to renowned historian John Keegan.

German half-tracks would carry PAK-38s.  But not in this game.

It’s all about the fire teams and special abilities.

Two or three M-1s supported by a Red Devil Captain’s special abilities compliment each other well.  These units placed together in cover can go a whole game without being destroyed.  Place a mortar or two behind them and you would have quite an impressive field of fire to pin down the enemy.  BAR gunner from Set II makes this fire team even more formidable.

Shermans, Humber Scout Cars, M3 Stuarts to rush German machine gun nests.

Place a Haupsturmfuhrer behind a team of German soldiers in cover (Mausers, SS-Panzergrenadiers, MG42s etc) and out of LOS, this unit can spend the whole game removing face-up disrupted counters without receiving fire.  Particularly annoying to your opponent, especially if you keep making the cover rolls.

Anti-tank guns placed in the rear (edge of map) or within range of objective can have an 8-hex field of fire to protect your heavy German tank from being rushed by Shermans.  My usual opponent likes to rush my Tiger or Panther with 3 or 4 Shermans/M-3 Stuarts early in the game to damage/destroy it.  This stopped once there were two PAK-38s supporting my armor.

I have found taking advantage of the 8 hex range is key for anti-tank guns, because these things don’t last long when they are fired on.  Try to prevent these from ever getting close enough to enemy soldiers to take fire until it’s absolutely necessary.  Most infantry have range of 5 hexes and roll 6 dice at that range, more than enough against defense 3.  Anti-tank guns are 8 hexes.

Close assault units (bazookas, panzerfausts, flame throwers, etc) are great in numbers lurking behind the objective waiting for the enemy tanks to roll in on turn seven when they have no choice but to come in close.  I once had 3 bazookas waiting for my opponent’s panther behind the objective.  Turn 10.  Bazooka in same hex as panther.  Rolled 10 dice.  8 successes.  Rear defense 4.  Goodbye tank.

Basically, infantry should always have a commander along with them and in cover.  I haven’t decided yet if I like my tanks to operate alone or with support.  Operating alone takes advantage of their great speed.

I have found that patience almost always works, that my opponents almost always will “come out” first if I stay back in cover or out of LOS.  DOesn’t make for the most exciting game sometimes, but the last two turns or so are wild.

Here is the rule as reinforced by Avalon Hill.

The Tiger immediately disrupts a soldier unit upon entering the hex (face-up counter).  This happens before defensive force occurs in that hex.  Units with face-up disrupted counters cannot perform defensive fire.

So, in order to stop the Tiger tank from using its special ability (remember- special abilities trump the rules, as explained at the back of the starter set rule book), a soldier unit must employ its defensive fire while the Tiger is in the adjacent hex.  Most soldier units don’t have enough attack dice to equal the Tiger’s frontal defense of 7, so the Tiger will have no problem moving into the hex.