Flames of War....

[Rod.H]

Yes, I broke down and bought an army. Russian, Late War, Engineer-Sappers an entire battalion of them and I've got a legal 1000-point army of them. 180 points of that is an attached flame-thrower sections. I still need to make four more bases of Pioneer MG teams & eight bases of Faustnika for my other "free" company weapon choices along with do I want to add anti-tank rifles, mortars, or Maksium HMGs to them.

All that's left to do, besides contemplating those choices, is painting all of that infantry and contemplating what else to add: T34, M4A2, SU82/100, Spetznaz, Katyusha.....

[ECSNorway]

C'mon, you can't not love the T-34.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[robkelk]

C'mon, you can't not love the T-34.

Unless you're German.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[ordnance11]

Welcome to the brotherhood. I am a player myself. As to what to add? If you're buying artillery, definitely recon. Also some mobile AT units. You may want to make lists from 1500 to 1750. I recommend using EasyArmy.com.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[CrimsonKMR]

Never got into FoW - saw a lot of people playing it, but didn't interest me...
but yay for new hobby!
There is no coincidence, only necessity....
- Clow Reed

[Dragonflight]

Congrats on the hobby! Miniatures never really interested me, I'm afraid. It might have something to do with not having anywhere to put them if I had any, however.
---
Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do.

[Rod.H]

Miniature armies if properly thought out don't take up too much room once properly stored, my 40K stuff takes up the equivalent of a couple of comic book boxes or two-three tower pc cases. My Flames of war stuff currently fills one of these, my X-wing stuff fit's nicely into a Battlefoam Pack 216 and because of that I'm contemplating their upcoming FoW bag.

At least I now have some ideas on where I can get a game now. Which may be many moons in coming. For I go by the rule of no play till at least three colours or visibly look okay. I'm even going away from GW paints for my FoW stuff. Mostly, for Devlan Mud rocks! I'm going to use Vallejo aka the stuff Battlefront recommends for these. Even going to try one of Vallejo surface primers, in probably the wrong colour - Desert Tan(73.613), I'll probably give their Russian Green primer a try on the tanks.

And I think I have recon covered, for Spetznaz & Lt Ivan Zabolotny(command squad) each let me infiltrate an entire Engineer-Sapper company (14-21 bases+ command) and I've a box of T-34 obr 1942 to send me nuts (resin & metal) and the box of SU-100's will make me more so(resin, plastic & metal).

[Rod.H]

An update.
The local store where I've ordered a box of Katyusha's from back in August still haven't received them from Battlefront, even though they appear to be instock there. Also localy Flames of War appears to be dying as one FLGS isn't restocking anything including the basics, the others appear to want to restock but can't get it and stocks of 15mm/1:100 WW2 stuff from other brands appear to have the same issue.....

I've finally got around to start doing some painting and yes Vallejo Russian Green surface primer is the business. Just one thing: it goes strange on some metal surfaces. To get it looking right on BF's white metal, I had to apply a second or a third coat.

Also everything I got currently does fit in Battlefoam's FoW bag, it's just I've been adding to it with the Heavy Assault Gun Company box (1 IS-2, 4 ISU-122/152) and the 76mm ZIS-3 Artillery Battery box.

And no I was wrong the SU-100's didn't drive me nuts the T-34 obr 1942 did, to the point that I only built one and am now planning on getting four sets of the plastic T-34 tracks.

[ECSNorway]

My FLGS carries a fairly large stock of FoW stuff, Rod, if you want anything I can check to see if they have it.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Rod.H]

Norway, half the problem is called being in Australia. I expect by now most people down here interested in a Flames of war army has one, meaning that most FLGS FoW stock is a shelf-sitter. The other is that some of our FLGS are dependent on US distributors for stock and Battlefront Miniatures is in NZ....well, lets just say I've had faster order fulfilment from Battlefoam on Black Friday.

As it is, I'm now aiming for a full T-34/85 Gvardeskiy Tankovy Batalon (21 tanks) with support of the Engineer-Sappers and all the other stuff I've picked up as I get used to the system. Which now if I think about it, I'd have trouble fielding all of it on a 6'x4' table, but then I've also the same issue with my space marine company.

[ordnance11]

Well, you're in luck. Desperate Measures just came out.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Rod.H]

Yep, I know but I'm stuck with Red Bear v1 as that's the only relevant sourcebook my FLGS had.

[ordnance11]

There is Easy Army and it has Read Bear V2 on it also. You pay two US dollars for each book access and you get unlimited use of each book. Also you can download the changes to Red Bear on the FOW site.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Rod.H]

I''ll give Easy Army a go - once it decides my account exists. I'm also now contemplating participating in a FoW tournament being held at a local gaming convention. It's late war, 1250 points, fully painted!

Messing with FOWlist blog produced the following list which utilises what I've got to hand.
Compulsory Inzhenerno-Saperniy Batalon HQ - CinC Pioneer SMG, 2iC Pioneer SMG, Batalion Komissar; Compulsory Inzhenerno-Saperniy Company - Command Pioneer SMG, 14x Pioneer SMG; Supply Truck - Supply 3-ton truck; Compulsory Inzhenerno-Saperniy Company - Command Pioneer SMG, 14x Pioneer SMG; Inzhenerno-Saperniy Flame-thrower Company - 2x Flame-thrower; Guards Heavy Assault Gun Company - Command ISU-152, 2x ISU-152 .50 Cal AA MG - .50 Cal AA MG
1250 Points, 3 Platoons

To that I can sprinkle in faustnika & MG's to taste, well more like two per platoon and a max of four of each per company, and I'm certain that blog's got something wrong as a Inzhenerno-Saperniy platoon is seven Pioneer SMG stands so it's really five platoons. The fully painted bit's gonna send me nuts, for the only 15mm mini I can paint fast is a tank and I'm currently short eleven T-35/85s.

Well, I've changed trains, as the picture shows.


I finally got access to Desperate Measures, tracked down two boxes of the new T-34 plastic kit and some Sd Kfz 251 and am now plotting a tank company with assault gun and spetsnaz support. Add a day or so and that's where I'm at now.

[ECSNorway]

Mmmm, Soviet assault guns. Always fun. I've been considering early-mid British just so I can get a few Grants, myself.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[ordnance11]

So...Guards Tankovy
11 X T-34/85's with smg tank escort. 3 x SU-100 and a Spenatz platoon. Not a bad list.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Rod.H]

Er, almost right. What's pictured is ten T-34/85's, a T-34/76 obr 1942(resin), three ISU-122/152's (I magnetised the gun) and a Spetsnaz platoon.
The Hero Guards Tankovy are interesting me if only for the fact they're not affected by Hen and Chicks at the cost of only being able to field three to four tanks per section.

But then I've just realised that you've suggested a list for the 1250 point level limit I'm working with. And added more to the what assault gun question: ISU-122/152 or SU-100. Yet leaves the Fearless Trained or Confident Trained question untouched.

I've added in a graphical representation of the lists I'm working on. Not to mention some objectives. Oh look, the Spetsnaz troops have finally disembarked their transports and applied some Russian Green over the RLM Grey.

[ordnance11]

From what I see you have 2 options, a normal Guards tankovy or a Confident trained Hero tankovy. I would go for the SU-100 to take advantage of the Cat Killer rule. If you did not move and the target is mre than 16 inches away, re-roll misses. Since you are a novice as of now, I would go for the Hero tankovy because Hen and Chicks are disregarded.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Rod.H]

Okay, going that route (CT Hero tankovy with SU-100) leave's me with 85 points to play with, which I can either use to add a second Spetsnaz squad and one tank rider or eight tank riders. I'd only got ISU-152's in the Fearless trained Hero tankovy list by using their minimum squad size (2) and the upgrades I was going to add to that list was two .50 AA MG's and ten tank riders or a second Spetsnaz, two .50s and three riders.

And here's me wanting to avoid needing to paint infantry, still needing to paint infantry. At least I'm almost finished with the tanks, I'm going to do the matt spray - pigment - matt spray route with a possible bit of Devlan Mud and pencil and call it a day next, weather permitting.

[ordnance11]

Tankos would be a good route to go. And as long as you remember that you do have them, you really do not need to paint them now.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Rod.H]

I've had a sole playtest of my list, and got screwed over by terrain(set for long side to long side), mission(pincer) and reserves(didn't come on). Plus I think I might've been up against one of the better FoW players in the country.
I took out one of his platoons(Pz.IV? most of his army was proxied due to his choice of Late WW2 German paper weapon system models) with the sole platoons of T34s & SU-100s(yay, cat killer it's an almost twin-linked), had his CO tank bailed and another partial (Hertzers) bailed, yet I was boardwiped from his full Panzerwerfer battery, the odd Hertzer shot and Rudel.

Meh. Now I just need to find the right amount of tank escorts to blutack to my tanks as I put the full blister pack (ten tanks worth) over eight tanks and it looks okay but they don't perch right. That and a few of the escorts have MG's and rifles and they need to be mainly SMG holders.

[ordnance11]

From what other people had told me, 3 stands should be a sufficient represntation for tank riders.

About your loss, it's your first game. Guy's been playing it for at least 2 years. There's a learning curve to this game.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[Rod.H]

Yep, learning curve. Like quite stupidly happily driving my remaining T34/85 platoon down a road through a village past a building filled with infantry taking potshots at a pak 40 squad, whilst being underfire from some stugs (they got the first platoon). Popped a pak then {insert relevant video} 4 panzerfausts to the side.
I'm still at the point of being bemused each time I sneak a win in any game. For I won one game today due to my opponent failing his company moral check, lost my last the same way and got tabled in another and yet ended up coming second in the tournament over all. Just, one thing there was only four players total as all the other known local FoW players were up at the major tournament in Canberra.

Oh and Warlord's Bolt Action is going to release a box of minis that I plan to pick up.

[Rod.H]

Well, I've finally got some Katyusha's now, the BM-13-16 variety. A local game suppler finally got them in, after ordering them back in August. I'm still down T-34's with ten of the plastic T-34 76/85 1943/4 and five resin T-34/76 1942.
If I had the Katyusha's before, the match then I think I'd've dropped the tank escorts. However, even that wasn't guaranteed after I watched the gameplay footage that Beasts of War did with their GT lists, in which their arty & air support did little. Generating their advice of: In tournament play, minimise random ie arty & air support is so dice roll dependent, that it can become either a game winner or a major non-factor. Something I've found with rolling for reserves and anything that requires a 6 to pull off (MG firepower, invul saves on a SoB, snap shots).

[Rod.H]

What's pictured is pretty much everything I've got based/assembled for late-war Soviets, one Katyusha is just out of shot. My Spetsnaz has a choice of rides, but I think I've the wrong models for sapper spetsnaz. For I believe that they should have body armour & some of the same tools the engineer-sappers should have. Also Leytenant Ivan Zabolotny is in there somewhere, hiding behind a T-34.