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First off, I really like the history around World War II, so I am interested in Flames of War in the future.

I don't really know any rules or anything, except the very, very bare basics I got off the main FoW website.

I really like the look and history of the British and German armies in the history, and would like to know what they excel at really. I don't want to paint a lot of miniatures, so I am trying to stay away from Soviet and Italian, as well, I am not a fan of the U.S. in that time period.

Appreciate any help.

Are you looking at any period or theatre of the war? I guess focussing on the Germans and British you would be interested in the Desert, Italy or the Western Front.

Oh, forgot to include that. No doubt Middle-War, because that's the most widely played.

I'm trying to decide which to play - Germans or British, not both, just to clarify.

Another important question is Tournament or just for fun?

I'm a fun player myself and love to use forces that are interesting rather then unbeatable. The Desert war can provide lots and lots of unusual stuff on both sides.

My disclaimer - I dont play FOW but I do play lots of WW2.

I tend to base my 'armies' on roughly historical formations. This is easy to do with the Germans as they tended to deploy in independant kampfgruppen (battlegroup) that were all arms units. So of these could be large, while others were quite small. They tended to be built for a specific purpose or operational need and make perfect wargames armies.

My German force is based on a kampfgruppe deployed in Normandy with elements from 21st Panzer Division and supporting units. The core of the force is two Panzer-Grenadier battalions, supported by a composite tank battalion of Panthers and Panzer IVs with engineers and artillery in support and a recce company and a panzerjager company as further optional elements. I then have a few other units, such as a heavy tank company and more artillery to add in as scenarios require it.

My British are based upon a British infantry Brigade for the same period with three tank regiments for support depending on the scenario (each regiment is composed of a different tank type to allow historical scenarios to be played).

Im with you Big P. Im not a fan of FOW army lists, they tend to be what a unit would have on paper rather then what would actually used. The FOW lists are designed to give you a points balanced game, this does not always translate as an historical game.

But as Ive said many times before here, FOW are a good basic set of rules but you need not be consticted by them.

The FOW lists are ok as long as you realize that the non core choices are likely to be divsional and even corps level units that would only be in support on important offensives and defensive missions.

Most of my units have been built up around historical battles (though I have to admit that my Russians have been built in a FOW list driven manner).

For mid-war I think the desert is the most interesting especially if you make an historically based army. The downside of the desert is that the uniforms are generally unique so it makes it harder to branch of into other theatres using the same figures.

duncana wrote:The downside of the desert is that the uniforms are generally unique so it makes it harder to branch of into other theatres using the same figures.

Well not neccessarily...

Figures for the Desert War could obviously be used for campaigns in Tunisia but also Italy (several units wore tropical clothing in the summer of 1943 and again in 1944), the Balkans and around the Agean. I even have pics of guys in Normandy and on the Eastern Front wearing the yellow tropical uniform, although these are an exception rather than complete units in the clothing.

You can even use DAK armour on the Eastern Front as several shipments due to go to Africa, painted in their desert yellow, were redirected to Russia and appeared there in their yellow paintscheme in 1942 alongside vehicles in the usual Panzer Grey.

I was generally trying to stay in Europe, if that would be possible, and I was thinking more from a game standpoint comparing the German and British, their strengths and weaknesses, unique things, etc.

Appreciate the help, and no, it doesn't have to be hardcore tournament play, though I do want it to be viable.

Mid war Brits, not in Africa. That'll be Italy then.

They have excellent infantry and arty, Armour not so good, but you'll get plenty of it. You would be able to field Gurkha's and Indian troops for unique bits.

Germans in Italy have lots of unusual stuff. Excellent infantry including Fallshimjager, Excellent Armour (expensive) and useful arty. German Armour is very varied and you can field all kinds of weird and wonderful stuff and don't forget the Herman Goring Panzer Division. A Luftwaffe tank division? Don't get more unique then that lol.

I really wanted to focus on Infantry, with lots of Machine Gun platforms and Anti-Tank guns, with lots of artillery. By your saying, British would be better for this?

Appreciate all the help

Karon wrote:I really wanted to focus on Infantry, with lots of Machine Gun platforms and Anti-Tank guns, with lots of artillery. By your saying, British would be better for this?

Appreciate all the help

It's not really that clear cut, as far as British being "better" or not for that kind of list. While the British can certainly field a strong list focusing on infantry, machine guns, AT guns and lots of arty, the Germans can as well. A lot of it just comes down to what army list you're using and what specific platoon choices you make. If you are interested in the Brits, then go with the Brits, but if you are interested in the Germans, you can make just as good of a force focusing on the types of units you're interested in.

Ah, I see.

Yeah, I'll have to look into it a bit more, but I am a bit confused on the books and army lists...where do I get the army lists? There is no Codices or anything as far as I saw, I'm thinking its like the imperial armour books?

FOW does have army books -- For mid-war British you would want the North Africa book (which also has the mid-war German lists for Africa and Italy -- the Eastern Front book has mid-war German lists for Russia)

I just looked at both the British Rifle Company (Italy) and the German Grenadier company, and they're not very different. It'll basically come down to the country special rules which you can read here. In Italy both can field either veterans or trained, both can field two machine gun platoons. British artillery is really good when you bring lots of it, on the other hand German armour is significantly better than the british.

Also, if you're playing mid-war because you've heard on forums that it's the most popular beware. It can vary significantly from region to region. Around here everyone seems to play late war. Check around your local clubs/flgs to see what people play before ordering models.

I will do that, Specs, definitely, and appreciate the link.

Its pretty much going to come down to which has the best artillery, as I am a freak for Artillery.