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Hey chaps,

Long time 40k player but recently looking to take the plunge in to FoW.

I've got the basics of the game down but I am a little worried that it's going to be a tank spam and as I want to start with the 101st, I'm worried I won't stand a cat in hells chance against the might of the Panzer Corps (a lot of people seem to play as the Germans, and with a lot of tanks!).

Any advice on starting up with this list and your experiences?

Cheers
Dan

I've got the main rulebook but have never actually played FoW, but it seems like a good response to difficulties with infantry vs. tanks is to move past the default learning 'kill-em-all' style missions and use the real missions in the rulebooks. Missions where you need to actually take objectives may level the playing field a bit for you.

I dont play FOW, but my Airborne forces seem to do ok with 57mm A/T guns, bazookas and hiding from tanks while cutting up their supporting infantry.

Tanks are nothing without their infantry support.

Unfortunately this is not true in Flames of War. Whether it is right or not, tanks are not entirely pushovers and there are several lists exist where you can bring just Tanks.

However, as the 101st, or rather American Airborne, you will have access to packed AT Guns that can do the job, as well as the ability to bring a score of Bazookas which are equally up to the job. Another support unit Airborne can bring is the engineer, which have outstanding tank assault abilities.


Do not worry, even against Tank spam in 40k, your Airborne will be more then up to the challenge!

Really positive replies guys, thanks!

Has made me a lot more confident in starting with the 101st.

Ordered the starter box yesterday so really looking forward to taking a good look at the rules and then starting my army. Luckily found a really good FLGS that support FoW with great tables and friendly players!

Top stuff :-)

gr1m_dan wrote:Really positive replies guys, thanks!

Has made me a lot more confident in starting with the 101st.

Ordered the starter box yesterday so really looking forward to taking a good look at the rules and then starting my army. Luckily found a really good FLGS that support FoW with great tables and friendly players!

Top stuff :-)

You can also field M10s. It's a little history-lite but if you really need the firepower.

Really, with American Airborne, tanks should be scared of you!

With Fearless Veteran large platoons, paratroopers are just about perfect for taking out armour in assault with bazookas and Gammon bombs. While you won't be running straight at them in the open screaming and yelling, your standard combat platoons have many advantages over most infantry when facing tanks.

As an infantry commander, you absolutely MUST be able to utilize terrain and smoke to keep your men from being machine gunned in the open. On the defensive, Veteran status keep you from being targeted over 16" and foxholes protect them against close in machine gun fire. If tanks want to stand off and use main gun rounds against you, you drop smoke to block their line of sight.

Remember that FoW is very heavily based around the objectives rather then just murdering the opposing army. When you see that you're going up against all tanks, you place your objectives in forests and buildings, all places where tanks don't ever want to go. Have paratroopers lurking there out of sight (and/or dug-in) to pounce once the tanks show up. Having infantry that can take on any tank in the game in close combat is rare, be happy for that ability.

On the offense, you should be selecting lanes of advance that again keep your men out of visual. Smoke (yet again) any hostiles that approach your troops. You also have the advantage of large platoons, so you have room to absorb casualties from ambushes, bad dice or mistakes. Since paratroopers are Infantry companies, you'll be defending almost all the time against all-tank armies, so there really aren't many times where you have to move against tanks.

Pray for all-Tiger armies since they don't have enough machine guns to stop your men. Massed medium/light tank armies will probably be your toughest armored opponents, but again you've got all the tools you need.

And if nothing else, learn to use smoke well. This will save your troops untold times. Good luck!

Great tips there Spmusubi that I will definitely take note of!

Really can't wait to start now ^ ^

I play A German Pioneer company and can tell you the proper infantry will devistate armor. Engineers for your force will be great tank killers and seems like every infantry unit in the american army can have a ton of bazookas so use them. Fearless Vet is also a huge plus. Somebody mentioned M-10's. They have a good anti-tank but poor front armor makes them dissapear very quickly. Try to use then in ambush whenever possible. 101st should be a very competative as well as fun list to play.

gr1m_dan wrote:Hey chaps,

Long time 40k player but recently looking to take the plunge in to FoW.

I've got the basics of the game down but I am a little worried that it's going to be a tank spam and as I want to start with the 101st, I'm worried I won't stand a cat in hells chance against the might of the Panzer Corps (a lot of people seem to play as the Germans, and with a lot of tanks!).

Any advice on starting up with this list and your experiences?

Cheers
Dan

Infantry are really the masters in FoW. They are hard to kill. No ifs ands or buts. They are even harder to kill when they are dug in in cover/concealment. It takes forevever to whittle down dug in paras enough to make them take a morale check and as they are fearless they are more likely to succeed the check than to fail it. Airborne and pioneer focused forces are really difficult for tank only forces to deal with. Not only do the infantry squads themselves have some serious AT capabilities between bazookas, panzerfausts and knackers and P1ATs, but they also get plenty of ATG support as well. Look at the 11st airborne list and you have a nice selection of ATGs and even portable airborne artillery units that can be used. If you set up your list *after* the D-Day landings you can also get decent armor support as well. Personally I wouldn't spend too many points on the armored support, though. Let your paras do the job they were trained for: Get behind enemy lines and destroy what you can while grabbing ther objectives.

I play british paras in Late war and have never had a problem taking on heavily armored forces with them. You can do anything with paras: Shoot, assault, AT, capture objectives, hide in buildings, move pretty much anywhere on the table without worry of bogging...and the list goes on.

Skriker