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A guide to Flames of War and collecting your 1st army.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Starting_a_Flames_of_War_Force

Thanks, that guide for beginners to the FOW hobby was very helpful! but i am still not sure what army/country i should play. I am most likely going to buy the OPEN FIRE! set, but i really want to look at what my local store has. Also, i was looking at the british 8th army boxed army set, (the North Africa themed army with the tan,etc) But, would i really need to buy a tin of dice and tokens? if so, i have seen many types of tins and dice for each country, and am not sure which i would really need to buy for an army, or if it wouldnt matter which type of dice tin from that country/army i got for playing that army?

Tokens/Dice sets were discontinued IIRC, in any case they make absolutely zero contribution to you being able to play the game, they just looked themed and were kinda cool even if my 2.SS ones raise a few eyebrows.

8th Army box is for MW, hence the desert scheme. Not suitable if you're planning to play LW - which I assume you are, as Open Fire is a LW set.

Nobody can decide on nation for you, that's on you. Are you born American? If so that's a good place to start, see if the rules/models for the USA appeal to you.

I see......I get it what you mean, yeah because all the dice sets sort of made me feel like- 'OMFG!!!! which set do i need?!'but thats ok if i dont buy them, but yes, i am from America, and will have to check up on the American forces and rules, or the german forces also. Also i have heard that the 'plastic soldiers' miniature company's miniatures/models are compatible with the FOW models/game. Also, are the WARLORD ww2 miniatures useable for FOW, or is that a totally different game all in itself?


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Thanks btw!

How exactly are the rules easier to learn than 40k, or other games, i heard somewhere that the FOW rules are much more simple than 40k,or other games. and also, would everything i need to play with be incluided in the OPEN FIRE set? or would i need to purchase templates, and stuff?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
woops,thats supposed to be 'included'

thx i found this useful

Im very interested in starting FoW problem Im having is trying to figure out what period to play, EW, MW,or LW. Any advice for the first timer?

If you're going to be playing in a store/club/with a local group - go with whatever they're playing. If you're going to make 2 armies to go against each other when your mates come around, go with whatever you feel looks best.

The Open Fire starter box works real well for Late War, and is well-priced.

I kind of knew that was what this answer was going to be...UGH! Is there any period that is more popular than the next? Or do most FoW vets have multiple period armies? I want to do a Nazi army is what Im thinking, second choice would be US.

Where I'm at Late war is the most popular, mid war close second. Early war lags far behind and seems to be rarely played, but I know people have armies for it.

Also, Open Fire has an extremely helpful quickstart guide to teach you how to play, and a full mini rulebook in color, similar to the 40k ones you see in Dark Vengeance/Assault on Black Reach. I came to this game from 40k and the rules make a lot of sense once you read the guide to get started. No idea how the Brits fare, but I've been putting together the Germans and they have great detail and options. I've been putting small weights inside the StuG's to keep them from sliding around but other than that they're pretty awesome straight out of the box.

@Mwncibo, have you thought about putting in a little thing about 3rd party places to order from like plastic soldier company and zvezda? Both of those companies make tons of plastic models for good prices, and I know that at least my local store in America can order Zvezda through their supplier.

So could i use the british tanks and u.s. paratroopers together in an army if i add more to it? like if i use the OPEN FIRE! allied troops (the paratroopers, and tanks), and maybe add more paratroopers, or something else, or would i have to use them in seperate armies? like a seperate british force and american force?

 orkkiller21 wrote:
So could i use the british tanks and u.s. paratroopers together in an army if i add more to it? like if i use the OPEN FIRE! allied troops (the paratroopers, and tanks), and maybe add more paratroopers, or something else, or would i have to use them in seperate armies? like a seperate british force and american force?

Yes you can. I was talking to a friend last weekend about his building such a force using multiple copies of the Open Fire boxed set. In the Market Garden book you can take US Paratroops as your main force and have British armor in support or take a British armored force and take a US Paratroop platoon in support.

The mention of TurningTide and Earth and Steel could be updated to Overlord and Atlantic Wall instead.

Fair enough...Though you can edit it yourself, this is a community document so feel free to update it.

That was a nice article back in 2013, it is however a little out of date by now. Any volunteers for an update ?