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Can someone please tell me each armies special rules. I am interested in playing, but want to know each armies special rules before buying. Any help is appreciated.

Sure thing!

United States get extra airstrikes and no movement penalties for rifles and automatic rifles.

Germans don't generally care about losing NCO's, since your squad's initiative training allows you to replace them on a 2+. All of their machine guns get 1 extra shot for the high rate of MG42 fire.

Russians get a free inexperienced infantry squad, and reroll all of their break tests all the time.

British get a free artillery observer, and your choice of one of a bunch of rules. You can shed pin markers when close to the enemy for free, ignore reaction fire, and some other ones that are not as good as I understand them.

Italians have a higher chance of being defender, and get special terrain and bonuses when defending. They also receive morale bonuses when doing well, and penalties when the battle is going poorly.

Japanese ignore morale when the run towards the nearest enemy and all of their infantry is fanatical, meaning you will fight to the last man in assaults and don't generally take break tests.

French get free artillery and infantry, and have decreased odds of drawing the first order die of the game (not a big deal).

Partisans get special hidden deployment rules and can plant improvised explosives on the battlefield before the start of the game, but generally have very little access to heavier artillery and vehicles.

I'm missing a few minor axis and ally powers in here because I don't know off the top of my head. Really though, all of these armies are well balanced. Germany just got buffed with 2nd edition so they are (arguably) right up there with the rest now. Basically, don't let special rules get in the way of choosing the army you want. I would do the one you are most interested in history and look-wise before gameplay.

There are also of course weapon and unit options to consider, which can vary greatly among armies.

Thank you so much for the help. I have no idea what to play! Does the German machine gun rule work for all machine guns...or just that specific one?

Are those the 2.0 rules?

They are: in 1.0 the german NCO's saving was settle on 4+ (which was obviously useless)

 Soccerlfb6 wrote:
Thank you so much for the help. I have no idea what to play! Does the German machine gun rule work for all machine guns...or just that specific one?

That specific one, but it's used in everything from basic squads, machine gun squads, half-tracks and even tanks. I think it's changed with 2.0, but in the 1.0 rules the increase was only for soldiers on foot, not those attached to vehicles (I think it's changed to all, but I haven't gotten the rules yet).

All German machine guns (even vehicles) get the +1 shots now. Including early war MG34's. It's just all LMGs and MMGs.

They are also getting two NEW rules in their upcoming army book: Tiger Fear and Blitzkrieg. These are supposed to grant penalties to enemy morale close to their medium to heavy tanks and bonuses to their officer's "snap to action" rules, respectively.

Do you have any interest in armies from a historic perspective? Maybe a famous unit or tank? For me, the United States was attractive because my great uncle served in Europe and I love the look of the Shermans.

Well,actually, i've seen the brits perform extremely well on the field while having great minis. The little disavantage is that you most of the time play with half your bodies being USA equipped...

Japanese are the orky army of the game so if you like close combat look at them.

The germans are currently somewhat victimized for lack of decent special rules, but it's about to change

The US army is quite mobile but their tanks are... meh.

And finally, the Soviets are the most powerful. They have great tanks quite cheaper than germans', excellent medium tanks, exceptional special rules, and finally great infantry and army building flexibility, more than any other army to my experience.

78th Sturmdivision or 101st airborne, Maybe 3rd infantry division. I haven't decided what army to play however. I love winter germans and paratroopers. I'm leaning towards americans, germans, and russians.

 Soccerlfb6 wrote:
78th Sturmdivision or 101st airborne, Maybe 3rd infantry division. I haven't decided what army to play however. I love winter germans and paratroopers. I'm leaning towards americans, germans, and russians.

I have the winter German metal models, they look great and have all the gear that the 78th sturmdivision is known for. It's a bit annoying because to get a full army you need multiples of the same box, or you need to convert plastic models, but they look great on the table.

The airborne is looking impressive with their new rules with that insert with the BOB box. Two light machine guns!? Four SMG's!? Impressive.

I had the D-Day box that gave me some Americans and some Germans.
Then got the American starter box with the half-track and Sherman.
I got the recent "Band of Brothers" box that got me the new rules and the Paratroopers (mainly mix these guys in for European theatre operations).
I had bought a box of Marines (any Pacific operations play), another half track, the M10 tank killer and the scout vehicle.
So, that translates into a bunch of everything and seems to be working for me.
I will get into the Germans (I am a completionist) since I have quite a few from those starter boxes.

I am a newbie and just got my guys assembled and 80% painted up and ready to play soon. I got to play a few squads in the past and the game plays nice.

Looks and play I would say Germans and Americans play well and I am equally "happy" with either army. We do not have anyone playing Soviet yet but I like how they look and play.

Good luck figuring it out!

Yes. I actually emailed warlord asking if they plan on making winter German special weapons teams as I am definitely doing winter Germans and paratrooper based americans. (Plan on by thing the starter box and working both armies from there).

 Soccerlfb6 wrote:
Yes. I actually emailed warlord asking if they plan on making winter German special weapons teams as I am definitely doing winter Germans and paratrooper based americans. (Plan on by thing the starter box and working both armies from there).

Nov 5 sees the release of Winter German light and medium howitzers, medium mortars, and a flamethrower/sniper/panzerschreck combo pack.

Where did you see this?

Ooh, I'd be into Winter uniform German special units. I'm not too into their plastics (talking about using their Winter Soviets as Germans here), which I could've converted, but they're just so fugly.

Also a pack of dismounted panzer crew in winter gear.