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So, I am going to start FOW, and I am thinking about starting a soviet mechanized or tank army. My buying plans are, first get Red Bear, then build an army, and wait for the V3 rulebook. So far I know I ;ike T-34's, katyushas, and ZIS-5 trucks! Any suggestions? Thanks!

From what little experience with soviet armor I have. I'd recommend lots and lots of T34s, SU85s, and some SU-152s. YMMV

Tank riders! Infantry is the king of the battlefield in FoW, and your Tankodesantniki will help keep those pesky Huns from knocking your tanks out of the fight. With the new rules in Red Bear, their usefulness has increased as well.

infinite_array wrote:Tank riders! Infantry is the king of the battlefield in FoW, and your Tankodesantniki will help keep those pesky Huns from knocking your tanks out of the fight.

That too.

Get four boxes of these:
http://theplasticsoldiercompany.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=132

They come with two sets of turrets: the regular T34 and the T-34-85. Twenty tanks will get you a nice tank company in the 1500 point range.

All right, so far I see Tank riders, SU85s, SU-152s, and PSC T-34s. Thanks for the advice! So, now what about infantry in trucks? Can I do it? Is it effective? And most importantly, is it affordable? Thanks!

Unless they make transports better, leave your trucks at home. They are coffins. Germans is about the only way I'd use them, and thats only if the Stormtrooper rule stays as is, where it becomes a movement phase, so you can disembark, AND send trucks to the rear. But I think they will fix that so...

Matt Varnish wrote:Unless they make transports better, leave your trucks at home. They are coffins. Germans is about the only way I'd use them, and thats only if the Stormtrooper rule stays as is, where it becomes a movement phase, so you can disembark, AND send trucks to the rear. But I think they will fix that so...

WWPD has it on the best authority that Transports are indeed getting better in v3. More movement at least..... stay tuned.

I've heard that Jeep and possibly wheeled mobility types get better movement only on roads.

IMO Trucks will remain on the periphery in Flames of War. Jeeps and Motorcycles are apparently getting a 3+ save. Expect to see lots of them make an appearance in FoW in v3. The US and Germans will probably be the biggest winners from 3+ saves for jeeps.

If Jeeps and motorcycles do get a 3+ save I expect to see lots more spotters staying in their transports. All recon (including jeep and motorcycle recon) will also become more useful if the 'gone to ground guns get a 3+ save' rule is more than a rumour.

There are actually very few compulsory trucks in a Motorstrelkovy force. Soviet players have been on the receiving end of lots of changes in Red Bear and may be due for a few more (eg. flamethrower vs. armour nerf). Solid soviet tactics are very much up in the air at the moment.

You can probably start buying models already, if you are set on a Tank force that is, before you get Red bear. a couple boxes of T-34s/85s will give you something to play with at low points while waiting for the new rule set.

T34s will never go out of fashion. They're a lifetime investment like grey tactical space marines.

As my Russian armor playing friend says "Send in the first wave of T-34s, they'll provide cover for the second"

olympia wrote:Get four boxes of these:
http://theplasticsoldiercompany.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=132

They come with two sets of turrets: the regular T34 and the T-34-85. Twenty tanks will get you a nice tank company in the 1500 point range.

This. Cannot recommend PSC highly enough.

Jack42494 wrote:All right, so far I see Tank riders, SU85s, SU-152s, and PSC T-34s. Thanks for the advice! So, now what about infantry in trucks? Can I do it? Is it effective? And most importantly, is it affordable? Thanks!

Right now trucks are more a liability than a help. On the table they count against you when determing the need for morale checks if they are destroyed, but do not help you if they are not. Also when troops are in trucks they trade their very good 3+ save for a much weaker 5+ save if the truck is destroyed while they are in it. On smaller battle fields the mobility gain is just not worth it the way they are now. On larger tables they can be more useful, but you need to get your troops out of them before the enemy can shoot at the trucks.

Rumors abound that some more positive changes will be made to trucks in V.3, but that remains to be seen formally yet.

Skriker