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So, getting back into FoW since not really playing since first edition. I've read and heard that all of the older books are still "valid" but may be underpowered. The only one of the original army books I have is Desert Fox.


Now, I'm not sure which books to get, as I see multiple books that cover every theatre. By and large, I want to make several armies I can play friendlies or 'store" type games with, but I also want to make "opposing forces" that I can use for friendly games with my wife or with non-miniatures-buying friends. I realise the DAK is an exception to this, but 8th Army might come down the line. - So which book(s) do I need to create:

A DAK Grenadierkompanie/Panzergrenadierkompanie/Panzerkompanie

Opposing forces for LW France - Americans and/or Brits vs Heer and/or SS.

Opposing forces for some Ostfront tank/mechanised battles - Panthers vs T-34s - and a bit of extra flavour for each - but without much infantry for either side.


I also just noticed that BF are giving away hardcover rulebooks with WGI subscriptions, so advice on one or two of those that would work best for what I'm looking for would also be appreciated...


As far as figures go, I now have:

1 DAK-painted Grenadier force - based on the Grenadierkompanie list from the 1st ed FoW core rulebook. 3 Grenadier platoons, MG Platoon, 2 88s + transport, 2 Stugs, 1 Tiger (MW)
2 sets of Open Fire (US Paras, German Grenadierkompanie, 12 Sherman V, 4 Fireflies, 6 Stug G, 4 PAK40s)
1 set of Achtung (3 Sherman V, 2 Stugs (G?)

I also picked up a bunch of PSC boxes over the past few months, so I also have:

15mm german panther x10
15mm german panzer iv x10
15mm german stug iii g x5
15mm soviet t-34 tanks x15
15mm united states m4a3 sherman (late) x15

I also have the following on the way:
Nuts!
Devil's Charge
SS-Panzergrenadierkompanie Box
British Parachute Company Box

I don't mind buying a few more PSC boxes - Tigers, Halftracks, etc

If you haven't, you need to look at easyarmy.com. For $1-2 (US, paypal accepted), you can build an army out of any book that you are interested in. Not only that, but under the links section you can select a armory piece and see all the lists that it appears in.

"North Africa" is the book for DAK
"Nuts!" and "Devil's Charge" should cover your late-war western front. While those books are focused on the Battle of the Bulge, I understand that those are pretty fun lists. Not the forces that stormed the beached of Normandy or broke out, but timely none the less.
"Eastern Front" is still the standard for mid-war tank battles in the USSR. If you want to run late-war, then you'd need both "Grey Wolf" and "Red Bear".