Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, after reading as much as I can and looking into several options, I'm settling upon starting a Soviet Mid-War Force.

I have yet to buy anything, and am about to order from an online retailer (to be decided), but I wanted to double check my casual "first list" on dakka to make sure I'm not making any blaring mistakes that I will regret later

I've paid the couple bucks to use the EasyArmy.com lists to help in determining what to get. I do not own anything yet, so I know I will need to purchase the rulebooks, the templates, and such. I think I'm going to start from a modeling perspective first, and then go on to play games after I have a force that I'm satisfied with (painted/based/etc).

Please forgive any formatting errors, but below is the list I want to purchase around, using the EasyArmy entry from what it says is from the Eastern Front book:

Motostrelkovy Batalon(Red Army)

Headquarters
Motostrelkovy Batalon HQ

Combat Companies
Motostrelkovy Batalon (2 motor rifle platoons, 2 Maksim HMG teams)
Motostrelkovy Batalon (1 motor rifle platoon, swap rifle/MG for SMG)

Weapons Companies
Medium Tankovy Company (5 T-34 Obr 1941 or 1942)
Light Armoured Car Platoon (5 BA10M)

Corps Support
Heavy Tankovy Company (2 KV-1e, 1 KV-2)
Assault Gun Company (3 SU-76M)

It is definitely a list of "everything I like" rather than any tactical consideration. I would definitely appreciate any feedback on tweaks to improve it before I shell out the couple hundred dollars to buy all this!

Have you watch some Battle Report on Youtube and such? Sometime it give good idea of what kind of army you would like to play.

Personnally, At the begining I wanted to start a Partisansky Brigage from Red Bear book for the massive horde of untrained guys to flow against the opponent army, but seeing how much time consuming (and money) it was I have abord they idea. Especially for a first army, playing alot of infantry with all special rules and stuff might be a bit complexe for a begining army. I decided to start something new and easier to learn, I now have a German Panzer Kompagnie with only tanks, it's much easier for a begining army and it hav'nt cost me over 100$.

Now people at my local store think to start a Tank Ace campaign, seeing that many people are quite new to Flames of War. Do you have alot of opponent to play with? If so, what kind of army they have? Soviet Army is very popular at my Local Store, maybe half of the players play Soviet. I thought I was original with my Partisanskiy Brigade, but now with my Panzer Kompagnie I don't have problem finding good ennemies. Having an Infantry army against a Tank Army can be a bit problematic, I always try to sneek a bit on what people buy and what they have to adapt my army against them. I don't try to do metagaming to maximise my chance to make massacre on the battlefield, but just for the fun to spy a bit. At the end, it's all about the model if I like the gaming style of it.

You know that Red Bear is actually a book that cover the Late War? It might cause a bit of problem, if all your opponent have Mid War Book and you have a Late War army.

I've watched a few youtube battle reports. It looks like a fun game!

Right now I have no opponents planned, as my gaming group is too far vested time-wise into various GW and RPG games. So, I have no idea who I will ever face. I just figure going with what I would like from a modeling perspective would be best.

I was familiar with Red Bear being a Late War book, and thus my list is from the Eastern Front Book. I think I might've made it confusing by putting (Red Army) in the list title. I enjoy some of the history of the Middle War era on the Eastern Front of WWII and thus wanted to build a soviet force based on that.

I've read on the various Starting a New Force articles that an all-tank army is the easiest way to learn the game, but I can't help but want to play a mixed force. I tend to enjoy having a little bit of everything, even if it can be less competitive in a strict sense.