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.

Greetings Everyone!

I am a tabletop veteran who has played a wide variety of games. I am making my way into the FOW community. A friend and I recently spilt the open fire box. I chose to take the germans.

I've decided I want to make a Late War German Mechanized Army.

My question is, knowing what I have gotten from the Open Fire box set....where should I go from here in order to start crafting a good German Mech Army. Since I am fairly new I do not really know what I should do.

Welcome to the war soldier

If you're thinking of German mechanised, are you thinking of the iconic half track mounted Germans? For a list I'd consider either panzer grenadiers from 'Atlantic wall' or 'grey wolf' the core units the same support is your choice.

If so (and as you said you have open fire) my first purchase would be two boxes of 'plastic soldier company' sdkfz 251's - cheap models and you have enough to mount up your platoons and IC/2ic.

You now should have 2 full grenadier platoons plus StuG's and pak40's my other two buys would be 3 nebelwerfers for smoke/artillery and some recon (like 8-rads) - that's a small and balanced starter force IMHO

if you want to play some games while saving up your cash.
Use the free to use army lists on EasyArmy .com.
This allows you to get a feel for how German forces are constructed and how they play.

Reaver 83, is spot on about the nerblewerfer battry and armoured cars for recon. (Do not leave home without them!)

If you are after getting some Sdkfz 251 half tracks for your infantry .
May I suggest getting 2 boxes of 5 Plastic Soldier Company Sdkfz 251 halftracks.
(2 half tracks for the Company HQ , and 4 half tracks each for the 2 platoons.)

If you get a box of 5 PSC Stug III that allows 2 platoons of 4 Stug III supporting armour,(Combined with your OF ones .Platoons of 4 are better than platoons of 3 or 5.)

Also PSC also sell Zevda plastic Sdkfz 222 armoured cars quite cheap too, (as a recon option.)

(In my experiance the PSC vehicles are high quality and about half the price of BF ones.)

In response to Reaver, yes the iconic half tracks for the Germans. I will gladly look into the those two types for German Panzer Soilders.

I will take a look into all of those. I appreciate the input ! I'll keep posting as I move along.

Before you buy the PSC Stugs and mix them with the Open Fire ones, try to see the size comparison. The PSC models, whilst being brilliant kits, are smaller than the chunkier Battlefront models. Some people don't mind the size difference on the field, some people do. I just thought I would give you a heads up

But definitely buy the PSC Half Tracks for your grenadiers.

Also, I got my SS Panzer / PzGr list from Grey Wolf. You get Sturm Tigers