barca Posted July 27, 2017 Report Share Posted July 27, 2017 Historicon Q&A Session with Pete Simunovich Wednesday, July 26, 2017http://www.wwpd.net/2017/07/historicon-q-session-with-pete.html Posted by Tom Burgess CAVEATS: "...the reader must keep two caveats in mind with this article. One; the comments that follow are what I thought I heard. There is ample room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Two; Battlefront plans two years out. Anything below that will take more than two years to get to is subject to change." My comments: USMC in Stripes: The LAV-25 entered service with the Marines in 1983 The U.S. Army did not order any LAVs (at that time), but they did, however, borrow at least a dozen LAV-25s for use in the 82nd Airborne's, 73rd Cavalry Regiment for a Scout Platoon during the Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991). [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAV-25] The inclusion of USMC will provide stats to do a TY Campaign in Iceland (out of the Red Storm Rising book) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 I was really surprised and disappointed that the USMC got tossed in the mix before the Armored Cavalry, the guys who, ya know, would have been shooting at the Russians first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 Just saw Battlefronts latest webpage update showing all the Mid-War US stuff coming out next month. Cool new Priests but my sanctuary is already full, and no T19 105 arty halftrack? T30 assault gun halftracks but not the M3 75mm AT halftrack? P40 warhawks are cool looking but I already have 2x P38 in my inventory, guess I'll have to proxy those. M3 stuarts .... any option for M5 stuarts? if not, that's another proxy I'll have to do. Will get me the T28 AAA halftracks. Don't know exactly what they are using for the Recon platoon? and what is up with the box set of 4xhalftrack? is that an independent platoon to transport a standard rifle platoon or is it the Recon platoon? The only thing I won't be able to do from the book is a whole company of Armored Rifle, I only have 1 platoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souldier3 Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 I agree the Half Track platoon makes no sense.. the price?? Buy 4 halftracks for $67.50 or buy 5 halftracks and an armored rifle platoon for... $67.50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 The Armored Recon Platoon hasn't changed organization, it looks like. It's from the Divisional recon asset. I am glad they made a 60mm mortar jeep model though. Too bad I already have two platoons. They're actually pretty badass little platoons. Cheap, and festooned with MGs. I have done good work with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 No M5s in this book. They didn't have much of a presence in Tunisia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 I don't see why they wouldn't have, 2nd Armor Div landed at casablanca with theirs and fought the french, but I guess I answered my own questions since this US book is about 1st Armor Div Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 2 hours ago, Josh said: The Armored Recon Platoon hasn't changed organization, it looks like. It's from the Divisional recon asset. I am glad they made a 60mm mortar jeep model though. Too bad I already have two platoons. They're actually pretty badass little platoons. Cheap, and festooned with MGs. I have done good work with them. Ok, so I finally clicked on all the preorder items. I think they have the wrong price for the halftrack platoon, should be $36. So don't preorder it until BF spots the error. They must be used in conjunction with mortars, machine guns, and other misc platoons to convert them to armored rifle company. Looked at the division recon and I have two of those 60mm mortar jeeps. All it is is the guy sitting in back is holding the mortar tube in his lap, can be mounted in any jeep or weapons carrier or halftrack. I used to only run armored engineer platoon that used only 3 halftracks, but since I don't need command halftracks with the priests, they get transfered to the infantry to complete the armored rifle platoon. Now, all I need to get is 4x T28 and 1x white scout car and I will have everything except additional armored rifle company stuff. Getting excited about this book coming out since I have everything already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phyfor88 Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 I hope they fill all the missing ho me is the US forces. Missing recon and having enough platoons to be operation for Gaming missions is painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 8, 2017 Report Share Posted August 8, 2017 I'd be interested to see how the Rifle Company plays. In V3, it was horde-y, but still packed an effective punch. In V4, I could see myself not even bothering to get into assaults since the GIs have a 5+ assault rating (why in gods name, why?!!!). Dig in within shooting range of whatever it is, shoot it until it dies, and then move. Time allowing. I might be bothered to paint up even more Shermans, Stuarts, and M10s for MW. I like the yellow markings. My US armor was built in the V3 Late War glory days of BG&G before the Patton nerf. I only used it once, and it was goddamn glorious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingolfen Posted August 8, 2017 Report Share Posted August 8, 2017 I had designs on doing a Kasserine Pass through El Guettar force, but it appears the M3 75mm GMC is missing from the first round... story of V4 so far... ready to spend my money only to find critical units "streamlined" out of the force organization... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barca Posted August 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2017 17 hours ago, fingolfen said: ... but it appears the M3 75mm GMC is missing from the first round... critical units "streamlined" out of the force organization... I feel your pain. The resin model - blister pack US101 M3 75mm GMC - is still available, but a case can be made for including a box set for this, printing unit cards and listing it in the "Fighting First" book, since, in addition to US units in Tunisia: it was still used by Allied units in Sicily, Italy in some US units in France (e.g., at Omaha Beach in the Cannon Platoon of the 2nd Rangers HQ Company (https://forum.axishistory.com//viewtopic.php?t=183338) ) in some Free-French units in France ( https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=75mm_Gun_Motor_Carriage_M3) and in the Pacific theater from 1941 to 1945 ("M3 Infantry Half-Track 1940–73, By Steven J. Zaloga" ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingolfen Posted August 9, 2017 Report Share Posted August 9, 2017 The M3 75mm GMC made a big impact at El Guettar, so any force trying to recreate that battle is fairly lost without them. I'm honestly at a complete loss at this point - had high hopes that this would get the FoW stuff off of the shelf and back on the painting table, but so far it just isn't happening... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 On 8/5/2017 at 11:09 PM, phyfor88 said: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Following the 2nd Armored Div since I first got into FOW. During the TORCH landings, the 2nd AD landed their shermans south of casablanca in an area with the least amount of french opposition so that their shiny new sherman tanks wouldn't get destroyed immediately, but their Stuart tanks and their m3 75mm Tank Destroyers landed North of Casablanca where it took them 5 days to fight the french with the m3 75mm being used extensively as long range infantry support. Guess one could just use the m10 option at 1/2 the cost to represent the m3 75mm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingolfen Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 2 hours ago, ZEKE said: Following the 2nd Armored Div since I first got into FOW. During the TORCH landings, the 2nd AD landed their shermans south of casablanca in an area with the least amount of french opposition so that their shiny new sherman tanks wouldn't get destroyed immediately, but their Stuart tanks and their m3 75mm Tank Destroyers landed North of Casablanca where it took them 5 days to fight the french with the m3 75mm being used extensively as long range infantry support. Guess one could just use the m10 option at 1/2 the cost to represent the m3 75mm? Yeah, but why should we have to "make up" rules at this point? This isn't a "brand new" game, it's V4 of an existing system... BF still has the M3 75mm GMC miniature on their web page, why the heck didn't they include rules for it in the book covering the most iconic battles where it was used??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barca Posted August 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Plz ask BF staff on the FoW forum. This PacNW crowd would all like to know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justjokin Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 This makes me happy: 5) "Stripes" will include USMC forces with LAVs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingolfen Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 3 hours ago, barca said: Plz ask BF staff on the FoW forum. This PacNW crowd would all like to know... It's been asked in the thread related the new U.S. book on the main forum, but so far crickets on this particular omission (though other omissions like the M5 have warranted comment)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 11, 2017 Report Share Posted August 11, 2017 I am not defending BF here, just trying to make sense of the direction they are going. Having gotten into Team-Yankee last year and still following FOW into V4, I have noticed these new books seem to be more concentrated on specific units at more of a Division level rather than Army or Front level where they would "highlight" a specific unit for fluff. Leopard - was about 2nd brigade, Panzer Div 1 Panzertruppen (add on to Leopard) - being 1st brigade, Panzer Div 1 Desert Rats - 7th armor Div Africa Corps - Rommels direct force. This Fighting First looks like it is concentrated on 1st armor div and units that landed with them. I wouldn't be surprised if they come out with more of those add-on pamphlets like "Afgansty" and "Panzertruppen" to cover more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingolfen Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 ... and I absolutely get that for a brand new game with no established base like Team Yankee... FoW isn't that game, though. You've already got a large "installed base" - many of which were still willing and able to buy new product for FoW - especially with them finally getting back to MW. And yet they've gone out of their way to "reboot" the game - like they're trying to reproduce the TY uptake with FoW with a whole new customer base... and that's the approach I strongly question. From where I sit, alienating your base on a historical game is usually a "bad idea," but maybe there's enough new players to take up the slack. We won't know for a year or so at best... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingolfen Posted August 14, 2017 Report Share Posted August 14, 2017 Interesting update from Chris yesterday regarding the deletion of 37mm guns from the Armored Rifles and the missing M3 75mm GMC: " asked Phil about the 37mm guns and he said: "in the end it came down to playability. Having a single gun in an infantry platoon introduces a pile of complexities that are just not worth it. Instead, we decided to go with the option often followed (and formalised in the 1943 TOE) of grouping the 37mm guns into a company AT Platoon. This is both simpler in play, and gives the advantage of providing enough punch in the critical place to be significant while not burdening mobile operations with cumbersome guns." "As for the GMC this came down to miniatures range and popularity. We have been making some conscious decisions as a company about how big the supporting releases will be for each book, trying to ensure that we have a good range of options for players whilst still keeping it manageable for retailers. The Flames Of War range has grown to the point where it is too wide for the majority of retailers to stock effectively and if they cannot stock it, customers cannot easily get it. "In the case of the GMC we looked as the sales of it over it's lifetime and the reports from play testers about how it was performing on the table relative to other options and it was decided that we would not include it in the book. Moving forward we are going to have to continue to make tough choices about what is in the books and what is not. We don't make them lightly and we (as a team) definitely have robust discussion before committing to leaving anything out a book." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEKE Posted August 16, 2017 Report Share Posted August 16, 2017 So long as we are not attending or putting on a Battlefront Sanctioned Event, sounds like the house-rules door is now open. I'm sure we can come up with some good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barca Posted August 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2017 23 hours ago, ZEKE said: So long as we are not attending or putting on a Battlefront Sanctioned Event, sounds like the house-rules door is now open. I'm sure we can come up with some good stuff A quick preview of the UNIT CARDs for the T30 HMC and the M10 GMC at Behind Enemy lines article leads me to think we could mock up an unofficial unit card for our own "club" for the M3 75mm GMC...and just not post it online nor share it outside our group. Movement and armor from T30 HMC UNIT CARD Morale and training from M10 GMC UNIT CARD Get the Gun stats from the North Africa handbook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 18, 2017 Report Share Posted August 18, 2017 Just pointed out a Rifle Company/TD force, and my god, the horde I could create. Templates, TDs, and MGs everywhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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