New to FOW, British Paratroopers. Little help?

[Cleal Baros]

Hey all,

I'm fairly new to historical gaming and starting my FOW collection off with a British Paratrooper force but could do with some advice in my first list.

I'd have preferred to do a more themed 'accurate' list but considering how everyone else in my local area seems to play I'm not sure I'd be able to hold my own and as much as I'm no 'power gamer' losing every game is never fun so here's what I've come up with.

Any and ALL c&c will be very much appreciated.

(1500pts)
Company HQ
-3 PIAT Teams

Infantry Parachute Platoon
-3 Rifle Squads

Infantry Parachute Platoon
-3 Rifle Squads

Airlanding Machine-Gun Platoon (Vickers HMG)
-2 Sections

Airlanding Anti-Tank Platoon (6pdrs)
-2 Sections
-4 Jeeps

Airlanding Heavy Anti-Tank Platoon (17pdrs)
-2 Sections
-4 Cut-down 15cwt trucks

Airlanding Light Battery (75mm pack howitzer)
-2 Sections

Sporadic Air Support (Typhoons)

Cheers,
Cleal.

[6mmhero]

Looks interesting, I have only seen FOW played and never designed a list myself. The only point I might make is that it is quite heavy on the support elements, however I understand that being FOW there will likely be lots of tanks so you need the 17Pdrs.

You might also want some mortars in there as they are always useful for pinning troops etc (which ever system you play).

[colhodg]

Personally i'd always go with the themed "accurate list" as it's part of the enjoyment of playing historical stuff. If straight out airborne is what interests you then drop the airlanding stuff and try and make it work with just infantry and organic support (ie weapons platoons). Yes, you will have a tough time against tanks but frankly if he spends the whole game sitting back and blasting at 3 platoons of infantry your opponent is unlikely to get much done quickly provided you stay dug in and gone to ground.

I'd agree taking the mortars over mg's makes sense - being able to drop plentiful smoke is very helpful and possibly would be the main role for the pack howitzers unless facing an infantry horde. All lists can be made to work in FoW, just not necessarily in all situations. As always a rounded force probably stands a better chance if you really must win every time

[Cleal Baros]

I didn't think smoke would be an issue since my rifle teams can all fire light mortars to produce it.

I take your point on the historical side if things and I'm going to take a look at Frost's Perimeter Force since I still want to stick with Market Garden.

[ColShaw]

I'm just starting to get into FoW, and am going British 6th Airborne Airlanding. Starting small, building a couple platoons of infantry to start with. I have a few questions, having never actually played a game:

1) What unit upgrades tend to be useful? I don't want to go totally overboard on PIATs, Engineers, or whatnot.

2) I love the idea of glider-borne light tanks. Are the Tetrarchs actually any good at all, or just a novelty item?

3) Does massed infantry work, at all? I am a big fan of the PBI over armored vehicles, in most cases.

4) How important is artillery support? I'm guessing I'll need a few 17 pdrs at least, but can I lean on the PIATs and Gammon Bombs to do some of the anti-tank heavy lifting?

I'm planning a Pegasus Bridge glider force as my initial army, and seeing where I go from there.

[6mmhero]

I take your point on the historical side if things and I'm going to take a look at Frost's Perimeter Force since I still want to stick with Market Garden.

If you are going to base your force around Frost's battalion at the Bridge then you will need to remove a lot of the support elements. As far as I am aware they did manage to get one or two AT guns in to the perimeter (it has been a while since looking at the airborne side of Market Garden). They were also without support from the air landing artillery as well.

Airborne forces can be quite fun to play, but you need a scenario in mind as they tend to work best in scenario play.

[colhodg]

Just to clarify - i think the assault on pegasus bridge was a coup de main operation - ie a precision landing as a precursor to the main drop with paras and different from the regular glider bourne infantry that would have followed up after them.

There is an option for a coup de main scenario in the books but yes, you'd have minimum support ie just some mortars /mg's and piats.

They were also supported by Lord Lovat's commando's after the initial action so am guessing you have that option too.

[Amnar]

Hey all,

I'm fairly new to historical gaming and starting my FOW collection off with a British Paratrooper force but could do with some advice in my first list.

I'd have preferred to do a more themed 'accurate' list but considering how everyone else in my local area seems to play I'm not sure I'd be able to hold my own and as much as I'm no 'power gamer' losing every game is never fun so here's what I've come up with.

Any and ALL c&c will be very much appreciated.

(1500pts)
Company HQ
-3 PIAT Teams

Infantry Parachute Platoon
-3 Rifle Squads

Infantry Parachute Platoon
-3 Rifle Squads

Airlanding Machine-Gun Platoon (Vickers HMG)
-2 Sections

Airlanding Anti-Tank Platoon (6pdrs)
-2 Sections
-4 Jeeps

Airlanding Heavy Anti-Tank Platoon (17pdrs)
-2 Sections
-4 Cut-down 15cwt trucks

Airlanding Light Battery (75mm pack howitzer)
-2 Sections

Sporadic Air Support (Typhoons)

Cheers,
Cleal.

Hey bud, I personally play a Canadian Parachute Company from TT, so here's my feedback. First off, are you sure that's 1,500 points? Are you missing a combat platoon? In general, I always take full PIATs with the HQ, and maximize my infantry combat platoons. While I'm not a huge fan of MGs, and I prefer mortars to 75s if I'm just using them for smoke or catching people in the open, overall this is a solid list. Based on the sporadic air I'm assuming you're using TT? I personally am a huge fan of tetrachs, I think they're adorable. As long as you maximize your number of angry men with maroon berets and gammon bombs, and then add the support you want, you'll be fine.

Just remember though, your army will win games in the assault phase. Paras with British bulldog are downright brutal, and extremely hard to shift off an objective. If you ever have to attack, make you sure you do it at night if you have the option.

Overall, you'll have a blast, I'm a big fan of paras. The only downside is painting a few hundred denison smocks..... looks awesome when you're done, but you're almost ready to slit your wrists in the meantime.....

[Amnar]

I'm just starting to get into FoW, and am going British 6th Airborne Airlanding. Starting small, building a couple platoons of infantry to start with. I have a few questions, having never actually played a game:

1) What unit upgrades tend to be useful? I don't want to go totally overboard on PIATs, Engineers, or whatnot.

Maximize your PIATs. At 20 points a pop, they're a bargain, and based on the mission they give you a lot of flexibility. If you have a lot of reserves coming in, you can concentrate your PIATs within the platoons on the board, which does the following: higher break point for the platoon, more AT capability, more assault capability. A rifle/mg stand is ~30 points. A 20 points PIAT team assaults infantry just as well. Like I said, always take them

2) I love the idea of glider-borne light tanks. Are the Tetrarchs actually any good at all, or just a novelty item?

I personally love them. They mitigate the number 1 weakness of this list. Mobility is extremely low, and you're never more vulnerable than when you have to dash across the open to protect an objective and get machine gunned to death by tanks. With a 16 inch move, and the ability to assault infantry as well as any panther or sherman, they're a bargain for 170 points. I take 4, and my opponents find them very, very annoying. If there's a lot of cover and you feel like pulling off some shenanigans, you can always have a platoon of paras hitch a ride on the back of the tanks, just make sure they can't possibly be seen....

3) Does massed infantry work, at all? I am a big fan of the PBI over armored vehicles, in most cases.

That's how I play. This lists bread and butter is your basic para. Get as many of those guys in the list as possible.

4) How important is artillery support? I'm guessing I'll need a few 17 pdrs at least, but can I lean on the PIATs and Gammon Bombs to do some of the anti-tank heavy lifting?

PIATs and Gammon bombs are all you need in assault, but you will need some items that can reach out and touch the enemy and get him to assault rather than just keep pounding your boys from range. Many things can accomplish this. I'm a huge fan of 6 pdrs for their versatility, but they struggle against heavy tanks. 17s are good, but you only get two of them, and they're pricey. Typhoons will keep your opponent honest, he won't be able to go hub to hub, and it will encourage him to close in with you. When the enemy does assault, with extra piats from the hq, and British Bulldog, you'll be able to put the hurt on their tanks. You'll lose a lot of the platoon, but hey, that's what they're there for.

I'm planning a Pegasus Bridge glider force as my initial army, and seeing where I go from there.

Hey bud, my answers are below:

1) What unit upgrades tend to be useful? I don't want to go totally overboard on PIATs, Engineers, or whatnot.

Maximize your PIATs. At 20 points a pop, they're a bargain, and based on the mission they give you a lot of flexibility. If you have a lot of reserves coming in, you can concentrate your PIATs within the platoons on the board, which does the following: higher break point for the platoon, more AT capability, more assault capability. A rifle/mg stand is ~30 points. A 20 points PIAT team assaults infantry just as well. Like I said, always take them

2) I love the idea of glider-borne light tanks. Are the Tetrarchs actually any good at all, or just a novelty item?

I personally love them. They mitigate the number 1 weakness of this list. Mobility is extremely low, and you're never more vulnerable than when you have to dash across the open to protect an objective and get machine gunned to death by tanks. With a 16 inch move, and the ability to assault infantry as well as any panther or sherman, they're a bargain for 170 points. I take 4, and my opponents find them very, very annoying. If there's a lot of cover and you feel like pulling off some shenanigans, you can always have a platoon of paras hitch a ride on the back of the tanks, just make sure they can't possibly be seen....

3) Does massed infantry work, at all? I am a big fan of the PBI over armored vehicles, in most cases.

That's how I play. This lists bread and butter is your basic para. Get as many of those guys in the list as possible.

4) How important is artillery support? I'm guessing I'll need a few 17 pdrs at least, but can I lean on the PIATs and Gammon Bombs to do some of the anti-tank heavy lifting?

PIATs and Gammon bombs are all you need in assault, but you will need some items that can reach out and touch the enemy and get him to assault rather than just keep pounding your boys from range. Many things can accomplish this. I'm a huge fan of 6 pdrs for their versatility, but they struggle against heavy tanks. 17s are good, but you only get two of them, and they're pricey. Typhoons will keep your opponent honest, he won't be able to go hub to hub, and it will encourage him to close in with you. When the enemy does assault, with extra piats from the hq, and British Bulldog, you'll be able to put the hurt on their tanks. You'll lose a lot of the platoon, but hey, that's what they're there for.

[ColShaw]

Thanks for the advice, Amnar! That actually reflects a lot of what I was hoping to hear. I've just finished painting the first 2 platoons (I've not painted models this small much, but am very happy with how they look ) and I think I'll grab up a blister of 6pdrs (my FLGS had one on shelf last I checked) next. I'm trying to gradually build a "core" force and paint them all, then get a few games under my belt and expand. I suppose after the light anti-tank guns I'll need to get the HQ (which will give me something like 750 points I think, and an actual playable, though small, force).

I'm glad to hear that the basic paras are good; I like the models, I like infantry, and throwing 3-4 platoons of these guys on field looks like it could be a lot of fun.

Thanks again! I haven't started a new tabletop game in several years, and am looking forward to it!

[Amnar]

You'll love it, FoW is currently one of my fave games. Best of luck!