Louie N | 02 Oct 2015 8:24 p.m. PST |
Here is an idea that I keep bouncing around. How to play FOW rules one level lower in Command Structure/Organization. Substitute Platoon for Squad in the force structure and imagine the each infantryman as individual units. I think it can work. Am I missing anything ultimately flawed in this idea. The goal is to field lower cost armies as an entry level into the game. Thanks |
MTnest | 02 Oct 2015 8:55 p.m. PST |
Don't play FOW, so no idea if this would work, but wouldn't this be one level up? |
jameshammyhamilton | 02 Oct 2015 11:29 p.m. PST |
FoW already has one vehicle model representing one vehicle so you can't change that. You could use individual figures as a team but I am not sure what that would really save you. Why not look at plastic miniatures from the Plastic Soldier Company or the new Battlefront plastics. Another option is to use 6mm miniatures and either to change inches to millimetres or just stick with all the existing ranges and speeds. |
Frothers Did It And Ran Away | 03 Oct 2015 1:44 a.m. PST |
The mini game Partisans and Polizei they did was essentially what you're describing. Doubtless available online, possibly even officially. As mentioned the trend for 15mm plastics makes the game cheaper to get into, as does the Open Fire box set. And you can start at a lower points level if you like. I think my first game was at 800pts. |
alphus99 | 03 Oct 2015 7:47 a.m. PST |
The only Partizans and Politzei link I could find on the FOW site is this scenario: link |
Extra Crispy | 03 Oct 2015 7:52 a.m. PST |
I'm actually not sure this will work as you envision. As noted you can't do the one soldier = team for anything but infantry, which are the cheapest part – you still need guns, tanks, rules, terrain, etc. What do you do about AT guns, HMGs etc? You can't really just put out one HMG for a platoon. How do you determine LOS, track losses, etc? Better to go with 6mm in half scale (make stands half size, measure in 1/2 inches). You can go to centimeters but the bases get awfully small at that scale. Even at 50% I make my small bases oversized (I use 15 x 15mm). One way to go cheaper is to (a) use the plastic figures. One $30 USD box gets you an entire company. Another way is to just put fewer figures on each base. Needing to build troops in a hurry for my Germans, I just put 2 or 3 per base and left off the flock. Then I painted more figures and added them later. Did the flocking when all the troops were done. Another way is to just play smaller games, with limited kit. And oh yes, feel free to proxy all over the place. Any Panzer IV stands in for any specific tank, regardless of what model you own. So today your tank is an Ausf F, next week it's an Ausf H. |
Lion in the Stars | 03 Oct 2015 7:56 a.m. PST |
You need the Firestorm Bagration book for the rules. I'm sure an electronic copy exists, but I'm not finding a legal copy with a quick search. |
Martin Rapier | 03 Oct 2015 8:38 a.m. PST |
As above, it is already a 1:1 game for all the expensive stuff (tanks, guns) so the best way to reduce costs is just to use either smaller scale stuff (6mm) or cheaper vehicles. I have tons of Zvezda 15mm, and at 2-3 quid a pop they are a lot cheaper than BFs overpriced blobs. Less figures per base also helps, I usually only put 2-3 on (3 for rifle/SMG teams, 2 for LMGs etc). A box of PSC infantry gives enough figures for 30-40 bases. |
Ivan DBA | 03 Oct 2015 1:45 p.m. PST |
Try Bolt Action with individually based 15mm figures. |
LeavingTMP | 03 Oct 2015 2:04 p.m. PST |
Or Chain of command. We play it in 15mm and works well. |
Dameon | 03 Oct 2015 9:50 p.m. PST |
Uhm, you can just play at a lower points level. 600 or 1000 point forces don't take a major financial commitment. |
Kimber VanRy | 04 Oct 2015 2:13 p.m. PST |
Try I Ain't Been Shot Mum rules -- I regularly use my FOW figures at 1:1 with no modifications to the basing needed. |
Visceral Impact Studios | 05 Oct 2015 5:08 a.m. PST |
This is exactly the level that Phil Yates ran the game when he demo'd it initially at an HMGS convention. The way Phil ran it at the convention looked much better than the full company version and lost none of the game's value or interest. A platoon per side with a tank or two in support looks great. |
RetroBoom | 05 Oct 2015 5:45 p.m. PST |
Yeah, the rules can't convert to "roll for each man" game, unfortunately. I f you want to play flames cheaper, do 6mm. If you really want a man to man game, play Chain of Command. |
Dark Knights And Bloody Dawns | 06 Oct 2015 9:16 a.m. PST |
FOW scales better when using 6mm figures. |
Visceral Impact Studios | 07 Oct 2015 3:29 p.m. PST |
No need to roll for individual figures. Phil ran it so each unit was one or two infantry stands or a single vehicle model. Conceptually, replace "platoon" with "squad/team" in the standrad rules and you can see how it works. IIRC he ran Germans vs Russians. Lovely table with Russian farms, wheat fields and woods. Germans had a single Tiger in support. |