"Other WW2 rules that my FOW army will work for" Topic

So I've been playing with the Open. Fire set, German infantry and stugs, Sherman's and paras. FOW is an okay game, but I'm looking to try some other rules now.

Can anyone suggest other WW2 rules that work with bases of infantry like the FOW ones? Rather than individual figures.

I know of Blitzkrieg Commander and would like to try that. What other commercially available rules could work without too much reworking for figure removal?

Thanks

I quite like FoW figures so I buy them for I Ain't Been Shot Mum, by Too Fat Lardies. To be honest though, almost any company level ruleset will work with FoW basing… Basing restrictions have kind of become a bit passé over the last decade and I rarely see a set of rules that has them these days. If you're looking for something that has a stronger WW2 feel, though, I certainly recommend IABSM.

Crossfire
Command Decision: Test of Battle

As long as the stands are the same size for both sides in the game, they can work and the game is playable

Mike

can I suggest you take a look at some new rules from Great escape games. I've recently purchased these, they are straight forward fast set and the forces you have got in the open fire box will give you ample for a good game with no re basing or figure removal required. rules are cheap as well . have a look here

link

They will work for Fireball Forward, the medium base size is a half inch larger than the FF size but in actual play should not pose a problem.

Crossfire would be a straight plug-in.
If you want to get a bit indie, my own FiveCore Company Command will be too.

After trying out several other sets, we ended up going with Fireball Forward.

The new Iron Cross rules. Blitzkrieg Commander. Crossfire.

Battlegroup Kursk and others Battlegroup rules

Panzergrenadier Deluxe – the same level as FoW, will work perfectly with troops based for FoW, and some nice rules mechanics. Also a very well organised rulebook, which always helps.

I Ain't Been Shot Mum is my favourite set for company level games, and most of my stuff is on Flames Of War bases…. :-)

+1 for Crossfire. But your paratroopers need some platoon commanders. See if you can scare up a couple spare figures, or just use pennies while you try it.

As others have said I Ain't Been Shot Mum works well with them based as is.
I also have a couple of single spares and individual trams that I have picked up as part of job lots.

David

As everyone os mentioning, there are many game you can play using FoW based armies. Its one of the reasons I justified spending so munch money on them ;) . Crossfire and FiveCore Company Command are easy recommendations. I own Fireball Forward and have had a good experience with the couple games I've played. Never tried Ain't Been Shot Mum.

My rules for Hail Of Fire are specifically made to be played with FoW armies. You can find the current version on retroboom.com . If you're interested in checking out the new revised version I'm preparing, send me an email at brandon @ shindig pictures . com

you can pretty much use them for any set of rules. Can't think of a rules set that would not let you use 15mm.

Thanks everyone.

Just to clarify, it wasn't the 15mm figures that were my concern, but whether individual models need removing rather than whole bases. I'll check out the suggestions above.

Thanks very much.

Another set of rules that will work with the bases is Panzerkorps

Another vote for "I Ain't been Shot Mum!"

I Ain't Been Shot Mum is exactly the same scale of game. But no artillery models on the table.

IABSM requires tracking individual casualties, though you could mark them in some way.

Battlefront WWII or crossfire spring to mind, but as said, you will need a few single figure commanders.

Surely the answer is any WW2 rules?

Especially if you base them up in singles or add some extra singles for casualties.

I only play one set of WW2 rules, and have never played FOW, so cant offer you much advice if you are looking for something that offers a similar game experience.

Casualty marking is no problem – just use counters or (my preference) micro d6s.

As everybody else has said but I use Rapid Fire with my figures and using FOW's will be easily done. Thank goodness we are passing the era of regulation basing.

Battelfront WW2 uses a pretty similar basing scheme to FOW, and is an excellent set of rules

There is also Look, Sarge, No Charts: WWII. See link

The question I have is why are players leaving FOW? Time for another thread? The tendency is the same in the local gaming community. FOW games are fast disappearing. Maybe the digital only aspect as some have mentioned…. plus lack of MW era support in recent years.

I am looking at the new Iron Cross rules…. but several mentioned look to have excellent promise. Been playing FOW since 2004 as a side note.

It doesn't sound like the OP is leaving FOW so much as he owned the starter set and never got much deeper than that. If the trend is for people leaving FOW, though, I suspect it would just be a matter of the game's age. How many great rulesets hardly get a mention now? Arc of Fire, Disposable Heroes, WRG 1925-1950, Rate of Fire, Rules of Engagment, Battleground WW2, Operation Overlord, A Corner of Hell, The Face of Battle, Blitzkrieg Commander, TW&T, Final Combat, BAPS, Battlefront WW2… They must still have a small fanbase, but you rarely see battle reports, homemade scenarios or active promotion these days.

Precisely! I am not leaving it, as I've hardly started it. Keep you agendas away from me!!

FOW seems an okay game, as I noted, but I'm looking to expand, just like I do for every period I play. The answers here have been useful…

Don't forget spearhead wwll. That is good set rules as well

You play spearhead with 15mm? I mean, of course you can, but i was under the impression it was very much intended to be played with 6mm.

I actually play it 1/72 scale. And yes it can be for 15mm as well. It says in the beginning of the book how to make adjustments for scales. I found it works just fine.

Peter Pig's Poor Bloody Infantry work fine with FoW basing. In fact any basing will work. Like IABSM they emphasise the role of junior leaders in getting things done.

I'd recommend the new Iron Cross rules.

My friends and I play chain of command or bolt action with our 28mm figures, but the more tank heavy 15mm FOW armies are better suited to a game like FOW.

I would not say crossfire as crossfire is an infantry biased game and FOW armies are tank based. IMHO.

ANdy

Can't help you now, but this one will be out early next year.Casualties are tracked by the stand.

OOOOoooooooo! Want :)

Battlegroup Kursk is working for FoW based minaitures ? I saw them only with indywidual based miniatures.

You can play Battlegroup (like you can play anything) but you do have to track individual casualties. I think its a fantastic set, but I, like you I believe, don't want to track individual casualties.

Been a while since I read them but isn't another problem with BF the differences in section (or fireteam or whatever) strengths for different nationalities?
I seem to remember for example that a basic German infantry sub-unit was 4 men strong and a Soviet one was 5 (or something similar) Which is a pain if all your figures are on FoW bases (which are 5 IIRC).

Battlegroup Kursk is working for FoW based minaitures ? I saw them only with indywidual based miniatures.

Sure, just buy an extra platoon and base them individually to make change.

I seem to remember for example that a basic German infantry sub-unit was 4 men strong and a Soviet one was 5 (or something similar) Which is a pain if all your figures are on FoW bases (which are 5 IIRC).

Uh, my Soviets are 4 per base and my Fallschirmjager are 3 per base. My Normandy Americans are 3+casualty per base, and my Vietnam Americans are 3 per base.

Putting 3 per base usually gives me enough "extra" figures to have a full platoon of singles.

No Battlegroup Kursk is no good as you are only allowed to play those rules with beautifully painted 20mm figures and vehicles. :-)

Saving a figure per base is a pretty popular way to stretch them a bit more. I knew people doing 4 figures per stand in Epic instead of 5, to get more stands.

On the old square bases it looked a bit better too.

Rapid fire are a great set of rules

Battlegroup Kursk is working for FoW based minaitures ? I saw them only with indywidual based miniatures.

One of my friends plays Battlegroup exclusively now with his FOW based armies. It's really no big deal if you can count to three or cope with markers ;) In fact another friend has rebased some of his 1/72nd plastic figures on to squad or fire team stands to make moving them easier in large scale battles.

I don't think anyone would ever call mine "beautifully painted", but hey, you gotta kick over the traces once in a while ;)

Our club has played Bolt Action using FoW figures. It works fine if you have a few stands with an individual or 2 figures so you can "make change" when your section takes casualties.

This game does allow use of some armour – say 3-4 tanks per side.

As noted by other posters, you should be able to use just about any rules with 15mm.

Does nobody use casualty caps or rings anymore?

I have used my FoW figures for Crossfire, Blitzkrieg Commander and PBI.

I am using mine for iron cross

Iron Cross does look intriguing…

Panzerkorps will work with FOW bases. No casualty removal either.