"FOW 4th edition" Topic

Hello everyone

I am torn about whether or not to get back into FOW 4th edition. I like the fact the minis are now in plastic and that units will come with cards.

I have heard that the German and American armies get weakened. I was a German player and am thinking on starting back with a mid-war panzer company.

Are there any other good 15mm WWII armor-heavy rulesets out there? And how complete is its rival's plastic vehicle line?

Thanks.

Paul

Why do you care who makes the figures?
Even though I am rather grumpy about he forthcoming 4th ed, it has absolutely nothing to do with who makes the figures and models. I will continue to use a mix of Battlefront, Command Decision, Peter Pig, Plastic Soldier Company, etc in my armies.
You don't think that you HAVE TO use Battlefront figures to play the game, do you?

I don't really care about who makes the figures. I plan on going with a lot of armor though.

I don't really care about who makes the figures. I plan on going with a lot of armor though.

I have authored 2 sets of rules which work for 15mm and both accommodate Tank Heavy forces and supporting infantry mounted on stands as for FoW. The newest, Skirmish Action, provides a fast game where your tanks can get Suppressed, Damaged or Destroyed. The second set Combat Action Command features Data Cards for tanks and is more detailed where tanks can sustain Track Damage or receive M Movement or F Firepower Kills in addition to being outright destroyed. Both rules feature "Overwatch" or "Interrupt" abilities that avoid some issues with straight I Go U Go systems. I used to be a HUGE FoW Fan with everything from Poland 1939 and France 40 through Bulge. Played French, British, Germans, Russians and Americans. Got tired of all the changes and gave up when 3rd edition came out so I feel your pain! Wanted something more realistic that didn't change all the time. So I wrote my own rules. Cheers!

Ostfront suits a lot of armor, and works well at 15mm scale. You can use infantry based for FoW.

link

The quick fire rules are free to download, and include simplified army lists so you can start straight away:
link

I played Team Yankee with armor-heavy forces and rather enjoyed it. Infantry in that game posed a huge challenge as in 1985 they are just so horribly out-classed by tanks. It was a bit like OGRE: the infantry operate nearly as semi-mobile terrain, and are practically free in terms of points.

I think FoW 4 will be less dramatic: infantry will be even more resilient than they are now, because Brutal (reroll saves) will probably replace Breakthrough Gun (ignore saves), and be just as rare, and tanks won't be able to laugh off bazookas in the way that MBTs laugh off LAWs and Dragons.

TY is way more teachable than FoW 3, so I am highly optimistic. I only painted 2 FoW models last year, but I will be buying v4 as soon as it comes out.

Ok I haven't played FoW in a few years but I wanted to get back into it as I think a few non-wargaming pals would have enjoyed it. Looking at a vid report scared me off! It seemed to have so many fiddly bit rules that I felt a little overwhelmed.

Personally I like the sounds of a FoW thats easier to get into

Thanks all.

Another problem I have with FOW, and pigsuspig alluded to this, is that TY uses advanced technology and does not go well with world war II. I think the designers are moving away from the combined arms concept.

The weakness of infantry in Team Yankee is all in the special rules: MBTs make them reroll saves, and their anti-tank weapons can't hurt MBTs and can't be used at close range.

Take that away and you're back to the really paramount role that infantry play in FoW. I think the rules system will still work well for WWII.

I would assume that things like laser guided and advanced stabilisers won't become part of FOWv4. But RebelPaul have you played TY? I think it presents a pretty solid base ruleset that can be built on with theatre specific rules.

take out the sections about the unique special rules and you have a place to start building from…

Look at Rapid Fire, although mainly used for 20mm it is still suitable for 15mm and you would really enjoy the game.

I highly recommend Rapid Fire, and have always enjoyed playing these rules

Combat Command thought aimed at 20mm gamers works just as well in 15mm.

Its a quick play system so that tank heavy forces do not bog down play. Has strong combined elements (as I just relearned when last Sunday I tried to retake a village with tanks only).

It has an integrated sequence of play which avoids the you go I go style of play but with a miniamun of extra rules.

Available through Wargames Vault.

Thomas J. Thomas
Fame and Glory Games

FOW 4th…. a very big maybe in the warren. But then I prefer to play FOW with the 20mm collection vs. 15mm or smaller scale.

Sample 20mm FOW scenarios with Ver3.0 games. How they would play using Ver4.0 a big unknown as I only use the organization charts… points not a major discussion or issue but changing the organization will be:

link

Hello Lee494,

Do you have a website where I can get more info on Skirmish Acion?

Thanks.

Paul