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Are the army boxes effective armies?
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Author:  Lion in the Stars [ Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
My FLGS is starting up Flames of War, and the theater that interests me the most is North Africa.  

My pre-order is going to be the basic book, Desert Rats, Desert Fox, (Italians), and the two raiding sets (Stign of the Scorpion and Who Dares Wins).

The second part of what I want kinda bothers me, though.  The 8th Army box, DAK box, and the Italian box (and the dice to go with them, just because you can never have enough dice)

My question is this:  Are the starter armies really effective on the table, or is it more like the GW battalion/battleforce-box (ie, need to buy lots more stuff to build an effective army for normal play levels).

Never mind that I'm getting a lot of flak for picking an entire theater, not one nationality (but that nuke can pack hot sand  :angry: ), Should I drop the $460 or so for the 3 army boxes, so that I can bring both sides to show other people the game, or should I concentrate on one force (probably 8th army or Italians...can't decide)

Help, please?
Author:  Cuban Commissar [ Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
I have first hand experience with my friend buying the Italian Box set and playing agianst them 4 times now.  

I would say that the box sets give you a very good and balanced army list that requires very little tweaking. With minimal purchases you can expand the army up to 2,000 points.  So in my expereince is the army deals are worth it.

Each box set is designed to give you a 1500 point army.  a Very playable army pont total.    

The only thing in the Italian army that my friend doesn't use normally is the anti tank rifles that came with the box.  Those are not very effective.  But they did kill a Stuart in out last game.

If you have the money I would recommned getting 2 box sets to demo and get people into the game.  I only had one and I had to wait or borrow an army to showcase the game at our club.
Author:  Cuban Commissar [ Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:02 am ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
By the way my friend is doing the same thing you are he wants armies for that entire theather.

I think it is an awesome theather to recreate with so much history and cool terrian.

My only recommendation is maybe focus on one Battle or time period because even in this theather the equipment varied so much form one battle to another.  So the only way to avoid having one of everything is my focusing on one moment in time.  That way it is easier to ask the question is this the proper equipment of these armies.  

For example the Panzer IV F1 or G with the long barrelled 75mm gun, known as the Mark IV "Special" to the Brits,  was introduced in the first battles of El Alamien.  It was much more common when the 8th armies launched their offensive in October with slightly over half being the Mark IV specials. But in all the battles in Tunsia the Panzer IV G was the most common tank and often the only tank.  With production of the Panzer III being halted.  

Of course the nice thing is the infantry stay the same, it the tanks that are constantly evolving. :D  

I hope this helped.
Author:  Mojarn Piett [ Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:51 am ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
Nitpick: the Pz IV having the 75mm KwK 40 L/43 gun was F2. Although at present there seems to be conflicting info on the subject with some sources claiming there was no F2 and the ones with the round muzzle brake were in fact early Gs.  :8):
Author:  Cuban Commissar [ Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
I bow before the superior knowledge... :D

I admit I know a little stuff.  Enough to get me through a tough neigborhood of seroius WWII gamers.    :;):

But not to win a historical knowledge knife fight.
Author:  Mojarn Piett [ Sat Dec 24, 2005 9:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
Don't worry, things like this are only known by people who don't have a life.  :;):

Still, I'm not of the worst kind. I have a friend who seems to know the minute differences (down to the number of bolts) between ALL tanks Finnish army has ever had. And he once made an air force senior lieutenant despair after knowing more about aircraft than said officer. :wow:
Author:  Lion in the Stars [ Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
Great, thanks, CC.  I'm always a little nervous about getting into a new game, but I'll have some extra $$ to work with around my birthday in Feb.

I definitely want to get the Italians (just because nobody else wants to play them).  

Mojarn:  Hey, I resemble that remark.  I'm a yeoman (clerk to the rest of the world), and I was an aircraft mechanic before I enlisted.  I enjoy scaring the [censored] out of mechanics onboard ship by asking for tools to fix my own stuff instead of calling them to do it. :angry:
Author:  Cuban Commissar [ Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Are the army boxes effective armies?
Glad I could help Lion.

The one nice thing about WWII is that if the Flames of War rules don't satisfy.  You can easily use the the same minis, without rebasing, for so many other rules systems.

Crossfire is the one I would like to try with my Flames of war minis.
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