D-Day Waffen-SS Command Cards Review

by Tom Burgess

 

Mitch Reed has already provided an excellent of the D-Day Waffen SS Book for NDNG, so it falls on me to review the Command Cards for this new Flames of War Late War book.

This might be the best part, as it is with the command cards that one can really flavor a list. I’ll break the cards down into the following five groups; Standards, Same as D-Day Germans, New Formations, Special Formation Upgrades, and finally Heroes.

Standards

Softskin Transport and Lucky.  You knew these had to be here. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone actually use the Softskin Card, but as with all Command  Card decks it is here.

 

Same as D-Day Germans

These cards are basically the same as in the D-Day German Command Card deck. In some cases they have been modified to note uses with SS units, They include; Panzer Pioneer Platoon (for SS), Armoured Flak Half-Tracks, Machine-Gun Nests, PAKFRONT, Old Minefields, Dug-in Panzer IV Platoon (for SS), Own Goal, Screaming Meemies, 8.8cm Assault Flak, 8.8cm Tank-Hunter, Brummbar (for SS), and Tiger Ace (for SS)

 

 

New Formation Cards

These are the cards that add additional, usually recon cards to a Command Card Deck. Armoured Car Company is new for LW Germans and lets you add some early armoured cars to your force. They other two are just like their counterparts in the D-Day Germans Command Cards except that they are for SS. Sadly and historically, the SS Puma and Half-Track Scout Company command cards do not have the option to take the SdKfz-234.

Armoured Car Company

• 1 HQ Unit of 1x SdKfz 221 (MG) armoured car from (LG224) for 1 point.
• 2-6 SdKfz 221 & 222 SS Scout Troop (LG224)
• 1-3 SdKfz 231 SS Scout Troop (LG225)
• 0-1 SS Reconnaissance Platoon (LG218)

1st SS Pz Div Puma Company

• 1 HQ Unit of 1x Puma (5cm) armoured car from (LG222) for 2 points.
• 2-7 Puma SS Scout Troop (LG222)
• 0-1 SS Reconnaissance Platoon (LG218)

Half-Track SS Scout Company

• 1 HQ Unit of 1x Sd Kfz 250 (MG) half-track from (LG223) for 1 point.
• 2-8 Sd Kfz 250 SS Scout Troop (LG223)
• 0-1 SS Reconnaissance Platoon (LG218)

 

 

Special Formation Upgrades

This is where we really get the flavor of individual formations and the SS Divisions they represent.

1st SS Pz Div “Street Fighters” (4 points) – The Formation Command Team is hit on 4+. If the Formation Command team is Destroyed, it can Switch to Another Team on a roll of 2+ rather than 3+.

1st SS Pz Div “Unwilling Volunteers” (-1 per Pz Gren unit) – Counterattack 5+, Skill Green 5+.

2nd SS Pz Div “Front Swinen” (+1 per unit) – Tactics 3+. You can discard this card and remove its effect to re-roll a failed Tactics roll when attempting a Movement Order with a Unit from this Formation.

9th SS Pz Div

If you don’t like the standard SS “Hit on 3+” and you are willing to spend the points, the 9th SS Panzer Division Command Cards let you plus up your SS to the super units many expect them to be. In general, they make the unit Fearless 3+, Veteran 3+, Careful Hit on 4+.  The cost and exact effect of the card depends on the unit type you are buying it for.

So the “Best SS” cards:

Best Panthers (+3 points per tank)

Best Panzers (+2 per Panzer IV w/ 2+ remount)

Best Stugs  (+2 per Stug w/ 2+ remount, 4+ Counterattack, 4+ assault)

Best Infantry (+1 point HQ, +2 points infantry units)

Best Firepower (+1 point per two Heavy Weapons, Gun, and Tank teams in Armoured SS Pz Gren, SS Pz Gren, and SS Recon Company)

Best Hunters (+2 per Jadgpanzer IV w 4+ counter-attack and 4+ assault)

Best Guns (+1 point per gun)

Best Support (+1 point per two teams SS OP and SS AA Platoon)

10th SS Pz Div “Inexperienced” (-1 point per formation) loose “Old Hand Rule”

12 SS Pz Div “Schnell” (+2 points per formation Panzer Gren or SS Recon) – Any Units whose Unit Leader is within 6”/15cm of this Formation Commander pass Follow Me Movement Order tests on 2+, and may still Shoot after passing a Follow Me test, provided they moved at Tactical Speed beforehand.

17th SS Pz Gen Div “Volksdeutsch” (-1 point per unit in SS Pz Gren Co) – Last Stand on 5+

Heroes

The SS seemed to have plenty of known heroes in its ranks. I really have not thought much of heroes in Version 4 Flames of War so far, but these really have me thinking.

Karl-Heinz Prinz (2 points in SS Panzer Co) – If the Formation Commander is on table or in Reserve and Units of this Formation are in Reserve, re-roll one failed Reserves die. If successful, this die can only be used to bring a Unit from this Formation on from Reserves.

Adolf Peichl (3 points Armoured SS PzGren of SS PzGren) – 2+ Counter attack and 2+ assault

Ernst Barkman (4 points Panther Platoon) – The Unit Leader may re-roll one failed roll To Hit in each Shooting Step. If the Unit Leader is Destroyed, roll a die. On a score of 5+, it is Bailed Out instead. I would totally add to a Panther platoon,

Michael Wittmann (12 points Tiger SS Tank Co) – The man, the myth, the legend.  The Formation Commander has a Halted ROF of 3, a Moving ROF of 2, and re-rolls all failed To Hit rolls when Shooting with its 8.8cm gun. The Formation HQ Unit may deploy using the Ambush special rule in addition to any other Units that would normally be held in Ambush, even in missions without the Ambush special rule. A super pricey upgrade to be sure, but if you are looking for a superhero in Flames of War, this is it. If you can keep the Formation Command alive, I think this card will be totally worth it!

Emil Durr (2pts SS Tank Hunter Platoon) – When this Unit is Destroyed, replace the Unit Leader with an Independent Infantry Team armed with Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons using the characteristics from SS-Panzergrenadier Company HQ (LG208). How cool is that? I think we could use some pretty more clear rules on where to place this new Independent Infantry Team, I suppose in place of where the last team was?  Also note, this does not happen if the unit fails Last Stand. It has to be destroyed.

Rudolf Roy (5pts SS Jadgpanzer IV platoon) – The Unit Leader may re-roll one failed roll To Hit each time he Shoots with his 7.5cm gun. This Unit gains the Scout rule.

The Command Cards continue to be one of my most favorite thing in Version 4 Flames of War.  This group here is no exception. There hero Command Cards to me make these an absolute must-have and I surely expect to Wittmann quite a bit in the future.  So what do you think? What SS Command Card is your favorite?  Why not tell us on the No Dice No Glory ?