BattleFront Games

I know I’m late to the party on this topic, but I finally got in a couple of games with the Fog of War cards.

As a teacher, I use games such as Flames of War in my Military History course. 

Objectives are placed and platoons assigned. These games help the students learn about different equipment types and generic tactics. In addition, the games help get the students engaged in the lessons and make my Military History course fun.

One of my students, Malcolm, is an avid Flames of War player. He picked up a half-painted army from his brother and is working to finish painting it.

Today we take a look at how Battlefront’s Latest addition the mid-war desert books, Armoured Fist, changes the tournament scene. It’s complicated.

One of the most talked about and biggest changes that come with Armoured Fist is actually something that affects the Desert Rats book. The hotly contest Scout Tanks card has been changed, making the cost two points for each platoon using it, and the card must be applied to every platoon it is viable for. This is a huge, much-needed change.

Battlefront set the point cost for the card too low on the first go around, but, I will give them credit for admitting their mistake and fixing it. This change, however, will kill the Stuarts swarm of 50+ tanks.

By Benny Christiansen

Having played a number of Fog Of War battles, I often get several questions about the cards and how to play a game with them when I participate in events or tournaments. I’ll try to summarize it a bit, and give a “show and tell” of how I play and what I think is essential in the lists.

By Scott Grasse

One of the exciting features of a Firestorm campaign is the use of additional “free” units that are added to players’ forces for each battle. These additional troops represent the combat power associated with the units fighting on the campaign map – the more units attacking on the map, the greater the force attacking on the battle table.

Troop types in Firestorm Tunisia: Armor, Infantry, Delaying Force, Fortification, and Roadblock.

At the high school where I teach, they offer a number of electives.  About seven years ago, they solicited ideas for things they thought students would enjoy working on and learning about, and I offered up a proposal for military history. While it has changed in scope and shape over the years it has remained a popular class. This year we had a wait list to get in.  

students help setup

I’ve incorporated wargaming into the class on occasion and held some small-scale demonstrations for students after school, but I had not held a large scale battle for them yet.  That changed this year. I also had many moments where I realized that the fact I could set this all up using only my minis was proof I don’t need more models to paint. I probably need an intervention. Still, it was nice to be able to do this.

By Scott Grasse

Editor’s Note: No Dice No Glory is pleased to host a global Flames of War V4 campaign designed by Scott Grasse. Follow along, post your results, check for the latest updates on

Pre Campaign Battles to get you started,

The terrain in Tunisia is rugged, unique, and had a major influence on the battles fought there.  Several new terrain features are introduced for Firestorm Tunisia.  Get ready to encounter vast Salt Beds otherwise known as tank death traps; Rocky Ground that makes it impossible to dig in; Heavy Scrub that is perfect for hiding an ambush; and entrenched, dry water-ways called Wadis that form a natural and formidable defense.  Heavy spring rains would then transform these difficult terrains to nearly impassable.

By Tom Burgess

Excited to try out the new ‘Nam rules, my primary opponent for jungle rumbles, Charles Christy, and I were able to coordinate a test game. We immediately went to our old “go to’s.” For Charles, this would be his ARVN Cavalry Squadron, decked out with more M113s than anybody I know has. Due to the lower unit costs and new formation rules he was also bringing an M41 Walker Bulldog Tank Battalion. He had an amazing amount of tracks for just 50 points.

The new ‘Nam points levels and multi formation rules benefited my forces, as well as I, was able to get both a PAVN Battalion and a Local Forces Battalion in at 50 pts along with battalion weapons units like Recoilless Rifles and Anti-air machineguns.

Iron Tom Burgess, Chairborne Tom Mullane, and (no nickname) Troy take a look back at the past year since BattleFront premiered Version 4 rules.

What did they like, and not so much? What works? What do they want to see tweaked?

Listen now for commentary on Version 4, a year later.

 By Scott Grasse

NDNG will host Firestorm Tunisia, a global Flames of War campaign beginning on April 14th.  The campaign will run through June and will give players the chance to fight the battles during the last remaining months of Axis occupation in North Africa.

If you are not familiar, a Firestorm Campaign is a series of linked battles that tie to a larger campaign map. Players engage in standard Flames of War battles at their regular gaming venue to represent the engagements that are occurring on the campaign map.

Discuss the campaign on

By No_Dice_Dane

In January, NDNG looked at the “equalization” of the US Air Defense Artillery protective umbrella resulting from the release of Stripes. That Article :

Stripes has provided the US player with the agile M551 Sheridan. Not realized in the game, the Sheridan was actually deployable by parachute airdrop.

Background:- Post-Vietnam Era

The military had just been through a complete withdrawal from Viet Nam. In the late 70s, Military tacticians went down many dark paths and “learned” wrong lessons from its experience in South East Asia.

In the air, Operation Rolling Thunder bombing Campaign started in March 1965 was supposed to bring the North Vietnamese to the peace talks table.

Instead, it strengthened the resolve of the NVA. North Vietnam did not have much of an air force. As a result of Rolling Thunder, the NVA was able to mount an effective defense against the bombing raids. Using surface-to-air missiles and radar-controlled anti-aircraft artillery, the NVA shot down hundreds of American planes over the course of the bombing campaign. As a result, pilots and aircraft weapon systems operators accounted for the majority of the American prisoners of war who were captured and held by NVA.