Tactical Suggestion Fortress Europe Brit and D-Day US
By Benny Christiansen
As soon as I have made a new list, I simply HAVE to try it out. It is how I am. I find it very hard to play the exact same list over and over, even if I envy the players who do that, and by doing that, gets to know their list very well.
This is, however, the reason why I like making Tactical Suggestions. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, nor do I assume I’m always right, but I like to share my thoughts and experiences, in the hope that other players can be inspired.
That is one of the primary reasons I like writing articles; I like to inspire. This article is no different. Two new books for have arrived in a relatively short period of time. Fortress Europe and D-Day American. I decided to try some things out with one of my friends, just to see how it all works in reality. The theory is one thing, and I really DO enjoy making lists, that I think will work one way or the other. But I always have to test it, before I start making definitive conclusions. There are many disadvantages of testing only a few times, but I’m aware of it, and I do try to take that into consideration when I make these articles.
One of the choices I find myself to be de-selecting in the future will be the 25 pounder. Paying for an ability (Mike Target) I rarely, if ever will use, as well as Turn-table and ROF 2 direct fire, is just too many things that I do not use often enough.Suggestion number 1 and 2
Let me start out with my two most important suggestions for you. Two games have let me to this point. One of them with Fog of War cards, and one of them with the new Breakout mission. I’ll try to make notes about the mission an article also, but I’m not making any promises.
M10s hiding behind the hill. A quick Blitz move and they will be ready to shoot across the table.British Italy Churchill Formation (Fortress Europe)
HQ Churchills (up to three of them)
Italy Churchill Armoured Troop
Sherman Armoured Troop
This formation is the basis of the suggestion. It is durable, it can hit back, and if you can manage it, you can have up to six Churchills in an assault together. A formidable attacking force in my opinion. Regular readers will probably remember my fondness of the Churchill and I do ask for forgiveness for mentioning it again, but it IS a good formation. It is cheap – clocking in at 29 pts at the cheapest.
M10s have long-range and an effective gun. Here the 155s have paid the price of being aggressive (is hit on 3+)A regular visitor in my British lists will also be the M10 SP Anti-tank Platoon, but only with two tanks. It is one of those choices, that makes you happy when you bring it, and miss it when you don’t. I particularly expect it to be an appreciated choice when you start facing platoons of Tigers roaming around on the battlefield.
Suggestion number 3
M12 155mm Artillery Battery. This is my “Go-To” choice as an American player. I am actually worried, that this might be as much of an “auto choice” as the Marder were for Germans in MW. 12 points for four tanks. Their range in skill is on 3+. AT3/FP2+ range 96″/240cm. Direct Fire AT 15/FP AUTO – range 60. WOW – is all I can say. This choice will never leave my lists as far as I can see it. I’m excited to see what other players will bring in their lists, but to me – it is a “no brainer”. Time on Target is where I really think the advantage is. It is effective firepower from the moment it starts shooting.
As the 155s have Veteran Skill they can be used to Blitz up on a hill and shoot. A potentially dangerous round of fire for most opponents.I combined this choice with the normal 105mm FAB with the Guns of Lorraine Command Card. I was the attacker so I had two choices with FP 2+. It was a deciding factor in the game, in my opinion. I’m not sure that a neutral observation of the game will come to the same conclusion. The 105’s and CC combination costs 14 points, where you could easily have two Priest choices instead for 16 points. So I am aware that the optimizing player might field the Priests.
My opponents have focused on these boys every time. In the first game, they would take casualties from vital places every turn. They out-gunned the British 25 pounder artillery easily.Suggestion 4
The Sherman is back. Some prefer the 75mm Sherman, others prefer the 76mm. Some all of them, and some, like me, prefer the 105mm Sherman. A unit of up to six tanks can be fielded. Both a “Careful” and an “Aggressive“. Their gun is not the best in the world, but there are six of them. It does make it likely that you will hit something when you shoot. So far I have removed infantry and M10’s with them, and the 2+FP in direct shooting is also important.
105mm Shermans are back on my list of preferred units in my lists.Suggestion 5
When building a list with the Americans I will also be thinking about the possibility of combining the Aggressive with the Careful. Fielding a defensive list with cheap, Aggressive, infantry and gun teams, combined with Veteran skilled artillery and Careful+Veteran tank units allows you to make an effective counterattack. I tested the 29th Assault Company with two Veteran Sherman Platoons (one 75mm platoon and one 76mm platoon). I had two artillery choices with Veteran skills for ranging in. I had a lot of infantry with a lot of templates and quite a few gun teams.
Mission thoughts
An interesting mission from BF where the attacker has to protect his back and the defender has to have a strong defense that can stand alone against the might of the attacker.Breakout is one of the new missions that Battlefront has (re-)introduced. I’m unable to remember it, but I feel I have played this kind of mission before. My experience as an attacker in this mission is very simple: All ahead Flank.
I was VERY nervous about the defender’s tanks coming in from my rear. The artillery units I had were pretty defenseless except the 155s.
But they could not stop two platoons of tanks, no matter what. My initial plan was to use the 155s to delay the opponent while the rest of my force charged ahead covered by smoke. My opponent’s list was not optimal and it ended up with me taking the game in turn 4, where his reserves had started to come in. The first two turns he had no reserves, despite using a re-roll. This proved to be fatal.
I’m sure it will be a mission I will revisit. It made us both laugh and think and try different things. I can recommend it if you feel like trying something new!
I noticed in several pictures that tanks have “dug in” markers on them. Are they marking something else? as far as I know in v4 you can’t dig in tanks.
Dear Rich. Thank you for reading and especially commenting. It is true that the “Dug In” markers are placed near some of my tanks. If you notice they are also placed near my artillery, but not my infantry for instance. This is due to a very simple fact: I use it to help my opponent (and myself) to remember what artillery that has ranged in where. So the Blue “Dug In” marker is a match for the Blue “Range In” marker. I could have chosen other symbols I guess, but I never use the “Dug In” marker for anything, since I have never been in a situation where me or my opponent were in doubt about it. I hope that makes sense to the things you see on the pictures, and again, thank you for bringing it to my attention. š