2d4chan - User contributions [en]

Paragon Warsuit

2022-02-09T17:37:50Z

2A02:1811:3B7C:6600:51A4:8059:43A6:613A: /* Equipment */

{{WTF}}

{{Fail}}

[[File:Paragon_Warsuit.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Looks like the [[Dreadknight]] had a daughter the whole time.]]

{{topquote|If its out time to die, it's our time. All I ask is, if we have to give these bastards our lives, ''WE GIVE THEM HELL BEFORE WE DO IT!!!|Matrix Revolutions}}

The Paragon Warsuit is a new unit released on January 2021. A device that straddles the line between [[Power Armour]] and [[Battlesuit|Mecha]].

Urgh...where the fuck do we begin with this bucket of doozy.

The Paragon Warsuit is a new unit released on our virgin eyes on January 2021. A device that straddles the line between [[Power Armour]] and [[Battlesuit|Mecha]], the Paragon Warsuit has garnered...well...let's just say that we have now a metric fuck ton of [[Meme]]s now.

== WTF Am I Looking At!? ==

The thing you seeing here is the new [[Sisters of Battle]] elite unit. This abomination is the first new sister unit since 2003 and it seem to carry on the Imperium's glorious tradition of [[Derp|strapping a fucking baby carrier and pushing them onto the front lines.]] Seriously, what the fuck is up with GW's habit of giving the Imperium fucking baby carriers? First we had the [[Dreadknight]], then the [[Invictor Tactical Warsuit]] and now ''this''. Thanks to this fiasco, we can finally conclude that the design of the Dreadknight may not be [[Matt Ward]]'s fault after all, go on our [[Spiritual Liege]], you're redeemed for now on this case.

And yes we did not have a typo up there. Ask any sisters of battle player and they will tell you the sisters of battle have never been one of game workshops favored armies and have over the years received very little support. As such from the Witch Hunter codex released in 2003 the Sisters of battle have not had '''one''' totally new codex option not counting the [[Repressor]], which was forge world not base codex, or special characters. Even the 2020 release had only [[Zephyrim Squad|Zephyrim]] and [[Mortifier|Mortifiers]] as new units, and both were variants of existing units, the [[Seraphim Squad|Seraphim]] and [[Penitent Engine]] respectively. As such the Paragon Warsuit is the first 100% original, not based on any existing unit so-we-can-sell-two-unit-kits option in the sisters line up in almost two decades. . .and. . .look at it.

As you know, ''everyone'' and I mean '''''everyone''''' [[EPIC FAIL|has taken the piss out of this thing.]] From comparisons to either the infamous Dreadknight or Ellen Ripley's loader suit in Aliens, to [[Neckbeard]]s [[Nurgle|projectile vomiting]] on the horrendous design choices such as ''where'' the Sister's feet is meant to go, and even folks [[Lulz|laughing their asses off]] over the fact that after decades of SoB players bitching for new armor, they finally got it in the form of a discount [[FAIL|Centurion warsuit.]]

Suffice to say, this literal walking ergonomic nightmare has become the butt of jokes at the Sisters' expense. [[Khornate Knights|But at least both Sisters and Grey Knight players could finally find something to bond over.]]

The funny thing is that, if GW wanted to give the sororitas some form of heavy support, they could have just gone for other, more plausible options. We do know that regular humans can don terminator armour, we have many examples of inquisitors doing just that, and considering how wealthy the Ecclesiarchy is, getting a special body of terminator-clad SoBs wouldn't be that implausible, even if they don't have the advantage of a black carapace.

That said, just putting a SoB in a de facto terminator suit isn't really original now, is it? And neither would be putting her into a warsuit akin to the [[Invictor Tactical Warsuit]]. Same thing can be said about a dreadnought-like design, plus a sister would rather martyr herself on the battlefield than be put in such a shell. If you see the SoB Dready as a punishment, than it's redundant to have the [[Penitent Engine]] or the [[mortifier]] (( Both also serve a better purpose to actually repent since they a) inflict pain to the pilot and b) are so weakly armoured you have a better chance of actually dying and be absolved))
And if you give it more/ thicker armour (Like seen on one picture in the gallery) the suit basicly looks like a tiny Titan, which would also be so veeery original.

So really they would have, you know, just design the warsuit better. Surly GW is capable of doing that, as demonstrated by the [[Castigator Tank]] or the Celestia Sacresant. Both designs aren't completly "new" but bring enough changes to make them look awesome.

The Paragon was even mocked by the ''Regimental Standard'' [https://regimental-standard.com/2021/06/23/5-reasons-why-a-sentinel-is-the-only-warsuit-you-really-need/], comparing it very unfavorably to the [[Sentinel]]. It says a lot that some of the [[Imperial Guard|biased]] points they make are actually legitimately valid, such as the fact that there’s no risk of dropping a Sentinel’s weapons in combat when they’re bolted to the chassis itself, and that (Armoured) Sentinel pilots have actual head protection.

==Equipment==
The Paragon Warsuit is equipped with firepower to rival a [[Space Marine]] [[Dreadnought]]. Their left arm incorporates a [[Heavy Bolter]], [[Heavy Flamer]], or [[Multi-Melta]] which is augmented by shoulder-mounted secondary weapons consisting of either twin [[Grenade Launcher]]s or [[Storm Bolter]]s. Its right arm wields a melee weapon consisting of a large [[Power weapon#Paragon War Blade|Paragon War Blade]] or [[Power weapon#Paragon War Mace|Paragon War Mace]].

Since the grenade launcher and the mulitmelta have the SAME range, any vehicle has the potential of reciving up to 16- 22 wounds a turn (Altough you probebly need some miracle dice to pull this off). And this is '''before''' it gets into melee!

The paragon war mace is good for smashing vehicles and monsters with its S+4 AP -2 D3 although the -1 to hit makes this a little bit unrelieable. The paragon war sword has a better AP (-3) than the mace but it´s S bonus isn´t enough to really hurt vehicles or anything with a high T. It´s D is also by 1 point weaker than the mace, so it´s better used to slice up [[MEQ]] and with it´s additional attack it does this job very well.

So if you want to smash some Tanks: Go with the war mace-multi melta- grenade launcher variant, and watch the big guys bend over like the little bitches they are.

If [[MEQ]] are your problem: Unleash your war sword- heavy bolter- grenade launcher Paragon and enjoy throwing them down from their high horse.

If [[GEQ]]´s are buggering you, mow them down like weed with your war sword- heavy flamer- storm bolter variant. ((Although you could take the grenade launcher here as well, since it has higher S and DS, but than again, it doesn´t have rapid fire for more [[Dakka]] at 12")

As you see the storm bolter kinda takes a backseat to the grenade launcher in S and DS so it´s up to your preferences which one you use (Bear in mind though, that the grenade launcher does cost points compared to the integrated storm bolter)

Now the Paragon is not the best designed suit, but if it reaches melee, the poor idiots who failed to bring it down are quite screwed.

== Gallery ==

<gallery>

10hcsed7rcd61.jpg|GW's fetish with baby carriers truly mystifies us.

Sister of Bulk.jpg|Some anons quick photoshop proves that even [[/tg/]] knows how to make better models than [[GW]].

2f67q4lpy4d61.jpg

04xummq71cd61.jpg|HONK HONK!

B2c90rhhb7d61.jpg|Truly indomitable. Bet you can't unsee that now.

F71ilq7so9d61.jpg|Trust us, you don't wannna know.

Go70xetry3d61.png|Even [[Eldrad]] is in agreement. This shit makes the [[Eldar War Walker]] look good.

F90caierz8d61.png| Original character, donut steel.

Gthko9kn44d61.jpg

Tt2f04tkv3d61.jpg|Yeah its basically the Loader from Aliens but all 40k'ed.

Up16qesw55d61.jpg|The baby carrier's baby carrier.

I am your father.jpeg

Csylvtsdu3e61.jpg|Cheeki Breeki edition...

Sob-dreadnought.jpg|...And suddenly grimdark fanart explanation.

Patrick-star-paragon.png|Dem legs.

Kawaiigon-warsuit.jpg|Emprah knows how much kitbashing [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Sisters_of_Battle#Painting_pretty_Sisters_of_Battle_faces_.28so_they_don.27t_look_like_manly_marines.29 and painting skill will take] to achieve this, we are not sure if they have a back-exoskeleton, use special fibers or those are cybernetic arms, and we can skip over the mechanized high-heels.

Kawaiigon-model.jpg|We leave to the skillful and elegan/tg/entlemen this grand challenge of kitbash and painting.

morvenn_vahl.jpg|And of course [[Morvenn Vahl|the new major character]] has to be in one. At least the personal one looks decent.

</gallery>

[[Category: Warhammer 40,000]]

[[Category: Imperial]]

[[Category: Sisters of Battle]]

[[Category: Vehicles]]

[[Category: Walkers]]

[[Category: FAIL]]

{{Sisters-of-Battle}}

{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

{{40k-Armor}}

IS-2

2022-02-09T12:32:51Z

2A02:1811:3B7C:6600:51A4:8059:43A6:613A: /* In Real Life */

{{topquote|It is a fact that under equal conditions, large-scale battles and whole wars are won by troops which have a strong will for victory, clear goals before them, high moral standards, and devotion to the banner under which they go into battle.|General Georgy Zhukov}}

The IS-2 is the final word in Soviet heavy tank design, known for its heavy sloped armor and hilariously powerful 122mm main cannon. Designed in response to the German Tiger and Panther tanks, the IS-2 first saw service in the invasion of Romania and the Baltics, where it was shown to be capable of taking shots from even the feared German 88. This came at a trade-off however, of relatively poor crew ergonomics and an exceptionally slow rate of fire of about 3 rounds a minute for a trained crew. Crewed by the best veterans the Soviets could muster and train, the IS-2s led many of the most important offensives of Operation Bagration and the push into Germany.

==Flames of War==
Being introduced in 1944, the IS-2 is only available in Late War.

The IS-2 is pretty much the epitome of the Red Army playstyle, with rather impressive hard stats balanced by a whole host of soft stat issues that the player needs to work around to get the most out of their points investment.

The most glaring one is the cannon: AT14, FP 2+, and Brutal. This would all be relatively impressive (even if it's ahistorically weak) if it wasn't for the (historically accurate) Slow firing rule. This means that your tanks are going to have a really hard time killing things on the move, but whatever they do hit tends to die. Fortunately, the IS-2 has some important features that help mitigate this issue. The first is the next of it's impressive hard stats: Front Armor 10. This is some of the heavier armor in game, making it capable of standing up and dueling with the Tigers and Panthers that German players love to bring (you save on a 3 at range). This will let you roll up, take a round of shooting, then dish it back in equal measure. The second is the 3+ skill rating on your crew, letting you use movement orders like blitz and shoot and scoot along with terrain to protect your tanks until they're ready to fire (though the 3+ cross will fail you more than you'd like). The mobility is ok, letting you get where you need to, but try and avoid area terrain, since 3+ cross will result in you probably leaving behind a valuable tank or 2.

What you are left with is a peculiar tank that requires a very particular style of play to maximize its great strengths against its plethora of weaknesses and make its points back. Fortunately, these weaknesses give you a tank that is relatively cheap for what it brings at a bit over 7 points each. This makes it actually feasible to build a list out of at tournament conditions (looking at you, Tiger). And a phenomenal support vehicle for any list. Roll them up, relying on artillery to take care of enemy anti tank guns, and use terrain to block enemy lines of fire until you get in range. Use your skill to mitigate your slow firing rule through blitz checks, then assault infantry on the objective. Chances are, your opponent will focus on those heavy tanks moving on their objectives, leaving the rest of your army a lot of room to maneuver. Focus your IS-2 on dealing with enemy heavies; this will remove something they're uniquely suited for and help them make their points back. The IS-2 isn't like German heavy weights, able to operate with minimal support, but rather a cog in a well oiled machine. When it works with the rest of the army, it can contribute well beyond its weight. When isolated and left alone, it will die and not do anything.

==In Real Life==
Ah, the mighty IS-2... Emblem of the Soviet victory over the Fascist invaders who put the fear of Red into the heart of the Western Allies! There's a lot to be said about this one, but let's start at the beginning.

In 1937, the Red Army is trying to re-equip itself to be in accordance with their updated Field Regulations from the year before, and a tender is put out for a heavy tank. Heavy tanks (sometimes referred to as breakthrough tanks, but the two terms aren't 100% equivalent: heavy is a class where breakthrough is a role on the battlefield) were designed to take the enemy head-on, and thus be able to take a beating without flinching and return it twofold. The first attempts however were... [[derp|really bad]]. The multi-turreted monsters that were the T-35, the T-100 and the SMK performed so poorly they were discarded, and [[lulz|ironically the single turret design that had been added almost as an afterthought]] was approved by direct order of Stalin himself not because it was good, [[fail|but because all the others designs were just plain terrible and they needed a heavy tank like yesterday!]] Enters the Kliment Voroshilov tank, better known as the [[KV|KV-1]].

The KV-1 was not a good design. It was, in it's way, just as problematic to the Reds as the late-war heavies were to the Germans: too big, too heavy, too prone to breakdowns, too sluggish; poor visibility and ergonomics... It did however have two major boons that allowed it to go down in history as a saviour instead of a total failure. First, the ZiS-5 76mm gun in its turret (the same gun as its smaller brother the [[T-34]]) that early in the war was a good all-purpose weapon able to engage any ground target. The second was armour. Lots, and lots, and LOTS of armour that made the KV-1 virtually impenetrable by the early-war German tank guns, except at the most point-blank of ranges. Nicknamed ''Koloss'' or ''Monster'' by the Germans due to the insane amount of punishment it could take, the KV-1 was a major thorn in their side... when it did reach the battlefield, that is.

By 1942 and with the Germans no longer at Moscow's doors, people dared to start complaining to Stalin about the KV-1's many problems, especially when the Germans brought bigger guns and the KV-1's armour wasn't longer such a big advantage. When Kliment Voroshilov (the man) was sidelined by Stalin; Zhozef Kotyn, the designer of the KV-1 saw the writing on the wall just in time and ordered the problems with the KV-1 fixed. That task fell to a young engineer named Nikolay Shashmurin. Shashmurin's approach was simple: he replaced the transmission (which was the worst part of the original KV-1) with a better one, made some quick improvement to ergonomics and eventually sacrificed armor wherever he could do so without threatening the tank's vitals to make it lighter. Shashmurin's rework, designated the KV-1S (''Skorostnoy'', Russian for 'speedy') [[skub|delivered... in a sense]]: the KV-1S was indeed a lot more reliable than the earlier model(s), but the crews soon enough reported they were now just using a bigger [[T-34]], with no advantage in firepower or armour. To Kotin's [[rage|dismay and anger]], field commanders requested more T-34's instead of his new toy. That said, Stalin was satisfied enough he didn't bring the [[mod|hammer]] [[communism|(and sickle)]] down on Kotin and he remained at the head of his design bureau.

Fast forward to 1943: those goddamn German bastards are bringing out bigger, better toys to play with and the Reds quickly become fed up being on the receiving end of 88mm shells fired from almost 2km away. When the decision is taken to start upgunning the armour park, while Kotin came up with a quick'n'dirty dtopgap version of installing a 85mm gun in a KV-1 turret, he at the same time turned to Shashmurin again and gave him pretty much ''carte blanche'' to come up with a new design... as long as it would finally allow him to one-up his (to him and him only) unsufferable counterpart that designed the [[T-34]], Mikhail Koshkin.

Undaunted, Shashmurin came up with two propositions: the IS-1, a rough analogue to but complete redesign of the KV-1 that sported a 85mm gun and incorporated advances like sloped armour, and the IS-2, which was pretty much the same machine but sporting an adapted version of the the much larger naval D-25 122mm dual-purpose gun. The IS-1 was quickly discontinued as it suffered from exactly the same poor comparaison to the T-34-85 the KV-1S had suffered with the earlier T-34. The IS-2 however, was a winner. Its powerful 122mm gun was capable of penetrating Tigers and Panthers with its armour-piercing at combat range, while also packing a high explosive shell that could knock out tanks through sheer force alone. Its well-designed armor allowed the IS-2 to regain the ground the KV-1 had eventually lost to Tigers and Panthers, forcing the German heavie(r)s to close in for a kill instead of sniping from afar exploiting the better range and optics of their ''Acht-acht''. All in all, Shashmurin delivered for the second time, and about 4.500 IS-2's rolled from the assembly lines to deliver high-explosive death to the [[meme|dumbasses who had the bad idea to start a land war in Asia]].

Now, [[skub|a passionate topic amongst armchair historians]] is whether the IS-2 was one of the better tanks of WWII or not. Sadly for the IS-2, the answer is actually "No!" Put bluntly: it wasn't even a good '''''tank''''' design to start with, having more in common with the various German ''Sturmhaubitze'' than both side would like to admit: the crew of only four men and the 122mm gun's so-so precision and far too small fire rate of at best 3 shells a minute (with an experienced crew and nothing to distract them) made the IS-2 rather inefficient in tank vs. tank engagements. Of course, a hit from the D-25 was a kill and there are confirmed stories of IS-2's overcoming incredible odds against Panthers and Tigers. But when you look at the Russian ORBAT and AAR's, you will see they were committed the entire regiment at once to support infantry assaults and deal with destroying bunkers, fortifications, buildings, dug-in weapons and the likes; with tank-hunting a distant second. Sadly enough for Kotin, but his dream of seeing his heavy tank design prevail would never come to pass: where the T-34 evolved into the T-44 and formed the base for the next generation of Soviet/Russian MBT's; heavy tanks were sidelined after WWII, only kept for propaganda purpose and the odd parade and eventually given the definitive boot by Nikita Khrushchev in the sixties for being stupidly impractical and a waste of resources.

After reading that last paragraph, you will probably be wondering why the hell the IS-2 is so well-remembered if it was so bad? Well, it's simple. First, it wasn't that bad at all, it was the right tool at the right time for the job at hand: when it started to really hit the field in numbers, the Germans had less and less operational tanks and relied more and more on static defensive fortifications to try and slow down the enemy. The IS-2, in turn, ''excels'' at dealing with static fortifications and racked up a reputation for killing Fascists easy as you please. Add to that, the Soviets used it along with its IS-3 successor for propaganda value and liberally made it available to their allies around the world (from European Satellite States like East Germany to China and North Korea during the Korean War); which bolstered its reputation as an ''Instrument of Liberation''. [[skub|Said reputation is certainly not undeserved, but got blown out of proportion after the war.]]

{{Soviet Forces in Flames of War}}

IS-2

2022-02-09T12:30:13Z

2A02:1811:3B7C:6600:51A4:8059:43A6:613A:

{{topquote|It is a fact that under equal conditions, large-scale battles and whole wars are won by troops which have a strong will for victory, clear goals before them, high moral standards, and devotion to the banner under which they go into battle.|General Georgy Zhukov}}

The IS-2 is the final word in Soviet heavy tank design, known for its heavy sloped armor and hilariously powerful 122mm main cannon. Designed in response to the German Tiger and Panther tanks, the IS-2 first saw service in the invasion of Romania and the Baltics, where it was shown to be capable of taking shots from even the feared German 88. This came at a trade-off however, of relatively poor crew ergonomics and an exceptionally slow rate of fire of about 3 rounds a minute for a trained crew. Crewed by the best veterans the Soviets could muster and train, the IS-2s led many of the most important offensives of Operation Bagration and the push into Germany.

==Flames of War==
Being introduced in 1944, the IS-2 is only available in Late War.

The IS-2 is pretty much the epitome of the Red Army playstyle, with rather impressive hard stats balanced by a whole host of soft stat issues that the player needs to work around to get the most out of their points investment.

The most glaring one is the cannon: AT14, FP 2+, and Brutal. This would all be relatively impressive (even if it's ahistorically weak) if it wasn't for the (historically accurate) Slow firing rule. This means that your tanks are going to have a really hard time killing things on the move, but whatever they do hit tends to die. Fortunately, the IS-2 has some important features that help mitigate this issue. The first is the next of it's impressive hard stats: Front Armor 10. This is some of the heavier armor in game, making it capable of standing up and dueling with the Tigers and Panthers that German players love to bring (you save on a 3 at range). This will let you roll up, take a round of shooting, then dish it back in equal measure. The second is the 3+ skill rating on your crew, letting you use movement orders like blitz and shoot and scoot along with terrain to protect your tanks until they're ready to fire (though the 3+ cross will fail you more than you'd like). The mobility is ok, letting you get where you need to, but try and avoid area terrain, since 3+ cross will result in you probably leaving behind a valuable tank or 2.

What you are left with is a peculiar tank that requires a very particular style of play to maximize its great strengths against its plethora of weaknesses and make its points back. Fortunately, these weaknesses give you a tank that is relatively cheap for what it brings at a bit over 7 points each. This makes it actually feasible to build a list out of at tournament conditions (looking at you, Tiger). And a phenomenal support vehicle for any list. Roll them up, relying on artillery to take care of enemy anti tank guns, and use terrain to block enemy lines of fire until you get in range. Use your skill to mitigate your slow firing rule through blitz checks, then assault infantry on the objective. Chances are, your opponent will focus on those heavy tanks moving on their objectives, leaving the rest of your army a lot of room to maneuver. Focus your IS-2 on dealing with enemy heavies; this will remove something they're uniquely suited for and help them make their points back. The IS-2 isn't like German heavy weights, able to operate with minimal support, but rather a cog in a well oiled machine. When it works with the rest of the army, it can contribute well beyond its weight. When isolated and left alone, it will die and not do anything.

==In Real Life==
Ah, the mighty IS-2... Emblem of the Soviet victory over the Fascist invaders who put the fear of Red into the heart of the Western Allies! There's a lot to be said about this one, but let's start at the beginning.

In 1937, the Red Army is trying to re-equip itself to be in accordance with their updated Field Regulations from the year before, and a tender is put out for a heavy tank. Heavy tanks (sometimes referred to as breakthrough tanks, but the two terms aren't 100% equivalent: heavy is a class where breakthrough is a role on the battlefield) were designed to take the enemy head-on, and thus be able to take a beating without fliching and return it twofold. The first attempts however were... [[derp|really bad]]. The multi-turreted monsters that were the T-35, the T-100 and the SMK performed so poorly they were discarded, and [[lulz|ironically the single turret design that had been added almost as an afterthought]] was approved by direct order of Stalin himself not because it was good, [[fail|but because all the others designs were just plain terrible and they needed a heavy tank like yesterday!]] Enters the Kliment Voroshilov tank, better known as the [[KV|KV-1]].

The KV-1 was not a good design. It was, in it's way, just as problematic to the Reds as the late-war heavies were to the Germans: too big, too heavy, too prone to breakdowns, too sluggish; poor visibility and ergonomics... It did however have two major boons that allowed it to go down in history as a saviour instead of a total failure. First, the ZiS-5 76mm gun in its turret (the same gun as its smaller brother the [[T-34]]) that early in the war was a good all-purpose weapon able to engage any ground target. The second was armour. Lots, and lots, and LOTS of armour that made the KV-1 virtually impenetrable by the early-war German tank guns, except at the most point-blank of ranges. Nicknamed ''Koloss'' or ''Monster'' by the Germans due to the insane amount of punishment it could take, the KV-1 was a major thorn in their side... when it did reach the battlefield, that is.

By 1942 and with the Germans no longer at Moscow's doors, people dared to start complaining to Stalin about the KV-1's many problems, especially when the Germans brought bigger guns and the KV-1's armour wasn't longer such a big advantage. When Kliment Voroshilov (the man) was sidelined by Stalin; Zhozef Kotyn, the designer of the KV-1 saw the writing on the wall just in time and ordered the problems with the KV-1 fixed. That task fell to a young engineer named Nikolay Shashmurin. Shashmurin's approach was simple: he replaced the transmission (which was the worst part of the original KV-1) with a better one, made some quick improvement to ergonomics and eventually sacrificed armor wherever he could do so without threatening the tank's vitals to make it lighter. Shashmurin's rework, designated the KV-1S (''Skorostnoy'', Russian for 'speedy') [[skub|delivered... in a sense]]: the KV-1S was indeed a lot more reliable than the earlier model(s), but the crews soon enough reported they were now just using a bigger [[T-34]], with no advantage in firepower or armour. To Kotin's [[rage|dismay and anger]], field commanders requested more T-34's instead of his new toy. That said, Stalin was satisfied enough he didn't bring the [[communism|hammer (and sickle)]] down on Kotin and he remained at the head of his design bureau.

Fast forward to 1943: those goddamn German bastards are bringing out bigger, better toys to play with and the Reds quickly become fed up being on the receiving end of 88mm shells fired from almost 2km away. When the decision is taken to start upgunning the armour park, while Kotin came up with a quick'n'dirty dtopgap version of installing a 85mm gun in a KV-1 turret, he at the same time turned to Shashmurin again and gave him pretty much ''carte blanche'' to come up with a new design... as long as it would finally allow him to one-up his (to him and him only) unsufferable counterpart that designed the [[T-34]], Mikhail Koshkin.

Undaunted, Shashmurin came up with two propositions: the IS-1, a rough analogue to but complete redesign of the KV-1 that sported a 85mm gun and incorporated advances like sloped armour, and the IS-2, which was pretty much the same machine but sporting an adapted version of the the much larger naval D-25 122mm dual-purpose gun. The IS-1 was quickly discontinued as it suffered from exactly the same poor comparaison to the T-34-85 the KV-1S had suffered with the earlier T-34. The IS-2 however, was a winner. Its powerful 122mm gun was capable of penetrating Tigers and Panthers with its armour-piercing at combat range, while also packing a high explosive shell that could knock out tanks through sheer force alone. Its well-designed armor allowed the IS-2 to regain the ground the KV-1 had eventually lost to Tigers and Panthers, forcing the German heavie(r)s to close in for a kill instead of sniping from afar exploiting the better range and optics of their ''Acht-acht''. All in all, Shashmurin delivered for the second time, and about 4.500 IS-2's rolled from the assembly lines to deliver high-explosive death to the [[meme|dumbasses who had the bad idea to start a land war in Asia]].

Now, [[skub|a passionate topic amongst armchair historians]] is whether the IS-2 was one of the better tanks of WWII or not. Sadly for the IS-2, the answer is actually "No!" Put bluntly: it wasn't even a good '''''tank''''' design to start with, having more in common with the various German ''Sturmhaubitze'' than both side would like to admit: the crew of only four men and the 122mm gun's so-so precision and far too small fire rate of at best 3 shells a minute (with an experienced crew and nothing to distract them) made the IS-2 rather inefficient in tank vs. tank engagements. Of course, a hit from the D-25 was a kill and there are confirmed stories of IS-2's overcoming incredible odds against Panthers and Tigers. But when you look at the Russian ORBAT and AAR's, you will see they were committed the entire regiment at once to support infantry assaults and deal with destroying bunkers, fortifications, buildings, dug-in weapons and the likes; with tank-hunting a distant second. Sadly enough for Kotin, but his dream of seeing his heavy tank design prevail would never come to pass: where the T-34 evolved into the T-44 and formed the base for the next generation of Soviet/Russian MBT's; heavy tanks were sidelined after WWII, only kept for propaganda purpose and the odd parade and eventually given the definitive boot by Nikita Khrushchev in the sixties for being stupidly impractical and a waste of resources.

After reading that last paragraph, you will probably be wondering why the hell the IS-2 is so well-remembered if it was so bad? Well, it's simple. First, it wasn't that bad at all, it was the right tool at the right time for the job at hand: when it started to really hit the field in numbers, the Germans had less and less operational tanks and relied more and more on static defensive fortifications to try and slow down the enemy. The IS-2, in turn, ''excels'' at dealing with static fortifications and racked up a reputation for killing Fascists easy as you please. Add to that, the Soviets used it along with its IS-3 successor for propaganda value and liberally made it available to their allies around the world (from European Satellite States like East Germany to China and North Korea during the Korean War); which bolstered its reputation as an ''Instrument of Liberation''. [[skub|Said reputation is certainly not undeserved, but got blown out of proportion after the war.]]

{{Soviet Forces in Flames of War}}

Flames of War

2022-02-08T20:54:45Z

2A02:1811:3B7C:6600:51A4:8059:43A6:613A: Bro', either you remove it from the Reds but also from the Browns, or you leave it about both. Because both were terrible, and whining about one but not the other is hypocritical.at best.

{{Game Infobox
|name = Flames of War
|picture = [[File:FOW-Logo-Color2.jpg]]
|type = [[Miniatures]]-based [[Wargame]]
|system =
|playno =
|time =
|publisher = Battlefront Miniatures
|authors =
|year = 2002
|books = Flames of War: Fourth Edition and Flames of War: Forces
}}

'''Flames of War''' is a tabletop [[wargame]], first released in 2002, by the New Zealand company Battlefront Miniatures. It recreates the fighting in the European and North African theaters of World War II using 15mm scale models. There are also expansions that cover Vietnam, World War 1, and the Arab-Israeli Wars. Play simulates combat between company-level forces, with each stand of infantry typically representing half a squad. In the mid-2010s its popularity outside its homeland has skyrocketed, and it is moving rapidly on its way to joining <s>[[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]]</s> (Lol dead), [[Warhammer 40,000]] and [[Warmachine]]/[[Hordes]] as one of THE big-name tabletop wargames. Also like those games, it is quickly developing a strong community of whiny, sophist 'YouTube War Expert' players. Still, most players are quite friendly and welcoming to newbs, newbies, noobs, and nubs. Even if they often make typos. Also developed by a team of mainly very nice gentlemen.

Battlefront Miniatures itself has become fairly popular in comparison to [[Games Workshop|other well-known companies]], as they have given their blessing for players to use other company's products in games, even allowing them in tournaments; and for making many of the army lists available on their website. Also the prices from the company aren't that high ($52.00 USD is pretty good for 2 Rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, a Company command squad and a few bazooka teams), and in addition to that, most of the stuff you own can be mix-and-match as those infantry platoons you own can be used with your armoured companies and vice versa. Also, as infantry don't really change much, and since at 15mm it's hard to tell what they are equipped with anyway, you can use your infantry platoon/company throughout all war periods, and can proxy them as mechanized (provided you have the transports), paratroopers, ect. with ease.

==Rules Basics==
If you've played any other tabletop wargame, you should be halfway to knowing the rules for FoW, its just a matter of the squirrelly parts. Some of the major points are:
*Unit ratings- Units are rated on two stats, their motivation and their training. Ratings are typically applied across and entire army list.
**Motivation- How happy and ready for fight your units are. Keeps troops in the battle and helps them keep moving and fighting. There are three ratings (barring special snowflake rules): Reluctant, Confident and Fearless. Note that Fearless is not as good as it is in 40k, although it's still pretty damn great as it stops your platoons and companies pissing out at a moment's notice.
**Training- How skilled at combat your troops are. Keeps them alive and helps with things like moving through rough terrain, digging in, hitting the enemy in Close Combat, and a whole range of other things. Gives protection against being shot at (because unlike other contemporary games, the likelihood of a unit being hit is due to '''their''' skill, not the unit shooting at them). There are three flavours of training: [[Imperial Guard|Conscript]], Trained and Veteran.
*Motivation tests- There are numerous situations when Motivation checks are required. Think of them like Leadership tests in 40k. The most common check is when a platoon is below half strength, it has to take a motivation test or be removed from the game. Following from this, when your entire army is below half strength, your Company Commander has to take a motivation test or (if he's copped it) you lose the game automatically <strike>as your troops run away like little girls </strike> bravely tactically retreat to fight for Freedom and hamburgers another day.
*Shooting- one rule that confuses a lot of new players is that when one unit shoots at another, the chance to hit is based on the target's skill rating, not the firer's. The reasoning being that any moron with one arm and two brain cells to rub together can spray machine-gun fire at people, and what really counts is how good the people being shot at are at taking cover and not bunching up like a flock of sheep.

==List Building==
Note that all lists are based off historically based equipment at a specific point of time, even if that equipment was unique or incredibly rare.

Army lists come in three different flavours: Infantry, Mechanized, and Armoured. Each "codex" will normally feature multiple nations, and each nation will usually have different organization charts that let them take any of the three flavours of list. The differences between organization charts is that they dictate the base requirements of a list, the motivation and skill level of your list, and the "weapon" and "support" options your list can take.

*The HQ: Your force will always have an HQ. For infantry lists, this will be a stand of a Company Commander (who allows units he joins to reroll motivation), a 2nd in Command (honestly not that good, although depending on your nation he gives bonuses to your troops. The main use for him is that he can "appoint" a platoon commander if their commander died previously.) Some HQs let you bring along extra goodies, like Bazookas and Mortars that can be attached to platoons. Mech HQs are the same as Infantry HQs but will come with transports (and unlike 40k, transports can be a real disadvantage, although more recent rules have removed a lot of their downsides.) Tank Commanders will be exactly that: Tanks. Usually one or two tanks make up the HQ, and the tanks can vary a lot. For some Russian lists, you don't actually take one, you just nominate a tank from one of your platoons (actually called companies but they function as platoons) to be your Company Commander. '''HQS usually DO NOT count as platoons for Company strength.''' They function like 40k independent characters do. If I have 3 infantry platoons and a company commander, I count as only having 3 infantry platoons for my force strength.

*The Combat Platoons, AKA Troops choice: Same with 40k, each organization chart will have a minimum requirement of a platoon or two with the option to have more. Infantry lists will have infantry platoons as their combat platoon requirement, mech will have mechanized platoons, etc. Here you choose the size of the platoon (for example, an American Rifle platoon from a Mid War Africa army will be able to have either 7 stands or 10 stands in their platoons) as well as any additional stuff like bazookas, machines guns, mortars, ect.

*The Weapons Support: Usually encompasses stuff like mortar platoons, engineer platoons, and other platoons that come from a battalion level. This would be historically the assets that the division gave to the battalion, such as a machine gun company, that the battalion spreads out through the other battle companies. For example, A Panzer Battalion would have a Company of Engineers attached to it. Therefore, a weapons support option for a Panzer Company would be one or two platoons of Engineers. In a 40k codex, this stuff would come right after the Troops entries in each organization chart, or comes from another organization chart's army list.

*The Divisional/Corp support: This is elements that exist at a Divisional level. Historically, it would be things like air support that is allocated to a division/corps. In game, these options usually give your army some much needed diversity/support. Unlike the troops, HQ and weapon options, these guys aren't restricted to a singular organization chart. This means that multiple lists have access to them. This stuff includes the aforementioned air support, artillery, self propelled guns, and specialist troops. Also the Motivation and Skill ratings of Divisional support can differ from your Troops and Weapon support options. Note that air support is generally "invisible" except that it can either launch a "bombardment" in a similar way to artillery or it can be used to drive off enemy air support. It does not count as a platoon.

However it should be noted FOW tends to allow and even promote ahistorical parings and combinations. This includes allowing indirect artillery to be present on board and act in an anti tank role as well as artillery function. Quantities tend to be over exaggerated. For example a company of infantry can have access to tank or artillery resources that would usually be assigned to a battalion or brigade in real life. There is also no limitations in terms of forces assigned so your company may end up being supported by units from multiple other formations regardless of historical practice.

===Sample Army===

Let's say you want to build a force from the Army book "North Afrika." This book comes from the Mid War period, which means you can only use it against other Mid War lists. You would then pick a nation, in this case we will pick Americans. You then go to the American section of the book to see which organization charts you can pick from. Here you can choose from an Armoured company which uses Sherman Tanks, a Mechanized Company in armored half-tracks, an Infantry company, or a paratrooper company. Here we choose the Infantry company. This means that you must now adhere to the organization chart that comes with this company. Choosing the Infantry company means that your force is Confident trained (it will say this in the book)

Next, you pick the platoons for your force, starting with the required ones. You must take a Company Commander with a 2iC, and two infantry platoons. An average game of Flames of War is about 1500 points, so this is what you will plan for. You look at the first entry, and the Company HQ has the option to take two bazooka teams with him for a few extra points. The extra firepower seems useful, so you take him and the two bazooka teams. You now look at the combat platoon requirements. You MUST take Two Infantry platoons, with the option to take a 3rd. Now you look at the Infantry platoon entry. There is option of taking the infantry platoon with either 6 rifle teams plus a platoon command rifle team, or 9 rifle teams plus the command rifle team. You also have the option for a bazooka. Since you will want a solid foundation for your army list (and so you can get your platoon count up), you take the two minimum infantry platoons PLUS the extra platoon, all at full strength. You also take the optional bazooka teams for added anti-tank capability.

Next you look at the optional weapon platoon options. The organization chart says that you can take one mortar squad, one mechanized platoon, one truck platoon, one machine gun platoon, one weapons platoon (this platoon comprises of light machine guns and light mortars), 2 anti tank platoons (armed with light anti tank guns, although one can be medium according to the entry) and 1 engineer platoon. Since you will want your list to have a barrage template for pinning down the enemy or launching smoke, you choose the mortar platoon. After looking at its entry you see that you can either take 4 mortar teams plus a command rifle team and an observer rifle team, or 6 mortar teams plus a command rifle team and an observer rifle team. It has the option to take two bazooka teams and a car for the observer. However, since the mortar platoon would sit further back, you pass on the bazooka teams, which are only effective at close range. You also pass on the car as the observer needs to be stealthy and hidden, which is harder to do with a jeep or car.

Lastly, you look at the Divisional Support options. You can choose Air support, Artillery support, another medium anti-tank gun platoon, a tank hunter platoon, a Sherman platoon, a paratrooper platoon, an anti-aircraft platoon, a mobile anti-aircraft platoon, an engineer platoon, and a scout platoon. You choose the artillery platoon since the Americans get nifty special rules that boost the effectiveness of their artillery. You then pick limited (which is actually the medium option) air support to drive off enemy air support. Noticing that your army is lacking anti-tank, you take a Sherman Tank platoon to add a punch to your force, and a unit of medium anti-tank guns, which you could have also taken in the Weapon platoons section.

Doing this, your force consists of:
*HQ with 2 bazooka teams
*3 x infantry platoon with 9 rifle teams, a platoon command rifle team, and a bazooka team
*A mortar squad with 6 mortar teams, a platoon command team and an observer
*A tank platoon of 5 Sherman tanks
*An anti tank platoon of 3 57mm anti tank guns with a platoon commander
*An artillery platoon with 4 105mm gun teams with a staff team, platoon command team and observer team
*Limited air support

You have 7 platoons, 3 of which are combat, 1 of which is a weapons platoon, and 3 of which are divisional support platoons.

==Organization==
Rather than try to balance, say, the German army that invaded Poland in 1939 against the Russian army that rolled into Berlin 6 years later, the game is divided into three periods:

In this respect, it is significantly more intelligently designed than its retarded cousin, which shall remain [[Bolt Action|nameless]]. It is still lacking in historical accuracy, and was slowly becoming subsumed by the same special rule bloat that affected most popular miniature wargames. Thankfully, 4th Edition took a flammenwerfer to those, though 3rd was still a better game.

==World War Two==

===Early War===
Covers everything from the beginning of the war until the end of 1941. Available forces are Germany, Great Britain, the USSR, Imperial Japan, Finland, Italy, France and Poland. Typically most forces are less experienced and so there are very few forces (outside of the Germans, Finns and Japanese) who have "veteran" units. It's actually one of the most "balanced" periods of the game, and so is actually fairly popular (except among Americans for some reason). While most of the overall game is balanced, and each period is balanced, in this period every tank has a reasonable chance against other tanks (unless you're those British, Soviet or French cunts who take Matildas, T-34's or B1s- but then you'll have 4 models on the table, TOPS, and they can be easily beaten in assault by engineers). When the Germans get the later Panzer IIIs they can easily take out the allied heavy/infantry tanks, if you're willing to pay a boatload of points for a glass cannon.

===Mid War===
Covers 1942-1943. Poland becomes a British force while America comes in. Probably the most balanced period, with the only real cheese being the [[RAGE|T-34 spam]] that the Russians can use, as amusingly enough they can almost take more tanks than you can get bases of each nation's commando/paratrooper equivalent. Lack a lot of flexibility due to the rules for Russian tanks.

===Late War===
Covers 1944 to the end of the war in May 1945. Includes most of the 'Iconic' battles of the war, like the invasion of Normandy, capture of Paris, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. The Soviets destroyed what was left of the Germans' ability to actually stop them in summer 1944, and finished the job in 1945, so there's plenty going on in the Eastern Front as well, from Operation Bagration in June 1944 to the Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945.

Lots of hilarious units like the Kingtiger and Panthers, both of which are too complicated and expensive for their own good, and virtually infinite opportunities to field last-ditch efforts to prevent the inevitable as the Allied powers advanced into Germany, like the Hitlerjugend child soldiers and the Volkssturm militia.

The large number of special rules makes this period somewhat more "gamey" than mid-war.

==Vietnam==
What started off as a few army lists published in wargames illustrated evolved into the newest period expansion, with the current book being 'Nam. NVA list is pretty standard guerrilla stuff but there is an option to run an ironclad battalion (tank battalion) with soviet make tanks and apcs, despite these kind of forces being extremely rare and only really utilized once the Americans withdrew combat forces. South Vietnam, on the other hand, had its supply of parts and new hardware cut off after the US withdrew, meaning the ROV armed forces rapidly lost all mechanized capability after 1973.

The American/ANZAC/South Vietnamese lists have access to helicopters as well as tank, mechanized cavalry, and infantry lists. Basic rules also change somewhat, and it seems like company-level combat doesn't really work that well for this conflict. Very few players, and the original boxes for units have become quite hard to come by.

==Arab-Israeli Wars==
Currently focused on tank battles during the Six Day War in 1967, which pits upgraded WW2 American tanks versus upgraded WW2 Soviet tanks as well as more modern vehicles such as M48 pattons, centurions, and T-54/55s. No helicopters here, but it does have rules for jet aircraft and night-vision equipment. A lot of people like it because it just takes some tan paint to turn a Late War or Vietnam unit into one that fits this setting. The rule set was first released in 2013 as a wargames illustrated supplement called Fate of a Nation, with tank company lists for Israel, United Arab Republic (Egypt), and Jordan. In late 2014/early 2015 it was re-released as a theater book with revised points and additional lists for Israeli Sayaret (Recon) and paratroopers, and UAR and Jordanian infantry fortified infantry companies. It has been expanded to include the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Plays like a mix of Team Yankee and FoW; with the aircraft and range of Team Yankee but only a little more lethality than your granddaddy's Shermans.

==Great War==
Currently only one book, focused on the final offensives of 1918. Army lists exist for the British Empire, France+Belgium, the United States and Germany, with sides having access to the first tanks, better known as "landships" back then. August 2014 saw the release of German and British army boxes, supporting kits, and terrain, including craters and a trench-line system. August 2015 saw a full book with German, British, French, and American lists as well as new missions. The most recent edition, 'Great War', makes stat updates in the veins of V4 Flames of War and gives you even more ways to send young men to die aimlessly on the battlefields of Europe.

Unsurprisingly, this is the 'safest' game by Battlefront. You may have tanks that literally delete anything else from the table, but the strategy of hiding in trenches and depressing charges into machinegun fire defines the period, and the game as a whole. It is also worthy of note that machine guns have the ability to delete certain tanks, and artillery is far less important than in regular Flames.

==[[Team Yankee]]==
After the eponymous book by Harold Coyle, the newest addition to BF's expanding list of non-WWII theaters, focusing on a hypothetical WWIII with the Warsaw pact vs. NATO in the Fulda Gap and the North German Plains. On the NATO side are the Americans, British, West Germans, French, Canadians, Dutch and the ANZACs. On the Warsaw Pact are the Soviets, East Germans, Poles and Czechs.

The 2019 book Oil War saw an expansion of the war into the Middle East, featuring lists for Irael, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. This was also the first book to slowly but surely advance the timeline of Team Yankee to cover the late eighties and early nineties, allowing for more modern (and lethal) kit to be introduced.

Team Yankee uses a ruleset based upon standard Flames of War, but is different in many details and noted to be quicker and more violent than standard Flames of War. No word yet if that means that one side nukes the other if they lose, something that NATO actually was planning to do.

THE most popular offshoot of Flames of War, but still a smaller game than its daddy (just ignore the fact that it has the largest presence on 1d4chan). [[Team Yankee|Check it out here.]]

==Armies==
FoW supports most of the major military powers that fought in WWII. The following is an absolutely completely unbiased list of those that are currently available.

'''United States of America'''

They may have shown up two years late, but once in the war the Americans brought with them one of the largest war industries ever heard of, and by 1945 fielded one of the largest and most powerful armed forces ever seen in history. Built around vehicle spam, heavy artillery, and a seemingly endless supply of bazookas. Technology like stabilizers, AOPs, and semiautomatic rifles make your troops great at maneuver warfare and help make up for generally average or poor hard stats.

In Midwar, the US has some of the most powerful technology, with some of the heaviest armed and armored medium tanks of the era, massive amounts of bazookas (which are waaay scarier in this era), and capable artillery. What's the tradeoff? You have some rather poor crew stats that limit your flexibility and give you discounts on your troops, so they are still relatively spammable, and your special rules still make your troops decently flexible despite that. Even though your options aren't huge, you have a tool for every job and the US represents a capable force.

Late War depicts the Americans as a force to be reckoned with due to their probably the most powerful artillery in game, higher training, and insane list building flexibility. These capabilities help you overcome your glaring weaknesses: you don't have access to the level of armor and penetration that the Soviets, Germans, and British can bring in numbers. This doesn't mean that your units are much cheaper though: the top level M4 mediums are similar in price to Soviet heavies and SS panthers. This means that you have to play a bit smarter, using smoke, artillery, terrain, and your special rules and training to out maneuver and out think your freedom-hating adversaries. Played well, it's a beautiful sight to see, but you will be punished quite readily if you lose your luck or wits.

{{US Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Great Britain'''

The old saying goes that the British Army loses every battle in every war except the last one, and Britannia certainly got the last laugh in the 1940s. Jollie olde Anglaterre and her Commonwealth mainly field bland looking masses of brown and drab paint. They are good all-rounders, and are especially good in assaults. One of their biggest draws is that Great Britain isn't just England- you can also field Scots, Irish, Indians, Canadians, Nepalese, Australians, New Zealanders, and Maoris. The British are tough in defense and <s>favour drowning their enemies in dead colonials</s> tend to have a small, elite core supplemented by special forces. They are best in defense however, due to their special characters and special rules that favour a mainly static war (unless you play an armour company, in which case the British rules are made to let you [[Orks|charge in guns blazing]]).

{{British Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Soviet Union'''

The only army a true fa/tg/uy should ever play. The Soviet state produced some of the most horrific evil ever seen or done by man, but the Red Army also taught the entire world that no technological advantage beats '''A LOT''' of men equipped with simple, sturdy and easily mass-producible tools of war... as long as you are willing to take and replace '''A LOT''' of losses in the process (which they were). The Red Army's units are a mess of contradictions, with decent hard stats but some significant weaknesses that allow you to field them in large numbers. The Soviets suffer from a near complete lack of artillery smoke, a -1 to hit if they move on nearly all their vehicles, a lack of careful units, and sparse infantry AT. What this means is you can field a massive number of units that, when used together right, can mitigate their weaknesses and do a lot of damage. When used wrong, however, they tend to die in droves. To give you an idea of how much you're going to be outnumbering your opponent, most other armies are a 'Company' made up of 'Platoons'. [[Tyranid|The average Soviet army fields 'Battalions' made up of 'Companies']]. Chances are you will fill up your side of the table with your forces, so I hope you enjoy assembling and painting those little basta- {{BLAM|'''*BLAM!*''' fearless defenders of the motherland}}. Despite this, the Late War Soviets also bring a good amount of highly skilled and capable units, helping mitigate the weaknesses of their regular brethren. That or you could just spam T-34 and T-70s like a mad lad and [[Just as planned|take so many throwaway tanks that the amount of burning wreckage they make is an acceptable replacement for the smoke you don't have.]] Either way is fun.

The Polish People's Army seen in Team Yankee originated in the Soviet Union in 1943, so there is the possibility to field them using selections from the Mid-to-Late-War Soviet lineup as well, like the T-34/85.

{{Soviet Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Germany'''

The Nazi state might have produced some of the most horrific evil ever seen or done by man, but they also forged a war machine with enough discipline, training, equipment and fighting spirit to seize and hold virtually all of Europe and take on most of the world, basically by themselves, for over five years. German forces feature the Heer (Army), Luftwaffe (Air Force), Kriegsmarine (Navy), the Waffen-SS (Armed-Protection Squadron), the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) and the Volkssturm (People's Assault). Their quality ranges from extremely good to extremely bad, with the latter becoming more common in Late War, when the German military was rapidly running out of guns, bullets, fuel, vehicles, time and ability to train new troops, etc. and were generally just throwing together whatever they could. The stern discipline and tenacity of the Heer is plenty visible, as is the skill and daring of the Luftwaffe's airborne troops and the extreme Villainous Valor of the Waffen-SS. The Volkssturm, a pitiful last-ditch effort to stave off defeat, is just a bullet-sponge militia, and the mobilized boys of the Hitler Youth have been soaked in Nazi propaganda for years and just don't know any better.

German forces were driven to extraordinary lengths by Hitler's decision to try taking on basically the entire world at once, but the upside is that snazzy German engineering; there are literally over a hundred different vehicles to choose from. Most German units will win one-on-one with their Allied counterparts, but will usually be outnumbered by a noticeable margin. Also, there's several lists that lets you field an army of [[Awesome|nothing but Tiger or Konigstiger tanks]], so that's cool too. Germans have great tactical flexibility and firepower but don't stand up to attrition very well. Their special rules are very newbie-friendly as they pretty much ignore the rules about platoon command teams, since if one dies, they can "appoint" a new platoon commander without having to have the Company commander or second in command there.

{{German Forces in Flames of War}}

'''France'''

If you enjoy sitting back and dragging out battles, France is the country for you. Usually they field a static army of soldiers with low morale, able to blow the shit out of the enemy with their special snowflake artillery. Enjoy laughing in the face of your opponent as you pore over complicated tables every time you shoot something. In addition, you can also take giant indestructible tanks, or get your Fearless Trained African soldiers to do your dirty work for you. Their special rules '''REALLY''' favour the defense, as both infantry and armour alike are unsuited to attacking. One special rule allows your servant to move your objectives closer to you, and another gives all colonial troops an advantage in assaults so you can sit back in your trench and enjoy your wine and cheese.

Those collaborating Vichy surrender monkeys don't really appear, and for that matter, neither do Free French, either. The former was relegated to a support role at best and the latter had no ability to produce updated French-designed and made uniforms or equipment and thus pretty much would be American units on the tabletop anyway.

{{French Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Italy'''

Ah, yes- the Italians. The ally Germany asked for but wound up wishing they'd never gotten. Italy shares the massive numbers of weak troops with the Soviets, but lacks the supporting equipment. Don't expect any decent tanks unless you take German allies (Semoventi are one of the few Mid-war SPG Artillery units the Axis can take as a core Formation, and just happen to not be subject to the whims of the Dice Gods when determining just how bad they could be, cuz Italian Arty are Veterans). The only tanks in the entire war that were definitely worse were those fielded by Japan (and theirs were basically made of paper). The Italians could fight extremely well when they wanted to, but the Italian people as a whole were not as fired up for an all-out war as Mussolini wanted them to be, and so the motivation and skill of Italian forces varied widely. Hence the special rules that give random motivation/skill ratings to their platoons, which can lead to hilarious lists where you either have elite hordes of Fearless Veterans or untrained masses of Reluctant Conscripts. Depending on the table you roll on, it's usually geared towards Confident Trained or Reluctant Trained. Still, absolutely hilarious for both sides when rolling.

{{Italian Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Japan'''

<s>Dishonorably only available in Early War for now.</s> New Pacific Book 'Banzai' has came out. Now you can field Japanese army for Pacific supplement rules, and also for good ol' Late-War rules. They have the best morale in the game, even refusing to listen to the player when they fail their company morale check. At points where the even the Waffen-SS and those crazy Nazi kids in the Hitler Youth would decide they'd had enough, the Imperial Japanese Army's soldiers fought on, often literally until every last man on their side was dead. They were trained and taught to fight ferociously and die gloriously for Empire and Emperor, and they were ''extremely'' good at both. Their vehicles are somewhat lacking- an understatement, given how machine gun fire proved capable of breaching Japanese tank armor- but they make up for this by taking the steel that would have otherwise been used on those tanks and turning it into the enormous balls that are standard issue for their soldiers. No surrender. NO SURRENDER. Their average infantryman has a rifle and a banner that gives him a hard-on for death, and their anti-tank weapon of choice is a [[Awesome|bomb-thrower who would put the Taliban to shame.]] If you were looking for a sane game of Flames of War, look elsewhere. You don't play Japan for their competitiveness or survivability, you do it because every single unit is foaming at the mouth to charge the enemy and start murdering. [[Emperor|For the Emperor!]]

Tactics for V4: [[japan flames of war]]

'''Finland'''

One of Germany's best allies until circumstances forced them to switch sides late in the war, Finland was driven into German arms by Stalin's shameless (and Pyrrhic) war of aggression that robbed them of a good chunk of territory in the Winter War. They joined in the invasion of the USSR in the hopes of getting revenge, and fielded a professional army that benefited considerably from the use of modern German equipment. They made use of captured Soviet hardware as well, and slapped swastikas on every vehicle to ensure that the Stukas didn't come after them.

Despite lacking the equipment and vehicles of the other powers, the Finns are still a force to be reckoned with. They get a huge advantage in Winter and Forest terrain (which the Soviets learned about the hard way in the Winter War), and are usually rated Veteran, even in the early war. They field a mix of Soviet, German, and WW1-era equipment. You need balls to play these guys, as you can't rely on numbers or special rules to win the day. Their armored company is considered one of the most challenging lists to play.

The Finns were on the Axis side until a ways into the Late War period, when they would appear fighting the Germans if you were to field them.

{{Finish Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Hungary'''

<s>The poor man's Germans</s> Very similar to Germany, but with unique organization and equipment. Have useful special rules that provide advantages in both attack and defense, and can take a lot of German equipment in the Late War. Their most famous vehicle is the kawaii-as-fuck Zrínyi assault gun.

{{Hungarian Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Romania'''

Mainly focused on infantry and cavalry, with hilariously underpowered vehicle options. They get random motivation like Italy, and can also take a lot of allied equipment. They are unique because they switch sides after being conquered by the Soviets in Late War, so Romanian players can choose between German or Soviet allies, while quietly wondering why they're using Early War equipment in 1944. Historically it is because, while there was an assistance agreement in place, [[That Guy|Germany handed them their cast-offs and captured Russian materiel while keeping the updated stuff for their own units]]. The Romanians, while having decent technology lacked the heavy industry to equip their entire army on their own, so they were actually relatively thankful for said cast-offs. Later on after they switched sides, the Reds didn't trust the lukewarm enthusiasm the Romanian king showed for [[Communism]], so they didn't want to heavily arm someone they already knew they would eventually have to deal with. Which happened two years later: the king was booted out, Romania became a full satellite of the USSR and (ironically) at that point received the same better materiel other USSR allies did.

{{Romanian Forces in Flames of War}}

'''Poland'''

The poor Poles have it even worse than the Finns. They have okay equipment, especially for Early War, but you will find yourself stretching to get your units to fit all the roles you need. You can try to impersonate the Soviets with masses of weak infantry, but their real advantage is in the great balance of their units. They can hold their own in assaults, and tend to excel in defense. In Late War, they have the legendary Armia Krajowa, which beats the Finnish armour company for the position of hardest list in the game. It's literally a bunch of armed civilians with whatever German stuff they could get their hands on, and it would come as no surprise if Sun Tzu himself couldn't win a game with them.

{{Polish Forces in Flames of War}}

NOTE: The game balance in this game is actually really good. There is no "best army," just strong lists. Lists are usually strong against one type of list and are countered by others. Eg: Commandos are an elite British list that are awesome against raping shit in melee, and are fearless veterans, but they are expensive and you can't take many of them, meaning you get absolutely raped by horde tank lists like the Russian lists.

==Homebrews==
[[Media:Abyssinia.pdf|"It Will Be You Tomorrow", covering the Second Italo-Abyssinian War in 1935-36.]]

[[Media:Them.pdf|"The Army of Man", a fun book that lets you pit your Flames of War army against some 1950s B-movie monsters.]]

Supposedly there is also a Falklands War homebrew in the works.

There is also a [[ Girl und Panzer ]] homebrew which is seriously in need of a new revision, which is designed to be it's own separate game. However, depending whether you are a truly pure-blood historical gamer or if you don't mind [[anime|animu]] this could be extra heretical.

There is a project to update V3 with some of the good rules changes from V4, and fix some of the jank (arty park). [https://jovianarchiver.com/v3-redone/ Link here.]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Pacific.jpg|soviets actually have veterans now, which makes this one all the better. They also announced a release for the Pacific Campaign, which means this will all become true in 2016 March.
Image:Usarmoredrifles.jpg
Image:Germanartillery.jpg|what it's like using German tube artillery in-game.
Image:Zrinyi.jpg|damn those hungarians and their pancakes of death!
</gallery>

== External Links ==

* [http://www.flamesofwar.com/ Flames of War homepage]

[[Category: Wargames]]
[[Category:Battlefront Miniatures]]