FoW: Scenarios 101: Free for All
Lets take a deeper look at one of the Flames of War missions today. Flames is all about the objectives. You take them, you win. Let me repeat this, you take them, you win.
This is the reason the King Tiger list or the IS2 list isn’t all that and a bag of chips. If you understand the scenario and more importantly, how your army plays in any given Scenario, your game will improve. One thing to keep in mind, the Scenarios are the same if you playing Mid War or Late War. So whether you got 38Ts or Pzkw IVHs, the ideas are the same.
Scenarios are important in the game. If you are used to playing 40K, then your units are used to determine outflanking, reserves, etc. In Flames of War, the scenario dictates flanking or reserves, etc.
So with this in mind, lets look at Free For All. If you played most wargames, this scenario resembles something you are used to. Each player sets on each long side and your objective that you need to take is place the opposite side of the board.
Mission Specifics
First, the Special Rules are Fair Fight and Mobile Battles.
Fair Fight means, that if there is no winner, then you use the Loser’s Column of VP determination.
Mobile Battles – All teams count as moved during the First Player’s Shooting Step. No Going to Ground, No Concealment in the Open, The first player has movement ROF for all teams and can not conduct artillery bombardments, and air support.
Prepping the Battle
1. Determine Attacker – High Die
2. Attacker places 2 Objectives – minimum 16 inches back from Centerline and 8 inches from the side edge and no further than 48 inches apart. Then the Defender does the same.
3. Attacker places a platoon 12 inches back from Center, then Defender places a platoon, then Attacker, then Defender and so on.
Beginning the Battle
1. Attacker does Recce Moves, then Defender
2. Player who finished deployement first get a +1, each player rolls, high die moves first.
Victory Conditions
Start any turn in sole control of an objective in the opponent’s deployment zone or force opponent to withdraw through failed morale.
Tactics
Deployment: You have two options – Active – How can you get most of your army to an objective by turn 3 or Reactive– Before you place your 1st team, take a look at your opponent’s army. Think for a second at how can he get to his objectives. Think of how he will defend his objective. Watch where and when your opponents platoons are being placed. Generally, most players place their most important platoons after they deployed half of their platoons.
Think of the terrain as “highways of cover” you can hop between to get to the opponent’s objectives.
Playing Infantry
Infantry armies are at disadvantage in this game.
Terrain or Dig In! Needs to be your Mantra for the first two turns.
Terrain – Terrain can help you not getting shot up, if you plan to attack early then move to terrain, keep the enemy from firing at you. Double Timing might be a necessary evil. Digging In helps your artillery and infantry to survive.
Caveats
– If your artillery can sight the enemy artillery then bombard it if it hasn’t dug in, avoiding those pesky gun shield saves!
– AT Guns need to be deployed to slow the opponent armor so infantry and arty can dig in.
– Start looking at ways to attack an objective by slipping a recon or infantry platoon around a flank. Use artillery to pin and limit the movement of enemy. Smoke can help keep those platoons alive when moving in the open.
– Combined Arms is your plan of action because you will probably only get one chance if counterattacking. Eliminating those enemy vehicle MGs is a priority.
Playing Mechanized or Armor
Press, press, press. Remember, first turn counts as already moved, so move. More than likely, you are a Recon Company – use that movement to get close. Use those MGs to thin out enemy when he is out of his foxholes. Keep armor supported with something that hurt target platoon side armor. Artillery can generally take heavy armored tanks, so don’t bunch up. Double Timing can get you up into assualt range in a hurry. Remember artillery has minimum ranges for bombardment. Leave something to protect your objective. A small weapons platoon is great for this. Have your artillery ready to kill undug enemy artillery.
Share your thoughts. Next will be 102 – Encounter. See you at the tables!
