Thursday 19 June 2014

It's official ... FoW Great War

The sales sheet was leaked a while back, but now it is official - Flames of War are producing figures and rules for WWI!
The cover for the Great War supplement
They are starting with 1918 - my favourite year in my favourite conflict, and so it will have tanks, infantry using similar tactics to WW2, and semi-open warfare. Some people have bemoaned that BF has not started with 1914, but these are people that probably do not understand that 1918 is not a one-dimensional trench slog. They also don't understand that from a business perspective the target audience is FoW gamers who might want to try a new period, and that tanks are something that these people are used to.
Others have complained that the French have been ignored, but this is a small release in a new period. There is no point from a business perspective in producing a vast range of figures from Czech Legion to the Russian Woman's Death Battalion if it isn't going to sell.  Needless to say that if this is successful, French will probably be released, and if they are released they will definitely be purchased by at least one gamer (that is me).
The starter companies of 1500 points look very tasty at US$100 each (the NZ peso being exceptionally strong at the moment), and I've convinced my wife that they would make an ideal birthday present this August. These can be expanded with a range of blisters that are being released alongside the company boxes. They are also making a range of scenery including a trench system for US$70. All of this is rather affordable.
Since selling my 28mm WWI figures I have toyed with the idea of 15mm, but not seen it through. That will now be changing! I can't wait!

Nate

8 comments:

  1. I'm thinking about this myself... but which ruleset?!

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    1. As a veteran player of Flames of War I'm quite happy to use their rules. In fact I put together a WW1 FoW supplement for myself as far back as 2002. They are not for everyone though, so I don't get all evangelical about them. I just recommend them as a game that I enjoy if people ask.

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  2. Interesting stuff, WW1 seems to be an undergamed period. The starter companies look pretty good value, better than forking out three times the price for one of the old company box-sets that was full of stuff you'd never use!

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    1. Agreed. These starter companies give you a good variety of stuff, and I'll have to add the Stosstruppen platoon and more infantry and more artillery and more... well, you get the picture.

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  3. The only think putting me off is the trench models which are rubbish. Trenches are the big problem with late WW1.

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    1. Agreed. Decent trench terrain has been the only reason that I haven't been gaming WWI for so long. I don't have the space to store decent terrain boards. In the past I've sufficed with modular trenches that look quite similar to these for my 28s when I had them. I'm thinking suspension of belief is my friend here.

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  4. Yep. Planning on a German force and a Brit force...next is trenches and wire.
    Something to spend my tax return on and occupy a lot of painting time.
    cheers

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