Beginner’s Choice Armies, Part III: American

The US Combat Command is the only one where I actually have far more of the Footslogger component ready than I do of the armour. In fact, this army is going to require some significant acquisition of vehicles which is scary. I’m actually rather looking forward to the release of the M4A3E8s – I have some of the original Easy Eights that BF made and I’m sure I can easily bring them up to scratch with some judicious acquistion of new suspension units.

U.S. Army – Armored Combat Command North West Europe 1944
Higher Command Team                                                  50pts
Cavalry Recon Platoon                                                  175pts    ( 225pts)
Patrol 1:        1 x M8, 2 x jeeps
Patrol 2:        1 x M8, 2 x jeeps
Patrol 3:        1 x M8, 2 x jeeps
Medium Tank Company
CHQ:            2 x M4A3(75), 1 x M4A3(105mm)                            210pts    ( 435pts)
Platoon 1:        5 x M4A3(75)                                        345pts    ( 780pts)
Platoon 2:        5 x M4A3(75)                                        345pts    (1125pts)
Platoon 3:        5 x M4A1(76)                                        445pts    (1570pts)
Armored Infantry Company
CHQ:             1 x M3 halftrack, 1 x jeep, 1 x Bazooka                     40pts    (1610pts)
Platoon 1:        5 x M3 Halftrack, 5 x Bazooka, 1 x 60mm Mortar                240pts    (1850pts)
Platoon 2:        5 x M3 Halftrack, 5 x Bazooka, 1 x 60mm Mortar                240pts    (2090pts)
Platoon 3:        5 x M3 Halftrack, 5 x Bazooka, 1 x 60mm Mortar                240pts    (2330pts)
Anti-Tank Guns:    1 x Jeep, 3 x M2 Halftrack + 57mm ATG, 3 x Bazooka            135pts    (2465pts)
Tank Destroyer Platoon
1 x Jeep, 2 x M20 Scout Car, 4 x M18 Hellcat                335pts    (2800pts)
Artillery Battery
HQ:            1 x Sherman OP, 2 x M2 Halftrack, 6 x M7B1 Priest            335pts    (3135pts)

If anything I actually have more infantry than is needed to field this force as I have the 81mm Mortars, the I and R recon platoons and the MG platoons for both a rifle company and an Armoured rifle company. What i am sadly lacking in are the vehicles. Oh I have numerous M3A1 and M3 halftracks but I really should look at grabbing a full company of Shermans at some point. I’m not struck on the using the Hellcats in place of the M10s. I like the M10 models more, and there’s something about a fully crewed M10 model that works better for me aesthetically.

So looking at what I still need:
11 x M4A3 Sherman 75s, 3 x M4A1 Sherman 76s, 4 x M18 or M10s, 3 x Priest, 1 x M20, 5 x M2 halftracks, 3 x 57mm ATGs, 2 x M8 Armoured Cars. So a fair bit required still.

Beginner’s Choice Armies, Part II: British

There was no way I was going to be able to or even want to match the exact force composition of each army, particularly given I’ll be using Flames of War and trying to remain as Canon as possible, but as an exercise in planning an army including purchasing, it’s certainly interesting.

Here’s the British Force converted to Flames of War with points calculations done purely from an academic standpoint:

British – Armoured Reconnaissance North West Europe 1944
Higher Command Team                                                                                                 50pts
Motor Infantry Company
- Company HQ 2 x White SC                                                                                         30pts       (    80pts)
- Platoon 1 4 x M5 Halftracks + 3 Sections                                                            120pts     (  200pts)
- Platoon 2 4 x M5 Halftracks + 3 Sections                                                            120pts     ( 320pts)
- Platoon 3 4 x M5 Halftracks + 3 Sections                                                            120pts     ( 440pts)
Carrier Patrol:    3 x Carrier                                                                                             70pts      ( 510pts)
Carrier Patrol:    3 x Carrier                                                                                             70pts      ( 580pts)
Carrier Patrol:    3 x Carrier                                                                                              70pts      ( 650pts)
Armoured Car Troop 2 x Daimler AC, 1 x Daimler Dingo SC                           90pts      ( 740pts)
Armoured Recce Squadron
- Squadron HQ 2 x Cromwell, 2 x Cromwell CS                                                    285pts      (1025pts)
- Troop 1:  3 x Cromwell                                                                                                    230pts      (1255pts)
- Troop 2:  3 x Cromwell                                                                                                    230pts      (1485pts)
- Troop 3:  3 x Cromwell                                                                                                    230pts      (1715pts)
- Troop 4:  3 x Cromwell                                                                                                    230pts      (1945pts)
- Troop 5: 3 x Cromwell                                                                                                     230pts      (2175pts)
Recce Troop: 3 x Stuart VI                                                                                              155pts       (2330pts)
SP A/T Troop:  4 x M10 Achilles IC                                                                             260pts      (2590pts)
Artillery:  1 x White SC, 2 x Sherman OP, 8 x Sexton                                           380pts       (2970pts)

To field this currently, I’d use my M3 halftracks to sub for the M5s until such time as I obtain enough M5s. I’ll need to buy another 7 Cromwells, 3 Stuart VIs, 3 x White Scout cars, 4 x Sextons. And if I really was smart I’d not do Armd Recce per se but do a 7th Armoured Div Armoured Squadron, which would allow me to drop the 5th Troop of Cromwells and add 4 x Fireflies. It’s a very realistic force to think about completing given how much I already have.