Flames of War

Dagorlad · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:18 am

Anyone played this game? I have just bought the 'Hitler's Firebrigade" intelligence briefing and a Hummel SPG (to go with a Marder III I bought a few weeks ago) with a view to starting a German Eastern Front force.

Its a 15mm scale WWII tabletop wargame from a NZ company called Battlefront ( http://www.flamesofwar.com ) and the quality of their product is superb. I have a copy of the rulebook on back order, so I'll be in a better position to judge the game in a week or so.

Once I've painted it, I'll post a pic of my Hummel and you'll all be as hooked as I am.

Erunion · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:06 pm

It's really caught on at my local shop. I've watched several games played and it looks pretty good, from what I've seen. The minis look like they'd be a snap to paint up. It's also kind of cool to be able to reconstruct historical battles. However, I already have too many irons in the fire to jump into a new game, with LotR (and I can't choose an army, I have to collect them all), 40K, and BFG.

Jon

Dagorlad · **Posted:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:49 am

The models are simply walking off the shelves at my local gaming shop - the guys there can't keep up with demand.

Some German panzers and self propelled artillery were held aside for an order, but the guy decided not to purchase them for whatever reason, so they were put back on the shelves. They were pretty much all gone within 24 hours (I managed to grab one of the last few pieces).

And the manufacturer can't keep up with the worldwide demand either. I am told that shipments earmarked for Australia are regularly redirected to the States or the UK to the bigger market places (grrr - where's my rulebook!)

The artwork in the books is by one of the concept designers from Weta that worked on the Lord of the Rings, and the quality of the presentation of the rulebooks is almost as good as GW (who, to be fair, put out superbly presented publications).

But check this out for being 'customer focussed' - they are releasing v2 of the Flames of War rulebook later this year, and for everyone who has purchased v1, there is a free 120 page A5 version of the rules. All you have to do is bring in your copy of the old rulebook to your game shop and they'll stamp it and give you the full mini-rulebook for free. Its like GW giving out the Mines of Moria rulebook for free to anyone who owns an older version!

Erunion · **Posted:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:14 am

That's the kind of support that really gains customer loyalty. Sadly, GW has seem to have lost sight of this (even though I'll put up with their bullcrap to keep getting quality LotR stuff).

Jon

daoage · **Posted:** Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:12 pm

I have bought a 'panzer IV F platoon' on monday because I wanted to paint something different then lotr minis.

i realy like those tanks because you dont have to do much until they are ready to get painted.
here in austria (birthland of adolf hitler) is flamesofwar a conflict making wargame. a few minis are not available because they have the 'hakenkreuz' (nazi symbol) on the minis or the packs. this symbol is illegal austria and germany.

but for me it is just a game and i will buy the rulebook when i have painted my tankplatoon.

Dagorlad · **Posted:** Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:51 pm

I was initially put off this game because of the small size of the minis - painting them was proving impossible for me. But now I have my eyesight back, I have dug out a couple of the minis and I find I can actually get some good detail on their faces now. I'll post a pic of a Waffen SS Panzergrenadier team when I finish it (hopefully soon).

I can understand why Nazi symbolism is 'verboten' in Austria and Germany, but the FoW minis are readily available from online retailers so you should be able to fill the gaps that way - what's the point of a historical wargame if the game's packaging means that the forces are incomplete.

daoage · **Posted:** Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:26 pm

i am at the moment searching for gaming accesoires like: barbwire, tankblockades, sandbags, ruins,....

italeri has some cheap stuff in 1:72 scale and i ordered it.

verlinden has got fantastic stuff like buildings but the price is ouch!

do you have some links for terrain for me?

Dunedain Cheiftan · **Posted:** Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:20 am

Terrain links? Try this:
http://thewarstore.com/15mmworldwar2terrain.html

Flames of War is a really popular game where I live. I wanted to play a tank game (any tank game) and like I said there's plenty of players so I bought the rulebook and a big German army of minis.

I like WWII combat, painting tanks is cool. I think the FoW rules leave a lot to be desired though. There's too much that smacks of powergaming for a WWII game. That a single stand of Russian conscripts (that might not even have real boots let alone satchel charges) can stop a Tiger in is tracks until the assault phase really turned me off. Needing to have artillery on the table in every game to stay competitive kind of burned me too.

So after 6 games I'm done. I'm switching to Old Domion Games' Mein Panzer rules, more realistic, and from an old gamer POV they are some neat rules. I will still buy the Battlefront minis though. They are nice models and there's a pretty good selection.

Tobold Hornblower · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:49 am

Wow, Alan, you do keep busy! I saw some Flames of War stuff in Mind Games, when I was in Melbourne. I was tempted, but reluctant for fear of not being able to source it when back home in SA (although, as you say, there is always the online option).

I have always been a WWII nut (I grew up reading those little black and white Battle Picture Library comics, and still have some in fact). I bought some WWII minis from Black Tree Designs (various squads of Waffen SS mostly), which are available here, but was not able to ever get a rule book.

I have purchased a box of those Axis and Allies pre-painted miniatures, but the game hasn't grabbed me. It's more restrictive than table top wargaming, of course.

And then there are the best pre-painted tank minis I have seen, from World Tank Museum - http://www.world-tank-museum.com. They are 1/144 scale though (12mm), so not useful to mix in with your Flames of War, but they are beautiful. Of course, if painting is part of the enjoyment for you, then these are no good. At this scale, I would need them painted for me!

I look forward to seeing some of your minis painted, Alan. And if you started making WWII terrain for them.... wow! With your terrain skills, you'd have us all wanting to play WWII battles.

Dagorlad · **Posted:** Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:30 am

Ah yes, FoW, I have been meaning to paint some of these guys up since I posted my last reply in Dec.

But I got a bit busy. And then 'a bit busy' kicked over into 'very busy.' Then, 'very busy' decided to skip 'really really busy' and head straight into 'totally snowed under.'

December, January and February were meant to be a relaxing time for me when I could catch up on so many of my hobby projects and really get a lot done on the site too. But none of it came to pass - work took all of my spare time and mortgaged the rest.

That's passed now, thankfully, but I still haven't returned to my little FoW Band of Brothers. Sometime soon perhaps.

Tobold Hornblower · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:29 am

I can relate Alan. I have left all mini-related pursuits for months now. I have just recently got started again, and I hope it will grow until I am painting regularly. At this point, it's mostly assembling models, priming them, and starting up with the basics. I'm not rushing it though, for fear of killing my enthusiasm (I tend to get too intense, and burn out).

I am a strong advocate of leaving it alone if you don't feel absolutely up for it, or you won't be doing your best. If only I could do with in all facets of life! Work has a way of needing to get done, regardless of how you feel. Of course, this hobby is not supposed to be work. If it feels like work, you're doing it wrong, or something like that.

When you do paint them up, they will look fantastic. There can be no doubt. Something to look forward to then.

Plague Angel · **Posted:** Fri Jun 01, 2007 1:19 pm

Hey guys,
FoW is a very fun game to play, a couple of the teachers at me and my bros school play and were game testers for the new rules, thier names are in the book XD, and they got us into FoW, my brother has like a huge german force and i have two platoons of american soldiers and 2 m10s with4 shermans, and battling is awsome, when you get a chance have a battle, they are enjoyable.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:01 pm

Still drooling over the FOW minis and those produced by other companies that could be used with these or The Command Decision rules.

Old Glory - http://www.oldgloryuk.com/disp_items.php?m=13&sh=2

Skytrex - http://www.skytrex.com/

Peter Pig (no I am not making it up!) - http://www.peterpig.co.uk/range8.htm

Antenociti - http://www.barrule.com/workshop/product ... 015mm.html

Kerr & King - http://www.kerrandking.co.uk/

LKM (QRF range) - http://quickreactionforce.co.uk/catalog ... _32_33_153

There are plenty of 1:144 scale aircraft out there, and just for the nutters (like me), a balrog-busting cannon par excellence. I give you, DORA:

http://unitoyzone.com/product_info.php? ... ts_id=1089

Fabricati diem, punc....

tar elendil · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:59 pm

wow this looks like a really fun game i think im going to buy a panzer 111 regiment what are the scales compared to lotr minis

Dagorlad · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2008 10:01 pm

The scale of FoW is 15mm or 1:100, compared to LotR's 25mm or 1:60, so the minis are quite a bit smaller and you have a lot more models on the table.

The models are quite detailed though, and easy to assemble.

tar elendil · **Posted:** Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:14 pm

ok thats good i think im going to get a king tiger regiment

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:29 pm

I know I shouldn't but I found these today - more 15mm beauties, and highly unusual - armoured riverboats.

Manufacturer - http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/armamentsi ... e/home.htm

And sample pics posted on TMP -
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=134902

Sigh....

Joansean · **Joined:** Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:23 pm **Posts:** 760

I've got to say that those miniatures are Brilliant !

I'm got to get some.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:12 pm

Resistance was futile...

I ordered the Rule book, the Afrika book and a few minis to see what the possibilities are. This includes Rommel and some of the other personalities, plus a few of the legendary panzers. I will limit acquisitions to the desert campaigns and a few characters/interesting vehicles from the rest of the Second world war.

I read Liddell-Hart's WW2 histories over Christmas/New Year and have very fond memories from many, many years ago, of reading his contributions to a history of the North African campaign (I was thoroughly engrossed reading that book when the person who became my first girlfriend fell over the top of me - my fault for sitting in an awkward spot).

I wonder how well a balrog would stand up to a real good hammering from 88's?

Boseafus · **Joined:** Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:32 pm **Posts:** 39

my 2 cents

Great game and great miniatures. While I love painting LOTR figures, painting historicals, especially ww2 figures, is really something I enjoy doing (My miniatures were even featured in a FOW book called the Art of War this past year).

Nate

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