Fistful of T-34s

[Raider4]

To recap, Little Wars TV are producing a new mini-series to introduce people to historical wargaming, specifically WW2.

The first post about this is here.

They have just released the second video:

Support for the game, including the free rules and the paper minis & terrain mentioned in the video are available from their website: Fistful of T34s - Little Wars TV.

Disappointingly the scenarios are still "Coming Soon...".

I'm currently hunting for some 6mm H&R Soviets & Germans - that I bought more than 10 years ago - I know are hiding in a box somewhere (Sorry Pendraken, 10mm would be nice but are too big for what I have in mind).

Thoughts so far - it looks like anything based for Blitzkrieg Commander would work for Fistful of T-34s, so that's good.

Distances are different. In BkC, infantry can move 10cm (4") and shoot 30cm (12"). In FFT34s it can move 4"(10cm) but only shoot a maximum of 6" (15cm). A T-34/76 can move 30cm (12") and shoot 60cm (24") in BkC. In FFT34s it can move 7" (17.5cm) and shoot 15" (37.5cm). This should mean battlefields can be smaller, I think?

I like the way they've done their trees - will definitely look into this.

Certainly this series got me enthused about WW2 gaming - at least for the moment. Hopefully I can get something onto the tabletop soon.

[streetgang]

Thanks for the post. I believe Fist Full of T-34s is a simplified, quick play variant of Fist Full of TOWs. I've always heard good things about FFoTs but never bought them because of the page count (which I believe is mostly vehicle stats).

I picked up 3mm tanks for FFoT34s and Dan Mersey's Armoured Storm rules but I think they might be too small for individual basing. I have gone back and placed some 6mm stuff on my Christmas list.

I prefer simpler, quick play rules that allow me to get my painted miniatures on the tabletop and get a finish tons game in a few hours. Both FFoT34s and Armoured Storm look like potentially good games.

[steve_holmes_11]

A couple of questions Streethgang:

Do you know of a UK supplier for 3mm Russian armour in the UK.
(I lost touch when Magister Militum shut up shop).

I'd not heard of armoured storm.
Is there a simple 1 paragraph description?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Tumbling Dice do 3mm T34s

[Elliesdad]

A couple of questions Streethgang:

Do you know of a UK supplier for 3mm Russian armour in the UK.
(I lost touch when Magister Militum shut up shop).

I'd not heard of armoured storm.
Is there a simple 1 paragraph description?

Checkout Boardgamegeek- https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/388987/armoured-storm-the-eastern-front-1941-1945

Cheers,

Geoff

[Ithoriel]

Marcin's Oddzial Osmy 3mm stuff is now available from  NanoWargames – 3mm Battlefields

By far the biggest range of stuff in 3mm that I'm aware of.

He's in Poland but I've had no problem with orders I've been involved in.

[steve_holmes_11]

Tumbling Dice do 3mm T34s

Thank you, I wasn't aware of their land ranges.

[steve_holmes_11]

Checkout Boardgamegeek- https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/388987/armoured-storm-the-eastern-front-1941-1945

Cheers,

Geoff

Many thanks.

I'd normally perform an Internet search.

Last night I was within minutes of dashing out for a family event, and feared I'd forget before morning.

Am I correct in thinking that Armoured Storm is a tanks only wargame?

[fred.]

We had a run-through game of Fistful of T34s this week - it's a surprisingly full featured game for a free intro. 

It plays well - we got through plenty of turns in a couple of hours. We used the force mix from the first scenario listed in the paper units file. Not sure what the scenario is meant to be - we had all the forces on the table and the Soviet armour was very strong (through numbers) compared to the Germans - not important for a get to know the rules game. 

We got the hang of most of the rules pretty quickly. Not sure I'd quite got the distribution of terrain right for the ground scale. Probably need to find some maps and put the ground scale grid over them to get a feel for something that looks right (and then hopefully plays right). 

[streetgang]

Tanks make up about 95% of the game. Thus far, there are two variants for Armoured Storm: one for the Eastern Front and another for the North Africa campaigns. For the latter, infantry and artillery are represented by "strongholds", basically entrenched infantry and artillery positions as the tanks run amok on the tabletop. I believe the Russian version has a slightly more represented infantry if I recall correctly.

Reading the reviews and the rules themselves, there is a SAGA-like tactics board where both sides select different action types that they will be able to use in that turn. You may select a tactic because you want it or want to deny your opponent from having it. The rules themselves are pretty simple and the author states that the rules were designed as a simple and fun way to get his micro armor collection on the tabletop.

Many thanks.

I'd normally perform an Internet search.

Last night I was within minutes of dashing out for a family event, and feared I'd forget before morning.

Am I correct in thinking that Armoured Storm is a tanks only wargame?

[steve_holmes_11]

Tanks make up about 95% of the game. Thus far, there are two variants for Armoured Storm: one for the Eastern Front and another for the North Africa campaigns. For the latter, infantry and artillery are represented by "strongholds", basically entrenched infantry and artillery positions as the tanks run amok on the tabletop. I believe the Russian version has a slightly more represented infantry if I recall correctly.

Reading the reviews and the rules themselves, there is a SAGA-like tactics board where both sides select different action types that they will be able to use in that turn. You may select a tactic because you want it or want to deny your opponent from having it. The rules themselves are pretty simple and the author states that the rules were designed as a simple and fun way to get his micro armor collection on the tabletop.

Thanks you for that summary.

It sounds a little like a battle size "what a tanker".

Static (emplaced) infantry and artillery probably make sense in a desert context, and many situations on the steppe.

[Raider4]

Scenarios have been posted for Fistful of T-34s, direct link is here.

[Raider4]

Hmm, first problem. Scenario #0 includes off-table artillery for both sides - 150mm guns for the Germans and Katyusha rockets for the Soviets. But there are no stats for these units in the rules provided.

Quickly browsing the later scenarios reveals other missing units and/or rules. Soviet 122mm artillery and KV-8 flamethrowers. Airstrikes.

Edit: Scenario #6 is not in the document either. Disappointing.

Edit 2: Scenario #6 is apparently only available by the Little Wars TV Patreon page.

Edit 3: Airstrike rules are there, in a sidebar,

[fred.]

KV8 is there. 

And the artillery rules - but there doesn't seem to be anything to differentiate between 76mm guns and 122mm/150mm ones - the latter two I'd be happy to treat as much the same

And apparently the Paetron is free

[Raider4]

Aye, worked out that the off-table artillery rules are generic.

Can't see the KV-8 stats, other than (presumably) for the flamethrower attack in a sidebar.

[fred.]

Aye, worked out that the off-table artillery rules are generic.

Can't see the KV-8 stats, other than (presumably) for the flamethrower attack in a sidebar.

KV-8 is the very last line on the list of Russian tanks in the rules (not the scenario book)

[Raider4]

KV-8 is the very last line on the list of Russian tanks in the rules (not the scenario book)

Eh? Not in the copy I printed off a fortnight ago.

<downloads file again>

Ahh, there it is. Ta.

Edit: They've also added the stats for the StuGIII

[fred.]

The joy of easily updated online doc

But with no change log included 

[Raider4]

Next video up:

The background stuff is great, very interesting.

[steve_holmes_11]

I really like the way the LW-TV guys combine history with their battles.

A smooth transition between background and battle.
They avoid the "20 minutes of book and numbers before you see the table" trap.