Dithering for Nationals

Building a Nationals Army

Choices, Choices, Choices

First, I needed to choose between a tank force or an infantry force.  In Mid-War, tanks are far more expensive, relative to infantry, than in any other period.  Overall, I like this: it makes infantry armies more viable and tank companies less overwhelming.  But it does mean that I'll have difficulty fielding my favorite army type -- the German tank swarm.

I will have to look at other options.



Infantry

First, I could take an infantry company.  I really like Armored Rifles and Panzergrenadiers.  They can have a lot of well-armed figures with significant tank support.  In Mid-war, US Armored Rifles are Confident/Trained, whereas the Panzergrens can be Confident/Veteran or Fearless/Veteran.  Both can have a lot of support, and are really sturdy.  After playing around with Easy Army, I came up with the following two lists:

Panzergrenadierkompanie(Heer) Motorised Infantry Company

German Mid-War

Platoon	Qty	Unit	Points
Headquarters
Panzergrenadierkompanie HQ(Heer)  p.47	2 1 1	Cmd Panzerknacker SMG team Kfz 15 field car Motorcycle & Sidecar	55
Combat Platoons
Panzergrenadier Platoon(Heer)  p.47	1 1 6 3	Cmd Panzerknacker SMG team Kfz 15 field car MG team Kfz 70 truck	195
Panzergrenadier Platoon(Heer)  p.47	1 1 6 3	Cmd Panzerknacker SMG team Kfz 15 field car MG team Kfz 70 truck	195
Panzergrenadier Platoon(Heer)  p.47	1 1 4 2	Cmd Panzerknacker SMG team Kfz 15 field car MG team Kfz 70 truck	140
Divisional Support
Mittlere Panzer Platoon(Heer)  p.34	3	Panzer IV F2 or G	435
Tank-hunter Platoon(Heer)  p.86	4	Marder I	290
Looted Panzer Platoon(Heer)  p.51	1	KV-1e (captured)	140
Armoured Rocket Launcher Battery(Heer)  p.90	1 1 1 1 3	Cmd SMG team Kfz 15 field car Observer Rifle team Kubelwagen Panzerwerfer 42	160
Company Points:			1610

Source document: Eastern Front

I'm pulling all my German lists from Eastern Front.  All my German models are European grey or dark yellow schemes - I don't have any desert models. (It breaks my #1 Wargaming rule -- never buy the same army twice just to paint it a different color.  This means you, Space Marines.)  I thought this was a solid list.  It has a goodly number of AT 11 guns, plus a heavily armored KV.  It also has the Panzerwerfers, which are great all around, and can act as armored cars in a pinch.  Many a time, Steve's werfers have MGed my advancing infantry, preventing victory.

Armored Rifle Company

USA Mid-War

Platoon	Qty	Unit	Points
Headquarters
Armored Rifle Company HQ  p.239	2 1 1 1	Cmd Carbine team Jeep M3 half-track with .50 cal AA MG Bazooka team	45
Combat Platoons
Armored Rifle Platoon  p.239	1 5 5 2 3 1 2	Cmd Rifle team Bazooka team Rifle team M3 half-track with .50 cal AA MG M3 half-track with AA MG M2 60mm mortar M1919 LMG team	255
Armored Rifle Platoon  p.239	1 5 5 2 3 1 2	Cmd Rifle team Bazooka team Rifle team M3 half-track with .50 cal AA MG M3 half-track with AA MG M2 60mm mortar M1919 LMG team	255
Armored Rifle Platoon  p.239	1 3 5 2 3 1 2	Cmd Rifle team Bazooka team Rifle team M3 half-track with .50 cal AA MG M3 half-track with AA MG M2 60mm mortar M1919 LMG team	215
Divisional Support
Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Platoon  p.256	1 1 2 2 4	Cmd Carbine team Jeep with .50 cal AA MG Carbine team Jeep M-10 3in GMC	435
Tank Platoon  p.237	4	M5A1 Stuart	250
Field Artillery Battery  p.257	1 1 1 1 4	Cmd Carbine team Staff team Observer Carbine team Jeep M2A1 105mm howitzer	165
Company Points:			1620

Source document: North Africa

I liked this list a lot too.  ARs are the shiznit.  But Confident/Trained is this list's weakness.  Five hits or one mortar will pin even big AR platoons.  They must advance against pure Infantry companies, but may find that difficult -- especially against German lists with MG stands.  2 dice when pinned now! Ow!

Both lists will have a lot of trouble with a Guards Tankovy of 20-30 tanks; and they will not have any especial advantage against an infantry list with a lot of MG dice.  Still, either would work.

On consideration, though I decided that maybe I don't really want to play an infantry list.  Three years ago, I took Strelkovy to Nationals and spend the whole tourney being assaulted by tanks.  Win or lose (and it was mostly lose) it's just dull to sit in a foxhole and hope not to die.  Plus, the defenders must often start with only half the toys. 

I think I want something that I can play more aggressively -- and if I must die, at least die doing something.

Tanks

So first, I turn back to my old stand-by: German tanks.  Veteran armor with Stormtrooper isn't just better, it's superior.  Plus, he standard German 75mm long gun, mounted on a Panzer IV or StuG is just awesome in Mid War -- AT 11, 3+ FP, and 32" range can take care of almost anything. Trained Shermans are no more than meat before them.  On the other hand, German tanks are so expensive that it's difficult to buy enough quantity to kill infantry and enough quality to kill enemy armor.

Mittlere Panzerkompanie(Heer) Medium Armoured Company

German Mid-War

Platoon	Qty	Unit	Points
Headquarters
Mittlere Panzerkompanie HQ(Heer)  p.33	2	Panzer IV F2 or G	290
Combat Platoons
Mittlere Panzer Platoon(Heer)  p.34	4	Panzer IV F2 or G	580
Mittlere Panzer Platoon(Heer)  p.34	3	Panzer IV F2 or G	435
Czech Panzer Platoon  p.31	5	Panzer 38(t)	300
Company Points:			1605

Source document: Eastern Front

This was my best attempt at a German armor list.  I wold always Kampfgroup and attach it into 3 units of 3 PZ IVs.  The Pz IV F2s would provide long range fire superiority against - well, just about everything.  The large platoon of Czechs would assault any remaining strong-points of infantry.  It is a slow-playing elite list, with little margin of error for bad dice or mistakes, and for that reason, I ultimately decided against it.

Tankovy Batalon(Guards) Tank Battalion

Soviet Mid-War

Platoon	Qty	Unit	Points
Headquarters
Tankovy Batalon HQ(Guards)  p.189	1	T-34 obr 1941 or 1942	95
Combat Companies
Medium Tankovy Company(Guards)  p.190	10	T-34 obr 1941 or 1942	795
Light Tankovy Company(Guards)  p.191	10	T-70 obr 1943	350
Light Tankovy Company(Guards)  p.191	10	T-70 obr 1943	350
Company Points:			1590

Source document: Eastern Front

This list is more an exercise in terror than a real possibility.  I don't own and don't care to purchase 20 t-70s!  Instead, I tried to imagine facing it with anything else I am considering.  Frankly, it makes me crap myself to imagine facing it with infantry of any sort. 30 F/T tanks in yer face!  Blaaaargh!

Tank Company

USA Mid-War

Platoon	Qty	Unit	Points
Headquarters
Tank Company HQ  p.237	2	M5A1 Stuart	125
Combat Platoons
Tank Platoon  p.237	4	M5A1 Stuart	250
Tank Platoon  p.237	4	M5A1 Stuart	250
Tank Platoon  p.237	4	M5A1 Stuart	250
Weapon Platoons
Armored Mortar Platoon  p.240	1 1 3	Cmd Carbine team M2 half-track with .50 cal AA MG M4 81mm MMC	80
Divisional Support
Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Platoon  p.256	1 1 2 2 4	Cmd Carbine team Jeep with .50 cal AA MG Carbine team Jeep M-10 3in GMC	435
Armored Rifle Platoon  p.239	1 4 5 2 3 1 2	Cmd Rifle team Bazooka team Rifle team M3 half-track with .50 cal AA MG M3 half-track with AA MG M2 60mm mortar M1919 LMG team	235
Company Points:			1625

Source document: North Africa

So that brings me to my last choice, US tanks.  The Stuart is a great little vehicle, especially in MW.  I can take plenty of them (14), and still have points left over for heavy sniper vehicles (the M10s), smoke, and some powerful infantry.  I am a bit nervous about it being C/T.  Confident armor is terrible fragile, so I will have to be fast, aggressive and use my Stabilizers just right.  Still, I think it will be fun, which is also an important consideration.  So this is the one.