As a mostly West German player up until now, I haven't been tempted by other armies. It took me 6 months to paint the one I currently have. But looking over at the new previews for Stripes has me considering my options. I still want to work on a Soviet or Warsaw Pact Force eventually, but the Americans were not on my radar. This was mostly because it appeared that they wouldn't be as competitive as their other NATO allies. This book changes that, and gives the kind of tactical flexibility I would want in a force. I will be making some lists out of the new kit, and let you know what I would want to be playing when the book comes out.
I apologize for the quality of the pictures, getting selected PDF copies of the pages proved a titanic pain. I resorted to the phone. I'll have it figured out next time.
1. US Airborne - with Sheridan
2. A Patton Company (marines)
3. Armored Cavalry Troop
For the sake of this tournament season, I'll make all my lists at 64 points, since that will be what a lot of North American places use. I think its a good amount,
List #1 - 82nd Airborne
UH - 1 Huey Infantry Combat Team
HQ - 1 point (formation commander rides with one of the UH1 Rifle platoons)
1 x M16 rifle team
1. UH-1 Huey Rifle Platoon (Full) - 8 points (11 with add ons)
7x M249 SAW team with M72 LAW anti-tank
1x M 47 Dragon missile team
3x UH-1 Huey
add on - 2 x M60 GPMG teams ( +1 point each)
add on - 1x M224 60mm mortar team (+1 point)
add on another Huey for NO COST
2. UH-1 Huey Rifle Platoon (Full) - 8 points (11 with add ons)
7x M249 SAW team with M72 LAW anti-tank
1x M 47 Dragon missile team
3x UH-1 Huey
add on - 2 x M60 GPMG teams ( +1 point each)
add on - 1x M224 60mm mortar team (+1 point)
add on another Huey for NO COST
With door guns on these suckers, why the hell not get an extra chopper for free. I also like my infantry bulked out as much as possible. So I tricked these guys out.
3. M551 Sheridan x 5 (10 points)
4. M551 Sheridan x 5 (10 points)
I love me some Leo 1's, and now the Americans have their own equivalent of this. These adorable glass cannons, give me the punch I need to rip apart BMPs as well as MBTs. That combined with large infantry blobs that can be both air mobile, and hard to shift, makes for a fast and interesting game. The sheridan may only have a Front armor of 4, but its 152mm gun at AT 21 and its 48" ranged MGM51 Missile at AT 22 can kill plenty of tanks, and with 10 of them, they can do plenty of damage. Their gun is also Brutal...so if you're trying to dig out infantry, I feel like this is a better option than artillery.
5. HMMWV Scout Section (2 points)
1x HMMWV-M2 (with .50 cal)
1x HMMWV-MK19
1x HMMWV-TOW
6. HMMWV - TOW platoon (4 points)
4x HMMWV -TOW
These platoons give me a scout option, a lot of possible MG fire to rip apart infantry in the open, and the improved TOW missile, coming in at an AT of 21, gives me the milan style hit I am missing with my Dragon missiles that the infantry have equipped. As an ambush, or as a flexible unit to move on from reserve I love these guys.
That puts me at 6 units and only 49 points....leaving me with 15 points for support.
And the Americans have that in spades now.
I want an Aircover blanket, and as a player that doesn't care about the controversy stoked by Sergeant York and his magical Unicorn weapons system, I'm taking all those. If I can't get Gepards, these are the next best thing, and the model looks cool.
Support -
7. M247 Sergeant York AA Platoon- (8 points)
4X M247
8. AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter Platoons (7 points)
2X AH - 1 Cobra
64 points on the nose.
List #2 - 2nd Marine Division
The M60 Patton Tank comes in at twice the points of its Sheridan Counterpart, and in my opinion isn't nearly as good. Its 15 front armor may repel BMP main guns, and small arms fire, but will not help it against the MBTs of the day. Soviet T72s and T64s as well as helicopters or Fighters will eat this thing alive. Its AT 20 Main gun doesn't have Brutal, and is limited overall. Still, it CAN penetrate a MBT from the front in some cases, has stabilizers, and comes in at a sharp discount from its M1A1 cousin. (which clocks in at 8pts per tank) The Patton the Marines can field comes in at 4 points a piece. and can be fielded in platoons of 5 as opposed to 4.
Lets see how this flies.
There are also better M60's earlier, if you aren't taking marines. But I have relatives in the Marines, and by god, I'm going to paint little faces on these guys if its the last thing I do.
HQ - 2x M60 Patton - 8 points
1. M60 Patton Tank Platoon - 16 points
4x M60 Patton
2. M60 Patton Tank Platoon - 16 points
4x M60 Patton
3. HMMWV scout section - 3 points
1x HMMWV-M2 (with .50 cal)
1x HMMWV-MK19
2x HMMWV-TOW
4. Marine Rifle Platoon (13 points)
9x M249 SAW teams w/ M72 LAW Anti-tank
2x AAVP7 transports
add 2x M47 Dragon missiles +1 each
add 2x SMAW teams +1 each
1 formation adds up to 56 points leaving me with 8 points for support.
5. Flight of 4X AV-8 Marines Harriers - 6 points, cheap, and comes with a salvo, a helicopter clearing cannon. not bad for that few points
6. LAV - platoon - 2 points (effectively a Luchs) comes with spearhead, an Anti-Helo gun, and a Main gun that can kill Bmps, at 1 points a piece, not a bad investment.
List #3 - Armored Cavalry Troop
I like to take a little bit of everything, like a sampler at a buffet. And this book gives an American a feast of options. Nowhere is this more clear than in the Cav Troop. I can take whatever combo of things. unfortuantely, once I pick a tank, I'm stuck with it, in THAT formation at least. I can then mix in M113s or HMMWVs and have fun making the list I want.
Armored Cavalry Troop HQ - 1 point
1x M113 Scout
Compulsory Formation Platoons
1. M1 Abrams Platoon - (32 points) upgrade all M1s to IPM1s for +1 point each = 36 points for the platoon
4x IPM1s
I get 4 tanks that are essentially Leo2s with a worse gun. and I get 4 instead of 3. Thanks, I'll take that. And with a side of 10 and Chobham armor, I can charge headlong into infantry and murder them. Albiet, this is a big points sink, but there we are. Lets see how it plays at this lower points level.
2. M113 Scout Section - 2 points
1x M113 scout
1xM901 ITV (with improve TOW missile)
3. M113 Scout Section - 2 points
1x M113 scout
1xM901 ITV (with improve TOW missile)
Formation #2
M113 - Mech combat team (1 point)
1. M113 Mech Platoon (short) - (4 points)
3x M249 SAW team with M72 LAW at missile
2xM47 Dragon missile team
2. M113 Mech Platoon (short) - (4 points)
3x M249 SAW team with M72 LAW at missile
2xM47 Dragon missile team
3. M60 Patton Platoon x3 tanks (12 points)
Support -
HMMWV SAM Platoon 2x HMMWV - 2 points
64 points
I think unless you go bigger on points, the Abrams and other large MBTs don't work. At 64 points this looks to be a 2nd line tank and mech fight.
It remains to be seen if Strike Aircraft make a comeback, because right now it seems like the AA blanket is too hard to fight through.
I hope you've enjoyed some list musings! The book is a solid buy, and has a ton of stuff to play with, a must for any Team Yankee US player.
Tom Mullane (aka Captainecho on the forums) is a Social Studies teacher in NY who lives in Danbury CT. He has been writing for WWPD for about 2 years. If you are in the New England area, come by Hobbytown USA in New Milford CT for a game. And if you see me at a Con or tourney, please stop by and say hi!
