This is the second part of my volksgrenadier list discussion, hopefully it'll provide some insight into my thoughts on the list.
This time I'm covering divisional support and a list idea.
Well you have a whole range of options here
then don’t you! 2 slots, and everything from Hetzers up to Jagdpanthers and
more.
I find the idea of armour in an infantry
list an interesting one. On the one hand I dislike it as suddenly every enemy
anti tank shot has a target, but conversely I have mobile counterattacking unit
for when I’m on the defensive.
The tank hunter platoon offers some solid,
relatively inexpensive choices, Stug’s and Hetzer’s, they do a job against most
US and British tanks, but I worry about their effectiveness vs Soviet heavy
armour and in blue on blue games.
Panzer 4’s and Panthers are another option
both CV and FT as well (if you need the extra points for more bodies). Both of
these I think offer great utility (well I hope the panzer 4’s do, but they’re
still in a box!). the panther also has the nice high front armour and wide
tracks, but in this modern world of AT15 fireflies, are they all that?
Conversely if they’re coming from reserve does that help?
Next is the Jagdtiger – what can I say but
it’s a frak of a lot of points! I think I’d give it a miss.
The sturm panzer platoon is another interesting
options (and one I sadly don’t own) lots of RoF 1 Tanks, but with Schurzen,
breakthrough guns and decent armour, they may be just what I need against dug
in veteran infantry.
The Tank hunter platoons once again have
your range of Stug’s but Also have the gorgeous and hugely over priced
Jagdpanther! Sorry but just too many points and after extensive testing not my
favourite tank to use. You also get Ben’s personal favourite the Panzer 4/70,
and for once I can really appreciate this tank! Half decent armour and great
firepower; though slow, unreliable and overloaded. It strikes me as a possible
anti tank option for this force.
The other option is the mighty Sturm Tiger
– now I just love the idea of these leveling entire cities! They also have the
advantage of not hitting on the opponents skill, and dealing with any pesky
fortifications the enemy may have. I was never really sold on them, until I saw
they could also target Gun teams using their own skill. The only downside is of
course the trained nature and difficulty targeting enemy tanks – but then I
have anti tank elsewhere – I hope!
Divisional
Support – Gun Teams and Artillery
Pak 40’s – they’re an auto include, sorry
but why would you not take them?
For the anti Air you get the Flak 43, they
have a decent range, and are pretty handy vs dug in infantry, but being
immobile means they need cover limiting their deployability imho. But they’re
still decent anti air too lets never forget that!
Now in my posts on artillery I discussed
them at length, so I will only add in my thoughts of having used a bit more
artillery now. First off I love the FK40, but only as it gives m more Pak 40’s!
artillery wise it’s a little crap. I also have to say that having either 3 or 6
guns for artillery is annoying as one hit loses you the hitting power that you
are paying for, which limits my love for the unit. On the other hand, if you
want to take artillery you can’t go wrong with some AT5 FP2+ as it forces your
opponent to react to spread out, as it’s so damn dangerous (not UK or US level
of dangerous), but you don’t have to waste points on the smaller battery of
artillery to take the larger!
Finally you have Air support, again this is
a nice template to force the enemy to think again, and as sporadic is about the
level I like to use on points vs effectiveness. But it does leave you with one
less platoon on the ground.
So
what sort of list do I want to take?
We’re going to aim for a nice balanced 1750
list here, something which can take on all comers, and would do alright in a
tournament (if the dice are with me)
Well lets remind ourselves of my principles
again ok?
- This is an infantry list with lots of integral anti tank, so I think that I could survive with maybe only 1 or 2 dedicated anti tank units,
- I’m likely to have to attack other infantry or fortified lists, so could benefit from 3 infantry platoons
- I like a little bit of smoke, recon and templates to force opponents to think.
- I like a list where I don’t need to deploy half the platoons on a half on half off mission – I like some choice!
- I like to try and add in some of the more iconic weapons to a list.
So lets start with our HQ and two combat
platoons, and make sure each can have 2 Schreks, this already clocks us in at
around 670 odd points, ouch!
Next there are the obligatory support units
which I just must have, the first being the Pak 40’s and the second being my
mortars, I’ll take 3 Pak 40’s and 2 sections of mortars to support the troops
which is fantastic balance and needed in this list. Brings me to 950 points –
not much left in a 1750 list after that sadly.
Next place I look is recon, now I’ve two
options, but as I said before in someways I like to know that I’ll be
assaulting infantry and defending vs Tanks, so lets take the scouts, the commandos
would be fun, but they’re a very specific unit to use and I’m not 100% sure of
using them at the moment, they need more experiments! As for upgrades to the
scouts, well I like a faust for obvious reasons but think the assault rifles
are a bit excessive. So add in a short scout platoon and we’re at 1020.
Now I’ve 730 points left to spend, my next
purchase needs to be a third infantry platoon, this is a difficult one as in
many ways as to make the most of the spearhead move it has to be Sturm or pioneers,
and the pioneers are too overpriced, so lets take another Sturm platoon with
Schrek. 1315 points.
I’m on 6 platoons so realistically I’d like
another 2 so I can have 4 on 4 off, but what to go for? Ideally I need
something to help dig out infantry and kill tanks, I’m also liking the idea of
having a little bit more mobile asset so it can move and be deployed to counter
punch. I’m looking at around 300 points I guess, so either Sturm tigers, Panzer
4’s, 4/70’s Hetzers or Stugs. I’m thinking of the Sturm tiger for it’s historic
value in the list, but in the end I think I’ll take a 3 Late Stug’s for some
extra anti tank, but hey this can be played about with. 1610
So what next? Well if you haven’t noticed
(and also form a historical view) I love the infantry guns, and without
artillery they can pin here to help the assault, so that’s my IG37’s at 120
points and leaves enough points to give the scouts a Faust all in 1750.
Conclusion
So there you have it my thoughts on the
Volksgrenadiers, the only bit which annoys me is that I think the ‘Panzer’s to
the meuse’ infantry list might do it a little better with 4 gun artillery and
pioneers without fausts – oh and Flak88’s – damn that’s more money on this
infernal hobby!
But I think this list can be competitive,
you can deal with armour well, (especially at close range) and also deal with
infantry on the assault, how it all shakes down in the end though, I guess my AAR’s will tell.
Thanks for reading
Dr Cox
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