Review | Buyer's Guide to North Africa: Mid-War Desert Forces | Flames of War

[@nuts4ships]

A much better take on this new book than most of the other reviews out there. The comparision between the old and new versions is much appreciated. Thanjks.

[@FogofWar]

Thanks. I thing John at All Miniatures Great and Small took a similar approach. Maybe check that out.

[@johnkelley9877]

It sounds like a good deal. All four books with more options. Thanks for sharing this review.

[@FogofWar]

There does seem to be a lot in here.

[@lordcypher7922]

I have convinced myself to start FOW by buying the Tobruk set when it is released.

[@FogofWar]

The box sets look like good value. Hope you enjoy it!

[@abuzuhm]

this book made it easy to get back into the game after being away for years. I eagerly wait for MW Vichy French lists lol

[@FogofWar]

Glad the compilation book was useful for you.

[@RockinL7BuckingBulls]

Another book to buy. I have spent $100 on the 5 v4 desert books now they want what another $50 out of me. If I’m going to buy books I’m buying Battlegroup. Nice review as always .

[@FogofWar]

You can always just access the new lists through Forces. If you had the old versions, they have been updated with the new lists with no additional purchase. Then maybe a card pack. Or, as you say, Battlegroup.

[@gwill66000]

Vichy French were very much mid war, the Americans landed in their terrain in 43 and we were in Syria prior to that. Battlefront did have a range previously. Perhaps now abandoned as it doesn't fit their "plastic" push?

[@chrisp.2544]

The US landed a couple of days after El Alamein in November 1942.

[@FogofWar]

I would like to see some of the French stuff come back. but I'm guessing they are more early-war than mid-war.

[@KramGnilrad]

Well put together review.

[@FogofWar]

Thank you!

[@MaxTSanches]

Still missing the early desert war LRDG, SAS, & Autosahariana forces for the raiding games. :( .

[@FogofWar]

Yeah. Those would be great. Are they classified as Early War? We might get them back when EW gets the V4 treatment.

[@e-4airman124]

glad to hear your review

[@FogofWar]

Thanks. I hope you found it helpful.

[@rjlarose5271]

Just seen this video now as I'm getting into the game and found it very informative. But I was one curious do we have an early African campaign book/s?

[@FogofWar]

Early war hasn’t been updated to Version 4 rules yet. You can still play EW. There are some conversion rules and so forth. I had a livestream with the Table Ready crew about how to do this a couple of months back.

[@rjlarose5271]

@@FogofWar o neet. A friend and I both have African theater bolt action armies that run from it's early stages to it's final one's. And we wanted to do that again with a new game system and factions we haven't collected.

[@gwill66000]

"something you need"? When it comes to wargaming what is need😊 I tried this question with my wife and her shoes. Didn't get an answer though☺️

[@FogofWar]

True. You speak true. :-)

[@maxxon99]

Thanks! I already have the 4 original books and I've been wondering if this actually any new stuff for me.

[@FogofWar]

There is new stuff for each nation, plus the paratroops, special forces and mid-war monsters. Might be worth a look.

[@aledroberts6580]

Thanks for another great video. I have ordered the book from Kaiser as I get to see the stats for all 4 nations in one resource. Personally I am not going the Mid War Monster route but am ok if TO’s allow them in events or people use them in games at the club.

[@FogofWar]

Someone else earlier in the comments was very enthusiastic about mid war monsters. And good on them. It isn’t my focus. I’m more of a history buff like The Kaiser. But if it floats the commenter’s boat and he and his opponent are both up for it, it’s great the game can accommodate them. I’d hate to meet one unexpectedly in a dark tournament though, so I think their mainstream inclusion in the lists needs to be managed to keep it fun for everyone. My desert light tank Mark VIs aren’t going to last long against an unexpected Tiger(P).

[@aledroberts6580]

@@FogofWar I don’t think my Lee’s would have a good day if they were matched up against them either. I am with you and Kaiser I enjoy the history side of the hobby and am looking to play more thematic based battles using order of battle rather than equal points. But I do enjoy a tournament weekend as it gives me the chance of 5 games. I like to win games but would rather have a good time and get tables rather than win and feel like i have been having teeth pulled for a few hours.

[@greasycleric2162]

Is there an eastern front equivalent of this video coming?

[@FogofWar]

Unfortunately no, but myself and the Table Ready crew did a livestream about the Eastern Front book. You might want to check that out.

[@greasycleric2162]

@@FogofWar I’ll check it out

[@Hedgehobbit]

I hope to see some late war monsters: Centurian, IS-3, e-series, that SPG turtle thing the Americans built, etc.

[@FogofWar]

I'm sure they will get around to the Late-War Leviathans at some point. Not sure about a Centurion, but they do have the resin mould for it. We can hope.

[@MiniatureLandscapeHobbies]

Thanks for this!

[@FogofWar]

You're welcome.

[@gadget19k76]

I’m excited to play with the midway monsters. it’s a game and honestly all of it is “what if?”

[@FogofWar]

Mid war monsters aren't my thing usually - but they are yours, and it is great the game lets you do that too!

[@trekanbelluvitsh]

The Matilda II was withdrawn from frontline units after the Battle of Gazala. BF's north african mid-war theater starts with this battle so it is a logical move NOT to add the Matilda II to these lists.

[@FogofWar]

Faie enough. I did think BF might consider it EW, but it is good to have the unofficial cards.

[@tando6266]

I find the "causal players should get permission before use" an odd one. They are now a default core part of the game, excluding them would amount to a house rule, if anything it should be "casual players should clarify historical only before starting to play". This is very different to the first time they rolled out in how we are getting them, and its almost panful to watch people still crying foul almost 10 years after it was first done (not that you did, just an observation)

[@FogofWar]

That’s an interesting viewpoint. Thanks for taking the time to outline your view on this. It helps to see an issue from a different point of view. For tournament play it is obvious this needs to be covered by the TO. In casual games I think it is more a case of player etiquette. Both players are there to have a good time. It is less a matter of seeking permission than making sure everyone is on the same page. Flames of War is loosely historically-based, so I personally think it is just polite to check with your opponent before straying too far from that. But if you know your casual opponents don’t mind, not an issue. I just think the polite thing would be to check if you are not sure.

[@battlehawk1263]

I take community cards such as the Bishop arty are not included?

[@FogofWar]

I think the only Community Card included was the Semovente 90/53 for the Italian. But don't quote me. I might be wrong.

[@spamuraigranatabru1149]

If it lets me use Shermans in mid war, I am going to get one. Luckily, it most certainly does!

[@FogofWar]

Yep. Shermans in mid-war. Hopefully I can use my Italian-campaign British Sherman list.

[@shadowcat3163]

Lack of Matilda's is the one part of the book I seriously dislike. There were some still around, but they cut them while including lots of what if vehicles (likely because they did not have them in plastic). Those of us still trying to use our Ver 2 lists are happy to get the Bisons back but we still are missing Matilda's, Early Stugs (both of them), and the British 3.7 AA guns. A lot of what they did was to make World of Tanks players happy by including some of the Never was tanks into the games (Yes, I play, and love my Tog and Tiger P) Thing I hate the most is how they took an infantry game and turned it into a tank game and made it simple. I figure it was to decrease the price point to get in while increasing their profits on plastic models and reducing SKU's in inventory. Other things I dislike are them only having the Elite infantry in the Italian list and no Aussie Tobruk list with Italian tanks (seen pictures of three of them with Roo's on the side), and 47mm ATG's (again they used lots of captured equipment including 47's with damaged sights).

[@FogofWar]

Yeah. Matildas will be great when they get here in plastic, but according to BF they do fall into Early War - which is why they’re not in this.

[@dougstone9308]

I feel like we're missing the Sd Kfz 251's for the Germans...

[@FogofWar]

Yeah. I hadn't thought of them.

[@Mikedadof2]

I still want them

[@FogofWar]

Great!

[@guybresseleers8728]

and what about the lrdg??

[@FogofWar]

I checked, and they are covered in Early War in v3, so that’s probably why they are not in North Africa.