How time passes…..you have spent all weekend wargaming and then the anti- climax of the settee and Come Dancing/ X-factor/ Downton re-runs. But we hard core gamers aren’t attracted to sequins and heaving bodices, we are made of sterner stuff, it’s off to Firestorm Carpets to see if we can’t breathe some life into an old favourite, Flames of War. Firstly an admission, after talking to the boyos at the club about the controversial ‘Armies of Late War’ ,I decided I must get myself a copy as it was all you needed for the much improved system. I then realised I had already bought it, and Team Yankee and the US Mid- war supplement! I just hadn’t remembered I’d bought them and smuggled them onto my shelves without giving them any more thought. So, 1500 points in Late War gives a reasonably sized force to test the water. Armies of Late war use a points costing similar to version three. It’s Mid- War that the points costs are so markedly different.

Like most gamers I’m always attracted to new shiny toys. The new unit cards are stylish and a valuable gaming aid. You don’t need to consult the supplements (not codexes(sic)) but the community aren’t happy it would appear. I think Armies of Late War is a great little book designed for the newbie rather than the owner of a shelf load of flames books going back years. Production values are always high with Battlefront and although there is some recycling of content, the book comes in at less than eleven pounds? Some players eye the cards as unnecessary and shortly to be replaced by mid war style points but one has to consider just how big a task Battlefront has initiated. The parallels with Age of Sigmar are apparent but Battlefront should not , in my opinion, be overly criticised for attempting to streamline the system in a more piecemeal fashion. Us long term fans of Battlefront did get two free books after all.

The joy of playing players under thirty, plastic ghost grey models. Honestly, if I had my spray cans to hand I would have given them a blast there and then. Against my platoon of late war Shermans (76mm), a Sherman 105 platoon and single Pershing, Tim fielded an seven strong Tiger Kompanie. Under the new rules I deliberately chose large tank platoons. If you don’t have two “runner” then the inevitable morale fails could see my valuable cat hunters disappear.

And disappear they did,,,,…one at least, caught by long range shots from beyond the central ville. However my Sherman 105s were ranged in and bailed out one of the predators. Only one observer per company can be avoided by the superior communications of the technologically advanced Americans.

Flanking shots took out Otis Harmon the Third! Return arty fire sent Tims forward Zug scuttling back to the rear-areas. A King Tiger was in the central urban area. Even my 76mm guns couldn’t dent that frontally but he couldn’t advance for fear of side shots from the defenders if he drove any further forward.

It was the combination of my Pershing and the 105s that saw off the German flanking manouvre. The 90mm tank gun was a joy to behold. The Tiger terror is that little bit less frightening when you are riding in a Pershing! Three German platoons down and Tim was in full retreat. A fast paced skirmish but definately held my interest and the game is definately still of interest. I did pick up dark rumours of the old Flames competition crowd picking up Sharpe Practice as their game of choice. Muskets maybe a surprising choice for those former tankless but competitions are already being planned it would seem. Another area of potential perhaps? Biggles and Spence are already eyeing up L’art de la Guerre so who knows where this heresy might end? For me, I’ve too much money and time invested in 15mm World War Two to just move on. Another possibility would be Andy Claxtons suggestion to rebase my collections for Rapid Fire Two which is out soon. Decisions, decisions……….