West German Infantry vs Russian Afghansty in No Retreat near Essen and the Ruhr

Tornadoes darken the sky over Russian troops as West Germany moves to free Essen and the Ruhr

My third game of the Firestorm: Stripes campaign was against Shawn and his 64 point Russian Afghansty. This time the NATO players are on the offensive and I won the roll and became the attacker. I decided to attack from Munster into the WARSAW held area of Essen with the intention of knocking  5VP away from the WARSAW. Shawn opted to have a static defence and we rolled No Retreat.

What the campaign map looks like so far

Big Willie's West Germans

OC in Marder

Full infantry platoon in Marders

Full infantry platoon in Marders

2 x Luchs

3 x M109

OC in M113

Full infantry platoon in M113s

Short infantry platoon in M113s

3 x Leo1s

2 x Luchs

2 x Rolands

FIST

4 x LARs

4 x Tornadoes

Shawns Afghansty

OC

Full Afghansty infantry platoon with 2 Hinds

Full Afghansty infantry platoon with 2 HInds

3 x T64s

3 x BM21s

4 x Shilkas

Given that the mission has Deep Reserve and that Afghansty say the helicopters have to be on the table we agreed to have both platoons on the table but loitering while Shawn held an infantry platoon in ambush

Set Up

Objectives are in the central wood and top right at the bend in the road as it goes out of frame

West German Infantry vs Russian Afghansty in Hasty Attack near Liepzig

German infantry, harder to dig out than an Alabama Tick

Firestorm Stripes! I was finally able to play my first game of the new Team Yankee Campaign being put on by Beast of War, Firestorm Stripes! Because all my Americans are painted to fight in the desert I decided to play my West Germans. Our FLGS, Lords of War, signed up to allow us to play the campaign. The first game of the evening saw the Russian advance roll over the British in Hanover. My first game was against Shawn and his Red Army, we agreed to play 64 points with me defending in the Liepzig sector against a Hasty Attack.

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Infantry platoon in Marders
Full Infantry platoon in Marders
3 x M109s
2 x Luchs
OC in M113
Full Infantry platoon in M113s
Short Infantry platoon in M113s
3 x Leo1s
2 x Luchs
4 x LARs with mines
FOO
4 x Tornados

Shawn's Afghansty Russians
OC
Infantry platoon with support weapons
Infantry platoon with support weapons
2 x Hinds
2 x Hinds
3 x Storms
3 x BM21s
4 x Shilkas
4 x T64s

Set Up

Objectives are top centre where the Hinds are circling (really loitering off board) and bottom centre on the road in front of the woods

No Instant Thunder: Air Power in Team Yankee

USAF A-10s quite possibly the best ground attack aircraft in the world!

I have been reading a lot of comments where players are complaining about how good or bad air power is in Team Yankee. While I admit that I am no expert I would like to think that I may have some good ideas on how to get the most out of the Fly boys on the battlefield. So the big question is should you take air power and if you do take it, what should you take and how do you use them?

Air power is not all singing and all dancing, it can be very powerful but it has limitations. Despite what we have all heard since Gulf War I, Air Power will not win a battle for you. However, Air Power can still be a massive force multiplier you may just need to adjust your thinking about how you use it.

Air can be for used as a weapon

Iraqi tank hit with a precision air strike

Or as a means to transport troops all over the battlefield.

USMC Riflemen inbound!

USMC Rifle Company vs US Army Mechanised Rifle Company in Breakthrough

Marines supported by Amtracks ready to bring the pain

Game 3 of the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee tournament was against Jay and his American Mechanised Infantry. Again we were playing with the battle plans and the more mission pack so I elected to attack and Jay elected to manouvre but this time we rolled breakthrough.

Big Willie's USMC
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Hueys
5 x M60s
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
4 x Stingers
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
2 x Harriers

Jay's US Army
OC
Full mech platoon with extra dragons
Full mech platoon with extra dragons
4 x IPM1s
2 x VADs
3 x M109s

Set Up

Objectives are top right by the house and far left where the road disappears off the table

USMC Rifle Company vs East German Infantry in Encounter

A TOW platoon commander covers the advance of the M60s

My second game of the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee tournament was against Dean and his East German and Russian force. The tournament was using the battle plans and more missions  so once again I decided to go all in and attack. Dean elected to manoeuvre which meant I was attacking and we rolled Encounter.

Big Willie's USMC Rifle Company
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Heuys
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
5 x M60s
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
4 x Stingers
2 x Harriers

Dean's East Germans
OC
Small Rifle platoon with all the crew served weapons
Small Rifle platoon with all the crew served weapons
4 x Shlikas
3 x Carnations

Allies
OC in T72
3 x T72
3 x T72

Set Up and Turn 1

East German objectives are behind the cops of trees bottom centre and top right just off camera. USMC objectives are by the stream top centre and just off camera centre left

USMC Rifle Company vs West Germans in Encounter

Leathernecks secure the LZ and an objective!

This weekend I had the chance to play in the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee Tournament. Nexus has an fantastic set up and the tables and armies looked great. Ian organised a very well organized and run event with 10 players. The tournament used the more missions rules from Battle Front. I was paired against Ross and his West Germans, I figured that playing USMC meant I should be on the attack, so I chose to do so and he chose to manoeuvre. Which lead to us rolling Encounter as the mission.

Big Willie's Leathernecks
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 dragons and 2 SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 dragons and 2 SMAWs in Hueys
5 x M60s
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
4 x Stringers
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
2 x Harriers

Ross' West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Short Marder platoon
3 x Jugar Is
2 x Gepards
2 x Luchs
OC in Leo1
3 x Leo1s
3 x Leo1s
3 x Panzer Mosers
3 x Jugar IIs
2 x Rolands
4 x Tornadoes

Set Up

Objectives are just out of frame high right, and top left side of the board behind the hill. Objectives on the other side are in between the building and wood and top left side near the woods

West German Infantry vs British Armour in Hasty Attack

West German Infantry dug in securing the objective

The final 50 point game for the Lords of War deescalation tournament was against Jay and his British Armour. This was the last game of the tournament and being infantry I was more than happy to secure the objectives and let Jay try and pull it out of my hands. This mission is a little different as it uses Ambush (defender), Immediate Reserves (attacker), and Scattered Reserves (defender). In addition, the attacker places 2 objectives and the defender places on in their own table half and then before the start of the game after all forces have been deployed the attacker removes one of the objectives they placed. I chose my Leo1s to go into ambush and hoped that my infantry and OCs backed with the MLRS would be enough to hold on until the reserves could arrive.

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Full Marder platoon
Luchs platoon

OC in M113
Full M113 platoon
Small M113 platoon
Luchs platoon
3 x Leo1s

OP M113
4 x MLRS with mines

Jay's British Armour
OC in Chieftain
3 x Chieftains
3 x Chieftains
4 x Swingfires
2 x Scorpions
2 x Abbotts

Set Up

British objectives are central bottom right behind the wall and left at the edge of the road and far right beside the swamp. The West German objective is central top between the woods and t-intersection

West German Infantry vs British Tanks in No Retreat

BO 105 covers the advancing infantry by suppressing Brit tanks

Game 2 of the Lords of War deescalation tournament was 75 points. I had the chance to play against Craig and his Brit Armour in No Retreat. Craig and I both wanted to defend so we needed to roll off which Craig won and elected to defend.

Big Willie's West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder infantry platoon
Full Marder infantry platoon
3 x M109s
Luchs

OC in M113
Full M113 infantry platoon
Full M113 infantry platoon
3 x Leo1s
Luchs

4 x MLRS with mines
4 x Tornadoes
2 x BO 105s
2 x Rolands

Craig's British
OC and 2IC in Chieftains with stillbrew
3 x Chieftains
3 x Chieftains
Full Infantry platoon plus 2 milans
2 x Blowpipes
2 x Swingfire
2 x Scorpions
Highlanders platoon

Set Up

Objectives are just behind the factory far left and just behind the oil tanks central to the picutre

West German Infantry vs West German Panzers in Free for All

Luftwaffe Tornadoes take out a Leopard 1 guarding the objective

Game 1 of the Lords of War deescalation tournament was 100 points and I had a chance to plan against Matt. This was going to be the first game of Team Yankee with my newly almost finished painted West Germans. This army is the first one I've painted using an air brush and I really enjoyed it, I will have some tutorials coming.

Big Willie's West Germans
Formations
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Full Marder platoon
3 x Leopard 2 platoon
2 x Luchs

OC in M113
Full M113 platoon
Full M113 platoon
3 x Leopard 1 platoon
3 x M109 platoon
2 x Luchs

Support
4 x MLRS with mines
OP M113
2 x Rolands
4 x Tornadoes

Matt's West Germans
Formation
OC in Leopard 1
3 x Leopard 1s
3 x Leopard 2s
3 x Leopard 2s
4 x Gepards
Half Marder platoon
2 x Luchs

Support
4 x MLRS

Set Up

Objectives are bottom centre, and far left for Matt West Germans and my West Germans have near right and top centre for objectives

USMC Tanks vs British Tanks in Encounter

The OC moves from cover to keep the street clean!

The final game of the Lords of War 80 point Team Yankee tournament was against Jay and his British tanks. We were playing Encounter and this was going to be the first time that I faced off against the Brits. I've been told that their infantry are tough and their tanks are only slightly easier. Jay's army looked awesome and I find that is what truly makes the game enjoyable, when two well painted armies clash on a good looking battlefield.

Big Willie's USMC

OC in M1

4 x M1 platoon

3 x M1 platoon

3 x M113 mortars

2 x Vads

2 x A10s

Jay's Brits

OC in Chieftain

3 x Chieftains

3 x Chieftains

3 x Swing fire platoon

Full Infantry platoon

6 x Blow pipes platoon

6 x Recce

3 x Lynks Helos

Air Assault infantry platoon

Set Up

Objectives are top of the picture by the woods on the right and farm house on the left and behind McDonalds in the field and just off frame bottom centre by the M1s

USMC Tanks vs East Germans in No Retreat

USMC Tanks light up the advancing Red Tide!

Game 2 of the 80 point Team Yankee tournament at Lords of War was against Shaun and his East Germans. This was my first time playing a No Retreat mission and with deep immediate reserves it meant that I was only going to have 4 M1s on the table to start. Hopefully they would be able to hold off the East Germans until the other tanks could arrive.

Big Willie's USMC
OC in M1
4 x M1s
3 x M1s
2 x Vads
3 x M113 Mortars
2 x A10s

Shaun's East Germans
OC in T-72
6 x T-72s
6 x T-72s
OP BMP
3 x BMP Recce
5 x BMP platoon
2 x Gopher
2 x Shilka
3 x Carnations

Set Up

Objectives are behind the gas station shallow bottom left and behind the Golden Arches middle left

USMC Tanks vs West Germans Tanks in Encounter

USMC M1 catches West Germans tanks dashing for cover!

My first game of the 80 point tournament at Lords of War was against Matt and his West Germans. The first mission was Encounter and this would be my first ever Team Yankee tournament game and my third game of Team Yankee so I was hoping that I could remember the rules. Matt had a beautifully painted army, which is always a real pleasure to play against.

Big Willie's USMC
OC in M1
4 x M1 platoon
3 x M1 platoon
2 x Vads
3 x M113 Mortars
2 x A10s

Matt's West Germans
OC in Leo 1
3 x Leo 1
3 x Marders platoon
3 x Leo 2
4 x Gepards
4 x Tornadoes
2 x Luchs

Set Up

Objectives are in the open behind the field and church on the right and in between the  house and hill and on the rail line on the left

Team Yankee Tournament coverage

Soviets push hard against the US block

This weekend I played in my first Team Yankee Tournament at Lords of War in Oakville. The tournament was outstanding and Lords of War is easily one of the best FLGS there is.

Here are some pictures of some of the armies and some of the games in progress, I'll have some battle reports in the next few days.

Shaun's East Germans

USMC Reinforcements for Team Yankee!

Ready to take out some T72s!

Reinforcements for my Team Yankee USMC are now all decaled and varnished. I love how they turned out and the details in the custom decals that Stromtrooper Nick made are awesome. He is going to hopefully finish off his complete how to post shortly. Plus the hurlbat in flight rotors look amazing. Check them out here at hurlbat, don't forget to select the right scale and type of aircraft. The tanks will also allow me to play Fate of a Nation using them as "counts as". I will be working a tutorial on how to paint the aircraft in the coming weeks but for now enjoy the pictures.

A pair of Cobra gunships

USMC vs Iraqi Republican Guard in Dust Up

Devil Dog tanks open up BMPs like tin cans!

My second game of Team Yankee was against Storm Trooper Nick and his Russians who we are calling the Iraqi Republican Guard. This was going to be the first game that I was able to play with my now fully painted (although I haven't finished the decals) USMC with it's latest additions of both an air component and newly upgraded M1A1 tanks (although all tanks in this game are representing M1s). This was also the first chance for us to use the newest Battlefront terrain in the form of the oil tanks and the factory. We decided on 100 pts and rolled up the mission Dust Up randomly.

Big Willie's USMC
OC in M1
4 x M60s (representing M1s)
4 x M1s
Half strength infantry platoon
4 x VADs
2 x Cobras
2 x Harriers (representing A10s)

Stormtrooper Nick's Iraqi's
OC in BMP2
10 x BMP2s infantry platoon
4 x BMP1s
4 x BMP1s
10 x T72s
4 x Gophers
2 x Shelikas
6 x Carnations
4 x Hinds

Set Up

Objectives are just above the scotch glass on the left, centre left soviet marking, cross roads on the far right and behind the Mosque

USMC Tank Combat team vs Russian BMP Battalion in Encounter

USMC holds its ground!

Nick and I finally got to play a game of Team Yankee. I really enjoyed it but have to brush up a little more on the rules and play it as a different game than Flames of War. I was running US tanks and Nick was playing a BMP Battalion. We rolled  up Encounter and got under way. If you're looking at my force and wondering what the deal is with it, I was going for a Gulf War I, Desert Storm USMC force that I could use for  both Team Yankee and Fate of a Nation. I'm really happy with the way they turned out.

Big Willie's combat team
OC and 2IC tanks
4 x M60s (representing M1s)
3 x M60s (representing M1s)
2 x TOW
2 x TOW (I should have had these, Oops)
4 x VADs
3 x Mortars
2 x Cobras
2 x A10s
Fist
Small Infantry platoon

Nick's Battalion
OC in BMP 2
10 x BMP 2
4 x BMP 1 Recce
10 x BMP 1 platoons
10 x T72s
4 x Hinds
2 x Frogfoots

Set Up

Objectives are in the field top and bottom left, on the curve in the highway top and in the mosque compound far right

Team Yankee USMC!

Hi everyone, I've been working away at updating my USMC for Moderns and the new Battlefront Team Yankee is a perfect fit! I'm trying to do a USMC from Desert Storm so close enough that it will seamlessly fit into the world of Team Yankee. The HMMVEs are M113s, the Harriers are A10s and the M60s are M1s. It is a almost seamless transfer. I will have a post on how I painted my tanks and aircraft up shortly. For now here are some pictures of the Combat team I have finished (less decals and varnish).

 Group Shot with tanks, TOW, aircraft and some infantry