The Commander Series Forum

I am trying to build an army using the figures from O8. I have seen the great work that Mr. Average and others have done and I am trying not to copy them. I have no military background other than my dad being in the army so forgive my layman's terms.

I am not necessarily asking in terms of rules. I am just trying to form an army so I can then group them and build an army in terms of the rules.

I was just going for something basic so I can paint them and have 2 equivalent armies ready to go in a few months. I would just be using the O8 figures as I could not scratch build anything. I know aircraft are lacking in the science fiction section so I might go outside O8 to use something else for large drop ships but I will deal with those once they have something to carry.

Anyway, O8 has 4 MBTs:
T-225 'Boris' MBT Neo-Soviet tank
Ceasarion MBT
'Blower' MBT heavy air-cushioned tank
M76 McAuliffe MBT

I was thinking I could possibly make 4 armies. A MBT for each army but then I thought 2 armies would be easier. Maybe make 1 tank the army's true MBT and the other be a lighter tank or more of a infantry support tank?

Any suggestions about the MBTs?

Thanks.

Aw, shucks. You can copy my TO&Es if you want to.

In answer to your query, though, generally speaking a single unit would only use a single type of MBT, so that the strength and mobility of the deployment could be predicted to some degree. That said, a lower-grade or mercenary force might have to make do with whatever vehicles they could get their hands on, in which case you'd find more of a mix. But a professional force would probably have one type of tank, one type of IFV/MICV/APC, one type of artillery vehicle, and one or two types of utility vehicle, possibly in several variants. My inclination was always, from playing Battletech, to have one of every kind of tank I could get my hands on, but a game like FWC rewards a more realistic battle line.in gameplay - tons of specialist units can cripple a force if you lose them, since you'll have fewer line units left and may find yourself losing a critical asset.

US army field manuals are a goldmine of organizational information. And iron wind Metals "micro fighters" are excellent aircraft at near-as-makes-no-difference to 3mm scale.

I'd go for the two you like best, and use them along with thewir corresponding style of APC/IFV for a force for each side as Mr. Average suggests.

Mr. Average, thanks. I like how you put your TO&Es together and did the nice graphic and data cards. I may have to learn NATO symbology.

Toxicpixie, that is what I was thinking.

So, let's say I have 2 armies with the following vehicles. No quantity per unit, yet, just a list of equipment.

Army A:
MBT: T-225 'Boris'
APC: Alligator
IFV: Matabele
Artillery: Thor MRL

Army B. Maybe be hover centric:
MBT: 'Blower' MBT
APC: Centaurus GEV
IFV: 'Blower' ACV
Artillery: M92 SPG (no hover artillery yet)

Not sure about Infantry themselves for each side. Maybe Army A uses Modern USA/Soviet infantry packs plus the Heavy Infantry Squad and what if Army B uses the Alien packs? Or the Aliens could be a separate, indigenous force in some system that each side could eventually fight.

Nothing set in stone for infantry or the vehicles, so any thoughts/ideas/suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

Modern Soviet and Israeli infantry is good in the O8 line. The sci-fi Heavy Infantry is more like powered armor, with the Badger and the like being heavy powered armor or infantry mechs like Heavy Gears (Vide: DP9). Personally, I'd treat the little GEVs as utility vehicles rather than APCs. Recon, light tank-style duties. The Blower ACAVs are more like infantry carriers to me, even though the Slammers canon has them as pure infantry support. Don't forget that you'll want some signals units - FAOs and FACs, as well as dedicated recon.

NATO symbols are easy to learn, but boy there are a lot of them. They even have symbols for things that don't exist yet, against the possibility that they might exist sometime in the future.

A good place to start looking at MIL-STD symbology:http://www.assistdocs.com/search/document_...

Don't be overwhelmed, it's a big subject. Once you get the basics, it's easy.

Thanks for the link to the MIL-STD. Quite a lot to digest there!

Also, thanks for the tips on the infantry. I will take a look at using those packs.

Unsure about the FAO and FACs. Would a modern pack be best for those?

Thanks.

I use UAV drones for my St. Vincent Brigade, but I think O8 just released a neat little armored car that might fill the role. Or one of the advanced Moderns could do, say a VAB or some late Soviet vehicle. Or just one of your ICVs with a different paint job and some infantry on the base to distinguish it. Frequently the same vehicle has multiple roles in a given force, especially in modern American, European and Russian groups which are moving towards modularity. It's reasonable to think that future forces might follow the trend.

By the way, if you're ever on the East Coast you have a standing invite to cross bayonets with the St. Vincent Brigade, or the Krakow Winged Hussars!

Thanks, Mr. Average. O8 does have that new Patrol Drone that might be good for recon or a forward observer.

I like the idea of a different paint scheme and some prone infantry, too.

Lots of good ideas. Thanks.

This is what I have settled on. I think.
Army A:
MBT: T-225 'Boris'
APC: Alligator
IFV: Matabele
Recon: Hailer AC
Artillery: Thor MRL
FAO/FAC: M113 C&R Lynx

Army B:
MBT: 'Blower' MBT
APC: M57 Manta APC
IFV: 'Blower' ACV
Recon: Centaurus GEV
Artillery: M92 SPG (no hover artillery yet)
FAO/FAC: patrol drone. May also pose as recon.

As far as TO&E, I may start with a USA and Warsaw Pact list and modify from there.

Dear TriOpticon,

My armies are based around the Caesarion/Matabele mix and the Boris/Alligator mix. The McAuliffe/Manta would be another good mix.

Know that the Blower ACVs are pretty small - too small to carry an infantry section, IMHNO, so perhaps not a good choice for AFVs. They do fine as ACVs, however.

I have upgraded my Centaurus by giving it rear-mounted jets, a middle body piece and forward-mounted cannon. It now looks very much like a GEV from Steve Jackson's Ogre universe. I also use the Centaurus as a GEV-PC by simply sticking jets on the back: the empty area in the middle is where the troops goo.