Starter Set Army List

[fwav8or]

Hi All,

New to BKCIV, and just bought the American Army-NW Europe starter pack.  What is a good army list to make with what is included?
1 x CO unit (5 officers)
6 x Infantry units
1 x 80mm mortar unit
1 x MG unit
1 x 57mm AT unit
1 x M8 A/C unit
5 x Shermans
1 x truck
Do I just go with an HQ unit, or an HQ and some CO's?  And if I go with CO's, how many should I make?
Also, how would you break down the other units?  For the Shermans, do I use one as a CO, and have two units (2 tanks ea), or go with a unit of 3 and a unit of 2?  And lastly, would you use the M8 as a recce vehicle?

Thanks all!  Just want to get the most out of my starter set.  My next purchase will be a German starter pack, and I hope to have these two armies battle and be fairly balance.

respectfully,
Jason

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

First of all HI !

   Lists - your proposed one is fine but.....Most people use 1 base to a platoon, so a US tank Company would be 3 bases, the btn should be 2 HQ's 3 Medium companies one Light Company (M5) 3 M4/105, 1 M4 MMC. The infantry btn would be similar in basic structure - 3 bases to a company, 3 rifle companies 2 HQ bases, 2 Mortar bases (1 repersents the m 81's the other the ignored 60mm ones) 1 or 2 57mm bases, 2 or 3 MG bases.

Recce - 2-3 M8's and a similar number of Jeeps.

SEnior HQ's 2 Command bases, 2 Artilery Observers, and an Air Liason team.

Enjoy,

Cheers IanS

[fred.]

Ian I think you are missing the point - Jason has a starter pack, so a set number of figures, and is wondering how best to organise them. 

In BKC, you can only have one CO stand, but can have several HQs. For that force 1 CO, and 1 HQ will probably be OK, you might want a second HQ. Some of this depends on how you like to play. Each CO/HQ will have a blob of units around it. So if you only have 2 command units you have 2 blobs, so you could have centre and left flank. If you have 3 HQs you can have centre and left and right flanks. 

HQ stands in game terms are all the same - personally I like to use tanks on the HQ stands of my armoured units, but its not required. So using 1 Sherman as a HQ would certainly work. In game terms a unit of 4 tanks will be fine. A unit of 2 tanks is going to be a bit small. 

Yes, using the M8 as recce would be sensible.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Fred I am aware that there can only be 1 CO, 2nd HQ represents the 2ic. The list I gave is pbassed on the real world adapted to BKC.

[Ithoriel]

That composition looks fine to me except for the command, Jason. I'd certainly want an HQ as well as a CO and a second HQ might well be useful.

Depending on your speed of painting and how soon you'll get the Germans, it might be worth painting some of each (3 infantry, an MG and a CO a side maybe?) to get a feel for the rules. A clash of recon forces on a small battlefield gives a quick game where the right or wrong die roll at a crucial moment will often be decisive but it lets you learn the basic rules and get some "toys on the table" - always a motivation to get painting, for me.

Once you have enough for a full game with the starter packs you'll have an idea whether you want to expand and if so what you want to add.

Working up to entire divisions can wait

I've had a lot of fun with the various incarnations of BKC, whatever you decide to do, I hope you have just as much fun.

[fred.]

pbassed on the real world adapted to BKC.

What's that mean? Lead Assed?

[paulr]

fwav8or, welcome to the forum

As you may have noticed there are a variety of personalities

I concur with Fred & Ithoriel's advice

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

What's that mean? Lead Assed?

Exactly what it said - real offical organisations adapted, so some things are concatenated - principally the mortars and SFMG.

[fwav8or]

Hi All!

Thank you for the warm welcome, and all the great info/advice.
Like you said Paul, quite a few personalities on the forums.  Haha!
I like what Ithoriel said about painting just a few units to be able to start chucking dice sooner.  I'll go with that.
And thanks for the recommendations Lord Kermit, that'll come in handy when I start expanding my forces.

Have a Happy New Year!
Jason

[Techno II]

Welcome from me, too.

Cheers - Phil 

[Itinerant Hobbyist]

Yes, welcome and I look forward to your battle reports!