Flames of War – Beginner’s Guide to Army Building
Flames of War: Beginner’s Guide to Army Building (15mm WWII)
Flames of War (by Battlefront Miniatures) is a fast, cinematic tabletop wargame in 15 mm scale that lets you command tanks, infantry, artillery, and aircraft across World War II theatres. If you’re new, the hardest part is knowing what to buy and how to build your first list. This guide walks you through the essentials—periods, points, formations, support choices, and smart upgrade paths—so you can field a fun, balanced army that wins missions and looks great on the table.
Flames of War at a Glance
- Scale: 15 mm (1/100) miniatures—armies look like real WWII forces without consuming your whole table.
- Periods: Early War (1939–41), Mid War (1942–43), Late War (1944–45). Each period has its own books/units.
- Typical Game Size: 100 points (especially in Late War). Smaller learning games are 50–80 points.
- Playstyle: Combined arms—infantry hold, tanks punch, artillery shapes the battlefield, recon scouts and screens.
How Army Building Works (v4 Fundamentals)
You don’t just buy random platoons—you build a Force using a simple framework:
- Pick a Period & Book: e.g., Late War Fortress Europe or the D‑Day books; Mid War North Africa or Eastern Front books. The book dictates what formations and support you can take.
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Choose a Formation: Your core (e.g., a US Sherman Company, German Panzergrenadier Company, British Armoured Squadron, Soviet Tank Battalion). A formation contains:
- Formation HQ (mandatory)
- 2–3 compulsory units (e.g., two Tank Platoons or two Infantry Platoons)
- Optional units (more tanks/infantry, weapons platoons, mortars, etc.)
- Add Support: Artillery, anti‑tank guns, AA, recon, heavy tanks/assault guns, air support. Support can aid any formation in your force.
- Layer Command Cards (optional): Card‑based upgrades/tweaks that grant special rules, warrior characters, or formation variants. Great spice—don’t rely on them to fix a bad list.
Stats You’ll See on Unit Cards
- “Hit On” rating: How easy the enemy hits you (e.g., “Careful” units are harder to hit than “Aggressive”).
- Armour / Anti‑tank / Firepower: The math behind tank duels and gunfights.
- Motivation / Skill: Rally, Counterattack, Blitz/Shoot & Scoot—these determine how often your plans actually work.
Which Period Should You Start In?
- Late War (1944–45): The most popular on‑ramp. Lots of plastic kits, many Starter Forces, and tons of community content. 100‑point games are standard.
- Mid War (1942–43): Great desert and Eastern Front themes, slightly smaller weapons and armour values than Late War. Good for learning armour tactics.
- Early War (1939–41): Evocative but niche for beginners—lighter tanks, more maneuver play. Excellent once you love the system.
Pick a Nation by Playstyle (Beginner‑Friendly Profiles)
United States – Combined Arms & Artillery Excellence
Why beginners like it: Flexible lists, reliable artillery, and medium tanks that do everything reasonably well. Infantry with integrated weapons (bazookas, LMGs) defend objectives efficiently.
Germany – Elite Tools, Fewer Bodies
Why beginners like it: High‑quality tanks and anti‑tank guns; many “Careful” units are harder to hit. You’ll have fewer platoons—play tight, trade efficiently, and let superior guns do work.
Britain/Commonwealth – Toolboxing & Firefly Punch
Why beginners like it: Versatile armoured squadrons (Sherman platoons with a Firefly 17‑pdr), excellent 25‑pdr artillery, and fast recon (Universal Carriers) to set up kills and screen.
Soviet Union – Massed Armour & Hero Formations
Why beginners like it: Iconic T‑34s and strong artillery choices. “Hero” formations (fewer tanks with better stats) are a great training wheels option for more elite play.
Starter Buying Paths (What to Get First)
- Rulebook + Cards: Many starter sets include a mini rulebook and unit cards—cards keep stats on the table.
- Starter Force / Army Box: Nation‑specific bundles give you a legal formation plus support—excellent value and a clean path to 100 points.
- Artillery or AT next: Add a medium artillery battery (smoke + bombardments) or a dedicated anti‑tank unit so you can answer enemy heavies.
- Recon & Smoke: A small recon unit (to lift Gone to Ground and threaten Spearhead) and at least one smoke source are quality‑of‑life upgrades that win missions.
Balanced 100‑Point Concepts (Late War Examples)
Points vary by book/season; treat these as templates, not exact shopping lists.
US Armoured (Sherman Company)
- Formation HQ: 2 Shermans
- Compulsory: 2× Sherman Platoons (each with a Firefly‑equivalent when playing Commonwealth; for US, consider a platoon with a 76mm option if your book allows)
- Optional in formation: Armored Rifle Platoon (infantry with bazookas), Mortars
- Support: Tank Destroyers (M10s or M18s), 105 mm artillery battery, Recon (Cavalry Patrol)
- Gameplan: Tanks pressure flanks while infantry digs in and the battery throws smoke on critical turns.
German Panzergrenadier (Infantry Core with AT)
- Formation HQ: Panzergrenadier HQ
- Compulsory: 2× Panzergrenadier Platoons (teams + half‑tracks where available)
- Optional in formation: HMGs/Mortars
- Support: Panzer IVs or Panthers, PaK40 anti‑tank guns, Nebelwerfer rockets
- Gameplan: Infantry holds, AT ambushes delete enemy armour, rockets pin and shape enemy infantry before the counterattack.
British Armoured Squadron
- Formation HQ: Sherman HQ
- Compulsory: 2× Sherman Troops (each with a Firefly for 17‑pdr punch)
- Optional in formation: Stuart light tanks or infantry platoon
- Support: 25‑pdr artillery, Universal Carrier Patrol (recon), 6‑pdr or 17‑pdr AT guns
- Gameplan: Use recon to expose targets, smoke with 25‑pdrs, Fireflies handle enemy armour while Shermans/infantry secure objectives.
Soviet Tank Battalion
- Formation HQ: T‑34 HQ
- Compulsory: 2× T‑34 Companies (mix 76 mm and 85 mm as your book allows)
- Optional in formation: Hero Motor Rifle platoon
- Support: SU‑85/100 tank destroyers or IS‑2 heavies, 122 mm artillery, Recon (BA‑64s)
- Gameplan: Pressure everywhere. Use mass to trade, artillery to pin, and a small infantry unit to dig in on the winning objective.
Seven Habits of High‑Win Flames of War Players
- Always bring smoke: Smoke bombardments protect advances, break stalemates, and make assaults possible.
- Respect templates: Artillery pins infantry, threatens gun teams, and punishes bunching. Even a small battery changes games.
- Recon does work: Spearhead expands your deployment and lifting Gone to Ground makes shooting reliable.
- Anchor with infantry: Tanks win space; infantry holds it. One good platoon near each objective is insurance.
- Trade up: Don’t feed tanks into equal fights. Focus fire to delete a key unit every turn.
- Plan the assault: Pin, smoke, isolation, then charge. Assaults without prep bleed platoons.
- Deploy for turn three: Visualize where each unit needs to be in two turns and set up lanes now—especially for artillery observers and AT arcs.
Command Cards—Use, Don’t Depend On
Command Cards are fun list‑flavor and tweaks (veteran ratings, warrior characters, formation variants). Start with your core units first; add a card or two for synergy later. Keep 5–8 points flexible in your list for local meta shifts.
Common Beginner Mistakes (and Easy Fixes)
- No answer to armour: Bring a dedicated AT choice (tank destroyers or AT guns). Don’t rely on medium tank duels alone.
- All tanks, no infantry: You’ll take ground but lose it at mission end. Add one infantry platoon to sit on objectives.
- Ignoring recon: Without recon you’ll struggle to hit dug‑in targets and you’ll deploy too narrowly. A tiny patrol pays for itself.
- No artillery: You’ll fail assaults and stall against guns. Even a small battery unlocks the board.
- Too many different platoon types: Streamline. Redundancy is strength—two similar units outperform four unrelated ones.
Painting & Basing Tips (15 mm that Pop)
- Prime, then drybrush zenithal: A quick light drybrush over dark primer gives instant definition before basecoats.
- Keep contrast high: Bold edge highlights on turrets, strong dust/mud pigments on tracks, readable divisional markings.
- Bases tell the story: Normandy hedgerows vs desert scrub vs Eastern Front snow—pick one and keep it consistent.
- Varnish for handling: Satin or matte varnish protects 15 mm edges from frequent play.
Upgrade Paths (After Your First 100 Points)
- Second formation: E.g., infantry core plus a small armoured formation for flexibility in reserves.
- Heavier hitters: One unit of heavies (IS‑2, Panther/Tiger, Churchill) as a “problem solver.”
- Specialists: AA that doubles as light AT, recon with flamers or extra MGs, observers for off‑board artillery.
Image Suggestions
- Hero banner: Mixed company—Shermans advancing with infantry and a battery in the background.
- Formation diagram: Simple visual showing HQ → two compulsory platoons → support ring.
- Before/after smoke: Same table view without/with a smoke template to illustrate its impact.
Link to Shop
Start or expand your 15 mm WWII force with curated kits, starters, and accessories:
FAQs – Flames of War Army Building (tap + to expand)
Learn at 50–80 points, then move to the standard 100‑point Late War format. Smaller games teach movement, smoke, and artillery timing without overload.
Pick a period book that matches your theatre (e.g., Late War Fortress Europe, D‑Day volumes; Mid War desert/eastern front books). The book unlocks your formations and support. Unit cards keep stats on the table.
No—Early/Mid/Late War lists are balanced within their own periods. Play Late War vs Late War, Mid vs Mid, etc.
Armour plays faster for learning movement and shooting. For winning missions, add at least one infantry platoon to sit on objectives.
They’re optional. Build a solid core first; then add a card or two for flavour (ratings tweaks, warrior characters, formation variants) as you learn.
A formation HQ, two compulsory platoons, and a mission‑capable support choice (artillery or dedicated AT). That’s enough to learn missions and win games.
Add recon and smoke if you lack them, then a second armour/infantry element for redundancy. After that, consider a second formation for list flexibility.