Tanks - the WW2 Tank Skirmish Game

I treated myself to something new, that I thought I might be able to use to get my Grandson (4) into tabletop gaming.

I've seen some of the usual vitriol aimed at anything FOW online, and to be honest this draws me more towards their products! I bought Team Yankee as I'd read Harold Coyle's novel of the same name many years ago, and it's a great rule book. I'll use it in 6mm as I already have enough miniatures, but the 15mm offerings from Battlefront are excellent too.

Tanks is a steal at only £16.20 from Firestorm games. You get three models, which make up as two alternatives each (2x M4A3 75 or 76mm & a Panther or Jagdpanther) plus you get everything else to get you started - 2D terrain pieces, dice, cards, counters etc.

The games mechanism is simple but I can see it leaving you having to think before you act. Yes there's cards that give your crew members skills that owe a little to Hollywood. But it's a skirmish game after all.....you should be able to individualise your tanks!

One bonus is the deck of cards covers a dozen or more different vehicles, not just the Panther and Sherman that came in the box. This will allow anyone with a collection of 15mm tanks to get started straight away and enjoy multi-tank battles on their 3 foot square battlefield. I've got a sheet of flocked pvc left from my HoTT terrain boards that I will cut to 33" xx 33", which I think will be near enough.

I'm looking forward to playing a game.

Below are a few pictures I took while assembling the Sherman's.

These are nothing like the early attempts at plastics that came with the Open Fire box. They're easily on a par with PSC. Parts are flash free, precisely mounded and fit together faultlessly.

The hull is the late M4A3 with welded glacis plate and vertical Volute suspension.

You then have a choice of turrets, the older M4 with 75mm or 105 mm or the newer turret with the 76mm. You'll notice that I accidentally fitted the 17pdr barrel and broke the additional .30" mg barrel ..... Doh! The US commander figure came from the PSC Stuart kit.

The older turret has a choice of US or British cupolas and the earlier 75mm mount if you wish.

I built one up with appliqué armour on the sides and glacis, spare track links and an uprated mantlet that mounts a .50" mg.

Good models that I cannot fault.