Re: Field Marshal Games Pieces Project Discussion thread

I have a question. Other than the naval units, do we have a consensus on each nations land/air units? Are you still taking suggestions on these units Field Marshal?

Just a few quick ideas and suggestions for the pieces.

Iconic units! AA50 did a reasonable job at this, but ensure that the right piece is used for each nation. British fighter = Spitfire, Russian tank = t34 etc etc.

On this note, an 88mm flak gun is not an artillery piece. Either use the 10.5cm field gun, or the Wespe/Hummel self propelled artillery, I hate those flak gun models.

National variation. The Italian pieces really disappointed me because the fleet was identical to the Germans. This just seemed lazy to me…. so very lazy.

decent molds! The aa50 molds are rubbish, the seams are really pronounced on some models to the point where you cant remove them without destroying the figure. I dont mind some flash, and minor seam lines, but the AA50 pieces are just a bit too crap in this regard.

I will buy “at least” an Italian set, I am currently painting my current models and if this pack is a far higher quality than the original I will ebay my painted models and start again entirely. (And probably make enough off my lovely high quality painted set to buy a new one with some change)

personally i like the 88mm flak piece for german arty. i mean, it was used in this role  :-P

BUT, if most people want a change, then stick with the iconic and make it a pak 40

I will definitely buy a set of these, maybe two sets. Keep up the good work field marshal!

@ FMG - I know that you have stated previously in this thread that you are still working with the modeller to choose the naval sculpts which are to be used, but I was wondering if any had been settled upon yet. I gather that from the images sent to you by the modeller, the Italian CV, BB, and CA will be the Aquila, Littorio, and Zara classes, respectively, but the others are still unknown. I don’t mean to be annoying, so if you don’t want to (or can’t) share this info with us yet, please feel free not to. I can’t help but ask such questions, as this is an exciting project which just seems better as more info trickles out to us.

EDIT - I see three new posts have been made while I was typing all of this stuff up; it may no longer be relevant, as I haven’t had time to read the new posts yet, but here is what I have been writing intermittantly for the last half hour or so.

EDIT 2 - National colours, as suggested by Imperious Leader could work as well; just switch units upon capture. It depends on what would work better for FMG, especially in terms of cost.

On another note, if this set is successful, do you plan to do a “common unit” set, with a new IPC, AA Gun, and maybe some other units? I know it is a bit much to expect now with the vast effort and expense which you are committing to the current set, but it could be an idea for the future (if the current units are successful, as noted). You could possibly even produce two different IPC’s; a small-scale one [maybe with a peaked roof, as in the old A&A PC Game, and one stack], and a larger scale one (with a longer rectangular shape, the multiple horizontal peaked roof parts of the current unit albiet with more detail than the current ugly 1930s-cartoony-looking one, and two or three stacks); house rules could perhaps be developed as to their output levels. The current AA gun is OK for a shared unit, but I never seem to have enough of them, so it doesn’t hurt to have more (and with a better mold).

Other ideas for shared units could include a shipyard (required for production of naval units, although this might over-complicate the game and make production too expensive. I would suggest a shared bunker/pillbox unit, but you are already providing one per each nation already.

Another idea I had was for an incomplete capital ship piece; one would have to purchase the incomplete hull for a certain amount of IPC’s (maybe 7?), and then either complete it as a CV or BB for the remaining amount the next turn, or suspend or cancel construction next turn, as the military and economic situation of one’s country allows. This could be representative of Germany’s large scale cancellation of Z-Plan ships in favour of more important strategic needs, or the USSR’s similar suspension of a number of its own BBs and CBs upon the commencement of Operation Barbarossa. As well, incomplete hulls could be captured by occupying powers, much as Germany managed to capture a number of incomplete hulls from France, the Soviet Union, the Netherlands, and Italy upon occupation of those nations. The greater amount of time needed to produce large fleet carriers would not only be historically accurate, but could make a new class of light or escort carrier a more viable strategic option (as was the case for Japan, or to a more limited extend for the US). I don’t know how much support there is from the community for such a unit, though.

I assume that if a common unit set is released, it would be a flat, light gray, as the current A&A common units are coloured. If not, then likely a flat white, as per the common units of the original MB A&A common units.

@tin_snips:

personally i like the 88mm flak piece for german arty. i mean, it was used in this role  :-P

BUT, if most people want a change, then stick with the iconic and make it a pak 40

It was used in an anti-tank role, not a convention artillery “Shell them till the go deaf, then shell them some more” kind of way. A pak 40 is also an anti tank gun and not an artillery piece.

I just find it an odd selection for an artillery piece, and would prefer to see an actual piece of German artillery instead.

Plus a Hummel or Wespe model would be Hawt.

http://www.hpwt.de/2Weltkrieg/Hummel.jpg
http://www.figuren-modellbau.de/fahrzeuge/matchbox-40077-wespe-panzer-artillerie.jpg

Although self propelled artillery models may confuse people who aren’t familiar with WW2 machinery.

This is very exciting! I would be in for a set of these!

but for $20 they will make more money because some people want more units for a specific nation and wont buy the whole set. Plus your now catering to all sorts of wargamers who will use these for other games and they may only want a few nations rather than 6.

I actually suggested something similar to this on the Harris forum.  I completely agree with IL on this.  People are likely to buy more at $20 than $60.  But I think both should be offered.  One large basic set and then a bunch of specialized set and the basic set broken down into sections.

It (88mm) was used in an anti-tank role, not a convention artillery “Shell them till the go deaf, then shell them some more” kind of way. A pak 40 is also an anti tank gun and not an artillery piece.

The 88mm was also used in the artillery role as well even though it was not designed for it.  Personally I think the 88mm is just fine as an artillery piece.  It was best all around gun the Germans had.

I do agree with tin snip that the Hummel and Wespe would be more accurate. However, I think they would create confusion because they are mounted on tank bodies.  What ever artillery pieces are chosen, it should be a nonmotorized version.

@Black:

The 88mm was also used in the artillery role as well even though it was not designed for it.  Personally I think the 88mm is just fine as an artillery piece.  It was best all around gun the Germans had.

I do agree with “Ithkrall” that the Hummel and Wespe would be more accurate. However, I think they would create confusion because they are mounted on tank bodies.  What ever artillery pieces are chosen, it should be a nonmotorized version.

Fixed, as i made that suggestion. I also pointed out that motorized artillery would possibly confuse people.

I think my issue with the 88mm flak is also to do with it being a flak gun. If there were no “AA gun” models in the game, id agree. Personally, I’d love national AA gun models and have the 88mm there (I think a few people would like say 4-6 AA models per nation of your very own, and only dipping into the generic pool if you need too).

It just doesn’t look right on the board to my eyes (and the models for the 88mm in AA50 are not fun to paint)

I would pre order 2 sets and I have a few friends that would most likely order sets also.

Thank you for all these suggestions and the support!

Just wanted to let you know that I am leaving on vacation for a week, BUT I will be back to answer all your questions.  I have several people working on the project and I will report their progress when I get back.  Please just ask your friends to check out this thread and take the poll so we can gauge the overall interest in this.

If all goes well we will have the pre-order set up within a week and get this thing moving!

Vacation???!!!  8-)

No, no , no, this is not happening ? I need this pieces now !

Regardless of my vacation…  the project is moving forward.  At this point it is moving on its own.  I just will not be here for a week to hang out and chat about it with you guys. :-)

Ah, enjoy your vacation then; you certainly deserve it. 8-) And when you get back, we shall be waiting to hear of your latest progress with the new unit set (or at least to hear of any information with which you can provide us at that time). Can’t wait for the next progess report.

are there plan’s for france and poland forces,
i think that a set of sculpts of 1 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 armor, 1 fighter, 1 aircraft carrier, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer, 1 transport for france, and 1 infantry, 1 artillery, 1 armor, 1 fighter, 1 destroyer, 1 transport for poland,
for later turns if france and poland are in play, the sculpts other national sculpts could be used for the larger ships and submarines,

france

15 infantry
7 artillery
7 armor
5 fighter
3 aircraft carrier
3 cruiser
5 destroyer
5 transport

poland

15 infantry
7 artillery
7 armor
5 fighter
5 destroyer
5 transport

@Imperious:

Also, I have a new idea:

I want all these new pieces to be totally different pieces from AA. Twofold.

First: Avalon Hill already made the stuka and Me-109, but the stuka looks horrible

so if you have the German plane as the JU-87 Stuka or Fw-190 you create a new piece and also create the utility of having a new plane that people can use  rather than have yet another Me-109… By having a new unit to make these pieces really viable for all sorts of ideas.

The German Battleship should be the Graf Spee or Scharnhorst because we already got the Bismarck

The Japanese BB should be Kongo Class, so people can make the Yamato into a 5-5 battleship

The American BB should be the Lexington

The American fighter should be the MUstang

The German Artillery should be a PAK

The German tank should be Panzer IV or Tiger 2 or King tiger

etc… no sculpt should be an AH sculpt because your making something new and bold.

I agree with IL on most of these modifications & I have a few to add myself.

British Tank: Crusader or Churchill
British Bomber: Avro Lancaster
British Battleship: Nelson

American Tank: M3 Grant
American Artillery: M2 155mm “Long Tom” cannon
American Bomber: B-29 Superfortress
American Aircraft Carrier: Essex Class ships
American Submarine: Gato Class ships

German Tank: Pz. IV D (with short barrel 75mm gun)
German Artillery: 88mm (with anti-tank shield)
German Bomber: Heinkel 111

Also, will the pieces match the colors of the AH models?