Begin a game (for newbie)

[Ochoin]

Terrain is even more important in WW2 than figures.
Modelling your own terrain is a goal that will depend on your own skills & inclination.

To buy: I suggest EBay is handy for useful model railway buildings going cheap. Usually, they're of the the right period: 20th century. Just make sure they're to scale.

There are lots of manufacturers making resin, latex & plastic items out there.
I will suggest this firm for high quality latex:
http://www.miniatureworldmaker.com.au/m ... ountry=Aus

donald

[Fabien G]

I think I'll make a terrain by myself with natural stuff, or what I have at hand, I prefer to keep the little money I have to buy a set of figure or a cehicle I miss. I obviously understand (see on the pics) that a nicely built to scale city looks great, but I think mine will only comprise 2-3 old houses... I have a nice old green carpet, though...

[Wheeling Turn]

My biggest suggestion is to walk to the next club/show and see what is play there. Look around to see what you like.
Some good systems are able to start with just a handful of models and expand later. In some periods models can of course stand for others. Like the Wars of Louis XIV. The Wild West,Pirates,Medieval,Ancients....
My suggestions are :
WWII = Rapid Fire
Ancients to Medieval : DBA /Fields of Glory
1700-1900 = Black Powder

[Fabien G]

I will. That is, if something happens less than 500 miles away from home! I probably should look for a magazine, it urely contains some informations about clubs or stuff.
I've had a look on the internet about reports of games played, so it gave me an idea or two, and indeed Rapid Fire seems a good choice (if as a beginner I want to ba able to catch the train).

My problem still is that I won't probably have enough tanks and soldiers and armies of opposite sides to match the correct amount of soldiers supposedly involved to reproduce a battle. That disappoints me because I'd like to follow the rules corrcetly, but, well, as some body else said, first is have fun.
So I guess I'll 'invent' my own battle with what I've got of vehicles and soldiers, it doesn't matter, does it?
As some of you said, it's all about having fun!

For the moment, I'm carefully reading all information about painting the buddies, and trying to make make up my mind about how to achieve it corrctly. Will take some time!

[Wheeling Turn]

when it come to rapid fire start with the small encounters, and build up your forces slowly..

[Tantallon2]

Here is a good website for you:

http://aberdeenwargamesclub.com/?page_id=300

This is a list of people supplying wargame materials. It is mostly of companies etc in the UK (which might make you wonder at the huge length of the list!). However, amongst the list you will find some free resources - such as free card stock buildings (you just print them out). Might save you a bit of money.

For a Rapid Fire game in 1/72, a box each of German and (say) British plastics and a couple of tanks either side won't cost much - and don't forget ebay: there are always 20mm figures for sale there and you can get some real bargains at times (not always though).

[Fabien G]

Oh, I've got 'plenty' of stuff! I mean, I have several box of soldiers for each sides, with tanks and planes, but one planed supposed to be from Hungary 1943 with afrika korps... hum, that's not historicaly right. and reading how accurate most of you are...

the terrain is no problem, to me it's the less important on my list! I've got everything in my garden, and also good carpets and all!

Oh, one thing I'd like to know: How do I know how many soldiers should I put on the same base? 1, 2, or 3?
If i look here
http://www.rapid-fire.uk.com/rf_for_rookies.pdf
or at scenarios, for example there
http://www.rapid-fire.uk.com/carpiquet.pdf
I can quite understand that the 'chief' is alone, usually most of the soldiers go by 2, and the heavier machine gun or mortars 3 crew.
But some 'normal' soldiers seem to go alone, 1 on a base.
How do I make this up?
I guess the only way is... to know which scenario I want to follow, so which numbers of soldiers to use (and on how many bases)

So, when I will paint my soldiers, I will put all my 'chiefs' on a base on their own, all the soldiers on a 2-by-base basis, and machine gun and mortar 3 crew men on the same base. Does that seem slightly kind of right?

[Wheeling Turn]

I have mine based in 2 or 3 to a base, usually the guns complete with teams, Officers/Specialists alone. This is just to make the movement of models faster.
If you have the rules book, just collect and paint the forces in the first scenario. and then Start playing. As rapid fire is mostly scenario driven, just expand your collection by building forces for on scenario then the next. You'll have enough soldiers very fast, and vehicles can be exchanged without unbalancing the scenario too much.
It does not matter if you Tigers/Trucks/etc. have sand colours or Grey or whatsoever. Keep it simple, and cheap.

cheers Markus

[Paul]

Hey markus! Is there any chance of you putting your rules up here? From what I saw of them at kampen they looked simple but pretty good

[Dad's Army]

From what I saw of them at kampen they looked simple but pretty good

Yeah, I lost the game

[Peter]

Hey markus! Is there any chance of you putting your rules up here? From what I saw of them at kampen they looked simple but pretty good

Oh that was what they were doing And you lost Remco? I guess Andreas to?

Markus and Wolfgang just neede some victims. And the losers had to pay didn't they? I saw both winners going back with lot of new boxes with figures

[Dad's Army]

Yeah, did cost Andreas and me a lot of money

[Paul]

Aha!!! Would this be called messing about in someones thread ??

[Peter]

Aha!!! Would this be called messing about in someones thread ??

Oh no Paul, I wouldn't dare In fact I was talking about the same game you have seen in Kampen

[Paul]

Aha!!! Would this be called messing about in someones thread ??

Oh no Paul, I wouldn't dare In fact I was talking about the same game you have seen in Kampen

Ah so, that´s how the mouse gets the cheese

[Peter]

Aha!!! Would this be called messing about in someones thread ??

Oh no Paul, I wouldn't dare In fact I was talking about the same game you have seen in Kampen

Ah so, that´s how the mouse gets the cheese

[Wheeling Turn]

You mean you spend money on new model cowboys to play with, right remco????

[Dad's Army]

You mean you spend money on new model cowboys to play with, right remco????

In your dreams my friens
No this was my first game, and there will be following more.
I personal would like to have a WW2 game, but don't know how to play, what I need and so on.
Think I have to look and read all your post guys

[musketier]

First thing you need to decide Remco is what scale you would like to game in, skirmish or tactical, Grand Tactical or Strategic. Once one decides on that it is easier to figure out how many figures one needs. (or to put it a little simpler does a stand of figures take one hit to knock it out? or 3 or more? thats the simple difference between skirmish and grand tactical without resorting to a lot of military jargon )

[Wheeling Turn]

I prefer these rules for WWII

http://www.rapid-fire.uk.com/

cheers markus