The problem I've run in to working with Battlefront is that they're at the point in the war for the Germans that I've wanted to build lists for since I got into the game. The VERY late war stuff. Factory fresh panzers with elaborate paint jobs running alongside horse drawn wagons and trucks converted to run on burning wood! My next big late war tournament isn't until November, and it's a 1650 point "Tanksgiving" event. At this point I have three lists under consideration. All of the lists meet my criteria for "cool" (in other words, they're historically accurate and have something "cool" about the unit - be that history, paint jobs, performance in combat, or all of the above). So here are my thoughts...
First, 1/512 Schwere Panzerjägerkompanie - Ruhr Pocket - April, 1945 - this is a CV Kampfgruppe Ernst list
HQ - 1X Jagdtiger (395)
Platoon 1: 1X Jagdtiger (395)
Platoon 2: 4X Panzer IV J (350)
Weapons 1: 3X Ostwind (350)
Support 1: Volkssturm Platoon - Command Pzfst Rifle + 8X Pzfst Rifle (105)
Support 2: Volkssturm Platoon - Command Pzfst Rifle + 6X Pzfst Rifle (85)
Support 3: Volks Rocket Launcher Battery - Command SMG team, 2X Observer, 6X 15cm NW41 (135)
This list doesn't have a lot of hulls, but it is one of my favorite units. The Volkssturm units are good in making sure that you get a lot on the table in a reserve mission, and there's enough smoke to go around.
Next up is a Panzer Company from Desperate Measures. The force is based on Panzer-Abteilung 5 while attached to 25. Panzer-Grenadier Regiment. So here's what I have at this point.
I'm running them as a Veteran Division because, well, they were...
HQ - 1X Panther G (190)
Troop 1 - 2X Panther G (375)
Troop 2 - 4X Hetzer (340)
Weapons 1 - Panzer AA - 3X Möbelwagen (165)
Support 1 - Recon - 3X Aufklärer 38(t) (110)
Support 2 - Infantry - Panzersturm Platoon with 6X panzerfaust AR teams (320)
Support 3 - Artillery - 4X 15cm NW41 Launchers, observers, command, halftracks (150)
Total: 1650 on the nose
Again, not a lot of hulls here for a large list, and they're somewhat fragile. Panthers have been a tough sell in the benefit/points ratio since the Allied high-AT assets started showing up.
Finally - here are a couple of options for 510 Schwere Panzer Abteilung. This unit had some spectacularly painted King Tigers - a real mix of styles that lets me field just a little bit of everything, including a couple of nearly overall Primer Red ones! I've included a couple of options.
Here's what I'm working with at this point:
HQ - 1X King Tiger (215)
Platoon 1: 2X King Tiger (430)
Platoon 2: 2X King Tiger (430)
Support 1: Ersatz SS-Aufklärungs Platoon - command Pzfst SMG + 6X Pzfst Rifle/MG (200)
Support 2: Ersatz SS-Panzer Platoon - Panzer IV (Schurtzen) - 2X Panzer III M (Schurtzen) - 1X Panzer III - (230)
Support 3: Light AA Battery - Command SMG team - 4X 2cm Flakvierling 38 (75)
Support 4: Volks Rocket Launcher Battery - Command SMG team, Observer, 3X 15cm NW41 (70)
Total: 1650 on the nose
Upside - a lot of hulls with lots of armor and high AT - and some support tanks to keep everyone honest. Strong AA defense. Smoke. One good infantry platoon to hold key objectives.
Downside: Whole list is trained, most of it is reluctant, half of it is Allied
Intangible: List is an absolutely prototypical end of the war/last stand sort of list - and is pretty much dead accurate to what was in the field...
Option 2:
HQ - 1X King Tiger (215)
Platoon 1: 2X King Tiger (430)
Platoon 2: 2X King Tiger (430)
Platoon 3: Schwere Panzer Crew Platoon - Command Pzfst Rifle + 6X Pzfst Rifle (110)
Support 1: Volkssturm Platoon - Command Pzfst Rifle + 8X Pzfst Rifle (105)
Support 2: Ersatz SS-Panzer Platoon - Panzer IV + 3X Panzer III M (215)
Support 3: Light AA Battery - Command SMG team - 4X 2cm Flakvierling 38 (75)
Support 4: Volks Rocket Launcher Battery - Command SMG team, Observer, 3X 15cm NW41 (70)
Total: 1650 on the nose... again...
Upside - a lot of hulls with lots of armor and high AT - and some support tanks to keep everyone honest. Strong AA defense. Smoke. Two infantry platoons to hold the objectives - and the Volkssturm are always going to be there regardless of mission - which helps in reserve scenarios.
Downside: Still a lot of Allied platoons, but this adds one more organic platoon. Still a lot of trained, and the infantry units will be easier to break individually than the Ersatz SS unit because of their lower motivation and lack of "enjoy the war" rule.
Intangible: List is still absolutely prototypical end of the war/last stand sort of list - and is pretty much dead accurate to what was in the field.
From a "tourney standpoint" I think the 510 list is probably the strongest. You get five King Tigers, and that's only a little over half of your points!!!! All of them will look fairly awesome on the table, though. Post thoughts in the comments!
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