Flames of War
Flames of War is a World War II tabletop miniatures wargame produced by the New Zealand company Battlefront Miniatures Ltd. The 1st Edition set of rules was published in 2002.
Flames of War allows players to wargame company-level battles from the European, Pacific, and North African Theatres of World War II, using 1/100 scale miniatures and miniature armor. In the 1st Edition rulebook, basic army lists were provided for the mid-war period, while Battlefront published early and late war army lists on their website. The 2nd Edition of the rulebook was published in 2006. The 3rd Edition was released on March 10, 2012. The 4th Edition was released in March 2017.
Gameplay
The gameplay takes place over a series of turns, with players alternating movement, shooting, and close assault. The game is optimized for two players, although it can be played by a larger number of players playing against each other or grouped in teams.The play revolves around company-level tactics, with each stand or element representing an infantry fireteam, an artillery piece and its crew, or a single vehicle. Air support is also available, in the form of fighter bombers and ground attack aircraft, with aircraft generally being represented by 1:144 scale models.
The main rulebook has scenarios that players can use for their games, with all of these scenarios centered on capturing objectives. Additional army sourcebooks contain further scenarios, usually centered on historical events relevant to that particular book. Game play utilizes six-sided dice to pass various skill tests used to shoot at enemies or pass motivation-based tests. Movement distances and weapon ranges are provided in both inches and centimeters and are usually measured with tape measures or other measuring aides. Tokens are used to indicate pinned-down troops, bogged down vehicles, etc.
Current army sourcebooks are based on particular campaigns and include army lists for the German forces, the U.S. Army, the armies of United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the Red Army of the Soviet Union,, the Italian army, as well as nations that played as smaller role such as the Polish, Hungarians, Finnish, Romanians, as well as the Japanese and United States Marines for the Pacific Theatre campaign.
Rules and sourcebooks
Battlefront divides World War II into three periods: early-war, mid-war and late-war. Each period has its own point values aimed at recreating actual battle situations that would have occurred during the respective time periods. Sourcebooks are compiled to represent forces from one of the time periods, some only cover specific battles while other books cover broad campaigns with lists that span multiple years.Mid-War period Force Booklets
All American released in November 2019, covers American Airborne and Rangers during mid-war campaigns 1942–1943.Death From Above released in November 2019, covers German and Italian Airborne forces during mid-war campaigns 1942–1943.Red Devils released in May 2020, covers British Airborne and Commando forces during mid-war campaigns 1942–1943.Third Edition sourcebooks
Early-War period
Barbarossa, released in Oct 2014 covers German forces invading the Soviet Union.Rising Sun covers the Soviet Union's early war operations in the Winter War against Finland, as well as their operations against the Japanese Empire during the Battles of Khalkhin Gol.Late-War period
Berlin, released in June 2015, covers Soviet forces during the Battle of Berlin.Nachtjager, which means 'Night Hunter', released in Dec 2012, covers The Allied invasion of Germany|Battle For Northern Germany] in the months of March – May 1945.The Battle of the Bulge, released in Sept 2016, covers Allied Forces on the German Border, Sep 1944 – Feb 1945 and The Ardennes Offensive: German Forces in Lorraine and the Ardennes, Sep 1944 – Feb 1945. It replaces Blood, Guts, and Glory, Devil's Charge and Nuts.The Ardennes Offensive, covers German Forces in Lorraine and the Ardennes, Sep 1944 – Feb 1945. It replaces Blood, Guts, and Glory, Devil's Charge and Nuts.Bulge, a compilation set released in Sept 2016, containing The Battle of the Bulge and The Ardennes Offensive in a special slip case.Blood, Guts and Glory, released in April 2012, covers the fighting in Alsace and Lorraine. Includes lists for American Tank, Tank Destroyer and Armored Infantry companies from September 1944 to the end of January 1945, as well as providing lists for the tanks and infantry of the Panzer Brigades that fought in this area.Devil's Charge, released in July 2012, covers the fighting by the 6th Panzer Army in the Battle of the Bulge. Includes lists for Kampfgruppe Peiper and Skorzeny's Panzer Brigade 150. For the American's it covers the infantry, engineers, light tank and cavalry companies that fought from September 1944 to the end of January 1945.Nuts!, released in October 2012, covers the fighting around Bastogne and Operation Nordwind. Includes lists for US Paratroopers, Airborne Engineers and Glider Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division, as well as Volksgrenadiers, Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653 and the troops of the 25th Panzergrenadier and 17th SS-Panzergrenadier divisions.Market Garden, released in February 2013, covers fighting by Allied Forces in Operation Market Garden. Includes lists for British, Polish and American Airborne forces and ground forces such as British 30th Armoured Corps. Also includes lists for Canadian forces that fought in the Battle of the Scheldt. It replaces A Bridge Too Far and Hell's Highway.Bridge by Bridge, released in February 2013, covers fighting by Axis Forces in Operation Market Garden. Includes German Fallschirmjäger, Wehrmacht and SS troops. It replaces A Bridge Too Far and Hell's Highway.Overlord, released in June 2013, covers the Allied invasion of Normandy. It replaces Turning Tide and Earth & Steel.Atlantik Wall, released in June 2013, covers the defense and counterattacks of France by German forces. It replaces Turning Tide and Earth & Steel.D-Day Overlord: Return to Normandy, compiles Atlantik Wall and Overlord books in a special slip case.Desperate Measures, released in December 2013 provides briefings and lists for the final Soviet push into Berlin.Fortress Italy, released in Dec 2014 covers German and Italian RSI fascist forces in Italy 1944–45. It replaces Dogs & Devils and Cassino. Contains the Hermann Göring Fallschirmpanzerdivision & troops defending the Gustav Line and Monte Cassino.Road To Rome, released in Dec 2014 covers Allied forces in Italy 1944–45. Contains British/Commonwealth, Polish, U.S. and French forces. It replaces Dogs & Devils and Cassino.Italy Compilation, contains Road To Rome and Fortress Italy.Bridge at Remagen, released in Jun 2014 covers the decisive battles in the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland and center-stage for the last major fights between US and German forces.Gung Ho, released in Apr 2016 covers US Marine Corps Pacific Forces, Saipan and Okinawa. It replaces Island Landing and Atoll Landings. Banzai, released in Apr 2016 covers Imperial Japanese Pacific Forces and four intelligence briefings. Special Rules: Battles Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima; Banzai Charge; Kendo; No Surrender; Seishien; Human Bullet; Banners; Regimental Standards; Hell By Day, Paradise By Night; and Envelopment.Second Edition sourcebooks
Early-War period
Blitzkrieg, covering the Invasion of Poland and the Fall of France, it includes Polish, French, British and German Lists.Hellfire and Back, covering the early war battles in North Africa, it includes English, German and Italian Lists.Burning Empires, a continuation of Early War battles in North Africa and Greece, it includes lists for Raiding Forces as well, including American one.Desert War: 1940–41, contains Hellfire and Back and Burning Empires books.Mid-War period
Ostfront, covering all the armies that fought on the Eastern Front, both Axis and Allied forces. It is replaced by Eastern Front.Afrika covers the war in North Africa and Italy. This sourcebook includes both Axis and Allied forces, including their various allies.Mid-War Monsters covers various experimental armored fighting vehicles of World War II, including the M6 Heavy Tank, the Boarhound Armored Car, the Sturer Emil Self Propelled Anti-tank Gun, and the KV-5 Heavy Tank.North Africa updates and replaces the Afrika sourcebook. The specific organizations for the Deutsches Afrikakorps and Italian forces in Libya and Egypt have been included. Forces are split into North African, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy briefings. New forces previously not found in Afrika, such as British Airborne or a Panzerspähwagenkompanie, are included.Eastern Front updates and replaces the Ostfront sourcebook similarly to the North Africa book. It was released on January 9, 2010.Late-War period
Festung Europa, army lists for German, US, British and Soviet infantry, motorized, reconnaissance, and armored forces.D Minus 1, army lists for the Allied paratroop and air-landing units active in the European theater during January–August 1944.D-Day, containing rules for the Normandy campaign, including beach landings, and fighting in the bocage.Bloody Omaha, army lists for German and US infantry divisions engaged in Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944.Villers-Bocage, army lists for German and British tank units fighting for control of the Normandy town of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. Includes new heroes, new unit organizations, and new scenarios.Monty's Meatgrinder, army lists for German and British/Canadian forces fighting for Caen from June to August 1944. This book is the first to remove the number of support units limitation based on combat platoons.Cobra, the Normandy Breakout, army lists for SS and American troops fighting during Operation Cobra, the breakout from Normandy.Stalin's Onslaught, army lists for the initial assault in Operation Bagration focusing on the Soviet 8th Independent Penal Battalion, Soviet IS-2 heavy tank battalion and German 78. Sturmdivision. This is the first of three books to focus on Operation Bagration.Fortress Europe was released on 15 November 2008 and updates Festung Europa to make it consistent with the new style of army lists and includes options added by PDF.Hammer & Sickle, army lists for the drive on Minsk during Operation Bagration focusing on the Soviet Guards Divisions and German Sperrverband "Armoured Blocking Forces" and 505th German Tiger tank battalion. This is the second of three books to focus on Operation Bagration.Firestorm – Bagration, a Campaign box focused on Operation Bagration.River Of Heroes, the last in the Bagration cycle, and focuses on the 3rd and 5th SS Panzer divisions, and the Soviet Sapper battalions.Hell's Highway, the first book in the Market-Garden series, covering German Fallshirmjagers, the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and the British Guards Armoured Division.A Bridge too Far, the second and last book in the Market-Garden series, covering the battles for Oosterbeek and Arnhem.Firestorm – Market Garden, a Campaign box focused on Operation Market-Garden.Dogs and Devils, the first of two Italian front books, featuring the US 3rd Infantry Division, the 'Devil's Brigade', and the 1. Fallschirmpanzerdivision "Herman Goring".Stalin's Europe, army lists for the German, Soviet, Hungarian and Romanian troops involved in the Siege of Budapest, 1944–45.First Edition sourcebooks
These books have been replaced with the sourcebooks listed above which reflect the 2nd, 3rd or current 4th Edition rules. All of these supplements below are now out of print. Battlefront provides updates on their website that detail the changes between these old sourcebooks and the new mid-war army lists provided in Afrika and Ostfront. With these changes, players may continue to use these sourcebooks for tournament play in the mid-war period.First Edition Rulebook – German, US, Soviets, British, and Italian basic force lists.Diving Eagles – German Fallschirmjäger lists. Battlefront released a second edition of this book in March 2006.Old Ironsides – US armor and armored infantry lists.Hitler's Fire Brigade – German armor and armored infantry lists for the Eastern Front. Two editions of this sourcebook were printed.Desert Rats – British armored squadrons and motor companies in the Mediterranean and North Africa.Desert Fox – German Afrika Korps panzer, motorized/armored infantry and reconnaissance companies.Stalingrad – Soviet and German infantry lists on the Eastern Front. Includes rules for street-fighting in an urban environment, as well as snipers.Stars & Stripes – US rifle infantry, Rangers, parachute infantry, tank, armored rifle and armored reconnaissance lists. All army lists from Old Ironsides are included in this sourcebook.For King and Country – British commonwealth forces such as Australian, New Zealand, Indian and Canadian forces.Avanti Savoia – Italian infantry, tank and motorized infantry forces.Za Stalina – Soviet armor and cavalry forces.Web briefings
Battlefront publishes additional army lists on their web site. These lists are official Battlefront lists and are eligible to be played in many tournaments. Additionally, Battlefront will host "unofficial" briefings developed by fans, although such lists are generally not eligible for tournament play.Models and availability
Battlefront Miniatures is releasing at 15mm/ 1/100 scale, made up mostly of plastic models, for use in playing Flames of War. This includes models for ground forces, such as infantry, vehicles and field guns, along with a limited range of 1/144 model aircraft. The models are sold in blister packs and assorted boxed sets with 3–5 models each for vehicles and often up to 100 models for infantry boxes.Other manufacturers, such as Plastic Soldier Company, produce 15mm figures for war gaming World War II, which can be used in addition to or instead of Battlefront's figures, in either private or tournament play. Battlefront allows the use of third party models even in officially run tournaments, which is rare among wargames companies that sell their own lines of models.
Tournaments
Battlefront supports the tournament scene that revolves around Flames of War. Flames of War tournaments are held across the world and through the Flames of War website players have access to listings of upcoming events through the Flames of War Events Calendar. Each area of the world has a specific events calendar that players can use to find events near them. In North America Battlefront promotes a National Tournament Season in which winners of regional tournaments are qualified to play in any of the three National Tournaments. Players winning an Overall Championship or Best General Award from the three Nationals receives an automatic invitation to the North America Masters tournament. Other spots on the Masters Tournament are filled by the top ranked players on the Rankings HQ website. Individuals, clubs, or shops wishing to run a Flames of War sponsored tournament can contact Battlefront through Battlefront's website.Reception
At the 2004 Origins Awards Flames of War was one of the winners of the Vanguard Awards.William Jones comments: "Historical miniature gamers will certainly continue the quest for the perfect new rules systems — the same quest that, in part, brought Phil Yates to create Flames of War. But his marvelous design offers quite a lot, especially to those tabletop tacticians who long for a game where strategy is dominant, who want to dedicate more time to plotting a battleplan and less to worrying about the rules. Flames of War boasts a wonderful balance between speed of play, detail, and flavor".