V3 Airpower

So I was able to get a game in last night with the V3 rules.  Most folks are posting differences in V2 / V3, so here I go:

I adjusted my 1,575 point list for LW to bring Typhoons.  At 170 points for Limited (5 dice), I really needed to make some harsh decisions on what to bring.  But I got them squeezed in and still had a formidable force.

For the record, this list was British 7th Armored (Recon with Cromwells) out of Turning Tide.

The game was fun.  I played a new player named Chris and he brought a similar list (Shermans instead of Croms and Confident Trained) to mine, but Canadian.  We played Dust Up.  In the end, I got him 5-2.  I got too aggressive with a platoon and he used every weapon to go after that platoon.  Bummer.

But what I want to focus on was the effect of air.  In V3, I am a fan.

With Limited Air, I got 5 dice.

In Turn 1, I rolled and received air.  2 planes.  I placed the template over 4 tanks in a field, but the are not concealed to aircraft.  He shot 5 dice (attached the 2iC that was not under the template) with .50cal AA MG.  He scored enough hits and firepower rolls to reduce my flight to 1.  After all the rolls, re-roll hits, armor saves and firepower, I destroyed 1 Sherman.

In Turn 2, I went after a platoon in concealment.  I wanted to play that out with the one attempt to range in.  He was trained, so with concealment I needed a 3+.  While there was some risk, I had a 66% chance I would range in on a juicy platoon.  I did range in, but got the same result - 2 planes, reduced to 1 and 1 destroyed M10.

For the rest of the game, various air arrived but always with 1 or 2 planes.  I bailed, but did not destroy anything else.

So did my 170 points pay off?  I think so.  1 Sherman and 1 Achilles / M10 wiped out.  Points wise, nearly a wash.  But the fact is that he had to adjust any moves knowing that air may be screaming down from above.

My belief is that all armor players (like me) will need to keep within 2" of terrain that will conceal you from aircraft.  I also think if I play Trained, I would bring dedicated land based AA to the table.  Where you can't hug terrain, you best have something to wipe planes from the sky.

Oh, by the way Typhoons rock!!