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Check out the Panzer Lehr Division Army Deal in the online store...
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Overview
So, if we look at what we get in the excellent value Panzer Lehr Division (GEAB26) army deal, that will help decide what Formations to run (other than the obvious one on the box!). The army deal contains the following:
- 1 x Panzergrenadier Company HQ
- 2 x Panzergrenadier Platoons
- 9 x Sd Kfz 251 Half-tracks
- 4 x Jagdpanzer IV or Panzer IV/70 Assault Guns
- 2 x Sd Kfz 10/4 (2cm) Self Propelled AA
- 3 x Nebelwerfer Rocket Launchers
- 7 x Unit Cards
- 10 x Metal Panzer Lehr Infantry
- 1 x Destroyed Tiger Objective
- 1 x Destroyed Cromwell Objective
- 20 x Panzer Lehr Dice
- 20 x Panzer Lehr Tokens and 2 x Objectives
- 2 x Panzer Lehr Decal Sheets
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This is not your normal army deal you usually see. As with the usual majority of plastic sprues, we have some metal infantry figures to theme your platoons. The ten metal infantry figures are a mix of two panzerfausts, two MGs, one SMGs and five with rifles. It also comes with two themed custom objective markers (destroyed Tiger and Cromwell) and specific decals for the Panzer Lehr division. To top that off, it comes with themed dice token and standard flat objective markers. Cost for the army deal is a bit more expensive but the extras are well worth it and you save more money overall with all the goodies inside the box!
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Now this box has been primarily designed for running the German Armoured Panzergrenadier Company in the D-Day Compilation book. We will look at building a 100pt list around that first but there are two other potential options we will look at from the Bagration and Bulge German books where we can also maximise what we get in the army deal box and look at 100pt options.
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1. Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
Onto the Formations now and looking at the Armoured Panzergrenadier Company from the D-Day Compilation book, let us look at what units comprise this Formation:
- 1 Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ
- 1-2 Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon
- 1 Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon or Panzergrenadier Platoon or Reconnaissance Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured 8cm Mortar Section
- 0-1 Armoured 7.5cm Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Grille 15cm Gun Platoon or 15cm Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured sMG34 Machine-Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured Flame-Thrower Platoon
- 0-1 7.5cm Tank-Hunter Platoon
- 0-1 Sd Kfz 10/4 Light AA Platoon
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Based on the Formation and what we get in the army, we can use all the army deal box and add a couple of extra boxes and a sprue to get to 100pts! This is how it could look based on what is pictured on the box and D-Day German force diagram:
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Five units for the Formation break. Two solid platoons of Infantry bristling with personal anti-tank weapons – a total of six Panzerschrecks and three Panzerfausts! Round out the Formation with fire support from the short 7.5cm guns also mounted in half tracks and light AA to help protect against aircraft or for anti-infantry duty. To support this force, we have added a battery of Flak with AT14 that we downgraded to save points to add in a looted Firefly – to provide a mobile AT14 platform. The Nebelwerfers provide the salvo template to pin down and kill off enemy infantry and gun teams. The Jagdpanzer IVs provide AT11 support against the light and medium tanks. This force can defend and or attack. Dig in on defence with the Flak guns or use the half tracks to get into assault positions.
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To buy this army you need only to purchase the following for $235:
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1 x GEAB26 Panzer Lehr Division
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145
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1 x GBX177 Gun Platoon/Mortar Section
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40
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1 x GBX149 8.8cm Heavy AA Platoon
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40
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1 x BSO193 Plastic Sherman V/Firefly Sprue
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10
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TOTAL
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$235
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2. Bagration: German Based Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
The next Formation to look at is a similar Formation in the Bagration German book where you now have integrated armour options in your infantry Formation and still allow us to maximise our purchases. The units that make up the Armoured Panzergrenadier Company in the Bagration book are:
- 1 Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ
- 1 Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon
- 1 Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon or Panzergrenadier Platoon or Reconnaissance Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon or Panther Tank Platoon or Panzer IV Tank Platoon or Stug Tank Platoon or Panzer IV/70 Tank Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured 8cm Mortar Section
- 0-1 Armoured 7.5cm Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Grille 15cm Gun Platoon or 15cm Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured sMG34 Machine-Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Armoured Flame-Thrower Platoon
- 0-1 7.5cm Tank-Hunter Platoon
- 0-1 Sd Kfz 10/4 Light AA Platoon
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As you can see, the Formation is pretty much identical but with the additional option of adding an armour option. We can maximise our purchasing power by only needing to get one additional box and one blister on top of the army deal:
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Eight units for the Formation break. Now you will have noticed that I have made the second platoon foot sloggers. The reason being that purchasing the Gun Platoon / Mortar Section box, you can build either the 75mm short gun or the 8cm mortar. If we take four of the standard half-tracks belonging to one of the platoons, we can have both 75mm short gun and 8cm mortar half-tracks as shown in the list. To make up for loss of MGs from the half-tracks, we have added in an HMG platoon. Aside from the Nebelwerfers, everything else is the Formation including the Panzer IV/70s which provide mobile AT14 and is your main reserve unit. Two artillery templates with the armoured mortars now as well as the Nebelwerfers. Again, a versatile Formation that can defend or attack with plenty of mobility and half-track galore!
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To buy this army you need only to purchase the following for $195:
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1 x GEAB26 Panzer Lehr Division
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145
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1 x GBX177 Gun Platoon/Mortar Section
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40
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1 x GE784 sMG34 Machine-gun Platoon
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10
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TOTAL
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$195
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3. Bulge: German Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
Onto the final Formation now that we can maximise. The Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company from the Bulge book is one we can maximise our box of goodies for. The units that make up this Formation are:
- 1 Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ
- 1-2 Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon
- 1-4 Brigade Armoured 2cm Flak Platoon or Brigade Armoured Triple 15mm Flak Platoon
- 0-1 Brigade Armoured 7.5cm Gun Platoon
- 0-1 Brigade Armoured Flamethrower Platoon
- 0-1 Brigade 12cm Mortar Platoon
- 0-2 Brigade Panzer IV/70 Tank-Hunter Platoon
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This Formation can take up to 24 triple 15mm flak tracks – massed firepower! For our purposes though we only need one platoon of six to maximise our budget and we want to add some heavy support in terms of some King Tigers. Four boxes in addition to the army deal to make this one:
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Six units for the Formation break and back to both platoons mounted in half-tracks. Again, Panzer IV/70s in the Formation to anchor it. Both short 75mm mobile guns and triple 15mm flak tracks to provide supporting fire in defence or assaults. Nebelwerfers for artillery support and AA in case your opponent has aircraft that want to try and take out your three King Tigers. Lots of firepower in this Formation and provides lots of options based on your playstyle. Whilst the first two Formations are rated Careful 4+, this Formation and KTs are Aggressive 3+ to hit. There are command cards available to upgrade the Formation to Careful 4+ if you prefer it – might need one less King Tiger.
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To buy this army you need only to purchase the following for $285:
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1 x GEAB26 Panzer Lehr Division
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145
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1 x GBX178 Tiger II Tank Platoon
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40
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1 x GBX180 Armoured Flak Platoon
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60
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1 x GBX177 Gun Platoon/Mortar Section
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40
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TOTAL
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$285
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There you have it – a few options to ponder for getting started with this army deal. Enjoy!
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~ John
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