Box Contents

The Warlord Games US Rangers is a plastic kit containing:

• 30 Ranger infantry
• 25 Rifles
• 10 SMGs
• 5 BARs
• 5 Sniper Rifles
• 5 Bazookas
• Various items of equipment including Bangalore torpedoes, satchel charges, hand grenades, pistols, backpacks, pick/mattocks, axes, and wire cutters

The List – Agro Ranger Assault

Breakdown

Notes and Analysis

The objective of this list is two part – 1) use as many of the components from a single box of infantry as possible and 2) make a List that work at a competitive level. Please in mind, this List was written using only the content of a single box of infantry.

Quick clarification on the list. We are going all in on theme so I used the Late-War Ranger Company Theater Selector from Campaign: D-Day: US Sector. The Special use for this Theater Selector are:

• Rangers Lead the Way! – Rangers are allowed to make a Run move after both sides have finished set-up, before before the first turn of the game. This cannot be an assault and cannot be ambushed.
• No Time for Baggage – All HQ, Infantry and Transports and Tows must be Veteran.
• Covered Advance – Only half of the units within the force with the Rangers Lead the Way! Special Rule are allowed to use it. These units are chosen by the commanding player.

We are working with a six Order Dice-24 model-500pt-all Vet force. You’ve got both anti-tank and anti-infantry options with some solid close combat punch. Oh, and two of your units get to make a full Run move before the game starts. If the mission allows for Forward Deployment, that’s four units (three Ranger, one Sniper) starting the game at the 24″ line. Not bad, not bad at all. If you want to play with aggression, this might be the force for you.

This Platoon, even at the small size, it’s hyper agro. It’s run and gun. You want to get up close and personal and you will. With Rangers Lead the Way! at your disposal you can get your force deployed in an amazingly advantageous position. Even if the mission uses First Wave you still get to Run onto the table prior to the start of the game. For your Rangers Lead the Way! move, depending on what you are up against the layout of the table I’d pick the Ranger Bazooka Team (to get into cover early and lay in ambush), the Ranger Assault Section with the SMGs and the Lt. Why the Lt? Because it’s a four-man Vet squad with x4 SMGs.

That’s a deadly AT asset and nine Vets (with eight SMGs) forward deployed and ready to take the fight. Backing up those three units are two squads of five Rangers (each with a BAR) and a Sniper Team. The Sniper will be critical to neutralize enemy Weapons Teams like Mortars and MGs while the two squads with the BARs just do what Vet US Infantry do – never stop moving. Keep in mind this Platoon is still has the full US Army Special Rules including Fire & Maneuver so keep those boys moving and Pin the enemy.

I’m impressed with this kit! At first I was worried about only five BARs but it turns out, all these Ranger Squads can only take one BAR per squad. The inclusion of both a Sniper and Bazooka is great. Plus all the additional Ranger gear like Bangalores and Satchel charges for anyone looking to build a D-Day beach assault force. The US Rangers box is a nice improvement over the existing US Infantry kit and if you need US infantry, this is the box for you.

---

What’s Next?

Consider these additions to your 500pt 1 Box Army:

• Campaign: D-Day: US Sector – Bit of a “must buy” if you plan to run this list. US Sector is filled with all kinds of great units and missions and if you want to get some Rangers on the table you need to pick up a copy. You can, of course, make a Generic Reinforced Platoon with Rangers. But using the options in US Sector your force is going to really feel like a Ranger Platoon. Worth looking into for anyone going for more theme.
• At Least One M3 75mm (T12) – An open-topped SPG is always a gamble. Especially when it’s AT and not a Howitzer. But what if you had two of them? Or three? Or even four? The Ranger Company Theater Selector allows you to take up to four T12s in a single Platoon. At only 120pts Reg the T12 is Armor 7 with a Med. AT Gun and not much else. But, you always have the option to fire HE and a 2″ template is plenty scary. Especially if you have four of them rolling around.
• Just More Rangers – I mean, just get more Rangers. You have options for Ranger Special Weapon Sections (ATR, Light Mortar, Bazooka), Ranger AT Rifle Teams, Ranger Intelligence Sections, Ranger Light and Med. Mortar Team, Ranger Medics and Ranger Chaplains. You can run a list with every single unit is a Ranger unit. All the theme, all the time.
• Migrate to the Italian Front – In Soft Underbelly there is an X-Force (Darby’s Rangers) Reinforced Platoon that gives you the option for the very special Ranger Force M3 (T12), aka Darby’s Ace in the Hole. This version of the T12, the Ranger Force T12 has one critical difference from the standard T12. The Shoot n’ Scoot Special Rule. With this rule you can make a reverse move after receiving a Fire order. Wow. Fire and then move back into cover? Incredible.

– Andrew