Box Contents

The British Airborne Starter Army is a mix of plastic and metal models containing:

• x6 British Airborne sprues (36 Infantry) – Plastic
• Airborne QF 6-pdr Medium Anti-Tank Gun – Metal
• Airborne Light Mortar Team – Metal
• Airborne Medium Mortar Team – Metal
• Airborne Flamethrower Team – Metal
• Airborne MMG Team – Metal

The SMG Rush list

Breakdown

(x) denotes a vehicle-mounted weapon.

Notes and Analysis

The objective of this list is two part – 1) use as many of the components from the Starter Army 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 the Starter Army.

Same Starter Army, new Edition. This updated British Airborne list follows the example set by The Assault List I created for this same box back in Mach of 2021 for Second Edition. The army list is mean, lean and wants to get up close and personal with the enemy. Many of the original Starter Army Boxes haven’t translated all that well from Second to Third Edition (mainly because the box includes just one AFV). But no so with this one! As with the US Airborne, these infantry only paratrooper lists easily make the jump (no pun intended) to the new edition.

Of the models included in the box, we use 34 of the 36 plastic infantry and only the Flamethrower Team is not included. Before jumping into overall approach for this army list, here are the units you’ll need to build from the plastic Airborne:

• Two PIAT Teams (use the PIAT and ammo)
• A Sniper Team (use the scoped rifle)
• A Spotter for the Medium Mortar (use the binoculars)
• Three Platoon Commanders (recommend building one with an SMG and two with Rifles)
• Forward Artillery Observer (Rifle and binoculars)

The spruces included have just enough bodies to make this happen. For all the men in your four Airborne squads, you’ve got enough Rifles and SMGs to get them fully equipped. You’ll be using just about every single SMG you have to make this List work. I am thrilled that we can include multiple PIAT Teams and both the Light and Medium Mortar. Honestly the inclusion of the Light Mortar in the Rifle Platoon is just fantastic. At only 39pts Vet the Light Mortar should be a part of almost every army list.

This is an aggressive List. When playing this, you need to push it forward and push it forward fast. You do not have the ability to engage effectively at range and you will be outgunned outside of 12″. You will probably have an Order Dice advantage with 14 Order Dice at 1,000pts. Be aggressive, get those three SMG Paratroop Sections up and into your opponent’s face. You’ve got three squads of seven Vets (two squad with five SMGs and one squad with four) – close the distance and blast away at Point-blank range. I maxed out the number of SMGs for two of those three squads, I wish I could give all seven men an SMG, but these are the options we have. The Vengeance National Characteristic will help you keep the troops moving, use cover and make some early game Run Orders. Also, make sure you are moving the PIATs, Light Mortar and at least one Platoon Commander (the SMG Commander at a minimum) up with those three squads. Those seven units are your spearhead. You don’t have to bunch all those elements up, but press forward with all seven units, and press hard.

It cannot be overstated how good SMGs are when they get within Point-blank range. They hit on a 2+ even if you moved and ignore any Down Order on the target. I’ve seen whole units just disappear after a volley of 10 Point-blank SMG shots. Close the distance and unload.

While those three squads are charging forward, use the MMG, Sniper, Med. Mortar, Med. AT Gun and Forward Artillery Observer to support at range. Hope for an early indirect hit with your Mortar and keep any vehicles at bay with the Med. AT. Use the PIAT Teams to cover the areas your AT Gun cannot. As additional support, call in that Artillery Bombardment from the Forward Observer as early as you can. The end of Turn 1 is not too early. You need to get your enemy Pinned to allow your spearhead to move up. Remember, you don’t have an single unit that can move faster than a 12″ Run. As soon as the first Bombardment hits, call in the second. Hope for a solid couple of Artillery Bombardments to get some extra Pins out allowing your assault elements to close the distance.

The strength of this army list is simple – it’s 100% Vet and has 14 Order Dice. That is a big Order Die count for an all-Vet force. You could play around with the squad makeup and go with two squads of more men supported by smaller LMG squad, but with the SMG max at five, I wanted to go with more assault elements. Each unit may be on the smaller side, but they are still Vets with Stubborn.

Now, the weaknesses. Your AT assets, they are just ok. Static AT (the Med. AT Gun) is not a great use of points (even with the Third Edition changes such as +1 To Hit enemy vehicles and reduced cost) and your PIATs have very limited range. The PIAT does pack a punch but you need to be up close and personal. Luckily, you should be running six other units forward with the PIAT. Try to be sneaky with the PIAT, sneak on up behind a building and then BLAM! Hit ’em with that spring loaded rocket! Because you have so many small teams, you’ll need your Sniper to immediately go after the enemy Sniper. You do not want to lose your MMG and PIATs early.

Your two other Platoon Commanders, the ones armed with Rifles with no buddies, I’d keep one back within Morale range of the Med. AT Gun and MMG and then depending on the table and opponent, the second Commander can either also hang back or push forward with the assault elements. If you are leaning more towards swarm tactics in your playstyle you will want that extra Platoon Commander running up with the assault teams.

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What’s Next?

Considerations for next steps and expanding your Airborne collection – keep in mind, all these suggestions are keeping with the Airborne theme:

• Swap the Med. AT for a Light Howitzer or Two – Get at least one. You need more HE/AT support and a Light Howitzer is both thematic and effective. Plus, the British Light Howitzer stays King. It can take a Spotter and fire as a Light AT Gun.
• Drop the Heavy Weapons Platoon – If you drop the MMG, Med. Mortar, one of the PAITs and Platoon Commander you’ll have more than enough points to add another Light Mortar and a fourth Paratroop Section. Now you will be down to a single PIAT in the Rifle Platoon but if you add the Light Howitzer your AT should still be alright.
• Add some Fast Attack – This List lacks speed. Every single element is on foot. Yes, the Airborne were dropped in with limited vehicle support but we do have some options. The British Airborne Recce Jeep and a Truck (make it a captured Opel Blitz for even more fun) are both great options. To give your infantry some speed, add a basic Truck with a forward MMG. The 3-Ton Truck will do just fine. If you want to model your choice in a more thematic way, use an Opel Blitz or similar instead of a British truck, representing a ‘liberated’ lorry captured in the field.

– Andrew

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