West Germans
The Germans are fighting this war in their own back yard. They are fighting for their very way of life. In TANKS: The Modern Age, the German models gain a re-roll to their Defence rolls when they are not near another friendly model. On top of that you get to redeploy one of your tanks after all the tanks have been deployed, this second ability is quite good and works with abilities like Spearhead.

Leopard 2 Tank
The Leopard 2 tank cost is a high one at 32 points, but it is worth every point. There is nothing currently in the game that has stats better than the Leopard 2. Every one of its stats is above average for the game, making it a tank to be feared on the battlefield. The Leopard 2 is the perfect tank to load up with tons of upgrades and crew cards.

Leopard 1 Tank
At 15 Points the Leopard 1 tank is amazing. Its low cost gives you the ability to run up to six of these tanks in your Platoon. With Initiative of 8, Attack of 4, Defence of 1, and Damage Capacity of 6, the Leopard 1 is well worth it for its points. It may not have Advanced Stabilisers but it has the next best thing, meaning that it is still quite effective, even when on the move. 

Marder Tank
Marders are a great light weapon platform. Rapid Fire (5) gives it a good Anti-Air gun built in giving it a roll in most West German Platoons, especially if you know your opponent has Hinds in their collection. You also have the ability to mount a Milan missile to it using the Mounted Milan card. This is a interesting upgrade because it gives you a good Anti-Tank Attack when you need it and if you already have that covered in your platoon, you can choose not to add it and save yourself 2 points.  On top of all that the Marder has Scout, an ability that lets it double the Defence bonus it normally would get from Cover.

PAH Helicopter
The PAH Helicopter has a great stat line, with 7 Initiative, a 5 Missile Attack and 3 Defence. Having a low Damage Capacity of 3 makes you rely heavily on those Defence dice to keep it flying.  With the German Platoon rule, the PAH becomes even more dependable defensive rolls. Add in a crew upgrade like Defensive Pilot, and  you can be re-roll up to two of your Defence dice each time your Helicopter is Attacked. 

Spearhead
Spearhead may not be a West German only card, but it’s one that works well with West German Tanks. For two points this card lets your tanks move after it deploys, gaining a head start on the enemy. This ability also works well with the West German Platoon rule, Home Turf, that lets you redeploy any one West German tank. When you redeploy the tank you get to triger the Spearhead effect again. While your tank will only end up moving the same distance it moved before, it will let you fake a particular deployment plan only to change it before the game begins. 

Dietrich Manheim
Reveal is one of the new abilities crew cards can have in the game. Reveal is an ability that triggers when the card is first revealed during the game. So when you Reveal Dietrich you get to move after you shoot, giving you the ability to shoot from behind cover and move behind blocking terrain to prevent return fire. After Revealing Dietrich still gives you +2 Initiative during the Movement phase.

Soviets
Knowing that war was inevitable, the higher command issued the orders to launch a pre-emptive strike. To reflect this, the Soviets in TANKS: The Modern Age are all about aggression. Their Red Banner Platoon card gives them +1 to their Attack if that targeting a model at close range. So you want to get in close so you can hit hard.

T-64 Tank
T-64 is one of the best Tanks the Soviet army has, coming in at 20 points you get a really solid tank with Initiative 6, Attack 5, Defence 1 and Damage Capacity 8. The T-64 also has Advanced Stabilisers, something that will be really useful when you are moving to get your platoon into Close Range to take advantage of your Red Banner Platoon rule.

T-55 Tank
The T-55 and the T-55AM2 tanks are really nice cheap tanks to fill out your ranks. The only difference between the two is their Damage Capacity and their point costs, so choosing which one you want to add to your Platoon can be as easy as checking if you have 12 or 14 points free. The T-55 at 12 points makes me want to go for a swarm list. You can get 8 T-55 tanks into one list and still have a couple points to add an upgrade or two.

For the just 2 points, the AT-10 Stabber upgrade gives the T-55AM2 a Missile Attack of 5, making it deadly against Tanks and Helicopters alike.

Hind Helicopter
The Hind is a massive model, and in TANKS: The Modern Age it’s a force to be reckoned with. At 28 points you get one of the sturdiest helicopters in the game. The Hind Helicopter has a really cool feature where they can have two ammo slots. These you load up a on Rocket pods, Extra Ammo or Missiles letting you choose the load-out that best fits your Platoon. 

Category C. Tank Crew
Category C. Tank Crew is an interesting card that lets you take tanks with inexperienced crew. Sitting at -1 points, the Category C. Tank Crew card is one of the only cards that can reduce the cost of the tank it’s assigned to, but it does it at a cost. Once assigned the tank with the Category C. Tank Crew upgrade cannot add any more Crew Cards and has -2 Initiative, but with a card like this you are going for numbers of tanks over the quality of crew. 

Sergey Osinov
Sergey Osinov is the perfect Hero card for Soviet Platoons; he gives you extra Initiative during the Movement Step. This gives you that edge you need to make sure your tank gets within Close Range of enemy tanks.  On top of that if you end up taking on damage you can give up your movement to get an extra chance to Repair lingering damage and get your tank back into the fight.

A Soviet force can be a horde of older (or lighter) tanks charging across the table top, or a smaller, more surgical force, equipped with the latest equipment and best crews. It is up to you how you want to fight World War III.

The French
French tankers have to rely on their skill and experience to overcome certain disadvantages they face on the battlefield, lacking a heavy tank option like the M1A1 Abrams or Leopard 2. To reflect this mind-set the French Platoon rule gains them an Attack bonus if they flank enemy tanks. Making French Platoons all about manoeuvre and placement, getting the most value out of clear execution of tactics on the battlefield. When deploying, it works best if you split your tanks up into two groups, sending one down each flank to maximise your chances of flanking your opponent’s tanks. 

AMX-30 Tanks
The AMX-30 is an incredibly flexible tank, coming in only at 13 points you get a well-rounded fighting machine. Along with having a base Attack of 4, the AMX-30 also has a 20mm automatic cannon AA gun built into its turret giving a higher than average Anti-Air attack. Being able to pose a threat to both Tanks and Helicopters is something quite powerful and makes this French tank very flexible. Want to run a swarm of these awesome tanks? At 13 points each you can easily fit seven AMX-30 in your Platoon for only 91 points.

AMX AUF1 Tank
AMX AUF1 is the only Artillery tank in the game so far, giving it a special place in the French army. This tank can ignore other tanks when firing its main gun and gains a lot of other Artillery related options that will give it great tactical flexibility in the game.

Gazelle Helicopters
Gazelles are great little Helicopters giving the French the choice of either running the 20mm version with Rapid Fire (5) or Gazelle (HOT) with an Anti-Tank missile that is great at taking out even the most heavily armoured tank. With low Damage Capacity you are relying on the Gazelle’s Defence, so adding cards that make its Defence more reliable is key to making sure it stay in the sky. Defensive Manoeuvres is a powerful card that can save you from a bad Defence roll and give your Helicopter that one extra turn it needs to help deliver you the victory.

Charging Gunner
Reveal is one of the new abilities crew cards can have in the game. Reveal is an ability that triggers when the card is first revealed during the game. One of the cards that use this new triggered keyword is the Charging Gunner. For 3 points the Charging Gunner gives you +1 Initiative during the shooting step, and when you reveal it, if you are hitting a target model on its side you also gain +1 Attack.

Paul Durand
Paul Durand is one of the most interesting French Heroes, giving you the ability to put some of your tanks in reserve, to later place them on the table. This ability is quite good for getting your tanks into flanking positions and making the most of your Platoon Rule. On top of that he gives his tank +2 Initiative and +1 Defence, giving you lots of value for just a single commander.

The French have a proud military tradition and whilst crew warriors may not carry sabres like their predecessors, they have lost none of the elan and courage that made the French army one of the greatest in the world.

The British
WWIII has broken out and the British have not been caught unawares. In fact they have been drilling their troops constantly preparing them for the fight to come. This defensive training is reflected in their Platoon card. Berlin Brigade gives the British models in your platoon a +1 Defence while Stationary.  In TANKS: The Modern Age being stationary, to put it simply, is awesome. Yes you do give up your movement but you gain the ability to re-roll any of your attack dice. Giving up movement in a Berlin Brigade Platoon comes with a lot more bonus then drawbacks.  

Chieftain Tanks
The Chieftain and the Chieftain (Stillbrew) are two great tanks to choose from. Both Chieftain variants have great Attack and Damage Capacity stats. The Chieftain coming in at twenty points has a one more Initiative then the Chieftain (Stillbrew) at 24 points, but it also has one less defence. The extra Defence is a big advantage, but there is something to be said about running five Chieftain Tanks in a single list.

Scimitar Tank
Scimitar is a great little tank. Because of its Rapid Fire (4) the Scimitar specialises in killing other light Tanks and Helicopters. On top of that it is fast, letting it move up to three times each time it chooses to move. Spearhead lets the Scimitar move three times before the game begins. Making these tanks perfect to send out to take objectives or outflank your opponent’s tanks.  On top of all that this tank gets the Scout rule, so if it has Cover it gains an additional Defence die and on a tank with Base Defence 0 each point of Defence you can get is big. 

Striker Tank
The Striker tank is a little tank that packs a big punch.  At 13 points it might not seem like much, but its base stats are deceiving. First off this tank is fast, letting it move up to three times each time it chooses to move, so it can get to where it needs to be quickly. This is important for any missile carrier tank; as they want get to Cover as quickly as possible. The Missile (5) rule gives this tank an impressive 5 Attack dice against both Tanks and Helicopters, making the Striker a flexible attacker. Just like the Scimitar this tank also has the Scout rule, so it will be able to add 2 to its 0 Base Defence while it is in Cover.

Lynx Helicopter
The Lynx Helicopter works really well with the British Platoon rule. The Berlin Brigade increases its already high Defence of 3 to 4 while Stationary, add in Cover and you have a massive Defence of 5. With its high Initiative and Defence the Lynx can deliver heavy hitting strikes form across the table and shrug off all but the most devastating attacks. The Lynx relies heavily on its high Defence numbers to keep it alive, so cards like Countermeasures is perfect to insure you survive a particularly deadly attack.

Big Game Hunter
Big Game hunter is an upgrade that comes in at two points. It may only be taken by a British tank and has the text, when shooting at a target model that is not in Cover, this model may upgrade one Hit to a Critical Hit. This card is awesome on British tanks, and it stacks really well with the other benefits British tanks get while Stationary.

Rupert Spencer
Rupert Spencer is a Hero that gives you even more benefits if you remain Stationary. Coming in at 6 points, Rupert gives you +2 Initiative, as well as +1 Attack while Stationary. Adding this to the normal Stationary rules and the Berlin Brigade Platoon card, and you will have a tank that beast while staying still.  

Americans
Being on the front line at the start of WWIII, America joined this World War on day one, and will fight until its won. In TANKS: The Modern Age the Americans have diverse selections of units they can take. Their Platoon card gives them the ability to swap out a Critical Hit for two normal hits, letting every model hit harder then you may think. The Americans like to sit back and hit targets that are racing towards them, so setting up a good firing line in a forest or another well defended position will let you get the most out of your American Platoon.

Abrams Tanks
The Abrams is an amazing main battle tank with three awesome variants. If you go with the M1 Abrams you are only paying 22 Points for a tank that has amazing all-round stats. For just two more points you can get an IPM1 Abrams that has an extra +1 to its Damage Capacity, making an already awesome tank that much better. Want a bit more of a punch? For 32 points you get the M1A1 Abrams, the best Tank the Americans have so far, with 5 Attack dice and Damage Capacity 9 this Tank will hit hard and is also really hard to destroy. With three variants you can always choose the best Abrams for your platoon. 

M901 ITV
On the other side of the spectrum we have the ITV. This lightly armoured missile carrier is relying more on its Defence then its Damage Capacity to keep it alive. The Hammerhead rule gives the ITV a massive Defence of 3 when it’s in Cover, making it really hard to kill when it is well positioned. The addition of Spearhead is the icing on the cake when it comes to making the ITV the best tank it can be by giving it the ability to start the game in Cover is massive. 

M163 VADS
With the addition of Helicopters, it is handy to have some dedicated Anti-Air. While shooting at Helicopters and Tanks with Defence 0, Rapid Fire turns the VADS two Attack dice into a massive seven dice Attack. That’s going leave a lot of holes in a lot of targets. On top of that, it comes with the Scout rule giving it even more Defence when it is in Cover. The VADS is a great against anything that is not a main battle tank and at 12 points it easily finds a place in any American Platoon

The Cobra
The Cobra is a fearsome attack helicopter with a great stat line. Rapid Fire (5) gives it a great attack against other Helicopters and Defence 0 targets. The Cobra also has two Ammo slots, giving it more choices for weaponry then some of the other Helicopters out there. One of best Ammo cards you can equip is Rocket Launchers. Rocket Launchers gives you a once per game Attack of 3 against a target tank and every tank within a Measuring Arrow of that tank, the perfect weapon to deploy against a swarm of light tanks. 

Sean Bannon
Bannon is an awesome commander, for just seven points you get +3 Initiative, +1 Defence and a cool ability. Bannon’s ability to make a Final Fury attack even if he has already made an attack this turn is a strong one, and can have his tank shooting twice on the turn he is destroyed. Bannon shines the best when he is in command of an Abrams tank, increasing its Initiative to a massive 11! On top of that he also increases the Abrams’ Defence to an impressive 3. 

Alpha 66 Card
The Alpha 66 card gives a bonus to players who are focusing on running the crew of Alpha 66 (from the Team Yankee novel). Coming in at one point this card gives you a discount on every Alpha 66 crew member you add, as well as adding some protection. Having a point reduction on each of your crew cards for the price of having them revealed at the start of the game is not bad. Yeah, your opponent knows what is coming but the discount is well worth it. Also having some protection for Bannon and his crew is great. 

American commanders have a toolbox of options that will allow them to field a diverse range of forces. Welcome to World War III...

Movement
The most unique part of Helicopters is their movement. They are fast, agile and have the ability to change elevation, so we needed a way to indicate its height in the game. For this we created a “U” shaped token made to fit around the Flight Base. This token is also two sided. The High side indicates when the Helicopter is flying above the terrain on the table, at this height it can see almost everything, and in turn can be seen by everything.  The Low side indicates when the Helicopter is flying low, and it can use terrain as Blocking Terrain to hide behind. 

Helicopters move slightly differently than Tanks. They can end their movement anywhere along the arrow touching it with any part of its base. Helicopters also have a base Speed of 3, so they can move quite a ways across the table in a single turn.

Since Helicopter speed is so high we decided to separate the Movement phase to have every Helicopter wait until every Tank has moved before they move. This gives them quite the advantage when it comes to setting up firing arcs.

Helicopter Firing Arcs
All Helicopters are Forward Firing. They may only shoot at a Model if its entire hull or is completely in front of half of the attacking Helicopter’s Base. The High/Low Elevation token is designed to help mark the halfway point of your Helicopters base and can be used to determine the firing arc.

Helicopter Defence
Helicopters gain a Defence bonus for being agile and hard to hit, which you are relying on as they also have low hit points due to the fragile nature of Helicopters. To show this bonus we gave Helicopters a Base Defence of 3. Unlike Most Tanks, Helicopters are immediately removed from the game when their Damage matches or exceeds their Damage Capacity, this also means they do not benefit from the Final Fury rule. 

Helicopters have fundamentally changed how players build their platoons and the tactics they use in the game. Adding some flying threats to your Platoon can give you the edge in your games and can be the difference between defeat and victory.

Which Helicopter interests you the most? Have any cool ideas on how you want to use Helicopters in your Platoon? Why not join our Facebook discussion forums and tell us about it.

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