Contains 4 Sherman V and a Firefly VC, decal sheet and 5 sprues of Applique Armour.
During 1942–43 the standard size of an armoured troop (platoon) was
3 tanks and had served the British well. However it became clearer as the war
progressed that the standard 75mm gun of the Sherman would not be powerful
enough to deal with the ever increasing amounts of armour the German were
applying to their tanks, a solution was sought.
Already in service in 1943 was the excellent 17pdr anti-tank gun and it was
decided to mount this in a Sherman turret. After some trial and error a mounting
was affected. The new 17pdr armed Sherman was dubbed the Firefly.
The Firefly was then issued to the armoured divisions, with most formations issuing them to the Armoured Troops as an extra tank, thus bringing the strength of a troop up to 3 Shermans and a Firefly.
Some squadrons grouped their Fireflies together in a single troop, and later in the war some Armoured Troops had up to two Fireflies.
The Sherman V (M4A4) was the most common Sherman available to the British Armoured Divisions (while the Independant Armoured Brigades mostly had Sherman III) during the D-Day landings. To keep mechanical repairs and maintenance streamlined the Firefly Vc (based on the M4A4) was issued to the Armoured Divisions.
Firefly Vc In Flames Of War:
The Firefly is a great enemy tank killer with an AT of 13 and FP of 3+ but with Armour of 6/4/1 you don’t have that much steel to protect you from rounds coming the other way! The hull MG has been removed to give more stowage for those deadly 17pdr rounds as well. The Firefly is best used as a long distance tank killer while the 75mm armed Shermans or Cromwells carry out their offensive manoeuvring.
Your late war British, Commonwealth or Allied Sherman or Cromwell tank Squadron will usually have one firefly per troop in North west Europe in 1944 and maybe two per troop in the Sherman equipped Regiments from the end of 1944 onwards. In Italy they didn’t arrive until quite late in the war and you would be lucky to have enough to give one to each troop.
Sherman V In Flames Of War:
While the Sherman V main gun (Anti-tank 10; Firepower 3+) lacks the same punch as the Firefly, it shares the same armour (Front 6; Side 4; Top 1). The Sherman V is able to support the Firefly with the ability to fire both HE and Smoke. Both the Sherman V and Firefly utilise the Semi-Indirect Fire and Tow Hook special rules.
About Flames of War:
Flames of War is a tactical miniature wargame produced by Battlefront Miniatures.
Re-create the tension and excitement of real battles using a vast array of elements including infantry, tanks, artillery, terrain and aircraft.
The models are intensely researched by the Flames of War team and they are committed to producing the most detailed range of WWII models available. The models are made from either polyester resin or cast metal to give both robustness and sharp details.
Flames of War is popular with WWII experts and novices alike as the Flames of War rulebook gives all the information you need to enjoy the game, from assembly and painting instructions to historical background information, game rules and scenarios.
There are many scenarios you can follow, whether it’s an all-out battle or highly tactical objective taking missions. You can battle it out against a single opponent or team up with friends to form groups.