Using the Fighting First Command Cards with Ryan Jeffares The command card pack for Fighting First contains a bevy of different options in the command cards, which can customise the choices available for an American Mid War army from Fighting First.

Build cards These are generally split in two rough categories, cards which alter the ratings of a unit and those which add new formations and units. The command cards for Fighting First feature both types, bring a variety of ways to change existing units or add new ones. Ratings Cards When it comes to ratings, their recent entry to the war places American units in an interesting place, as the majority of units are rated Confident 4+, Green 5+ and Aggressive 3+. This means that their units are generally cheap points wise, but will be hit easily and will struggle to pull off complex manoeuvres or range in on their targets.

In the command cards pack, a series of cards such as It Shall be Done and Regulars, By God! allow you to increase the ratings of a selection of units to Trained 4+ and Careful 4+, making your units more competent and harder for your opponent to hit. This added survivability helps not only the infantry of Rifle and Armored Rifle but also Lee and Stuart tanks, with the later able to make particularly good use of the improved ability to carry out movement orders. The improved skill is also crucial to improving American support weaponry, notably mortars and assault guns, which usually struggle to consistently range in because of their green skill.
These cards also allow you to base your list on specific formations, with Old Ironsides allowing you to represent the 1st Armored Division, while Always Prepared and No Mission too Difficult singles out your company as part of the 1st Infantry Division, the Big Red One.

Here's an example of a Lee company built using these cards:

This army would primarily focus on using its superior skill to stay alive and manoeuvre to focus its strength against a portion of the enemy army, as it lacks the numbers that other American forces use to compensate for their ratings.

New Units and Formations The Command cards for Fighting First also add several new units to the roster available to American forces. The first of these is the M3A1 Armored Recon Company, which consists of an HQ of 2 M3A1 armoured cars, 2-6 Armored Recon Patrols and an option to take one platoon each of Stuart tanks or T30 Assault Guns. This formation allows you to mass a veritable horde of armoured cars, for only 33 points for an entire formation, giving you plenty of points left over to back up the speedy cars with additional firepower.  Another unit added by the build cards is the Engineer Combat Company, made up of an Armored Rifle company HQ and 2-3 Rifle Platoons. For only 1 point, the entire formation gains the ability to cross minefields on a 3+ as well as the ability to dig in on a 3+, significant improvements over the 5+ skill of regular rifle platoons. Although this may seem like a no brainer, there is a built-in opportunity cost, as this formation lacks any integral support weapons such as mortars, HMGs or anti-tank guns. This shortcoming can easily be rectified by the use of support units or by taking another formation with its own integral weaponry, like the assault guns and mortars of the tank companies.

Warriors Fighting First’s command cards also bring a selection of heroic individuals who can add flavour to your historical battles or interesting new capabilities to your force.  Paul Robinett is a particularly interesting card, representing the commander of the Combat Command B of the 1st Armored Division. On the table, he allows units with their unit leader within 6”/15cm of their Formation Commander to dig in on a 3+, helping your infantry to get the protection they need to hold objectives or weather incoming fire. More interestingly, after both sides have deployed, he allows you to redeploy a unit within your deployment zone, which can allow you to play all sorts of mind games with your opponent during this phase.

Another of the warriors available is Nicholas Minue, a Sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment and Medal of Honor recipient. His card represents the feat for which he won his Medal of Honor, a heroic charge against a German machine gun position. When an infantry unit in this formation makes an Assault, you roll a die and on a 4+ the card is discarded, allowing a single infantry team to hit on a 2+ for the entire Assault. This team automatically Counterattacks, even if the rest of his unit fails to do so. I can see this card being a very useful trick to have up your sleeve to help swing a key assault, allowing you to kill those last few stands on an objective or land that crucial bazooka hit on a Tiger.

Other Cards In addition to the aforementioned Build and Warrior cards, there are a variety of other cards to be used with Fighting First which aren’t so easily categorised. For instance, Don't Know When They Are Beaten allows a single unit to automatically pass all rally, remount and last stand tests that turn when the card is discarded. For a bargain 2 points, this can provide an added insurance policy for a low strength unit which is holding an objective or in the perfect position to take a crucial shot. Another card that can help mitigate poor luck is Arsenal of Democracy, which you can discard to allow you to reroll all your reserves dice. This is useful for turns when you fail to receive any reserves or when you’re rolling three or more dice but only receive one, allowing you another chance to receive unit which can swing the course of your game. Finally, for those of you who are fed up with your aircraft never arriving, there’s the US Army Air Force card, which gives you another chance for your aircraft to arrive, though with a risk of friendly fire if you roll a 1.

All American Command Cards: The North Africa compilation book also includes All American in addition to Fighting First, allowing you to field the Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division as well as the Rangers of the 1st, 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions. These units also have command cards of their own, and I will examine a few of the more notable ones below.

The cards 325th Glider Infantry Regiment and Glider Infantry allow you to represent the glider borne infantry who fought in the Salerno landings in Italy. Unlike their airborne cousins, the Glidermen were organised along the lines of a regular infantry company, with their stats being modified by this card, changing their ratings to Confident 4+, Trained 4+ and Aggressive 3+. This makes them an interesting midpoint, as although they aren’t as skilled or brave as the paratroopers, they are more numerous, and their higher skill will mean that they’ll be better at bombarding and assaulting than the regular riflemen. Glider field artillery is also available through a flavourful card which allows you to field the M3 105mm Howitzer, which has a shorter range and lacks a gun shield but is more mobile than the M2 105 divisional howitzer.

Here's an example of a force based around Glider Rifle Company built using the card:

This force is designed to be relatively flexible, with plenty of infantry to take and hold objectives, artillery to clear out enemy strongpoints and tanks to eliminate enemy armour and aid in assaults. Compared with a regular rifle company, the glidermen are more proficient at taking enemy objectives with their improved ability to assault, whilst their mortars are more likely to range in, a benefit I believe is more than worth the 1 point per unit you pay to upgrade them.

Another useful new unit is added by the Airborne 37mm Anti-Tank Platoon card, which allows you to take a unit of 37mm guns as part of a Parachute Rifle Company, addressing the fact that the formation lacks any anti-tank weapon heavier than a bazooka.

Better known for his participation in the battle for Nijimegen during Operation Market Garden, James Gavin fought in Sicily as a Colonel, commanding 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In his Mid War incarnation, he is a Warrior who allows you to redeploy one of your units after deployment, as long as it stays within your deployment zone. Furthermore, units with their unit leader within 6”/15cm and line of sight of their Formation Commander pass Blitz tests on a 2+. While Gavin shares his ability to redeploy a unit with Paul Robinett, his ability to help units Blitz can really help tanks and tank destroyers punch above their weight.

Overall the Command cards from both Fighting First and the Airborne pack can bring to your army some variety and historical flavour. Hopefully this article has given you some ideas on how you can use them in your next Mid-war games. ~Ryan