WW2 – Band of Brothers – List Optimisation

I have now developed a V2 of the IMPACTFULNESS calculator – this one now means the higher the score the better the IMPACTFULNESS. Lets review the workings on the Americans from the Band of Brothers Starter set. For the original post see WW2 – Band of Brothers – squad Optimisation and if you want to see the workings for the Germans check WW2 – Band of Brothers – squad Optimisation Part 2.

So in basic you get 4 sprues for the American Paratroopers in the Starter set, this will allow you to build

Now the starter set recommends you build

• 2nd Lieutenant with SMG and 2 attendants one with SMG and 1 with a rifle
• 1 MMG team of 3
• Squad 1
  • 3 with SMG
  • 1 with BAR
  • 5 with Rifle

That provides a total of 24 figures, last time we developed the options list below – I will now rescore these using the V2 of IMPACTFULNESS

So after a load of number crunching and making the model work for movement, and assuming an equal weighting for moving and static – it looks like the 4 SMG, 1 BAR and 2 LMG is the best followed by 4 Rifles, 1 BAR and 2 LMG, then 3 Rifles, 4 SMG and 1 LMG. What I currently can’t take into account is the benefit of an MMG.

Total points wise .. lets see..

• The optimum squad costs 183 per squad and uses 9 figures – so 2 squads cost 366 and leaves 6 figures for a leader + friends and 3 others. V2 Effectiveness score – 20.22
• The next optimum costs 171 per squad and uses 9 figures – so 2 squads cost 342 and leaves 6 figures for a leader + friends and 3 others. V2 Effectiveness score – 19.12
• The 3rd choice cost costs 158 per squad and uses 9 figures – so 2 squads for 316 and leaving 6 figures for a leader + friends. V2 Effectiveness score – 17.78

As always this is just an attempt to quantify effectiveness and is not perfect. So how will I build my squads.

I think I will go 4 SMG, 4 Rifles and 1 BAR + Leader + MMG this should give me a total force value of –

• 2 Squads for 286
• 1st Veteran Lieutenant + 2 extras (90 + 26 = 116)
• MMG veteran (65)
• = 286+ 116+65 = 467 pts

or I may rebuild the 2 extras with the lieutenant into a sniper team which will give me

• 2 Squads for 286
• Veteran 1st Lieutenant 90
• Veteran MMG 65
• Veteran Sniper Team 67
• =296 + 90 + 65 + 67 = 508 pts

so to bring it under 500 pts – change the officer to 2nd lieutenant and we get

• 2 Squads for 286
• Veteran 2st Lieutenant 65
• Veteran MMG 65
• Veteran Sniper Team 67
• =286 + 65 + 65 + 67 = 483 pts

Now that looks like a good starter force.

So after all this I will build –

• 2 squads of 4 SMG, 4 Rifles and 1 Bar
• A 2nd Lieutenant
• 1 MMG of 3 men
• 1 Sniper team of 2

So the new version doesn’t change the outcomes just makes it easier to build lists – I am partly tempted to times the results by another 20 just to increase the visual relationship with points cost.

IMPACTFULNESS CALCULATOR

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