Percy-javkson--the-battle-of-the-bulge

Cacmoolouuflrage CAMOUFLAGE VEHICLES PAINTING AMERICANS
Worn
Rubber Camouflage of the 4th Armored

(302) The 4th Armored Division was obsessed with camou-
flage all throughout the war, making it a very colourful
Vehcioclleosubr ase unit. Original vehicles in Normandy used the black on
Sherman green camouflage pattern. Replacements were green,
Drab but they blacked out one or more of the stars to cut
down on obvious aiming points. The division also
(321) fixed chicken wire to their tanks so that they could
attach foliage to their tanks.

Unlike the Germans, who covered their entire tank in foliage,
American tankers typically fixed vegetation around the sides
of their vehicles. This left the top with its large aerial recogni-
tion stars clearly visible, while obscuring the tank’s profile to
those looking from the ground.

WINTER VEHICLES

The most obvious method is to paint
a whitewash effect over the vehicle’s
existing colour scheme. With practice,
this can look very effective, but it is
quite laborious. Build up the colour
with several careful coats.

A faster approach is to paint the model
white initially, then add scratches and
chips in the darker colour, using a fine
brush or a sponge-chipping technique.
This is good way of simulating a fresh
coat of whitewash.

For a streaky, faded whitewash effect,
you can start with a whitened version
of the basic vehicle colour (pictured is
Grenadier Green) and use a combi-
nation of the two methods described
above.

147

British 21st Army Group
from Normandy to the Rhine

August 1944 – January 1945

After the successful conclusion of the operation to clear 50th Division advanced on the axis through Laigle, Vernuil,
Normandy, and the closure of the Falaise pocket, the Saint Andre and Pacy-sur-Eure. They crossed the Seine at
Allied armies were poised to continue the attack into the Vernon, passing through the 43rd Division bridgehead. The
interior of France. SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied strength of German resistance varied with some pockets
Expeditionary Force) strategy dictated a three pronged fighting while others simply surrendered. Actions were
approach to the German border, with the 21st Army Group fought at Beauvais, Picquigny, and numerous woods and
taking the northern approach through Belgium and Holland bridges on the line of advance. The Cheshire Regiment
towards the Ruhr, the US 12th Army Group approach- recovered their drums which had been left at Le Bas in
ing Germany from the centre of France, and the US 6th 1940. The 49th Division made a move from the right flank
Army Group advancing on the southern flank bordering of the 21st Army Group positions in Normandy, from the
Switzerland. XXX Corps positions into the I Corps area on the left flank
21st Army Group comprised two armies, First Canadian for the breakout. They suffered their only real resistance at
Army (I and II Canadian Corps) and Second (British) Army Mezidon before reaching the Seine and then battling hard
of three Corps, VIII (8th), XII (12th) and XXX (30th). The for Le Havre. The 49th Division remained at Le Havre until
Canadians were to clear the channel ports in an attempt to they moved forward to Belgium on 21 September.
provide a better supply situation for the advancing armies, The right flank of the XXX Corps advance was covered by the
who were still largely drawing supplies from the Normandy 43rd (Wessex) Division, who were slowed by mine clearing
beaches. This was a considerable task for the Canadians who operations and the congestion along the roads in the Falaise
were opposed by the German Fifteenth Army, which had not area. They quickly reached the Seine at Vernon, where 129th
fought in Normandy and was largely intact. Brigade launched a river assault, having travelled 120 miles in
XXX Corps in Normandy and the breakout was made up their DUKWs. They then moved by Notre Dame, De Lisle
of 7th Armoured Division ‘Desert Rats’; 49th (West Riding) and into Belgium, which they entered in early September.
Infantry Division, 50th (Tyne & Tees) Infantry Division,
8th Armoured Brigade, and 33rd Armoured Brigade. By the Liberation of Belgium
conclusion of the Normandy campaign, Lieutenant General
Bucknall was relieved of command of XXX Corps, and The Guards Armoured Division had captured Brussels on
Lieutenant General Horrocks, who had served with Field 3 September, the 11th Armoured Division captured Antwerp
Marshall Montgomery in Africa, was appointed to take over. on 4 September, and the 7th Armoured Division captured
Ghent on 5 September. The British 21st Army had thrown
Advance through Northern France caution to the wind and advanced rapidly. By the time XXX
Corps reached Belgium, they were at the end of a long supply
On 21 August 1944, XXX Corps left Normandy to strike for line, with only 61st Reconnaissance Regiment covering a long
the Seine. Their orders were to advance quickly, not allowing stretch of the Escaut canal against a strong German force
the Germans time to prepare a proper defence. The tactics withdrawing north and east. The Canadians were fighting
for the advance changed, and the armour was placed to the hard along the coast to liberate the coastal towns, VIII Corps
fore, with the infantry in trucks travelling between 10-12 were stuck at the Seine owing to lack of supplies and were
miles per hour. The infantry were to clear any pockets of not able to support the advance, XII Corps were engaged
resistance bypassed by the armour and to allow the rapid pushing back and containing the remainder of the German
advance to continue. Fifteenth Army, and the US Corps were pushing further
away to the south.

148

Into The Netherlands ditches and orchards, and a shallow water table that made FROM NORMANDY TO THE RHINE
digging in very difficult. The Germans mounted several large
21st Army Group ordered XXX Crops to continue the scale attacks to drive the allies back across the Nijmegen
advance, pushing The Guards Armoured Division from bridge, one lasting a week from 25 September, for the
Lauvain towards Nijmegen, 11th Armoured Division from villages of Bemmel, Baal and Haalderen. On 30 September
Antwerp towards S’Hertogenbosh, and 50th Division trying the Germans attacked again with 70 tanks and approximate-
to establish a bridgehead over the Albert Canal at Gheel. The ly an infantry division. Another attack followed against the
fighting at Gheel was particularly heavy, with the German 43rd Wessex ‘Wyverns’ and 6th Guards Tank Brigade, across
2. Fallschirmjägerdivision counterattacking very quickly after the Neder Rijn. The positions of the Green Howards were
the village had been captured by the Durham Light Infantry. infiltrated by 12 tanks and only the intervention of a battal-
50th Division suffered over 900 casualties and captured ion of the East Yorks and tanks from the 13th/18th Hussars
approximately 2300 prisoners in the Gheel operation. (8th Armoured Brigade) prevented the battalion being per-
Operations were bought to a brief halt with only modest manently cut off.
gains made leading up to the middle of September.
Holding the Line
Operation Market Garden
For the next two months XXX Corps units held static
By 17 September, British Second Army units were reorgan- positions in the Nijmegen bridgehead, with the battalions
ised and XXX Corps was allocated the Guards Armoured being rotated out of the front line for periods of rest and
Division, and 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, in addition to leave, for many of them the first since Normandy in June. In
the 50th Division. As the Guards Armoured Division pushed November 50th Division was transferred to being a training
up ‘Hell’s Highway’, 43rd Division was forced to fight across division, on account of its fine fighting record and Field
country, into the German counterattacks, and across the Marshall Montgomery’s insistence that it not be de-mobi-
same rivers, without the benefit of bridges. The 43rd and 50th lised completely as had happened with 59th Division.
Division followed up the Guards Armoured and cleared the
Germans from the Valkenswaard, taking over the town, and Battle of the Bulge
fighting off several determined counter-attacks at Uden and
Vehgel. When the Germans launched Operation Wacht Am Rhein,
After Operation Market Garden was called off, 50th Division beginning the Battle of the Bulge, the Guards Armoured
moved into the area that became known as ‘The Island’ a Division and 43rd (Wessex) Division were in reserve behind
triangle between the rivers Maas (Meuse), Waal and Neder the British lines, preparing for the Rhine crossings. Both
Rijn (Lower Rhine). The area was flat, with numerous canals, were ordered into defensive positions behind the Meuse

ENGLAND HOLLAND

GERMANY

English Channel BELGIUM

FRANCE lux. Rhine River
SWITZERLAND
Key

15 Sept
7 Nov

0 Miles 40 80 120
0 Kilometres 80 140 200

149

River, to act as a ‘long stop’, and to prevent the Germans Ourthe River towards Houffalize. The 53rd Welsh Division
breaking through and cutting off the remainder of 21st Army took over sections of the front line that had been held by
Group. The plan was to allow the German army to reach the US 2nd Armored Division, in a line running from the
the defensive positions on the Dyle River, held by the 53rd Ourthe to Aye, west of Marche. The 6th Airborne Division
(Welsh) Division and 33rd Armoured Brigade, and then to had been rushed from training in England and placed under
attack them with the Guards Armoured and 43rd (Wessex) command of XXX Corps. It was placed straight into the line
Division (with 34th Tank Brigade under command) from the in positions that extended from Aye to Rochefort, then to
flank. The 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment (armoured cars) Tellin and Givet. The Guards Armoured Division was placed
formed a reconnaissance screen between the Dyle and the into reserve, mainly to act as a counter-attack force and to
Meuse rivers. provide depth to the line.
After making no contact with the Germans, the British units At this time the early suspicions of the Allied commands had
moved forward. 29th Armoured Brigade (hasty mobilised been confirmed and the Germans were no longer capable of
from preparing to change to new Comet tanks) moved to conducting offensive operations along the whole front. The
the Meuse River, with a tank battalion and company of German attack had shifted south away from the XXX Corps
infantry holding the key river crossings. They then handed area, focused on the stubbornly held town of Bastogne.
over the security of the bridges to 43rd (Wessex) Division
and commenced operations east of the Meuse, including Ardennes Counter Offensive
an operation near Celles, supporting the US 2nd Armored
Division that resulted in the destruction of a Kampfgruppe of On 3 January XXX Corps launched an attack with the 6th
2. Panzerdivision on 27 December. Airborne Division and the 53rd Welsh Division that aimed to
From 27 December a considerable regrouping took place clear the Germans from the apex of the salient. Both British
on the northern flank of the Allied line when XXX Corps formations had a tough time as they were opposed by Panzer
took over from the VII US Corps at the tip of the enemy Lehr Division and 2. Panzerdivision of Von Manteuffel’s
salient in the Ardennes, in order to enable the Americans Fifth Panzer Army. Although both German divisions were
to concentrate their forces for the main drive east of the weakened after the earlier attacks, they were still tough
opponents and the weather and terrain made offensive op-
erations difficult.

Dinant 29 ArmBrg
3 RTR

Foy-Notre Dame

Meuse River Marche

Celle

29 ArmBrg Messe River Rochefort
23 Hus

Givet

6 Airborne Bure
Tellin Grupont

150

6th Airborne attacked along the line Wavreille – Bure, sup- Increasingly contact was being made with US forces also ad- FROM NORMANDY TO THE RHINE
ported by 29th Armoured Brigade. After capturing a 2000 vancing along from the south and west. 61st Recce Regiment
foot high feature, Chapel Hill, the Airborne attacked Bure, contacted US VIII Corps in the area of St. Hubert and 6th
suffering mortar fire that seriously hampered their attack Airborne patrolled to the outskirts of Champlon which was
on the start line. After four days of bitter fighting the 6th still held by the Germans.
Airborne took the town, then stabilised their positions, ad- Between 11 and 13 January, XXX Corps continued
vancing in some unopposed sectors and holding in others. to advance against the enemy who were withdrawing
The Welsh Division started their attack on 4 January in behind rear-guards. On 12 January the US Third Army
the Hotton area and met limited enemy resistance. They scored notable successes South-East of Bastogne against
captured about 50 prisoners on the outskirts of Waharday, 5. Fallschirmjägerdivision who losses were estimated as 1,200
from Panzergrenadier-Regiment 60 of 116. Panzerdivision. killed and 1,200 prisoners.
The following day a battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers On 13 January patrols of 6th Airborne Division contacted
was heavily counter-attacked and suffered many casualties US 87th Infantry Division in the Champlon area and 51st
before the front was stabilized. On 7 January the Welsh took Highland captured the villages of Ortho and Nisramont.
Grimbiemont, capturing about 100 more prisoners and After 14 January, XXX Corps had no further contact with
denying the Germans the use of the important road from La the enemy in the Ardennes. On 18 January the units of
Roche to Marche. XXX Corps started to move back to Boxtel (in the southern
On 8 January the 53rd Welsh Division were relieved by 51st Netherlands) to resume the planning of, and training for,
Highland Division along their Marche – Hotton sector of Operation Veritable, crossing the Rhine into Germany.
the front. The Highlanders attacked on 9 January capturing By the end of January the front line on the western front
Hodister and Warizy. XXX Corps continued to advance had been pushed back to the German start points of 16
from 10 to 11 January, encountering limited resistance, December, and the ground lost had been retaken. The US
with the worst enemies being the cold, ice, snow, and mines. First Army took back its positions on the line and the Bulge
Demolitions and road blocks built by the Germans also offensive was over.
slowed the advance.

Hotton

53 Welsh

51 Highland Nisrâmont
La Roche

Ourthe River

Champlon Houffalize

Bastogne

151

7th Armoured Division

Normandy and the Advance on the 23 August. After Lisieux the division pushed on to the Seine
Seine which was reached on 28 August. Small kampfgruppen (battle
groups) of Germans caused some delays, as did mines, booby
The campaign in Normandy ended in mid-August 1944 traps and French civilians.
when the Allies succeeded in breaking out and trapping the
German army in the Falaise pocket. For the breakout, the 7th Advance on Ghent
Armoured Division consisted of the 11th Hussars, the 22nd
Armoured Brigade and the 131st ‘Queens’ Infantry Brigade, After successfully advancing to and crossing the Seine the
two batteries of Royal Horse Artillery and divisional troops. 7th Armoured was ordered to capture Ghent, reinforced
After Normandy the 11th Hussars (Armoured Car Regiment) by the 4th Armoured Brigade and 10th Medium Regiment,
had rejoined as a permanent part of the division. They Royal Artillery. The first day of the advance saw the division
referred to the campaign across France as ‘the great swan’. cover 72 miles, with many quick and brutal encounters
with the enemy, suffering casualties from panzerfausts and
The division was ordered to pursue the retreating Germans machine-guns. On the morning of 31 August the Somme
and to do so as quickly as possible, to keep them off balance River was reached, but all the crossings had been blown,
and to prevent the forming of a strong defensive line at any except one which collapsed as the lead squadron of the Scots
of the French rivers, particularly the Seine, which was a for- Greys tried to cross it. A Bailey bridge was quickly built,
midable barrier. creating a crossing near Amiens that allowed the advance
to continue. The advance had come so far and fast that the
In their fast Cromwell tanks the division set off on 15 division was off the edge of the maps that had been issued,
August, attached to the Canadian Second Army, with the and had lost radio contact with higher headquarters.
11th Hussars in the lead, crossing the champagne countryside On 2 September the 4th Armoured Brigade returned to XII
towards Picardy. By the 18 August they had crossed the River Corps, and the division kept moving, often at night, with the
Vie, near Livarot then pushed on to Lisieux on the River aim to keep the enemy on the back foot and to move faster
Toques. Lisieux was strongly held and did not fall until the

0 Miles 40 80 120 THE
0 Kilometres 80 140 200 NETHERLANDS

Rhine River Arnhen
Waal River Nijmegen

s’Hertogenbosch Middelrode Maas River Lippe River
Ruhr River
Dunkirk Ghent Antwerp Eindhoven
St. Joost St. Odilienburg GERMANY
St. Pol Scheldt River
Somme River Brussels Echt Montfort
Susteren Schilburg
Amiens Rhine River
Lille BELGIUM Roer River
Meuse River

Seine River FRANCE lux.

152

than the Germans were able to. This was to prevent them During this period the British government offered members 7TH ARMOURED DIVISION
establishing defensive positions. After a tough fight at St Pol, of the division who had served for five years the opportunity
the division was ordered to send only the 22nd Armoured to elect to return to Great Britain to train new recruits in the
Brigade on to Ghent, as a shortage of fuel and other supplies British Army. Approximately 100 members from each of the
meant the whole division could not be adequately support- battalions of the Queens took this offer, with replacements
ed. On the morning of 4 September the 22nd Armoured coming from the 50th (Tyne & Tees) Division, which had
Brigade crossed into Belgium, and by dawn on 5 September reverted to being a training division.
had entered Ghent. Small pockets of Germans were routed In November 1944 131 (Queens) Brigade was reorganised.
from the city and the whole division had moved up by that The 1st/6th Battalion, and 1st/7th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal
evening. After three days Ghent had been cleared of the last Regiment were replaced by two battalions from the disband-
pockets of resistance and the division prepared for a German ed 50th (Tyne & Tees) Division. These were the 2nd Battalion,
counter-attack. The bulk of the British and Canadian Devonshire Regiment, and the 9th Battalion, Durham Light
armies were some distance behind, and despite elements of Infantry.
the German 15th Army being encircled by the advance, the
Germans had withdrawn north across the Scheldt river as Operation Blackcock
the advance forces of XXX Corps were not strong enough to
prevent them. For the remainder of September the division By the end of January 1945 the Bulge threat had been
was engaged in mopping up operations along the Scheldt eliminated, and the division set about preparations to
River, and in other parts of Belgium, and was not involved attack into Germany, which included closing the last gap
in operation Market Garden. between Maas (Meuse) and the Rhine, in the triangle
formed by the confluence of the Maas and Roer rivers. A
Clearing the Scheldt river crossing was planned to commence on 12 January,
‘Operation Blackcock’. 7th Armoured Division had only the
In October the Desert Rats moved to new positions to the Queens Brigade in the initial assault, but had the armour
west and south of S’Hertogenbosch, holding a front of 14 from its Regiments ready to cross as soon as bridges had been
miles, and suffering a steady stream of casualties. At the end built. In addition, 8th Armoured Brigade, 155th Infantry
of October the division launched an operation to clear out Brigade, and 1 Commando were under the command of 7th
the pocket of Germans to the west of XXX Corps positions Armoured Division for the assault. The German 176th and
between Eindhoven and Nijmegen, towards the River Maas 183rd Infantry Divisions opposed them, in well prepared po-
(Meuse). On 22 October, the Queens Brigade, Crocodile sitions, and amply supported by artillery and anti-tank guns.
and mine flail tanks, and the 8th Hussars started the advance The division’s objectives were Echt, Schilburg and Susteren,
towards Middelrode. The Germans of 712. Infanteriedivision with the 22nd Armoured Brigade to clear towards Montfort
had prepared well, in strong points around villages with and St Odilienburg. Mine flail tanks and artillery support-
minefield and artillery support. The villages around the ed the initial attack. At the village of St Joost, a battalion
area cost the division many casualties, with the biggest of German Fallschimjäger caused heavy casualties among
threats to tanks being bogged in the Polder fields flooded the 8th Hussars and the 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade,
by the Germans, and minefields. Artillery, mortars and followed by Crocodile tanks moved forward to help clear
machine-guns caused casualties among the Queens Brigade, them out. Tough fighting ensued for the next few days, until
while anti-tank guns and panzerfausts inflicted losses among the Germans eventually withdrew across to the Roer, and
the tanks. The fighting continued to capture the smaller operation Blackcock concluded.
villages around S’Hertogenbosch, and then the town itself. The division withdrew from the line to train for the next big
The division eventually cleared the Germans from south of operation, crossing the Rhine, the advance into Germany,
the Maas (Meuse) River. The division then settled down for and the eventual end to the war in Europe.
winter, painted its tanks white, while the battle of the bulge
continued to the south.

7th Armoured Special Rules

A 7th Armoured Division company (pages 154 to 167) uses all of the British special rules found on pages 246-248 of the
rulebook. They also use the Duckbills special rules on page 169.

153

7th Armoured Division ‘Desert Rats’

Armoured Squadron
Tank Company

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
box shaded grey.

COMBAT PLATOONS Desert Rats Armoured WEAPONS PLATOONS 156 156 159 163 159 163 RECONNAISSANCE SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY
Squadron HQ 155 155 155 155 155 ARMOUR
Desert Rats Recce
ARMOUR BRIGADE SUPPORT PLATOONS Patrol Anti-tank Platoon 201 157 157 Field Battery (SP), 167 203 167 204 206 206
(SP), Royal Artillery Royal Horse Artillery
Desert Rats Armoured INFANTRY 205
Platoon RECONNAISSANCE ARTILLERY
Desert Rats Pioneer
ARMOUR Platoon Armoured Car Platoon Field Battery,
INFANTRY Royal Artillery
Desert Rats Armoured INFANTRY Field Battery (SP),
Platoon Commando Platoon Royal Horse Artillery
Desert Rats Motor ANTI-AIRCRAFT Medium Battery, Royal
ARMOUR Platoon Artillery
Desert Rats Rifle Light Anti-aircraft Platoon
Desert Rats Armoured Platoon (SP), Royal Artillery AIRCRAFT
Platoon
INFANTRY Air Support
ARMOUR AOP
Desert Rats Motor
Desert Rats Armoured Platoon Air Observation Post
Platoon Desert Rats Rifle
Platoon

154

Motivation and skill 7th Armoured DESERT RATS ARMOURED SQUADRON
Division
Combining years of training and combat-experienced officers with their vast desert and
Normandy experience, the armoured regiments of the Desert Rats are as good as any of RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT
Hitler’s Panzers.
CONFIDENT TRAINED
A 7th Armoured Division Desert Rats Armoured Squadron is rated Confident Veteran.
FEARLESS VETERAN

Headquarters

Desert Rats Major
Armoured Squadron HQ

Headquarters 340 points Cromwell IV Cromwell IV Cromwell ARV
265 points
2 Cromwell IV and 2 Cromwell VI CS 170 points
2 Cromwell IV and 1 Cromwell VI CS
1 Cromwell IV and 1 Cromwell VI CS

2 Cromwell IV 190 points Cromwell VI CS Cromwell VI CS
1 Cromwell IV 95 points

Option Desert rats Armoured Squadron HQ
• Add Cromwell ARV recovery vehicle for +10 points.

Except for the Armoured Recce Squadrons of the other into the Netherlands and Germany they are as reliable as
British Armoured Divisions, the ‘Desert Rats’ are the ever. The speed of the Cromwell is its main asset, enabling a
only division entirely equipped with the Cromwell cruiser squadron to out flank enemy positions and attack them from
tank. These hardy workhouses have proved their worth in the side. Cromwell CS close-support tanks provide excellent
Normandy and as the ‘Desert Rats’ advance through Belgium high-explosive and smoke fire.

Combat Platoons

Desert Rats Armoured Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon Sergeant

2 Cromwell IV 435 points Command Cromwell IV Cromwell IV
and 2 Firefly VC or IC 405 points HQ Tank Tank
3 Cromwell IV 310 points
and 1 Firefly VC or IC Corporal Lance Corporal
2 Cromwell IV
and 1 Firefly VC or IC

Option Tank Tank

• Replace up to one Firefly VC or IC tank with a Tank Tank
Challenger tank for +20 points.
Desert Rats Armoured Platoon

Like in Normandy, the Desert Rats are equipped with any German vehicle they may encounter. Its big turret and
Cromwell IV cruiser tanks and Firefly 17 pdr tanks. Some extra crewman mean it can sustain a rapid fire burst when
squadrons also have Challenger tanks replacing some of their a likely target comes into view. Like the Cromwell, the
Firefly tanks. The Challenger, like the Firefly, is armed with a Challenger has excellent speed.
17 pdr, a powerful, hard-hitting gun that can destroy almost

155

Weapons Platoons

Desert Rats Recce Patrol Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon
1 Stuart V and 2 Stuart V Jalopy 155 points

1 Chaffee and 2 Stuart V Jalopy 190 points Command tank
HQ Tank

Desert Rats Recce Patrols are Reconnaissance Platoons Corporal Lance Corporal
The recce patrol provided the armoured squadron’s eyes
and ears, discovering enemy deployment, direction of Stuart V Jalopy Stuart V Jalopy
march, and general dispositions. Once the information was
gathered they could quickly withdraw, either with stealth Tank Tank
and cunning, or in a blaze of confusing machine-gun fire.
Deserts Rats Recce Patrol

Brigade Support Platoons

Desert Rats Pioneer Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with:

2 Assault Squads 85 points Command Pioneer Pioneer Rifle team 15cwt truck
1 Assault Squads 60 points Rifle team
HQ Section

You may replace up to one Pioneer Rifle team with a Flame- Corporal Corporal
thrower team at the start of the game before deployment.
The pioneer platoon clears mines to keep the routes open for Pioneer Rifle team Pioneer Rifle team
the advancing tanks and motor infantry. They also carry out
construction and repair work on bridges and other obstructions Jeep with trailer Jeep with trailer
in the path of the company. They can also be equipped with Assault Squad Assault Squad
flame-throwers to deal with bunkers and fortified buildings.
Desert Rats Pioneer Platoon

156

Support Platoons DESERT RATS ARMOURED SQUADRON

Armoured Car Platoon Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern Corporal

2 Daimler I and 2 Daimler Dingo 140 points
2 Daimler I and 1 Daimler Dingo 105 points

1 Daimler I, 1 Sawn Off Daimler, 100 points Command Daimler I Armoured car
and 1 Daimler Dingo HQ Armoured Car Armoured Car

Options Sergeant Lance Corporal

• Fit Littlejohn adaptor to one Daimler I armoured car Daimler Dingo Daimler Dingo
at no cost. Scout Car Scout Car

• Equip any or all Daimler I armoured cars with Armoured Car Platoon
AA MG for +5 points per armoured car.

• Replace AA MG on any or all Daimler Dingo or Sawn
Off Daimler scout cars with twin MG for +5 points
per car.

An Armoured Car Platoon is a Reconnaissance Platoon. The 11th Hussar were equipped with Daimler I armoured
After Normandy the Desert Rats regained their old armoured cars and Daimler Dingo scout cars. Some of the Daimler
car regiment the 11th Hussars. The 11th Hussars fought the I armoured cars had their turrets removed as Sawn Off
rest of the war leading the way for the divisions, letting the Daimlers, a practice that had become common among the
8th Hussar (the armoured reconnaissance regiment) revert to armoured car regiments of the British Army.
a more traditional armoured regiment role.

Commando Platoon Captain
Captain
Platoon
Command Rifle/MG team
HQ Section with: 205 points
2 Commando Squads

At the start of the game before Deployment you may replace Lance Sergeant Lance Sergeant
Rifle/MG teams (aside from the Command team) in each
Commando Platoon as follows: Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team
• Replace up to two teams with SMG teams.
• Replace one team with a Light Mortar team. Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team
• Replace one team with a PIAT team.
• Replace one team with a Vickers K Gun LMG team. Commando Commando
Squad Squad
Know the Plan: Commando Sections use the German
Mission Tactics special rule on page 242 of the rulebook. Commando Platoon
Fairbairn-Sykes: Commando Infantry teams hit on a roll
of 2+ in assaults. A Commando Platoon is rated Fearless Veteran.
Mind and Heart: Commando Infantry and Man-packed
Gun teams are Mountaineers (see page 61 of the rulebook). FEARLESS VETERAN

The 7th Armoured Division had the 1st Commando Brigade
(formerly the 1st Special Service Brigade) under their
command as they advanced through Germany in 1945.

157

7th Armoured Division ‘Desert Rats’

Motor Company
(Infantry COMPANY)

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
Desert Rats Motor box shaded grey.
Company HQ
COMBAT PLATOONS WEAPONS PLATOONS 160 161 161 161MACHINE-GUNS SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY
INFANTRY 159 159 159 159 160 ARMOUR

Desert Rats Motor Desert Rats Motor Desert Rats Armoured 155 201 Field Battery (SP), Royal 167 203 167 204
Platoon Machine-gun Platoon Platoon Horse Artillery
Anti-tank Platoon 155
INFANTRY ANTI-TANK (SP), Royal Artillery ARTILLERY
157
Desert Rats Motor Desert Rats Motor ARMOUR Field Battery, Royal
Platoon Anti-tank Platoon Artillery 205 206 206
Desert Rats Armoured Field Battery (SP),
INFANTRY ANTI-TANK Platoon Royal Horse Artillery
Medium Battery,
Desert Rats Motor Desert Rats Motor RECONNAISSANCE Royal Artillery
Platoon Anti-tank Platoon
Armoured Car Platoon ANTI-AIRCRAFT
RECONNAISSANCE ARTILLERY INFANTRY
Light Anti-aircraft Platoon
Desert Rats Scout Desert Rats Motor Commando Platoon (SP), Royal Artillery
Platoon Mortar Platoon
AIRCRAFT
157
Air Support
AOP

Air Observation Post

158

Motivation and skill 7th Armoured DESERT RATS MOTOR COMPANY
Division
Combining years of training and combat-experienced officers with their vast desert and
Normandy experience, the motor battalion of the Desert Rats are as good as any of Hitler’s RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT
Panzergrenadiers.
CONFIDENT TRAINED
A 7th Armoured Division Desert Rats Motor Company is rated Confident Veteran.
FEARLESS VETERAN

Headquarters

Desert Rats Motor Company HQ Major
Major
Headquarters

Company HQ 35 points

The infantry element of the Desert Rat’s 22nd Armoured Brigade Company Command White scout car
is the 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade. These elite troops special- Rifle team
ise in fighting alongside the tanks, securing ground taken by
the bold manoeuvres of the tank squadrons. 2iC Command White scout car
They are no light-weights as they are expected to clear villages Rifle team
and other terrain unsuitable for armoured warfare.
Company HQ

Desert Rats Motor Company HQ

Combat Platoons

Desert Rats Motor Platoon Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern

HQ Section with: 140 points HQ Section
115 points Corporal
3 Motor Squads
2 Motor Squads

The motor platoon is a small, well-drilled, group of soldiers. Sergeant
Their half-tracks are their home away from home. They eat,
sleep, travel, and fight in their American lend-lease M5 half- Motor Squad Motor Squad
track. In return the M5 half-track provides them with protec-
tion from German small arms fire and transport so they don’t Corporal
have to walk.
They may be a small platoon but they have plenty of firepower Motor Squad
with three Bren light machine-guns, a PIAT and a 2” light
mortar. Desert Rats Motor Platoon

159

Desert Rats Scout Platoon Captain
Captain
Platoon
260 points Command Universal Universal
3 Scout Patrols 175 points Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
2 Scout Patrols
1 Scout Patrol 90 points

Options Scout Patrol
• Arm any or all Universal Carriers with an extra
Sergeant
hull-mounted MG for +5 points per carrier.
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with Command Universal Universal
Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
a hull-mounted .50 cal MG per Scout Patrol for
+5 points per carrier. Scout Patrol
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with a
PIAT anti-tank projector per Scout Patrol at no cost. Sergeant

Scout Patrols are Reconnaissance Platoons. Command Universal Universal
Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
Scout Patrols operate as separate platoons, each with their
own command team. Scout Patrol
The scout platoons ensure the rest of the motor company
avoids surprises. Be it enemy ambushes, troops concentra- Desert Rats Scout Platoon

tions, blocked routes, or blown bridges, the scouts, in their
fast moving universal carriers, keep the company command-
er abreast of the tactical situation.

Weapons Platoons

Desert Rats Subaltern
Motor Machine-gun Platoon
Subaltern

Platoon

HQ Section with: 140 points HQ Section
75 points
4 Vickers HMG
2 Vickers HMG

Option Sergeant Sergeant
• Add Troop and MMG Carriers to the platoon at

+15 points per Machine-gun Section.

Vickers HMG teams from a Desert Rats Motor Machine- Machine-gun Machine-gun
gun Platoon cannot fire Artillery Bombardments. Section Section
The motor machine-gunners provide heavy firepower, pro-
tecting the motor company’s positions with well-positioned Desert Rats Motor Machine-gun Platoon
lanes of fire. As the company advances the MMG carriers
mount the Vickers machine-guns to provide fire support on
the move.

160

Desert Rats Subaltern DESERT RATS MOTOR COMPANY
Motor Anti-tank Platoon Subaltern

Platoon

HQ Section with: Command Rifle team Troop Carrier

4 OQF 6 pdr (late) 140 points HQ Section
2 OQF 6 pdr (late) 75 points
Sergeant Sergeant

Option OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
• Add Troop and Loyd Carriers to the platoon for

+5 points.

The motor battalion’s role fighting alongside the division’s Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
tanks often brings it into conflict with the enemy’s tanks. OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
The reliable 6 pdr anti-tank gun can quickly be brought into
action when the tanks are not available. Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
With improved ammunition the 6 pdr gun can deal with Anti-tank Section Anti-tank Section
a variety of targets, from medium tanks to dug-in infantry.

Desert Rats Motor Anti-tank Platoon

Desert Rats Subaltern
Motor Mortar Platoon Subaltern

Platoon

HQ Section and: Command Rifle team White Scout Car
HQ Section
3 Mortar Sections with a total of:
6 ML 3” Mk II 175 points Sergeant Sergeant

2 Mortar Sections with a total of: 120 points Observer Observer
4 ML 3” Mk II Rifle Team Rifle Team

1 Mortar Sections with a total of: 65 points ML 3” Mk II White Scout Car ML 3” Mk II White Scout Car
2 ML 3” Mk II mortar mortar

Option ML 3” Mk II White Scout Car ML 3” Mk II White Scout Car
• Add White Scout Cars to the platoon for +5 points. mortar mortar
Mortar Section Mortar Section
The battalion’s mortar platoon is a useful tool for screening
the tanks and motorised infantry with smoke and high-ex- Sergeant
plosive bombardments. This light and mobile artillery can be
called on to quickly bring a bombardment down on enemy Observer Rifle Team ML 3” Mk II ML 3” Mk II
positions in preparation of an attack or to screen movement. mortar mortar
The mortar platoon is mounted in White scout cars, so they
are able to keep pace with the advancing motor platoons.

White Scout Car White Scout Car
Mortar Section

Desert Rats Motor Mortar Platoon

161

7th Armoured Division ‘Desert Rats’

Rifle Company
(Mechanised COMPANY)

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
box shaded grey.

COMBAT PLATOONS Desert Rats 163 163 163 163 WEAPONS PLATOONS INFANTRY SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY
Rifle Company HQ ARMOUR

INFANTRY

Desert Rats Desert Rats Pioneer 156 164 165 165 Desert Rats 155 185 Field Battery, 203 203 167 204 206 206
Rifle Platoon Platoon Armoured Platoon Royal Artillery
Breaching Group 155 200
INFANTRY RECONNAISSANCE ARTILLERY
ARMOUR
Desert Rats Desert Rats Field Battery,
Rifle Platoon Carrier Platoon Desert Rats Royal Artillery
Armoured Platoon Field Battery (SP),
INFANTRY ARTILLERY Crocodile Tank Platoon Royal Horse Artillery
Medium Battery,
Desert Rats Desert Rats ARMOUR Royal Artillery
Rifle Platoon Mortar Platoon
Anti-tank Platoon AIRCRAFT
BRIGADE SUPPORT PLATOONS ANTI-TANK (SP), Royal Artillery 201 157 163
Air Support
Desert Rats RECONNAISSANCE AOP
Anti-tank Platoon
Armoured Car Platoon Air Observation Post
MACHINE-GUNS INFANTRY
166 166 166
Desert Rats Desert Rats
Machine-gun Platoon Rifle Platoon

MACHINE-GUNS ANTI-AIRCRAFT

Desert Rats Light Anti-aircraft Platoon
Machine-gun Platoon (SP), Royal Artillery
Desert Rats
Heavy Mortar Platoon

205

162

Motivation and skill 7th Armoured DESERT RATS RIFLE COMPANY
Division
Combining years of training and combat-experienced officers with their vast desert and
Normandy experience, the rifle battalions of the Desert Rats are as good as any of Hitler’s RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT
Panzergrenadiers.
CONFIDENT TRAINED
A 7th Armoured Division Desert Rats Rifle Company is rated Confident Veteran.
FEARLESS VETERAN

Headquarters

Desert Rats Rifle Company HQ Major
Major
Headquarters

Company HQ 30 points

Option Company Command 2iC Command Troop Carrier
• Add Jeep or Troop Carrier for +5 points. Rifle team Rifle team

Company HQ

Desert Rats Rifle Company HQ

Combat Platoons

Desert Rats Rifle Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with: 180 points Command PIAT team Light Mortar
140 points Rifle/MG team HQ Section team
3 Rifle Squads
2 Rifle Squads

Option Corporal Corporal
• Add a Transport Squad for +5 points.

Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team

131st (Queens) Brigade are the hard fighting infanry of the Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team
7th Armoured Division. Called the “Queen’s” Brigade due Rifle Squad Rifle Squad
to its three rifle battalions coming from The Queen’s Royal
Regiment. Their long service meant that in November 1944 Corporal Corporal
only one Queen’s battalion, 1st/5th Battalion, remained in
the brigade. However, the quality and fighting spirit of the Rifle/MG team 3-ton lorry
brigade did not deminish as they were joined by two veteran
battalions from the disbanded 50th (Tyne & Tees) Division. Rifle/MG team
The task of the Queen’s Brigade is to clear the way for the
armoured brigade in difficult terrain and occupy ground Rifle Squad 3-ton lorry
captured by the armoured regiment in more open terrain. Transport Squad
More difficult terrain and positions are bypassed by the
armoured division and left for the following infantry divi- Desert Rats Rifle Platoon
sions to capture.

163

Weapons Platoons

Desert Rats Carrier Platoon Captain
Captain
Platoon
345 points Command Universal Universal
4 Carrier Patrols 260 points Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
3 Carrier Patrols 175 points
2 Carrier Patrols Carrier Patrol
1 Carrier Patrol 90 points

Options Sergeant
• Arm any or all Universal Carriers with an extra
Command Universal Universal
hull-mounted MG for +5 points per carrier. Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with
Carrier Patrol
a hull-mounted .50 cal MG per Carrier Patrol for
+5 points per carrier. Sergeant
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with a
PIAT anti-tank projector per Carrier Patrol at no cost.

Carrier Patrols are Reconnaissance Platoons. Command Universal Universal
Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier

Carrier Patrol

Carrier Patrols operate as separate platoons, each with Sergeant
their own command team.
The battalions carrier patrols probe forward to locate the Command Universal Universal
enemy’s positions and to warn of impending attacks. During Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
offensives they race forward, taking advantage of their speed,
to check the avenues of advance for ambushes, obstacles and Carrier Patrol
intact bridges.
Desert Rats Carrier Platoon

164

Desert Rats Mortar Platoon Subaltern DESERT RATS RIFLE COMPANY
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with:

3 Mortar Sections 175 points Command Rifle team Troop Carrier
2 Mortar Sections 120 points HQ Section
1 Mortar Section
65 points Sergeant Sergeant

Option Observer Observer
• Add Troop Carrier and Mortar Carriers for +5 points Rifle Team Rifle Team

for the platoon.

The 3” mortars of the mortar platoon provide the Desert MLM3o”rMtark II Mortar Carrier MLM3o”rMtark II Mortar Carrier
Rat’s infantry with instant fire support. These light and
mobile weapons can keep up with the advance and get ML 3” Mk II Mortar Carrier ML 3” Mk II Mortar Carrier
into immediate action while the heavy guns of the artillery Mortar Mortar
regiment are still moving forward. Mortar Section Mortar Section
Once in action they provide cover and concealment with
smoke and keep the Germans’ heads down with high-explo- Sergeant
sive rounds while the infantry launch their attack.

Observer Rifle Team MLM3o”rMtark II MLM3o”rMtark II

Mortar Carrier Mortar Carrier
Mortar Section

Desert Rats Mortar Platoon

Desert Rats Anti-tank Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with:

6 OQF 6 pdr (late) 205 points Command Rifle team Troop Carrier
4 OQF 6 pdr (late) 140 points
2 OQF 6 pdr (late) HQ Section
75 points
Sergeant Sergeant

Option OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
• Add Troop and Loyd Carriers for +5 points for the

platoon.

The infantry battalions in an armoured division were always Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
very well equipped with anti-tank guns. The company has OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
access to the battalion’s excellent 6-pdr anti-tank guns. These
can set up a deadly ambush with their high rate of fire and Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
low silhouette. Anti-tank Section Anti-tank Section
On attack, 6 pdr anti-tank guns are placed in the best
positions to halt enemy armoured counterattacks. Sergeant

OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)

Loyd carrier Loyd carrier

Anti-tank Section

Desert Rats Anti-tank Platoon

165

Brigade Support Platoons

Desert Rats
Machine-gun Platoon

Platoon

HQ Section with: 140 points
75 points
4 Vickers HMG
2 Vickers HMG

Option
• Add Troop and MMG Carriers to the platoon at

+15 points per Machine-gun Section.

The Vickers machine-guns may date back to before the First Machine-gun Machine-gun
World War, but they are still a sturdy and reliable weapon. Section Section
In a defensive situation they provide a wall of firepower that
even the most determined enemy will find hard to fight Desert Rats Machine-gun Platoon
through. Their armoured MMG carriers take the fight to the
enemy on attack.

Desert Rats Subaltern
Heavy Mortar Platoon
Subaltern

Platoon

HQ Section with: 155 points HQ Section
80 points
4 ML 4.2”
2 ML 4.2”

Option Sergeant Sergeant
• Add Troop and Loyd Carriers to the platoon for

+5 points.

The 4.2” heavy mortar is an excellent weapon for any enemy Mortar Section Mortar Section
positions the battalion’s 3” mortars can’t deal with. Almost
as mobile as its 3” cousin, the heavy mortars provide smoke
cover as well as powerful high-explosive barrages.

Desert Rats Heavy Mortar Platoon

166

Support Platoons DESERT RATS RIFLE COMPANY

Field Battery (SP), Major
Royal Horse Artillery Major

Platoon

HQ Troop with: 440 points HQ Troop
250 points Captain
Two Gun Troops with a total of: 145 points Captain
8 Sexton
One Gun Troop with:
4 Sexton
2 Sexton

Options Sherman OP
• Add Jeep and 15 cwt trucks for +5 points for the
HQ Section
battery.
• Replace any or all AA MG on Sexton self-propelled Sergeant Sergeant

guns with a .50 cal AA MG for +5 points per gun. Sexton Sexton
• Replace all Sherman OP tanks with Cromwell OP

tanks for +5 points for the battery.

Each Gun Troop operates as a separate platoon with its own Sexton Sexton
Command team.
The Command team and Staff team of the HQ Troop must GUN Section GUN Section
be attached to a Gun Troop from its battery at the start of
the game before deployment (see page 248 of the rulebook). GUN Troop

Armed with Sexton self-propelled 25 pdr guns the Desert Captain
Rats’ 5th Regiment (SP), Royal Horse Artillery often fought Captain
with the tanks of the 22nd Armoured Brigade. The Sextons,
while not as fast as the powerful Cromwells, were usually Sherman OP
not far behind ready to lend artillery support when needed.
The quick-firing 25 pdr can soften up even the most HQ Section
stubborn enemy defences or they can lend direct fire to blast
enemy machine-guns and anti-tank guns. Sergeant Sergeant

Sexton Sexton

Sexton Sexton
GUN Section GUN Section

GUN Troop

Field Battery (SP), Royal Horse Artillery

167

29th Armoured Brigade
In the Ardennes

In December 1944, the 11th Armoured Division was sta- On 23 December a jeep carrying disguised Germans was
tioned in northern France, near Gravelines, refitting with disabled by mines near the bridge into Dinant, and the
Comet tanks. After the Germans launched the attack they occupants captured. All three regiments of 29th Armoured
were ordered to return the Comets and replace them with Brigade deployed defensive screens along high ridges to
their old Sherman tanks from ordnance depots in Brussels. the east of the river, where they had excellent hull down
On 20 December General Montgomery ordered Horrocks’ positions with good fields of fire. Fortuitously so, as on the
XXX Corps to prepare for defence west of the Meuse River, 23 December Kampfgruppe Böhm of 2. Panzerdivision was
with a screening force to hold likely crossing points, and the engaged near Foy-Notre-Dame. At least three Panthers and
43rd (Wessex) Division in position to counter-attack any one Panzer IV were reported destroyed, along with many
German crossing. Up until as late as 22 December there panzergrenadiers and half-tracks. Other minor skirmishes
were many crossings over the Muese that had no defences followed, but by Christmas morning the only contact was
whatsoever, so a flexible defensive plan was a necessity. from the Germans shelling Dinant. The 29th Armoured
Brigade celebrated Christmas day with iced bully beef and
Holding the Meuse cheese sandwiches. 3rd Royal Tank Regiment and 8th Rifle
Brigade were ordered to attack Sorinne and Boisseilles, to
The 29th Armoured Brigade was ordered to move into po- the east of Dinant, which they did with minimal resistance.
sitions to the north of the Muese River, to hold the largest They found many abandoned German tanks and much
towns and their respective bridges. The three armoured equipment, and captured a number of prisoners.
regiments of the brigade spread out, with the 23rd Hussars
at Givet, Fife and Forfarshire Yeomanry at Namur, and Counter Offensive
3rd Royal Tank Regiment at Dinant. The brigade’s motor
battalion, 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, was split up By New Years Day the 29th Armoured Brigade was placed
and company sized detachments were sent to each of the under command of the 6th Airborne Division. The 6th
crossings. On arrival most of the tanks were whitewashed Airborne Division had been hurriedly rushed from England
as camouflage for the snow that had started falling. They and was very quickly thrown into the attack. The 13th
found some US Army units in hastily prepared positions and Parachute Battalion (13th Para) of the 5th Parachute Brigade
the bridges wired for demolition. At Givet the 23rd Hussars were ordered to capture the villages of Bure and Wavreville,
found that no defensive preparations had been made by the supported by the 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry (Fifes), a
American forces stationed there. company of 8th Rifle Brigade, and the Belgian SAS. British
army engineers had constructed a bridge at Chanly on the

29TH ARMOURED BRIGADE IN THE ARDENNES

Namur 3 RTR 0 Miles 3 5
Dinant 24 DEC 0 Kilometres 5

Sorinne

3 RTR Foy-Notre-Dame Key
27 DEC Boisseilles
Attacks by
Celles 29th Armoured Brigade

23 HUS Rochefort
25-27 DEC
Givet Wavreville
29 ArmBg
168 1 JAN Wellin 29 ArmBg 6 AB Div 6 AB Div 6 AB Div
6 AB Div Chanly3 JAN 9 JAN
1 JAN 3 JAN 8 JAN Grupont
Tellin Bure

Helma Chapel Hill

River Lesse, which was to form the primary attack route. On the night of 5 January the 29th Armoured Brigade 29TH ARMOURED BRIGADE
23rd Hussars were in support of the attack to the south. On withdrew from Bure and took up position at Chapel Hill
the morning of 3 January, in bitterly cold, icy and snowy and Tellin. The fighting at Bure was some of the heaviest
conditions, the attack began, centred initially on the 2000 of the war, and dragged on over a week, costing the paras
foot high Chapel Hill and, after this was captured, the heavily, but ultimately the town was taken, with the Germans
town of Bure. Both positions held by troops of Panzer Lehr withdrawing.
Division. Casualties were heavy, with enemy mortars and After Bure, between 8 and 9 January the brigade support-
machine-guns inflicting heavy losses among the paratroop- ed attacks by 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles and 12th
ers. The support tanks suffered losses under fire from the Battalion, Devonshire Regiment at Grupont, which was
Germans’ tanks, tank-hunters and panzerfausts. The Fifes captured much more easily than Bure. With the front sta-
squadron lost nine tanks, from 19, and was withdrawn to bilised and the threat posed by the German attack passed,
Tellin. The 23rd Hussars replaced the Fifes at Bure, and also the 29th Armoured Brigade settled down to patrolling and
suffered heavily. German artillery was especially heavy, and support operations until 13 January when they were ordered
in addition to tank-hunters, Tiger tanks were reported in the back to Brussels, to resume training on their new Comets.
village (though this seems unlikely as no German units in the The Battle of the Bulge was over.
area had Tigers, so were more likely to have been Panthers
or Jagdpanthers), which the Shermans found difficult to
knockout.

29th Armoured Brigade Special Rules

A 29th Armoured Brigade company (pages 170 to 175) uses all of the British special rules found on pages 246-248 of the
rulebook. They also use the following special rule.

Duckbills At the start of the game a player may elect to fit all of the
following tank types in their force with Duckbills:
Duckbill track extensions were developed to provide extra • Ram Kangaroo APC
flotation for tracked vehicles in muddy conditions. These • Sherman V
could be quickly installed when needed. • Firefly VC
• Sherman ARV
• M10C 17pdr SP
• Sexton self-propelled gun

This gives them Wide Tracks (see page 61 of the rulebook)
but makes their mobility rating Slow Tank.

169

29th Armoured Brigade

Armoured Squadron
Tank Company

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
Armoured Squadron HQ box shaded grey.

COMBAT PLATOONS ARMOUR 171 173 173 174WEAPONS PLATOONS RECONNAISSANCE SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY
171 171 171 171 171 ARMOUR

Armoured Platoon Recce Patrol Anti-tank Platoon 201 198 201 Field Battery, 203 199
ARMOUR (SP), Royal Artillery Royal Artillery
BRIGADE SUPPORT PLATOONS INFANTRY Airlanding Anti-tank 181 191 195 Airlanding Light Battery, 203 199 204
Armoured Platoon Motor Platoon Platoon, Royal Artillery Royal Artillery
ARMOUR Anti-tank Platoon, 206
INFANTRY Royal Artillery ARTILLERY
Armoured Platoon Motor Platoon 202 193
ARMOUR INFANTRY Field Battery,
RECONNAISSANCE Royal Artillery
Armoured Platoon Scout Platoon Rifle Platoon Airlanding Light Battery,
Parachute Platoon Royal Artillery
Airlanding Platoon Medium Battery, 206
Royal Artillery
RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT
Recce Platoon
Belgian SAS Troop Air Support
AOP
ANTI-AIRCRAFT
Air Observation Post

Light Anti-aircraft Platoon 205 205
(SP), Royal Artillery
Light Anti-aircraft
Platoon, Royal Artillery

170

Motivation and skill 11th Armoured ARMOURED SQUADRON
Division
The 29th Armoured Brigade or the 11th Armoured Division is considered to be one of the
finest fighting formations in Northwest Europe. The division is highly motivated and skilled. RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT

An Armoured Squadron is rated Confident Veteran. CONFIDENT TRAINED

FEARLESS VETERAN

Headquarters

Armoured Squadron HQ Major

Headquarters Major Sergeant

4 Sherman V 320 points Company Command 2iC Command Sherman ARV
3 Sherman V 240 points Sherman V Sherman V Recovery
2 Sherman V 160 points Section

Options Sherman V Sherman V

• Arm any or all Sherman V tanks with a .50 cal Company HQ
AA MG for +5 points per tank.
armoured squadron hq
• Add Sherman ARV recovery vehicle for +10 points.

Combat Platoons

Armoured Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon Sergeant

3 Sherman V and 1 Firefly VC 355 points
2 Sherman V and 1 Firefly VC 275 points

Option Command Sherman V Sherman V
HQ Tank Tank
• Arm any or all Sherman V and Firefly VC tanks with
a .50 cal AA MG for +5 points per tank. Lance Corporal Corporal

The tankers of the 29th Armoured Brigade had just began Sherman V Firefly VC
training to recieve new Comet crusier tanks when they were
called up to do their part to halt the Ardennes offensive. Tank Tank
They quickly retrieved their old Sherman V and Firefly VC
tanks from depots before heading to the Ardennes. Armoured Platoon

Weapons Platoons

Recce Patrol Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern Sergeant
2 Stuart V and 2 Stuart V Jalopy
2 Stuart V and 1 Stuart V Jalopy 205 points Command Stuart V Stuart V
150 points HQ Tank Tank
4 Stuart V Jalopy
3 Stuart V Jalopy 215 points Corporal Lance Corporal
160 points

Option Stuart V Jalopy Stuart V Jalopy

• Arm any or all Stuart V tanks with AA MG for Tank Tank
+5 points per tank.

Recce Patrol

Recce Patrols are Reconnaissance Platoons Stuart V and turretless Stuart V Jalopy’s provided each
armoured regiment with their own reconnaissance troops.

171

29th Armoured Brigade

Motor Company
(Infantry COMPANY)

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
box shaded grey.

COMBAT PLATOONS Motor Company HQ 174 175 175WEAPONS PLATOONSMACHINE-GUNSSUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY
INFANTRY 173 173 173 173 174 ARMOUR

Motor Platoon Motor Machine-gun Armoured Platoon 171 201 Field Battery, 203 199
INFANTRY Platoon Anti-tank Platoon Royal Artillery
(SP), Royal Artillery Airlanding Light Battery,
ANTI-TANK Royal Artillery
ARMOUR
Motor Platoon Motor Anti-tank Platoon 171 181 191 195 202 193 ARTILLERY 203 199 204
INFANTRY ANTI-TANK Armoured Platoon
INFANTRY Field Battery,
Motor Platoon Motor Anti-tank Platoon Royal Artillery
RECONNAISSANCE Rifle Platoon Airlanding Light Battery,
Parachute Platoon Royal Artillery
Scout Platoon Airlanding Platoon Medium Battery, 205 205 206 206
Royal Artillery
RECONNAISSANCE
ANTI-AIRCRAFT

Light Anti-aircraft Platoon
(SP), Royal Artillery
Light Anti-aircraft
Platoon, Royal Artillery

AIRCRAFT

Recce Platoon Air Support
Belgian SAS Troop AOP

Air Observation Post

172

Motivation and skill 11th Armoured MOTOR COMPANY
Division
The 29th Armoured Brigade or the 11th Armoured Division is considered to be one of the
finest fighting formations in Northwest Europe. The division is highly motivated and skilled. RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT

A Motor Company is rated Confident Veteran. CONFIDENT TRAINED

FEARLESS VETERAN

Headquarters

Motor Company HQ Major

Headquarters 35 points Major
Company HQ
Company HQ
Option Company
• Add Mortar Section for +60 points. Command
Rifle team

The 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, is an elite unit with a ML 3” Mk II Corporal
rich tradition. They have been supporting the 11th Armoured mortar
Division since Normandy. ML 3” Mk II
The role of the motor company is to support an armoured mortar
regiment, holding the ground captured by the tanks and to
clear villages that are delaying the tanks’ advance. Mortar Section

Motor Company HQ

Combat Platoons

Motor Platoon Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern

HQ Section with: 140 points HQ Section
115 points Corporal
3 Motor Squads
2 Motor Squads

Option Sergeant
• Arm any or all M5 half-tracks with a passenger-fired

.50 cal AA MG for +5 points per half-track.

Motor platoons are mounted in speedy, reliable US-supplied Motor Squad Motor Squad
M5 half-tracks, to keep up with the tanks of the armoured
regiments. The platoons are small, but well equipped to fight Corporal
armour or infantry.

Motor Squad

Motor Platoon

173

Scout Platoon Captain
Captain
Platoon
260 points Command Universal Universal
3 Scout Patrols 175 points Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
2 Scout Patrols
1 Scout Patrol 90 points

Options Scout Patrol
• Arm any or all Universal Carriers with an extra
Sergeant
hull-mounted MG for +5 points per carrier.
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with Command Universal Universal
Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
a hull-mounted .50 cal MG per Scout Patrol for
+5 points per carrier. Scout Patrol
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with a
PIAT anti-tank projector per Scout Patrol at no cost. Sergeant

Scout Patrols are Reconnaissance Platoons. Command Universal Universal
Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier

Scout Patrol

Scout Patrols operate as separate platoons, each with their Scout Platoon
own command team.
The scout platoons of the motor battalion are mounted in
fast, lightly armoured universal carriers. They are ideal com-
panions for the armoured and infantry battalions, able to
keep up with the tanks, and mechanised infantry on road
or across country. Their small size and low silhouette makes
them hard to spot and perfect for reconnaissance duties.

Weapons Platoons

Motor Machine-gun Platoon Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern

HQ Section with: 140 points HQ Section
75 points
4 Vickers HMG
2 Vickers HMG

Option Sergeant Sergeant
• Add Troop and MMG Carriers to the platoon at

+15 points per Machine-gun Section.

Vickers HMG teams from a Motor Machine-gun Platoon Machine-gun Machine-gun
cannot fire Artillery Bombardments. Section Section
The Vickers heavy machine-guns of the machine-gun
platoon have a tremendous ability to provide sustained fire Motor Machine-gun Platoon
against enemy infantry. Assaulting them directly is virtually
impossible, making them a valuable asset for the infantry.
Their specialist MMG Carriers give the unit good protection
and excellent mobility.

174

MOTOR COMPANY

Motor Anti-tank Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with: 140 points Command Rifle team Troop Carrier
75 points
4 OQF 6 pdr (late) HQ Section
2 OQF 6 pdr (late)

Option Sergeant Sergeant
• Add Troop and Loyd Carriers to the platoon for
OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
+5 points.

The motor battalion has three-times as many anti-tank Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
platoons as a rifle battalion, making them quite capable of OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
holding their own against enemy tanks.

Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
Anti-tank Section Anti-tank Section

Motor Anti-tank Platoon

175

53rd Welsh Division

Normandy The 53rd Welsh Division began the assault on ‘s-Hertogen-
bosch on 22 October and after four days of hard fighting
53rd Welsh Division landed in Normandy on 28 June as a took the declared ‘Festung’ (Fortress). Several more days
follow-up division and was placed under command of XII of mopping up saw the town secured by 27 October. The
Corps defending the Odon Valley position. They were then division assault on ‘s-Hertogenbosch was noted for its ex-
held in reserve for Operation Epsom, the drive to Hill 112. cellent infantry/armour cooperation and the use of a variety
When the division went into the line in the Hill 112/Odon of specialist armoured vehicles such as Canadian Ram
area they saw heavy fighting as part of ‘Operation Greenline’, Kangaroo armoured personnel carriers, Crocodile flame-
a diversionary attack West of Caen leading up to Operation tanks, and Sherman Flail tanks.
Goodwood.
In August the Division began to push out of the Odon region, Ardennes
driving along the river Orne adjacent to the Canadian sector,
as part of the attempt to close the Falaise Pocket. The 53rd Welsh Division were holding the line near Louvain-
Wavre-Genappe east of Brussels, along the river Dyle,
Holland when they were called on to move to the Ardennes sector.
The 1st  Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (1st HLI) were
During Operation Market-Garden the division was located defending near the fields of Waterloo where they had once
on the west flank, continuing its advance with XII Corp successfully fought a different foe. The commanding officer
starting on the Lommel Bridgehead and advancing on the insisted that his observation post be placed on the famous
Tilburg/’S Hertogenbosch axis. Waterloo monument.
After the week long grind the XII Corp still hadn’t made On 3 January a US counter-attack was launched on the
their objective of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Over the following north-centre of the huge salient created by Von Runstedt’s
weeks the 53rd garrisoned ‘the island’ South of Arnhem. panzer armies. As part of this attack, Lt General Brian
The taking of the Scheldt peninsula (Operation Pheasant) Horrock’s XXX Corps were responsible for closing out a
commenced on 22 October. The British XII Corps was front of 10 miles and reaching the objectives of Rendieux-
tasked not only with expanding the Nijmegen Salient Le-Bas, Waharday, Grimbiement and the line of the river
westward, but also with destroying the German fortress at Hedree.
‘s-Hertogenbosch. They would cut the German 15. Armee’s For the attack, the 158th Brigade supported by tanks from
line of communication with LXXXVIII. Korps, stationed the 144th Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (44th RAC, from
south of the Maas (Meuse) on the Scheldt. the 33rd Armoured Brigade) would advance on the left flank

53RD WELSH DIVHotItSonION IN THE ARDENNES

71 BRIG 158 BRIG Ourthe River
4 JAN Rendieux-Le-Bas
Marche 4 JAN
Waharday 158 BRIG
8 JAN

71 BRIG Warizy
7 JAN
Hodister
Grimbiement

Hèdrée

La Roche

0 Miles 2 Gênes
0 Metres
2 5 5

Halleux

176

and take Rendieux-Le-Bas and Waharday. The 71st Brigade day the beleaguered 2nd Mons were relieved by the 53rd BRITISH INFANTRY DIVISIONS
with tanks under command from the 1st Northamptonshire Recce. After two days of fighting the 2nd Mons had suffered
Yeomanry Regiment would advance along the right flank heavy casualties from German fire, mines hidden in the snow
towards Grimbiemont. The 160th Brigade with the remain- and exposure to the extreme cold.
der of the 33rd Armoured Brigade was held in reserve. On the fourth day of the offensive, a divisional attack was
In the early hours of 4 January, in freezing wind and snow- launched south past Waharday, bypassing the Rendieux
storms, the Welsh battalions launched their attack. Their roadblocks, towards Grimbiemont. The attack, with support
progression was seriously hampered by the wooded and hilly of tanks from the 144th RAC, started at 0900 hours. The
terrain as well as the extreme cold and heavy snow. forested hill terrain they attacked through would have been
On the left flank, the 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment difficult under normal circumstances, but the snow, ice and
(1/5th Welch) advancing on Waharday were having a tough freezing temperatures made it worse. On top of all of this the
time getting their supporting arms forward. Mortars had to attackers were under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire.
be manhandled in very cold conditions along deeply rutted By 1420 hours the village of Waharday had been cleared. It
tracks. To make matters worse, the enemy in Waharday could was a brave operation against a tenacious and determined
command fire on all approaches and the khaki uniforms of the enemy and nature itself. The battalions that had led the
Welsh made easy targets against the snowy white background. assault on the village had suffered heavy casualties with 11
By late morning ‘C’ company had fought their way into the officers and 232 other ranks killed, wounded or succumbed
village but were forced out by two tanks and a scout car. to the elements.
The advance on Rendieux-le-Bas by the 2nd Battalion, By 8 January, Waharday was occupied by the division and the
Monmouthshire Regiment (2nd Mons) was held up by a 53rd Recce Regiment had managed to clear the well defended
roadblock under a crest, which proved almost impossible to roadblocks on the road to Rendieux-le-Bas. From this point
take out or bypass. The roadblock was difficult to target with the 51st Highland took over the offensive and by 11 January
artillery as the angle of descent of the shells made it hard to the division was pulled out of the line for a week’s rest before
reach the German position. With the enemy completely alert their next big operation into Germany.
and firing at every movement the situation was a deadlock.
A decision was made to wait until night and then attack Into Germany
the roadblock again with the support of maximum artillery
fire. Three Heavy Batteries were used to fire on the position, Following the Ardennes, the division was sent north in
tragically as the rifle companies moved up a sudden drop in February 1945, to take part in Operation Veritable. Still
temperature caused some of shells to fall short and drop onto attached to XXX Corps, the division slogged its way through
their own troops. The barrage did little damage to the enemy. the Reichswald Forest and assaulted the fortified city of
On the Southern flank the 1st HLI and the 1st Battalion, Weeze beyond. It was during this bitter period of difficult
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (1st Ox and fighting in deep forest, waterlogged fields and shattered
Bucks) advanced towards a stream north of Grimbiemont. towns, all the while mired in mud, that the division suffered
The 1st HLI suffered from heavy shelling during their over half its total casualties for the war. Nevertheless, the
advance, which was further compounded by minefields division broke through the Siegfried Line.
hidden under the snow. The 1st Ox and Bucks were slowed Rejoining XII Corps and crossing the Rhine during
by enemy snipers and mortars. Despite these obstacles both Operation Plunder, the division saw action as part of the
battalions reached their objectives by late afternoon. Exploitation Reserve and broke out to the North East across
On the second day of the offensive, the 2nd Mons renewed the River Issel. The fighting which followed, in the last
their attack against the strongpost and despite assistance months of the war, saw several bitter battles against enemy
from a Typhoon attack, made little progress. On the third formations that included determined Marine Divisions
and even a Hungarian regiment, before ending the War in
Hamburg.

53rd Welsh Special Rules

A 53rd Welsh Division Rifle Company (page 180) uses all of the British special rules found on pages 246-248 of the rulebook.
They also use the following special rules.

Cymru am Byth frequently inspire those around them to continue on when
times were at their bleakest.
(Pronounced: Cum-ree am beeth, Translation: Wales
Forever) A platoon joined by the 2iC Command team from a Welsh
company (including those from the ‘international brigade’)
The old saying goes: ‘To be born welsh is to be privileged; may re-roll failed Platoon Morale Checks.
not with a silver spoon in your mouth, but with music in
your heart and poetry in your soul’. This feeling of pride, Duckbills
combined with the close-knit farming and mining com-
munities the 53rd (Welsh) Division is raised from gives the Use the Duckbills rule on page 169.
soldiers a strong sense of community. The senior NCO’s
and Junior officers were often seen as leading members of
the community, in and out of military service, and would

177

51st Highland Division

Just before Christmas 1944 the commanders of the The 5th Battalion, Seaforth Highland Regiment (5th Seaforths)
51st Highland Division were carrying out reconnaissance on easily captured the undefended Gênes. However, two
how they would clear out the Germans between the River armoured cars from the Derbyshire Yeomanry were knocked
Maas (Meuse) and the River Rhine. However, with news of out as they ran into a minefield that was hidden beneath
the German offensive in the Ardennes, the division’s orders the snow. The 2nd Seaforths then advanced through the lines
were quickly changed. established by 5th Seaforths on towards Halleux, capturing it
Over the Christmas period, the 51st Highland Division ex- by noon. Early in the afternoon, the 5th Battalion, Cameron
perienced a disappointing time of order and counter order. Highland Regiment (5th Camerons) also advanced through
After this unsatisfactory period, the division spent a week 5th Seaforths’ lines in the direction of Ronchamps. They
guarding a number of the Meuse River crossings before encountered very little enemy resistance along the way,
moving forward on 7 January to relieve the 53rd Welsh but minefields and shelling combined with thick snow and
Division during the Allied counter-offensive. terrible conditions, made progress slow.
While the counter-offensive had began on 3 January, opera- When the 5th Camerons reached Ronchamps that night
tions for the 51st Highland Division did not commence until the German rearguard withdrew. The 152nd Brigade had
9 January. The 153rd Infantry Brigade advanced first, clearing captured their objectives. However, the next day the brigade
the enemy from Hodister and other villages southwest of the suffered sustained artillery bombardments that caused a
Ourthe valley. number of casualties. The Germans had taken up a strong
As part of the counter-offensive, the 152nd Infantry Brigade defensive position just over a mile south of Ronchamps.
advanced on Ronchamps and the 154th Infantry Brigade Now that the 152nd Brigade held Ronchamps, the division’s
advanced on La Roche. The conditions they operated in were right flank was secure, meaning the 154th Brigade could
appalling due to extreme cold and heavy snow falls. make it’s advance down the Ourthe Valley to La Roche.
On 10 January the 152nd Brigade passed through the 153rd The attack was planned to have three phases. As part of
Brigade to advance across the Marche - La Roche road and phase one the 1st Battalion, Royal Highland Regiment
on to take Ronchamps, which covered the right flank of the ‘Black Watch’ (1st Black Watch) was required to capture La
divisional advance on the Ourthe valley. The brigade was Roche. Phase two required the 7th Black Watch to advance
supported by the East Riding Yeomanry. beyond La Roche and capture Hives and Lavaux further to

51ST HIGHLAND DIVISION IN THE ARDENNES

152 BRIG 154 BRIG Samrée
9 JAN 11 JAN

Hodister

La Roche

Gênes Halleux Ourthe River

Bande 152 BRIG
10 JAN
154 BRIG Hill 400
11 JAN Hives
Thimont
Ronchamps Lavaux 154 BRIG
12 JAN Hubermont

Mierchamps Roupage Nisramont

Journal Ortho 154 BRIG
Beaulieu 154 BRIG 14 JAN
n
13 JAN Warempage

Erneuville Cens
Champlon

0 Miles 2 5 Tenneville
0 Metres
2 5

178

the south. Phase three would require the 7th Battalion, Argyll could not traverse the ground, leaving the infantry to clear BRITISH INFANTRY DIVISIONS
and Sutherland Highland Regiment (7th Argylls) to capture the village of Hives on their own. They assaulted the village
the villages of Thirmont and Roupage. after dark and by 1930 had cleared the village and captured
On the morning of 11 January the 1st Black Watch began 40 prisoners. However, without the supporting tanks and
their advance on La Roche. As they approached the town a transport, a decision was made not to continue the assault
Panther tank gave the men a scare before they realised it was on to Lavaux. Engineers spent the night clearing the road to
abandoned. Once in the town the battalion come under fire allow the supporting armour and transports to move up and
and shelling from a German position across the valley. ‘B’ prepare for the assault on Lavaux.
and ‘C’ company cleared this position in the early afternoon, The plans for phase 3 were cancelled and the 7th Argylls were
completing the capture of La Roche. redeployed to exploit through Hives with the 7th Black Watch
Now phase two of the plan commenced. The 7th Black to Lavaux and beyond. By this stage the division could hear
Watch had to deal with several mines and delaying positions the sounds of US guns, meaning a link up was imminent.
on their way to Hives. The tanks supporting the battalion By 12 January the division started to encounter more deter-
mined opposition as they now threatened the main German
0 Yards 500 1000 withdrawal route.
0 Metres 500 1000 The new divisional plan was for the 154th Brigade to continue
to attack through Hives to take Lavaux and Beaulieu. The
Ronchamps 5th  Black Watch from the 153rd Brigade was also placed
under the command of the 154th to advance through La
Artillery Fire Roche and capture Hill 400 overlooking Hubermont and
Roupage. The rest of the 153rd Battalion would then move
Mines through to capture Nisramont and Ortho.
The 7th Argylls encountered a strong German defensive
River Bronze position near Lavaux. It wasn’t until night that Lavaux was
taken by the battalion. They then continued their advance on
n German Positions Beaulieu reaching the town on the morning of 13 January.
The few Germans left defending the town were completely
152nd Brigade stopped at Mierchamps taken by surprise and surrendered. The Germans attempted
Ronchamps a counter-attack with two tanks early in the morning, but
the battalion managed to get their anti-tank guns brought
up to repel the attack.
By 14 January, the 51st Highland Division had captured
all of its objectives and remained to mop up any German
stragglers and stabilise a new defensive line. By 15 January
all combat in the XXX Corps sector of the Ardennes had
finished. The division then returned to Holland to recom-
mence offensive operations to cross the Rhine.

51st Highland Special Rules

A 51st Highland Division Rifle Company (page 180) uses all of the British special rules found on pages 246-248 of the
rulebook. They also use the following special rules.

Bagpipes Duckbills

Bagpipers have piped the Scots regiments into battle for Use the Duckbills rule on page 169.
centuries. The tales of pipers walking through a hail of fire,
pipes wailing, abound. Even the death of the officer they are
accompanying will not stop them.

If a 2iC Command team with a Bagpiper is Destroyed
by enemy shooting, the enemy rolls to Destroy the 2iC
Command team using the Warrior Infantry Team
Casualties rule on page 106 of the rulebook. However,
instead of requiring a 4+ to Destroy the 2iC Command
team, the enemy player needs to roll a 5+ to Destroy the
team.
Any hits on the 2iC Command team do not count towards
Pinning Down the platoon or making it Fall Back from
Defensive Fire.

179

51st ‘Highland’ Division and 53rd ‘Welsh’ Division

Rifle Company
(Infantry COMPANY)

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS 181 181 181 181 You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
RIfle box shaded grey.
Company HQ Your Company HQ must be either from the 51st ‘Highland’ Division (marked  ), or the
53rd ‘Welsh’ Division (marked  ). All other platoons with either of these symbols must be
INFANTRY from the same division as your Company HQ.

COMBAT PLATOONS WEAPONS PLATOONS ARTILLERY SUPPORT PLATOONS ANTI-AIRCRAFT
ARMOUR

Rifle Platoon Mortar Platoon 182 183 182 183 Armoured Platoon 171 184 185 200 200 Light Anti-aircraft Platoon205 205 203 203 204 206 206
INFANTRY RECONNAISSANCE ‘Skins’ Armoured (SP), Royal Artillery
Platoon 171 184 185 200 Light Anti-aircraft
Rifle Platoon Carrier Platoon Breaching Group Platoon, Royal Artillery
INFANTRY INFANTRY
Crocodile Tank ARTILLERY
Rifle Platoon Pioneer Platoon Platoon
ANTI-TANK Tank Platoon Field Battery,
BRIGADE SUPPORT PLATOONS 184 184 184 201 201 Royal Artillery
Anti-tank Platoon ARMOUR
ARTILLERY
MACHINE-GUNS Armoured Platoon
Machine-gun Platoon ‘Skins’ Armoured Field Battery,
Platoon Royal Artillery
MACHINE-GUNS Breaching Group Medium Battery,
Machine-gun Platoon Royal Artillery
Heavy Mortar Platoon Tank Platoon
ANTI-TANK AIRCRAFT

Anti-tank Platoon Air Support
(SP), Royal Artillery AOP
Anti-tank Platoon,
Royal Artillery Platoon Air Observation Post

RECONNAISSANCE 202 181

Recce Platoon
INFANTRY

Rifle Platoon

180

Motivation and skill RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT RIFLE COMPANY
CONFIDENT TRAINED
The 53rd Welsh Division was battle-hardened from Normandy, but had not suffered anywhere VETERAN
near the level of casualties suffered by other British divisions in the killing fields of the Bocage. FEARLESS
As a consequence, it was experienced, seasoned and confident.

The 51st Highland Division, on the other hand, had a far harder time during the fighting in Normandy. However, their vast
experience saw them through the dark times and they have come out the other side more determined than ever. A Rifle Company
is rated Confident Veteran.

Headquarters

Rifle Company HQ Major
Major
Headquarters
Company HQ 30 points 30 points

Options Company Command 2iC Command Troop Carrier
• Add Jeep or Troop Carrier for +5 points. Rifle team Rifle team
• Add a Scottish Bagpiper to the 2iC Command team
Company HQ
for +10 points.
Rifle Company HQ

With the Germans threatening to bust through the Ardennes 1945. Both the 53rd Welsh and 51st Highland Divisions are
and cross the Meuse River and cut the Allies supply routes, veterans of Normandy, the liberation of Belgium, and the
Monty rushed three divisions to the Meuse to set up de- push to the German border. They are well-prepared to throw
fensive positions along the river. Two of these divisions the Germans in the Ardennes back to their border.
saw action during the counter offensive in early January

Combat Platoons

Rifle Platoon

Platoon

HQ Section with: 180 points 180 points
140 points 140 points
3 Rifle Squads
2 Rifle Squads

Add a Transport Section with: +20 points
3 Ram Kangaroo APC -

Option

• Add a .50 cal MG to any or all Ram Kangaroo APCs
for +5 points per APC.

When making a Night Attack, Rifle Platoons equipped Ram Kangaroo APC
with a Transport Section may still make a Spearhead move,
even though the platoon is not entirely made up of Infantry Ram Kangaroo APC
Teams.
Ram Kangaroo APC
The 51st Highland Division’s morale had suffered in Transport Section
Normandy, but a new commander and the liberation of Le
Havre in September saw the division back to the fighting Rifle Platoon
spirit last seen in North Africa and Sicily.
The 53rd Welsh Division were issued newly converted
Canadian Ram ‘Kangaroos’ – armoured troop carriers based
on obsolete Ram tanks for their operations in Holland.
These Ram Kangaroos were to be used in action for the
first time in Operation ‘Alan’, 22 to 27 October 1944, at
‘S Hertogenbosch, Holland. In the Ardennes they reverted
back to fighting on foot.

181

Weapons Platoons

Mortar Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with: 175 points 175 points Command Rifle team Troop Carrier
120 points 120 points HQ Section
3 Mortar Sections
2 Mortar Sections 65 points 65 points Sergeant Sergeant
1 Mortar Section

Option Observer Rifle Team Observer Rifle Team
• Add Troop and Mortar Carriers for +5 points for the

platoon.

The smoke and high explosive shells of our 3” mortars MLM3o”rMtark II Mortar Carrier MLM3o”rMtark II Mortar Carrier
provide cover and keep the Germans’ heads down during
an attack. This invaluable close support artillery frees the di- MLM3o”rMtark II Mortar Carrier MLM3o”rMtark II Mortar Carrier
vision’s artillery regiments to concentrate on higher priority Mortar Section Mortar Section
targets.

Sergeant

Observer Rifle Team ML 3” Mk II ML 3” Mk II
Mortar Mortar

Mortar Carrier Mortar Carrier
Mortar Section

Mortar Platoon

Pioneer Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with:

2 Assault Squads 90 points 90 points Command Pioneer Pioneer Rifle team 15cwt truck
1 Assault Squad 65 points 65 points Rifle team
HQ Section

You may replace up to one Pioneer Rifle team with a Flame- Corporal Corporal
thrower team at the start of the game before deployment.
The battalion’s pioneer platoons are used for a variety of tasks Pioneer Rifle team Pioneer Rifle team
from clearing minefields, obstacles, and repairing bridges to
assaulting German strongpoints, whether they are in en- Jeep with trailer Jeep with trailer
trenchments or fortified buildings. Assault Squad Assault Squad

Pioneer Platoon

182

Carrier Platoon Captain RIFLE COMPANY
Captain
Platoon

4 Carrier Patrols 345 points 345 points Command Universal Universal
3 Carrier Patrols 260 points 260 points Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
2 Carrier Patrols 175 points 175 points
1 Carrier Patrol Carrier Patrol
90 points 90 points

Options Sergeant
• Arm any or all Universal Carriers with an extra
Command Universal Universal
hull-mounted MG for +5 points per carrier. Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with
Carrier Patrol
a hull-mounted .50 cal MG per Carrier Patrol for
+5 points per carrier. Sergeant
• Replace up to one extra hull-mounted MG with a
PIAT anti-tank projector per Carrier Patrol at no cost. Command Universal Universal
• Replace all Universal Carriers in up to two Carrier Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
Patrols with Wasp flame-thrower carriers for
+25 points per patrol. Carrier Patrol

Sergeant

Carrier Patrols are Reconnaissance Platoons. Command Universal Universal
Carrier Patrols equipped with Wasp Carriers are not Universal Carrier Carrier Carrier
Reconnaissance Platoons.
Carrier Patrol

Carrier Patrols operate as separate platoons, each with Carrier Platoon
their own command team.
The rifle company’s carrier platoon provides much needed platoons. In the Ardennes the carrier’s ability to cover
reconnaissance, mobility and supporting fire to the infantry ground quickly is invaluable to keep attacks moving and to
prevent hastily erected defensive positions from delaying the
advance.

Anti-tank Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon

HQ Section with:

6 OQF 6 pdr (late) 205 points 205 points Command Rifle team Troop Carrier
4 OQF 6 pdr (late) 140 points 140 points
2 OQF 6 pdr (late) HQ Section
75 points 75 points
Sergeant Sergeant

Option OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
• Add Troop and Loyd Carriers for +5 points for the

platoon.

Despite entering service in North Africa, the British 6 pdr Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
anti-tank gun continues to provide the riflemen of the OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
infantry divisions with excellent support. The 6 pdr gun has
undergone a number of improvement since its introduction Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
such as better anti-tank ammunition and high-explosive Anti-tank Section Anti-tank Section
rounds. The 6 pdr gun is still more than capable to dealing
with a great many of the Germans tanks and tank-hunters, Sergeant
and the addition of HE makes it a handy anti-infantry gun.
In the Ardennes both divisions encountered German tanks as OQF 6 pdr (late) OQF 6 pdr (late)
they pushed the bulge back to the German border, the 6 pdr
platoons provided the riflemen with a reassuring backup as Loyd carrier Loyd carrier
they advanced.

Anti-tank Section

Anti-tank Platoon

183

Brigade Support Platoons

Machine-gun Platoon Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern

HQ Section with: 140 points 140 points HQ Section
4 Vickers HMG 75 points 75 points
2 Vickers HMG

Option Sergeant Sergeant
• Add Troop and MMG Carriers to the platoon at

+15 points per Machine-gun Section.

Machine-guns are the cornerstone of a good defence. Set Machine-gun Machine-gun
them up to repel enemy infantry attacks or mount them on Section Section
armoured MMG carriers and take the fight to them. Either
way, the Vickers is a reliable and deadly weapon in your
arsenal.

Machine-gun Platoon

Heavy Mortar Platoon Subaltern

Platoon Subaltern

HQ Section with: 155 points 155 points HQ Section
4 ML 4.2” 80 points 80 points
2 ML 4.2”

Option Sergeant Sergeant
• Add Troop and Loyd Carriers to the platoon for

+5 points.

The 4.2” heavy mortar is an excellent infantry support
weapon. It can provide instantly ready smoke cover as well as
powerful high-explosive barrages.

Mortar Section Mortar Section

Heavy Mortar Platoon

Support Platoons

‘Skins’ Armoured Platoon Subaltern
Subaltern
Platoon Sergeant

2 Cromwell IV and 350 points Command Cromwell IV Cromwell IV
2 Firefly VC - 320 points HQ Tank Tank
3 Cromwell IV and 250 points
1 Firefly VC - Corporal Lance Corporal
2 Cromwell IV and
1 Firefly VC -

Option Tank Tank

• Replace up to one Firefly VC or IC tank with a Tank Tank
Challenger tank for +20 points.
‘Skins’ Armoured Platoon

‘Skins’ Armoured Platoons are rated Confident Trained. Freshly arrive from Blighty when they supported the 53rd
Welsh Division during Operation Market-Garden, the 5th
CONFIDENT TRAINED Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards or ‘Skins’ have been
training hard, but Holland is their first true test while the
rest of the 7th Armoured Division are refitting.

184

Breaching Group Subaltern RIFLE COMPANY

Platoon Subaltern

1 Sherman V and 150 points
2 Sherman Crab -

Command Sherman V

Options Sherman Crab flail tank Sherman Crab flail tank
• Add AVRE Section for +50 points.
• Add Bulldozer Section for +15 points.

Flail Section

Although a Breaching Group is a single Support choice, Command AVRE Assault Tank D7 Bulldozer
each Section operates as a separate platoon with its own Bulldozer Section
Command team. The D7 Bulldozer is an Independent tank AVRE Assault Tank
team. AVRE Section
When determining the number of platoons that must be
held in Reserves and the number of platoons Deployed on
table, treat each Breaching Group as a single platoon.

Teams from all Sections of a Breaching Group are always Breaching Group
Non-assaulting teams when involved in an assault. ‘Hobart’s Funnies’ were the specialist engineering and
However, a D7 Bulldozer may assault Bunkers. assault vehicles developed by General Percy Hobart of the
79th Armoured Division for the invasion of France in June
1944. They were assigned to divisions as needed for elim-
inating any enemy wire, mines, and obstacles that might
delay the advance.

Breaching Group Special Rules

Breaching Force: A force that includes a Breaching Gun Tanks Forward!: At the beginning of the game
Group Always Attacks and, if it is an Infantry Company, before Deployment, you may remove any or all AVRE
is considered a Mechanised Company for the purpose of the Sections from Breaching Groups, adding a single Sherman
Armoured Reserves rule found on page 269 of the rulebook. Crab Flail tank to the Group’s Flail Section for each AVRE
Teams from a Breaching Group may only be held in Section removed.
Reserves in missions with the Mobile Reserves special rule.

AVRE Special Rules

The core of the 79th Armoured Division’s strength is the Petard Mortar: The Petard mortar shoots as a normal
versatile AVRE, the Armoured Vehicle, Royal Engineers (although very short-ranged) gun.
(pronounced av-ree). Any Armoured vehicle hit by a Petard mortar uses its Top
armour rating for its Armour Saves.
Fascine and SBG Bridge: At the start of the game after
Fortifications (if any) are placed, but before Deployment, Demolishing Obstacles: An AVRE may attempt to gap
you may elect to mount a Fascine or Assault Bridge on an Obstacle. The AVRE must not move in the Movement
any or all of your AVsRE. An AVRE that has a Fascine Step, and must be able to draw a Line of Sight to an
or Assault Bridge mounted cannot shoot. In addition, an Obstacle and be within 4”/10cm of it to attempt to gap it.
AVRE that has an Assault Bridge mounted is Overloaded Roll a Skill Test for the AVRE in the Shooting Step instead
rather than Wide-tracked. of shooting.
Fascines act as Assault Bridges (see page 226 of the rulebook), • If the test is successful, the Obstacle is removed (unless it
but may only be used to bridge ditches and craters. is a Street barricade, in which case it is gapped),
An AVRE may abandon its Fascine or Assault Bridge • Otherwise, it remains intact.
instead of shooting, removing the Fascine or Assault Bridge
from play.

Sherman Crab Special Rule

Crab Flail Tanks: Sherman Crab Platoons use the rules for Mine Flails and Rollers on page 226 of the rulebook.

185

THE BATTLE FOR BURE

Belgian SAS troops in jeeps, advancing ahead of the 6th Airborne Division, sight the Germans.

Chuchill IV and VI infantry tanks support the paratroopers as they advance through a village.

186

German Panzer IV J medium tanks are surprised by Airlanding 6 pdr anti-tank guns behind a garden wall.

German panzergrenadiers counterattack with armoured support in an attempt to take back the village.

The paratroopers and panzergrenadiers fight for the village, house by house, in running street battles.

187

6th Airborne Division
in the Ardennes

When the German offensive in the Ardennes commenced the Once ‘A’ Company had reached the village ‘B’ Company
6th Airborne Division was in England, resting and training began their advance, but their plan was immediately thrown
after their success in Normandy. The division was ordered to into Chaos. A sniper had managed to pick out the company
move at once by sea and road to take up defensive positions commander, who was killed instantly. This was closely
between Dinant and Namur to defend the crossings of the followed by mortars, machine-guns, tanks and self-pro-
River Meuse. By the time the 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades pelled guns opening up on the company. Within minutes
were in position, the German advance had been stopped. the company had lost most of its officers, with only two
In the lead up to New Year’s Day 1945, the Parachute Brigades remaining in action. One of the lieutenants took control and
were given orders to advance against the tip of the German organised a smoke screen to provide cover as the company
salient. On 2 January, with support from the 2nd Battalion, made a run for shelter.
The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry (29th Armoured Brigade, 11th ‘A’ Company was making progress clearing the village but
Armoured Division), the division was to capture the villages was starting to run short of ammunition. ‘C’ Company
of Bure and Grupont. Once these villages had been cleared, was then sent in with the hope to clear the village before
a crossing over the River Lomme would be seized to prevent darkness. This time an artillery barrage was used to good
any German breakthrough and keep them on the defensive. effect to cover the advance and the company reached the
The next day the 13th Parachute Battalion of the 5th Parachute village unharmed. By the time night fell, the German tanks
Brigade, supported by ‘C’ squadron from the 2nd Fife and operating in the village had withdrawn and up to half the
Forfar Yeomanry, started what would later be described village was now in British control.
as “one of the toughest little battles in the history of the It was a tense, sleepless night in the village. It was extremely
campaign”, the battle for the village of Bure against elements cold and German patrols were trying to cut behind the paras
of the German Panzer Lehr Division. to cut them off. The paras had also used the night to turn the
‘A’ Company was the first to move with orders to clear the houses they occupied into minor strongholds.
village of a German infantry platoon reported to be holding The morning of 4 January saw the arrival of more snow and
the position. However, as soon as they emerged to cross the the return of the German tanks. The Germans also brought
300m of open ground to the village they were hit with heavy up large numbers of infantry to assault the British positions.
and accurate mortar fire. There were several casualties and At this point, the paras took cover in the cellars and called
the company went to ground. The Company commander down artillery on their own positions. As soon as the bom-
soon had them moving again in a rush for the nearest houses. bardment stopped, all the men rushed out of the cellars to
Once they reached the houses they began systematically drive back the German counter-attacks. The supporting
clearing them. Movement was difficult as a tank was posi- Shermans tried to outflank the panzers but had no success,
tioned 200m up the road, able to lay down machine-gun fire with 16 Shermans being knocked out during the action.
on anyone advancing up the road.

0 Yards 500 1000
0 Metres 500 1000

7-9 Jan

Grupont

Bure River Lomme

3-5 Jan

Tellin

188

Evacuation of the wounded was a serious problem and many one Panzer tank still remained despite several PIAT attacks. 6TH AIRBORNE DIVISION
casualties needed urgent hospital treatment. At one point in By 2100, the last German outpost was seized and the village
the battle, a British ambulance did come forward to pick up was secure. At the same time, the 7th Parachute Battalion
casualties. A German Panzer, which had been fighting the had also taken Grupont encountering only light resistance,
Paras all day, rolled up alongside it and told the driver “take which completed the objectives of the 5th Parachute Brigade.
the casualties away this time, but don’t come forward again, The 13th Parachute Battalion had suffered heavy casualties
it is not safe”. Needless to say, the ambulance did not return. from the fighting in Bure and had lost a third of it’s strength.
By this stage, Bure was almost a heap of rubble, but the They were pulled back from Bure and replaced by troops
Germans still fought on tenaciously. In the evening, ‘C’ from the 29th Armoured Brigade. The 6th Airborne then went
Company from the 2nd Ox and Bucks light infantry of the on to liberate several more villages in the Ardennes.
6th Airlanding joined the Battalion as reinforcements. In the By mid January the division was withdrawn to Holland to
early hours of 5 January, a determined attacked was successful patrol the River Maas (Meuse) before returning to England
in clearing most of the Germans out of the village, although in late February to prepare for operation Varsity.

Airborne Special Rules

A Parachute Company (page 190) and an Airlanding Company (page 194) use the following special rules in addition to the
normal British special rules (see pages 246 to 248 of the rulebook).

Gammon Bombs Section Mortars

Lieutenant Gammon devised one of the airborne force’s British parachute platoons carried a lightweight ML 2” light
most useful weapons, the No. 82 Gammon Grenade. This mortar in each section as a grenade launcher, along with a
clever but simple device consists of a cloth bag with a fuse few rounds of smoke ammunition. The plan was to use the
attached. Since every para carries sticks of plastic explosives mortars to screen German machine-guns as they bypassed or
that can be pooled for demolition work when needed (or assaulted them.
used to start cooking fires!), all they require for a devastating
anti-tank grenade is a way to detonate it. With the Gammon Each turn one of the Parachute Platoon’s Rifle/MG teams
bomb they insert sticks of explosive, close the bag, pull the may fire as a Light Mortar team firing Smoke.
fuse, and throw.

All teams in a Parachute Company HQ, Parachute Platoon
and Airlanding Platoon carry Gammon Bombs giving them
Tank Assault 3.

Canadian Special Rules

A Canadian Parachute Company (page 190) uses the above Airborne and following Canadian special rules in addition to the
normal British special rules, except British Bulldog (see pages 246 to 248 of the rulebook).

Assault troops Woodsmen

The Canadians have maintained their enviable reputation as Although Canada has been settled for centuries, it was not
aggressive assault troops, unwilling to be stopped by enemy until the Nineteenth Century that its population underwent
fire, no matter how heavy. significant growth and it remains a largely rural country.
Canadian soldiers are typically a little more independent
Canadian Platoons do not use the British Bulldog special (and unruly) than British soldiers.
rule. Instead any Canadian Platoon that is Pinned Down
may re-roll failed Motivation tests to rally from being Canadian Platoons use the German Mission Tactics special
Pinned Down. rule.

189

Parachute Company
(Infantry COMPANY)

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
Parachute Company HQ box shaded grey.

INFANTRY Your Company HQ must be either British (marked ) or Canadian (marked ). All other
platoons marked with either of these symbols must match your Company HQ.

COMBAT PLATOONS 197 198 199 203 204 206 206WEAPONS PLATOONSARTILLERYSUPPORT PLATOONSANTI-TANK
171 200 171 200 193 195 173 198 ARMOUR

Parachute Platoon 192 192 192Parachute Mortar Platoon Armoured Platoon Airlanding Anti-tank
INFANTRY 191 191 191 191 MACHINE-GUNS Tank Platoon Platoon

Parachute Platoon Parachute ARMOUR ANTI-TANK
INFANTRY Machine-gun Platoon
Armoured Platoon Airlanding Anti-tank
Parachute Platoon INFANTRY Tank Platoon Platoon, Royal Artillery

Parachute RECONNAISSANCE ARTILLERY
Assault Platoon
Belgian SAS Troop Airlanding Light Battery,
INFANTRY Royal Artillery
Field Battery,
Airlanding Platoon Royal Artillery
Motor Platoon
Airlanding Platoon, ARTILLERY
Royal Engineers
Medium Battery,
Royal Artillery

AIRCRAFT

Air Support
AOP

Air Observation Post

190

Motivation and skill RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT PARACHUTE COMPANY
CONFIDENT TRAINED
The highly skilled and celebrated paras of the 6th Airborne Division are keen to get back into VETERAN
the fight. A Parachute Company is rated Fearless Veteran. FEARLESS

Headquarters

Parachute Company HQ Major

Headquarters Major

Company HQ 60 points 60 points

Options Company HQ
• Add up to three PIAT teams for +20 points per team. Corporal
• Add up to three Sniper teams for +50 points per team.

The 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades formed the bulk of the Anti-tank Section
division’s rifle strength. Led by seasoned officers of the
Normandy campaign, they were preparing for future opera- Parachute Company HQ
tions in Germany when they were called up to help halt the
German offensive in the Ardennes.

Combat Platoons

Parachute Platoon

Platoon

HQ Section with:

3 Rifle Squads 230 points 240 points Command Rifle/MG team PIAT team
2 Rifle Squads 170 points 180 points

The Parachute infantrymen of the 6th Airborne Division had corporal corporal corporal
fought hard throughout the Normandy campaign and had
earned themselves a reputation as fearsome fighters amongst Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team
the Germans.
Parachute platoons are well equipped to fight as normal Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team
infantry as they are called on to do in the Ardennes. They
have PIAT anti-tank projectors to use against enemy tanks as
well as to knock out enemies in houses.

191

Weapons Platoons

Parachute Mortar Platoon

Platoon

HQ Section with: 130 points 140 points Command Rifle Observer Rifle
75 points 85 points team team
4 ML 3” Mk II
2 ML 3” Mk II MLm3o”rtMark II MLm3o”rtMark II

For immediate support the paratroopers rely heavily on the MLm3o”rtMark II MLm3o”rtMark II
trusty ML 3” Mk II mortar to bombard the enemy before
an attack.
When the paras encounter a German strong point, the
mortars are essential for screening the assault troops sent in
to eliminate the threat.

Parachute
Machine-gun Platoon

Platoon 150 points 160 points Sergeant Sergeant
80 points 90 points
HQ Section with:
4 Vickers HMG
2 Vickers HMG

Vickers HMG teams from Parachute Machine-gun Platoons machine-gun section machine-gun section
are not equipped with the ammunition to conduct indirect
fire techniques so may not fire Artillery Bombardments. PARACHUTE MACHINE-GUN PLATOON
The Vickers HMG provides excellent firepower to the
parachute battalions. This freed up the paratroopers to
manoeuvre into assault positions before attacking.

Parachute Assault Platoon Captain
Captain
Platoon

HQ Section with:

3 Assault Squads 125 points 135 points
2 Assault Squads 95 points 105 points

Options corporal corporal
• Add a PIAT team for +20 points.
• Add a Light Mortar team for +25 points.

You may replace one Pioneer Rifle/MG team with a Flame- corporal
thrower team at the start of the game before deployment.
The assault platoon is a task-organised unit designed to
deal with German strong points and other obstinate enemy
troops. The platoon goes in and deals with it, letting the
paras get on with securing their objectives.

192

Support Platoons PARACHUTE COMPANY

Motivation and skill RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT
CONFIDENT TRAINED
The Special Air Service, or SAS, are the elite of the special forces. They are heavily cross trained VETERAN
volunteers, keen to get into one last fight before it’s all over. A Belgian SAS Troop is rated FEARLESS
Fearless Veteran.

Belgian SAS Troop Captain
Captain
Platoon

3 SAS Sections 225 points Command SAS Jeep SAS Jeep SAS Jeep
2 SAS Sections 150 points SAS Section
1 SAS Section
75 points Captain

Options Command SAS Jeep SAS Jeep SAS Jeep
• Replace all SAS Jeeps in the SAS Troop with SAS Section

Armoured SAS Jeeps for +15 points per jeep. Captain
• Arm any or all SAS Jeeps with an AA MG for
Command SAS Jeep SAS Jeep SAS Jeep
+5 points per jeep.
• Replace one Twin MG on a jeep in each SAS Section

with a hull-mounted .50 cal MG for +5 points per
jeep.

SAS Sections operate as separate platoons, each with their SAS Section
own command team.
Belgian SAS Troop

SAS Sections are Reconnaissance Platoons. division with fast moving aggressive reconnaissance ahead of
With the 6th Airborne Armoured Recce Regiment still in their movement.
England during the Battle of the Bulge, the 6th Airborne Through the cold and thick snow, the Belgian red berets
Division was supported by the Belgian SAS Squadron traveled over dirt roads, through woods and fields as they pa-
mounted in Jeeps. These heavily armoured jeeps provide the trolled through the Halma, Tellin, and Bure sectors, seeking
the location of the forward positions of the German troops.

Special Rules

A Belgian SAS Troop uses all of the British special rules found on pages 246-248 of the rulebook. They also use the following
special rule below.

Unconventional

The men of the SAS were independent-minded individuals SAS Troops use the German Mission Tactics special rule (see
who preferred the freedom of special operations to conven- page 242 of the rulebook).
tional military discipline.

193

Airlanding Company
(Infantry COMPANY)

HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each
box shaded grey.

COMBAT PLATOONS Airlanding Company HQ WEAPONS PLATOONS 196 196 197 197INFANTRY SUPPORT PLATOONS ANTI-TANK
INFANTRY 195 195 195 195 195 ARMOUR

Airlanding Platoon Airlanding Pioneer Armoured Platoon 171 200 171 200 193 191 173 198 Airlanding Anti-tank 197
INFANTRY Platoon Tank Platoon Platoon
198
Airlanding Platoon MACHINE-GUNS ARMOUR ANTI-TANK
INFANTRY 199 203
Airlanding Armoured Platoon Airlanding Anti-tank
Airlanding Platoon Machine-gun Platoon Tank Platoon Platoon, Royal Artillery
INFANTRY
ARTILLERY RECONNAISSANCE ARTILLERY
Airlanding Platoon
Airlanding Mortar Belgian SAS Troop Airlanding Light Battery,
Platoon INFANTRY Royal Artillery
Field Battery,
ANTI-TANK Parachute Platoon Royal Artillery
Motor Platoon
Airlanding Anti-tank ARTILLERY
Platoon INFANTRY
Medium Battery,
Airlanding Platoon, Royal Artillery 204 206
Royal Engineers
AIRCRAFT
206
Air Support
AOP

Air Observation Post

194

Motivation and skill RELUCTANT CONSCRIPT AIRLANDING COMPANY
CONFIDENT TRAINED
Airlanding troops are not volunteers, but they are put through the same intense training regime VETERAN
as the paras. This weeds out the weaklings, leaving an elite fighting force. An Airlanding FEARLESS
Company is rated Fearless Veteran.

Headquarters

Airlanding Company HQ

Headquarters

Company HQ 60 points

Options Company Command 2iC Command
• Add up to two PIAT teams for +20 points per team. SMG team SMG team
• Add up to three Sniper teams for +50 points per team.

The gliderborne troops of the Airlanding companies are used PIAT team PIAT team
to tough missions as they proved when the 2nd Oxfordshire
and Buckinghamshire (2nd Oxs & Bucks) Regiment captured AIRLANDING COMPANY HQ
Pegasus Bridge in Normandy.

Combat Platoons

Airlanding Platoon

Platoon

HQ Section and Scout Squad with:

2 Rifle Squads 220 points
1 Rifle Squad 160 points

The airlanding platoon has to be slightly smaller in size to
the standard infantry platoons in order to fit into a Horsa
glider. Tough, motivated, and well-equipped, these men are
every bit as elite as their parachuting brothers-in-arms.
In the Ardennes they fight on foot alongside the paratroop-
ers with support from the divisional troops, the Belgian SAS
and the troops of the 29th Armoured Brigade.

195

Weapons Platoons

Airlanding Pioneer Platoon Captain
Captain
Platoon

HQ Section with: 100 points
Assault Squad

The airlanding pioneers offer their handiwork with explo-
sives to the battalion. Their main task is helping to secure,
prep, and clear the landing zone for reinforcements, however
they are willing and able to take up arms and assault the
enemy if the need arises.

Airlanding Machine-gun

Platoon

Platoon

HQ Section with:

4 Vickers HMG 160 points
2 Vickers HMG 85 points

Option
• Add Jeeps and trailers for +5 points for the platoon.

Unlike the para brigade’s platoons, the airlanding ma- Jeep and trailer Jeep and trailer
chine-gun platoons were prepared and trained to conduct
harassing long-range fire as well as bolster defensive perime- Jeep and trailer Jeep and trailer
ters against enemy counterattacks. Machine-gun Section Machine-gun Section

Airlanding Machine-gun Platoon

196