Author: Wayne Turner  

Tags: military literature   world war ii  

ISBN: 978-1-98-855829-5

Year: 2021

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ALLIED OFFENSIVE INTO GERMANY WESTERN EUROPE, 1944-45 GERMANY FRANCE Asmterdam ITALY Calais Brussels Cologn Aachen Mons Meuse River Amiens Reims PARIS Metz GREAT BRITAIN SOVIET UNION GERMAN 19. ARMY ARDENNES OFFENSIVE Ruhr River FIRST FRENCH ARMY Moselle River FIRST CANADIAN ARMY Frontline March 194 Frontline Dec. 1944 Frontline Sept.. 1944 ..—-w-....... ф Antwerp
Hamburg ERMAN 1 ARMY BERLIN Kassel Elbe 'River ne Munich SEVENTH US ARMY GERMAN 11. ARMY GERMAN 12. ARMY FIRST US ARMY GERMAN 1. ARMY THIRD US ARMY GERMAN 7. ARMY NINTH US ARMY SECOND BRITISH ARMY Frontline May 1945
ПГ7ТГ Written by: Wayne Turner Editors: Peter Simonovich, John-Paul Brisigoti Graphic Design Victor Pesch Project Management: Chris Townley Assistant Writing Phil Yates, Mike Haught, Michael McSwiney, Chris Potter, Nigel Slater Assistant Graphic Design Casey Davies, Ashleigh Heelam Miniatures Design Evan Allen, Tim Adcock, Will Jayne, Alei Potocnik, Charles Woods Miniatures Painting- James Brown, Jeremy Painter, .Aaron Tc Hira-Marhic Corer and Internal Art: Vincent Wai Web Support: Dike Glover AU rights reserved. No pan ol this publication may be reproduced, stored tn a retrieval system, or transmitted, tn any term or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherw ise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. © Copyright Battlcfront Miniatures Ltd., 2021. ISBN: 978-1-98-855829-5 Proof Readers: David Adlam, Paul Beach, Jason Berkau, Alexander Costantino, Tom Culpepper, Alan Graham, Lance Mathew, Michael McSwiney, Alexander Nebesky, Hike Parsonage, Jacc Pippin, Gavin van Rossum, Gregg Sitcr, Andrew Willis Playtest Groups. Aylesbury Wargames Club (Alan Graliam), Atlantic Canadian Testers (Ryan Sullivan), Dads Army (Gavin van Rossum), Flames Of War Regina Rifles (Lance Mathew), Historical Tabletop Gaming Society (Shane Kua), Cavalieti dell-Esagono (Livio Tonazzo), M.E.G. Team Vogheta (Emilio Arbasino), Melbourne (Andrew Thompson), The Dynamic Duo (Gareth Richards), 290 Bunker (Carl Bellatti)
CONTENTS Bulge: American.................................. American Special Rules......................... Normandy to Lorraine............................. Know Your Tanks.................................. Know Your Infantry............................... Bulge: American Force............................ 4th Armored Division............................. US Combat Commands............................ Improving the Breed, M4 Sherman tanks........ America's Battle Tank. The- M26 fetching..... Veteran M4 Sherman (late) Tank Company......... Veteran M4 Sherman (late) Tank Company HQ..... Veteran M4 Sherman (late) Tank Platoon........ M4 Easy Eight Veteran Tank.................... M4 Jumbo Veteran Tank......................... M26 Pershing Tank Platoon..................... T26 Super fetching lank Platoon.............. Veteran M5 Stuart Tank Platoon............... Veteran Armoured 81mm Mortar Platoon.......... Veteran M4 Sherman (late) Assault Gun Platoon. Veteran M24 Chaffee Tank Company.......... Veteran M24 Chaffee Tank Company HQ.......... Veteran M24 Chaffee Tank Platoon............. Veteran M8 Scott Assault Gun Platoon......... 7rh Armored Division............................. M4 Sherman (late) lank Company................. M4 Sherman (late) Tank Company HQ............ M4 Sherman (late) Tank Platoon............... M4 Easy Eight Tank........................... M4 Jumbo Tank................................ M5 Stuart Tank Platoon..................-. *. Armoured 81 mm Mortar Platoon................ M4 Sherman (late) Assault Gun Platoon........ T34 Calliope Tank Platoon..................... M24 Chaffee Tank Company....................... M24 Chaffee Tank Company HQ.......... ...... M24 Chaifee Tank Platoon..................... M8 Scott Assault Gun Platoon................. The Bridge at Remagen..........................• Battle Weary Armoured Rifle Company............ Battle Weary Armoured Rifle HQ............... Battle Weary Armoured Rifle Platoon.......... Battle Weary Atmoured M1917 Machine-Gun Platoon Battle Weary Armoured 57mm Anti-tank Platoon .. .. Battle Weary Armoured M4 81mm Mortar Platoon . The Blood Bucket, 28th Infantry Division.... 4th Infantry Division............................ 21"* Infantry Division........................... Battle Weary Rifle (.Company................... Battle Weary Rille Company HQ................ Battle Weary Rille Platoon.................... Battle Weary Mortar Platoon................. Bartie Weary MI917 Machine-Gun Platoon...... Battle Weary 57mm Anti-tank Platoon.......... Battle Weary 105mm Cannon Platoon............ 2 3 4 . 6 10 12 14 18 19 20 22 23 24 24 24 25 26 27 27 27 28 29 29 29 30 34 35 35 35 36 .36 37 37 38 39 39 39 42 42 43 44 . 44 45 . 45 46 48 49 50 . 51 . 51 . 52 . 52 . 53 . 53 Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge............ Screaming Eagles, 101 “ Airborne Division in Bastogne............ Bastogne Parachute Rifle Company............... Bastogne Parachute Rifle Company HQ.......... Bastogne Parachute Rifle Platoon............. Bastogne Parachute 81mm Mot tat Plamcm....... Bastogne Parachute 75nun Artillery Battery... Bastogne Parachute 57mm Anti-tank Platoon.... Airborne Jeep Recon Patrol................... 327th Glider Infantry Regiment................... Bastogne Glider Rifle Company.................. Bastogne Glider Rifle Company HQ............. Bastogne Glider Rifle Platoon................ Bastogne Glider M1917 Machine-gun Platoon...... Bastogne Glider 81mm Mortar Platoon.......... Bastogne Glidet 57mm Anti-rank Platoon....... Bastogne Glider 105mm Artillery Battery...... Race to the Rhine............................... Fortune Favors the Brave, 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion.................. Victory Not Glory, 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion................... One Round, 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion Ready Now, 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion MI8 Tank Destroyer Company....................... Ml8 Tank Destroyer Company HQ................ M18 Tank Destroyer Platoon................... M36 Tank Destroyer Company..................... M36 Tank Destroyer Company HQ................ M36 Tank Destroyer Platoon................... Veteran M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon........... Veteran M20 Security Section................. Support Units................................... MB Greyhound Cavalry Recon Patrol............ M5 Stuart Cavalry Recon Patrol............... 3-inch Tank Destroyer Platoon................ 105mm Field Artillery Battery................ M7 Priest Artillery Battery*................. Ml2 155mm Artillery* Battery*................ T27 Xylophone Rocket Launcher Battery. ...... L4 Grasshopper OP Observation Post........... M4 Sherman OP Observation Post............... Ml5 M16 AAA Platoon.......................... P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter Flight.............. Bulge: American Example Force................... Painting Americans.............................. Basing Guide.................................... Border Countryside Terrain...................... Missions......................................... Catalogue....................................... 54 56 62 63 63 64 64 65 65 66 67 68 68 68 69 . 69 69 70 72 73 74 .76 . 78 . 79 . 79 . 80 . 81 . 81 . 82 . 82 83 . 83 . 84 . 84 . 85 . 85 85 . 86 . 86 . 86 . 87 . 87 .88 .90 .91 .92 94 100 •L- 4* >
—General George S Patton Jr. BULGE: AMERICAN 'Nuts!' — General McAuliffe's reply to the German surrender ultimatum delivered to the 101” Airborne Division’s HQ in Bastogne on 22 December 1944. Wires may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. By' September 1944, the Allies had stormed across western France and the front line ran from Belgium to the French region of Lorraine. Patton’s unstoppable Third Army was poised to strike into Germany itself, with the hard-charging 4,h Armored Division in the lead. Nothing, it seemed, stood in the divisions way as it pressed on. Ute Germans were determined to stem the Allied tide. Four of Hitler’s brand new Panzer Brigades, specifically designed to incorporate lessons learned on the Soviet front, were diverted to meet the Americans in the Lorraine. The two forces clashed cast of the city of Nancy at a quiet farming village called Arracourt. The rolling fields and small villages played host to over 450 American and German tanks as they fought one of the largest tank battles of World War 11. Meanwhile, further north the Germans had been in retreat since the Allied breakout from Normandy, finally settling into defensive lines on their frontier as autumn turned into winter. In early December 1944 it seemed, to the Americans facing them in the Ardennes forests of Belgium and Luxembourg, unlikely that the Germans W'ould attack. On 16 December that illusion was shattered when the might of the German Sixth Panzer Army smashed into the thinly-held US lines, lhe unexpected and powerful thrust overwhelmed some American units, while others fought with great deter- mination and skill. American troops put in every effort to halt the Germans with improvised defences, counterattacks, road blocks, ambushes, and bridge demolitions as what would become the Bat tie of the Bulge began. In the central sector of the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans had smashed through the American 28'h and 106'1’ Infantry Divisions before approaching the key crossroads town of Bastogne on 19 December. In the meantime the veteran 101“ Airborne Division had been rushed from their camp in France to Bastogne to take up the defence. What followed was an epic seven-day struggle with the defending airborne troops besieged by four German divisions. On 26 December the siege wras broken by the arrival of the American 4'1' Armored Division and a few days later the Americans went on the attack. However, the Germans were not done. On 31 December Hitler launched the last German offensive in the west, Operation Nordwind. German divisions along the Lorraine front attacked into the old French Maginot Line where the Americans had dug in. With many of their reserves sent north to face the Ardennes offensive, the Americans were taken by surprise. On 25 January' the German offensive was halted, after the US 222nd Infantry' Regiment of the 42nd Infantry Division, stopped their advance near Haguenau and US reinforcements began to arrive from the Ardennes. The US Army was soon charging for the Rhine, the last physical barrier to the German heartland. Leading the march of the US First Army was Combat Command В of the 9* Armored Division. They discovered the intact Ludendorff Bridge across the Rhine at Remagen on 7 March 1945.The Battle of Remagen saw the bridge in American hands, opening the way into the German homeland.
AMERICAN SPECIAL RULES The following special rules are characteristic of Bulge: Amer ican forces, reflecting their own style of equipment, tactics, and approach to battle. TANKS TANK DESTROYERS COMPONENT Component Teams use the ratings of their parent Unit. Jeeps were used extensively in the US Army, an essential tool for many different units in the field. STABILISER Weapons with Stabiliser suffer a + 1 penalty To Hit if the Tank Moved in the Movement Step. The main gun mounts of US tanks are fitted with gyrostabilisers, which keep the gun level while the tank is moving. This clever mechanism lets the gunner fire faster and more accurately, but shooting on lhe move is nevertheless still difficult. SMOOTH RIDE M4 Easy Eight Tank teams do not suffer the +1 penalty To Hit for Stabiliser if they Move less than 4"/10cm in the Movement Step. The driving force behind the development of HVSS (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension) was the need for wider tracks for crossing soft ground, and a smoother ride. As a result, HVSS made it much easier for gunners to use the basic stabiliser system fitted to the Sherman tank. INFANTRY AIRBORNE This Formation may make an Airborne Assault in missions that use the Airborne Assault rules (page 96). Airborne units were specially trained, equipped, and organised to conduct airborne operations. MG TRANSPORT M1917 HMG or M1919 LMG teams may fire while Mounted as a Passenger in an М3 half-track, using the Optional Passenger MG weapons line. Machine-gunners mount their weapons on their half-tracks armoured sides and blaze away as it carries them forward. UNIT TRANSPORT lhe Unit Leader of the Transport Attachment must end the Movement Step within 6”/15cm of the Unit Leader of its Passenger Unit while on table. If it cannot do this, then the Transport Attachment must be Sent to the Rear. Half-tracks are a part of the platoon in every way. lhe troops live out of their transports and guard them against enemy attack. BATTLE TANK in missions with Deep Reserves, this unit is a Battle Tank Unit. You may only field one Tank Unit with Battle Tank, one Tank Unit with Front Armour of 4 or more, or one Aircraft Unit on table at the start of the game. Tank destroyers like the M18 Hellcat may be tightly armoured, but they are still a devastating strike force. SEEK, STRIKE, AND DESTROY A Unit with Seek, Strike, and Destroy may attempt a Shoot and Scoot Movement Order after succeeding in a Blitz Move Movement Order earlier in the same turn. Tank Destroyer doctrine calls for ambushing enemy tanks from concealed positions, hitting them hard andfast with devastating effect, then retreating to safety before the enemy can retaliate. I ARTILLERY AIR OBSERVATION POST An Air Observation Post is an Aircraft that arrives on a roll of 3+ (rather than the usual 4+). An Air Observation Post is unarmed, but can act as an Observer, Spotting for an Artillery' Bombardment with an I Aiming Point within 12”/30cm of the Aircraft, lhe opposing player may shoot at the Aircraft immediately before it rolls to I Range In, as though the aircraft was Shooting. 1.4 Grasshopper aerial observation posts spot targets from the air.’ BOMBSAND ROCKETS (see the Bombs rule on page 93 Flames Of War rulebook) GIGANTIC Teams from this Unit cannot be placed from Ambush within 16”/40cm of any enemy Team. The M12 is a huge artillery piece, unsuitedfor hasty deployment, OBSERVER (see page 85 Flames Of War rulebook) REAR FIRING Rear Firing weapons can only target Teams fully to the rear of the shooting Team, and can only fire an Artillery Bombardment if the Aiming Point is fully to the rear of the shooting'leant. The M4 81 mm mortar carrier has its mortar mounted so it fife out lhe rear of the half-track. TIME ON TARGET (see page 85 Flames Of War rulebook) RgLili . . IШЖ
NORMANDY TO LORRAINE On D-Day, 6 June 1944, US and British forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, starting the long-awaited liberation of France. The German Army responded with all the force it could muster, throwing ten armoured divisions, three heavy Tiger tank battalions, and 27 infantry divisions at the Allied beachhead over a period of two and a half months. For most of that time, it looked like they might succeed as they kept the Allies bottled up in their small beachhead. Weeks of battle attrition began to tell, though, and by the end of July, the Allied forces had torn a hole in the western end of the German line and were pouring through the gap. Despite the best efforts of the Germans, General Pattons Third Army flooded into the Brittany Peninsula and raced towards Paris, trapping the German forces in the Falaise Pocket. This dis- aster almost destroyed the German Army in the West. They withdrew the supply and artillery echelons of most of the armoured divisions, but lost most of their tanks and infantry, leaving little to stop the triumphant Allied advance across France and Belgium. Paris was liberated on 25 August, then Brussels on 3 September. Compounding the German problems, another American and French force landed in southern France on 15 August, racing north against light opposition. After months of pessimism. the Allied press wras confidently predicting the end of the war by Christmas. By the end of August, Patton’s Third Army faced just nine bat- talions of infantry' and ten tanks between it and the German border. However, a new problem had emerged—a shortage of fuel, and with it a shortage of ammunition. Almost all of the Allied supplies were still being landed across the beaches of Normandy, as no major ports had yet been captured. As the armies raced towards Germany, they drove further and further from the beaches and their sources of supply. Even the famous Red Ball Express could not keep up with the voracious appetites of tens of thousands of tanks, half-tracks, and trucks. The Third Army reached the Meuse at Verdun on 31 August, but then halted for five days to gather enough supplies to con- tinue on. Unfortunately for Third Army, the British Second and US First Armies to the north had priority for supply as they were advancing directly towards the Ruhr, Germany’s industrial heartland. Third Army’s route led through Lorraine, the traditional invasion route to Germany, but faced the fortifications of the West Wall (also known as the Siegfried Line), with no major strategic objectives in its path. ALLIED PROGRESS, FRANCE, JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1944 Ounkli Kas»l Antwarp GERMANY Cherbc Le Havri Frank furl Reims PARIS SfrastMXiq Epinol Belfort FRANCE ITALY Lyons Milan Po River Bologna Montellmor Genoa Marseilles Am ions Г У Rouen (^•'Bristol V'. LONDON BRITAIN, ^Southampton Dty«r .| BRUSSELS \ , \Coioone * Aachen KEY 30 June-------- 31 July ------• 13 August ----- 25 August ----- 3 September 14 September Siegfried Line — Seventh Army
Unwilling to be sidelined, Ihird Army begged, borrowed, and stole fuel to continue its advance, aided by the capture of a German fuel dump. Patton managed to scrounge enough fuel for a two-wcck dash to the Rhine for his two armoured divisions, provided they didn’t get tied up in heavy fighting. The only major natural obstacle to be overcome was the Moselle River, which Patton intended to force a crossing with his infantry divisions to open the way for the armoured breakthrough. On 5 September, the advance resumed with the 80*' Infantry Division crossing the Moselle south of the fortified city of Metz. Unfortunately for the battalion involved, the Germans had not been idle while the Americans gathered fuel. Two motorised and three second-line infantry divisions had moved to shore up the defences, and promptly smashed the small American force. It was not until 10 September that the Americans were ready to try again. This time the attacks were better prepared and two divisions forced crossings between Metz and the city of Nancy, and a third crossed south of Nancy, quickly followed by the 4<b Armored Division. Patton ordered the 4*h Armored Division to encircle Nancy', with the two combat commands meeting at Arracourt. Once there, the division would regroup and strike for the German border. Having been given another five days, the German Army continued to work miracles, gathering another motorised infantry division, two extremely battered armoured divisions, and four brand-new panzer brigades to stop the American advance. The 4,h Armored Division reached Arracourt on 18 September after a lightning advance, only to be met by a series of armoured counterattacks lasting until the end of September. The resulting battles were the biggest armoured battles fought by the US Army in the Second World War, pitting around 200 American tanks and tank destroyers against over 250 German tanks. By the end of the fighting three out of the four panzer brigades had been wiped out, but Patton’s armour was out of fuel and out of time. It would be nearly six more months of hard fighting before Third Army finally crossed the River Rhine in March 1945. The Red Ball Express To get the supplies to both the First and Third Armies, a massive conveyor belt of 6000 trucks was organised to ferry fuel from St. L6 to the front lines. The roads were marked out with sign posts with a large red dot, giving rise to the nickname the Red Ball Express. The route led to Paris where the trucks were split north towards First Army and east toward Third Army. Once they dropped off their loads, they' returned on parallel roads to reduce traffic and keep the convoy moving. The drivers, three quarters of whom were African-American, operated around the clock, suffering badly from fatigue. Tlte Red Ball Express was shut down once the port of Antwerp became operational in November 1944. However, at its height, it delivered 12,500 tons of supplies per day. While not enough to keep an army going at full speed (Third Army alone consumed 350,000 gallons, or 1325 tonnes, of fuel every day, not counting food, ammu- nition, and other essentials!), it allowed for limited opera- tions, such as Patton's advance into the Lorraine.
KNOW YOUR TANKS In late 1944, the US Army in France started receiving new variants of the M4 Sherman tank. Some of these only differed in their guns and armour, but others changed the way that the tank operated with better engines and improved suspension. As the war went on other new tanks and tank destroyers were introduced like the M24 Chaffee light tank, the Ml8 76mm armed tank destroyer and M36 90mm armed tank destroyer. M4 SHERMAN (LATE) The M4 Sherman (late) (M4A3) improved the Sherman by fixing critical issues like protecting its ammo storage from catching fire and increasing the number and size of the hatches. This resulted in the front armour plate being tilted at a steeper angle and extra armour protection was also added. The M4 Sherman (late) also had a more powerful engine than that of the M4 Sherman (M4A1). Crew (5): Commander, gunner, loader, driver, hull М3 gunner Weight 30 tonnes Length 5.04m (19’ 2”) Width 2.62m (8’ 7”) Height 274m (9* 0”) Weapons; 75mm Gun М3 .50-cal М2 Browning MG 2x ,30-cal Browning MG Armour 25'76mm Speed; 37km/h (23 mph) Engine; Ford GAA 8-cylinder 4-cycle, 373kW (500 hp) M4 76MM SHERMAN (LATE) The M4 76mm Sherman (M4A3) married the new M4A3 hull with the 76mm gun, making for a fast, hard hitting tank. Like the other late M4A3 models, you can spot an M4A3 (76mm) tank by its steep front armour plating and crew hatches. Of course the 76mm gun is another dead give-away, but once again the turret was redesigned and the loader’s hatch was made into a single-piece oval hatch Crew <51 Commander, gunner, loader, driver, hull MG gunner Weight 30 tonnes Length 757m (25’ 0”) Width 262m (8’ 7") Height 274m (9’ 0") Weapons. 76mm Gun Ml .50-cal М2 Browning MG 2x 50-cal Browning MG Armour. 25-76mm Speed. 37km/h (23 mph) Engine; Ford GAA 8-cylinder 4-cycle, 373k W (500 hp)
М4 JUMBO Fears of having to break through the German Siegfried Line led to the Crew (5); development of the M4A3E2 assault tank. The late M4A3 chassis was used with extra armour added all around. Its sheer bulk led to the nickname; Weight; Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver 38 tonnes “Jumbo”. The Jumbo had a larger turret; the massive 7”/18cm thick mantlet is particularly characteristic of the Jumbo. Length; Width- Height Weapons; Armour; Speed; Engine 754m (24’ 9”) C76mm gun) 29m (9’ 6") 2.95m (9’ 8”) 75mm Gun М3 or 76mm Gun Ml ,50-cal М2 Browning MG 2x ,30-cal Browning MG 25-177mm 35km/h (22 mph) Ford GAA 8-cylinder 4-cycle, 373kW (500 hp) M26 PERSHING The T26/M26 Pershing was the outcome of a series of prototype designs Crew (5b for replacing the M4 Sherman. The M26 was a 42-tonr.e vehicle, armed with an М3 90mm L/50 gun, the same that equipped the M36 Tank Destroyer. The new tank sported sloped 4" (102mm) cast front armour, increasing the protection of its crew compared to earlier American tanks. Initially issued to the 3rJ and 9“‘ Armored Divisions, by the end of the war, 310 M26 Pershings had arrived in Europe with 200 issued to units 12"*, 5th and llto Armored Divisions). Weight Length Width Height Weapons. Armour. Speed; Engine; Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver 42 tonnes 855m (28’ 4”) 3.51m (11’ 6") 278m (9’ 2”) 90mm gun М3 .50-cal М2 Browning MG 2x ,30-cal Browning MG 50-102mm 40km/h (25 mph) Ford GAF 8-cylindcr 4-cycle, 373kW £500 hp)
М5 STUART The M5 is the second ma„tor version of the Stuart light tank. The new model lias a bit more armour protection as well as a larger turret The extra weight was handled by a new twin Cadillac engine that kept the light tank moving quickly. М24 CHAFFEE The addition of the M24 Chaffee light tank to the US arsenal greatly enhanced the utility of the light tank company. It had greater mobility than the M5 Stuart, combined with a more powerful 75mm gun, allowing it to serve in its roles to provide reconnaissance, protection of flanks, covering force, as well as direct assault or support by fire. Crew (4): Commander/loadcr, gunner, driver, hull MG gunner Weight 165 tonnes Length: 4.62m (15’ 2”) Width; 239m (7* 10”) Height 233m (7 8”) Weapons; 37mm Gun M6 3x 30-cal Browning MG Armour 25-51mm Speed: 58 km/h (36 mph) Engine Twin Cadillac V8, 220 kW (296 hp) Crew (51 Commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator Weight 1837 tonnes Length: 556m (18’ 3") Width; 3m (9’ 10”) Height 2.77m (9’ 1") Weapons; 75mm Gun M6 50-cal М2 Browning М3 2x 30-cal Browning MG Armour. 10-38mm Speed. 56km/h (35 mph) Engine: Twin Cadillac V8, 220 kW (160 hp) T34 CALLIOPE ON M4 SHERMAN To provide the tank battalion with extra firepower when supporting infantry, five T34 Calliope rocket launcher field kits were issued and installed on one of the battalion’s platoons. The T34 Calliope rocket launcher was attached to the M4 Sherman turret and elevation was raised and lowered with the main gun, but because of this attachment the gun could not be used while the Calliope was attached. Crew (51 Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver Weight 42 tonnes Length; 5jB4m (19’ 2") Width; 262m (8’ 71) Height 3.74m (12* 3") Weapons; T34 rocket launcher firing 60 45-inch M8 rockets 2x 30-eal Browning MG Armour 25-76mm Speed. 37km/h (23 mph) Engine; Ford GAA 8-cylinder 4-cycle, 373kW (500 hp)
М18 HELLCAT TANK DESTROYER With a design incorporating feedback from crews in the field, the M18 76mm SMC was the only purpose-built tank destroyer used by the US Army. The number one request was speed, so the M18 was designed with a unique suspension system and stripped down to only the minimum armour needed to stop rifle fire. Its powerful engine allowed it to race along roads at an impressive 50mph (80km/h). This led to the vehicle’s unofficial nickname, the Hellcat. •Crew (51 Weight Length Width; Height Weapons. Armour: Speed; Engine; •Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver 17.69 tonnes 6.65m (21* 10") (Sun forward) 2187m (9’ 5”) 257m (8* 5”) 76mm gun Ml 50-cal М2 Browning MG 5-25mm 97km/h (60 mph) Continental R975-C1, 340 kW (350 hp) M10 TANK DESTROYER The MIO tank destroyer, officially known as the MIO 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage (SMC), mounts a 3-ir.ch gun, originally designed for anti- aircraft use, on a modified M4 Sherman hull It epitomises US tank destroyer design—similar to a tank, but with less all-round armour protection and an open-topped turret, combined with a powerful gun capable of knocking out most enemy tanks. •Crew (5л 'Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver Weight- 29 tonnes Length. 6.83m (22я 5”) Width. 3.05m 0.0' 0”) Height 2B9m (9’ 6”) Weapons: 3-inch Gun M7 50-cal М2 Browning MG .Armour: 1050mm Speed; 40 km/h (25 mph) Engine: GM 6046, 280 kW (375 hp) M36 JACKSON TANK DESTROYER As German tanks became harder to deal with, the tank destroyer arm decided to up-gun their MIOs with the М3 90mm anti-aircraft gun. A larger turret was designed to hold the new weapon. The new vehicle was designated the M36 90mm GMC. The M36s were issued to front line units from September 1944, some battalions fully re-equipped, while others Crew (5 л Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver Weight 2857 tonnes Length. 7.47m (24’ 6") (Gun forward) Width; 3.05m (10' 0”) Height 3.28m 0.0’ 9") Weapons; 90mm gun М3 50-cal М2 Browning MG Armour: 10-127mm Speed; 42km/h (26 mph) Engine; Ford GAA 8 cylinder 4-cycle, 373kW (500 hp)
KNOW YOUR INFANTRY A lot of veteran infantry formations have been in combat since the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, having fought their way through France to the German border. These troops are vastly experienced, but have had little chance for a respite from the fighting. They tend to be more cautious and less aggressive. To represent this in the game, they retain their Blood ‘N Guts bonus that grants them an improved Rally rating, but arc Reluctant for their other Motivation ratings. However, the airborne troops, by their very nature, are experienced veterans. They have not been worn down by constant combat as they are normally withdrawn for rest and refit after completing their assigned mission. These parachute rifle and glider rifle troops retain good Motivation and have a Veteran Skill rating. They arc flexible and can complete all their combat tasks quickly and effectively. BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED RIFLE COMPANY The Armoured Rifle Platoon remains a miniature army in its own right, able to keep up with the tanks with their М3 half-tracks and trained to rapidly take ground and hold it against all comers. Heavy machine-guns, light machine-guns, automatic rifles, bazookas, light mortars - yes sir, we have all of those. BATTLE WEARY RIFLE COMPANY The bulk of US Army infantry are from the rifle companies of the infantry divisions. These are large formations, backed up by a tremendous amount of firepower support American artillery, tanks, and reconnaissance are never in short supply for the American 'doughboys’. American tactics focus on fire and manoeuvre to get the job dona BATTLE WEARY The bloody bottles of the Hurtgen Forest sapped the strength of the 2&" Infantry Division until, finally on the 19 No vember, the division was putted out of the line to rest. However, before the division was fully recovered, they were hit by the German Ardennes offensive. The experience of the 4*" Infantry Division was similar as they fought off the sudden and unexpected German offensive.
BASTOGNE PARACHUTE RIFLE COMPANY Already veterans of the Normandy and Market Garden campaigns, the paratroopers of the 501rt, 502м, and 5O6-- Parachute Infantry Regiments are well used to fighting while surrounded. A Bastogne Parachute Rifle Company has some of the most experienced troops in the US Army. They have excellent motivation, making them very reliable, and their superior training gives them flexibility in the field to ensure victory. VETERAN 3+ BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE COMPANY The 327й- Glider Infantry Regiment has been through the campaigns in Normandy and Holland and have gained much experience fighting alongside the Paratroopers. These troops have proven themselves and arc just as proud of their role as their Paratrooper brothers. The formation is small to fit into a small number of Waco gliders, so it is not as well armed as the regular infantry. Still, they can rely on numbers and their airborne comrades to make up for these shortfalls [ ши VETERAN 3+ [ BMTON CAREFUL
WILDCARD V ”4 TANK FORMATIONS RECONNAISSANCE AN I -AN< 3-INCH TANK DESTROYER PLATOON LUI 5 * BULGE: AMERICAN FORCE Your Force must contain at least one Formation, and may contain as many Formations as you like. VETERAN M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK COMPANY IU1B9 M8 GREYHOUND CAVALRY RECON PATRO или M5 STUART CAVALRY RECON PATRO LU231 VETERAN , M24 CHAFFEE TANK COMPANY A M4 SHERMAN (LATE TANK COMPANY LU 181 M24 CHAFFEE TANK COMPANY US SUPPORT UNITS You may field one Support Unit from each box. RECONNAISSANCE M8 GREYHOUND CAVALRY RECON PATRO LU1U M5 STUART CAVALRY RECON PATR LU 231 P-47 THUNDERBOLT FIGHTER FLIGHT T27 XYLOPHONE ROCKET LAUNCHER BATTERY > LU229 FORMATION SUPPORT You may field compulsory Combat Units (with a black box) from US Formations as Support Units. ALLIED SUPPORT You may field one com- pulsory Unit from a British Formation as Support and one British Formation as an Allied Formation.

4th armored division The 4* Armored Division, under the command of the aggressive General John Wood, first saw action during the breakout from Normandy in late July 1944. While most of the armoured divisions headed cast following the breakout, the 4'h Armored smashed into the Brittany Peninsula, securing Coutanccs and Rennes, before joining in the race across France toward the German frontier. The divisions seemingly unstoppable advance sputtered to a halt at the Meuse River, along with the rest of the Third Army, for lack of foci during the first days of September 1944. But through ingenuity' and careful rationing, Patton and his staff kept the offensive going, albeit at a slower pace. NAME ENOUGH Most divisions in the US Army had nicknames, such as “Old Ironsides" for the 1’ Armored, “Hell on Wheels" for the 2“* Armored, and “Spearhead" for the 3,J Armored. However, when the time came for the 4* Armored Division to choose a nickname. General Wood put it plainly that “Fourth Armored Division docs not need and will not have a nickname. They shall be known by their deeds alone.” From that point on “Name Enough" was the 4th Armored’s unofficial nickname. NANCY By September, the 4* Armored, now assigned to Major General Eddy’s XII Corps, found itself in front of Nancy. Knowing his tanks would be wasted in a city fight. General Wood deployed his combat commands (CCA, CCB, and CCR) north and south of the city along the Moselle River. On 12 September, CCB and CCR stormed across the Moselle and attacked Lorey before pushing north to Mont and then on to Dombasle by 14 September. Meanwhile, CCA waited patiently as the 80* Infantry' Division struggled to estab- lish a bridgehead at Pont-i-Mousson. Frustrated, the Americans forced another crossing a bit further south at Dieulouard, the site of an ancient cross- ing guarded by old Celtic, Roman, and medieval fortifications. They' managed to open up a narrow corridor, but it was fiercely opposed by the German infantry and assault guns. Crossing the river with CCA would be risky at best. Tlte cautious Major General Eddy called a council of war to discuss whether or not to send CCA across to exploit the gap. Colonel Bruce Clarke, commander of CCA, deferred to his top battalion commander. Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams, who pointed across the river and simply replied, “That’s the shortest way home!” Eddy' gave in and sent CCA across the Moselle. CCA pushed through the bridgehead and into the open country on the other side. The American tankers raced deep behind enemy lines, smashing up a dozen German tanks along the way. By nightfall CCA was within striking distance of Chambrey. Together with CCB’s and CCR’s advances in the south, the noose around Nancy was getting so tight that the Germans evacuated the city on 15 September. LUNEVILLE As the American spearheads moved deeper, the Germans launched an infantry attack to cut off CCR’s advance at Coutances Rennes ° THE MARCH OF THE 4™ ARMORED DIVISION, 1944-45 UNITED KINGDOM GERMANY LORRAINE Dorie SEE OPPOSITE MAP BELGIUM NORMANDY Utah Beach r P' / * • FRANCE Nancy! 14
Combat Command В 559 VG Div Fllrey Oambrey Arracoi St Nicoi*s*^u-Pon1 Pont Fla vlgny BrBmoncourt 0 Miles___________5 OKItoMOtree 10 KEY Combat Command A Combat Command R German Attacks German Front-lines Battles US 80'” Infantry Division ♦tn US XII CORPS, NANCY, SEPTEMBER 1944 z* Raucourt 106PzBde De In ifi 11 PzDIv 317 Regt Frcsn«-«n-Saulnolfi V * { ChalMU’SaHnt/ DttJlouard Qiduzd - Snry Mlll«ry Moycnvlc 113PzBde Moncourt - TF Abrams Maixe '6r6vj LunOvilte Vhconl’ 21 Pz Div Dam elevates Mont CCB Bahvllle-aux-Mifolts CCR 318 Regt Marbach» Nancysssvgdiv _ О Оатропоид •J LJt&l 6 Gertieviller . 111PzBde ‘,15PzGr Div ч Ooltirnre Pont a-Mousson 3 PzGr Diy M 'Avmeny I J St* tienBVlW* 319 Regt AftrtJS Riirr/ CCA ' . I . i Luncvillc, but were promptly thrown out. When German tanks of 111* Panzer Brigade finally arrived on 18 September they assumed that Luneville was in German hands and they drove unwittingly into thc42"d Cavalry Squadron. Ihc dismounted cavalrymen fought hard with the help ofM18 Hellcats of the 704* Tank Destroyer Battalion. Ute force doggedly held onto a few blocks of the city and called for reinforcements. CCA, already in Arracourt, dispatched a task force com- manded by Lieutenant Colonel Abrams to help CCR. A fierce close-range fight erupted, forcing the badly mauled Germans to eventually fall back. The focus of the German attack then shifted to Arracourt. THE BATTLES OF ARRACOURT During the night of 18 September, the 113* Panzer Brigade prepared to attack CCA north of Arracourt. At the same time the battered 111* Panzer Brigade moved from Luncvillc to attack from the south, but it had become hopelessly lost during the night. It was up to the 113* to face CCA alone. Ihc morning of 19 September was filled with dense fog as 11 Panthers attacked blindly into the American lines. C Company, of Abram’s 37* Tank Battalion, waited until they were within 75 yards before unleashing hell. Three Panthers were instantly knocked out. Shocked, the Germans tried to disengage, but a platoon of Sherman tanks sneaked behind them in the fog and knocked out four more. As the Americans quickly disappeared into the fog, the remaining four Panthers struggled to sec their attackers, lhen suddenly the Shermans appeared once more behind the Panthers and finished them off completely. Further along, M18 Hellcat tank destroyers of the 704* Tank Destroyer Battalion destroyed 16 more Panthers from the unfortunate 113* Panzer Brigade. By the afternoon, the last of CCA’s tanks arrived from Luncvillc and knocked out an addi- tional nine Panthers, putting an end to the German attack. During the day's fighting. Wood claimed the 4* Armored had destroyed 43 enemy tanks, mostly Panthers, at a cost of three M18 Hellcats and five M4 Shermans. Convinced the Germans had been destroyed, Patton ordered CCA to continue their offensive cast. They reached Dieuzc when word came that the Germans had attacked Arracourt again—it was the belated 111* Panzer Brigade. Abrams’ Shermans raced back toward Arracourt and hit the 111'11 Panzer Brigade hard, knocking out 11 Panzer IV J and five Panther tanks. The German attack was again stilled. Over the next few days the Germans launched repeated attacks against the 4* Armored, but each time they were repelled by tough infantry, bold tankers, cunning tank destroyers, and punishing P-47 fighter-bombers. When the dust settled, the division had lost 41 M4 Sherman and seven M5A1 Stuart tanks but claimed 200 tanks from the Fifth Panzer Army, earning the Americans of the 4* Armored the nickname "Roosevelt's Butchers” by the Germans. 15
THE ARDENNES After the fighting in the Lorraine, the division was enjoy- ing a long deserved rest and refit when news of the German attack in the Ardennes reached the Ibird Army on 16 December 1944. Patton shifted his most able divi- sions, including the 26* Infantry, 80* Infantry, and the 4* Armored Divisions north to the Belgian border to launch his counterattack on 21 December. During that night, the German Seventh Army had slipped through between the lead elements of the advancing Third Army and the 101" Airborne Division in Bastogne, completing the encirclement of the important crossroads there. The US paratroopers were cut oft. While they were used to fighting in isolation, the “Screaming Eagles” of the 101" could not hold out indefinitely. Breaking the siege became the 4* Armored’s top priority. lhe fight to reach Bastogne was difficult. Combat Commands A and В each made a drive before being ground to a halt, exhausted, and out of options. Still, they had propelled the division deep into German lines. On 26 December, with Bastogne just out of sight, it was CCR’s turn with Abrams’ 37* Tank Battalion leading the way. ABRAMS TAKES THE LEAD The German 5* Fallsthirmjager (Parachute) Division made the advance slow and tough for the US tankers. But Abrams pushed his men hard through one small village after another. He doggedly kept the pressure on the Germans, cycling his companies and denying the enemy a moment’s respite. However, the moment had arrived when Abrams’ battal- ion was dowrn to 20 operational tanks and 250 “Armored Doughs" (a nickname given to the armoured infantry). His A and В Companies were depleted and had run out of the reliable 75mm ammunition needed to knock out enemy- guns and infantry. To make matters worse, the well-defended village of Assenois stood between his tanks and Bastogne, just five miles away. WE'RE GOING IN Abrams began to doubt if he had the strength to keep going. His thoughts were interrupted by the droning sound of .American transport planes risking it all through a thick sheet of German flak to drop supplies to the besieged defenders of Bastogne. That was it, his resolve was hardened. Abrams pointed in the direction of their objective. “We’re going in to those people, now.” He turned to his men and had C Company’s seven remaining tanks brought forward. After conferring with General Patton, he ordered a bold rush straight through Assenois to Bastogne with 1’Lieutenant Charles P Boggess’ M4A3E2 Jumbo, nick- named “Cobra King”, leading the way. With a pat on the back of the nervous lieutenant, Abrams told Boggess, "Get to those men in Bastogne.” With that the Lieutenant mounted up and the column moved out. At 1615 hours, Boggess’ tanks were on their way. ASSENOIS Waiting for them in .Assenois were eight dug-in anti-tank guns and a large number of Fallschirmjiiger and Volksgrenadier troops. To help deal with the defenders. Abrams called in a pre-arranged barrage from 13 artillery' batteries as his tankers charged through. Over 2300 shells smashed into Assenois as the Americans stormed down the road. Remarkably only a single half-track and a jeep were hit and destroyed by friendly fire. lhe Germans' return fire was ineffectual as they tried to cope with both artillery' and the thick hide of Cobra King as it blocked the incoming fire with its mass. The Jumbo fired its 75mm gun like a machine-gun, firing 21 shells in a matter of minutes and plastering the German lines with explosive shells as it tore through the village. Confusion was rampant in the German lines as the “Armored Doughs” swept the bewildered German defenders with machine-gun fire from their half-tracks. THE CHARGE QT Prt TANK RA7TAJ JON
All was going well until a telephone pole was hit by a 155mm shell and toppled onto a half-track, which stopped the vehicle and cut Boggess’ column in half. As the tanks sped forward to Bastogne, the “Armored Doughs" fought a bloody hand-to- hand fight with the defenders of Asscnois amongst the deadly barrage from their own artillery. Abram's tank, Ihunderbolt VI, sped forward to see what was holding up the advance. When he reached the telephone pole, Abrams and his crew dismounted tinder fire to help clear the obstacle and get the column moving again. HENDRIX'S HEROICS During the struggle, one armoured rifleman, Private James Hendrix, noticed a pair of anti-tank guns firing on the tanks. Armed with his Ml rifle, he shot one of the guns’ crew and ordered the rest to surrender. They refused. As Hendrix approached their foxholes a German poked his head up only to be struck by the butt oi Hendrix’s rifle, lhe rest of the crews surrendered their guns, which were then put out of action. As the column drove through the streets of Assenois, an М3 half-track was struck by an anti-tank round, lhe occu- pants were strewn around the vehicle, dead and wounded. Two German machine-guns were sweeping the wreck with fire. The “Armored Doughs” angrily returned fire with their .50 cal machine-guns but failed to silence the Germans. Then Private Hendrix jumped out of his half-track and sniped the crews of the offending machine-guns. Hendrix stayed with the wounded men until they were evacuated. On his way again, he witnessed a German grenade explod- ed inside another М3 half-track. Most of the men escaped before the vehicle went up in flames, but one tnan was left behind. Once again running through enemy fire. Hendrix rescued the man and put the flames out. but the man later died of his wounds. Hendrix was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Asscnois. PRESSING ON Meanwhile, Boggess' column, now consisting of just five Shermans and one М3 half-track, broke free of Assenois and pushed on to Bastogne. The half-track in the middle of the column was overloaded with riflemen and fell behind the faster tanks, creating a wide gap in the column. The Germans made use of the space created in Boggess' column to deploy a string of Teller mines across the road. The half-track did not notice the danger and was destroyed by a mine. The surviving infantrymen and the tankers dismounted and cleared the road before mounting up on the Shermans to chase after Boggess. INTO BASTOGNE Cobra King and the other remaining tanks were driving forward when they suddenly encountered a German pill- box. Boggess put three high explosive rounds into the con- crete structure. Remarkably the pillbox caught on fire and began smoking. As Cobra King cautiously approached it, several soldiers emerged from a nearby wood. Boggess shouted out for the soldiers to identify themselves. An officer came forward with a massive smile and said, “I’m Lieutenant Webster, 326* Airborne Engineers, glad to see you guys!" It was 1650 hours, 26 December 1944. The 4'1' Armored had reached Bastogne after five days of bloody combat. At 1710 hours, Abrams reported to Brigadier General .Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the 101 Airborne to see what he could do to help. The siege had been lifted, but the fighting wasn’t over yet. lite 4tk Armored worked with the 101“ Airborne to widen the corridor and then helped to throw the enemy back into Germany before crossing the Rhine themselves. By the time the war ended, the 4<h Armored Division had charged all of the wav to Czechoslovakia. 4th ARMORED DIVISION
US COMBAT COMMANDS Combat commands were used by armoured divisions to add a degree of flexibility to their command. The concept was proposed by General Adna Chaffee, known as the father of the US armoured forces. He envisioned a flexible unit along the same lines as the German Kampfgruppe, or battle group, but on a much higher command level. In essence a division could be broken up into about three separate units roughly the size of a brigade or regiment. They were called Combat Command A, B, and R, referred to as CCA. CCB, and CCR respectively. CCA and CCB had the bulk of the divisions offensive units, such as tanks, armoured infantry, self-propelled artillery, and cavalry recon, and were used to attack. CCR stayed behind in reserve with towed artillery, tank destroyers, and under strength units, ready to reinforce or take over a stalled advance. The example below is based on the 4lh Armored Division at the outset of the division’s attack in the Ardennes, but it is representative of many combat commands in operation during the war. 4th armored division COMBAT COMMAND A COMBAT COMMAND В 35' TANK BATTALION B" TANK BATTALION 51’ ARMORED INFANTRY BATTAdON 10’ ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION XkU 4 mti rntzi mtn COMBAT COMMAND R 37 Tank Battalion S3”Armored infantry batia.ion mtn mtn mtn ыь 704 TANK DESTROYER BATTALION ttt L-r, Grevhound 22"“ Armored field ARTILLERY BATTALION 94'“ armored Field ARTILLERY BATTAdON 177'“ FIELD ARTILLERY Battalion (155мм 177 Field artillery Battalion 155mm) M7 Ггк-м M • M-l SI mm MMC 274th armored Field Artillery battalion В TROOP, 25'" CAVALRY reconnaissance squadron Ms Semi MC C BATTERY, 489' AAA SELF- PROPELLED BATTALION A BATTERY, 489' AAA SELF- PROPELLED BATTALION A TROOP, 25 CAVALRY RECONNA SSANCE SQUADRON A COMPANY, 24' ARMORED ENGINEER BATTALION В COMPANY, 24 ARMORED ENGINEER BATTAdON C COMPANY, 24' ARMORED Engineer battalion В ВАГ URY, 489' AAA SELF PROPELLED BATTALION or Stout Car M4 Sherman lank (various models) MIX He I cat Tank Destroyer I ton or 2 l-i ton truck Ms AI Stuart Armored Platoon Ml 155mm I owitzer MIA MGMt (Quad .50 cal) M St I Mt 1.37mm) 66' ARMORED Field ARTILLERY ВАПА. ON М3 I {all tra<к mtn mt2i mt г mt Anvorvd Ritlr Company C, D, AND E TROOPS, 25' cava.ry Reconnaissance Squadron M20 Utility Machine-gun Combat Engineer Company 18
IMPROVING THE BREED M4 SHERMAN TANKS When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, the US Army possessed 18 М2 medium tanks. lhe situation had not improved when the US Army was shocked into action by the fall of France in June 1940. With a require- ment of2000 as yet un-designed medium tanks by the end of 1941, the Army accepted a radical proposal from GMC for Chrysler to build a brand-new tank factory, the Detroit Tank Arsenal, specifically to mass produce tanks. Within a year the updated М3 medium tank (named the General Grant by the British) was rolling out the doors, with the Detroit Tank Arsenal producing over 3000 in its first year. With the М3 on the production line, attention turned to a new M4 medium tank (named the General Sherman by the British), The M4 was designed as one of the most powerful medium tanks in existence. It mounted a 75mm gun in a fully-traversing turret, and armour able to withstand any tank gun then being fielded. Like the earlier medium tanks, it was powered by a Continental radial aircraft engine. This gave it a reliable engine with lots of power, but resulted in an unusually tall tank. The first model into production was the M4A1 with a cast hull, quickly followed by the M4 with a welded steel hull, manufactured by heavy engineering firms like Lima, American Loco, and Pressed Steel. These first saw combat with the British at El Alamein where they were known as the Sherman 11 and Sherman 1 respectively. A shortage of radial engines led Chrysler to devise a mul- ti-bank engine of five standard automotive engines linked to a common drive shaft. This M4A4 (Sherman V to the British) model replaced the М3 in production at the Detroit Tank Arsenal. With demand still outstripping production, General Motors built another tank factory at Grand Blanc, near Flint, Michigan. This factory turned out the M4A2 (Sherman III) model, this time with a twin GM diesel motor. Both of these types were rarely seen in the US Army, being sent to Britain, the Soviet Union, and China instead. Meanw'hile Ford entered the picture with a new 500 hp V8 tank engine, creating the M4A3. This was produced in rela- tively low' numbers (for a tank produced in such staggering numbers as the Sherman!) until Grand Blanc switched to producing it in early 1944. Once this model started reaching the troops in August 1944, it quickly became the most popu- lar version of the Sherman. These М4ЛЗ tanks produced by Grand Blanc were some of the first of a new generation of Sherman tanks. Combat expe- rience had shown a number of problems with the original design: weaknesses in the armour, dangerous ammunition stowage, and poor turret hatches, 'lhe new-style tanks had a single piece hull front, ‘wet’ armoured ammunition stowage bins filled with fire-retardant fluid, a better commanders cupola, and a new loader’s hatch. With the basic Sherman tank rolling off the production lines in huge numbers, attention was turned to producing new variants, lhe first of these was armed with a 105mm howitzer to give the tank battalions their own artillery. The Detroit Tank Arsenal produced these in both the M4 and M4A3 configurations. With the armour of German tanks getting thicker each year, there was concern over the ability of the Sherman tank to deal with them. The designers created a variant armed with a 76mm gun with better anti-tank capability, but the initial response was that it was totally unnecessary' since the tank destroyers would fight enemy tanks leaving the tanks free to engage other targets. Fortunately' production of M4A1, M4A2, and eventually M4A3, models began anyway, as demand for them soared when the Army faced large numbers of heavy German tanks for the first time in Normandy. With no heavy tanks available, another variant was rushed into production in early 1944. This M4A3E2 (the second experimental variant of the M4A3), was a heavily' armoured assault tank designed for infantry support. Nicknamed the “Jumbo", the M4A3E2 arrived too late for the fighting in Normandy, only' reaching the front in October 1944. In late 1944, the final tweak to this famous design. HVSS suspension, entered production. HVSS (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension) gave a much smoother ride and better flo- tation on wider tracks than the old vertical volute suspension. Tanks fitted with this were commonly called “Easy Eights" from the M4A3E8 designation given to the prototype, lhe Easy Eight continued in service after the war, fighting in the Korean War. 19
AMERICA'S BATTLE TANK AMERICA'S BATTLE TANK THE M26 PERSHING The winter battles of late 1944 and early 1945 finally demonstrated to the US Army’s high command that the M4 Sherman, though providing excellent service in previous years, was wholly inadequate to confront German heavy armour and anti-tank guns. Furthermore, it fatally undermined the prevailing US tank doctrine, which had prescribed leaving the engagement of enemy tanks to the Tank Destroyer battalions, freeing the tanks to support the infantry and exploit gaps in the enemy lines. A new armoured vehicle was needed that was better suited to the realities of modern warfare. Fortunately, after a good deal of debate, the T26E3 heavy tank was put into production in November 1944. The T26 was the outcome of a long series of potential replacements for the aging M4 Sherman as the US Army's main battle tank. It was the first American tank to break away from the early 1930s design concept. The T26 was a 42-tonne vehicle, armed with an М3 90mm L/50 gun, the same that equipped the M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer. The new tank sported sloped 4” (102mm) cast frontal armour, dramatically increasing the protection of its crew compared to earlier American tanks. The relocation of the drive train to the rear avoided the need to run the drive shaft under the turret and allowed for the roof height to be lowered. The power plant was the same 500 horsepower Ford GAF V8 petrol engine in the latest versions of Sherman. The running gear had six double-bogies per side on a new torsion bar suspension running on a 23*758cm wide track. Together, these improvements gave the T26 considerable speed for a tank in its weight class. SPEARHEAD The final production model, theT26E3, was given the name Pershing, in honour of General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in the First World War. The Pershing provided US tankers with a vehicle that greatly improved on the M4 and was roughly comparable to the German Panther. THE T26 ARRIVES IN THE ETO By the end of 1944, the first run of 40 T26E3s was complete and after a great clamour for them, the first batch of 20 arrived in the European Theatre of Operation (ETO) at the end of January 1945 as part of the Zebra Mission—a special mission to test the latest US designs of tanks and guns in combat conditions. These experimental T26s were therefore accompanied by a contingent of specialists to help report and iron out mechan- ical teething problems. Ten T26E3 tanks were issued to each of the 3rd and 9d‘ Armored Divisions. The 3rf Armored Division allocated five each to its 32nd and 33rd Armored Regiments, who in turn allocated a single example to their five tank companies. Meanwhile, the 9lk Armored Division allocated five of its T26s to the 14,hTank Battalion, which grouped them all into a single heavy tank platoon in A Company. The other five were given to the 19” Tank Battalion, which allocated one T26 to A Company and a pair each to В and C Companies. 20
SPEARHEAD PERSHINGS The 3ri ‘Spearhead’ Armored Division completed its training near the end of February and then put their T26s to the test on 25 February during the approach to the Roer River. The following night, near Elsdorf, F Company’s T26, nicknamed 'Fireball', was hit three times in an ambush by a 'Tiger' and knocked out. The tank was repaired and back in action within a few' days. The Pershings had their revenge on 27 February, where 33“* Armored Regiment's T26 from E Company knocked out a ’Tiger' at 900 yards using a special HVAP shell, followed by a standard AP shell. Shortly after, the Pershing also destroyed two Panzer IV tanks at the impressive range of 1200 yards. On 6 March, Sergeant Bob Early's Pershing of E Company, 32nd Armored Regiment, was filmed flanking and destroying a troublesome Panther outside Cologne cathedral. Other 3rd Armored Division Pershings dispatched a Tiger and a Panzer IV near Cologne, and the T26 of D Company- knocked out tw'o further l igers. Two Pershings were lost approaching Cologne. One of these, belonging to H Company', 33"* Armored Regiment, was per- manently written off after being knocked out by a German 8.8cm anti-tank shell from a tank-hunter firing just 200 yards away. After piercing the thick frontal armour, the round went through the forward compartments, between the driver’s legs, and set off the ammunition on the floor of the tank. It was considerable good fortune that all the crew survived! AMERICA'S BATTLE TANK SUPER PERSHING lhe Pershing’s 90mm gun was powerful, but still lacked the ability to knock out the heavier German tanks, so an experi- mental gun was designed and designated thcT15 90mm gun. Two examples of these massive guns were mounted in special- ly-modified Pershings, one of which made it into action with the 3rd Armored Division. This was further modified in the field by adding additional armour plates cut from destroyed German Panthers. The result was .America's first and only super-heavy tank of the war. The Super Pershing engaged the enemy, easily destroying German tanks that it encountered. Its most famous action was a duel with a German Konigstiger at Dessau, which the Super Pershing bested after a short but fierce fight. The war ended before more Super Pershings could be built, but the design was considered successful enough to further develop the M26 series into a main battle tank. PHANTOM PERSHINGS 'lhe 9’1’ ‘Phantom' Armored Division committed their Pershings in the final days of February during the fighting to cross the Roer River. OneT26 from 14* Tank Battalion’s heavy tank platoon was disabled on the night of 1 March when it was hit twice by a 150mm field gun. Like ‘Fireball’, it was quickly repaired. The remaining four Pershings of the platoon, led by Lieutenant John Grimball, took part in the capture of the Ludendorff bridge at Remagen on 7 March. Concerns about the ability of the weakened bridge to carry the weight of the Pershings kept the platoon from crossing to the eastern side, so they provided support from the west bank. NEXT WAVE In March 1945, theT26 was officially designated the M26 Pershing. A few more batches were deployed to Europe before the end of hostilities in May. A batch of 40 arrived at the port of Antwerp in late March and was issued to Ninth .Army, which was then divided between the 2"d and 5<h Armored Divisions. In April, 30 more were issued to the 11* Armored Division which became the last unit to get Pershings before the German surrender at the beginning of May 1945. By the end of the war, 310 Pershings had arrived in Europe with 200 issued to units. 21
л VETERAN М4 SHERMAN (LATE} TANK COMPANY TANK FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. SHERMAN TANKS: ON THE TABLE Ibere are several different models of Sherman tanks, lhe key differences are highlighted below to help you pick the right vehicle for the job. M4JUMBO (76MM) front Armour: 11 Side Armour: 8 Weapon Range: 36 /90СГП Anti-tank: 1 2 Other: NO HE, Stabiliser M4 JUMBO (75MM) front Armour: 11 Side Armour: 8 Weapon Range: 28 /70СГП Anti-tank: 10 Other: Smoke, Stabiliser Front Armour: 7 Side Armour: 4 Weapon Range: 36"/90cm Anti-tank: 1 2 Other: Smooth Ride. No HE, Stabiliser
2х М4 Sherman (late 75mm) M4 SHERMAN (LATE 76мм) Front Armour: 7 Side Armour: 4 Weapon Range: 36' /90СГП Anti-tank: 1 2 Other: NO HE, Stabiliser л VETERAN M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK COMPANY HQ 11 POINTS M4 EASY EIGHT (76MM) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Easy Eight (76mm) (Ulin) for +2 points each. M4 SHERMAN (LATE 76MM) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Sherman (late 76mm) for +1 point each. JUMBO OPTION • Replace up to one M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Jumbo (75mm) (iutS3) for +2 points, or М4 Jumbo (76mm) (пни) for +3 points. Tlie Sherman tank has served the Army well. Rather than discard the design, the engineers back in Detroit have made them bigger, better, and faster. This new generation of M4s will bring certain victory to the Allied cause. 7SMM CUN: The Sherman's 75mm gun is the preferred gun for lobbing HE rounds into a German gun position or MG post. 76мм CUN: When the German Panther hit the battlefield in 1943, our engineers back home designed a new turret for the Sherman mounting a more powerful 76mm gun. This weapon has increased firepower against enemy tanks, giving our tank formations a way to crack the front armour of Germany's heavier tanks. NO HE: The downside of the 76mm gun is that it has a bad HE round, so keeping older 75mm tanks around 'will be a good idea for tackling infantry and gun targets. M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK: Features STABILISER: US tanks come equipped with a gyrostabiliser that allows us to fire on the move. We can keep up a high rate of fire while we manoeuvre, which will help us get in close and attack the enemy's flank. THICKER ARMOUR: While redesigning the turret for the 76mm gun, the tank engineers have added more armour protection for our crews as well, benefiting both the 75mm and 76mm Sherman. AMMO STOWAGE: One of the biggest battlefield problems with the M4 has been its ammo storage bins which tend to catch fire and explode if the tank has been hit. Better bins have been added to give you peace of mind that the ammo won't brew up if the tank takes a hit. Front Armour: 7 Side Armour: 4 Weapon Range: 28 /70СГП Anti-tank: 10 Other: Smoke, Stabiliser M4 SHERMAN (LATE10SMM) Front Armour: 1 Side Armour: 4 Weapon Range: 24 /бОСГП Anti-tank: 9 Other: Brutal, SIOW Firing, Smok ARTILLERY Weapon Range: 48"/120ст Anti-tank: 3 Other: Smoke Bombardment 23
л VETERAN M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK PLATOON 5x M4 Sherman (late 75mm) 4x M4 Sherman (late 75mm) Зх M4 Sherman (late 75mm) 25 POINTS 20 POINTS 15 POINTS M4 EASY EIGHT (76мм) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Easy' Eight (76mm) (W192) for +2 points each. M4 SHERMAN (LATE 76мм) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Sherman (late 76mm) for+1 point each. JUMBO OPTION • Replace up to one M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Jumbo (75mm) (tin») for +2 points, or M4 Jumbo (76mm) (11)193) for *3 points. In late 1944 there is no such thing as a standard M4 Sherman tank. The basic design has prolif- erated into a variety of improved and specialised models. These are issued as available and mixed together in whatever fashion the commander on the spot desires. lhe 76mm gun armed M4 Sherman (late) has come into service alongside the other M4 Sherman (late) models in September. .Many tank battalions still field the basic M4 Sherman, and are receiv- ing new tanks like the M4 Sherman (76mm) and the M4 Jumbo. Some models of 76mm M4 Sherman (late) are fitted with the Horizontal Volute Suspension System (HVSS, for short), giving them better cross-country' mobility and a smooth ride. These arc designated M4A3E8 and quickly became known as "Easyr Eights." The M4 Easy' Eight is entering service in late December 1944. just in time for the fighting in the Ardennes. The M4 Jumbo assault tank entered combat in late October 1944 after the battles in the Lorraine. However, the Jumbos first major actions arc in the Ardennes. To build the Jumbo the late M4A3 Sherman chassis has had extra armour added all FRONT TOP NOHS TOP TOP CKOSS COUNT* VOAW CKOSS SIDE» REAR •TANK UNIT" 28"/70cm 36-190см 20"/50см 16740см 7<KtK> 10725см 14735см 18745cm 20"/50см •TANK» 10725cm 12730cm 16740cm 18745CM Mo MF, SMNftw SrlfttetmctM faj&ctalA'ialtt) Remounf t^ccVtled A'imu Автоояг Smoke, StobrAser So ME Stnbrftsrr W-rfeteH₽44 10725см I 14435см | 18745ои | 20750см | 3+ M4 Sherman ilatel (75mm) M4 Sherman Ilatel (76mm! M4 Sherman tlatel (.SOcalMGI M4 Sherman tlatel (MGsl • TANK • SMOOTH RIOE • I Рк*ГМУг»ГП"Х1 T , IКткбгЛцми Tactfo i-noAe, ЙоМиг Mo KF, StabilMr Self-defence M CONFIDENT ‘ ______WAA_____ TRAINED 4» CONFIDENT 4+ WAI TRAINED 4* WEAPON RANG! HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES ______is tr :o._ CAREFUL 4+ CONFIDENT 4+ REAR TACTICAL M4 EASY EIGHT VETERAN TANK TACTICAL SIDEb REAR RAMGE ROf ANTE FIRE- ИМП0 MOVMG TANK POWER CAREFUL 4+ TRAINED TERRAIN DASH ROAD DASH CROSS CROSS COUNTRY DASH M4JUMBO VETERAN TANK ROF AMTF FIR» HALTED MOVING TANK POWHt I M4 Easy Eight !76mml 36790см 2 2 12 3+ 1 M4Eaiy Eight 1.50 cal MG! 20750cm 3 2 4 5+ | M4 Ему Eight !MGs) 16740cm 2 2 2 6 M4 Jumbo 175mm) M4 Jumbo (76mm) M4 Jumbo so cai mg; M4 Jumbo IMGs) 28770см 36790cm 20750cm 16740cm around, while the gun is mounted in an up-ar- moured turret.
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T26 SUPER PERSHING TANK PLATOON lx T26 Super Pershing (90mm) In an effort to match the firepower of the German Tiger II tank's powerful 8.8cm KwK 43 gun, the 90mm T15E1 gun was developed and mounted in a T26 in January 1945. This extra long gun (73 calibres) could penetrate 330mm of armour. Ihc men of the 3'd Armored Division’s maintenance workshops further mod- ified the tank by cutting out armour plates from German Panther tanks and welding them to it, creating the unique T26E1-1 ‘Super Pershing’, •TANK UNIT- ______В Wit ON__ CAREFUL 8+ 16 POINTS 10725cm 12730cm 16740см RANG* NOTH RO* ANTV FIRI- HMHD MOVMG TANK POWER T26 Super Perahing (90mm’, T26 Super Pemhmg (.50 cal MG I T26 Super Pershing 487120см 20750cm 16740cm Stif-defence M T26 SUPER PERSHING TANK: Features THICKER ARMOUR: The T26 Super Pershing was further LONG 90MM CUN: To give the T26 Super Pershing the abilities to take on the heaviest of the German tanks like the modified in the field by adding additional armour plates cut Tiger II or Jagdtiger it has been fitted with an even longer from destroyed German Panthers. 90mm than that of the M26 Pershing. VETERAN M5 STUART TANK PLATOON 5х М5 Stuart (37mm) 4х М5 Stuart (37mm) Зх М5 Stuart (37mm) 13 POINTS 10 POINTS 7 POINTS TRAINED 4* I rbuUt Лцыпик’р I *»«» While outclassed by more modern tanks, the [ 12730см | M5A1 is still extremely useful for securing flanks, screening enemy infantry and armoured _ & ' 7 I MS Stuart (37mm) cars, and exploiting a gap in the enemy lines. I , Г s> о Г 7 I MS Stuart (MGsJ •TANK UNIT* TACTICAL TfRRAI 28770см 24760см 14735cm ~[ CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS WEAPON RANG* MAATID TANK POWER NOUS 24760см 16740cm ЯоЬЛмг SeiYdrfmce ЛЛ 26
VETERAN ARMOURED 81 MM MORTAR PLATOON Зх M4 (81mm mortar) 3 POINTS The armoured mortar platoon is your on-call smoke screen projector that will cover your tank buddies as they manoeuvre to find the enemy’s flank. Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em. , VETERAN M4 SHERMAN (LATE) ASSAULT GUN PLATOON 6x Mi Sherman (late 105mm) 4x iM4 Sherman (late 105mm) 2x M4 Sherman (late 105mm) The 105mm assault gun variant has been developed to lend serious firepower to the fight. Their role is to use their high-calibre shells to knock out enemy infantry and gun positions. fhe M4(A3) Sherman (late) version entered service along with the other M4A3 models in the second half of 1944. 27 POINTS 18 POINTS 9 POINTS W1AP0N RANG! ROF HALTED MOVING RMTI- TANK FlRt- POWW NOTH | M4 Sherman (late) (105mm) 487120см ARTILLERY 3 3+ Smow Sombordmmr or Direct Fire 24760cm 1 1 9 2+ ffruta'. Slew Faring. Smoke 1 M4 Sherman f late) {30 cal MG> 20750cm 3 2 4 5+ SeV (Mtnct M M4 Sherman (late) IMGs) 16740cm 2 2 2 6 VETERAN M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK COMPANY
VETERAN M24 CHAFFEE TANK COMPANY TANK FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. Vtou may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. J 75MM CUN: The lightweight 75mm gun of the M24 has the same ballistics as the 75mm М3 gun used in the M4 Sherman, but used a thinly walled barrel and different recoil mechanism to save weight. LICHT & FAST: The Chaffee tank is almost half the weight of an M4 Sherman, features 16-inch (41cm) wide tracks and torsion bar suspension, and a Twin V8 engine giving it a top road speed of 58 km/h (36 mph). M24 CHAFFEE TANK: Features FIGHT CLEVER: Don't try and punch above your weight with these tanks. Instead, fight dirty. Find a weakness in the enemy line like unsupported infantry and exploit it, snatch thinly held objectives, and bowl over vulnerable gun teams. 28
VETERAN M24 CHAFFEE TANK COMPANY HQ 2x M24 Chaffee (75mm) 8 POINTS A tank battalions D Company is all about speed and exploitation. They will find the enemy's weakest point and use that to get the tanks around their vulnerable flanks. With that accomplished, the medium and heavy tanks will overrun the distracted enemy in no time at all. VETERAN M24 CHAFFEE TANK PLATOON 5x M24 Chaffee (75mm) 4x M24 Chaffee (75mm) Зх M24 Chaffee (75mm) 19 POINTS 15 POINTS 12 POINTS The new M24 Chaffee sure is a magnificent piece of engineering! The American Panther some call it. Speed and firepower is how to beat panzers and the M24 is a speed machine that can glide across the battlefield while carrying the 75mm gun of a Sherman. It is just what is required to whip around behind a skulking panzer. VETERAN M8 SCOTT ASSAULT GUN PLATOON Зх M8 Scott (75mm) 2x M8 Scott (75mm) 6 POINTS 4 POINTS The able gunners of the 2nd Armoured Division's assault guns have traded in their half-track- mounted guns for the new M8 Scott, which combines the winning speed of a Stuart light tank with the firepower of an artillery battery'. Armoureel troops can rely on artillery whenever and wherever it is needed.
TH ARMORED DIVISION 7TH ARMORED DIVISION lhe ‘Lucky Seventh' was formed on 1 March 1942. The division first went into combat under the command of General Lindsay Silvester in mid-August 1944 and joined in the Allied advance across France to the German frontier as a part of Patton's Third Army. Despite a severe fuel shortage, the 7'h Armored arrived at the battlefields of north-western France liberating Chatcau-Thicrry and then Verdun by the end of August. METZ When Patton’s Third Army reached the Moselle River, he divided his armoured forces to deal with the three major cities blocking his way. The 7* Armored was assigned to sup- port the 5A Infantry Division opposite the extremely fortified city of Metz. When the tankers arrived outside Metz they encountered an elaborate network of fortifications, tunnels, minefields, and well-sited anti-tank weapons. Not only would the division have to force a crossing over the Moselle, it would have to contend with these fortifications manned by fanatical soldiers from the city’s military school who knew Metz inside and out. Nevertheless, the 7'*’ Armored crashed into the teeth of the defences, lhe overly-kcen division was wrastcd against the for- tifications and was soon horribly depleted. After bitter losses, the 7th Armored found an opening south of Metz and forced a crossing where the fortifications were light. The fighting was still tough as the division fought hard for each hill and valley until 24 September when they were shifted north to Holland. HOLLAND By 24 September, British Field Marshal Montgomerys Operation Market Garden was in its final throes and the Allies had little to show for their effort. Access to the port city of Antwerp remained shut, thanks to the lough German defenders around the Scheldt Estuary. This made the fuel shortage a massive problem all across the front lines, from Montgomery’s 21" Army Group in the north to Patton’s Third Army in the Lorraine. It became vitally important for the Allies to clear the Germans out of Holland and open up Antwerp’s ports. fhe 7*h Armored was moved north and assigned to the US First Army to help clear out the German defenders in the Peel Marshes south of Nijmegen. The tanks quickly became bogged down in the mire typical of the fighting there. High roads were the only place tanks could go. making them perfect targets for German anti-tank guns. To make matters worse, the division was broken up into small units that were unable to support each other during the battle. Once again, the division took heavy casualties and was removed from the fight to rest and receive badly needed reinforcements. RESTAND REFIT By the end of October 1944. the division had received the unenviable nickname: “Unlucky Seventh” having sustained very high casualties, lost dozens of vehicles, and been poorly handled. As it rested and trained, the division received the fresh replacements necessary to fill out the unit. On 1 November, General Silvester was relieved and replaced by General Robert Hasbrouck, previously the commander of the 7th Armored’s Combat Command B. To take his posi- tion, the newly promoted Brigadier General Bruce Clarke was brought in from the 4" Armored Division to lend some battle experience to the rebuilt division. It would not be long before the Unlucky’ Seventh would have a chance to reverse their misfortunes.
THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE On 16 December 1944, the Germans launched a major offensive in the Ardennes Forest. lhe plan was to reach the Meuse River, head north on to Antwerp to cut off" several American and British armies, and force a peace settlement favourable to Germany. lhe offensive caught the Americans completely by surprise and cut through the thinly held front-lines. All available units were rushed to meet this threat, including the 7th Armored. Massive roadblocks made movement very slow as the 7**’ Armored tried to get from Holland to where they were needed in Belgium. General Hasbrouck dispatched Clarke’s CCB ahead of the rest of the division to St. Vith, a critical crossroads that needed to be kept from the Germans. ST. VITH Of the three main attacks launched by the Germans, the centre thrust succeeded in smashing open the American lines, lhe German Fifth Panzer Army poured through the opening hoping to capture the critical crossroads and railroad hub junction at St. Vith. Although the US 106'h Infantry Division had been smashed арап, remnants kept the Germans busy- long enough to rush the 7,h and 9‘*’ Armored Divisions into the region. Combat Command В of the 9*h Armored was the first to arrive and immediately went to work trying to stabi- lise the breech. The task proved too difficult for the untried division, so when Clarke's CCB arrived on 17 December, the region’s defences were handed over to him. The German advance had pushed deep into the American lines to the north and south of St. Vith, creating a dangerous salient for the American forces defending w-ithin. The two American combat commands coordinated and set up a thin infantry' screen made from dismounted cavalrymen and engi- neers to hold St. Vith, while the armoured divisions took up the eastern and southern approaches. Immediately as the lead elements of CCB arrived, the Germans attacked. Luckily the swift advance of the Germans had caused enough confusion to make their attacks weak and uncoordinated, allowing Clarke time to fight off the first waves. However, the Germans were determined to capture St. Vith and committed their precious few armoured reserves to the fight on 19 December, including the elite Fiibrer Begleit Brigade (FBB). Heavy artillery bombardments and attacks toward the rear plagued the 7A Armored as they fought hard, exacting a heavy toll on the Germans and forcing them to commit even more tanks to the battle. However, the German penetrations of the front lines convinced Clarke to withdraw- to the more defensible high ground to the southwest. Even heavy snows on 22 December didn’t stop an ambitious German attack by 75 tanks attempting to wrest control of Rodt from CCB. The German tanks struggled in the mud, and the lighter M4 Shermans managed to withdraw in good order and inflict heavy- casualties on the FBB. During the fighting, the Allies restructured their commands and the 7'11 Armored was reassigned to the XVI11 (18th) Airborne Corps, under the command of General Matthew- Ridgway, w-ho immediately tried to set up what he called “fortified goose-eggs” throughout the salient that could be resupplied by air. While this strategy might work for para- troopers, Clarke protested that it w-as not a sound strategy for an armoured division. His concerns were echoed by Field Marshal Montgomery, Ridgway's superior, who immediately- countered the orders and had the 7* Armored withdraw, having fought an excellent delaying action. lhe 7'h Armored fought its way back to Vielsalm, where the 82nd Airborne Division w-as holding the way open and escaped the closing salient on 23 December. During the fighting, the men of the Lucky Seventh lost 113 vehicles, but had bloodied the Fifth Panzer Army, drained it of precious fuel reserves, and bought the Allies time to get reinforcements to the Ardennes. 7th armored division 31

“Sir, this is Patton talking. The last fourteen days have been straight hell. Rain, snow, more rain, more snow—and I’m beginning to wonder what’s going on in your headquarters. Whose side are you on anyway? ... ... Give me four clear days so that my planes can fly, so that my fighter-bombers can bomb and strafe, so that my reconnaissance may pick out targets for my mag- nificent artillery. Give me four days of sunshine to dry this blasted mud, so that my tanks roll, so that ammunition and rations may be taken to my hungry, ill- equipped infantry. I need these four days to send von Rundstedt and his godless army to their Valhalla. I am sick of this unnecessary butchery of American youth, and in exchange for four days of fighting weather, I will deliver You enough Krauts to keep Your bookkeepers months behind in their work. Amen.” -Lieutenant General George S Patton Jr, 23 December 1944
M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK COMPANY TANK FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. HEADQUARTERS ARMOUR ARMOUR M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK PLATOON Z LU182 M5 STUART TANK PLATOON . LU1O3 £ M24 CHAFFEE TANK PLATOON < LU1M X ARTILLERY ARTILLERY M4 SHERMAN (LATE) ASSAULT GUN PLATOON LU232 X M4 SHERMAN (CALLIOPE TANK PLATOON Zi . LU'S6 ARMOURED 81MM MORTAR PLATOON You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK COMPANY HQ 2x M4 Sherman (late 75mm) 9 POINTS M4 EASY EIGHT (76мм) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Easy Eight (76mm) (LUt№ for *2 points each. M4 SHERMAN (LATE 76мм) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Sherman (late 76mm) for ♦ 1 point each. JUMBO OPTION • Replace up to one M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Jumbo (75mm) (UttMi for +2 points, or M4 Jumbo (76mm) (UI1M> for +3 points. The tank companies of the 743rd Tank Battalion have attacked the beaches of Normandy, advanced through France and the Low Countries, and arc at the gates of Germany itself Their M4 Sherman DD tanks have taken them the whole way so far, but as the assault on the Siegfried Line looms, fifteen upgraded M4A3E2 ‘Jumbo’ tanks have arrived to supplement the М4ЛЗ (late) Sherman tanks of the command company — eventually fighting in the Ardennes against the German counter-attacks in December 1944. Soon M4A3E8 'Easy Eight' Sherman tanks will be delivered to support the push into the German heartland.
М4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK PLATOON 5x M4 Sherman (late 75mm) 20 POINTS 4x M4 Sherman (late 75mm) 16 POINTS Зх M4 Sherman (late 75mm) 12 POINTS M4 EASY EIGHT (76мм) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Easy Eight (76mm) 1Ш183) for +2 points each. M4 SHERMAN (LATE 76мм) OPTION • Replace any or all M4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Sherman (late 76mm) for +1 point each. JUMBO OPTION • Replace up to one М4 Sherman (late 75mm) with M4 Jumbo (75mm) (lint*) for +2 points, or M4 Jumbo (76mm) 1Ш1М) for +3 points. •TANK UNIT • AGGRESSIVE 3+ CONFIDENT TRAINED .“A-tid 'll Gub Lent Stand )¥<Лч1*с1А’'гпп Aemount TIMA* DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH SIDES. REAR TOP ф 10725см 14735см 18745см 20750см TACTICAL I WEAPON RANG! RC HALTED »F MOVING ANTI- TANK F1RE- poww NOTH V M4 Sherman (late) }75mml 28770см 2 2 10 3+ Smafcf, StobWwr I M4 Sherman (late) (76mml 36”/90cm 2 2 12 3+ fio HE. Stabtntr I M4 Sherman (late) 150 cal MG) 20"/50см 3 2 4 5+ StH-detent M | M4 Sherman (latel'.MGs) 16"/40см 2 2 2 6 •TANK - SMOOTH RIDE • 10 "/25CM Sdftfcfcncc ЛЛ 1072 5<м М4 Jumbo (75mm) CONFIDENT FRONT TACTICAL NOHS CONFIDENT WEAPON ^VudTtCufs L<nr Stand А'ПГТТП Aemcxjnt nfcod YiGufs Lost Stand P*ul4ktfA*um> Remount The .M4A3E8 was the pinnacle of the Sherman tank design. Its nickname ‘Easy' Eight’, came from the US Army phonetic for ‘E’ and the numeral '8' from its experimental designation. Easy Eight Sherman tanks have an improved suspension system (Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension or HVSS, for short) giving better handling over rough ground and easier in-field maintenance for changing the road wheels and sprockets. Armed with the fearsome 76mm Ml cannon, the design was so successful, the US Army were still using M4A3E8 Easy Eights until 1955. Introduced in October 1944, the M4A3E2 ‘Jumbo’ Sherman assault tank was primarily designed to break through fortified positions. Despite the extra weight of the thicker frontal and side armour, and forward gun mantlet, Jumbos boasted an upgraded engine to compen- sate. lhe distinctive wide ‘duckbill’ track addi- tion supported the 42-ton weight of the Jumbo, and gave rise to its post-war nickname. When they first faced action in the Ardennes, their М3 75mm guns, improved turret layout and excel- lent frontal armour, meant they were given the task of leading the wav for their parent units. TRAINED 4+ M4 EASY EIGHT TANK AGGRESSIVE 3+B SIDE a— REAR < 14735CM 18745CM CROSS COUNTRY DAW! I 1 1 1 WEAPON RANG! ROF HALTED MOVING АЛТЕ TANK ЯКЕ- powa I M4 Easy Eight (76mm; 36"/90см 2 2 12 3+ I M4 Easy Eight !.50 cal MG) 20750см 3 2 4 5+ 1 M4 Easy Eight iMGs) 16740см 2 2 2 6 2О75ОСМ TACTICAL M4JUMBO *TANK • TANK• 12730см 16740см 18745СМ M4 Jumbo (76mm) M4 Jumbo (.50 cal AA MG} M4 Jumbo । MGsl TIMA* DASH CROSSCOUNTRY DASH RANG! ROF HALTED MOVING ANTI- TANK FIRE- POWER NOTES 28770см 2 2 10 3+ Smoke Stabler 36'790 см 2 2 12 3+ fioHE,Stabf,\ier 20750см 3 2 4 5+ SfN dttonct ЛА 16740cm 2 2 2 6 35
MS STUART TANK PLATOON TA CT I CAI •TANK UNIT* 5x M5 Stuart (37 mm) 4x M5 Stuart (37mm) Зх M5 Stuart (37mm) 12730см 14"/35см 24760см 28770см TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH 8 POINTS 6 POINTS CROSS The M5A1 light tank is the latest model of the 'General Stuart', as named by the British. Its armour has been slightly upgraded to guard against small arms fire, but this hasn't slowed the speedy little tank. It is ideal for probing enemy lines and reporting weaknesses. 3+ 1 NOTES WEAPON B1Kfr ROE ANTT FIRE kmvm HM.TID MOYMG TANK ROWER [ MS Stuart (37mm) | MS Stuart (MGrl 24760см 16740cm 2 5 2 5 7 2 4+ 6 Siobtlber MS STUART LIGHT TANK: Features LIGHT & FAST: The Stuart tank is half the weight of an M4 Sherman, giving it an impressive 36mph (58km/h) road speed, compared to the M4 Sherman's 24mph (39km/h). This speed boost will keep the crews charging hard and fast, avoiding enemy fire along the way. FIGHT CLEVER: Don't try to punch above your weight with these tanks, instead, fight dirty. Find a weakness in the enemy line tike unsupported infantry and exploit it, snatch thinly held objectives, and bowl over vulnerable gun teams. ARMOURED 81 MM MORTAR PLATOON 3x Mi (81mm mortar) 2 POINTS Mortars provide an edge for your combined arms operations by quickly punching holes in the enemy's defence. Use them to pin down enemy troops or to lay smoke on enemy anti-tank guns for your tanks. They can aid an infantry assault with both mortar and machine-gun fire. WIAPON IMtl MMTIO*°*MOVWC TANK "°™ M4 (81 mm mortar) M4(.50calMGI 407100см 1 4+ Пюг Firing, Smokf eambardmnnt 4 5+ Srtf aefenre АЛ 20750см ARTILLERY
•TANK UNIT- 10725см AGGRESSIVE 3* armour 21 POINTS 14 POINTS 7 POINTS FRONT SIDEt. REAR TOP (♦) 10"/25cm 14735см 13 POINTS 11 POINTS 8 POINTS TACTICAL MARON M4 Sherman (Calliope! M4 Sherman (MGsl FRONT SIDE» REAR TOP Ф M4 SHERMAN (LATE) ASSAULT GUN PLATOON 6x M4 Sherman (late 105mm) 4x M4 Sherman (late 105mm) 2x iM4 Sherman (late 105mm) TACTICAL As the Germans fall back into Germany they have prepared defensive positions that have turned every town into an instant fortress. Fortunately US tank battalions have their own armoured artillery' right up at the front to blast through these defences. 14735см 20750cm 20750cm TtRKAW DASH CROSSCOUNTRY DASH ROF AMTL FIR1- M4 Sherman (late) (105mm) 487120см ARTILLERY TANK POWER E3 SmoRe Bombordmrrtt or Direct Fire 24760cm 1 1 9 2+ Brutal. Stow Бт1пц. Smoke I M4 Sherman (.50 cal MGl 20*/50см 3 2 4 5+ SeH oVfpnrp AA J M4 Sherman i MGsl 16740см 2 2 2 6 IJ M4 SHERMAN 105MM ASSAULT CUN: Features 105мм CUN: Early battles have demonstrated that sometimes a 75 mm gun just has not enough firepower to get the job done. Ne w M4 tanks, armed with 105mm howitzers, are arriving at the front to fill this need. These assault guns can be used to tackle obstacles in the way of the tanks, or grouped together into a battery to fire artillery bombardments. M4 IMPROVEMENTS: Like the new 76mm Shermans, the M4 105mm has a new turret so the crew have more room to operate the bulky howitzer inside. The tank also has better armour to give the crew better protection. M4 SHERMAN (CALLIOPE) ТАГ 5x M4 Sherman (Calliope) 4x M4 Sherman (Calliope) 3x lM4 Sherman (Calliope) Calliope field kits have been made available to give tank battalions their own artillery compo- nent. Five rocket launcher kits arc installed as a batch in one of the tank battalion’s platoons and can support an entire Combat Command. They arc fitted to both older M4 and M4A1 Shermans, as well as M4A3 Shermans, but always to tanks armed with 75mm guns. • TANK UNIT • CONFIDENT У» Cun Counter attach °LATOON TERKAMDASH CROSSCOUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH 20750cm 18745cm ROF AMTL FIM- RANWl HALTED MOVING TANK POWER 487120см SALVO 2 5+ Solvo 16740см 4 | 4 2 6 CROSS These launchers are named after the Calliope (pronounced Kal-lee-ohp by some and Kal-lie-oh-pee by others) steam-powered organ played at car- nivals and circuses. The launchers frame could not stand up to the main gun’s recoil, so the crews became dedicated rocketeers, forgoing their main gun completely. T34 CALLIOPE: Features T34 CALLIOPE ROCKET LAUNCHER: Each Calliope rocket launcher system fired a bombardment of sixty 4.5 ° (114mm) rockets. Individually, these rockets may not cause much damage, but group 60 to 240 of them into a single salvo and the enemy will have nowhere to hide! M4 SHERMAN CREW: Calliope crews struggled to switch from being tankers to artillerymen. Still, they learned on the job and performed well. 37
М24 CHAFFEE TANK COMPANY TANK FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. HEADQUARTERS Уои may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. For a beaten army, the Germans were able to field a lot of forces. Since being alerted the previous day to the enemy attack, Lieutenant Foster, had beer, moving and shooting seemingly non-stop. He was down to the last spare barrel for the .50 cal, and even worse they were down to the last ammo boxes. The rest of his platoon was in similar sisape - the supply trucks had taken off when trie company HQ had been forced to relocate. Everyone and everything was in the dark about what was happening - the only sure thing was to shoot the enemy wherever they were found. The three other members of his platoon followed him at high speed, huge rooster tails of snow arcing behind them as their wide tracks allowed them to traverse the snowy terrain quickly. An enemy armour-piercing round flashed past, their high speed keeping them safe. An enemy assault gun - a StuG - with a cluster of infantry had crested the ridge to their left His own gunner had laid on without being told, and the return fire shattered one of the tracks causing the enemy tank to slew in a circle as the busted track unwound. 'Where there was one there would be others. Poster, led his platoon back into the woods, slowing down to navigate the tighter curves as the unpaved road wound through the trees. Major Andrews had promised that he would scrounge up supplies from somewhere; the next intersection was the rendezvous. As they entered the crossroads, an М3 half-track with its rear door open was being unloaded. Crates of 75mm gun rounds, canisters of MG ammunition and jerry cans of fuel The tank crews scrambled to load up and fill up, while the М3 left as soon as the last crate was unloaded. His driver, Garten, had just finished topping up the fuel tank when a 50 cal HMG ripped off a burst down the road they had arrived on. The enemy had caught up! "Mount up!” Foster, scrambled into the hatch as the turret rotated. They would bloody these infantry and then scoot back. Stay alive and keep shooting. Eventually, he hoped, they would meet up with some heavier friends and stop the Germans. Dead.
•TANK FORMATION- M24 CHAFFEE TANK COMPANY HQ AGGRESSIVE 3* 2x M24 Chaffee (75mm) Initially issued to two cavalry troops in November 1944, by December the M24 Chaffee light tank is being widely issued to tank battalions, replac- ing the M5 Stuart in many companies. A light tank company still retains it own sup- porting artillery in the form of mortars and assault guns. CONFIDENT * 6 POINTS rtUtil UGufl Last Stand АойсГаТАпмш ЯетлоилТ 12730см 14735см 20750cm 28* /70см FRONT SIDE* REAR TACTICAL ROAD DAM TIARAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH WEAPON RANG! CAMS NOHS M24 Chaffee (75mm| M24 Chaffee (30 cal MOI M24 Chaffee (MGsl 28770см 20750CM 16740см ROF ANTI- Fltt- HALTED MOVING ТААЖ POWER Smear. SrobitM, S«V-defwce M M24 CHAFFEE TANK PLATOON 5x M24 Chaffee (75mm) 4x M24 Chaffee (75mm) Зх M24 Chaffee (75mm) 15 POINTS 12 POINTS 9 POINTS The new M24 Chaffee is an excellent replace- ment for the M5A1 Stuart. It combines a pow- erfill 75mm gun with the speed of a light tank, making it a deadly new weapon in the Arsenal of Freedom. 3 4 TANK UNIT CONFIDENT 4+ ЙШ.41 H Cuti Last Stand fiemoirnt 12730см 14735cm 28*/70cm M24 Chaffee (75mm; 28770см Smerr, Sfabd'tr. M24 Chaffee (.50 cal MGI 20750см Self-defence A4 M24 Chaffee (MGsl 16740см TACTICAL ROAD DASH WEAPON RANGI ROF ANTI- Fl«b HALTED MOVING ТААЖ POWER THRAINOASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH TRAINED 4+ 20750cm M8 SCOTT ASSAULT GUN PLATOON Зх M8 Scott (75mm) 2x M8 Scott (75mm) 5 POINTS 3 POINTS ТЪе M8 Scott HMC assault gun complements your mortars, either by performing direct fire from its 75mm gun to knock out machine-gun nests, or by joining the mortars in keeping the enemy’s head down while the riflemen dose. 39
THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN THE BATTLE OF REMAGEN, 7™ MARCH 1945 After the fall of Cologne, the Germans presumed the Americans’ next target would be Bonn. They were not expecting an attack in the vicinity of Remagen, 'lhe defenders consisted of a motley' collection of support troops from vari- ous units, three flak batteries on the eastern side of the river. Volktstum) (the German home guard), and a few railroad and construction workers, lhe end result was a defensive group consisting of second-rate troops with an unnecessarily com- plex command structure. Overall command of the area was given to (jenentlnntjor Walter Botsch on 1 March. Realizing these meagre forces would be no match for the determined Americans, Botsch requested more troops from Model, but his request was denied as Model and his staff were concen- trating forces near Bonn. As with all bridges on the Rhine, the Ludendorff bridge had been wired for demolition, but the charges themselves were not in place in order to prevent an accidental detonation. On 6 March, with the local situation deteriorating. Botsch ordered the charges attached to the bridge. However, Model chose that critical moment to recall Botsch to take over 53 Corps and placed General Otto Hitzfield in com- mand of the Remagen area. Model then unrealistically ordered Hitzfield s 67 Corps to launch an attack against the 9lh Armored Division, but his forces were in fact isolated behind the main American spearheads west of the Rhine and completely unable to launch an offensive. Fearing that his own troops would be caught west of the Rhine, Hitzfield ordered Major Hans Scheller to take person- al command at Remagen to keep it open. As the bridge rep- resented the best retreat avenue for 67 Corps, Hitzfield didn’t want it demolished prematurely. Scheller didn't arrive at the bridge until 1100 hours, 7 March, just as the first reports of American tanks in the area started pouring in. Several of Scheller’s subordinates, including Captain Friesenhahn in command of the bridge itself, recommended immediate demolition of the bridge even though the charges were only' partially placed. Scheller refused and instead ordered all the rcmaining^harges prepared. By 1400 hours, engineers placed the final charges on the Ludendorff bridge, although parts of the secondary' firing circuit remained incomplete.
However, by this time American troops had been pouring into Remagen for nearly an hour, easily pushing aside the Volkssturm and other disorganised soldiers. Scheller and Friesenhahn crossed to the west side of the bridge to ascertain the state of the city’s defences, but upon reaching the west bank they immediately ran into the 27th Armored Infantry- Battalion closing on the bridge itself. Recognizing the impending disaster, Friesenhahn ordered the detonation of the large explosive charges under the bridges approach ramp. This charge created a large crater in the bridge's western ramp preventing American armour from reaching the bridge itself, faking advantage of the temporary shock caused by the detonation, the German commanders sprinted back to the east side of the bridge. Friesenhahn reached the east side of the bridge several minutes after Scheller because he’d been temporarily rendered unconscious by an American shell. American tanks were already targeting units on the east side in preparation for a general assault on the bridge itself. Finding Scheller in the railway tunnel behind the bridge, Friesenhahn finally obtained permission to destroy the bridge at 1520 hours, but the primary detonation circuit failed. By this time a company of American infantry', under Lieutenant Karl Timmermann, w-as preparing to assault the bridge. Supporting the infantry was a platoon of combat engineers under orders to clear the demolition charges. The only hope for the Germans was activation of the secondary- circuit. Feldwebel Anton Faust led a small group of volunteers to light the fuse on the secondary' circuit. Moments later a huge explosion rocked the bridge, but as the smoke cleared astonished Germans and Americans saw that the bridge was damaged but still standing. Timmermann quickly realized that the bridge was still passa- ble, so he ordered his men across. The supporting armour fired smoke rounds to cover their attack. The desperate Germans opened up with everything they had on the advancing Americans. The towers on the eastern end of the bridge were THE BATTLE FOR THE LUDENDORFF BRIDGE,1 MARCH 1945 ' ____ J 0 Feet 1000 1500 IPANY :ompah ILItNOORU- ERIDCt VOLKSSTURM IEMAGEN-KRIPP HEAVY PLATOON A COMPANY 0 Metros 200 300 400 500 ERPEL FLAK BATTALION (ZCM FLAK38) IRPELLRLEV REMAGEN 3“ PLATOON C COMPANY FLAK BAI IAU0N (3./CM Fl AK13) US 9™ ARMORED DIVISION manned with machine-guns which attempted to mow down the advancing infantry. The flak batteries on the ridge above the railway tunnel also engaged, but many lacked sufficient depression to fire on the bridge. The advancing Americans also took fire from a bargeon the Rhine itself. As the infantry- crossed, the engineers dropped any unexploded demolition charges into the river to prevent the bridge’s destruction. Despite the murderous fire, American casualties crossing the bridge were miraculously light with only one confirmed wounded. Sergeant Joseph DeLisio reached the far end of the bridge and began clearing one of the towers defending the eastern approach, and Sergeant Alex Drabik was officially the first American across the bridge itself. The rest of the compa- ny quickly overcame what little resistance was offered by the German infantry on the far side of the bridge. Major Scheller fled on a bicycle stating he intended to communicate the fall of the bridge to higher command. Tlte Americans went on to take the ridge above the tunnel and establish a small bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Rhine. However, silencing the flak guns above proved far more costly than taking the bridge itself. Just as the Americans secured the bridge. General Hoge received orders from higher command to continue to drive south with Combat Command В to cut off retreating German forces. Understanding the opportunity the intact Ludendorff bridge represented, Hoge sent a now historic message to headquarters: "WT have a bridge intact across the river at Checkpoint 15 I Remagen]. Shall 1 continue to hold this bridgehead in view of the new mission souths We have one company across at 16:10.' General Hoges commanding officer, Major-General Leonard, realized what the intact bridge presented. 1 hough he knew that his troops on the east bank could become isolated, the opportu- nity could not be ignored. He cancelled all orders for the drive south and ordered the bridge be repaired so armour could cross. The repairs went relatively quickly and the first Sherman tanks crossed the Ludendorff bridge at 0015 hours on 8 March. THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN 41
BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED RIFLE COMPANY INFANTRY FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. ANTI-TANK BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON _______LU-04 ____J You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. Ar- the General had said, the trick now was to make trie other guy die for his country. Sergeant Dalbrook bailed out over the side of the М3 half-track, avoiding getting entangled in the myriad packs, buckets, boxes and one battered chair that decorated the flank of the heavily battle scarred vehicle. The rest of his squad '«ere doing the same, reacting instantly at the first clatter of machine-gun fire. The 10tt Armored Division had been rapidly turned around when the Germans launched a surprise attack and everyone lost their heads. How they would have to save everyone’s butts as usual "Chavez! Brooklyn! Go Right! Rest with me!” He fired a quick burst from his Thompson SMG then scrambled into cover. The rest of the squad found cover near him and began returning fire. Grallick had stayed in the half-track and was row firing short bursts from the 20 cal MG. firepower from the stalled column was building rapidly - everyone knew what to do when the bullets started flying - and that meant throwing Uncle Sam's ammunition at the enemy in vast amounts, not charging blindly ahead. He spotted an enemy casualty - squat helmet and camo gear paratroopers. They were always tough to deal with. Chavez had found a good position to set up his machine- gun and began to suppress the enemy paras - now was the time to flank the enemy. 60mm mortar shells began to drop onto the enemy positions and the volume of fire dropped dramatically. "We’re moving!” Ise yelled and led his men, bent over, around Chavez where bullet casings were cascading into a tinkling pile. They reached a covered position where he halted, and instructed everyone to use fresh magazines - no running start just as you engaged. "Let’s go! Go go go?’ Other clusters of GIs were doing the same, and return fire had almost stopped. They ciiarged to the next covered position and began firing again at the retreating enemy. Several fell before they vanished into the dense woods. The random crackling of shots gradually tapered away.
20750см 3 2 4 5+ Srif- defence АЛ 16740см 3 3 2 6 Set-defence АА 16740см 1 1 2 6 MGTnrnipart
BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED RIFLE COMPANY • • ’ V л . «1 6x MI Garand rifle team 5x M1 Bazooka team 2x M1919 I MG lx 60mrn mortar With: 2x М3 Half-track (.50 cal MG) (Luzon 3x М3 Half-track (.30 cal MG) (LU2#u 13 POINTS 16 POINTS 4x M1 Garand rifle team 4x M1 Bazooka team 2x M1919 LMG lx 60mm mortar With: 2x М3 Half-track (.50 cal MG) (W2#u 2x М3 1 lalf-track (.30 cal MG) (LU291) 11 POINTS 13 POINTS TACTICAL ТЕМАМ DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS 8720см 8720см 14735см 14735см 1 AUTO — WIAP0K RANGE ROF HALTfO MOVING ANTI- TANK fiRE- POWER NOTES Ml Garand rifle team 16740см 1 1 2 6 M1919 LMG team 16740cm 5 2 2 6 Assoutt 5ч, Hewy A'etipvn M1 Bazooka team 8720cm 1 1 10 5+ Attouir 5♦, Slow Fifing Mmm mortar team 32*/80см ARTILLERY 1 4+ AssauiTS-t, Httwy Weapon Lite Unit Leader is one of the Ml Garand rifle teams, and is mounted on a small base (see page 91). The armoured rifle platoon remains a miniature army in its own right, able to keep up with the tanks with their half-tracks and trained to rapidly take ground and hold it against all comers. Heavy machine-guns, light machine-guns, automatic rifles, bazookas, light mortars — yes sir, we have all of those. In the muddy terrain of the Rhineland, the armoured infantry found that riding on tanks gave them better mobility than their own М3 half-tracks. As a result, they often fought dismounted and left their half-tracks behind. BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED M1917 MACHINE-GUN PLATOON 4xM1917HMG 2x М3 Half-track (.50 cal MG) ЦИ201) The M1917 heavy machine-guns provides the armoured riflemen with additional firepower for suppressing enemy positions before an assault, making sure defensive fire is kept to a minimum. On defence the platoon's M1917 machine- guns can sustain a volume of fire so intense that even the most determined attacker will be hard pressed to advance against it. 4 POINTS 8"/20cm TACTICAL UNIT • HEAVY WEAPON • 8720см AUTO 12730см 12730см NOTES TICK AM DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROF ANTI HU ranch HALTfD MOVING TANK POWER WEAPON M1917HMG 24*/60cm 44
• CUN UNIT • CUN SHIELD * 275см 57mm gun TRAINED ТАСТЮЦ Gull AwniH Mjnk?rAwenu*tF Tactics I а'оа/иби» [ Solly 275см 4710см 6715см CAREFUL TIRRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH алл.с, R<* **TV FlRt- ИДМЫ НМП0 MOVNG TANK ROWiR BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON 3x 57mm gun 3x М3 1 lalf-track (.50 cal MG) (LU201) 2x 57mm gun 2x М3 Half-track (.50 cal MG) (W20i) 3x 57mm gun 2x 57mm gun RELUCTANT 5+ 8 POINTS 5 POINTS 5 POINTS 3 POINTS The 57mm guns of the Armoured .Anti-tank Platoon are the Armoured Rifle Company’s first line of defence against a panzer counterattack. The 57mm is starting to show its age, but its small size allows it to be easily dug in and hidden until an unwary panzer drives on by. WIArOM BATTLE WEARY ARMOURED 81 MM MORTAR PLATOON Зх M4 (81mm mortar) 2 POINTS The M4 81mm MMC half-track is ideally configured to support your armoured infantry with smoke to screen your movement and high explosives to neutralise enemy anti-tank guns and machine-guns. 45
THE BLOODY BUCKET THE 28th INFANTRY DIVISION The 28* Infantry Division was formed in 1941 from units of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Pennsylvania's moniker, the ‘Keystone state' led to the division’s nickname, ‘Keystone’. It later gained the nickname ‘Bloody Bucket’ division by the Germans owing to its red keystone-shaped insignia. The division reached France in July 1944 and fought at St. 1.6. It pursued the Germans across France with heavy fight- ing along the way, under the leadership of Major General Norman ‘Dutch’ Cota. The Keystone men reached the Siegfried Line on the German border on 11 September 1944. The 28* hammered away at the Siegfried Line until November when it moved north to fight in the bloody battles of the Hurtgen Forest. These terrible battles went back and forth, sapping the strength of the division until, finally on the 19 November, the division was pulled out of the line to rest. OUT OF THE FRYING PAN... The 28* moved south to recover from the harrowing battles of Hurtgen to a quiet portion of the line along the Our River in the Ardennes. Spa pools and United Service Organisations (USO) entertainment shows, includinga visit from the famous Marlene Dietrich, helped case the men’s minds as they took up a large stretch of the line with its three regiments, 109*, HO*, and 112* covering nearly 25 miles (40km). Standard doctrine called for an infantry division to cover five miles at most, but since the Allies did not expect any enemy activity in the Ardennes, the sector was chosen as the ideal spot to rest their tired divisions. ...AND INTO THE FIRE In the pre-dawn hours of 16 December 1944, a German artillery bombardment woke up the Keystone men. In the north, the 116* Panzer Division launched its attack against the 28* s 112* Infantry' Regiment, easily overcoming the thinly deployed American outposts, lite 112* Regiment bounced back fast, crushing two companies of panzergrenadiers as they attempted to infiltrate at Lutzkampen. However, further south 560. Volksgrenadierdivision cut through the boundary' between the 112* and 110* Infantry Regiments, isolating the former from the division until January 1945. ONE REGIMENT VERSUS AN ARMY The 110* Regiment guarded the division’s centre and was by far the hardest hit. Lined up against them were three panzer and two infantry' divisions. The Keystone men stubbornly held onto the vital crossings over the Our River, forcing the Germans to commit their precious reserves in order to over- run the Americans. So stout were the American defenders that the Germans had to send battalions to deal with companies or even platoons. Despite the resistance, the Germans slowly AGAINST THE TIDE
overcame the Americans. The remnants of the 110A Infantry Regiment made their way back to the Divisional HQ at Wiltz, with the Germans hot on their heels. The 109* Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Rudder (previously of the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Point-du-Hoc), held the southern flank against the might of the German Seventh Army. The I091' Regiment’s com- panies battled the paratroopers of 5. FaUschirmjagerdivision. In the early hours of 16 December, the Germans struggled to overcome the American outposts, but did not gain access to the Wiltz road until 18 December, after Rudders men withdrew south and joined the 4* Infantry Division. WILTZ As the 110lh Infantry Regiment gave way along the Our River, the Germans were under orders to bypass Wiltz in order to rush Bastogne and capture it as quickly as possible. However, one regiment of the 5* Fallschtrmjiiger ignored the order and attacked Wiltz. Soon other German units were sucked into the vortex of battle. The rest of 5. Falbchimijiigerdivision and following 26. Volksgrenadierdivision had to be com- mitted to deal with the stubborn Keystone troops of the 110* Infantry Regiment and an ad hoc battalion of staff clerks, cooks, and orderlies. The 1 IO’1’ Infantry Regiment held the German divisions at Wiltz for 24 hours before they were forced to withdraw toward Bastogne. As they withdrew, they made life difficult for the pursuing Germans. In the end the battle had cost the Germans nearly two days urgently need to reach the Meuse before US reinforcements arrived. lhe shattered, but not destroyed, 28* Infantry withdrew to the Meuse River and took up positions in the event the Germans made it past Bastogne. Some elements remained in Bastogne, however, forming Task Force SNAFU to help defend the town. In the wake of Wacht Am Rhein, the division was spent, lhe 110'*’ Infantry Regiment alone was left with less than 600 men from its strength of3256 on 15 December, and the other reg- iments were nearly as bad off. Their achievements justified the losses though, as the division held up nine German divisions and bought enough time for the 10P‘Airborne Division to get to Bastogne ahead of the Germans and deny the enemy the vital crossroads there. 28th INFANTRY DIVISION
4th infantry division NORMANDY AND FRANCE The ‘Ivy (IV being four in Roman numer- als) Division was activated in 1940 as the only mechanised division in the US Army. It eventually took on the form of a regular infantry division, but still retained an aggressive and mobile doctrine. lhe Ivy Division was the first US division to land in France on D-Day, 6 June 1944, at Utah Beach. It then moved south and relieved the 82,,d Airborne Division at Sa i n te-Mere-F.gl i se. After D-Day it became part of the task force responsible for taking Cherbourg and securing a vital deepwater port for the Allied offensive. The 4th attacked Mountcbourg a week after their initial invasion, and then con- tinued to Valognes before pushing forward on the Cotentin peninsula. By the end of June the 4'11 linked up with the 9,h and 79'1' Infantry Divisions to clear the city of Cherbourg. After Cherbourg, the 4* was switched to the southern front slowly advancing through the Normandy bocage hedgerows. It played a key part in the southward advance out of the bocage country. Starting in early July, they advanced down the eastern coast of Carentan to cross the Periers road attacking the German Seventh Army. I hey moved into Avranches on 30 July, effectively becom- ing the right hook of Operation Cobra, lhe Ivy division threw its weight into the breakout, wrorking closely with the 2nd Armored Division. After Operation Cobra, the next Allied objective was Paris. Many Allied commanders advocated bypassing the French capital, fearing the Germans would destroy the historic city in bloody street fighting rather than sur- render it. However, General Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French, insisted and General Phillipe Leclerc's 2“* French Armoured Division was given the honour of liberating Paris. Leclerc’s attacks met with resistance on the approaches to the city, so the Allies sent the battleworn 4* Infantry' Division forward to help. Together the two divi- sions pushed into Paris with the help of the local FFI (French Forces of the Interior). lhe liberation of Paris marked a significant turning point in the fortunes of war in Europe, but the 4* Infantry Division still had a long way to go. THE HURTGEN FOREST & THE ARDENNES After the pursuit across France, the 4d’ found itself on the German frontier near Bastogne. However, it was soon moved north to fight in the harsh battles of the Hurtgen Forest. After the battle, the exhausted Ivy Division was relocated to the quiet Ardennes south of the 28* Infantry Division’s positions to receive reinforcements and a little rest. When the Ardennes Offensive opened, the 4* was lucky' to have a much smaller portion of the line to defend, compared to the 28,l‘s long and thin front. After the first few hours of the battle, the 4'h was unintentionally reinforced by the 28,h’s cut-oft 109th Infantry Regiment. They put up a stern defence and the Germans made only small gains. The Ivy Division’s steadfast defence formed the core of the southern shoulder of the 'Bulge'.
2nd infantry division Tlie 2'“* Infantry Division was formal in September 1917 during World War I. During that war the division’s symbol came from a truck driver who had paint- ed it on his truck. His symbol was adopt- ed by the division and soon they became known as the ’Indianheads’. NORMANDY TO THE GERMAN BORDER The division, under the command of Major General Walter Robertson, landed on Omaha Beach on D+l (7 June) 1944 and immediately went to work securing the beach and mopping up German resistance. They then moved inland and fought their way from Saint-Ld to Brittany. The tough fighting in Brittany left the 2”*1 Infantry an extremely well-organised and highly professional unit. After Brittany, the division joined the US Army’s pursuit of the Germans across France and found itself on the German frontier by December 1944, occupying the region south of Losheim. On 11 December the 2nd Infantry launched an attack with the 78* Infantry Division to capture the dams on the Roer River. The division gave up its position on the line to the newly-arrived 106'*'1 Infantry Division and formed up behind the 99'1’ Infantry' Division to launch its assault. Using two of the division’s three regiments, the Indianheads attacked on a narrow frontage to smash its way through the Siegfried Line. The 9*h and 38” Infantry' Regiments had pen- etrated about seven miles into the German lines when news reached Robertson that the Germans had launched a major offensive on his exposed southern flank. Naive orders arrived from V Corps to keep moving east, but the experienced Robertson prepared a clever, although complicated plan, to withdraw his division to safety. SKINNING THE CAT On the morning of 17 December, V Corps finally ordered Robertson to withdraw. He quickly put his complicated action plan, nicknamed “Skinning the Cat", into motion. The first of the two attacking regiments had to carefully pull back through the rear battalion of the second regiment. Once that was done they' set up defensive positions to allow the other regiment to pass through and so on until they both reached the twin villages of Krinkeh and Rocherath held by the 99* Infantry. Once in the villages, the 99* would then pass through them to the safety' of the Elsenbom Ridge, which dominated the area and offered an excel- lent defensive position for the US troops. The manoeuvre was fraught with peril, as any' error in this complex plan would turn the withdrawal into a full rout, but the experienced Indianheads executed it with perfection, reaching Krinkeh by' midday. TWIN VILLAGES While the 9"h and 38* Regiments pulled back, the first of the German attacks struck near Rocherath on 16 December. The Indianheads’ third regiment, the23"*, rushed forward to bolster the line behind the 99* Infantry Division. Just as they reached Rocherath, the Germans struck with 277. Vnlksgrenadierdivision, but the infantrymen stood fast with the help of the 612* and 644*Tank Destroyer Battalions as well as the 2“* Infantry’s own 741“ Tank Battalion. Frustrated, the Germans committed 12. SS-Panzerdivision from their reserves. Under the weight of the renewed attack, the 23,d Regiment and the 99* Division were forced to withdraw, but they had bought enough time for the other Indianhead regiments to reach Rocherath and set up behind them. During the night of 17 December, the 2od held the line as the 99* retreated to the Elsenborn Ridge, but some of their troops stayed behind and fought alongside the Indianheads in the twin villages. The situation was chaotic—one 2nd Infantry colonel had elements of 16 different companies under his com- mand! Nonetheless the 2'“* executed an exemplary defence and by' nightfall on 18 December, the 99* had successfully' passed through and set up behind the Indianheads. The 2nd Infantry then successfully pulled back to the Elsenborn Ridge. ELSENBORN RIDGE The V Corps artillery' on the ridge reinforced the two divi- sions, while the veteran 1“ and 9* Infantry Divisions secured their flanks. Ihe Indianheads and the 99* easily repelled three attempts to take the ridge before the Germans gave up. The tough defenders of the tw'in villages and the Elsenborn Ridge dealt a fatal blow to Wacht Am Rhein, throwing the German timetable hopelessly oft schedule and denying the important high ground to the German offensive.
BATTLE WEARY RIFLE COMPANY INFANTRY FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. HEADQUARTERS LU»$ BATTLE WEARY RIFLE COMPANY HQ r ARTILLERY INFANTRY 1 ARTILLERY Алл Abb LU2G8 BATTLE WEARY MORTAR PLATOON LU 208 BATTLE WEARY MORTAR PLATOON ARTILLERY BATTLE WEARY 105MM CANNON PLATOON LUI1O VETERAN M4 SHLRMAN (LATE ASSAULT GUN PLA WEAPONS BATTLE WEARY M1917 MACHINE-GUN PLATOON LU2O7 T LU 41 You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. Sergeant Goulbum ducked low as another spray of machine-gun fire peppered the trench lip. Elsenbom Ridge was going to be much denser with all that lead afterwards. The 2"3 Infantry Division was dug in hard, but the enemy were persistently trying to dislodge them and repeated assaults were taking their toll on both sides. Mortar shells were landing all across the platoon's position, heralding yet another attack by German infantry. Corporal Venetti began firing short bursts from behind the X cal machine gun, until a mortar shell exploded in the trench, shrapnel flung in all directions. Goulbum dragged Venetti, gasping and bleeding, into an alcove. "Just another day on the farm, right Sarge?* Goulbum shoved a First Aid pack into the wounded man’s hand, then righted the overturned MG and checked the ammunition belt, untangling the feed. Racking back the bolt, he resumed firing. The enemy had closed the distance without the MG fire to keep them away. Grenades were being hurled from both sides, as figures clad in a mix of white camo and field grey uniforms stamped through the snow. Curses, screams and constant firing accompanied the assault with a handful of Grenadiers tumbling into the trenches where bursts of SMG fire resolved the situation in short order. The rest of Goulbum's squad were charging along the trench line. Friendly artillery fire finally began to fall upon the Grenadiers, and they started to withdraw, leaving a field refreshed with a new crop of bodies to add to the previous ones. Wearily, Goulbum bent over Venetti to check his wounds, but it was already too late. There was one less veteran from Kormandy now. Ke sighed, then began making his way back to the platoon HQ. It was time to pick up some replacements.
BATTLE WEARY RIFLE COMPANY HQ 2 POINTS The bloody battles of the Hurtgen Forest sapped the strength of the 28'1’ Infantry Division until finally, on 19 November, the division was pulled out of the line to rest. However, the division has now been hit by the German Ardennes offensive and forced back into combat before they arc fully recovered. BATTLE WEARY RIFLE PLATOON MA* lOx Ml Garand rifle team lx Ml Bazooka team 7x M1 Garand rifle team lx Ml Bazooka team 9 POINTS 6 POINTS OPTIONS • Add one M1 Bazooka team for +1 point. • Add up to two M1919 l.MG for ♦ 1 point per team. • Add one M1917 HMG for *2 points. Изе Unit Leader is one of the Ml Garand rifle teams, and is mounted on a small base (see page 91). WEAPON RANGE K< HAITIO >F MOVING МЛТ TANK EIU- POWE* NOTES 1 Ml Garand rifle team 16740см 1 1 2 6 1 Ml Kazooka team 8720см 1 1 10 5+ Aiscwif 5*, Stow finng I 3R*D4*L M1919 LMG team 16740cm 5 2 2 6 Assault S*, Heffvy Weapon 1 I M1917 HMG team 24760cm 6 2 2 6 AsuauU 5«, Hwzry Weapon The Gls (derived from ’General Issue*, a nick- name for US soldiers) of the rifle platoons form the core of your company. These ’dog faces’ are well trained and have seen combat, though unlike fresher units, they arc well aware of the risks and dangers of battle. They are also well known for their scrounging capabilities, augmenting their platoons with unauthorised weapons such as bazookas stripped from transport vehicles. While strictly against the rules, the Gls know better than others that they'll need the added firepower in the coming campaigns. The triangular formation of an infantry division means that you can count on three rifle platoons in your company. This gives you flexibility to keep one platoon in reserve while the others hold the line. RIFLE COMPANY: Weapons & Features M1 GARAND: The ,30-cahbre semi-automatic M1 Garand is the most modern rifle of any army in the world. Accurate and reliable, it can empty an eight-round clip as fast as the trigger can be pulled. One team out of every three-team squad also carries a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) to bolster their short-range firepower. M1919 LMG: The M1919 tight machine-gun is a lightened development of the M1917 HMG (heavy machine-gun). Its air-cooled design, with a simple perforated guard sleeve around the barrel, is intended for short, controlled bursts of fire. Prolonged firing can cause the barrel to overheat. M1 BAZOOKA: Firing a 60mm shaped-charge HEAT rocket, the bazooka is one of the first anti-tank rocket launchers. OBSERVER: Remember, your Rifle Platoon's Unit Leader can radio your artillery units and spot for their bombardments. THE 'TRUSCOTT trot': Long-distance speed marches are a major feature of US infantry training, and the hard practice has paid off. The riflemen can cover ground across country faster than any other infantry.
1 . BATTLE WEARY RIFLE COMPANY 6x 81mm mortar 4x 81mm mortar 2x 81mm mortar 3x 60mm mortar BATTLE WEARY MORTAR PLATOON 7 POINTS 4 POINTS 2 POINTS 4710см TACTICAL 2 POINTS While waiting on the divisional artillery to respond to a fire mission, a rifle company can call on their own mortars to give them instant support. WEAPON 81mm mortar 60mm mortar • INFANTRY UNIT • HEAVY WEAPON • 4710cm. 6715cm 8720cm AUTO tKRAIN DASH СЖО55 € OUKTRY DASH Wonlrr NOTES ROT ANTT FIRE rnmm НАТО MOVWG TANK POWER 407100cm ARTILLERY 1 4+ 32780cm ARTILLERY 1 4+ SmcAe Ас.-пбоп/глепС MORTAR: Features ARTILLERY: When the howitzers of the field artillery are plotting fire missions or otherwise occupied, it is useful for the infantry to have their own indirect-fire ‘weapon. Mortars can be just as good as the bigger guns at digging infantry out of cover. PORTABLE: A mortar tube and baseplate are light enough for the crew to carry on their shoulders, letting these versatile weapons go wherever they are needed. BATTLE WEARY M1917 MACHINE-GUN PLATOON 4x M1917HMG 2x M1917HMG 4 POINTS 2 POINTS The water-cooled M1917 heavy machine-gun is a bit more cumbersome than the light models, but it has a devastating rate office. These are sighted on key positions covering enemy approaches to the company's defences. 52
BATTLE WEARY 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON • GUN UNH • GUN SHIELD * 3x 57mm gun 2x 57mm gun 5 POINTS 3 POINTS The 57mm anti-tank gun has served the American GIs well through the war so far. It is a versatile weapon able to drive off all but the heaviest German tanks. tOr.a-J Ratty TRAINED Gun Assautt Tactky TACTICAL ПМ1АК DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH 275см 275cm 4710cm 6715cm _____В IT ON__ CAREFUL 4+ CROSS WEAPON RANGE ЦА1ТЕО*°МОК|НС, TANK POWER N0TK 57mm gun | 2Я"/70см | 2 | 1 | 10 | 4+ | fonmMWn»EtaHf 57мм ANTI-TANK CUN: Features CUN SHIELD: The gun's bulletproof shield is designed to give its crew some protection from frontal attack. Even so, it is best to remain concealed, then open fire against the flanks of enemy tanks at point-blank range. ARMOUR PENETRATION: The M157mm gun's high- velocity solid armour-piercing rounds can punch through the armour of all but the heaviest German panzers. BATTLE WEARY 105MM CANNON PLATOON •GUN UNIT «LARGE GUN 6x 105mm light howitzer 4x 105mm light howitzer 2x 105mm light howitzer lhe cannon platoon is the infantry' regiments very own artillery battery'. With six light how- itzers on call, the GIs can rely on quality bom- bardments that can cover a large area. 13 POINTS 9 POINTS 4 POINTS 567140см 20750cm ARTILLERY TIT 105mm light howitzer or Direct Fire MARON NOTH RANG! ROF AMTL FIRS- HAITID MOVING TANK POW1R Srnow Bambordmenr iruta1. Forward Fving. Slow Firing Smote 105мм PACK HOWITZER: Features ARTILLERY: The 105mm pack howitzer f ires a 15kg (33lb) high-explosive shell to a range of 7.5km (4.5 miles), bringing destruction to anywhere within range on the battlefield. BRUTAL: A single direct hit from one of the 105mm high-explosive shells is generally enough to annihilate an unprotected target, Infantry, Cun, and Unarmoured Tank teams hit by Direct Fire must re-roll their saves. iiAii
BASTOGNE AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE The Germans launched Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein (Operation Watch on the Rhine, also known as the Ardennes offensive) on 16 December 1944. Their aim was to punch through the thinly held lines of the US First Army in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg with their infantry, before unleashing the Panzer divisions to drive through to the Meuse River. Tire overall German goal was to take the Belgian port of Antwerp, so vital for Allied supplies, and cut off the US Ninth Army, British Second Army and Canadian First Army in northern Belgium and the southern Netherlands. Tire key to the success of the German plan was to quickly cut through the US First Army in the Ardennes. The main thrust towards Antwerp was given to the powerful 6. Panzerarmee (6*h Tank Army) on the northern shoulder of the offensive. However, determined defence by the US 1“ and 99,h Infantry Divisions halted the thrust. In the central sector, 5. Panzerarmee was more successful against the worn and stretched US 28'b and inexperienced 106,h Infantry' Divisions, lhe vital road junctions at the small town of Bastogne became the focal point of the offensive. All seven of the main roads through the Ardennes converged at Bastogne and the capture of the town would ensure the continued drive by 5. Panzerarmee towards its objectives. 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION At the start of the Germans' Ardennes offensive, the 101s'Airborne Division was in camp at Mourmelon, France resting and refitting after the hard fought Market Garden campaign and following battles in the Netherlands. On 17 December the division was put on alert to go to the front and on 18 December they were hurriedly loaded into trucks and shipped off to Bastogne. On arriving in Bastogne on 19 December the first units of the 10P* Airborne were thrust into the line to halt the advancing Germans. They were joined by' Combat Command В of the 10* Armored Division and the 7O5,hTank Destroyer Battalion. As they set up a defensive perimeter around Bastogne, they were attacked by 2. Panzerdivision, Panzer Lehr Division, and 26. Volksgrenadierdivision. Battles were fought at Wardin, Novillc, and Foy (sec map on page 56) as the paratroopers pushed out from Bastogne on that first day. By 20 December the 101’ Airborne Division had established a defensive perimeter around Bastogne with its four infantry' regiments encircling the town. 0 Mites EUSKIRCHEN BELGIUM EUPEN REMAGEN MONSCHAU SPA NAMUR GERMANS tlEROI KOBLENZ BOTGENBACH C-NANT L (1TZKAHPEN ISTOGNU MANtJEN 6. PANZER ARMEE 5. PANZER ARMEE ST. VITH BLEIALF ETTELfWUCX OtEKIRCH LUXEMBOURG EC™H MERSCH MALMEDY STAVELOT YJERBOMONT TROIS FONTS ___ MEZIERES FRANCE The large red arrows show the planned German direction of attack. OKUomalrts 2 Allied front, 15 Dec —German advance BRITISH SECOND ARMY THE ARDENNES OFFENSIVE NETHERLANDS ANTWERP 15. ARMEE LEUVEN MAASTRICHT BONN BTBERG 7. ARMEE NEUFCHATEAU TRIER МАЯСНЕ-ЕМ- FAMENNE COLOGNE * RHEYDT CANADIAN FIRST ARMY - DUREN lltGE . VERVIERS BRUSSELS BARAQUE DE FRAITURE G|vn ROCHEFORT LER0CHE US NINTH ARMY US FIRST ARMY 54
THE SIEGE With a strong perimeter established, particularly in the north and east, the German 47. Panzerkorps commander, General von Liittwitz, decided to circle around Bastogne and strike a blow from the south and southwest on the night of 20/21 December with his two panzer divisions. Ute Germans initially penetrated into the lines in the southwest, but an ad-hoc American counterattack force threw back the attack. However, all the roads in and out of Bastogne had been cut by the Germans and the town was surrounded. W'ith Bastogne surrounded, the Panzer divisions continued on towards the Meuse River, leaving behind a regiment to support the 26. Volktgrenadierdivision in capturing Bastogne. 26. Voltyrenadierdii'idon and its support probed the southern and western sectors of the American perimeter. Because the Germans didn’t launch a concerted attack against several sec- tors at once, the 101” Airborne Division was able to concen- trate its supporting armour and artillery against each attack as it came, moving them about as they were needed. Continuous attacks had exhausted 26. Volksgrenadierdivision by 23 December. On 24 December they received a much needed boost in the form of a panzergrenadier regiment from 15. Panzergrenadierdivision. Ihe Germans then attacked the positions of the 327lh Glider Infantry Regiment on the western section of the perimeter on Christmas Day. Initially the attack was successful and the panzergrenadiers and tanks got as far as Hcmroullc, where the 327“ Regiment had its 3rd Battalion (formally the 1” Battalion, 401” Glider Infantry- Regiment) command post. The German panzers leading the assault split into two columns and continued on. One column was immediately ambushed by two M18 Hellcats of the 705,h Tank Destroyer Battalion before Champs. The other column headed for Rolle, where it was hit by another two Ml8s. 'Ihe German assault had been brought to a halt as the German Panzer IV tanks were knocked out by tank destroyer and bazooka fire and the German infantry' assaults were held off by the glidermen. PATTON BREAKS THROUGH TO BASTOGNE While the paratroopers and glidermen were holding tenacious- ly to their positions around Bastogne, General Patton’s Ihird Army, spearheaded by the 4,h Armored Division’s 37* lank Battalion (commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Creighton Abrams), had finally broken through to Bastogne. They reached the lines of the 326<h Airborne Engineer Battalion on 26 December. Communications and supplies were quick- ly restored. Without the benefit of rest, the 101“ Airborne Division, immediately joined the attack. After many more days of hard fighting they finally pushed the Germans back. On 17 January the 101“ Airborne had reached the positions they had occu- pied on 19 December, when the division had first arrived at Bastogne. "Die following day the 101" Airborne Division was relieved. THE ALLIES PUSH BACK THE GERMANS Tlte German offensive had ground to a halt, but had pushed a large salient into the Allied lines. To destroy the salient, Patton’s Third Army attacked north, while Montgomery’s American and British forces, to the north, struck south in early January; Ihe two forces planned to meet at Houffalize. Progress was slow’ in the winter conditions and the majority of the German forces were able to escape the salient. The fuel situation had become so bad for the Germans that most of their panzers had to be abandoned. St Vith was not recaptured by the Americans until 23 January and the last German units participating in the offensive had not returned to their start lines until 25 January. Hitler’s ambitious plan to take Antwerp and destroy three armies had failed and in doing so gave the Americans one of their most triumphant victories of the war.
SCREAMING EAGLES 1015T airborne division in bastogne The 101” Airborne Division was formed at Camp Claiborne. Louisiana on 15 August 1942. By the time the division saw its first combat on 6 June 1944 the men of the ’Screaming Eagles', named for the emblem on their shoulder patch, had undergone extensive and intense training in the United States and United Kingdom. Having acquitted themselves well and played an important role in securing the Normandy beachheads, the division was next dropped on the Netherlands during Operation Market Carden. Once again they fought with distinction, securing 17 miles (28km) of road stretching from Eindhoven to Grave Bridge, keeping 'Helfs Highway’, as it became known, open for the British troops of 30 Corps. 101st AIRBORNE HEAD FOR BASTOGNE As the size and success of the initial attacks by the German divi- sions in the Ardennes became clear, the 101" Airborne Division was put on alert at their camp in Mourmclon, France on 17 December 1944. The division quickly set about calling men back from leave, including a number of commanders, as well as organising the re-issuing of arms and ammunition. Transport was hastily arranged and the paratroopers and glidermen were loaded onto trucks on 18 December and moved off to the front. How prepared each unit of the 101" Airborne Division was depended greatly on the initiative of the command- er and the men. Not every man was able to grab their weapons or enough ammunition. Lieutenant-Colonel John T. Cooper of the 463"1 Parachute Field Artillery' Battalion had the forethought to redi- rect his part of the column through the ammunition dump at Mourmelon, where he got his men to grab as much ammu- nition for their 75mm pack howitzers as they could carry. The 63"* Parachute Field Artillery Battalion Italy veterans temporarily attached to the division while wait- ing for the 17* Airborne to arrive in France. Other units were less well prepared and took weapons and ammunition off US riflemen as they encountered them retreating from Bastogne. Ammunition was also supplied by the 10,h Armored Division’s Combat Command В (CCB), which had arrived at the front the day before the airborne division. As well as an initial shortage of weapons and ammunition, the division was also without their commander, Major- General Maxwell Taylor, who was away in Paris. Instead, the division was commanded by General Anthony McAuliffe, the division’s second in command. BOURCY HER5AIM0NT L 0*5 CHAMPS CHAMPS ROLLE FLAMIERGE FLAMIZDULLE 26.VG0 HEMROULLE BIZDRY LUZERY 327* GIR MAGERET 26.VG0. ISLE-LA-HESSE BASTOGNE NEFFE MOW 26 VGD senlwlhamps Pl. LEHR WARDIN MAR VIE Pl. LEHR Hill 500 26. VGD ASSENOIS PZ. LEHR MANOE-ST- ETIENNE 326" AEB •' 19 DEC 501-PIR. Hill 510 502“ PIR. r 19 DEC THE SEIGE OF BASTOGNE, 19TH-25 CggT’ eiMLLE 10‘AO 101rAB. 19 DEC 15JWR 24-25 DEC 501" PIR. 19-20 DEC 506" PIR 19DEC . ’ l. 501- PIR. 19 DEC 501-Р1П.Щ икс L 26 VGD 21-25 DEC . 26. VGD. 16-20 DEC 501- FIR. 19 DEC f IIP AD.
THE DIVISION ARRIVES IN BASTOGNE After driving through the night, the division arrived at Bastogne on 19 December 1944. As the 101“ Airborne Division arrived, the units were pushed forward to establish the extent of the German advance and to set up a perimeter around the town. The first to arrive at the front were the men of the 501“ Parachute Infantry Regiment (501“ P1R) and they were soon sent forward through the fog to ‘go out and find the enemy’. The 1’ Battalion moved out first and expected to find the enemy near the village of Magerct. As they advanced, they met scattered groups of men from the IS'11 Infantry Division retreating back towards Bastogne. Leading them forward were the jeep-mounted men of the divisional recon. As they rounded a corner near the village of Neffe, all hell broke loose. The recon jeeps had been ambushed by a German tank and some infantry. Following behind the recon was В Company, 1“ Battalion. They quickly sent forward some bazooka men and let off a volley towards the tank, which halted and was then eventually knocked out. В Company and the battalion headquarters behind them quickly spread out and deployed in defensive positions. At 1000 hours, the rest of the regiment left Bastogne to join the Iя Battalion near Neffe. 2nd Battalion moved just north of Neffe to Bizory with the aim of taking Magcrct from that direction. They were halted quickly by the German 26. Aujklarungs Abteilung, 26. Volksgrenadierdivision who had already entrenched on top of Hill 510 overlooking the road from Bizoryr. However, when the Volksgrenadiers con- tinued their advance, they were caught in an artillery barrage from the 907’*’ Glider Field Artillery' Battalion, forcing the Germans back to their positions on Hill 510. WARDIN The 3rf Battalion, 501’ PIR advanced towards Mont, south- west of Neffe, but didn’t arrive until after mid-day due to traf- fic in Bastogne. The 101“ Airborne Division became tangled with other US units retreating from the German onslaught. Once the battalion had arrived in Mont. I Company, the bat- talion’s southern flank guard, was sent forward to check the three wooded areas before Wardin. Once reported clear, the company was then ordered to move into Wardin and make contact with a supposed US roadblock established there. However, as 1 Company entered Wardin, troops of Team O’Hara, CCB, 10*1’ Armored Division could be seen moving towards Bastogne along a ridge-line to the southwest. Ihe roadblock troops had left. Ihe reason soon became clear as a force of tanks and infantry from theGerman Panzer Lehr Division's 901. PanzergreiuuLier- regiment began to attack Wardin. Two German tanks knocked out a Team O’Hara tank as they moved into the village. I Company managed to knock out two tanks with their bazookas before the Germans overran the village and forced the company to retreat back towards Mont. As the rest of 3rd Battalion moved into Mont, they directed patrols toward Neffe, which they soon discovered was well and truly infested w'ith Germans. As G Company probed towards Neffe, they joined with Team ‘Cherry’ of the 10* Armored Division who had been pushed out of Neffe. The battalion decided to pull back and set up their defence at Mont. To anchor the 501“ PIRs right flank, A and C Companies, 1’ Battalion. 327* Glider Infantry Regiment (327* GIR) were sent forward to join the paratroopers. NOVILLE Team Desobry, CCB. 10* Armored Division had been holding the village of Novillc, northeast of Bastogne, since the evening of 19 December collecting stragglers from the 28* Infantry Division and 9* Armored Division to help hold the positions. Shortly after daybreak on 19 December Major William Desobry' was told his team would soon be joined by the 1“ Battalion, 506* Parachute Infantry Regiment (506* PIRj at Noville. Desobry' had been concerned that his positions at Noville were overlooked by high ground on three sides and had wanted to withdraw. With this news, he sent a jeep to pick up the parachute battalion's commander, Lieutenant-Colonel James LaPrade, so they could work out where to position the paratroopers when they arrived. LaPrade informed Desobry that many of his men were short of weapons and ammunition. Desobry quickly organised equipment to be placed along the road to Novillc so the paratroopers could arm themselves as they arrived. On arriving at about 1400 hours, the companies of the bat- talion set about securing the high ground around Noville. В Company was to take the high ground on the north-east- ern flank, C Company the wooded ridge-line on the eastern flank, and A Company was positioned between them in reserve. Preceded by artillery’ fire and supported by the tanks ofTeam Desobry, the paratroopers attacked the high ground. Ihe fog periodically lifted, allowing LaPrada and Desobry, observing from Noville, to see the progress of the attack. Desobry' was particularly impressed by the aggressive and speedy advance of the paratroopers.
As the paratroopers of В Company reached the top of the heights, they ran into a German attack led by the tanks of 3. Panzer-regiment, 2. Panzerdivision. The Germans had chosen that very moment to launch their attack on Noville. After two hours of fighting, the two commanders decided it would be belter to defend from the buildings of Noville and ordered the paratroopers to withdraw. The fog continued to play an important role, allowing the paratroopers to conduct their fighting withdrawal with some concealment, as well as letting the M18 Hellcat tank destroyers of Team Desobry pick oft the panzers as the fog regularly rose and fell. As the troops withdrew into Noville, LaPrade called a meet- ing of his company commanders. Just after the meeting had broken up, an enemy artillery shell hit the building housing the battalion command post, killing Lieutenant-Colonel LaPrade and seriously wounding Major Desobry. However, the battalion’s executive officer, Major Robert F. Harwick, had just arrived in Noville, after making his way on foot from Bastogne, and was able to take command. The battle raged around Noville as the Germans continued to pound the village with artillery. Panzers continued to probe forward, but the tank destroyers kept them at bay. The paratroopers and armoured troops still held the village as night fell. The 506* PIR deployed around Foy, southwest of Noville, on its arrival in Bastogne and dug-in on the high ground, lhe 502'“* Parachute Infantry Regiment (5O2”4 PIR) deployed behind the 506* PIR, north of Bastogne around Champs. The 327* G1R covered the north-western approaches to Bastogne around Mande St. Etienne, while the 326* Airborne Engineer Battalion covered the south. As the men set up their defensive perimeters and settled in for the night, they could hear the sound of fighting off to the cast. During the evening, the 101й Airborne Division suffered its first major blow when their Field Hospital at Herbaimont was captured by German troops circling around Bastogne. .Among those captured was Major Desobry of CCB, 10’*’ Armored Division. SECOND DAY OF FIGHTING IN NOVILLE As 20 December dawned, with the ever-present fog, the Germans continued the assault on Noville. Initially, they sent their tanks against the paratroopers of the Iя Battalion, 506* PIR in Noville. The fire of the paratroopers along with the men of Team Desobry, and supporting fire of the 321“ Glider Field Artillery Battalion, kept the Germans at bay. The Germans then split into two forces, one headed north around Noville, while the second headed south. The south- ern probe was halted by the 2nd Battalion, 506* PIR at Foy and the 2nd Battalion, 501“ PIR south of them. The German thrust to the north was more successful. By noon. German patrols had started to cut the road between Noville and Foy. ‘Пае 1" Battalion, 506* PIR had also lost direct contact with the regimental HQ and was relaying messages through the artillery observers radio link with the 321“ Glider Field Artillery Battalion. They were in danger of being cut oft’. The situation had also become critical in the front line. With casualties mounting, radio operators and clerks from the HQ were sent to the companies to plug the gaps. The order finally arrived from the regimental HQ to with- draw at 1315 hours. The German attack to the south had begun to gain ground, further threatening to isolate the bat- talion at Noville. Major Flarwick ordered the withdrawal at 1330 hours. C Company and four Sherman tanks from Team Desobry», some crewed by paratroopers, were to move back first to the high ground to the east of Foy to cover the with- drawal of the rest of the force. The rear guard was formed by' the tank destroyers and A Company. 3rd Battalion, 506* PIR would counterattack Foy, which was still largely in German hands, to cover the withdrawal. Tlte US column left Noville behind, with the wounded car- ried on half-tracks, jeeps and trucks, and the paratroopers and armoured infantry’ on foot beside them. It wasn't long before C Company ran into German roadblocks. The Germans had taken up positions along the road in houses, barns and woods. Fighting flared up all along the road as the column encountered German positions. As the fire from the Germans 58
intensified, the paratroopers moved of!' to the west side of the road to utilise a natural depression where the Germans couldn’t see them. Eventually, as the 3rd Battalion attacked in the opposite direction, the 1” Battalion finally made it back to their lines. Of the 600 men who had entered Neville, less than 400 made it back to Foy. ESTABLISHING THE FRONT LINE The US positions near Foy had also been under attack from 2. Panzerdivision during the day, which the 3rd Battalion, 5O6,h PIR held until ordered to the counterattack in the afternoon. lhe 2“* Battalion, 506* PIR had watched from the south of Foy, too far away to help, as the other two bat- talions struggled to take Foy. However, they had concerns of their owrn, trying to maintain contact with the 2^ Battalion, 501” PIR to their south. Contact between the two battal- ions had not been consistent since both had arrived in their positions. Captain Richard Winters, in acting command of the 2nd Battalion, 506,h PIR was determined to make sure the Germans couldn’t penetrate along the railway line that was the boundary' line between the two regiments. He sent F Company to clear the Germans from the gap and make contact, but the German machine-gun fire halted the para- troopers’ advance. Tlte command of the 501” PIR was also concerned about the gap and sent A Company, 1” Battalion along the railway line at about 1500 hours to clear the gap of any enemy and take up positions linking the two regiments. At dusk they made contact with German Volksgrenadiers attempting to filter through the gap and a firefight broke out. The company became pinned down along the railway line and eventually pulled back to higher ground with the fall of darkness. THESOUTH AND WEST In the small hours of 20 December the 2nd Battalion, 327'hGlR was sent to Marvie to take up defence there. A roadblock had been set up by Team O’Hara, CCB, 10th Armored Division and had held oft a push down the Wiltz-Bastogne Road by German troops. As the glidermen began setting up in Marvie, they' were attacked by a force of German tanks and infantry who had bypassed the armoured troops, lhe Germans were eventually halted, but maintained a foothold in the village, occupying some buildings at its edge. Ute 1” Battalion, now reinforced by the arrival of a third company, continued to defend positions around Ncfle. At Nefte and Mont, the paratroopers of the 501” PIR had to withstand a German night attack at about 1900 hours on 20 December, 'flic paratroopers raked the advancing panzer- grenadiers of Panzer Lehr Division as they became tangled in the barbed wire cattle fences crossing the fields before Mont. M18 Hellcat tank destroyers took care of the Germans’ sup- porting assault guns. 21 DECEMBER On 21 December the glidermen of 3,d Battalion, 327* G1R continued to patrol aggressively in the west, as the Germans began to fully encircle Bastogne. lhe weather had also made a turn for the worse. After several days of moderate winter conditions, temperatures had dropped sharply and it began to snow'. Tlte haste of the airborne troops’ departure from their camp in France began to take its toll. Many men didn’t have greatcoats or overshoes and their only protection from the cold and snow were shelter quarters, sleeping bags, and blankets. lhe glidermen and engineers, with support from the CCR, 9lh Armored Division continued to repel attacks from the west and south throughout the day. RAILWAY LINE GAP [here was to be no rest for the 1’ Battalion, 506* PIR after their twro-day fight at Noville. During the night, the Germans had moved more troops into Foy, as well as a group of about 200 troops that had penetrated the perimeter along the railway tracks and pushed into the woods not far from the regiment’s command post, lhe battalion was called on to push them out. At 0900 hours, A and C Companies set out along the road towards Foy from Luzcry. They then turned south into the woods just south of the railway station and began probing for the enemy positions. They soon found the well-concealed German position and a firefight broke out. Both companies attacked and soon had the Germans on the run, many of whom ran right into the 501” PIR companies across the railway line, providing the anvil for 506* PIR’s hammer. By 1600 hours that afternoon, all the infiltrating Germans had been accounted for and the gap between the 5O6d‘ and 501“ Parachute Infantry Regiments had finally been cleared, lhe paratroopers had killed 65 and captured 165 men of the Iя Battalion, 77. Volksgrenadierregiment, 26. Volksgrenadierdivision.
22 DECEMBER While the fighting had settled down in most sectors, the glidermen of A and C Companies, 3rd Battalion. 327d‘ GIR would spend most of the day in combat. Their fighting cen- tred around Mande St. Etienne where the Germans had cut the road to Bastogne. After a hard-fought assault, they were able to clear the roadblock. Ihe unit was personally congratu- lated by General McAuliffe as he toured the perimeter shortly after the battle. Shortages of food and ammunition became evident through- out the day, as did a lack of white camouflage clothing. ‘Ihe olive green of the US uniforms made a stark contrast against the white snow covered terrain. All around the 101я Airborne Division's front, patrols were out watching the Germans and waiting for them to make their next move. NUTS! At 1100 hours a delegation of Germans with a white flag approached the lines of the 327* GIR. They were met by Staff Sergeant Carl Dickinson of F Company. Once the Germans explained they wanted to deliver an ultimatum, they were blindfolded and taken to the company command post where their message was sent on to General McAuliffe in Bastogne. General McAuliffe was in a deep sleep when Lieutenant- Colonel Ned D. Moore shook him awake to tell him a German delegation had come to take the division’s surrender. Groggy from being awakened suddenly, the General mut- tered ‘Nuts’ and crawled out of his sleeping bag. After talking over their response it was decided ‘Nuts’ made an excellent official answer, was typed up and passed on to F Company. After it was explained to the Germans that the answer meant they would most certainly not surrender; theyr were escorted back to their lines. The ultimatum called for the division to surrender by 1600 hours or the Germans would level Bastogne with heavy artillery. It turned out to be a somewhat hollow threat, as after the delivery of General McAuliffe’s response the shelling did not increase. 23 DECEMBER The following day, the Germans did increase their pressure on the positions of the 3rd Battalion, 327'h GIR (401я). German infantry and tanks attacked their positions west of Mandc St. Etienne in the early hours. Determined defence by the glidermen, timely mortar fire and the support of tanks and tank destroyers kept the Germans at bay. However, by nightfall, some positions had been overrun and the battalion was forced to withdraw their companies. Paratroopers and airborne engineers were also heavily engaged around Marvic in the south, forcing the men on Hill 500 to withdraw. Requests for resupply resulted in the landing of two sticks of pathfinders on 23 December to set up the landing zone for aerial supply drops. Around 230 C-47 aircraft loads of supplies were successfully dropped on or around Bastogne, a welcome Christmas present for the besieged airborne troops. CHRISTMAS EVE The Germans gave no respite for festivities and continued to attack in the Marvic sector into 24 December. None of the German attacks were successful in dislodging the airborne troops. Around the rest of the Bastogne perimeter things were quiet, especially compared to the previous few days, broken only by the odd burst of artillery or machine-gun fire. However, during the night. Bastogne was bombed twice and the 10'1' Armored Division aid station was hit. CHRISTMAS DAY In the west, 3rd Battalion, 327л GIR (401я) was deployed around Hemroulle, 1.5 miles (2.4km) northwest of Bastogne. Ihcir reconnaissance of the German positions indicated the Germans were building up for an attack. The glidermen’s reconnaissance was good. 15. Panzergrenaditrdi vision had just been committed to the battle and were about to attack through their positions towards Bastogne. A column of German tanks and assault guns carrying panzer- grenadiers advanced into the lines of the battalion. The Ml 8 Hellcat tank destroyer crews of the 7O5'11 Tank Destroyer Battalion let the German tanks pass. Ihe men in the defensive line waited patiently while the panzers and riders advanced ahead of more panzergrenadiers on foot following behind. The German panzer column was being followed by the tank destroyers as they- approached the glider battalion’s command post. It was just before dawn when the glider infantry opened up on the German panzergrenadiers in an open field before their positions. This signalled the tank destroyers to fan out behind the panzers and let loose at their vulnerable rear armour. Five German tanks were quickly destroyed, three by tank destroyers and two by bazookas. The German tanks then split into two groups. One group of six Panzer IV tanks headed towards Hemroulle and the command posts of the 3“* Battalion, 327'1’ GIR (401м), 1’ Battalion, 502nd P1R and 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, while 12 Panzer IV tanks and StuG assault guns went towards Champs.
- - — HEMROULLE The Hemroulle column ran into the lines of C Company, 502nd PIR. The surprise of the attack had C Company on the run initially, but they rallied, were joined by two tank destroy- ers, and headed back towards the Germans. They reached Hemroulle about 0800 hours and immediately attacked. Four German tanks headed nonh, with German infantry scrambling to climb aboard, but the German Panzer IV tanks were quickly knocked out by the tank destroyers. Another group of German tanks ran afoul of the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, who used flanking shots from their little 75mm Ml Al pack howitzers to knock out eight Panzer IV tanks when they came under attack. German infantry soon began to surrender. Though the last of the battles with the German tanks had ended by about 0930 hours, one last tank did make a mid-afternoon appear- ance from the direction of Bastogne and was knocked out by a bazooka as it headed north through Champs. A little further south, around Senonchamps, the line was being held by Г' Battalion, 327'1' GIR, ‘Snafu’ force, made up of surviving members of the 106* and 28* lnfantnr Divisions, and some tanks of the 9* Armored Division. They also with- stood attacks during the early hours of Christmas Day. 4th ARMORED DIVISION ARRIVES, 26th DEC. 1944 «TORY MANDE-ST- niEIWr Hill 510 MAGERET 126’ АЕ.ВДТ 15 7 JI 41h ARMORED DIVISION ЗГ TANK BATTALION AND 53” ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION 26 DEC CHAMPS At Champs. A Company, 502nd PIR bore the brunt of stop- ping the main German thrust towards Bastogne. At about 0300 hours, the Germans had begun to shell Champs with artillery before the infantry of 77. Volksgrenadierregiment, 26. Volksgrenadierdivision began their attack. Initially, the attack came from the north and the fighting continued until dawn, but the Germans were unable to penetrate the American line. Constant fighting along the front wras cha- otic with the Germans filtering through the various gaps between A Company's platoons. German tanks also joined the attack, but, as their supporting infantry dwindled away, the tanks withdrew. The enemy then redirected their attack towards Rolle and Longchamps. В Company, 502,ld PIR set up a roadblock with one platoon just south of Champs facing the south and the attack coming from the direction of Hemroulle. Supported by two tank destroyers, they were able to knock out five German tanks in the encounter and halt the German advance north, but at the cost of both tank destroyers. The rest of the company pushed on to Longchamps. At dawn, the Germans launched another attack on Champs. The attack, supported by four tanks, was halted by artillery fire, tank destroyers, and the appearance of P-47 fighter-bombers. THE SIEGE IS BROKEN While the 101“ Airborne was fighting oft the German assaults from the west, the 4* Armored Division was doing its best to break through the German encirclement and relieve the beleaguered airborne troops in Bastogne. On 26 December the Germans continued their pressure on the Bastogne perim- eter, attacking in the sectors of the 501“ PIR, 327th GIR, 502nd PIR and the 326* Airborne Engineer Battalion. It was a clear day and American P-47s roamed the skies looking for targets, making German attacks that much more difficult. By the afternoon, the 4* Armored Division was southwest of Bastogne and less than 2 miles (3km) away. Lieutenant- Colonel Creighton Abrams decided to send C Company of his 37* Tank Battalion up the secondary road through Asscnois to Bastogne. They punched through Asscnois under an artillery barrage, leaving the village to be cleared by the following 53"' Armored Infantry Battalion, lhe direction of their attack took the Germans by surprise and the tanks smashed through the German lines. They soon reached the American line, and after some hesitation. Lieutenant Duane Webster of the 326* Airborne Engineer Battalion came out to meet 2nd Lieutenant Charles Boggess of C Company. After introductions Webster exclaimed, 'Glad to see you!’ It wasn’t long before Colonel ?\brams was in Bastogne meeting General McAuliffe. Pattons Third Army had made it to Bastogne at 1640 hours on 26 December. The siege was over. 26.VGD. SI BRET SENDNOIAwPS BASTOGNE ЮГА. BAT. I VILLEROUX ASSENOIS Hill 500 REMCNFOSSE MAWIE
мл* BASTOGNE PARACHUTE RIFLE COMPANY INFANTRY FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. The church had seer, better days. Its steeple had been a natural aiming point for German artillery barrages, and now the few walls still standing provided little cover from the random shelling. Corporal Wells hefted the final ammunition cases he carried in each hand and scurried over to the idling jeep, slinging them into the back and clambering into the passenger seat "Let's get out of here. Go!” Private Jackson steered the accelerating vehicle around the myriad craters as sentries waved them on. They could hear the firing as they approached their platoon's position. Jackson slewed the jeep to a halt, while Wells was already running, cases tack in hand, towards the HQ shelter. Sergeant Hoskins, on his way to the jeep to pick up more cases, yelled to keep going. Bullets cracked off frozen trees, as he reached the front line. Ke dropped the 20 cal ammo case next to the machine-gun position, then started handing out rifle clips from the other case at each position. A grenade detonated ahead, and suddenly figures clad in white camo came stumbling through the deep snow into the paratrooper positions. Wells dropped the case, spilling waxed paper wrapped clips, and brought Ids carbine to bear. Snapping shots off, he dropped two of the enemy. Someone tapped him on the helmet as tliey rushed past, firing Ke stood and. followed, reloading, as they cleared the er.etny grenadiers out The brief flurry of assault over, Wells returned to where he had dropped the ammunition case and began picking up the scattered clips, tapping them to clear at least some of the mud and snow. Hoskins found him wiping down the last of them. The rapid tearing sound of German MG42 machine-gun fire resonated across the vala "Well need more. Go get the rest - 111 hand these out" Wearily, Wells traipsed beck towards the jeep just as the familiar whistle of enemy mortar shells began to sound. Artillery, mortars and machine-gun fire - the trinity of a really bad day.
BASTOGNE PARACHUTE RIFLE COMPANY HQ 2x Thompson SMC. team 3 POINTS Already veterans of the Normandy and Market Garden campaigns, the paratroopers of the 501**, 502"d, and 506* Parachute Infantry Regiments are well used to fighting while surrounded. The company commander of a 101“ Airborne Division Parachute Rifle Company is a vastly experienced veteran of Normandy and Market Garden. His men have complete faith in him and know his leadership will see them through. BASTOGNE PARACHUTE RIFLE PLATOON 15 POINTS МЯ* 7x M1919 and Ml Garand rifle team lx 60mm mortar 1 x M1 Bazooka team 5x M1919and Ml Garand rifle team lx 60mm mortar lx Ml Bazooka team OPTIONS • Add a second M1 Bazooka team for + 1 point. • Add up to two M1919 LMG teams for ♦ 1 point per team. Ihe Unit Leader is one of tin- M1919 and Ml Garand rifle teams, and is mounted on a small base (see page 91). 12 POINTS Due to the haste of their departure from Mourmelon camp, there is a shortage of weapons among the men when the 101“ Airborne arrive at Bastogne. Additional weapons are taken from retreating 28* Infantry Division soldiers and found discarded along the roads. Eventually, the platoons arc fully equipped, but some Parachute Rifle Platoons enter combat without their full complement of weapons. PARACHUTE RIFLE COMPANY: Features ELITE: The paratroopers are all volunteers, unlike many other US infantry. The training is harsh and thorough, and those who pass the rigorous schedule will earn their wings and become a part of an elite fighting force. FEARLESS: Recruits have joined the ranks of the paratroopers knowing full welt that this job involves jumping out of an aircraft and into enemy territory. Once you've done that, there's not much else that will spook you! SKILLED: Paratrooper training involves mastering battlefield tactics and close-combat techniques. Each soldier is expected to act with initiative and cunning, because in a parachute drop, all bets are off and you’ll need to be ready to adapt.
BASTOGNE PARACHUTE 75MM ARTILLERY BATTERY target to present itself • GUN UNIT • LARGE GUN * TIME ON TARGET • 4710cm 6715cm TACTICAL WIAPOM 75mm pack howitzer or Direct Fire MANOEUVRABLE: The M1A1 75mm pack howitzer is built to be lightweight and portable, to go most places the infantry goes, its crew can manhandle it across rough ground if necessary, or break it up into smaller loads for longer journeys. TfRRAlN DASH (JtOSS COUAlTt I DASH 'MM.A 4x 75mm pack howitzer 2x 75mm pack howitzer К Mil OH CAREFUL 4+ НО» ANTE FIM- ramm MMTID MOYWG TANK POWH 12 POINTS 6 POINTS lhe 101я Airborne Division have taken two types of artillery to Bxstogne, the glider artillery battal- ions armed with М3 105mm howitzers, and the parachute artillery of the ЗУТ111 and 463d Parachute Field Artillery Battalions armed with Ml Al 75mm pack howitzers, lhe 463d Battalion are vet- erans of the Italian campaign, having spent some time supporting the US/Canadian First Special Service Force, before being temporarily attached to the 101“ Airborne Division while waiting for the 17“ Airborne Division to arrive from England. 4710см 8720cm 647160см ARTILLERY 2 4+ Fct kvord Firing, Smoke Bcmbordment 20750cm /Г7 6 Э+ Fcrtvortl Firing, Smc*e 75MM PACK HOWITZER: Features ARTILLERY: The M1A1 75mm pack howitzer fires a 6.24kg (13.75lb) high-explosive shell to a range of 8.82km (5.5 miles), bringing destruction to anywhere within range on the battlefield.
BASTOGNE PARACHUTE 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON 4x 57mm gun 3x 57mm gun 2x 57mm gun The Ml 57mm anti-tank gun is normally delivered into combat in a glider with its crew, but the 101" Airborne Division arrived in Bastogne by road, with the gun towed by jeeps. The airborne anti-tank guns played an important role in defending Bastogne. They offered the paratroopers additional protection from enemy tanks. Positioned along the key roads into 11 POINTS 8 POINTS 5 POINTS MARON RANCE NOTH ROF ANTI- F1R£ HALTtD MOVING TANK POMR Bastogne, they could hold oft German armoured probes, giving the rest of the airborne forces time to bring more firepower to bear in the sector. AIRBORNE JEEP RECON PATROL 4x Jeep (.50 cal MG) 2x Jeep (.50 cal MG) The divisional reconnaissance group has two glider-landed reconnaissance platoons. Equipped with machine-gun-armed jeeps, they are ideal for scouting for enemy attacks or as part of a mobile reserve. • UNARMOURED TANK UNIT • SCOUT • SPEARHEAD • CAREFUL ‘ 4 POINTS 2 POINTS 12”/30см 12730см 20750см 48-/120см (.50 cal MG) Self-detent M TACTICM TtRKAn DASH CROSS COUNTRY DAW AA.e.f "OF ANTE FIRf- RANGt HALTID MOVING TANK POUrtl | 20750см | 3 [ 2
327™ GLIDER INFANTRY REGIMENT First raised in September 1917 for the Great War, the 82nd Infantry Division was reactivated in March 1942, along with its 327th Infantry Regiment. In the summer of 1942, the 82nd Infantry' Division was selected to become an airborne division. During the final days of basic training, the men were told by their commander, Major General Omar N. Bradley, that the division was to be split to form a second airborne division, the 101", Bradley also announced that the 327th was to be trained as a glider infantry regiment. The men were not sure about flying in gliders. Most of them had never even flown in a plane, let alone crash landing into combat in one! On 15 August 1942 the unit became known as the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment and reassigned to the newly formed 101” ‘Screaming Eagles’ Airborne Division. NORMANDY, 6 JUNE 1944 When the Allied commanders decided todrop both the 82nd and 101” Airborne Divisions simultaneously into Normandy, the number of available aircraft to tow the gliders was greatly reduced. Therefore the 327th Glider Infantry' Regiment was not folly committed to battle until the day after the invasion. When the regiment was assembled they' marched to Carentan to cut off the fleeing Germans. The regiment reached Carentan on 9 June. At 2200 hours on the following day, the 327th attacked a bridge over the Canal de Vire-et-Taute and advanced through a W'ooded area, where they became pinned under heavy fire. The regiment was reinforced by the 29^*’ Infantry Division and they broke through the German lines and captured the high ground. Although causalities were high, they' accomplished their mission and the regiment was removed to England on 13 July to prepare for its next mission. HOLLAND, 17 SEPTEMBER 1944 The next combat operation for the regiment was Operation Market Garden, the airborne invasion of Holland. Unlike General Gavin, General Maxwell Taylor, commander of the 101" Airborne Division, opted to dedicate his glider regiment early and wait on his artillery. This meant that the 327'*’ saw- combat much earlier than the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment from the 82"1 Airborne Division. On 18 September (D+l), over 160 gliders took off from England destined for Holland. Another 40 gliders arrived on the following day. The 327th landed at DZ-W and immediately took up positions around the village of Son. No sooner had they landed when they W'cre attacked by the 107* Panzer Brigade hoping to recapture the Son bridge. The glider troops managed to hold them off for two days, until the Germans finally gave up and refocused their efforts further north. The regiment was then called upon by the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment to help capture the town of Best, where the German 59* Infantry Division was holding up. The regiment secured the Zonsche Forest while the 502nd assaulted and finally captured the town. The regiment was then pulled north to Veghel to help defend it against their old enemy, the 107lh Panzer Brigade. When the regiment arrived, the towrn was already under attack and the glider troops rushed to defend the southern edge of the city' along with British anti-aircraft elements. Once again the 327th saw oft the Panzer brigades attack and the road was again secure. After the battle, the regiment was sent north to the village of Erp which they defended for the duration of the operation. After the fighting had settled down, the 327th was in the front lines for 48 days until ordered to withdraw from Holland. They were removed to France to rest and recuperate. THE ARDENNES - BATTLE OF THE BULGE On 16 December 1944, the Germans launched an offensive in the west through the Ardennes Forest. The 101” Airborne Division was ordered to reinforce the lines and stop the German advance. The 327th assumed a defensive position south of Bastogne. By 22 December the Germans had completely surrounded Bastogne. Ihe 101“ Airborne Division held for nine days, until relieved by the 4* Armored Division. Despite suffering heavy' causalities, the regiment took 750 prisoners, knocked out 144 tanks and 105 other enemy vehicles. For its actions in the defence of Bastogne, the 327th regimental motto became ‘Bastogne Bulldog’. After the Battle of the Bulge, the 327th fought in the Rhineland and Bcrchtcsgarden Campaigns. Following the end of World War II, the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment was deactivated on 30 November 1945. SRIIECA. -10?. PANZEA BDE HELMOND NUfNFN THE 1015T AIRBORNE DIVISION IN EINDHOVEN, SEPT. 1944 КСН1ЛСЙ ($9. DB/AKGCHlUJ ___1-W1 SCAlt INMUS 3 SCHIJNDL. 6. FJR Л iXDTNRW 502 P»R 59 ID (PART) BEST* DZ-W 50b KG VMAJHLR
мл* You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. ARTILLERY BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE COMPANY INFANTRY FORMATION HEADQUARTERS BASTOGNE IDER RIFL 1MPANY H LU216 INFANTRY INFANTRY BASTOGNE GLIDER 81MM MORTAR PLATOON LU219 мл» BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE PLATOON LU217 BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE PLATOON J LU217 INFA4TRY ANTI-TANK BASTOGNE GLIDER 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON LU22O ARTILLERY BASTOGNE GLIDER M1917 MACHINE-GUN PLATOON iu2i« Л BASTOGNE PARACHUTE 75MM ARTILl FRY BATTERY IU2’4 BASTOGNE GLIDER 105мм artillery BATTERY LU222 You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. The smoking wreck of a Mk IV Panzer showed the high water mark - so far - of enemy attacks on the 1“ Battalion, 327th Glider Regiment Fresh snowfall was gradually covering up the todies, shell holes and detritus of war until Private Gladson could barely make out snow drifts from buried bodies. The cold was brutal, the very air cutting into his lungs with each breath. It was little consolation that the Germans were suffering Just the same. He wrapped his makeshift scarf - a piece of torn curtain from an abandoned house - to cover his mouth, then peered towards the enemy positions. Was that movement? He kicked the napping form of Private Halter. "Wake up! Krauts are moving. Tell Sergeant Chester.’ Halter moved off slowly, still waking up. Alerted by his activity, the sentries to either side were scanning as well Subtle movement rippled down the line, as rifles were levelled and machine-guns had their canvas covers removed. Grenades were placed on foxhole lips, ready for rapid use. Magazines were checked, tapped and slotted home again. Ice in the wrong place could see a man killed in these conditions. position Bursts of machine gun fire began to graze across the glider troops position. And then the first lines of enemy infantry appeared, high stepping through the snow, firing wildly as they advanced. A grinding and squealing of tracks announced yet another tank, this time a low slung assault gun, its long barrel recoiling with each round of high explosive it fired at the American positions. Gladson fired steadily, working through the three clips he had readied, then throwing a pair of grenades as the persistent enemy closed. Halter tumbled back into the foxhole, followed by Sergeant Chester clutching a bazooka. He knelt while Halter fumbled with an ammunition bag, extracting a lethal looking AT round. He slid it into the rear of the bazooka, pulled out the safety pin, then tapped Chester. The back- blast carved a channel behind them, while the StuG assault gun shed a track and slewed sideways. BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE COMPANY i The first artillery shells arrived suddenly, dull flashes and fountaining snow scattered across the Hatches on the StuG popped and the crew ran off, followed by the remainder of the enemy assault The glider troops sank back into their positions, wrapping up against the cold. Snow began to fall again, making new mounds. The abandoned StuG war- closer than the other wreck - a new high water mark. Gladson pulled his scarf back up over his mouth again and settled down to await the next attack. 67
BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE COMPANY HQ 2x Thompson SMG team 2 POINTS The 327* Glider Infantry’ Regiment has been through the campaigns in Normandy and 1 lolland and has gained much experience fighting alongside the Paratroopers. lhe companies of the 327* Glider Infantry Regiment are otganised much like the rifle companies of an infantry division, but with lighter weapons especially suited to glider operations. BASTOGNE GLIDER RIFLE PLATOON АЛЛ# 10x Ml Garand rifle team I x M1 Bazooka team lx M1919 l.MG team lx 60mm mortar team 7x M1 Garand rifle team lx Ml Bazooka team lx M1919 LMG team lx 60mm mortar team 16 POINTS 12 POINTS OPTIONS • Add a second M1 Bazooka team for +1 point. • Add a second 60mm mortar team for +2 points. Ute Unit Leader is one of tlx Ml Garand rifle teams, and is mounted on a small base (see page 91). A Glider Rifle Platoon is organised like a standard US Rifle Platoon. They arc armed with Ml Garand semi-automatic rifles with additional squad firepower coming from the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). Platoons often have more than one Bazooka, as soldiers have a way of acquiring extra weapons. BASTOGNE GLIDER M1917 MACHINE-GUN PLATOON 4x M1917HMG 2x M1917 HMG lhe glider riflemen bolster their lines with the water-cooled M1917 heavy machine-gun to hold off attacking enemy troops. 5 POINTS 3 POINTS
| 407100см | ARTILLERY | 1 | 4+ | SmoA.aombflrdmMt NOTES и 4710см 4710см 6715см 8720см 81mm mortar in CD WEAPON The glider anti-tank units of the 327th Glider Rifle Regiment were initially armed with М3 3~mm anti-tank guns, but by Bastogne, platoons have been issued with the harder-hitting Ml 57mm gun. 6x 105mm light howitzer 3x 105mm light howitzer 3x 57mm gun 2x 57mm gun TEIRAM DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH Mtft Ror Flit»- HALTED MOV INC TANK POWW 6x 81mm mortar 3x 81mm mortar 22 POINTS 11 POINTS 10 POINTS 5 POINTS 6 POINTS 4 POINTS BASTOGNE GLIDER 81 MM MORTAR PLATOON • INFANTRY UNIT • HEAVY WEAPON • For airborne units the medium mortar takes on extra importance. These compact weapons can be easily loaded on gliders to land with the troops, giving the glidermen readily available artillery as soon as they land. In Bastogne, while not an airborne operation, they still played an important role in the defence of the town and its important crossroads. The glider mortar crews broke up a number of TACTICAL attacks on the western flank of Bastogne. Whether using high-explosive rounds or smoke, they provided vital support for the 327th Glider Infantry Regiments line of defence. BASTOGNE GLIDER 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON BASTOGNE GLIDER 105MM ARTILLERY BATTERY Hie 321" and 907* Glider Field Artillery Battalions were armed w'ith the М3 105mm light howitzer. The battalions supported the 327th Glider Infantry' Regiment, as well as the Parachute Infantry' Regiments. The М3 105mm howdtzer offers good punch in a light-weight package. While its bombardment range is not as good as a standard M2A1 field howitzer, it makes up for that with superior mobility and its ability to be transported by glider. АЛО During the siege of Bastogne, the glider artillerymen ran low on М3 ammunition, so they resorted to using M2A1 ammunition scrounged up by their ammunition and supply men. However, they' had to reduce the number of powder charges from seven to three to avoid damaging their howitzers. 69
RACE TO THE RHINE THE WESTERN FRONT, 1945 In many ways the strategic and political situation facing General Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces, in February 1945 was eerily similar to the previous August. After the fierce and desperate battles in the autumn and winter of 1944, the Western Allies were once again advancing along a broad front and closing in on Germany. The River Rhine remained the last physical and psychological barrier between the Western Allies and the industrial heartland of Germany, known as the Ruhr. How to cross that obstacle and which armies would go on to secure the German heartland was a matter of contention with both Eisenhower’s subordinates and superiors. In the interest of maintaining national and personal pres- tige, Field Marshal Montgomery advocated that his British 21” Army Group should play the leading role in the final defeat of Germany by conducting a single-pronged attack directly into the Ruhr. However, Montgomery's army was facing drastic manpower shortages at this point in the war. Britain fielded 21 divisions in this theatre, including one Polish and several Canadian divisions. In sharp contrast, fresh American divisions were regularly arriving from the States, bolstering the US presence under Eisenhower’s command to 62 American divisions. Montgomery’s argument was further hampered by the fact that General Omar Bradley and other senior American commanders were demanding the immediate release of the American divisions which had been attached to his 21” Army Group during the Battle of the Bulge. THE PLAN By 2 February 1945, Eisenhower submitted his final proposal for crossing the Rhine. ’The Plan’, as it was known, specified breaching the Rhine using two crossing points to prevent the Germans from concentrating their forces in defence. Eisenhower ultimately made concessions to the British and agreed that Montgomery's 21“ Group would be the primary spearhead across the Rhine and would not be delayed if it reached the river ahead of American forces. OPERATIONS VERITABLE AND GRENADE Operation Veritable, the British spearhead, began on 8 February with the goal of breaching the Reichswald to secure the western bank of the Rhine. Further south, the American Ninth Army, also under Monty’s command, ini- tiated Operation Grenade, which was designed to clear the Roer River and then push on to the Rhine. Even with his meticulous planning, Montgomery’s Operation Veritable ran into problems immediately. The Germans flooded the local terrain to limit the advance and put up extremely stiff resistance. Operation Grenade was more successful and managed to reach the Rhine at Neuss on 2 March, but Eisenhower refused to let the Ninth Army cross the Rhine, deferring to British wishes. He did, how- ever, authorize Bradley’s US 12,h Army Group to launch Operation Lumberjack to secure the west bank of the Rhine near Koln (Cologne) and link up with Patton’s Third Army near Koblenz. OPERATION LUMBERJACK Operation Lumberjack began on 1 March, with American cav- alry units reaching the Rhine north of Koln by 3 March. The battle for Koln itself began on 5 March when the 104* Infantry and 3”1 Armored Divisions assaulted the city. German resistance was mixed, though the 8.8cm Flak batteries around the city’s airfield put up strong resistance until they wrcrc overwhelmed by armour. As expected, all of the bridges across the Rhine at Koln had been destroyed, but it was known that some bridges were still standing further south. NEXT MOVES Tire Germans presumed that the city of Bonn would be the next primary' target for American forces. Field Marshal Model, commanding Army Group B, allowed various German units to fall back towards the city even though Hitler had insisted that the Wcstwall fortifications be held to the last man. On paper, Model had several divisions at his command, but most of these had been bled white by continuous fighting and were short of literally everything from fuel to food. Frequently Model's orders to the various divisions under his command could not be followed because of a simple lack of supply.
THE WESTERN FRONT, APRIL 1945 'L Ohm mimO avsitssaxO Be LUI UM unto Omhwiw MUHI Ковине ARMY GROUP В О JUCII QOUJCOIOCHI) ! OAAlhlH <4 |l’ f ^MICWII' UM О О UMACtb IZARmH GROUP = — — — — — — — Allied front 5 Apr .......................Allied front, 9 Apr —— Allied front, 18 Apr 0 Mlles 25 50 Я IW oTtanorres rJT" ISO iMjHSIIH nrrSUSlO O^IHRbC'W. CZECHOSLOVAK i.suniQ Qhhhowji полаю NETHERLANDS i i BOlItBOAMO bkjSsusO шмгвкыО LUX. .wobmsO О "AM. 21 ARMY GROUP ARMY GROUPG ARMY GROUP NETHERLANDS 6 ARMY] GROUP HAALUIWO O> ARMY GROUP NORTHWEST О UtHPOG _ OvnlltHBtRG obsalO lhe Americans, however, had decided to bypass and isolate Bonn and concentrate their forces further south. By 6 March, Combat Command В (CCB) of the American 9'11 Armored Division under Brigadier General Hoge secured the city of Meckenheim. Their objectives for the next day were to secure Remagen and continue south to link up with Pattons Third Army. This operation would create a unified, broad front running along the western bank of the Rhine. DESTINATION: REMAGEN Although the American forces were aware that the Ludendorff railroad bridge at Remagen was still standing, they presumed that it would be demolished once they reached the city. However, on 7 March, a Piper Cub reconnaissance plane reported that the bridge was still intact. Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Engemans task force from CCB was already work- ing its way into Remagen and pushed across the bridge after a dramatic and partially successful German attempt to blow it up. WINDFALL News of the success at Remagen sent shock waves through both the Allied and German high commands. Ute Americans reacted quickly by pouring troops across the Rhine and constructing additional bridges. They fortified the region to deal with the inevitable German counterattack on their unexpected prize. For failing to hold the Rhine, Hitler dismissed von Rundstcdt and appointed Albert Kesselring as Supreme Commander in the West. The Germans then launched several ground attacks toward the bridgehead, all of which failed. German aircraft, including Me 262 and Arado 234 jets, artillery, and even V2 rockets were fired at the bridge in an attempt to demolish it. Despite the best efforts of the US Army engineers to repair it, the damaged Ludendorff bridge finally collapsed on 17 March, but by this time the Americans were firmly entrenched, with two treadway and pontoon bridges linking the banks of the Rhine. The Germans continued to assault the bridgehead with all available units, but the Americans held firm. ACROSS THE RHINE On 25 March, the Americans launched Operation Voyage, aimed at breaking out from the Remagen bridgehead. In the north, Montgomery’s 21” Army Group launched Operation Plunder on the previous day, supported by the airborne Operation Varsity. Although Plunder was intended to be the primary prong of the attack, Voyage made far faster progress. The two prongs of the offensive ultimately linked up at Lippstadt on 1 April, thereby encircling the Ruhr. Though reducing the pocket w'ould take until 18 April, the Rhine crossing at Remagen opened the door for the Western Allies to advance along a broad front into the heartland of Germany. 71
FORTUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE 644th TANK DESTROYER BATTALION The 644* Tank Destroyer Battalion was formed on 15 December 1941. After two years of training, it landed on Utah Beach on 11 July 1944, and fired its guns in anger for the first time four days later in support of the US 8* Infantry Division. It pushed through German lines during Operation Cobra, the break- out from the Normandy beachhead, and followed the 8* Infantry into Brittany, where it helped blast apart German nests and fortifications. After Brittany, the 644* swept east to the German border along with the rest of the US forces and fought in the bloody crucible of the Hurtgen Forest. After the harsh fighting there, the battalion was rushed south to counter the German offensive in the Ardennes sector. BATTLE OF THE BULGE The German Ardennes offensive took place along three axes of attack, the northern shoulder across the Eiscnborn Ridge, the centre through St. Vith, and the southern shoulder through Bastogne. All of these attacks were to converge with clock- work precision and push north to capture Antwerp, cutting oft huge numbers of Allied troops east of the envelopment. Ihe whole operation relied on one area supporting the other by securing the flanks and pushing through w'ith all due haste. Time was of the essence. On the northern shoulder, the twin villages of Krinkeh and Rocherath stood between the German starting line and the Eisenborn Ridge, a critical piece of high ground that the Germans needed to secure their flank against the Americans. Defending the area was the veteran 2“* Infantry Division, known as the "Indianheads”, owing to their divisional insig- nia, and the green 99th Infantry Division. On 16 December 1944, the German 277th Volksgrenadier Division, backed by a small force of tanks and panzergrvna- diers of the 12<h "Httlerjugend" SS-Panzer Division, attacked and cut their way through the US 99* Infantry and to the outskirts of the twin villages by noon on the following day. THE TWIN VILLAGES The Germans hit the villages in force at 2030 hours, 17 December, stum- bling into a blocking force from the 2“* Infantry, a few MIO tank destroyers from the 644*, and towed M5 3in guns of the 612,h Tank Destroyer Battalion. fhe Germans renew'cd their attack the next morning and finally broke through the roadblock and entered Rocherath by 1300 hours. The US defenders reorgan- ised. The towed guns of the 612th came under command of the 644*, which pooled all of its tank destroyers to defend Krinkeh with the Indianheads’ 38* Infantry Regiment. Heavy strcet-to-strect fighting broke out and the tank destroyers engaged enemy tanks at point-blank range. In one instance, an MIO was startled when the building it was using for cover suddenly collapsed to reveal a pair of Panther tanks 20 yards away! Ihe battalion blazed away, reluctantly giving up ground over the course of the 17 hour battle. Finally at dusk on 18 December, Major General Walter Robertson, of the 2nd Infantry Division, ordered a general withdrawal to the Eisenborn Ridge. When the shooting stopped for the night, the 644* had destroyed 17 panzers and two self-propelled guns. Ihe Germans never managed to push the 2"** Infantry off of the Eisenborn Ridge, which allowed the Allies to stabilise the situation in the north. Ultimately, the battle for the twin vil- lages had thrown the German plans hopelessly off schedule. In interviews after the war, SS generals conceded that the German failure in the northern sector resulted directly from the fierce defence of Krinkeh and Rocherath. After the initial German onslaught had been stopped, the 644* helped reduce the so-called “bulge” salient and pushed into Germany, fighting at the Roer River, Remagen, and the Ruhr Pocket. Unlike many other of the tank destroyer units, the 644* never parted with their trusty M10 GMC tank destroyers and fought the entire war with these reliable machines. US Withdrawals Battles US 2‘” Infantry Division 2000 4000 1200 Key German Attacks 9” Inf Regt 644rTD 612*1 KRINKELT France Lux- I Netherlands I Belgium Germany ’^4 12.SSPZ J ROCHERA" ' 74111 Лапк E BATTLE OF THE TWIN VILLAGES 72
VICTORY NOT GLORY 704th TANK DESTROYER BATTALION The 704,l' Tank Destroyer Battalion was also formed on 15 December 1941. Unlike many tank destroyer units, the battalion stayed with its parent unit, the US 4‘,! Armored Division, through most of the war. This created a strong bond between the tankers of the 4’*’ and tank destroyer (TD) men that produced a tough fighting team. In the summer months of 1944, the 704* used their new M18 Hellcat vehicles expertly through the breakout battles in Normandy and into the Brittany peninsula. The battalion followed the 4'*’ Armored Division across Prance and soon found itself at the Moselle River near the dty of Nancy. The plan to capture Nancy involved a wide envelopment from the north and south. The 704’1’ divided itself up to support the attack by sending a company to each of the 4* Armored Division’s three combat commands: C Company joined By noon the fog had lifted, revealing 30 enemy tanks advancing towaid CCAs command post, lhe only thing standing in their way was a company of combat engineers and C Company's Ml 8s. lhe Americans remained hidden until the enemy was dose before open- ing fire and claiming two Panthers. CCA in the northern attack, A Company with CCB, and В Company held in reserve with CCR. LUNEVILLE On 18 September, the Germans sent a force of 17 tanks and panzergrenadiers to push the Americans out of Lun^villc and expose the American's over-extended flank lhe first to respond were the fast Hellcats of В Company with CCR, w'hich quickly engaged the enemy in point-blank fighting, destroying three Panthers. Soon more reserves from CCR arrived, including Sherman tanks, infantry, and a battery of M7 Priests. The fighting was desperate and lasted into the night, with the Americans just holding on. The next day CCA sent a task force from the 37*Tank Battalion and a tank destroyer platoon from C Company to help out. The destroyers approached from the south near an abandoned factory' building, surprised the Germans, and quickly destroyed four enemy tanks before joining up with В Company. Soon the 704'1’ was reinforced by the lead elements from the 6* Armored Division, including a compa- ny of M 18s of the 603rd TD Battalion, and then later a company of Ml Os from the 773rd TD Battalion. By 21 September, Lune-ville was firmly in American hands thanks in large part to the TD men. Arracourt Meanwhile, on 19 September, the rest of C Company engaged the 111* Panzer Brigade at Arracourt. Thick fog gripped the battlefield as the Germans attacked, forcing the sort of close quarters fighting the 111 men excelled at. In the opening stages of the battle, one platoon of C Company knocked out eight Panther tanks for the loss of three M 18s. 'Fite rest of the enemy tanks became confused and turned their tur- rets to try and find the well-hidden tank destroyers. But this only' played into the TD men’s hands as they tote through the enemy tanks, claiming another six tanks for a running total of 16. On 20 September, the Germans struck again, this time against CCAs tear, but the combined efforts of the combat commands M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers, some Sherman tanks, and C Company quickly' sawr off the attack, destroying a further six German tanks. With the Lorraine fighting over, the battalion’s history' chimed the unit had destroyed 33 tanks and two self-propelled guns for die loss of five Helicals, four of which were recovered later. ARDENNES After the surprise German offensive in the Ardennes forest kicked off the Battle of the Bulge on 16 December 1944, the 704* moved north with the 4* Armored Division to help break through to the embattled American troops trapped in Bastogne. The battalion, supported by fast M5A1 Stuarts, helped secure the flanks of the division as it pushed its way through. After the Ardennes, the battalion lent its expertise to help penetrate the Siegfried Line, then supported the 4" Armored’s drive to the Rhine and into Germany itself. 3
ONE ROUND 705th TANK DESTROYER BATTALION Formed on 15 December 1941, the 705* Tank Destroyer Battalion spent a long period of training before they were shipped to Britain in mid 1944. NORMANDY On 18 June, the 705* Battalion landed at Utah Beach with their M18 'Hellcat' tank destroyers. The battalion joined the Cobra breakout on 25 July and swept into Brittany through Avranches, Lanhclin, and Chateauneaf to Brest in late July and early August as part of Task Force A. On 17 August, the 705* Battalion took Paimpol. Company В was detached to the 2"J Infantry Division on 23 August to support them in the battle of Brest. The next objective for the 705* Battalion wras the heavily defended Crozon Peninsula. The US forces blasted the pen- insula with artillery, before launching their attack, forcing the Germans to retreat. NORTHERN FRANCE & GERMAN BORDER In late September, the battalion regrouped near Rennes, before transiting through Paris to the Moselle River front. On 20 October the battalion relieved the 818th Tank Destroyer Battalion at the Pagny bridgehead across the Moselle. In November the 705* Battalion moved to another Moselle bridgehead north ofThionvillc. From the Moselle the battalion advanced northeast toward Germany. On 18 November, Company B's Iя Platoon crossed the German border north of Merschweiller and Kitzing. The battalion was shifted north to the Aachen area in early December. THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE On 16 December the Germans launched an offensive through the Ardennes Forest. Hidden by a thick fog, the Germans caught US First Army troops by surprise and drove a deep bulge into Allied lines. The hard-pressed American commanders called for reinforcements to plug the gaps. The 705* Battalion was called on to reinforce the troops in the Ardennes. The battalion was ready to roll in a matter of hours. They moved from their posi- tions in Kohlschicd, and scurried south past Aachen to Liege, Belgium, and then on to Houffalize, Belgium in the Ardennes. Near Houffalize lay Bastogne. Holding the town was the 101 “ .Airborne Division and scat- tered army elements. The 705* Battalion was able to detour around German road- blocks to reach Bastogne on 18 December. Shortly after the tank destroyers arrived the Germans closed the encirclement of the towrn. The Germans launched a concerted attack on Bastogne on 21 December. Battlegroups from several German divisions attacked supported by a constant rain of artillery. The Ml8s of the 705* Battalion took a heavy toll on the attacking enemy by coordinating with the paratroopers. The paratroopers wrould let the German tanks through the lines, before opening fire on the following infantry'. Deprived of their infantry' support, the German tanks were left to face the tank destroyers alone. BRUSSELS® CROZON® 5TE-MENEHOULD • QUARDENEZ® CHATEAU® ^jf® MEAUX PARIS® WnjTMIRAIL* DOVER® ANTWERP® BRUGES® PLYMOUTH® ROAD TO GERMANY 705th TANK DESTROYER BATTALION, 18™ JULY 1944 - 8™ MAY 1945 CHERBOURG® BRICQUEBEC ® NORTHERN FRANCE lulu . Id'h Conk 'dd ®LE HAVRE COUTANCES ® ® MORLAIX ®AVRANCHES UTAH BEACH IBT’ JULY 1944 NORMANDY 18'" - 24(" July 44 ®LE MANS
0 Kllom»tris RODACK# BAYREUTH# BAD SODEN GRAFENWOHR# NABBURG# PIENNES • THIONVILLE VERDUN FREYUNG# KIRCHSHLAG # SELLERICH •w • PRUM ВBASTOGNE ,;^'С.Н .COLOGNE KOHLSCHEID • METZ • PAGNY </>- 0 Mills • MUNICH PRAGUE* • EINDHOVEN • DORTMUND ’ ARDENNES "l 18”1 Dec. 144-.25 " Jan. 45 • BULLAY GUNTERSBLUM. CENTRAL EUROPE 22м March - 8th May 45 .ELT.bg 8I,UHL RHINELAND • 26^ Jan. L2V Marchj45j FRANKFURT. SPIELBERG. ' .HECNTSMEIM Bastogne held out until the skies cleared, allowing critical supplies to be air-dropped to the beleaguered defenders. On 26 December the 4'* Armored Division cut its way through the German lines and relieved Bastogne. The 705* Battalion moved from the Bastogne front on 18 January 1945 to Houmont and Brule, Belgium, for rest and recuperation. The battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation for their valiant defence of Bastogne. GERMANY On 1 March 1945 the battalion returned to combat, attached to Combat Command В (CCB) of the 11* Armored ’Thunderbolt’ Division. I hey advanced quickly into Germany and reached the Kyll River on 5 March. Their next objective was the Rhine. CCB and 705* Battalion advanced into the Rhineland. On 9 March Andcmach and Brohl fell to the 11* Armored. Ihe division rumbled north along the Rhine to link up with the US First Army. On 17 March, the 1 1* Armored swung south as part of the US Third Army's campaign to eliminate the Saar-Moselle-Rhine pocket. The 705* and CCB only encountered light resistance as they advanced through Altlay, I auzen hausen, Buchenbeuren, Rhaunen and Sluzhach. They took Worms on the Rhine after some hard fighting for the airfield. On 29 March, the 705* Battalion crossed the Rhine via the treadway bridge built by Army engineers at Oppenheim. Ihe combat commands of the Thunderbolt Division rushed ahead converging at Fulda. The 705* Battalion and 11* Armored Division liberated countless towns and villages, freeing prisoners of war, slave labourers, and concentration camp victims, as they advanced southeast through southern Germany towards Austria. They advanced through Bayreuth in April, arriving in Neukirchen, Austria, by 6 May. They eventually met up with Soviet troops at Kirchschlag, Austria on 8 May 1945.
READY NOW 899th TANK DESTROYER BATTALION NORMANDY lhe first tank destroyer unit ashore in Normandy was the 899'1' Tank Destroyer Battalion, the veteran victors of El Gucttar. They stormed ashore on Utah Beach, made contact with the 82nd Airborne Division, and then attacked up the Cotentin Peninsula to help liberate the city of Cherbourg. They then moved south, joining the US Army’s push through Normandy’s deadly hedgerow' country'. In early July the main American objective was St. L6, an important communication and transportation hub. During the fighting a small gap had developed in theUS lines and the Germans seized the opportunity to attack. During the night of 10 July 1944, Panther tanks of the Panzer Lehr Division drove straight through the gap and toward the small villages of Le Dezert and Charlcmcncric. The 899” rushed its A and C Companies forward to confront and stop the German tank assaults. The tank destroyers and panzers fought hard during the night, shooting at each other's muzzle flashes. Initially the Ml Os struggled to penetrate the thick frontal armour of the Panthers, but the veteran tank destroyer men used the hedgerows to conceal their movement. The tank destroyer reconnaissance teams guided the M1 Os around the enemy’s flanks and soon the tide was turned as Panther after Panther was lit up in a fitry of flame and smoke.
The German attack was halted and the tank destroyer men once again showed that they could meet and stop an enemy- tank assault. COBRA BREAKOUT lhe 899A Battalion then supported the Cobra breakout of Normandy in late July 194-4. The 899,h Tank Destroyers, with the 9*1’ Infantry Division, cut the St. Lo-Perriers road, spear- headed the breakthrough on 25 July 1944, and then swung south, across the Seine River through Chateau Thierry. They became one of the first Allied units to begin the liberation of Belgium, on 2 September 1944. HURTGEN FOREST & ARDENNES ’lhe 899* Battalion held positions during most of the month of October in the Hurtgen Forest, near Rotgcn, Monschau and Hofen, Germany. In December the 899'1’ Battalion and the 9'1’ Infantry Division anchored the Ardennes northern flank during the Battle of the Bulge, holding that ground through late January. GERMANY The 899A Battalion supported attacks to capture the Roer River dams in February 1945. At this time the unit exchanged their M10 tank destroyers for М36 tank destroyers. On 28 February 1945 the899A Battalion crossed Roer with the 9,h Infantry- Division to begin the battle for the Rhine Valley. The 89911' Battalion and the 91’ Infantry- Division reached the Rhine on 7 March 1944 near Bad Godesberg, the same day the 9A Armored Division captured a bridge across the Rhine at Remagen. On 8 March. C Company crossed at Remagen with the 47* Infantry Regiment. A and В Companies followed across the river on 10 March, ’lhe fighting for the Remagen Bridgehead lasted from 8 to 19 March. Once over the Rhine the 899'11 Tank Destroyer Battalion helped clean out the Ruhr pocket in April 1945, then moved east into the Harz Mountains. By 1 May 1945. the 899'1' Battalion has moved to the Mulde River with the 9Л Infantry Division to link up with Soviet forces, which they achieved on 27 April. They began occupa- tion duty in Bernburg from 3 May 1945. Germany surren- dered unconditionally to the Allies on 8 May 1945. </>
M18 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY ANTI-TANK FORMATION You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. HEADQUARTERS M18 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY HQ у turn ANTI-TANK ANTI-TANK ANTI-TANK M18 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON x tui» Xi M18 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON у urn* Xj M18 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON у НГП* Xi RECONNAISSANCE RECONNAISSANCE RECONNAISSANCE You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. <л The wall next to Sergeant Corcorans L£L8 exploded, bricks bouncing off the hull and dust billowing out over the tank destroyer. He, along with the rest of the crew in the open turret, ducked. "Murphy! Go! Just drive?’ Corcoran yelled at the driver • they Isad to move, now, before tlx? next shot brewed their tank up The engine went from idling to roaring in an instant, the 10.8 rocketing across the village road and into tlx? warren of twisting side streets. The rest of tlx? platoon had scattered, their ambush busted, and now each Hellcat was on its own hunting and being hunted. "Into that earn!" Corcoran directed, then jumped down to drag the doors closed. He knelt down, peering between the ancient wooden slats, waiting for some sign of the enemy tanks that were also moving through the village. Steel tracks clattered against the brick and stone walls of the old buildings. The long barrel of a German Panther preceded the panzer as it nosed down the road, the turret weaving side to side as the tank commander scanned for targets Corcoran climbed back into the turret ’load AF. Get ready to reverse. Thompson as coon ar- we're clear, rotate The powerful engine accelerated, and the bam door disintegrated under the impact, the 76mm barrel swinging around as the turret turned to point at the rear of the enemy tank Tlx? shocked face of tlx? German tank commander stared back from his cupola as tlx? gun laid on target ’Tire!” The shot slammed into tlx? hull roar, and a mixture of oil and fuel sprayed up igniting Иге, a tanker’s verst fear, engulfed tlx? rear of the Panther. Tlx? enemy crew ’ceiled out from various hatches, but Corcoran ignored them, already instructing the driver to advance to where tlsc enemy came from There were more targets out there, and he intended to add them to the kill tally. 78
М18 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY HQ 2x M20 (.50 cal MG) The M18 76mm GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) Hellcat arrived in Europe in time for the break- out operations in Normandy and equipped up to 19 tank destroyer battalions by war's end. 2 POINTS 10“/25cm | 10725см | 16740см | 407100см | 4+ M18 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON 4x Ml8 Hellcat (76mm) 2x M18 Hellcat (76mm) Tlie 705* Tank Destroyer Battalion is one of the first equipped with the new Ml8 Hellcat tank destroyer. Its small profile and powerful gun make it a quick success. 16 POINTS 8 POINTS M18 HELLCAT 76MM CUN MOTOR CARRIAGE: Features ARMOUR PENETRATION: The 76mm gun mounted in the M18 is the same formidable gun as that found in the 76mm M4 Sherman tank. Its 6.8kg (15lb) high-velocity solid shot can tear through the armour of any tank in existence, even the infamous Tiger. However, its high-explosive shell is weak, making it less dangerous to infantry and other soft targets. SPEED OVER ARMOUR: The M18 was purpose-built for the TD men, taking on-board feedback in the field. The number one request was speed, so the M18 was designed with a unique suspension system and stripped down to only the minimum armour needed to stop nfie fire. It used the same R-9 75 9-cylmder engine found in a Sherman tank, but since the M18 weighed only 20 tons compared to the Sherman's 35 tons, it could race along roads at an impressive SOmph (80km/h). This led to the vehicle's unofficial nickname, the Hellcat.
М36 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY ANTI-TANK FORMATION Уои must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box. You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box. HEADQUARTERS Уои may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for your Force. TANK DESTROYERS: ON THE TABLE There are several different tank destroyers, lhe key differences ate highlighted below to help you pick the right vehicle far the job. Front Armours Side Armours Weapon Range: Anti-tank: Other: M18 HELLCAT (76мм) 2 1 36'790cm 12 No HE Front Armour: 5 Side Armour: 2 Weapon Range: 36"/90cm Anti-tank: 12 Other: NO HE
МЗб TANK DESTROYER COMPANY HQ 2х М20 (.50 cal 2 POINTS The US Tank Destroyer forces arc in action all across the Ardennes front both defending against the German offensive, and during the Allied counterattack. Of course, the Tank Destroyers have been in action since Normandy, fighting their way to the German border, supporting the infantry and tankers alike. M36 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON 4x M36 Jackson (90mm) 24 POINTS 2x M36 Jackson (90mm) i - 12 POINTS The M36 GMC 'Jackson' is essentially an up-gunned M10 armed with an М3 90mm anti-aircraft gun fitted in a larger turret. It has been developed as German tanks like the Tiger, Panther, Tiger II, Panzer IV/70, Jagdpanthcr, and Jagdtiger prove harder to deal with. Front Armour: Side Armour: Weapon Range: Anti-tank: 5 2 36"/90ст 14 M36 TANK DESTROYER (COMPANY M36 JACKSON 90MM GUN MOTOR CARRIAGE: Features ARMOUR PENETRATION: The М3 90mm gun mounted in the м36, like the Germans' '88', started life as a heavy anti-aircraft gun, but was found to have excellent anti-tank capabilities. This powerful gun can easily knock out most German tanks, even the thickly armoured Tiger and Panther. FRONTAL PROTECTION: The М36 has good armoured protection from the front, better than many tanks. Some commanders actually disapprove of this, fearing that it will encourage overconfident crews to treat their vehicle as a tank—which it certainly is not. its modest side and top protection make it much more vulnerable to both bombardment and assault. 81
VETERAN М10 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON 4x M10 (3-inch) 2x M10 (3-inch) 17 POINTS 9 POINTS The M10 3” GMC (gun motor carriage) tank destroyer has been developed to handle medium and heavy German tanks. It is the first destroyer to incorporate a turret, which housed the 3” anti-tank gun, the best in the US arsenal. The destroyer's chassis is based on the diesel M4A2 Sherman tank. M10 3-INCH GUN MOTOR CARRIAGE: Features FRONTAL PROTECTION: The M10 has good armoured protection from the front, better than many tanks. Some commanders actually disapprove of this, fearing that it will encourage overconfident crews to treat their vehicle as a tank—which it certainly is not. Its modest side and top protection make it much more vulnerable to both bombardment and assault. ARMOUR PENETRATION: The 3-inch gun mounted in the M10 is a formidable anti-tank weapon. The gun is so large a heavy counterweight is needed to balance the turret. Its 6.8kg (15lb) high-velocity solid shot can tear through the armour of any tank in existence, even the infamous Tiger. However, it lacks high-explosive shells, making it less dangerous to infantry and other soft targets. VETERAN M20 SECURITY SECTION 2x M20 (.50 cal MG) lx Jeep (.50 cal MG) (Wien 3 POINTS CONFIDENT 4* The M 20 utility scout car is the workhorse of the Tank Destroyer security sections. These units are tasked with protecting the tank destroyers from lesser threats, such as infantry, and to scout and locate potential ambush points. They are fast and relatively well-armed with plenty of .50 cal machine-guns that will keep infantry and light tanks at bay long enough for the tank destroyers to arrive and clean up. MARON M20 SECURITY SECTION: Features SCOUT: The first role of the M20 Security Section was to be the eyes and ears of the tank destroyer battalion, scouting out possible ambush points and securing the flanks. SPEARHEAD: After scouting ahead, the second role of the Security Section was to seek out clear paths for the tank destroyers, and to secure their ambush locations while the tank destroyers moved in and set up. 1(Г /25 см MOflVAIIOM TACTICAL VETERAN Sr out Assouft • TANK UNIT • OBSERVER • SCOUT • •SPEARHEAD* M20 VETERAN SECURITY SECTION Counterattack Scout Last Stand о 16740см 10725см • UN ARMOURED TANK • COMPONENT • CROSS COUNTRY DASH JEEP M20;.S0calMG| | 20750см | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5+ ROF ANTI- ЯКЕ- RAN» HALTfD MOVING TANK ROkWR SIDE» REAR TOP MOTIVATION I AS PER UNIT AS PER UNIT AS PER UNIT 12730см 12730см SeH-defeme ДА 20750см IAmhuaimR IM TACTICAL CROSSCOUNTRY DASH WIAAON 20750см | 487120см ROF ANTI- H*l- HALTID MOVING TANK POWIR lsocaimg; 82
SUPPORT UNITS M8 GREYHOUND CAVALRY RECON PATROL 2x M8 Greyhound (37mm) lx Jeep (MG) (111107) lx Jeep (60mm mortar) (LU107) 5 POINTS MOTIVATION CONFIDENT 4+ lx M8 Greyhound (37mm) lx Jeep (MG) (IUW7) lx Jeep (60mm mortar) (LU107I 3 POINTS Caval ry pa trols operate over large areas of ground, constantly reporting on German positions, testing and securing bridges, and making contact with local resistance groups, lhe information collected by these patrols is transmitted using the cavalry’s powerful radios to help guide the tanks, 'Armored Doughs’, and infantry into the best positions for attack. Most cavalry patrols have a single M8 Greyhound armoured car backed by a pair of jeeps. While the jeeps scout out targets, the M8 Greyhound covers them. A jeep can rely on its speed to get in, have a look, and make it back safely. The 2nd and 3"1 Heavy Armoured Divisions had an additional M8 Greyhound in each patrol for extra firepower. CAREFUL 4+ TACTICAL SKILL VETERAN W«rf Counterattack Sccuf Last Stand • TANK UNIT • OBSERVER • SCOUT • •SPEARHEAD* M8 GREYHOUND CAVALRY RECON PATROL 10725см 16740см 407100см TERKAJW DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH ROF AATTL FIRE- HALTED MOVING TANK POWHl FRONT A 10'725см Owwoi*«l 24760см 7 5+ SelfdefcnctAA 20750см • UNARMOURtO TANK • COMPONENT • WEAPON JEEP AS PER UNIT MB 137mm) MB 1.50 cal MG) 12",30см 12730см 20750см 16740см 6 Sdf (tofontf АЛ ЗГ/8ОСМ TACTICAL WEAPON JEEPS: The patrot has a pair of jeeps to extend the unit's eyes and ears. One of the jeeps carried a. 30cal machine- gun, while the other earned a 60mm mortar aboard that could be rapidly dismounted and fired to cover the patrol's retreat or knock out a small target. Jeep (MG! Jeep (60mm mortar', TERkAIAI DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH I 3 I 3 12 I ARTILLERY ] 1 □A,jGr ROF **TL EIRE HALTED MOVING TANK POWHt SUPPORT UNITS У,- ' ' CA VALRY RECON PATROL: Features SCOUT: Cavalry patrols are meant to be searching out the enemy and reporting back, not engaging them, so they keep their distance and avoid close combat where possible. I AS PER UNIT SPEARHEAD: The Greyhounds and jeeps took out ahead, checking for routes and crossings that can be used to put the main force in a good position ahead of the battle. 83
MS STUART CAVALRY RECON PATROL M5 STUART CAVALRY RECON PATROL lx M5 Stuart (37mm) lx Jeep (MG) (luioti lx Jeep (60mm mortar) (tuto?) 4 POINTS With F Troop of the Cavalry Squadrons get- ting the new M24 light tank, some units, like the 38'1' Cavalry Squadron, have replaced their M8 Greyhounds with M5A1 Stuart light tanks. These give the patrols more off-road capability and better overhead protection, which is essen- tial when checking out German villages and towns. MOTTl»nON CONFIDENT 4* Last Stand VETERAN 3+ TACTICAL 12730cm WIARON M5 Stuart |37mm) MS Stuart IMGs) TANK UNIT • OBSERVER • SCOUT - SPEARHEAD • CROSS COUNTRY 0ASM ROAD OASM FRONT TOP CROSS 14735CM 24760см 28"/70cm ROf AAfTF flRL- HALT1O MOVING TANK POWIR 24760см 2 2 7 16740см 5 5 2 NOTH Sto6<furr Sdf-defemeAA JEEP • UNARMOUREO TANK • COMPONENT • AS PER UNIT TACTICAL caois couMTiv наш «bad oaim 12730см | 12730см | 20750см | 487120см | 4+ WEAPON RAN Gt ROf AAfTb flRI- HALTW MOVING TANK ROW» NOTH Jeep I MG I Jeep 160mm mortar} 16740см | 3 | 3 32780см ARTILLERY St/fttcfmaM 3-INCH TANK DESTROYER PLATOON 4x 3-inch gun 2x 3-inch gun 12 POINTS 6 POINTS Few infantry divisions are supported by self-pro- pelled tank destroyers. Instead they can rely on the heavy-hitting firepower of the towed M5 din guns. These gunners have been specially trained to offer your Gls the best anti-tank coverage available. 3-INCH TANK DESTROYER: Features MS 3-INCH CUN: The MS is the same gun used by the M10, but is mounted on a heavy gun chassis with a gun shield. Like the M10, this weapon has considerable power and can knock out all but the heaviest Cerman tanks. AMBUSH: As members of the tank-destroyer arm, the towed crews are also steeped in Seek, Strike, and Destroy doctrine. While they lack the manoeuvrability of the M10 or M18, they still use that same TD cunning to place and conceal their large guns in lethal ambushes.
2VI5OCM • TANK UNIT • GIGANTIC • TIME ON TARGET • M7 Priest (105mm) or Direct Fire M7 Priest (.50 ml MGI • GUN UNIT • GUN SHIELD • LARGE GUN • • TIME ON TARGET • 10 POINTS 5 POINTS 12 POINTS 6 POINTS 10"/25CM 10я/25см 18745cm 20750cm MARON CROSSCOUNTRY DASH MARON 0 0 0 M12(155mm) or Direct Fire SUPPORT UNITS 105MM FIELD ARTILLERY BATTERY 4x 105mm howitzer 2x 105mm howitzer lhe US artillery arm deserves special attention for its valiant efforts in the Battle of the Bulge. Their ready and accurate fire missions repelled attempt after attempt to capture critical pieces of terrain, such as the Elsenborn Ridge. Without their rapid and devastating response, the Germans could easily have overrun the front lines. AGGRESSIVE 3+ "RAMAH TACTICAL ПНЯАМ DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS [• 1 275см 4710см 1 4710см 1 6 | WWON RANG! ROF HALTED MOVING ANTI- TANK F1RF POWHt NOTTS 1 105mm howitzer 727180см ARTILLERY 3 3+ Forward Firing Smote Bomba rrfmenf [ or Direct Fire 24760cm ’ 1 ’ 9 2+ ЯгиГа'. ForwardFVing. Slow Fir,'ла II Smote J i M7 PRIEST ARTILLERY BATTERY 6x M7 Priest (105mm) Зх M7 Priest (105mm) The self-propelled M7 Priest is an essential arm of American combat commands. They followed the advance and gave immediate support when needed. Often batteries from corps were also attached to add even more firepower. 16 POINTS 8 POINTS TACTICAL • TANK UNIT - TIME ON TAFGET • AGGRESSIVE 3* SIDE* REAR TOP CROSSCOUNTRY DASH 1Г/30см 18745см ,..e, ROF ANTI F1R£- RANbt HALTfD MOVING TANK POWlt 727180CM ARTILLERY 3 3+ 24760cm 1 1 9 2+ 20750cm 3 2 4 5+ Forward F^ina. Smote Bombardment Brutai. forward Fung. Slow Агглд, Smote Srff-dcfcnceM M12 155MM ARTILLERY BATTERY 4x Ml2 (155mm) 2x Ml2 (155mm) Tlie powerful M12 155mm self-propelled gun was used against the Siegfried Line, a job they had been well prepared for during the siege of Brest earlier. Now, during this battle, they are helping to shatter the German spearheads. TACTICAL | AGGRESSIVE 3* 12730см RANG! ROF HALTS D MOVING ANTI- TANK FIRE- POWER NOTH 96’* /240СМ ARTILLERY 3 2+ Forward Firing 24760см ’ 15 AUTO Brutal, forward Firing OPEN TOP: Self-propelled guns are armoured to keep the crews safe from shrapnel and small arms fire, but generally they like to keep their distance and avoid close combat where possible. BRUTAL: The M7's 105mm howitzer and the M 12's 155mm gun are powerful guns on the battlefield. If they hit a target, there's little hope of survival for the enemy. ARMOURED ARTILLERY: Features SLOW-FIRING: These weapons are designed for artillery missions, but sometimes they need to be moved up close to destroy difficult targets over open sights. For the crew of an M7, this is a difficult task to do on the move. For the M12, the crew needs to stop and dismount to load and fire the gun. 85
T27 XYLOPHONE ROCKET LAUNCHER BATTERY 4х T27 Xylophone (4.5-inch) 2x T27 Xylophone (4.5-inch) 7 POINTS 3 POINTS Ihe 2nd Infantry Division first used the T27 4.5” (114mm) Xylophone rocket launcher in August 1944. They rated them poorly because SALVO 2 5+ forward Rrtnjj they were not effective as single launchers. They arc now paired up and placed on the back of a 2*/i-ton truck for better mobility and stronger bombardments. T27 XYLOPHONE: Features SUPPORT UNITS MASSED FIRE: Although each individual rocket is not very accurate, each truck fires 16 rockets at once, making sure that at least one rocket will be on target. MOBILE: The T2 7 rocket launchers are small enough to be carried in the back of a two-and-a-hatf ton truck, allowing them to be moved into position and relocated quickly when they attract enemy artillery fire. However, being truck mounted means they cannot be dug-m. SALVO: Rocket launcher bombardments saturate a larger area than conventional artillery, enabling them topin down and destroy more enemies in a single salvo. L4 GRASSHOPPER OP OBSERVATION POST lx L4 Grasshopper OP You must field: • a Bastogne Parachute 75mm Artillery Battery (LU214), • a Bastogne Glider I05mm Artillery Battery (LU222). or • a 105mm Field Artillery Battery (LU120) or • an M7 Priest Artillery Battery (LU 121 > or • an M12155mm Artillery Battery (LUI 77) or • a T27 Xylophone Rocker Launcher Battery before you can field an 1.4 Grasshopper OP. 2 POINTS One of the keys to the success of American artillery are the L4 Grasshopper utility observation aircraft that fly above the front line spotting for the field batteries. 10725см 14735cm 18745cm 20750cm 28770см 20750cm 16740CM M4 Sherman llatel OP (75nwn) M4 Sherman (late! OP C50cal MGj M4 Sherman I late] OP (MG>I____________ lx M4 Sherman (late) OP (75mm) You must field: • a Bastogne Parachute 75mm Artillery Battery (LU214L • a Bastogne Glider 105mm Artillery Battery (LU222), or • a 105mm Field Artillery Battery (LU 120) or • ан M7 Priest Artillery Battery (LUI 21) or • an M12 /55mm Artillery Battery (LU177) or • а Г27 Xylophone Rocket Launcher Battery (LU229) Ise foie you can field an M4 Sherman (late) OP (75mm). M4 SHERMAN (LATE) OP OBSERVATION POST CAREFUL FRONT 3 POINTS TRAINED TOP TACTICAl >0*0 ВМИ SIDE* REAR >0» АИП Cl>t ИМП0 MOVMC TANK POW» TtMAIN 0*W ОТОЯ COUHTIT OATH
TACTICAL SIDE A REAR TOP 2x P-47 Thunderbolt 4 POINTS 2 POINTS 9 POINTS 2x Ml 5 (37mm &.50 cal) 2x Ml6 (Quad .50 cal) lx M15 (37mm &.50 cal) lx M16 (Quad .50 cal) M15 & M16 AAA PLATOON The Luftwaffe» a shell of its former self. However, Germany continues to build exceptional aircraft, including the jet-powered Me 262. Their high- speed attacks arc hard to intercept by Allied fighter patrols, so the anti-aircraft artillery- needs to be vigilant and break up these strikes. 10"/25см TACTICAL •TANK UNIT* 16740CM 10725см 32"/80см AGGRESSIVE 3+ TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH о WtAKH ROF ANTf FIRE- RANG! HALTED MOVING ТАЛИ POWER I Ml5 (37mm) 20750см 4 2 5 4+ Dedicated AA SJcw Firing | Ml 6 (Quad. 50 cal) 20750cm 5 4 5 + Dedicated AJk P-47 THUNDERBOLT FIGHTER FLIGHT • AIRCRAFT UNIT • SUPPORT UNITS TRAINED Allied airpower has gained total air superiority and is the terror of the German Army. The P-47 Thunderbolts arc equipped to deal with all targets. They carry a staggering array of wing-mounted guns to shoot up soft targets and troops caught out in the open, and an impressive weight of bombs or high-velocity rockets for heavier targets. TtRRAlN OASM CROSS COUNTRY DASH UNLIMITED WEAPON eal4,. ROF ANTI- FIRI- ««MGt HALTED MOVING ТАЛИ POWER I .SOcaIMGs 8720cm 4 5 St 1 SOO lb bombs 6715cm ARTILLERY 3 2+ Aovnb 1 HVAR rockets 12730cm ARTILLERY 5 4f Aockefj P-47 THUNDERBOLT: Features FLYING ARSENAL: The P-4 7's rugged airframe can carry a tremendous amount of weight. In addition to its battery of eight .50 cal machine-guns, it can carry up to 2500 lb (1134 kg) of bombs, rockets, or a combination thereof, all at the same time. BOMBS: Your pilots have a choice of weapons. For tough armoured targets, or for multiple enemies unwise enough to cluster together, use the P-4 7's two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs under the wings. GUNS: Accurately dropping bombs on a moving target while flying 400km/h (250mph) is no easy feat. For a more reliable kill, the pitot can instead strafe individual lightly armoured targets with his eight wing-mounted. 50-calibre machine-guns. ROCKETS: After some unsuccessful experiments, the US Army Air Force is using new 5-inch high-velocity anti-tank rockets, known by the air crews as 'Holy Moses' rockets. Use these to devastate enemy armour caught in the open. 87
BULGE: AMERICAN EXAMPLE FORCE Flames Of War is typically played using forces of 100 points. A great starting point is one of the Starter Force boxes. Use Bulge: American ‘Spearhead Force’ contains the basis of a Veteran M4 Sherman (late) Tank Company. It contains a Veteran M4 Sherman (late) Tank Company HQ with 2x M4 Easy Eight (76mm) for 15 points (11 points for two tanks, with both upgraded to M4 Easy Eight for +2 point each). lhe 76mm gun gives the M4 Easy Eight considerable more hitting power against other tanks than the M4 Sherman (7.5mm). Use M4 Easy Eight can also take advantage of the Smooth Ride special rule (see page 3). The next unit is a M4 Sherman (late) Tank Platoon with 2x M4 Easy Eight (76mm) and lx Л44 Jumbo (76mm) for 22 points (15 points for three tanks, with two upgraded to M4 Easy Eight for +2 points each, and one upgraded to a 76mm Jumbo for *3 points). The M4Jumbo has heavy armour (11 Front armour), it leads the platoon, taking hits that might knock out the lighter armoured tanks, lhe 3* 'Spearhead' Armored Division got the brand new M26 Pershing tanks. This beast is armed with a powerful 90mm gun (Anti- tank 14) and has good armour (Front 9) so makes an excellent addition to the force. It also has the advantage of being one of your options as a compulsory Formation unit. Our M26 Pershing Tank Platoon consists of2x M26 Pershing (90mm) tanks for 19 points, lhe force's third tank unit is a Veteran M24 Chaffee Tank Platoon. The M24 Chaffee is the latest generation of light tank, designed to replace the M5 Stuart. It is Just as fast as the M5 Stuart, but is armed with a 75 mm gun. The units is 4x M24 Chaffee for 15 points. That is not our last tank unit, ourfourth tank unit is the M4 Sherman (Calliope) Tank Platoon, this unit consists ofM4 Sherman (late) tanks with a T34 Calliope rocket launcher mounted on its turret. This units provides your lank company with its own rocket artillery with a massive Salvo template. The unit consists of3x M4 Sherman (Calliope) for 8 points. The next unit in the starter force is a M8 Greyhound Cavalry Recon Patrol, more than capable of all those scout tasks you would expect from them. lhe final unit in the force is a Bastogne Parachute Rifle Platoon. This tough infantry unit consists of 7x M1919 and M1 Garand rifle teams, lx 60mm mortar, and lx M1 Bazooka team. 88
PACE 2x M4 Easy Eight (76mm) PACE PACE 2x M26 Pershing (90mm) 4x M24 Chaffee (75mm) AIB A M4 SHERMAN (LATeTtANK COMPANY HQ 15 POINTS 22 POINTS 19 POINTS 15 POINTS BASTOGNE PARACHUTE RIFLE PLATOON 15 POINTS 8 POINTS 5 POINTS 100 POINTS 2x M4 Easy Eight (76mm) lx M4 Jumbo (76mm) 2x M8 Greyhound (37mm) lx Jeep (MG) (lino?) lx Jeep (60mm) (LU1O7) cidtetftc VETERAN M24 CHAFFEE TANK PLATOON VETERAN M4 SHERMAN TANK PLATOON COMMAND CARDS_______ 1 POINT LL PACE •»ПА1 <- 10 Г .-‘I D VETERAN M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK COMPANY С M26 PERSHING TANK PLATOON F M4 SHERMAN (CALLIOPE) TANK PLATOON PACE PACE 163 PACE С M8 GREYHOUND CAVALRY RECON PATROL Total
PAINTING AMERICANS VEHICLES Vehicle Base 881 OLIVE DRAB Vehicle Highlight 879 GREEN BROWN Dost 819 IRAQI SAND Wooden loot Base FLAT BROWN 875 Metal Toots OILY STEEL Wooden Tool Highlight BEIGE BROWN hlesh Base BEIGE BROWN FLAT FLESH Helmets INFANTRY 8 75 •• OLIVE DRAB Mesh Highlight 955 Webbl 886 GREEN GREY LATE 1944-45 INFANTRY & AIRBORNE USA DARK GREEN Rifle Wood Highlight 8 75 Jackets & Pants FLAT BROWN Rifle Metal 863 US FIELD DRAB BEIGE BROWN Rifle Wood Base 8 1942-44 INFANTRY KHAKI Pants 873 COLOURS OF WAR Vallejo offers a range of paints designed with Flames Of War miniatures in mind. The colours recommended above arc taken from the American Armour & infantry Paint Set, and the Utility Paint Set. To see the full World War II range visit your local Vallejo stockist. COLOURS Ik WAR Colours Of War is a comprehensive 136-pagc book for painting World War II and World War 111 miniatures. It contains easy to follow step by step guides for any level of painter, as well as techniques, camouflage patterns & markings, weathering, & inspirational photos. For more information visit: unini'.FlainesOJWar.comJColoursOJWar 90
BASING GUIDE All Flames Of War infantry and guns are supplied with appropriate bases. Assemble your infantry teams by gluing the figures into the holes on a base of the right size. Super glue works well for this. There arc usually several figures with each type of weapon, so you can create variety in your teams. It doesn't matter which mix of figures you put in each team, as long as the mix of weapons is right. Visit the product spotlight on the Flames Of War website: www.FlamesOfWar.com for a more detailed guide. Commanders and Unit Leaders Infantry Company HQ teams and Infantry Platoon Unit Leader teams are based on a small base facing the long edge. Teams combine an officer with an NCO and a runner. Ml Bazooka team Base Bazooka teams on a small base with a rifleman. The team faces the long edge. Ml Garand team Ml 919 and Ml Garand rifle team Hase Ml Garand teams on a medium base facing the long edge. M1 Garand teams combine either an NCO and three riflemen armed with Ml Garand rifles, or four riflemen. For the Glider Rifle Platoon. and Rifle Platoon, one out of every three teams should replace a rifleman with a gunner armed with a BAR. Base the M1919 and Ml Garand rifle teams of a Parachute Rifle I'latoon on a medium base facing the long edge. M19I9 and M1 Garand rifle teams from a Parachute Rifle Platoon have an M1919 light machine-gunner on every second base. The remainingfigures are NCOs or riflemen. 3-inch Gun Base these weapon teams on a medium base facing the long edge. These teams have the gunner and his weapon along with two assistant gunners or loaders. Base these 3-inch guns on a large base facing the short edge. Each gun has a gunner along with an NCO and two ammunition loaders. 57mm Gun 75mm Pack Howitzer Base the 57mm gun and 75mm Pack Howitzer on a medium base facing the than edge. Each gun has a gunner along with an NCO and two loaders. 105mm Howitzer 105mm Light Howitzer Base the 105mm howitzer and 105mm light howitzer on a large base facing the short edge. Each gun has a gunner along with an NCO and three ammunition loaders.
BORDER COUNTRYSIDE TERRAIN The Lorraine area of France is shaped by rivers, the Meuse, the Moselle, and the Saar, alt of which run north ward, cutting across the path of any invading army. These rivers and the many streams running into them carve valleys into the rolling hills, and support rich farmlands. Whitewashed, red-roofed villages run along the ridges, overlooking crop fields, vineyards, and cattle pastures. A network of tracks and roads links the villages. The Ardennes is a region of hills, rivers, woods, and villages covering southeast Belgium, the neighbouring area of France, and the small state of Luxembourg. When viewed with the tactical eye, the Ardennes seems an unlikely place to drive a major offensive through. Around a third of it is covered with forest, much of which is coniferous plantations with neat rows of trees. The forests are scattered in a patchwork across the countryside, which is also cut through with winding rivers and streams. The road network is quite extensive, as it had been expanded with the growth of automobile tourism. No single main highway traverses the Ardennes, making the intersections and crossroads important. BULGE BATTLES Г VINEYARDS AND ORCHARDS Vineyards and orchards are Difficult Terrain. Tanks need to exercise care to avoid getting stuck. Vineyards are Short terrain, while orchards are Tall terrain like woods. Both provide Concealment to teams within or behind them. PLOUGHED FIELDS Ploughed Fields are Terrain as they are difficult to move across at speed. OPEN SPACES Most battlefields are Cross-country apart from specific terrain features. Stationary infantry are Concealed in the open (and other Flat terrain), but tanks, guns, and moving infantry are in full view. Buildings are Terrain that is impassable to tanks and guns. Infantry can enter and exit them through openings like doors and windows. Buildings are Tall terrain. You cannot see past a building, although teams half hidden by or in a building are Concealed. Buildings give troops inside Bulletproof Cover. FENCESAND WALLS Fences are Terrain, limiting the speed at which they can be crossed. Fences are Short terrain, Concealing teams behind them. Walls are Difficult Terrain, requiring cane to avoid getting stuck while crossing. Walls can be Short or Tall terrain. Concealing teams behind them. Stone and concrete walls provide Bulletproof Cover for teams behind them. 92 I
12 S» Я GENTLE HILLS WOODS Gentle hills are Terrain, but don’t present any Woods are Difficult Terrain. Tanks moving through a wood risk getting stuck, risk of tanks getting stuck. Woods art Tall terrain. Teams at the edge of a wood are Concealed. TREE LINES Tree lines are Difficult Terrain, requiring caution from tanks attempting to cross them. Tree lines are Tall terrain, so they block line of sight. Teams immediately behind a tree line are Concealed. OPEN WOODS Many Ardennes forests have been replanted in massive groves; rhe trees planted in long and precise rows with large gaps in between. Use sandy soil prevents undergrowth, so it is easy to see tong distances into the woods, ihu can model this on your battlefield by covering a majority of your table with open wooded areas. Rather than treating these as Woods terrain as usual, they have the following effects: Open Woods provide concealment for teams inside the terrain. However, Line of Sight to a target team is Blocked if it is more than 275cm through Open Wood terrain, unless the Range is 12".!30cm or less. Open Woods are Tall terrain. Teams at the edge of a Open Wood are Concealed. Dash movement must be at Terrain Dash speed. Enhance your gaming experience with fantastic pre-painted terrain from Battlefield in a Box. and complete your table with the 6’ x 4’ (180cm x 120cm) Double Sided City & Rural Gaming Mat (BB956). H * Hl 4* Available from www.FlamesOfWar.com STREAMS, RIVERS AND FORDS Shallow rivers are Difficult Terrain. They slow tanks down and possibly cause them to halt as they seek a better crossing point. Deep rivers are Impassable to tanks, and require a 4+ Cross Test for infantry to cross. Teams cannot start the game or end their movement in a river or lake. Fords across deep rivers are Difficult Terrain, but most Roads cross by Bridges. River crossings are often the site of battles as rivers are significant obstacles. Think about why the battle is being fought here. Is the river a defence line? Нм the attacker already taken a bridgehead across the river, and this is a counterattack to eliminate the bridgehead? Place the river and crossings accordingly. It’s a good idea to have at least three fords or bridges unless you are planning to have infantry make an assault crossing. Like all water features, rivers are Flat terrain and do not provide Concealment. ROADS Roads allow troops to move much faster than they would cross-country if they are going to the right place.
5. Roadblock recreates the blocking and delaying positions manned by the infantry units hit by the first waves of the offensive. 1. Play Roadblock first to fight the initial American defence against the German attack. You can play these battles as a linked campaign, with each battle's outcome affecting the next. lhe Germans are the attacking player in each game except in Breakthrough. 2. Play Elastic Defence next as the American reinforcements arrive and defences become more coordinated. BULGE BATTLES lhe German Ardennes Offensive took the defending US forces by surprise, lhe Ardennes sector, thought to be quiet and less likely to be attacked, was suddenly the focus of a massive German assault, lhe initial battles saw American infantry scrambling to slow and halt the initial thrust of the German attack. Various American units became surrounded, some captured, while others resisted with great determination. Eventually Patton's armoured forces came to the rescue. This section allows you to recreate these battles. Elastic Defence recreates the battles on the perimeter of Bastogne where a porous infantry line would allow tanks to pass to be dealt with by supporting armour, only to firm up when faced with enemy infantry. LINKED CAMPAIGN 3. Play Rearguard (see page 109 of the rulebook) next as the German advance pushes through the Ardennes. • If the Americans won a Stunning or Major Victory' in either the Roadblock or Elastic Defence missions, the Americans have had more time to prepare and receive one additional Minefield. • If the Germans won a Stunning or Major Victory' in the Roadblock mission, the Americans have one less Minefield. • If the Germans won a Stunning or Major Victory' in the Elastic Defence mission, the Americans do not have an Ambush. Nuts! recreates the defensive battles of encircled troops as they hold oft the enemy until relieving forces arrive. 4. Play Nuts! next as the surrounded Americans fight to hold off the encircling enemy. • If the Americans won a Stunning or Major Victory in the Rearguard mission, they have held their perimeter and may deploy up to 14"/35cm from the table centre line instead of 12'730cm. • If the Germans won a Stunning or Major Victory' in the Rearguard mission, they have quickly pushed through the American perimeter and may deploy up to 10"/25cm from either short table edge instead of 8"/20cm. Play Breakthrough (sec page 110 of the rulebook) last as the Americans relieve the besieged troops in Bastogne. The Americans are the Attackers. > If the Americans won a Stunning or Major Victory in the Nuts! mission, their perimeter has pushed closer to the advance of the relieving troops, so they start rolling for Reserves on turn two (instead of turn three). • If the Germans won a Stunning or Major Victory in the Nuts! mission, they have more time to prepare, so may move one of the Objectives placed byr the Attacker up to 4"/10cm at the start of the game. The outcome of the Breakthrough mission decides the ultimate outcome of the entire campaign.
ROAD BLOCK Defender’s Reserves arrive here Your force, with the help of engineers, has set up a road block to slow the enemy and allow your reserves to arrive. SPECIAL RULES • Ambush (Defender) • Deep Immediate Reserves (Defender) SETTING UP 1. Ihe Defender picks a short table edge to defend from. The Attacker attacks from the opposite side of the table. 2. The Attacking player places two Objectives in the Defender’s table half. Objectives must be within 8"/20cm of the Defender's table edge and at least 8”/20cm from the table sides. 3. The Defender may place one Minefield for each 50 points in their force anywhere outside the Attackers deployment area. DEPLOYMENT 1. Ihe Defender selects up to 60% of their force to deploy on table and holds the rest in Deep Immediate Reserve. 2. The Defender may hold one of their Units in Ambush. 3. Starting with the Defender, the players place Ranged In markers for all of their deployed (including in Ambush) Artillery Units. 4. The Defender then places their remaining Units in their table half within 12”/30cm of the short table centre line. 5. The Attacker deploys their force within 12”/30cm of their table edge. 6. All Infantry and Gun Teams start the game in Foxholes. WHO GOES FIRST Ihe Attacker has the first turn. WINNING THE GAME • The Attacker wins if they end their turn Holding an Objective. • Ihe Defender wins if the}' end a turn on or after the sixth turn with no Attacking Tank, Infantry, or Gun teams within 8”/20cm of an Objective.
<u s ELASTIC DEFENCE 8720cm 16740cm 8720cm 8720cm With your infantry up front to halt the enemy infantry, your tanks and guns will deal with the enemy tanks as they break through your infantry line. SPECIAL RULES Ambush (Defender) Immediate Reserves (Defender) No Spearhead (Defender) WHO GOES FIRST The Attacker has the first turn. E Defender places remainder of their on table Force here и Each player places one Objective in this area SETTING UP 1. The Defender picks a short table edge to defend from. The Attacker attacks from the opposite side of the table. 2. Both players, starting with the Defender, place one Objective in the Defender's table half, between 8'720cm and 16740cm of the Defender's table edge and at least 8720cm from the side table sides. DEPLOYMENT 1. The Defender selects up to 60% of their force to deploy and holds the rest in Immediate Reserve. 2. The Defender may hold one of their Units in Ambush. 3. Starting with the Defender, the players place Ranged In markers for all of their deployed (including in Ambush) Artillery Units. Defender places up to half of thelron table' Force here I I 16740cm Attacker places their Force here 8720cm | 4. lhe Defender then places up to half of their remaining Units in their table half within 8”/20cm of the short table centre line. They then place their remaining Units in their table half within 16740cm of their table edge. 5. The Attacker deploys their force within 16740cm of their table edge. 6. .All Infantry and Gun Teams start the game in Foxholes. WINNING THE GAME • The Attacker wins if they end their turn Holding an Objective. • lhe Defender wins if they end a turn on or after the sixth turn with no Attacking Tank, Infantry, or Gun teams within 8720cm of an Objective. NO SPEARHEAD Tlie indicated player cannot use the Spearhead rule. wm* 96
You arc surrounded! Blunt the enemy's attack and hold them oft until your reserves can be mustered to drive the attacks back! SPECIAL RULES • Ambush (Defender) • Immediate Scattered Reserves (Defender) SETTING UP 1. Both players, starting with the Defender, place one Objective in the Defenders deployment area, within 4”/10cm of the short table centre line and at least 8"/20cm from the long table sides. DEPLOYMENT 1. Ute Defender selects up to 60% of their force to deploy and holds the rest in Immediate Scattered Reserve. 2. Tlte Defender may hold one of their Units in Ambush. 3. Starting with the Defender, the players place Ranged In markers for all of their deployed (including in Ambush) Artillery Units. 4. lhe Defender then places their remaining Units on the table half within 12”/30cm of either side of the short table centre line. 5. The Attacker deploys up to 60% of their force at one short end of the table within 8”/20cm of their table edge. 6. lhe Attacker deploys the rest of their force in the opposite short table end within 8”/20cm of their table edge. 7. All Infantry and Gun Teams start the game in Foxholes. BULGE BATTLES WHO GOES FIRST The Attacker has the first turn. WINNING THE GAME • The Attacker wins if they end their turn Holding an Objective. • The Defender wins if the)' end a turn on or after the sixth turn with no Attacking lank. Infantry, or Gun teams within 8”/20cm of an Objective. J ‘
FIGHTING IN THE FOG When the 1011* Airborne Division arrived in Bastogne the town and surrounding countryside was cloaked in fog. The fog continued to rise and fall, seemingly on its own whim, throughout the days the Americans and Germans battled for the town. If you wish to incorporate fog into your battles, you can use the Dawn and Night Fighting rules on page 113 of the rulebook. The following rules are suggestions for customising these rules for fog. MOVING IN FOG While it is easy enough to follow' a road in foggy conditions (provided you don’t drive too fast), cross-country movements arc constantly slowed by unexpected obstacles. Moving in fog is the same as moving at night, except that teams may move up to their Cross-country Dash on Roads and Tracks, instead of being limited to Terrain Dash. SHOOTING IN FOG Gun flashes are visible from quite far away at night, but fog blankets everything, making visibility at long distances impossible. On the other hand, unlike night where things can be indistinct at quite short ranges, enemy tanks looming out of the fog are clearly silhouetted against the grey fog. Shooting in fog is the same as shooting at night with the following additional rules: Teams Shooting in Fog do not suffer the additional ♦ 1 penalty on the score needed To Hit. Teams Shooting in Fog must always roll on the Night Visibility Table whether or not the Target enemy Team had previously fired their weapons. В U LG| BATTL
WINTER WEATHER Perhaps the single most defining aspect of the Ardennes cam- paign was the weather. Certainly, the Germans knew that, as they carefully planned the offensive for the time when the weather would ground Allied planes, allowing their panzers to travel in the daylight. However, the bad weather was a double-edged sword as the freezing rain mixed with the mud to create terrible condi- tions on the roads. Deep snow piled up in the few clearings, making it tough for troops to slog their way through. The white snow blinded the troops as they kept a vigilant watch from their freezing foxholes. SNOW-COVERED TERRAIN Moving in the snow presents a number of hazards for the unwary traveller. Deep snow impedes foot traffic as much as it does vehicle movement. All teams treat snow-covered Roads as Cross-country for Dash movement, and all other snow-covered Terrain as Terrain Dash. ICE Packed snow and ice make moving vehicles a risky affair. Black ice, which is extremely hard to spot, makes honest men out of even the most reckless drivers! If a vehicle moves more than 8 720cm in the Movement Step, at 8 720cm through their movement roll a Cross test. • If successful, the vehicle navigates through the ice and carries on unharmed. • Otherwise, the vehicle slips on the ice and stops Movement immediately. FROZEN RIVERSAND PONDS Frozen rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds posed their own threats, not least of which was the temptation to cross them with armoured vehicles to bypass the destroyed bridges. For light vehicles, such as trucks, jeeps, and other utility vehicles, a frozen river is easier to cross. For these vehicles a frozen river is rated as Cross-country terrain covered in Ice (see above). However, a crossing is far more risky for armoured vehicles. When an Armoured vehicle attempts to cross a frozen river, it must roll a die and add 3 to the result. • If the total is less than the vehicles Front armour, the ice gives way under the vehicle’s weight and the vehicle is Destroyed. • Otherwise the vehicle safely navigates the river and it may continue as normal. What follows are several optional rules for representing bad weather in your games. 'These rules arc optional. Feel free to use all of them, but be aware that this can lead to slower and longer games. If that isn't your style but you’d still like to add some flavour to your battle, go ahead and choose a few of the rules to use in your game and leave the others for another time and another battle. SNOW STORM Snow' storms were frequent in January 1945, and caused confusion and frustration. If both players agree, your battle can take place during a snow storm. The game is played under the Night Fighting rules in the rulebook (see page 113 of the rulebook). The mission is played at Dawn (see page 113 of the rulebook). BLIZZARD Blizzards are a more serious breed of snow' storm. They can strike suddenly, delivering a pile of snow within a matter of minutes. If both players agree you can have lhe possibility of having a blizzard strike your battlefield. Roll a die at the start of each players turn. On a I, the blizzard strikes. That turn and those following are played under the Night Fighting rules in the rulebook (page 113 of the rule book). Instead of using the Night Visibility Table, use lhe Blizzard Visibility Table below to find out how far your teams can see in the Blizzard. Players continue to roll at the start of their turn. On a .5+ the Blizzard dies off, and the rest of the game uses the normal visibility rules. If the game is not already using the Snow-covered Terrain special rule when the Blizzard strikes, the rest of the game is played with them in effect. ] BLIZZARD VISIBILITY TABLE DIE ROLL DISTANCE 1 or 2 4”/10cm 3or4 8”/20cm 5 or 6 12”/30cm 99 J ‘
BULGE: AMERICAN CATALOGUE lhe American Spearhead Force army deal is the best starting point for any American army. Expand your force by adding other units from the American range shown over the following pages. Each Flames Of War unit box contains a complete unit and their Unit Cards. AMERICAN SPEARHEAD FORCE CONTAINS: lx M4 Jumbo (75mm) or M4 Jumbo (76mm) Tank 4x M4 Easy Eight (76mm) Tanks 2x M26 Pershing (90mm) Tanks 4x M24 Chaffee (75mm) Tanks Зх M4 Sherman (Calliope) Launchers 2x M8 Greyhound (37mm) Armoured Cars 2x Jeep (MG) or Jeep (60mm) lx Parachute Rifle Platoon lx Complete A 5 Rulebook lx US “Start Here” Booklet 2x Decal Sheets llx Unit Cards contains: 66x Unit Cards contains: 61x Command Cards US941 Decal Set contains: 64x Cards contains: 4x US Decal Sheers lhe Battle of the Bulge Ace Campaign is a narrative-driven system where players get to create their own heroes and fight in the forests of Western Europe and beyond.
?Г-Л 101 BULGE: AMERICAN CATALOGUE
UBX91 LASTIfc UBX92 LASTIC UBX88 LASTIC Use this box to build: Contains: 5x M4 Easy Eight (76mm) Tanks lx Decal Sheet Contains: 4x M4 Jumbo (75mm) or M4 Jumbo (76mm) Tanks lx Decal Sheet M4 EASY EIGHT TANK PLATOON M4 JUMBO TANKS M4SHERMAN OP OBSERVATK M4 SHERMAN (LATE 75мм) TANK PLATOON M4 SHERMAN (LATE) (105мм) ASSAULT CUN PLATOON Contains: 5x M4 Sherman (late 75mm) or M4 Sherman (late 76mm) or M4 Sherman (late 105mm) Tanks lx Decal Sheet M4 SHERMAN (LATE) TANK PLATOON 102
M26 PERSHING TANK PLATOON M24 CHAFFEE TANK PLATOON MS STUART TANK PLATOON 103
М36 OR M10 TANK DESTROYER PLATOON (£) 3-INCH TANK DESTROYER PLATOON
UBX79 Use this box to build: M20 SECURITY SECTION M8 GREYHOUND CAVALRY RECON PATROL M10 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY HQ M18 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY HQ M36 TANK DESTROYER COMPANY HQ Contains: 2x M8 Greyhound (37mm) or M20 Scout Cars 2x Jeeps RECON PATROL • SECURITY SECTION Contains: Зх M4 Sherman (Calliope) Launchers M4 SHERMAN (CALLIOPE) LAUNCHERS (UPGRADE PACK) US145 Contains: 2x T27 Xylophone (4.5-inch) Rocket Launchers T27 XYLOPHONE ROCKET LAUNCHER BATTERY BULGE: AMERICAN CATALOGUE
ARMOURED RIFLE COMPANY HQ__ARMOURED 81 MM MORTAR PLATOON
UBX68 od'iee'* Contains: 2x 2х 18х 4х 4х 4х Formation Command Thompson SMG Teams Unit Leader Ml Garand Rifle Teams Ml Garand Rifle Teams 60mm Mortar Teams Ml Bazooka Teams M1919 LMG Teams RIFLE COMPANY UBX81 Use this box to build: 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON GLIDER 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON (£) 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON 105MM cannon platoon US804 US8O5 (X) M1917 MACHINE-GUN PLATOON
PARACHUTE RIFLE COMPANY < US792 Ml”19 ‘V Ml Ft ^ns Contains lx Thompson SMG Team 7x M1919 and Ml Garand Rifle Teams lx 60mm Mortar 2x Ml Bazooka Teams 2x M1919LMG Teams PARACHUTE RIFLE PLATOON UBX65 Contains: 4x Jeep (.50cal MG) AIRBORNE JEEP RECON PATROL
US794 ®PARACHUTE MORTAR PLATOON PARACHUTE 75MM ARTILLERY BATTERY AIRBORNE 57MM ANTI-TANK PLATOON
* M12 155MM ARTILLERY BATTERY 110 M7 PRIEST ARTILLERY BATTERY 105MM FIELD ARTILLERY BATTERY
7
THE LATE-WAR JOURNEY From the beaches of Normandy, bristling with bunkers and defences, to the rubble strewn streets of Berlin, the Late-War period of Flames Of War is filled with a wide range of forces for players to try on the tabletop. Each series of books covers the forces involved in the theatre and is supported by Unit Card packs to make refer- encing the rules for your models even easier. There's also Command Card packs to add even more options and flavour. The new rules even allow you to take Formations across multiple books giving you even more options to build the perfect army.
COMING SOON... OR BUST! Explore the complete Late-War range at: WWW. FLAMESOFWAR .COM
FINLAND EUROPE, DECEMBER 1944 NORWAY North Sea SWEDEN DENMARI Baltic Sea Atlantic (kean IRELAND GREAT BRITAIN London Pane Д'ТНЕ NETHERLANDS BELGIUM Brussels Berlin Wanaw GERMANY Prague POLA SLOVAKIA HI FRANCE SWITZERLAND Vitor im Budapest SPAIN GIBRALTAR (haul MOROCCO FRENCH MOROCCO ALGERIA YUGOSLAVIA ITALY CORSICA 'Bowie SARDINIA Kasterine Рим Tunis TUNISIA SICILY MALTA Tripoli Belgrt, ALB> Medite 1000 0 SOO LIBYA 1000 1500

THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE The snow was falling heavily and visibility was minimal as Corporal Berletti peered from his foxhole. He searched the neat rows of trees, scanning for movement. The Germans were out there somewhere, he had heard noises, scrunches of boots on snow, the rustle of foliage, and the occasional snap of a twig, but no sightings. Just as he turned his head to scan right he caught some movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his attention (eft and saw them emerging out of the snowy gloom, several white figures stalking carefully towards his platoons position. He whistled, bringing the attention of the platoon to the approaching Germans. A burst of .30 cat machine-gun hire reassured Berletti the platoon had got his message. Then all hell broke loose as the rest of the platoon opened fire. The Germans advanced as the platoon's fire took its toll, dropping white-clade figures all across their front. Stilt, the Germans kept coming. By September 1944 and the Allies have stormed across France. Pattons Third Army was poised to strike into Germany itself, with the 4'1* Armored Disision in the lead. Hitler’s new Panzer Brigades were diverted to meet the Americans in the Lorraine. By early December 1944 it seemed unlikely that the Germans would attack. On 16 December that illusion svas shattered when the might of German Sixth Panzer Army smashed into the thinly-held US lines in the Ardennes forests. In the central sector, the Germans approached the town of Bastogne on 19 December, defended by the veteran 101“* /\irborne Division. What followed was an epic seven- day struggle. On 26 December the siege was broken by the arrival of the 4'1' Armored Division. After the Ardennes, the US ?\rmy turned its attention to crossing the Rhine into the German heartland, leading the march of the US First Army is the 9,h Armored Division and in early March 1945 they cross Remagen’s Ludendorff Bridge across the Rhine. INSIDE YOU WILL FIND: Background on the US Army during liberation of France, the Battle of the Bulge, and the battle for Germany. Instructions on how to build a Veteran M4 Sherman (Late) Tank Company, Veteran M24 Chaffee Tank Company, M4 Sherman (/.ate) Tank Company, M24 Chaffee Tank Company, Battle Weary Armoured Rifle Company, Battle Weary Rifle Company, Bastogne Parachute Rifle Company, Bastogne Glider Rifle Company, M18 lank Destroyer Company, and M36 Tank Destroyer Company. A Painting and Basing guide. Three new Bulge themed Missions. Fog and Winter Weather rules. A copy of the Flames Of War rulebook is necessary to use the contents of this book. DESIGNED IN NEW ZEALAND ISBN 9781988558295 PRINTED IN EUROPE BATTLEFRONT Product Code FW270 © Copyright Battleffont Miniatures Limited. 2021. All rights reserved. www.FLAMESOFWAR.com