This section includes army lists for the forces of Britain and Commonwealth, Germany, the Soviet Union, the United States of America, and Imperial Japan.
Each list includes entries for a variety of infantry, artillery and vehicle units. Gaming values, armament details and any individual rules needed during play are included as part of each entry. Each unit is given a basic cost in requisition points together with further costs for additional equipment and other options.
The lists given here do not pretend to be exhaustive or to cover every theatre of the war, every kind of vehicle and every weapon – rather they are basic lists that cover the essential formations and weapons of each of the armies concerned. A series of separate Bolt Action supplements provides detailed and definitive army lists that supersede these lists and extend the armies covered into different theatres of the war and specific campaigns. The lists given here are generalised to a degree, and are based upon armies of the later part of the war: 1944 and 1945. This allows for a good variety of equipment and tanks. That does not mean that we cannot fight actions between the Vichy and Free French in the Middle East in 1941 – for example – but limited space obviously prevents us covering every campaign in detail in this book. Our intention is to offer printed supplements for the major combatant nations and appropriate online support for minor contributors and specialised theatres.
Many players will have a good idea of how the real formations represented by our armies were organised. Others may be less familiar with the structure of World War II armies and the way in which they fought. The description given is obviously a fairly broad-brush summary, and different armies varied considerably in practice as might be readily imagined. However, it will serve to give an idea about how to go about putting together a wargames army for the tabletop battlefield.
Broadly speaking the smallest infantry unit was the squad, or section, comprising around ten men commanded by a non-commissioned officer (NCO) such as a sergeant or corporal. A squad could be split into smaller groups or fire-teams, often comprising one group based around a light machine gun, and another based around rifle-armed troops. Squads were often under-strength due to casualties. In our lists infantry squads can usually be fielded at between five and 12 men, allowing a player to deploy them as smaller five-man teams, under-strength squads or squads at full strength.
II Corps captures Bizerte, by Steve Noon © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Command 25: Omar Bradley
A platoon was the next level of organisation. It consisted of two to five squads, for a total of roughly 20–50 men. It was commanded by the lowest rank of commissioned officer, a lieutenant or the equivalent, who might be assisted by a senior or platoon sergeant in some cases.
A company is the largest level of organisation likely to be represented in our game. It consisted of between two and eight platoons, for a total of roughly 100–200 men. A captain or sometimes a major would command a company, and a senior NCO or warrant officer such as a company sergeant major might assist him.
Just for the sake of curiosity, you might like to know that the structure continues with:
• Battalion. Two to six companies (up to over 1,000 men). Commanded by a lieutenant colonel.
• Regiment. Two or more battalions (up to over 2,000 men). Commanded by a colonel.
• Brigade. Two or more regiments (up to 5,000 men). Commanded by a brigadier general (one-star).
• Division. Two to four brigades (up to 15,000 men). Commanded by a major general (two-stars).
• Corps. Two or more divisions (up to 45,000 men). Commanded by a lieutenant general (three-stars).
• Army. Two to four corps (up to 200,000 men). Commanded by an army general (four-stars).
• Army Group. Two or more armies. Commanded by a field marshal or five-star general.
The first thing to consider when assembling a force is the infantry. It’s best to begin with infantry squads and pick two to five squads of roughly ten men. Three squads is a good basic force to start with.
After the infantry squads you will find a list of heavy weapons teams including machine guns, mortars, and portable anti-tank weapons such as bazookas. In a real army these teams would form specialised heavy weapons platoons or would be held at HQ level. Typically there would be something like three infantry platoons to one heavy weapons platoon. It makes good sense to keep a similar proportion in the game, with one mortar team, one machine gun team, one anti-tank team, flamethrower team, sniper team for every three full-strength infantry squads. If you include one each of every heavy weapon for every three infantry squads this still is a very high concentration of heavy weapons compared to a real battlefield, but it makes for a more interesting game and still maintains a reasonable relationship between the number of heavy weapons and men.
If three infantry squads represent a platoon, it makes sense to have a lieutenant to command it. Of course, the company’s captain might have come down to keep a close look at this part of the engagement, so he could be fielded in addition to (or instead of) the lieutenant if desired. He will prove more useful in larger games with company-sized forces.
Medics were normally one per platoon, so once again if one is included it will feel about right. Forward observers were less common, and it would be therefore best to select no more than one for the army unless it is a very large game, in which case a force might include one of each type.
Anti-tank guns and howitzers, as well as combat vehicles like tanks and armoured cars, were normally assigned to support infantry by high command when necessary, so on the level of our game they should be a comparably rare sight on the battlefield. However, a game devoid of tanks and big guns would be a dull affair, so we are prepared to accept that our part of the battlefield just happens to be where the opposing tanks and armour are concentrated. We recommend using a maximum of one tank, one other lightly armoured vehicle and one piece of artillery for every three infantry squads in your force.
Transport vehicles (particularly soft-skins) are a bit more common and we’d happily include up to one such vehicle per infantry squad in addition to any other vehicles mentioned above.
Games significantly larger than our standard 1,000 requisition points would tend towards company-level actions and therefore it would make sense to include multiples based on the proportions discussed.
The following rules are a distilled version of the guidelines discussed above. They have been formalised with a view to putting together armies that are reasonably well balanced in play rather than being strictly based on historical formations. Sticklers who wish to follow the orders of battle for actual historical engagements are entirely welcome to do so of course; the purpose of these lists is to enable players who wish to do so to choose well-matched, competitive, and entertaining forces with which to play a challenging game.
A force must comprise any number of reinforced platoons – from a single platoon to as many as you can squeeze into the agreed points total!
Each reinforced platoon is made up as per the table below, using units picked from one of the Army Lists.
| Reinforced Platoon | |
| 1 | Lieutenant – First or Second |
| 2 | Infantry squads |
| Plus | |
| 0–3 | Infantry squads |
| 0–1 | Captain or Major |
| 0–1 | Medic |
| 0–1 | Forward Observer (either Artillery or Air) |
| 0–1 | Machine gun team |
| 0–1 | Mortar team |
| 0–1 | Sniper team |
| 0–1 | Flamethrower team |
| 0–1 | Anti-tank team |
| 0–1 | Field Artillery, Anti-aircraft or Anti-tank gun |
| 0–1 | Armoured Car |
| 0–1 | Tank, Tank Destroyer, Anti-aircraft vehicle or Self-propelled Artillery |
| 0–1 | Transport vehicle or tow (soft-skins or armoured) per infantry and artillery unit in the reinforced platoon. |
When picking a force begin with the first reinforced platoon and start by fulfilling its minimum requirement of 1 lieutenant and 2 infantry squads. Once this is done, pick from the other units given until the total requisition value of your units reaches the agreed maximum value for the force or as close as you can get.
So long as you have sufficient points remaining, you can always stop at any stage and start again with a second reinforced platoon, and then a third, and so on, adding as many platoons as your points will allow.
Note that transports can always be included up to one vehicle for every infantry and artillery unit in the reinforced platoon. This enables infantry to be mounted into carriers if desired, HQ units to have jeeps or similar vehicles, and artillery and anti-tank guns to have prime movers.
If a vehicle listed as a transport/tow picks a weapon option that means the transport loses its transport/towing ability, it no longer counts as a transport/tow for the purposes of force selection, but as either an armoured car (if wheeled and with damage value 7+ or worse) or an anti-aircraft or self-propelled artillery vehicle otherwise.
It is perfectly possible to spend all the points available on one large reinforced platoon, or to buy several smaller reinforced platoons allowing for a higher proportion of specialised units. This is entirely up to the player, but always keep in mind that the total value cannot exceed the maximum total requisition points agreed for the force.
In some cases you might be allowed to add men to an existing unit – these must always be purchased at the same level of quality as the initial men (if there is an option) – units can never include men of different quality.
If its entry states that a model is armed with ‘pistol, submachine gun or rifle/carbine as depicted on the model’, but the model (an officer for example) has no visible weapons at all, the player can either convert the model to clearly show which weapon is carrying, or assume it is carrying a pistol in a pocket or hidden holster.
The following lists for the armies of Germany, the United States, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, and Imperial Japan are just a simplified and short summary of the full lists that are included in the “Armies of” series of supplement books for Bolt Action. They are intended to give you a taste for the process of army selection and to help you collect your initial force. If any entry contradicts the same entry in the “Armies of” supplement book, the supplement book takes precedence.
This list is based upon the troops and equipment available to the German army during the final year of the war in Europe. By this time the Germans have access to some of the very best tanks, tank destroyers and anti-tank guns of the entire war, as well as stalwart weaponry such as the Panzer IV and the fearsome MG42 machine gun. By now the hand-thrown anti-tank grenade has largely passed out of use except amongst some improvised units and Luftwaffe field units, and replaced by the dreaded panzerfaust. Although many infantry still carry bolt-action rifles, many now have the StG44 assault rifle.
In the German army every man is trained with some of the skills of his superiors, and encouraged to show initiative and decisiveness rather than just sit and wait to receive orders.
If an infantry squad’s NCO is killed then roll a D6. On the score of a 1, the NCO is removed as normal. On the roll of a 2 or more, one of the other troopers takes over the squad and leads it just as effectively as before. To represent this leave the NCO is place and remove any other model instead. If the NCO is successfully replaced the unit does not suffer the usual –1 morale penalty for losing its NCO.
German-made machine guns, but in particular the lethal MG42, are vastly superior to their enemies’ and rightly feared by Allied infantrymen.
German light and medium machine guns fire one extra shot. Note that this applies to all light and medium machine guns, both those carried by infantry units and those mounted on vehicles.
The list is divided into categories as follows.
| 1 | Infantry | Headquarters units |
| Infantry squads and teams | ||
| 2 | Artillery | Field artillery |
| Anti-tank guns | ||
| Anti-aircraft guns | ||
| 3 | Vehicles | Tanks |
| Tank destroyers | ||
| Self-propelled artillery | ||
| Anti-aircraft vehicles | ||
| Armoured cars | ||
| Transports and tows |
Each platoon is centred upon a core that includes a headquarters unit in the form of a first or second lieutenant. Other HQ units can be added to the force, including higher-ranking officers, as well as medical units and supporting observers.
German officers were capable and often experienced leaders. In the German army, junior officers were trained to undertake the role of their own immediate superiors, enabling them to use their intuition to take control of situations when necessary. An officer unit consists of the man himself and can include up to two other men acting as his immediate attendants. Because of the high quality of the majority of German officers, we rate them as regular or veteran.
| Cost |
- Second Lieutenant (Leutnant) 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) - First Lieutenant (Oberleutnant) 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) - Captain (Hauptmann) 110pts (Regular), 125pts (Veteran) - Major (Major) 150pts (Regular), 165pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 officer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, rifle, or assault rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The officer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
Forward observers are liaison officers responsible for coordinating the attack of heavy artillery batteries from behind the lines or aircraft strikes. They are likely to be accompanied by a radio operator and other immediate attendants. We rate these officers as regular or veteran, those of lesser ability being unlikely to find themselves in such a position.
| Cost |
- Artillery Forward Observer 100pts (Regular), 115pts (Veteran) - Air Force Forward Observer 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 Forward Observer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, rifle, or assault rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The observer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
The assault on the Red October Steel Plant, by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 184: Stalingrad 1942
German infantry were generally well trained, well led and well equipped – constituting what was undoubtedly manfor-man the most effective fighting force in Europe. The German army was also heavily outnumbered and as the war progressed compromises in recruitment, equipment shortages, and failures of leadership at the highest level all began to take their toll.
Wehrmacht – meaning ‘armed might’ – encompasses the forces of the German army, navy and air force and we will consider them as a whole together with the fourth branch, the Waffen-SS. Some German Luftwaffe formations were effectively ground troops, such as Luftwaffe field divisions and the Hermann Goring Panzer Division. Both paratroops and anti-aircraft units were part of the Luftwaffe. German infantry were provided with the best light machine gun of the war – the rapid firing MG42 – and many squads carried two. By the late war, most German infantry squads could carry a proportion of StG44 assault rifles or submachine guns instead of rifles. Most carried panzerfaust, although some Luftwaffe field units carried hand-thrown mines until the end of the war. However, the exact weaponry carried could vary greatly in practice, and so we allow a squad to be built up as follows.
| Cost | Regular Infantry 50pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 5 additional men with rifles at +10pts each. - The NCO and up to 1 man can have a submachine gun instead of rifles for +3pts each - The NCO and up to 2 men can have assault rifles instead of rifles for +5pts each - Up to 2 men can have a light machine gun for +20pts – for each light machine gun included another man becomes the loader - Up to 4 men can have a panzerfaust in addition to other weapons for +5pts each - If panzerfaust are not taken the squad can be given anti-tank grenades instead for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
The Waffen-SS formed an elite fighting formation separate from the German army and not strictly part of the Wehrmacht. By the end of the war the Waffen-SS comprised almost 600,000 men. Often fighting at the forefront of an offensive, they proved themselves dangerous adversaries. Fallschirmjägers – German for paratroopers – were elite troops who formed part of the Luftwaffe. Although they took part in airborne operations in the early part of the war, from mid-1944 they were reduced to the role of ground troops. As an elite formation they had access to the best equipment and made considerable use of assault rifles in the form of the FG42 automatic rifle and later the StG44. The German army was not without its experienced troops, the survivors of bloodthirsty fighting on the Eastern Front or the veterans of Africa and Italy. These formations can be built up as follows.
| Cost | Veteran Infantry 65pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 5 additional men with rifles at +13pts each - The NCO and up to 6 men can have a submachine gun instead of rifles for +3pts each - The NCO and up to 9 men can have assault rifles instead of rifles for +5pts each - Up to 2 men can have a light machine gun for +20pts – for each light machine gun included another man becomes the loader - Up to 4 men can have a panzerfaust in addition to other weapons for +5pts each |
Even the German army could include green or unmotivated elements – although this would have been rare before the final months of the war. Osttruppen were units recruited from the occupied territories of the east, often from amongst people who had no great love of Stalin’s Russia and often welcomed the German occupation. This included ethnic groups such as Turkmen, Kalmyks, Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Georgians from the east as well as Balts, Finns, Ukrainians, White Russians, and Siberians. These units were generally kept away from the fighting until the final years of the war, when they often surrendered en masse rather than face Allied troops. If the Osttruppen were unwilling the Volkssturm were a different kettle of fish; militia recruited from amongst the old, unfit and young, many being drawn from the ranks of the Hitler Youth. They were poorly equipped with a variety of weaponry including crudely made Volkssturm MP3008 submachine guns and Volkssturmgewehr rifle. Others carried weapons captured earlier in the war or dating back to the previous century. Any of these squads can be built as follows.
| Cost | Inexperienced Infantry 35pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 5 additional men with rifles at +7pts each - The NCO and up to 2 men may have a submachine gun for +3pts - Up to 4 men can have a panzerfaust in addition to other weapons for +5pts each - Unless Volkssturm, up to 1 man can have a light machine gun for +20pts – for each light machine gun included another man becomes the loader; Volkssturm units cannot have light machine guns - Volkssturm units can be Green at no extra points cost - Osttruppen units can be Shirkers for a reduction of 3pts per man - Unless Osttruppen are equipped with panzerfaust, units can be given anti-tank grenades for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules |
- Volkssturm units can be Green - Osttruppen can be Shirkers - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
Waffen-SS troops debus from their half-track on the Russian Front
The Germans were equipped with two excellent machine guns in the MG34 and rapid firing MG42 – known to Allied troops as ‘Hitler’s Buzzsaw’ because of its distinctive noise. Unlike other armies the Germans used the same machine gun both as a squad weapon and as a tripod mounted support weapon. The tripod mount provided a much more stable firing platform and made it easier to keep up a continuous fire using a belt feed. We therefore treat the tripod-mounted gun as a medium machine gun, whilst the squad weapon is treated as a light machine gun. As described in the rules for team weapons, although crew members would be likely to carry rifles or submachine guns we consider them to be preoccupied serving their weapon and so do not include separate arms.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 MMG |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed |
The value of the sniper was brought home during the battle of Stalingrad where Russian snipers took such a heavy toll of German troops. The Wehrmacht trained and equipped marksmen to undertake a specialist role as snipers. A variety of rifles were used for sniping, including the standard infantry rifle and semi-automatic Gewehr 43. All were fitted with telescopic sights and snipers were provided with specially manufactured ammunition.
| Cost | 24pts (Inexperienced), 35pts (Regular), 46pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 light mortar |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Indirect fire |
The standard German medium mortar of the war was the 80mm Granatwerfer 34. It was a very effective and accurate weapon that could provide long-range fire support.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium mortar |
| Options | - May add Spotter for +10pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Indirect fire |
German field artillery often lagged behind that of Germany’s enemies in terms of development and effectiveness. Many of the larger weapons dated from the previous war, whilst field guns were frequently those captured during earlier campaigns. Outranged by bigger and heavier Russian weapons, and substantially outgunned on both Eastern and Western Fronts, the Germans soldiered on with what could be mustered.
The Germans employed a tremendous variety of light infantry guns, mountain guns and field guns and howitzers, which generally had a calibre of 75mm. These guns were used for close support and were light enough to be manhandled by their crews. As with all team-based units artillerymen serving their weapon are treated as unarmed – even where individual models might carry small-arms.
| Cost | 40pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 60pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 light howitzer |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed - Howitzer |
During the whole of World War II, German anti-tank gun developments remained firmly ahead of that of the Allies, with continuous improvements creating weapons with greater velocities capable of punching through the thickest armour. This gave the Germans a significant advantage in tank warfare even when vastly outnumbered.
The PaK 40 was the standard German anti-tank gun of the late war period. It was an effective weapon that was capable of destroying almost any Allied tank. It was, however, a great deal heavier than the PaK 38 and could only be towed by artillery tractors.
| Cost | 88pts (Inexperienced), 110pts (Regular), 132pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 4 men |
| Weapons | 1 heavy anti-tank gun |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed |
German Heer Pak 40 75mm Anti-Tank Gun
Designed to engage enemy aircraft, many automatic cannons saw ample use against other type of targets. Their high-velocity shots were lethal against enemy lightly armoured or soft-skinned vehicles, not to mention their infantry.
The classic German 88 was originally developed as a heavy anti-aircraft weapon, and first saw combat during the German intervention in the Spanish Civil War. It developed its reputation as a tank-killer during the North African campaign, when Rommel’s use of them as anti-tank screens caused the British armour many losses. It was a large weapon, mounted upon a cruciform platform with detachable wheels.
| Cost | 148pts (Inexperienced), 185pts (Regular), 222pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 7 men |
| Weapons | 1 platform-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun. |
| Options | - May add a spotter for +10pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Gun shield - Flak - Versatile: The weapon can also be fired indirectly, in which case it is treated exactly like a medium howitzer |
By the late war the Germans had developed a bewildering variety of tanks and tank destroyers including some of the heaviest tanks to see action during the whole conflict. The Panzer IV, up-gunned and up-armoured since the beginning of hostilities, is still a formidable weapon, whilst the Tiger II and Panther can meet and defeat any tank the Allies can pitch against it.
The Panzer IV saw service throughout the war from the Polish campaign and the battle of France through to D-Day and the fall of Germany. Its defensive armour of 50mm was adequate – although vulnerable to the more powerful Allied anti-tank guns developed in the last years of the war. Its main armament was capable of penetrating most Allied tanks at long range. The details included here cover the Ausf F2, G, H and J versions of this ubiquitous German tank – all armed with the 75mm Kampfwagenkanone 40 (KwK 40).
| Cost | 188pts (Inexperienced), 235pts (Regular), 282pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and 1 forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
The Panther was the best all-round German tank of the war and although conceived as a medium tank, at 45 tons and with frontal armour over 100mm thick we shall rate the front armour more highly. The Panther’s thick, sloping front armour was copied from the Russian T-34 but the main gun was a weapon that far excelled anything the Russians possessed, the high velocity KwK 42 L70, which was capable of penetrating any Allied tank in service when it was first introduced.
| Cost | 355pts (Regular), 426pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
| Special Rules | - The Panther's heavy frontal armour has a rating of +1 giving it the same frontal value as a heavy tank (10+) |
The Tiger is probably the best known of all German tanks of World War II and certainly the tank most feared by the Allies! It was a lumbering monster of a tank and its 88mm gun was easily capable of destroying even the most heavily armoured Allied tanks of the day. By the end of the war the Tiger had been superseded by better designs, but it still valiantly fought on, and Tigers would stalk the ruins of Berlin in the last days of the Third Reich.
| Cost | 395pts (Regular), 474pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 10+ (heavy tank) |
German Tiger I
Hell’s Highway, by Steve Noon © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 270: Operation Market-Garden 1944 (1)
As the war progressed the Germans came to believe that turretless tank destroyers could be at least as effective as tanks in many situations, and – of course – they were much quicker and cheaper to build than tanks with their complex turret mechanics. In fact, although excellent in an ambush role, when pitched against enemy tanks in the open, tank destroyers were at a huge disadvantage, being unable to turn their weapon to bear beyond their immediate front. Even so, the Jagdtiger was the heaviest and most heavily armed armoured fighting vehicle of the war, the most potent weapon of its kind by far.
The Sturmgeschutz – ‘assault gun’ – was developed as an infantry support weapon based on the Panzer III chassis. By the later part of the war it was armed with the same long-barrelled 75mm anti-tank gun as the Panzer IV and was often deployed as a tank destroyer. The StuG III was produced in more numbers than any other German armoured fighting vehicle – over 10,000 in all. Later StuGs incorporated a co-axial machine gun and many vehicles that lacked them were subsequently retrofitted to provide more firepower against enemy infantry. Production of the StuG III was severely curtailed by Allied bombing, following which the Germans shifted some Panzer IV production over to assault guns built on the Panzer IV chassis. These StuG IVs were entirely comparable to the earlier StuGs in performance and mounted the same gun, so the two types have been included together.
| Cost | 184pts (Inexperienced), 230pts (Regular), 276pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 casement-mounted forward facing heavy anti-tank gun and 1 remotely operated MMG with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
| Options | - May add a forward facing co-axial MMG for +15pts |
German StuG III Assault Gun
The Marder started life as a conversion of various captured and obsolete vehicles to produce mobile anti-tank support for infantry. Early Marders were often armed with captured Russian guns, but by the late war all used the German 75mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun. The last Ausf M version – as described here – featured an open-topped fighting compartment on a Panzer 38t chassis. Because of its weak superstructure and open fighting compartment, we give it a damage value of 7+, as an armoured carrier.
| Cost | 132pts (Inexperienced), 165pts (Regular), 198pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing heavy anti-tank gun and 1 forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured carrier) |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
German Marder III Ausf. M Tank Destroyer
German self-propelled artillery tended to be conversions of existing vehicles, often those captured from the enemy or otherwise obsolete. This pragmatic approach produced a hotchpotch of self-propelled artillery that undoubtedly served its purpose of providing mobile fire support.
From 1943 the Sturmgeschutz was increasingly used in an anti-tank role, and this prompted the development of a new infantry support version – the Sturmhaubitze 42 or StuH 42. The new assault gun was fitted with a shortened 105mm howitzer instead of the 75mm gun fitted to Stugs during the early days of the war.
| Cost | 152pts (Inexperienced), 190pts (Regular), 228pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 casement-mounted forward facing medium howitzer and 1 remotely operated MMG with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
The SdKfz 4 was an armoured version of the Maultier design – basically a half-track truck with an armoured body. The SdKfz 4/1 Panzerwerfer 42 mounted a 150mm Nebelwerfer multiple rocket launcher whilst the basic SdKfz 4 truck acted as an ammunition carrier. This produced an effective mobile multiple rocket launcher that served with Nebeltruppen on the Eastern and Western Fronts.
| Cost | 92pts (Inexperienced), 115pts (Regular), 138pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing Nebelwerfer multiple rocket launcher (treat as heavy mortar) |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured carrier) |
| Options | - The multiple rocket launcher can be replaced with 1 forward facing pintle-mounted MMG covering the front arc (SdKfz 4 ammunition carrier version); this reduces the point value by 55pts |
| Special Rules |
- Indirect fire - Multiple launcher - Open-topped |
The Germans employed many mobile anti-aircraft guns and much of the German war effort was committed to air defence. Mobile anti-aircraft weapons often made use of existing vehicle chassis as in the case of the examples here.
The SdKfz 7 was adapted as an anti-aircraft platform to carry 20mm or 37mm anti-aircraft guns. It made a very effective and mobile anti-aircraft defence vehicle.
| Cost | 48pts (Inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 platform-mounted heavy autocannon (37mm Flak 38) with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin carrier) |
| Options | - May add platform-mounted quadruple light autocannon (four 20mm KwK 38) with 360° arc of fire for +80pts |
| Special Rules | - Flak |
German armoured cars are immediately recognisable both in the six-wheeled and eight-wheeled configurations. They were primarily designed for reconnaissance duties, but despite this were produced with a variety of weaponry that makes them especially valuable as support for infantry. Some half-tracks were also converted to undertake the same role, and these are also included in this section.
The SdKfz 234 series were eight wheeled armoured cars used for armed reconnaissance ahead of a formation’s line of advance – a role analogous to that of light cavalry in an earlier age. There were four main versions with differing weapons. The 234/1 carried a 20mm gun and machine gun in an open turret, the 234/2 – Puma – replaced this arrangement with a fully enclosed turret bearing a KwK 30 50mm gun, the 234/3 mounted a short-barrelled KwK 37 75mm gun in a fixed open-topped superstructure, whilst the 234/4 mounted a long barrelled 75mm PaK 40 into a fixed open-topped superstructure. All four variants are covered in the details below with the 234/1 given as basic type.
| Cost | 71pts (Inexperienced), 95pts (Regular), 109pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 open turret-mounted light autocannon and co-axial MMG |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured car) |
| Options |
-Exchange open turret and armament for enclosed turret and medium anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG (Puma) for +50pts - Exchange open turret and armament for fixed forward facing light howitzer (short 75mm) for +15pts - Exchange open turret and armament for fixed forward facing heavy anti-tank gun (long 75mm) for +75pts |
| Special Rules |
- Recce - Dual-direction steering – the 234 series can be driven from both front and rear enabling it to execute a full speed Run rate reverse - Open-topped – unless the Puma option is taken, in which case there is an enclosed turret |
German mechanised units are called Panzer Grenadiers and were among the elite of the whole army. The vehicle most often associated with these troops is the SdKfz 251 Hanomag armoured personal carrier. The Germans had a large range of half-tracked vehicles as transports and tows, and converted even soft-skin lorries to half-tracks to enable them to cope with conditions on the Russian front.
German Sd.Kfz 251/1 Ausf D Hanomag Half-Track
The Hanomag – named after its manufacturer Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG – was the ubiquitous German half-track used throughout World War II to transport mechanised infantry units – panzergrenadiers. The carrier version was adapted to various roles including the addition of close support weapons such as anti-tank guns, flamethrowers, anti-aircraft guns, and even rockets. Engineering variants included bridge layers and telephone line layers, whilst further examples were built as radio cars, ambulances and command vehicles. The German designation for the carrier SdKfz 251 was short for ‘special ordnance vehicle’, and the standard infantry carrier version was the 251/1 which was able to carry up to 12 infantry in addition to its own crew. It was armed with a single pintle-mounted MG34 machine gun, and sometimes more. Platoon commanders’ vehicles carried a 37mm gun (251/10). Sometimes the anti-aircraft version (251/17) with 20mm autocannon was used as a substitute.
| Cost | 67pts (Inexperienced), 84pts (Regular), 101pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing pintle-mounted MMG covering the front arc |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured carrier) |
| Transport | Up to 12 men in basic version – up to 4 men with either light anti-tank gun or autocannon options added |
| Tow | Light, medium or heavy anti-tank gun; light or medium howitzer, light anti-aircraft gun |
| Options |
- May add 1 additional rear facing pintle-mounted MMG covering rear arc for +10pts - May exchange MMG for 1 forward facing light anti-tank gun (37mm PaK 36) for +40pts - May exchange MMG for 1 pintle-mounted light autocannon (KwK 38) with 360° arc for +20pts |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
The Germans made use of a great many different types of truck, including those captured from their enemies. Perhaps the most well known is the Opel Blitz, although the six-wheeled Krupp-Protze was also widely used and is instantly recognisable. We shall not differentiate between one type of truck and another. Trucks were sometimes armed with a pintle-mounted machine gun, primarily for anti-aircraft defence, and we include the option here.
| Cost | 31pts (Inexperienced), 39pts (Regular), 47pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | Up to 12 men |
| Tow | Light howitzer; light or medium anti-tank gun, light anti-aircraft gun |
| Options | - May have a pintle-mounted MMG with 360° arc of fire for +15pts |
The Kubelwagen was the military version of the Volkswagen and proved a reliable, rugged and much-liked little workhorse that saw action on every front. Although it lacked the four-wheel drive of Allied jeeps this was compensated for to some extent by its lighter construction, locking differential and good ground clearance. It could carry four men – three plus a driver – sufficient to carry a weapons team or HQ unit.
| Cost | 17pts (Inexperienced), 21pts (Regular), 25pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | Up to 3 men |
| Options | - Can have a pintle-mounted MMG with a 360° arc for +15pts, losing all transport capacity |
This list is based on the American forces that fought in Western Europe from D-Day to the surrender of Germany. By this time the US army had already gained considerable combat experience in Africa and Italy. The troops who fought their way onto the Normandy beaches were well prepared and equipped, and backed up by a logistical system that was second to none. The standard Allied tank, the M4 Sherman, may have lacked both the firepower and protection of its German adversaries, but in the hands of American crews, and driven onwards by confident generals like Patton, its shortcomings were overcome by sheer verve and aggression. American doctrine regarded tanks as essentially breakthrough weapons, hence favouring a general-purpose tank gun not otherwise ideal for taking on other tanks. That role was left to anti-tank guns and tank destroyers such as the M10, the M18 Hellcat, and M36 Jackson. American infantry were favoured with the self-loading M1 Garand rifle together with a plentiful supply of ammunition, and US troops were generally lavishly equipped and provisioned.
The US army’s tactical doctrine placed great emphasis on firepower and mobility, and this is reflected in the armament of the standard infantry squad with the self-loading M1 Garand rifle or carbine, and Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), which could be fired effectively by one man on the move.
To reflect this combination of doctrine, armament and plentiful ammunition, US infantry models equipped with M1 Garand rifles/carbines and BAR do not suffer the –1 ‘to hit’ penalty for shooting and moving. This means that these models can be given an Advance order to move and then shoot without suffering the usual ‘to hit’ penalty, making American infantry extremely effective both on the attack and when shifting position in defence.
In the last years of the war, the American army could boast undisputed ownership of the skies. The Luftwaffe was no longer able to oppose them, with disastrous consequences for their troops and the columns of armoured vehicles that were constantly hammered by low-flying attacks by USAAF aircraft.
A US forward air observer unit can call an air strike twice instead of once per game.
The list is divided into categories as follows.
| 1 | Infantry | Headquarters units |
| Infantry squads and teams | ||
| 2 | Artillery | Field artillery |
| Anti-tank guns | ||
| Anti-aircraft guns | ||
| 3 | Vehicles | Tanks |
| Tank destroyers | ||
| Self-propelled artillery | ||
| Anti-aircraft vehicles | ||
| Armoured cars | ||
| Transports and tows |
Each platoon is centred upon a core that includes a headquarters unit in the form of a first or second lieutenant. Other HQ units can be added to the force, including higher-ranking officers, as well as medical unite and supporting observers.
Prior to the invasion of France, front-line officers went through vigorous training with their regiments both in the US and Britain, although initially many were obviously lacking in combat experience. Such experience came very quickly for all ranks, and so we allow US officers to be inexperienced, regular or veteran.
| Cost |
- Second Lieutenant 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) - First Lieutenant 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) - Captain 95pts (Inexperienced), 110pts (Regular), 125pts (Veteran) - Major 135pts (Inexperienced), 150pts (Regular), 165pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 officer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, or rifle/carbine as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The officer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +7pts (Inexperienced), +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
Forward observers are liaison officers responsible for coordinating the fire of remote heavy artillery batteries or aircraft strikes. They are likely to be accompanied by a radio operator and other immediate attendants. We rate these officers as regular or veteran, those of lesser ability being unlikely to find themselves in such a position. Note that the US air forward observer can call two airstrikes during the game to represent overwhelming American air superiority.
| Cost |
- Artillery Forward Observer 100pts (Regular), 115pts (Veteran) - Air Force Forward Observer 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 Forward Observer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, or rifle/carbine as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The observer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
The average American soldier was keen to do his bit to defend his country and uphold its democratic values. Vast numbers of recruits came through boot camp to join those already fighting, and hard physical training combined with plentiful and well-made equipment meant they usually hit the ground running. Although sometimes lacking in individual experience, by this stage in the war it would be wrong to rate any American troops as ‘green’, with raw troops now often benefiting from the leadership of experienced men and officers.
The American infantry squad had an authorised strength of 12 men: an NCO (usually a staff sergeant or sergeant) armed with a submachine gun, M1 Garand rifle or carbine; 10 riflemen carrying M1 Garand rifles; and a man armed with BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle). This could be divided down and would often be under strength, and we allow the unit to be built up from five men to represent this. Anti-tank weaponry took the form of rifle grenades fired by a special grenade launcher attachment for the Garand, which could also fire fragmentation and smoke grenades. In reality only a portion of men would be armed with the launcher attachment but we allow the entire squad to count as armed with anti-tank grenades for practical purposes.
| Cost | Regular Infantry 50pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 7 additional men with rifles at +10pts each - The NCO and up to 1 man can have a submachine gun instead of rifles for +3pts each - Up to 1 man can have a BAR automatic rifle instead of a rifle for +5pts - The entire squad can be given anti-tank grenades for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
The 17th Airborne Division lands on the Rhine, by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Weapon 13: The M1 Carbine
The US airborne divisions gained a reputation for tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds even when surrounded. The 101st Airborne saw action in multiple battles from D-Day to Berlin. American Rangers – comparable to British Commandos – were given the most dangerous missions, often leading the attack or advancing into position to secure important objectives prior to an attack. They are armed with the same combination of weapons as regular US infantry, though often with a higher portion of automatic weapons and carbines. Rangers and airborne troops also made use of the Gammon bomb against enemy armour.
| Cost | Veteran Infantry 65pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles/carbines |
| Options |
- Add up to 7 additional men with rifles or carbines at +13pts each - The NCO and up to 4 men can have a submachine gun instead of rifles for +3pts each - Up to 2 men can have BAR automatic rifles instead of rifles for +5pts each - The entire squad can be given anti-tank grenades (Gammon bomb) instead for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
With the constant need to replace troops lost in action, raw recruits sometimes outnumbered the more experienced members of a squad or platoon. Though not lacking in confidence, the enthusiasm of these raw troops was not always matched by their ability in the field. Some regiments suffered such heavy losses in early fighting that they were understandably reluctant to re-join the fight subsequently. To represent these raw units we rate them as inexperienced. These units would be armed in the standard fashion as other US troops.
| Cost | Inexperienced Infantry 35pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 7 additional men with rifles at +7pts each - The NCO and up to 1 man can have a submachine gun instead of rifles for +3pts each - Up to 1 man can have a BAR automatic rifle instead of a rifle for +5pts - The entire squad can be given anti-tank grenades for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
The M1919 Browning was a multi-purpose medium machine gun that appeared in both air and water-cooled versions. Each infantry company included a platoon of machine guns, which would be used to provide fire support to individual infantry platoons when required. The relatively large number of these weapons available at company level means that a US army can include a higher proportion of medium machine guns than other armies. As noted below, up to three machine guns can be included in each reinforced platoon, rather than just one.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 MMG |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Extra selection – you may take up to three .30 Cal MMGs as one selection in each reinforced platoon |
This recoilless anti-tank weapon fired a rocket-propelled grenade with a shaped charge that could penetrate up to 120mm of armour. Using a bazooka required some courage, as it was necessary to get close to the target to get a clean hit. When the bazooka fired it left a clearly visible smoke trail giving away the bazooka’s position to return fire.
| Cost | 42pts (Inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 78pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 bazooka |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Shaped charge |
US sniper training before World War II was non-existent. When it became apparent that snipers were needed training began in earnest. Snipers could be armed with the M1 Garand, but the bolt-action Springfield was often favoured for its longer range and accuracy; in both cases, rifles carried telescopic sights.
| Cost | 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 rifle |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Sniper |
The battered bastards of Bastogne
The 81mm M1 mortar was developed from a French design. The 136-pound M1 was designed to be man-portable when broken down into three components, the tube, the bipod mount, and the round base plate, each weighing about 45 pounds. The rectangular base plate allowed for firing in any direction. It could be used at ranges of 200 to over 3,000 yards with the M43A1 HE ammunition.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium mortar |
| Options | - May add Spotter for +10pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Indirect fire |
The American army was well provided with artillery from the lightweight 75mm pack howitzer to the larger 105mm and 155mm howitzers including the famous ‘Long Tom’. These were towed by a variety of prime movers including heavy trucks and artillery tractors.
The 75mm howitzer was used primarily by US airborne divisions, each with somewhere between 36 and 60 pieces. They were used to provide close-range infantry support in most operations. Its design allowed it to be ideally suited to all terrains and environments, being able to be pulled by jeeps or even pack animals.
| Cost | 40pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 60pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 light howitzer |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed - Howitzer |
By the later war the 37mm anti-tank gun had been replaced by the 57mm gun, a version of the British 6-pdr, but 37mm weapons continued to be employed as support weapons and had the advantage that they could be towed by a jeep or light truck.
This was the primary anti-tank gun used during the war and was a development of the British 6-pdr anti-tank gun. Initially, only armoured piercing ammunition was issued, but following the Normandy campaign high-explosive shells finally reached the battlefield. US airborne command rejected the need for 57mm guns, saying they were not fit for landing by glider. When they were given the almost identical British 6-pdrs they soon found a place in the divisions, calling guns supplied from both sides 57mms.
| Cost | 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium anti-tank gun |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed |
The most common anti-aircraft gun used by the US army was the Bofors 40mm.
The M1A2 anti-aircraft gun was introduced in 1938. It had an impressive rate of fire of 120 shots per minute and a range of around 3,000m. More than 700 of the M1A2 with its four-legged platform were built. It was replaced by the 40mm Bofors M1 of which over 34,000 were made. The Bofors model had a three-metre barrel, a 360° traverse and an elevation of –4° to 90°.
| Cost | 48pts (inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 4 men |
| Weapons | 1 platform-mounted heavy automatic cannon |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Flak |
At the start of the war America had little experience of tank production, but considerable expertise at general automotive mass production that would soon be turned to war work. This ability to produce vast quantities of arms and munitions was to prove decisive, and nowhere more so than in the field of tank manufacture. Not only was the sheer rate of production sufficient to equip US and Allied needs, but American built tanks invariably had excellent engines and reliable mechanics, which is more than can be said for many of the tanks in service with other nations at the time. US doctrine called for tanks to be general purpose fighting vehicles, light and fast enough to exploit a breakthrough, and armed with a general purpose gun to support infantry. This thinking led to the Sherman – the principal tank of the late war – being under-gunned compared to German tanks which in theory the Sherman was never designed to confront (that role being left to specialised tank destroyer units).
Streetfighting in Aachen, by Steve Noon © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 181: Siegfried Line 1944–45
US tank battalions included three companies of M5 light tanks for reconnaissance purposes and infantry support. With only thin armour and a 37mm gun, the M5 was outclassed by German tanks, but it continued to serve until the end of the war and was much liked for its reliability. It was also used as the basis for numerous variants, including command tanks, turretless reconnaissance versions, and various gun carriages.
| Cost | 108pts (Inexperienced), 135pts (Regular), 162pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted light anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Options | - May have additional pintle-mounted HMG on top of turret for +25pts |
The M4 Sherman was very reliable, easily maintained and made in huge quantities in a number of different production versions. It quickly became the standard tank of the US and British armies and over 55,000 were produced. All Shermans deployed in Normandy in June 1944 were equipped with 75mm guns – a general-purpose weapon developed from a field gun. This gun lacked the armour penetration of German anti-tank guns of the same calibre, but it had an excellent high explosive shell and even an anti-personnel canister round for close range fire support, although this saw more use in the Pacific theatre. Shermans equipped with 105mm howitzers were also available to provide close fire support and smoke, and these are given here as an option.
| Cost | 156pts (Inexperienced), 195pts (Regular), 234pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
| Options |
- May add a pintle-mounted HMG on the turret for +25pts - May exchange 75mm medium anti-tank gun for 105mm medium howitzer at no extra cost |
| Special Rules |
- Easily catches fire: if a roll on the vehicle damage table results in the vehicle catching fire add D3 pin markers rather than just 1 before taking a morale test - HE – instead of using the 1" template, a Sherman's HE rounds use the 2" template (75mm gun tanks) |
The need for an up-gunned Sherman was becoming increasingly apparent even before the invasion of Europe. To this end a new 76mm anti-tank gun had been developed that was designed to have a comparable performance to the German KwK40. Although the US already possessed a weapon of this calibre – the 76mm M7 or ‘3-inch’ gun – this was too heavy and cumbersome to fit into a tank turret. The new gun, fitted into a new and larger turret, enabled US crews to confront their adversaries on more equal terms. However, despite this, the weapon was not universally liked – lacking the powerful high-explosive round of the 75mm gun.
| Cost | 188pts (Inexperienced), 235pts (Regular), 282pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
| Options | - May add a pintle-mounted HMG on the turret for +25pts |
| Special Rules | - Easily catches fire: if a roll on the vehicle damage table results in the vehicle catching fire add D3 pin markers rather than just 1 before taking a morale test |
US tactical doctrine maintained that enemy tanks should be countered by anti-tank guns, whether crew-served weapons such as the 57mm gun or weapons mounted in mobile tank destroyers (TDs). As a result, the US army was equipped with a number of tank destroyers armed with effective anti-tank guns in open lightly armoured turrets. This arrangement enabled a larger calibre weapon to be carried than in a tank turret, but tank destroyers were not tanks despite their appearance, and armour protection was weak. Tank destroyer crews relied instead upon mobility to ‘shoot and scoot’, often setting up behind cover from where they could ambush enemy tanks as they approached.
The M10 was the most common tank destroyer in use by the American forces during World War II. It was also used by the British who equipped it with the 17-pdr gun as the Achilles. The M10 carried a 76mm (3 inch) anti-tank gun in an open turret.
| Cost | 144pts (Inexperienced), 180pts (Regular), 216pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted heavy anti-tank gun |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Options | - May add a pintle-mounted HMG for +25pts |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
US M10 Tank Destroyer
Close support self-propelled artillery was provided by the M7 Priest, which was armed with a 105mm howitzer. Although a few larger M12 howitzer gun carriages were available, US doctrine was to use these for long-range fire support.
The M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage – known by the British as the Priest on account of its distinctive pulpit style machine gun mount – was intended to provide front-line artillery support for fast-moving armoured divisions. It was a very successful vehicle and served during the European campaign. Although built on a Sherman body, with its more lightly armed superstructure and open cab we rate it with a defence value of 8+.
| Cost | 128pts (Inexperienced), 160pts (Regular), 192pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing medium howitzer and 1 pintle-mounted HMG with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
US M7 Priest Self-Propelled Gun
The Allies had less need of specialised anti-aircraft vehicles towards the late war as Allied aircraft dominated the skies above Europe. Vehicles intended to provide protection against enemy aircraft were often pressed into service against ground targets.
The M16 was a variant of the M3 that featured a quad-mounted .50 HMG or the Bofors 40mm automatic cannon. They were employed across Europe but are best known for their contribution to the fighting over the Rhine crossing at Oppenheim. As German planes attempted to destroy the bridge over the Rhine and deny it to the enemy, M16s kept the enemy at bay and brought down almost a third of the opposing aircraft.
| Cost | 100pts (Inexperienced), 125pts (Regular), 150pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 4 platform-mounted HMGs |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured car) |
| Options | - May exchange all HMGs with a Bofors 40mm heavy automatic cannon for a reduction of –40pts |
| Special Rules |
- Open-topped - Flak |
In American service armoured cars were used exclusively for command and reconnaissance, fulfilling a role analogous to that of light cavalry in an earlier era. They were not really combat vehicles and were very lightly armoured. Despite this they were capable of holding their own against their German equivalents. Only one armoured car was used by the Americans in the latter part of the war in Europe – the M8. Jeeps and light trucks were often used in the reconnaissance role, as were M5 tanks and M3 Half-tracks.
The M8 was a 6-wheel drive light armoured car used in support of armoured columns throughout the campaign in Western Europe. In British service it was known as the Greyhound. Although very lightly armoured this was compensated for by a considerable turn of speed and generally capable performance. Its main armament of the 37mm anti-tank gun was backed up by a .30 calibre co-axial machine gun, and later versions had a .50 calibre machine gun fixed to the open turret.
| Cost | 88pts (Inexperienced), 110pts (Regular), 132pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 light anti-tank gun and co-axial MMG in an open turret |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured car) |
| Options |
- May add an additional pintle-mounted HMG with 360° fire for +25pts - May instead replace the light anti-tank gun and co-axial MMG with a pintle-mounted HMG with 360° fire (M20 variant) for a reduction of –30pts |
| Special Rules |
- Open-topped - Recce |
US M8 Greyhound Armoured Car
The American automotive industry was ideally placed to produce jeeps and trucks in vast quantities and a range of sizes from the tiny jeep to massive trucks and tractors capable of towing the largest artillery pieces. A representative section is included here and will prove adequate for our immediate needs.
Sometimes referred to as the ‘deuce and a half’ or ‘jimmy’, the two and a half ton truck was the standard US general purpose army cargo truck used for haulage as well as troop transportation and as a prime mover for howitzers and anti-tank guns. Trucks were sometimes armed with a pintle-mounted machine gun, primarily for anti-aircraft defence, and we include the option here.
| Cost | 31pts (Inexperienced), 39pts (Regular), 47pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skinned) |
| Transport | 12 men |
| Tow | Light, medium or heavy anti-tank gun; light or medium howitzer, light or heavy AA gun |
| Options |
- May have a pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts - May upgrade the MMG to a HMG for +10pts |
The four-wheel drive jeep was one of the most remarkable and useful vehicles to emerge during the war. It was rugged and adaptable with a powerful engine that enabled it to tow a light anti-tank gun.
US Airborne Jeeps
| Cost | 17pts (Inexperienced), 21pts (Regular), 25pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skinned) |
| Transport | 3 men |
| Tow | Light anti-tank gun |
| Options |
- May have a pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts, losing all transport capacity - May upgrade the MMG to a HMG for +10pts |
The M3 and very similar ‘export’ M5 half-tracks were designed as armoured personnel carriers although they were later adapted to a variety of other roles including weapons carrier, platforms for anti-aircraft guns, and even a tank destroyer.
| Cost | 79pts (Inexperienced), 99pts (Regular), 119pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 pintle-mounted HMG with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured carrier) |
| Transport | 12 men |
| Tow | Light, medium or heavy anti-tank gun; light or medium howitzer, light or heavy AA gun |
| Options | - May add up to three additional pintle-mounted MMGs (1 covering the left arc, 1 covering the right arc and 1 covering the rear arc) for +15pts each |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
The LVT (Landing Vehicle Tracked) series was developed to provide a fully amphibious troop transport for beach assaults in the Pacific theatre. These vehicles were armed with machine guns and could transport two fully equipped squads of marines. After their introduction during the battle of Tarawa, new, armoured versions were developed alongside fire-support variants. The name ‘Water Buffalo’ was used to describe them – in British usage this became simply ‘Buffalo’.
| Cost | 78pts (Inexperienced), 98pts (Regular), 118pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 2 pintle-mounted MMGs (1 covering the forward and left arcs, and 1 covering the forward and right arcs) |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skinned) |
| Transport | 24 men |
| Options |
- May upgrade the 2 MMGs to HMGs for +20pts for the pair - May add 2 pintle-mounted MMGs (1 covering the rear and left arcs, and 1 covering the rear and right arcs) for +30pts for the pair |
| Special Rules | - Amphibious |
A US M21 mortar carrier lets loose another salvo
This list is based on the troops and equipment of the British and Commonwealth forces during the war in Western Europe from D-Day to the fall of Berlin. In addition to the substantial numbers of British, Canadian and other Commonwealth forces, the army included two corps of Polish troops equipped identically to other Commonwealth units. By this stage in the war the British army had gained considerable experience of modern warfare in the Mediterranean, Italy and elsewhere, and British troops were generally well led and tenacious. They were backed up by effective artillery, and British tactical doctrine emphasised the use of preparatory bombardment together with smoke and long-range covering fire.
British forces were supported by well-coordinated gun batteries and were able to call down fire to support an attack or discourage the enemy’s advance.
British armies can include 1 regular artillery forward observer for free.
British tactical doctrine called for extensive preparatory bombardment prior to any attack.
When rolling for the effects of a preparatory bombardment instead of rolling one die on the results chart for each enemy unit (see here), roll two dice and choose the best result.
The list is divided into categories as follows.
| 1 | Infantry | Headquarters units |
| Infantry squads and teams | ||
| 2 | Artillery | Field artillery |
| Anti-tank guns | ||
| Anti-aircraft guns | ||
| 3 | Vehicles | Tanks |
| Tank destroyers | ||
| Self-propelled artillery | ||
| Anti-aircraft vehicles | ||
| Armoured cars | ||
| Transports and tows |
Each platoon is centred upon a core that includes a headquarters unit in the form of a first or second lieutenant. Other HQ units can be added to the force, including higher-ranking officers, as well as medical units and supporting observers.
The middle ranks of officers were almost invariably drawn from the upper-middle classes: educated in the public schools, instilled with the values of empire, and imbued with a sense of confidence, duty and resolve that is difficult to conceive of today. An officer unit consists of the man himself and can include up to two other men acting as his immediate attendants. Officers can be rated as inexperienced, regular or veteran.
| Cost |
- Second Lieutenant 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) - First Lieutenant 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) - Captain 95pts (Inexperienced), 110pts (Regular), 125pts (Veteran) - Major 135pts (Inexperienced), 150pts (Regular), 165pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 officer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, or rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The officer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +7pts (Inexperienced), +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
Forward observers are liaison officers responsible for coordinating the attack of heavy artillery batteries from behind the lines or aircraft strikes. They are likely to be accompanied by a radio operator and other immediate attendants. We rate these officers as regular or veteran, those of lesser ability being unlikely to find themselves in such a position. Note that the British army can include one regular artillery forward observer for free to represent the close coordination of artillery at a tactical level.
| Cost |
- Artillery Forward Observer Free/100pts (Regular), 115pts (Veteran) - Air Force Forward Observer 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 Forward Observer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, or rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The observer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
British troops assault Japanese bunkers, by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 229: Kohima 1944
The British soldier had a massive reputation to live up to: steadfast in the face of the enemy and forming a vital part of a well-oiled fighting machine. His equipment was effective and practical, even if the standard weapon – the Lee-Enfield .303 – had served his father in the previous war. None the less, it was an effective and rugged weapon. It was ideally suited to British fire methods based on rapid, aimed single shots.
A British infantry squad was referred to as a section. It normally consisted of ten men and was divided into a separate rifle group and Bren group. Each section was led by a corporal armed with a Sten submachine gun and included a lance corporal who was in charge of the Bren group. All the section members apart from the corporal carried ammunition for the Bren – 700 rounds in 25 magazines in all. In addition, all men carried grenades.
| Cost | Regular Infantry 50pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 5 additional soldiers at +10pts each - The NCO and another soldier may have a submachine gun for +3pts each - 1 soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts; another soldier becomes the loader - The entire squad may have anti-tank grenades for +2pts per model |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
Commandos and paratroopers played a vital role in ensuring the landings at Normandy went to plan. The 6th Airborne division led the way by securing vital positions on the first day of the invasion. Paratroops then carried the fight through the Ardennes and were involved in the crossing of the Rhine into Germany. In addition to these elite forces many of the formations involved in the fighting in Europe were veterans of the African and Italian campaigns – not least the Poles. Although armed in the standard fashion, special forces units would often include a higher number of submachine guns and might substitute the Bren gun for comparable weapons such as the Vickers VGO. Any of these units can be built up as follows.
| Cost | Veteran Infantry 65pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 5 additional soldiers at +13pts each - The NCO and up to four other soldiers may have a submachine gun for +3pts each - 1 soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts; another soldier becomes the loader - The entire squad may have anti-tank grenades for +2pts per model |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
Conscription helped fill the ranks of the British army, and by 1944 males between the ages of 18 and 51 were being conscripted to fulfil roles throughout the armed forces. Training was always good but many were understandably reluctant warriors, often joining battalions that had suffered terrible losses in action. On the whole, the western Allies were never obliged to commit scratch forces or militia to battle, as were the Germans toward the end of the war, so such troops would be a rarity. We allow an inexperienced section to be constructed as follows.
| Cost | Inexperienced Infantry 35pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 5 additional soldiers at +7pts each - The NCO may have a submachine gun for +3pts - 1 soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts; another soldier becomes the loader - The entire squad may have anti-tank grenades for +2pts per model |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
A .303 Vickers water-cooled machine gun offered fire support to infantry units. This was another weapon of World War I vintage that soldiered on through World War II and beyond, proving extremely effective at laying down continuous fire over range. A typical team consisted of a lance corporal gunner, a loader and an ammunition bearer.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 MMG |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed |
The PIAT launcher was the British equivalent of the American bazooka. It had the same role as the main hand-held anti-tank weapon amongst infantry formations. The PIAT (Projector Infantry Anti-Tank) was developed from a spigot mortar design and fired a shaped charge missile with an effective range of 100 metres against armoured targets.
| Cost | 28pts (Inexperienced), 40pts (Regular), 52pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 PIAT |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Shaped charge |
Snipers were armed with a SMLE No.4 Rifle equipped with a No.32 Mk.1 telescopic sight. They carried 50 rounds of ammunition, five tracer rounds and five armour-piercing rounds. Two No.36 Mills bombs or No.77 smoke grenades were also carried along with binoculars and a camouflage net.
| Cost | 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 rifle |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Sniper |
The 3” mortar was used to provide support from long range. It weighed 60kg but had a range of up to 2500 metres dependent upon the projectile used. The 3” mortar was operated by a crew of 3 and could be transported in a Universal Carrier.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium mortar |
| Options | - May add Spotter for +10pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Indirect fire |
A British Army 17-pdr anti-tank gun prepares to fire
British artillery was both effective and numerous, with the smaller and mid calibre weapons providing well-coordinated close range support. The 25-pdr is probably the iconic artillery piece of the war and would serve in the British army for many years afterwards. Artillerymen were well trained and in many respects an elite force, so we treat all British gunners as regular or veteran.
The standard British field gun of World War II was the 25-pdr gun–howitzer, a versatile weapon with a calibre of 3.45 inches (87.6mm). This was the weapon used in overwhelming numbers in Western Europe, although the 3.7-inch (94mm) mountain howitzer was also deployed in the Netherlands and the Ruhr by units originally equipped for mountain fighting in Greece. Some airborne units used a lightweight version of the same weapon. We categorise the 25-pdr as a light field gun for our purposes, although it was really an intermediate type capable of providing close range support and longer-range indirect fire.
| Cost | 50pts (Regular), 60pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 light howitzer |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed - Howitzer |
The 8th Army advances, by Steve Noon © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Warrior 160: Desert Rat 1940–43
The QF 6-pdr (QF stands for ‘quick firing’) was the standard anti-tank gun employed by British infantry formations in Western Europe. It was an effective anti-tank weapon, and by 1944 crews carried improved ammunition including tungsten-cored APDS shells that substantially improved the penetrating power of the 6-pdr shot. Although HE shells were available the limited size of charge meant they were relatively ineffective, making the 6-pdr less than ideal as a tank gun and leading to the development of the 75mm weapon used in British tanks such as the Cromwell and Churchill.
| Cost | 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium anti-tank gun |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Gun shield |
The most common anti-aircraft gun used by the British army was the Bofors 40mm.
The 40mm Swedish-designed Bofors was an enormously successful design, seeing service on both sides of the battlefield. It was the main medium anti-aircraft weapon of the British forces throughout the war. The robust and reliable design could be used as both an anti-aircraft weapon and against ground targets with equal effectiveness. As the British developed their doctrine of night assaults it was also employed to mark cleared lanes in minefields, firing tracer on fixed lines to orient the advancing troops.
| Cost | 48pts (Inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 4 men |
| Weapons | 1 platform-mounted heavy automatic cannon |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Flak |
British tank design lagged behind that of the other main combatants of World War II. Engine development suffered from much industrial production being given over to aircraft manufacture. This shortfall was made up with American built tanks, which by D-Day included the M4 Sherman and M5 Stuart. The British Cromwell tank was comparable in performance to the Sherman 75mm, but there were never enough. Only at the very end of the war did a tank appear that was at least comparable to those of the enemy, with the Comet.
British Cromwell Cruiser Tank
The Cromwell was a competent all-round tank with a high turn of speed that made it the ideal tank for armoured reconnaissance regiments. Its protection was respectable (76mm frontal armour) and its main gun was an adequate 75mm weapon with good all-round capability that used the same ammunition as the American 75mm equipped Sherman. The Cromwell gradually replaced American built Sherman tanks in British service. A variant of the design was the Centaur, basically an early version of the Cromwell with a different engine, the only type used in Normandy was equipped with a 95mm howitzer and used by the Royal Marines to provide close-range support (CS).
| Cost | 156pts (Inexperienced), 195pts (Regular), 234pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and 1 hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
| Options | - Substitute 75mm medium anti-tank gun for 95mm medium howitzer to create Centaur CS, for no cost |
| Special Rules | - HE – instead of using the 1" template, a Cromwell's HE rounds use the 2" template (75mm gun tanks) |
The Firefly was a conversion of the Sherman V – it was designated the VC with ‘C’ indicating that it was armed with a 17-pdr gun. The 17-pdr was a formidable anti-tank weapon, in part due to the large amount of propellant used – twice that of the equivalent US 76mm gun carried by American Shermans. However, this capability came with a price; the 17-pdr shells were large and to create space for ammo stowage the hull machine gun position was deleted. The recoil on the 17-pdr necessitated a modified turret, and the blast of the gun was said to be fearsome – often kicking up so much dust as to make visibility difficult and concealment impossible. The proportion of Fireflies in a typical Sherman troop increased steadily, consisting of 1 Firefly to every 3 Sherman Vs at the time of the Normandy campaign, and 2 Fireflies to 2 Sherman Vs by 1945, once a satisfactory HE shell had been developed for the 17-pdr.
| Cost | 244pts (Inexperienced), 305pts (Regular), 366pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted super-heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
| Options | - May add a pintle-mounted HMG for +25pts |
| Special Rules | - Easily catches fire: if a roll on the vehicle damage table results in the vehicle catching fire add D3 pin markers rather than just 1 before taking a morale test |
British Sherman Firefly Vc
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Stuart and Sherman 75
British armour divisions made ample use of the M5 Stuart and the M4 Sherman tanks (armed with the 75mm main gun). You can field these two types of tanks in your force, using the profiles found in the US army list.
The Churchill was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war. It was designed as an infantry tank with very heavy armour, resulting in a tank that was very slow. However, its long track base meant it was very manoeuvrable and could often cross ground that was too steep or difficult for lighter tanks. By the time of the fighting in Western Europe, the Churchill had been up-armed with the British version of the 75mm gun as also used in the Cromwell. The Churchill was used in a supporting role and provided the Allies with a much-needed heavy tank that could withstand many – though not all – German anti-tank weapons. As well as the basic 75mm gun tank we shall make allowance for the CS (close support) version armed with a 95mm howitzer, and the formidable Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tank. The Churchill was also used as the basis of a variety of engineering vehicles in the form of the Churchill AVRE. These are numerous and are therefore covered in the full British and Commonwealth supplementary army lists.
| Cost | 212pts (Inexperienced), 265pts (Regular), 318pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and 1 hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 10+ (heavy tank) |
| Options |
- Crocodile variant – may replace the hull-mounted MMG with a flamethrower for +40pts - May replace the 75mm medium anti-tank gun with a 95mm medium howitzer at no cost |
| Special Rules |
- Slow - HE – instead of using the 1" template, a Churchill's HE rounds use the 2" template (75mm gun tanks) |
British Crocodile Flamethrower Tank
The British used considerable numbers of the standard M10 but considered its gun inadequate when it came to taking on German tanks at long range. This led to the development of two specialist tank destroyers armed with the 17-pdr: the Archer and the Achilles. As self-propelled artillery pieces, tank destroyers were operated by the Royal Artillery and we have rated crews as regular or veteran in keeping with the generally good quality of British artillerymen. Anti-tank regiments combined tank destroyers and towed 17-pdr guns, using the latter in static defence, and the former as mobile anti-tank guns that could be rapidly deployed and moved in the face of any enemy attack.
The M10 carried the 76.2mm (3 inch) M7 anti-tank gun in an open turret – it was identical to the vehicle used by US forces.
| Cost | 180pts (Regular), 216pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted heavy anti-tank gun |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Options | - May add a pintle-mounted HMG for +25pts |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
Self-propelled artillery was provided by the M7 Priest and the British version, the Sexton, which had a 25-pdr gun in place of the US 105mm weapon. In British use these weapons were employed to provide ranged support, and they were not normally engaged on the frontline.
The M3 Howitzer Motor Carriage – known by the British as the Priest on account of its distinctive pulpit style machine gun mount – was intended to provide front-line artillery support for fast-moving armoured divisions. It was a very successful vehicle and served during the European campaign. Although built on a Sherman body, with its more lightly armed superstructure and open cab we rate it with a defence value of 8+.
| Cost | 128pts (Inexperienced), 160pts (Regular), 192pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing medium howitzer and 1 pintle-mounted HMG with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Special Rules | - Open-topped |
The Allies had less need of specialised anti-aircraft vehicles towards the late war as Allied aircraft dominated the skies above Europe. Vehicles intended to provide protection against enemy aircraft were often pressed into service against ground targets.
The Crusader tank was obsolete long before the Normandy campaign, but some vehicles were converted into flak tanks armed with two 20mm autocannons or a single 40mm autocannon in an open turret. With the Luftwaffe all but grounded by overwhelming Allied air superiority the need for such vehicles receded as the war wore on, and it is doubtful if they saw much action. None the less we shall take precautions and allow for them in our armies.
| Cost | 84pts (Inexperienced), 105pts (Regular), 126pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 heavy autocannon in open turret |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Options | - May replace the 40mm autocannon with two 20mm light autocannon in enclosed turret for +25pts |
| Special Rules |
- Flak - Open-topped (40mm version only) |
During the fighting in Western Europe two designs of British armoured car were employed, both with practically identical armour, performance, and weaponry. These were the Humber and Daimler. The Humber armoured car was armed with an American 37mm gun and the Daimler had a 2-pdr. Both were used by reconnaissance regiments and were only lightly armoured, relying on speed to avoid more heavily armed enemy.
| Cost | 92pts (Inexperienced), 115pts (Regular), 138pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted light anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured car) |
| Special Rules | - Recce |
British trucks were military adaptations of civilian trucks such as the Bedford, CMP (Canadian Military Pattern), Austin, and Morris. They were produced in a variety of sizes, as general-purpose cargo trucks, troop transports, artillery tows, and for a variety of special purposes. We shall not differentiate between one type of truck and another. Trucks were sometimes armed with a pintle-mounted machine gun, primarily for anti-aircraft defence, and we include the option here.
| Cost | 31pts (Inexperienced), 39pts (Regular), 47pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | 12 men |
| Tow | Light howitzer; light or medium anti-tank gun |
| Options |
- May have a pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts - May upgrade the MMG to a HMG for +10pts |
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LVT Buffalo
The British made ample use of the LVT amphibious armoured transport ‘Buffalo’. You can field these vehicles in your force, using the profiles found in the US army list.
Jeeps were used by the British much as in the American army in the role of light transports and command vehicles. Although capable of towing a light anti-tank gun (the US 37mm, for example) no such weapon existed in the British arsenal at the time.
| Cost | 17pts (Inexperienced), 21pts (Regular), 25pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | 3 men |
| Tow | Light anti-tank gun |
| Options |
- May have a pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts, losing all transport capacity - May upgrade the MMG to a HMG for +10pts |
The Bren or more properly Universal Carrier was a fully tracked weapons and personnel carrier. It was often used to transport a machine gun and its crew and its ability to turn rapidly made it useful in the reconnaissance role too. It was also used as an artillery tractor for the 6-pdr gun.
| Cost | 56pts (Inexperienced), 70pts (Regular), 84pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing LMG firing to the front arc |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured carrier) |
| Transport | 5 men |
| Tow | Light or medium anti-tank gun |
| Options | - Replace transport capacity with forward facing MMG (Vickers MMG carrier) |
| Special Rules |
- Open-topped - Recce - Turn on the spot – the universal carrier can turn on the spot enabling it to execute a full speed Run rate 'reverse' finishing the move facing in direction of travel |
This list is based on the troops and equipment of the Soviet forces during the latter part of the war in North and Eastern Europe. It covers roughly from the summer offensive of 1944 (Operation Bagration) until the surrender of Berlin in May 1945. The Soviet Red Army was the largest of all the combatants’ armies. By this stage in the war it had become a formidable fighting force that included its fair share of elite and experienced troops and commanders, as well as massed formations of conscripts of the kind that had characterised the Soviet army in former years. Soviet equipment was rugged and practical, built to endure the harsh Russian winters and the handling of barely trained Russian troops. It included probably the best all round tank of the war: the T-34. The Russians also possessed some of the most effective artillery of the war, including long-ranged guns, and the notorious multiple-rocket launcher known to the Germans as ‘Stalin’s Organ’.
Throughout the war Russian forces endured a rate of casualties unimaginable in the West and which would undoubtedly have broken a people less inured to hardship and sacrifice.
Whenever a unit of infantry or artillery models fails a morale check and would otherwise be destroyed as a consequence, take the test again and apply this second result. This re-roll applies to all infantry and artillery units, including HQ units that would otherwise be destroyed if they failed a morale check. Note that this rule only applies to infantry and artillery, and not to tanks or other vehicles.
If you have more men than they have bullets, they will eventually run out of ammunition.
To represent the vast manpower available within the Soviet Union, the Russian army gets a free 12-man squad of inexperienced infantry, with all of the possible options you have models for.
The list is divided into categories as follows.
| 1 | Infantry | Headquarters units |
| Infantry squads and teams | ||
| 2 | Artillery | Field artillery |
| Anti-tank guns | ||
| Anti-aircraft guns | ||
| 3 | Vehicles | Tanks |
| Tank destroyers | ||
| Self-propelled artillery | ||
| Anti-aircraft vehicles | ||
| Armoured cars | ||
| Transports and tows |
Each platoon is built upon a core that includes a headquarters unit in the form of a senior or junior lieutenant (the Russian equivalents to first and second lieutenant). Other HQ units can be added to the force, including higher-ranking officers, as well as medical units and supporting observers.
An officer unit consists of the officer himself and can include up to two other men acting as his immediate attendants. Officers can be rated as inexperienced, regular or veteran.
| Cost |
- Second (Junior) Lieutenant 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) - First (Senior) Lieutenant 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) - Captain 95pts (Inexperienced), 110pts (Regular), 125pts (Veteran) - Major 135pts (Inexperienced), 150pts (Regular), 165pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 officer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, or rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The officer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +7pts (Inexperienced), +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
Forward observers are liaison officers responsible for coordinating the attack of heavy artillery or rocket batteries or aircraft strikes. They are likely to be accompanied by a radio operator and other immediate attendants. We rate these officers as regular or veteran.
| Cost |
- Artillery Forward Observer 100pts (Regular), 115pts (Veteran) - Air Force Forward Observer 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 Forward Observer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, or rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The observer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
The Russian foot soldier has long been celebrated for his ability to endure the worst that the enemy, the Russian winter, and his own superiors could throw at him. As in all armies, there were elite fighting formations as well as scratch units trained in only the most basic way, but because of the sheer size of the Russian army the latter always tended to outnumber the former. Still, the Red Army of the late war was not the disorganised and poorly led force that the Germans had so easily defeated in 1941 – even if its chief advantage was still one of numbers rather than quality.
A Russian infantry squad consisted of 11 men led by a sergeant or junior sergeant – the Russian equivalent to a corporal. Each squad included a light machine gun and one of the ordinary squad members would act as its loader – this would usually be the DP (Degtyaryov Pekhotny) machine gun with its distinctive round pan magazine. The rest of the unit carried either bolt-action or semi-automatic rifles or submachine guns, and all would carry grenades.
| Cost | Regular Infantry 50pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 7 additional soldiers at +10pts each - Any soldiers may have a submachine gun for +3pts each - 1 soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts; another soldier becomes the loader - The entire squad may have anti-tank grenades for +2pts per model |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
In the Red Army the title of Guards was awarded to units proven in combat and would therefore tend to denote elite troops. They were certainly given priority when it came to supplies, access to automatic weapons and promotion. They were also given the toughest assignments, often resulting in such a rate of attrition that by the end of the war many Guards units consisted mostly of raw recruits. If the Soviet army was not on the whole an elite fighting force it certainly included its fair share of battle hardened veterans. NKVD (People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs) troops were chiefly used for internal security but could potentially fight on the frontline as they did during the Crimean Offensive in 1944. These formations can be constructed as follows.
| Cost | Veteran Infantry 65pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 7 additional soldiers at +13pts each - Any soldiers may have a submachine gun for +3pts each - 1 soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts; another soldier becomes the loader - 1 soldier can have a (captured) panzerfaust in addition to other weapons for +5pts - The entire squad may have anti-tank grenades for +2pts per model |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
Throughout the war Soviet troops continued to suffer a rate of casualties far exceeding anything endured by any other combatant nation. The demand for new recruits and new formations was therefore great, and no sooner were men equipped and given the most rudimentary training than they were often thrown into the fighting. The sheer size of the Red Army meant that a significant proportion of its troops would be relatively inexperienced. We allow an inexperienced section to be constructed as follows.
| Cost | Inexperienced Infantry 35pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 7 additional soldiers at +7pts each - The NCO may have a submachine gun for +3pts - 1 soldier may have a light machine gun for +20pts; another soldier becomes the loader - The entire squad may have anti-tank grenades for +2pts per model - Any inexperienced infantry squads can be Green at no extra cost |
| Special Rules |
- Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) - Green (if Green option taken) |
The venerable Maxim 1910 model was used throughout the war, the very same weapon that had served in the Great War. It was a capable weapon that could be tripod-, sledge-or wheel-mounted and was often given a useful shield to help preserve the crew. The Maxim was slowly replaced by the newer, lighter but equally effective SG43 model machine gun.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 MMG |
| Options | - Gun shield (as per the model) – the gun can have a gun shield for +5pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Gun shield (if fitted) with the same rule as for artillery |
Whilst anti-tank rifles fell out of favour in other armies the Russians continued to make good use of the 14.5mm PTRD throughout the war, even going so far as to develop an semi-automatic version, the PTRS 41. Although capable of penetrating the side armour of the lighter German tanks, crews had to get extremely close to do so, and with the more heavily armed German tanks their only chance was to hit through a vision port or other vulnerable spot, or to snipe at exposed crew members. In the later part of the war anti-tank rifles were more often used against lighter targets such as armoured cars and trucks.
| Cost | 21pts (Inexperienced), 30pts (Regular), 39pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 anti-tank rifle |
| Special Rules | - Team weapon |
The standard Russian medium mortar of the war was the 82-PM-41 – or 82mm battalion mortar 1941 model. This served alongside the otherwise similar 82mm 1937 model. Both were very effective and accurate weapons with a range of up to 3,000 metres.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium mortar |
| Options | - May add Spotter for +10pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Indirect fire |
Christmas Day, 1943, by Steve Noon © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 291: The Dnepr 1943
The sniper became synonymous with the Russian army particularly during the sieges of Stalingrad and Leningrad. They were available at company level and worked as teams or on their own. They used telescopic sights on either a bolt-action Moisin–Nagant or Tokarev SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle, and a variety of ammunition that included tracer and armour-piercing rounds. Soviet snipers were renowned for their field craft, stealth and patience, and the most successful snipers each accounted for hundreds of enemy – 489 being the greatest tally recorded by a single sniper.
| Cost | 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 rifle |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Sniper |
The Soviet army deployed artillery in vast numbers and a bewildering variety of sizes, from lightweight infantry guns to huge divisional artillery pieces.
The Russians produced a number of different light artillery guns all of the same 76.2mm (3-inch) calibre, but by the late war the chief weapon was the ZiS-3 divisional field gun – a good all round gun that was used both as a howitzer and against enemy tanks. All of these weapons can be represented as follows.
| Cost | 40pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 60pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 light howitzer |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed - Howitzer |
Although the 45mm anti-tank gun was practically obsolete by 1945, it would remain in service until the end of the war. More effective by far was the ZiS-2 57mm anti-tank gun that was the standard weapon of anti-tank artillery regiments, and which were also used by the anti-tank platoons of some infantry regiments.
The 57mm ZiS-2 was developed before the war to provide a weapon capable of facing the heavily armoured tanks that were being developed at the time. It was a rapid firing semi-automatic gun that could shoot up to 25 rounds a minute. The ZiS-2 was not adopted initially; instead anti-tank units persisted with the old 45mm M-42 and 76mm ZiS-3 field guns. However, these weapons were not capable of facing the even heavier tanks being deployed by the Germans, so ZiS-2 production was given the full go ahead. Almost 10,000 were made before the war ended.
| Cost | 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium anti-tank gun |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed |
After experimentation with a number of different weapons in the 1930s the Red Army purchased several 40mm Bofors automatic antiaircraft guns from Sweden. The 37mm 61-K Model 1939 was heavily influenced by the Bofors design and became the most common divisional anti-aircraft weapon during the Great Patriotic War. Some 20,000 were produced by 1945.
| Cost | 48pts (Inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 4 men |
| Weapons | 1 platform-mounted heavy automatic cannon |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Flak |
As with all aspects of the Soviet army Russian tanks were produced in vast quantities and the tank produced in greater number than any other was the iconic T-34 – arguably the best all round medium tank of the war. The Russians also used many lend-lease vehicles, including British and American tanks. By the late war most of these had gone apart from the M4A2 Sherman – both the 75mm and 76mm gun version were sent to Russia. Players who wish to include Shermans amongst their Soviet forces can do so using the details provided in the US army lists.
BT stood for Bystrokhodny tank – ‘fast/high speed tank’ – and were a design of Soviet cavalry tanks that emphasised light weight and high speed.
| Cost | 100pts (Inexperienced), 125pts (Regular), 150pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted light anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Options | - A BT-7A may replace its light anti-tank gun with a light howitzer for free |
More T-34s were produced than any other tank of the war. It was also continually upgraded with better armour and improved guns, making it a match for the German Panzer IV and a worthy opponent of Panthers, Tigers and heavier German tanks. By 1944 the earlier production version armed with the 76.2mm F-34 gun had been replaced by the T-34/85 armed with an 85mm ZiS-S-53 gun in a larger, three-man turret. However, the earlier tank continued in service, both fighting until the end of the war and – in the case of the T34-85 – well beyond.
| Cost | 156pts (Inexperienced), 195pts (Regular), 234pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
Soviet T-34/76
The T34/85 was the ultimate version of the T-34 tank. It featured a larger turret that was big enough to accommodate a third crewman. This meant that the commander no longer had to also act as the tank’s gunner, which greatly improved combat effectiveness. The 85mm ZiS-S-53 gun restored something of the fighting power to the T-34, which had found itself increasingly out-shot by later German tanks.
| Cost | 188pts (Inexperienced), 235pts (Regular), 282pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG and forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
The Iosif Stalin tank was designed to replace the old KV heavy tank and was a far better designed machine with thick frontal armour and a huge 122mm gun. This weapon was the A19 gun–howitzer that was also used by the Russian artillery. As an anti-tank weapon it was less potent than its sheer size might suggest. For one thing, it was very slow to fire as the shell and charge were separate, and space within the low IS-2 turret was very cramped – two rounds a minute was about all that could be managed. In its role as a tank gun we treat the 122mm gun as a heavy anti-tank gun but with enhanced HE capability.
| Cost | 256pts (Inexperienced), 320pts (Regular), 384pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted heavy anti-tank gun with co-axial MMG, 1 turret-mounted rear-facing MMG, and 1 forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 10+ (heavy tank) |
| Special Rules |
- HE – instead of using the 2" template, an IS-2's HE rounds use the 3" template - Slow load – an IS-2 tank cannot be given an order until at least one other unit on the same side has already been given orders (whether successfully or not) |
Soviet IS-2 Heavy Tank
The difference between a tank destroyer and self-propelled artillery is somewhat blurred in the Soviet army because most guns were dual purpose – such as the ZiS-3 – and were used as assault guns (short-ranged artillery supporting an infantry attack), self-propelled artillery (for long-ranged indirect fire) and anti-tank guns (engaging enemy tanks with armoured piercing shells). The following types are the closest to true tank destroyers – which is to say dedicated to the destruction of enemy armour with powerful anti-tank guns.
The SU-85 was developed as a stop-gap to provide Russian armoured units with a heavy anti-tank gun capable of defeating heavily armoured German tanks such as the Tiger and Panther. It was based on the SU-122 self-propelled gun, itself a development of the T-34 tank with which it shared a basic body. Once the T-34/85 started to become available production of the SU-85 ceased and was replaced with the even more powerfully armed SU-100.
| Cost | 176pts (Inexperienced), 220pts (Regular), 264pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 casement-mounted forward facing heavy anti-tank gun |
| Damage Value | 9+ (medium tank) |
Urban warfare in Berlin, by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 159: Berlin 1945
In April of 1942 the Russians began development of three kinds of self-propelled artillery to support their infantry. These were to become the SU-76, SU-122 and SU-152 carrying light, medium and heavy howitzers respectively. All three were based on existing tank chassis, and later they would be joined by the ISU-152 mounting a heavy howitzer based on the IS-2 tank chassis.
The SU-76 was a remarkable weapon that was produced in greater numbers than any other Soviet armoured vehicle aside from the T-34. It was based on the lengthened chassis of the T-70 light tank and featured a duel-purpose 76.2mm ZiS-3 field gun in an open superstructure. It was used as an assault gun, to provide ranged support, and also against enemy tanks – a real all-round vehicle.
| Cost | 92pts (Inexperienced), 115pts (Regular), 138pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing light howitzer |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
| Special Rules |
- Open-topped - Howitzer |
The multiple rocket launcher mounted onto a truck is one of the most distinctive Soviet weapon of the war. The noise it made led the German to refer to it as ‘Stalin’s Organ’, but to the Russians themselves it was the Katyusha – ‘Little Katie’. There were several different types mounting more or fewer rockets, those carrying the most rockets requiring considerable longer to reload. All Katyushas were used for long-ranged bombardment – their mobility enabling them to move quickly after firing to escape the effects of enemy counter-battery fire.
| Cost | 64pts (Inexperienced), 80pts (Regular), 96pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 forward facing Katyusha multiple rocket launcher (heavy mortar) |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Special Rules |
- Indirect fire - Multiple launcher |
Soviet Katyusha Rocket Launcher
Provision of specialised mobile anti-aircraft vehicles in the Soviet army was poor throughout the war and the example given here is the Quad Maxim on Gaz-AAA Truck. By the late war the Soviet air force dominated the skies in the east and there was little need to provide ground forces with mobile anti-aircraft cover.
The quad-mounted anti-aircraft Maxim was developed in 1930 and tested alongside several other quad, triple and dual mount weapons, before being adopted by the Red Army in 1931. The water-cooled Maxims were heavy to start with, and mounting four of them on a hefty enough pedestal to absorb their recoil produced a weapon that was only suitable for static emplacement or mounting in the back of a truck.
| Cost | 48pts (Inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 4 turret-mounted MMGs |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Special Rules | - Flak |
As with all combatant nations the Russian forces included armoured cars for scouting and sometimes as light support for infantry – especially during street fighting where their small size and manoeuvrability made them especially useful.
The tiny BA-64 Bobik (‘Bobby’) became the standard Russian light armoured car from when it first appeared in 1942 and, despite its rather primitive appearance and thin armour, it continued in service until the 1960s. Its chief drawback was its armament of a single light machine gun in an open turret.
| Cost | 48pts (Inexperienced), 60pts (Regular), 72pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turreted LMG with 360° arc |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured car) |
| Special Rules |
- Recce - Open-topped |
The Russians produced trucks of all sizes from the GAZ staff car and 1½ tonners, to larger ZiS 2 ½ and 3 tonners, and heavy cargo trucks such as the YaG 5 and 8 tonners. The Allies also supplied a tremendous number of vehicles under lend-lease arrangements, the Americans alone supplying nearly half a million vehicles of one kind or another, which were used in all kinds of roles including as tows. British trucks were also supplied in their thousands, including the Bedford 3-tonner, as were Universal or Bren carriers which were used for reconnaissance, as artillery tows, and machine gun carriers. Players wishing to employ these can use the same details as given in the British list.
Trucks come in all shapes and sizes and are as likely to be American as Russian – with even a few British examples supplied during the mid-war period. Most general purpose military trucks come in around the 2½ to 3 ton mark, and would mostly be used to transport cargo or as tows for guns. The GAZ Poltorka (a licensed Ford 1929 model) was the workhorse of the Soviet army throughout the war.
| Cost | 31pts (Inexperienced), 39pts (Regular), 47pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | Up to 12 men |
| Tow | Light howitzer; light or medium anti-tank gun |
| Options | - May have a pintle-mounted MMG with 360° arc of fire for +15pts |
The GAZ 67 command car was inspired by the US-built jeep, which it superficially resembles. The Russians built just under 5,000 by the end of the war – but received more like ten times as many actual jeeps, so either could be included in a Russian army.
| Cost | 17pts (Inexperienced), 21pts (Regular), 25pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | 3 men |
| Tow | Light anti-tank gun |
| Options |
- May have a pintle-mounted MMG for +15pts, losing all transport capacity - May upgrade the MMG to a HMG for +10pts |
This list is based upon the troops and equipment available to the Imperial Japanese army and navy forces throughout the war in Asia and the Pacific. The Japanese army began the war with infantry equipped with bolt-action rifles, light machine guns, grenades and all the paraphernalia of modern warfare. By 1945, desperate soldiers faced tanks with lunge-mines, the militia squads were armed with bamboo spears to defend the homeland, and surrounded troops who were out of ammunition would fix bayonets and charge enemy machine guns rather than surrender or retreat.
Many Japanese soldiers and officers believed that a display of will through personal sacrifice would win the war for Japan. An appropriate offer in blood would at least ensure a spiritual victory.
Every unit in this list has the fanatics special rule, as described. In addition, infantry and artillery units automatically pass morale checks for being assaulted by enemy tanks (note that artillery pieces are still destroyed as normal).
Japanese forces used massed, frenzied charges often with the cry ‘Banzai!’ These charges were sometimes effective, but more often simply a waste of good men.
If a Japanese infantry unit is ordered to Run towards (or assault) the closest visible enemy, any order test for that move is automatically passed, as if the unit had rolled a double one.
All models in the unit must then be moved directly towards one of the models in the target unit, and must make contact with the target unit if possible.
Note that a unit can be ordered to Run (or assault) in another direction, but in that case it will follow the normal rules and this rule has no effect.
The list is divided into categories as follows.
| 1 | Infantry | Headquarters units |
| Infantry squads and teams | ||
| 2 | Artillery | Field artillery |
| Anti-tank guns | ||
| Anti-aircraft guns | ||
| 3 | Vehicles | |
| Tanks | ||
| Anti-aircraft vehicles | ||
| Tankettes and Armoured cars | ||
| Transports and tows |
Each platoon is centred upon a core that includes a headquarters unit in the form of a first or second lieutenant. Other HQ units can be added to the force, including higher-ranking officers, as well as medical units and supporting observers.
An officer unit consists of the man himself and can include up to two other soldiers acting as his immediate attendants. Because of the high quality of the majority of Japanese officers we rate them as regular or veteran.
| Cost |
- Second Lieutenant (Rikugun Shoi) 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) - First Lieutenant (Rikugun Chui) 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) - Captain (Rikugun Taii) 110pts (Regular), 125pts (Veteran) - Major (Rikugun Shosa) 150pts (Regular), 165pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 officer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun or rifle as depicted on the models; the officer may also have a sword |
| Options | - The officer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran); alternatively, a Captain or Major may be mounted on a horse for +5pts, getting the cavalry special rule (see here) |
| Special Rules | - If the officer model is depicted with a sword he has the tough fighter special rule |
Forward observers are liaison officers responsible for coordinating the attack of heavy artillery batteries from behind the lines or aircraft strikes. They are likely to be accompanied by a radio operator and other immediate attendants. We rate these officers as regular or veteran, those of lesser ability being unlikely to find themselves in such an important position.
| Cost |
- Artillery Forward Observer 100pts (Regular), 115pts (Veteran) - Air Force Forward Observer 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 1 Forward Observer and up to 2 further men |
| Weapons | Pistol, submachine gun, rifle, or assault rifle as depicted on the models |
| Options | - The observer may be accompanied by up to 2 men at a cost of +10pts per man (Regular) or +13pts per man (Veteran) |
Japanese troops ambush a patrol of Marauders, by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 289: Burma Road 1943–44
During the initial phase of the Pacific War the Japanese soldier excelled over his enemies. He quickly adapted to jungle fighting that was very different from the kind of warfare he was used to in China and Manchuria. He was supported by a technically advanced air force and transported across the sea by a powerful and modern navy. His opponents appeared badly organised and often indecisive. Everywhere he was triumphant. This period of unrivalled supremacy was not to last.
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) formed the largest component of the Imperial Japanese forces and provided the bulk of the manpower. The ‘Type B’ IJA infantry squad normally numbered 13 men: a NCO (usually a corporal or Go-Cho) armed with a rifle or (rarely) a SMG; 11 riflemen armed with Asikara Type 38 or Type 39 rifles; and a man armed with a Type 96 LMG. ‘Type A’ squads were larger, including 15 men in total, so the entry below allows you to field either type.
| Cost | Regular Infantry 70pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 6 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 8 additional men with rifles at +10pts each - The NCO can have a submachine gun instead of a rifle for +3pts - Up to 1 man can have a light machine gun for +20pts; another man becomes the loader - The squad can be given antitank grenades for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
The Japanese army had been engaged in almost constant warfare from 1931. Many officers and men had direct experience of combat prior to 1941. Even replacements and new recruits would find themselves amongst experienced men who could share their hard-won combat skills.
| Cost | Veteran Infantry 91pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 6 men |
| Weapons | Rifles |
| Options |
- Add up to 8 additional men with rifles at +13pts each - The NCO can have a submachine gun instead of a rifle for +3pts - Up to 1 man can have a light machine gun for +20pts; another man becomes the loader - The squad can be given antitank grenades for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules | - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
Japanese SNLF Squad
Before the war finally ended, the Japanese prepared to resist with whatever weapons they could muster. Whilst as many firearms were issued to those able to use them, others were equipped with nothing more than bamboo spears sharpened into points.
| Cost | Inexperienced Infantry 25pts |
| Composition | 1 NCO and 4 men |
| Weapons | Sharpened bamboo spears |
| Options |
- Add up to 10 additional men with sharpened bamboo spears at +5pts each - The squad can be given rifles for +2pts per man - The squad can be given antitank grenades for +2pts per man |
| Special Rules |
- Militia units are Green - Bamboo spears − models so armed may not shoot by can fight normally in close quarters - Tank hunters (if anti-tank grenades taken) |
The standard Japanese medium machine gun of World War II was the 7.7mm calibre Type 92, introduced in 1932. This was a refinement of the earlier Type 3 machine gun of 6.5mm calibre. Both weapons were based on the French Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun and were air-cooled. The Type 1 – introduced in 1941 – was a simplified and lighter version of the Type 92. To the Allies the Type 92 was known as the ‘Woodpecker’ on account of its characteristic sound.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 MMG |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed |
The Japanese introduced the Type 97 anti-tank rifle in 1937. It had a calibre of 20mm and was a semi-automatic weapon with a high rate of fire. It was capable of penetrating up to 30mm of armour, sufficient to deal with most lightly armoured vehicles, including light tanks.
| Cost | 21pts (Inexperienced), 30pts (Regular), 39pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 anti-tank rifle |
| Special Rules | - Team weapon |
The jungle provided plenty of opportunity for snipers to make their mark, and the Japanese sniper was well placed with the Type 97 Sniper Rifle with telescopic sight. The rifle was especially suited to use by concealed snipers because its small calibre bullet and long barrel resulted in very little muzzle flash or smoke, enabling the shooter to remain unseen by the enemy.
| Cost | 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 rifle |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Sniper |
The Japanese developed a range of grenades that could, by means of separate adapters, be fired from rifles or the Type 10 and Type 89 grenade launchers. These lightweight weapons were effectively light mortars of 50mm calibre, and the Japanese made great use of them for close range support. They were mistakenly referred to as ‘knee mortars’ by the Allies on the erroneous assumption the curved base-plate was braced against the firer’s leg. In fact, they are planted firmly on the ground just like other light mortars.
| Cost | 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 2 men |
| Weapons | 1 rifle |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Sniper |
The standard medium mortar of the Japanese forces was the 81mm Type 97 which entered service in 1937. It was a relatively heavy and stable weapons platform, which the Japanese used to great effect to support their infantry.
| Cost | 35pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 65pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium mortar |
| Options | - May add a spotter for +10pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Indirect fire |
The Ichiki Detachment attacks, by Peter Dennis © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Campaign 284: Guadalcanal 1942–43
The Japanese army fielded several different types of field guns of 75mm calibre during World War II. The standard weapon, the Type 38, was a venerable old campaigner, having started life as a Krupp 1905 design. The Type 90 was intended to replace it, but many of the older guns soldiered on throughout the war even as the more modern weapons became available.
| Cost | 44pts (Inexperienced), 55pts (Regular), 66pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 4 men |
| Weapons | 1 light howitzer |
| Options | - May add up to 2 loaders for +5pts each |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed - Howitzer |
Tanks didn’t dominate the war in the jungles of south-east Asia or the Pacific as they did the open steppes of Russia. The Japanese never developed specialised heavy anti-tank guns, although field artillery was often used against armour, and the lighter anti-tank guns available were capable of dealing with lightly armoured vehicles.
The Type 1 47mm anti-tank gun was developed following the Japanese encounter with Russian armour and was the first indigenously developed dedicated anti-tank gun. It lacked the performance of other contemporary weapons of similar calibre, but was deemed sufficiently capable against lightly armoured tanks. By the time it was introduced in 1942, it was therefore already outdated.
| Cost | 60pts (Inexperienced), 75pts (Regular), 90pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 medium anti-tank gun |
| Special Rules |
- Gun shield - Team weapon - Fixed |
The Japanese had a variety of large calibre anti-aircraft guns, none of which really enter into the realm of a tabletop wargame. Smaller 20mm calibre weapons were supplemented by pintle-mounted machine guns of various types.
The Type 98 was the most common automatic anti-aircraft cannon used by the Japanese in World War II. It was based on a Hotchkiss design and was introduced in 1938. A more sophisticated weapon was the Type 2 of 1942 based on the German Flak 38 with a central fire-control mechanism and sometimes fitted in a dual mount.
| Cost | 36pts (Inexperienced), 45pts (Regular), 54pts (Veteran) |
| Team | 3 men |
| Weapons | 1 light autocannon |
| Options | - May be upgraded to a Type 2 twin AA cannon, increasing its shots from two to four, for +30pts |
| Special Rules |
- Team weapon - Fixed - Flak |
The Japanese did not produce any tanks of their own until 1929, and the first examples were versions of contemporary British and French models from Vickers, Renault, and Carden-Lloyd. Experience in Manchuria led the Japanese to use Russian armour as a future model. Heavy armour played a minor part in Japan’s military strategy, and by the time her armies were obliged to face modern enemy tanks it was already too late. Such tanks as were available were lightly armoured and poorly armed compared to those used by the Allies.
The tiny 7.5 ton Ha-Go was the most numerous armoured vehicle produced by Japan in World War II. Dating from 1933, it was used extensively during the Second Sino–Japanese War and against the Russians at Nomonhan. It was designed as a mobile support tank that could keep pace with truck-borne infantry, and as such it was fast and mobile rather than well armoured. Its 37mm gun was carried in a small turret and loaded and fired by the tank’s commander, who therefore had to observe and direct the tank as well as operate its main armament.
| Cost | 72pts (Inexperienced), 90pts (Regular), 108pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted light anti-tank gun, 1 turret mounted rear-facing MMG, and 1 forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured carrier) |
| Special Rules |
- One-man turret. Combining the roles of commander, gunner and loader together and squeezing the man responsible into a one-man turret means it's hard to do different things at once! To represent this it is always necessary to take an order test when issuing an Advance order, even if the tank is not pinned. In addition, you can fire either the main gun or the rear-mounted machine gun, but not both in the same turn. - Low velocity light anti-tank gun. The Ha-Go's main weapon counts as a light anti-tank gun, but with a penetration rating of +3 instead of the usual +4. |
An Imperial Japanese howitzer prepares to bombard Allied positions
The Chi-Ha of 1937 was Japan’s standard medium tank – although with a weight of only 15 tons, excellent speed and mobility, and no more than 33mm of armour on the turret with 26mm on the body of the tank, it would be considered a light tank in any other contemporary army. It was armed with a low velocity 57mm gun intended for infantry support rather than use against other tanks. As with many other Japanese tanks, the turret also featured a rear-facing machine gun.
| Cost | 108pts (Inexperienced), 135pts (Regular), 162pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted light howitzer, 1 turret mounted rear-facing MMG, and 1 forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
In 1942 the Chi-Ha, Japan’s standard medium tank, was up-gunned with a high-velocity 47mm anti-tank gun in a new and larger turret. This new version was known as the Type 97-Kai Shinhoto (meaning ‘new turret’) of which 930 were made.
| Cost | 124pts (Inexperienced), 155pts (Regular), 186pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted medium anti-tank gun, 1 turret mounted rear-facing MMG, and 1 forward facing hull-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 8+ (light tank) |
A variety of different vehicles were used to mount anti-aircraft weapons. The 20mm automatic cannon was in general use and could also be trained against ground targets.
Japanese Type 97-Kai Shinhoto Chi-Ha Medium Tank
This was a Type 98 20mm automatic cannon mounted on the back of a Type 94 or (later) a Type 96 six-wheeled truck.
| Cost | 40pts (Inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 60pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 platform-mounted light autocannon with 360° arc of fire |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Special Rules | - Flak |
The Japanese used small, lightly armoured tankettes in the same scouting and reconnaissance role as armoured cars – in fact the Japanese designation for these tiny tanks literally means ‘armoured car’. Actual wheeled armoured cars were used as well – and to differentiate them in our list, we use the term ‘tankette’ for fully tracked vehicles and ‘armoured car’ for wheeled vehicles.
The Type 94 tankette, or TK, was developed for the infantry divisions of the IJA; it was not a replacement for the Type 92, which had been created for the cavalry divisions. The Type 94 was intended to provide the infantry with a vehicle suitable for scouting, reconnaissance and communications as well as a rapid moving infantry support weapon. It weighed about 3.5 tons. Tankettes of this type proved their worth in China, and were used throughout the war in most theatres.
| Cost | 56pts (Inexperienced), 70pts (Regular), 84pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | 1 turret-mounted MMG |
| Damage Value | 7+ (armoured car) |
| Special Rules | - Recce |
The Japanese suffered from a lack of transports throughout the war. It was expected from the Japanese soldier to compensate this by his hardiness. This also meant that when a transport was indeed available, the soldiers were packed in tight – in game terms we have increased the transport capacity of many vehicles to represent this and to ensure full-strength basic infantry squads can fit onboard.
Japanese trucks were inclined to be narrow to suit local roads and had high ground clearance to cope with uneven surfaces. The Toyota GB and KB types were produced in large numbers before and during the war. Type 94 6x4 trucks also provided the chassis for an armoured car and were relatively heavy, comparable to a British Bedford QLD. The Type 1 Toyota truck of 1941 was an almost exact copy of a 1939 Chevrolet. Many trucks of different kinds were captured from the enemy and pressed into service. All of these medium sized trucks were comparable in terms of capacity and performance and are represented with the following stats.
| Cost | 33pts (Inexperienced), 41pts (Regular), 49pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | Up to 13 men |
| Tow | Light howitzer; light or medium anti-tank gun; light anti-aircraft gun |
| Options | - May have a pintle-mounted MMG covering the forward arc for +15pts |
The Kurogane (‘Black Metal’) was a purpose built four-wheel drive car that fulfilled a similar role to the German Kubelwagen or US jeep. The Japanese also made use of numerous civilian cars of similar capacity and overall performance, if somewhat less suited to the rigours of military use.
| Cost | 18pts (Inexperienced), 23pts (Regular), 28pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons | None |
| Damage Value | 6+ (soft-skin) |
| Transport | Up to 4 men |
| Options | - May have a pintle-mounted MMG with 360° arc of fire for +15pts, losing all transport capacity |
Japanese Kurogane Scout Car
