Infantry Battalion (PLAB01) Assembling the Polish Infantry Battalion with Mark Hazell

Despite having less than half the number of anti-tank guns of a German Infantry division, the polish infantry divisions gave a good account of themselves against the German armoured spearheads, substituting raw guts for massed technology.  Utilising well trained but large infantry formations with light equipment the Batailon Piechoty puts you in command of an infantry force determined to protect its country at all costs.

Learn more about the Polish Infantry Battalion here...
The Contents 

Firstly let’s take a look at the contents of the Polish Infantry Battalion army box set; contact the customer service team at [email protected] if you have any issues with any of the components.

The
Polish Infantry Battalion contains 11 guns and 237 infantry figures. Begin by opening up the box and sorting out all the figures as per the contents pictures below. You will see a breakdown of what figures can be used for what. Once you have checked that you have the correct number of figures you can start building the platoons. The army box also includes 17 small bases, 46 medium bases and 8 large bases.
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Officer Figures.
Officer Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Mortar Crew Figures
Officer Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalions NCO Figures.
NCO Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalions Infantry Figures.
Infantry Figures
Infantry Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Anti-tank Rifle and Light Mortar Figure.
Anti-tank Rifle Figure Light Mortar Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Machine-gun Platoon Figures.
Machine-gun Platoon Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Gun Crew Figures.
Gun Crew Figures
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Observer Team Figures.
Observer Team Figures
Right: The Polish Infantry Battalion's Staff Team Table.

Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's 100mm Howitzer.
Staff Team Table
100mm Howitzer
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's 75mm Gun.
75mm Gun
Below: The 75mm Gun Limber.
75mm Gun Limber
Below: The Polish Infantry Battalion's 37mm Gun.
37mm Gun
Battalion HQ
Headquarters

To begin with you will need to assemble your Company HQ. This is made up of a Company Command Rifle Team and a 2iC Command Rifle Team as well as two teams of 81mm mortars. The Company Command Rifle team should be made up of 2 officers and a rifleman. The 2iC Command Rifle should be made up an officer and 2 riflemen. The two mortar teams should each have an NCO, a loader and a figure firing the mortar.

Right: An Example of the a Company Command Rifle Team.
Examples of a Company Command Rifle Team
Below Left: An examples of a 2iC Command Rifle Team; Below Right: An example of a 81mm Mortar Team.
An example of the 2iC Command Rifle Team An example of a 81mm mortar team
An example of a five man Rifle Team Combat Platoons

Piechoty Platoon

You get three Piechoty Platoons in the army box.  At fifteen stands a platoon these are large and contain 67 figures per platoon. Each platoon contains a Command Rifle Team and twelve stands of Rifle Teams, as an option you can also add in an Anti-tank Rifle Team and a Light Mortar Team. Nine rifle teams should be made with five mixed rifle figures. Three rifle stands are NCO stands and as such have only three riflemen and an NCO figure.
Above: An example of a 5 Riflemen stand.

Right: An example of a 3 Riflemen and 1 NCO stand.

 An examples of a three Riflemen and NCO stand
The Anti-Tank team is made up of an Anti-tank rifleman and any other rifleman (I personally prefer one of the kneeling rifleman). The Light Mortar Team is made up of a loader and the light mortar gunner. The Command Rifle Team is made up of a Rifleman, an NCO and an Office figure.

Below Left: An example of a Anti-tank Rifle Team; Below Right: An example of a Light Mortar Team.
An example of a Anti-tank Rifle team An example of a Light Mortar team
Machine-gun Platoon

In the army box you also get a Machine-gun platoon.  This has three machine gun stands made up of a gunner, a loader and a kneeling rifleman (one of these rifleman can be an NCO). The platoon also has a Command Rifle Team made up of an officer an NCO and a rifleman.


Right: An example of a Machine-gun Platoon Command Rifle Team.

Below: Examples of some Machine-gun teams.
An example of a Machine-gun Platoon Command Rifle team
An example of a Machine-gun Team An example of a Machine-gun Team
Assembly Instructions for the 37mm gun

Weapons Platoons

Piechoty Anti-Tank Gun Platoon

The Piechoty Anti-Tank Gun Platoon contains three 37mm Anti-tank guns and a Command Rifle Team. You are given two weapons platoons in the army box. The platoon also has a Command Rifle Team made up of an officer an NCO and a rifleman.

Left: How to assemble the 37mm Anti-tank gun.

Below Left: An example of a Command Rifle Team for the Anti-tank Platoon.

Below Right: An example of a 37mm Anti-tank gun.

An example of a Anti-tank gun Platoon Command Rifle Team An example of a 37mm Anti-tank gun
Divisional Support

Light Gun Battery

The Light Gun Battery contains four 75mm guns a Command Rifle Team and a Staff Team. The Command Rifle Team made up of an Officer an NCO and a rifleman, the Staff Team goes on a medium base and has the table a radioman two officers and a rifleman. You can also assemble an optional observer team. This is made up of a kneeling rifleman and a lying down observer figure with binoculars.


Note: Motorised artillery batteries use the rubberised wheels for their guns and do not need the limbers (the shells are carried in the towing vehicles). Infantry artillery batteries use the spoked wheels on both their guns and limbers.

Below Left: An example of a Command Rifle Team for the Light Gun Battery; Below Right: An example of 75mm gun.
An example of a Command Rifle Team for the Light Gun Battery An example of a 75mm gun
Right: How to assemble the 75mm gun.
Assembly instruction for the 75mm gun
Assembly instruction for the 75mm gun Limber Left: How to assemble the 75mm gun Limber.

Below Left: An example of a Observer Rifle Team.

 

Right: Assembly instructions for the 75mm gun Limber when deployed.

Below Right: An example of a Staff Team.

Assembly instruction for the 75mm gun Limber when deployed
An example of a Observer Rifle Team An example of a Staff Team
Light Howitzer Battery

The make up of the Light Howitzer Battery is similar to the 75mm guns but contains four 100mm howitzers guns a Command Rifle Team and a Staff Team. The Command Rifle Team made up of an officer an NCO and a rifleman, the staff team goes on a medium base and has the table a radioman two officers and a rifleman. As with the 75mm guns you can also assemble an optional observer team, this is made up of a kneeling rifleman and a kneeling observer figure with binoculars.


Below Left: An example of Observer Rifle Team; Below Right: An example of a 100mm Howitzer.
An example of a Observer Rifle Team An example of a 100mm Howitzer

Right: How to assemble the 100mm Howitzer.

With the 100mm Light Howitzer Battery completed your army is now ready to be painted.

Find out what colours to paint your Infantry Battalion here...

Happy modelling and have fun!

~ Mark.

Assembly instruction for the 100mm Howitzer
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Last Updated On Friday, October 1, 2010 by Blake at Battlefront