Bulge: German Flak Half-Tracks By John Lee For me one of the most popular kits for Bulge: German forces is not the Big Cats or better Panthers but the Flak Half-tracks. Don’t get me wrong, those are also cool pieces of kit in plastic but when you look at the Brigade Formations where these Flak Half-tracks are found, you will also see what I really like about them. Check out the Armoured Flak Platoon (GBX180) in the online store...

There are two versions of the Flak Half-tracks. The first is the 2cm version sporting a single 2cm AA gun that has a ROF of 3/2 with a range of 20” and is AT5 FP5+. These come in units of either three for 2pts or six for 4pts. That is a possible eighteen shots stationary against either ground or AA targets.

The second is a triple 15mm AA gun that has a ROF of 5/3 with a range of 20” and AT5 FP5+. These come in units of either three for 3pts or six for 5pts. That is a possible THIRTY shots stationary against either ground or AA targets!

Bearing in mind they are Aggressive hit on 3s, you will want to get six vehicles almost all the time. The volume of firepower is incredible, and you can really go to town in the Formations below taking up to FOUR of these platoons! Can you imagine taking four of these maxed out platoons of the triple 15mm version. That is 24 vehicles with ROF 72 on the move and 120 stationary – all for 20pts!

Before diving into the two Formations, as these units are black box units, you can take them as a support unit for your force if you do not take them in Formation. I think taking a unit of these will be an auto-include for most German forces now.

There are two Formations sporting the Flak Half-tracks. They are similar in composition and take a mix of Armoured Infantry, Flak, Mortars, Guns, Flame-throwers and Panzer jaegers. First up is the Brigade Armoured Assault Company. This is comprised of the following units:

Brigade Armoured Assault Company

Brigade Armoured Assault Company HQ 1-2 Brigade Armoured Assault Platoon 1-3 Brigade Armoured 2cm Flak Platoon or Brigade Armoured 15mm Flak Platoon 0-1 Brigade 8cm Mortar Section 0-1 Brigade 7.5cm Gun Platoon 0-1 Brigade Armoured Flame-thrower Platoon 0-1 Brigade 12cm Mortar Platoon 0-2 Brigade Panzer IV/70 Tank-Hunter Platoon

Lots of integral units to support whatever your playstyle. Let’s look at a sample list:

Ten units for the Formation break! This is going to be hard to break. We have two armoured assault platoons (infantry armed with assault rifles and mounted in half-tracks – lots of firepower!). Maxed out triple 15mm half-tracks – eighteen of them. One artillery template with the 12cm mortars (complete with armoured transports with MGs – you guessed it – more firepower!). Two platoons of AT14 with the Panzer IV/70s and three Hornisse providing the AT17. You could argue that with the Panzer IV/70s, you don’t need the Hornisse, but I like the theme of Panzer jaegers. You could swap them out for Tigers or Panther (lates) or Stugs if you want. This is a very aggressive list. Lots of firepower and ability to attack or defend.

The second is the Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company. This is comprised of the following units:

Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company

1 Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ 1-2 Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon 1-4 Brigade Armoured 2cm Flak Platoon or Brigade Armoured 15mm Flak Platoon 0-1 Brigade 7.5cm Gun Platoon 0-1 Brigade Armoured Flame-thrower Platoon 0-1 Brigade 12cm Mortar Platoon 0-2 Brigade Panzer IV/70 Tank-Hunter Platoon

Again, we have ten units for the Formation break. We have two infantry platoons in half-tracks, maxed out four platoons of triple 15mm AA half-tracks. Three artillery templates this time with the inclusion of the Me 262 Sturmvogel Fighter-Bomber Flight which has a very useful AT4 FP2+ template alongside the 8cm Armoured Mortars and 12cm Mortars (with Armoured Transports). Only one platoon of Panzer IV/70s but we have a platoon of Brigade Panthers (late) with their FA10 and a pair of Pumas to provide that spearhead. If you wanted the second Panzer IV/70 platoon in the Formation, you could remove the Pumas, Me 262s and 12cm transports. So much firepower in this list – if your opponent is infantry based, they will be quaking in their boots with forty-one Sd Kfz 251 half tracks on the table that can fire direct!

These Formations are awesome, and you can potentially spam a lot of half-tracks, but they are Reluctant Trained Aggressive, so you will be hit more often and remounting on 5+. They do have a Last Stand of 4+ though which helps. To provide some more variety for these Formations and units, there are several Command Cards available.

Command Card Options Panzer Brigade Sd Kfz 251 Half-track Transport costs 1pt and provides armoured transports to your Brigade 12cm mortars. The half-tracks lose Mounted Assault and Passenger 3 but gain Tractor meaning they can carry a Gun Team instead. This means that you can move them from one location to another and being armoured is less risk of being destroyed as easily as Soft Skin Transports. Being armed with a MG can also help defend the unit against enemy Infantry assaults.

Brigade Mortar Stuka Zu Fuss costs 1pt and adds a one-off salvo template for your Brigade 12cm Mortar Platoon. Has a range of 36” Salvo with AT3 FP2+. Discard the card to remove the ranged in marker to range in the Stuka zu Fuss bombardment. At the end of the shooting step remove the Ranged In marker.

The next six cards apply to units in the Brigade Armoured Assault Company and Brigade Armoured Panzergrenadier Company and are Title cards so you can’t mix and match with other title cards.

111. Panzer Brigade Courageous Infantry changes the unit’s motivation. All units in this Formation lose Third Reich and gain Confident 4+ for +1pt per unit except for Assault Platoon (+2pt for small or +3 for large platoon), Flak Platoon (both 2cm and 15mm are +1pt for three or +2pts for six).

106. Panzer Brigade Feldherrnhale Experienced Title Command Cards upgrade the units in the Formation to Confident Veteran Careful with a Last Stand of 3+. If you take one of the cards, you must take the other cards for units in the Formation you are fielding.

106. Panzer Brigade Feldherrnhale Experienced Panzergrenadier applies to the infantry units in the Formation. HQ unit costs +1pt, Assault and Panzergrenadier Platoons cost +5pts for a small and +6pts for a full platoon.

106. Panzer Brigade Feldherrnhale Experienced SP Guns applies to the Flak, 7.5cm Gun Platoons and 8cm Mortar Section. Assault is better with a 5+. 2cm Flak is +2pts for three or +4pts for six. Triple 15mm Flak is also +2pts for three and +5pts for six. 7.5cm Gun Platoon is +1pt for two and +3pts for four. 8cm Mortar section is +1pt.

106. Panzer Brigade Feldherrnhale Experienced Flame-Throwers applies to the Sd Kfz 251 (Flame) unit. They stay Reluctant but everything is better. +2pts for two, +3pts for four, +5pts for six.

106. Panzer Brigade Feldherrnhale Experienced 12cm Mortars costs +2pts for two and +5pts for four.

Let’s look at a list with the 106. Panzer Brigade Command Cards applied:

106. Panzer Brigade Armoured Assault Company

Eight units for the Formation break. Everything in the Formation is upgraded except the Panzer IV/70s. By adding the very cool Sturmtiger, we add a second artillery template with AT4 FP2+ and Brutal, Bunker Killer, Rocket Howitzer special rules. Two platoons of Panzer IV/70 with AT14 anti-tank work. If you want a second infantry platoon, you can remove the Sturmtiger and the 12cm half-tracks.

There we have it. Two Formations with lots of firepower, flexibility and coolness. The Flak Half-Tracks provide more firepower whether you run them as a support unit or in these new cool Formations!

~ John Lee