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Products mentioned in this Article
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29th Infantry Division Assault Company (UBX09)
includes Brigadier General Norman 'Dutch' Cota, one Company Command team, one 2iC Command team, four Boat Sections, four Czech Hedgehogs, eight Teller mine stakes, six Small three-hole bases, nine Small two-hole bases & twenty six Medium four-hole bases.
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The men of the 1st & 29th Infantry Divisions are
specifically trained, organised and equipped for the Normandy invasion.
With mortars, bazookas, flame-throwers and explosives, these men are
ready to tackle any threat.
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Careful study of the defences along the coast showed them there were
weaknesses inherent in its structure, and, if the men had the right
equipment and training, exploiting those weaknesses was possible. Any
invading force would have to overcome wire, minefields, and bunkers if
it was to be successful. Thus the planners set about to create the
perfect mix of men, equipment and training.
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Birth of the Boat Section
The US Army now embarked on a program of reorganising and training
the infantry formations that would assault the beaches. After careful
study, an organisation began to take shape in the minds of the planners.
Starting with the basic infantry company of three combat platoons and
one weapons platoon, the force designers sought to create multiple
independent organisations.
Right: A Command team.
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This organisation had to be able to act on its own without further
company level support. Furthermore, it had to be able to fight its way
through wire obstacles, overcome enemy infantry and destroy enemy
bunkers.
However, the most important restriction was the size of the landing
craft, which could only hold 31 men in full ‘battle rattle’.
Left: Brigadier General Norman 'Dutch' Cota.
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Brigadier General Norman 'Dutch' Cota in Flames Of War
Characteristics
Cota is a Warrior and a Higher Command Carbine team rated as Fearless Veteran. Cota may join any Assault Company (page 208 of Overlord) for +25 points.
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With a standard US infantry platoon being just over 40 individuals it
was necessary to change the structure of the platoons to fit in the
small boats that would take them to the beach. Thus, the first change
was to go from the four large platoons in a normal infantry company to
six smaller boat sections in an assault company.
In order to deal with all of the expected defences, the planners loaded the boat sections up with weapons and equipment.
Right: An LMG team.
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Special Rules
Get Off this Beach
Cota moved up and down the beaches motivating the troops to get up and press the attack to sweep the enemy aside. Cota starts the game off table. In the Starting Step when you would normally roll for Reserves, roll a die for Cota if he is off the table.
■ On a roll of 5+, if Cota has not been Destroyed, he is placed adjacent to the Platoon Command team (if present, otherwise any team in the platoon) of any platoon in an Assault Company anywhere on the table.
■ On any other roll, Cota remains off the table.
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They gave them mortars from the weapons platoon to knock out
machine-gun nests, bazookas from the company HQ to take on tanks, and
flame-throwers from the Chemical Branch to silence bunkers. For
barbed wire, they gave them Bangalore torpedoes, long pipes filled with
explosives to blow gaps for the troops. To finish off bunkers, they had
demolition charges, plenty of good old TNT to blow things up. There was
no quick fix for minefields though—they simply had to take their chances
there.
Left: A Bazooka team. |
Rangers, Lead the Way!
When Cota encountered a group of pinned down Rangers he encouraged them to attack and break the German lines.
Any platoon led by Cota will pass Motivation Tests on a roll of 3+.
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The men of the boat sections not only needed the weaponry to deal
with the defences and defenders, but they also needed to carry enough
supplies and combat gear for three days on his back.
Since a soldier can only carry 70lbs/32kg (at
most), working out what to take and what to leave behind was tricky. The
planners solved the problem with a ‘belt and braces’ approach and
loaded the assault troops up to the limit. Part of their solution was
the assault vest with pockets for much of the extra
equipment.
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I Won’t be Able to Do it for You Next Time
With his job done, Cota moved along to the next beach to help the men pinned down there.
In the Starting Step when you would normally roll for Reserves, roll a die if Cota is on the table.
■ On a roll of 3+, Cota remains where he is.
■ On any other roll, Cota has finished what he came to do and moves off to another part of the battlefield. Remove him from the table. Next turn roll for him to return again using the Get Off this Beach special rule.
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Training for Combat
Even with equipment, an organisation is incapable of acting without
training on that equipment. For months before D-Day, the assault
regiments practised their craft. Mastering the use of explosives, they
became proficient at advancing under fire against a stubborn
well-entrenched enemy.
Integrating the use of the weapon systems and the
new skills they had learned, the infantry platoons become masters of
combined arms manoeuvre at the lowest levels.
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That’s How It’s Done
Cota led from the front, showing his men how it was done to show that it could be done!
Cota always hits on a roll of 2+ in an assault combat.
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With integrated heavy weapons at the platoon level, they were able to
suppress the enemy while parts of the unit manoeuvred to a position of
advantage with which to launch an assault.
Designed by Evan Allen
Painted by Jeremy Painter
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Assault Company Special Rules
US
rifle companies in the first wave assault groups were reorganised into
assault companies so that they can fit into the landing craft. This made
each boat a small army unto itself with automatic weapons,
flame-throwers, bazookas, and plenty of demolition charges.
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Assault Company (page 208) uses all of the American special rules found
on pages 236-240 of the rulebook. In addition, it also uses the special
rules below. |
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Assault Company
An assault company is task-organised for an assault and will always be attacking. Its sole mission is to carry the fight to the enemy, fortifications or not. Once it establishes itself on the objectives then it digs in and fights off any counterattacks.
An Assault Company Always Attacks another Infantry Company.
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Pioneer Equipment
The assault company is fully equipped for the assault with plenty of wire cutters, Bangalore Torpedoes and demolition charges. Not only does it have the equipment, but it also has the training to use it.
Rifle teams in Boat Sections and Support Sections count as Pioneer teams when attempting to cross or gap Barbed Wire Entanglements and when assaulting Bunkers.
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Clear the Skies
On D-Day the situation was so confused and the front lines so close together that ground-attack air support missions were difficult to coordinate. In an effort to avoid killing their own troops the US Army Air Force left the beach defences alone.
However, the extensive fighter cover ensured that enemy air support could have little effect either. During the battle only two enemy aircraft managed to buzz the beaches, causing no damage.
An Assault Company receives a Ground-attack Aircraft Flight on a roll of 6 instead of the usual 5+. However, its Air Support will successfully intercept enemy Ground-Attack Aircraft Flights on a roll of 5+ instead of the usual 6.
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Contents of the 29th Infantry Division Assault Company Box Set
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Contact the customer service team at [email protected] if you have any issues with any of the components. |
Brigadier General Norman 'Dutch' Cota
Description of Components
a. 1x Lunging rifleman figure.
b. 1x Brigadier General Norman 'Dutch' Cota figure.
Assembling Brigadier General Norman 'Dutch' Cota
Simply arrange figures A and B to taste on one of the small two-hole base provided in the box set. |
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The Company Command Team
Description of Components
a. 1x Kneeling rifleman figure aiming rifle.
b. 1x Kneeling officer figure with hand on helmet.
c. 1x Kneeling officer figure holding radio handset.
Assembling The Company Command Team
Simply arrange figures A, B and C to taste on one of small three-hole bases included in the box set.
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The 2iC Command Team
Description of Components
a. 1x Kneeling rifleman figure holding rifle.
b. 1x Kneeling officer figure with carbine & pointing.
c. 1x Kneeling NCO figure with SMG & hand up.
Assembling The 2iC Command Team
Simply arrange figures A, B and C to taste on one of small three-hole bases included in the box set.
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Assembling The Boat Sections
The box set contains four boat sections; each containing nine teams of various types. The first of these teams is the Command Rifle team which contains an Officer figure and two riflemen figures. The Command Rifle teams are modelled on small three-hole bases. The next type of team is a Rifle team, of which there are four in each Boat Section. Two of these Rifle teams need to contain an NCO figure and three rifleman figures while the two other Rifle teams simply contain four rifleman figures. The next type of team is a Flame-thrower team which contains three rifleman figures and a Flame-thrower figure. The Rifle teams and Flames-thrower teams are modelled on the medium four-hole bases included in the box set. The other team types in each Boat Section is the Bazooka team of which there are two and a single M2 60mm Mortar team. A Boat Section can also contain an optional LMG team. See the text below for more details to modelling these teams. |
Note: When assembling the various teams for each of the Boat Section, the Causality or the Bangalore Torpedo figures for example are treated as riflemen for gaming purpose and are included to add some extra realism to the 29th Infantry Division Assault Company.
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The Officer Figures
Description of Components
a. 2x Kneeling officer figures with carbine & pointing.
b. 2x Standing officer figures with carbine & hand out. |
The Officer Figures
Description of Components
a. 2x Standing NCO figures with SMG & hand up.
b. 2x Kneeling NCO figures with SMG & hand up. |
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Description of Components |
a. 2x Standing BAR figures.
b. 2x Kneeling BAR figures.
c. 6x Prone Bangalore Torpedo figures.
d. 6x Kneeling Bangalore Torpedo figures.
e. 2x Kneeling Medic figures.
f. 2x Prone Medic causality figures.
g. 4x Prone causality figures.
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h. 10x Prone rifleman figures.
i. 9x Kneeling rifleman figure.
j. 9x Kneeling rifleman figure aiming rifle.
k. 9x Standing casuality figures.
l. 10x Standing rifleman figures loading rifle.
m. 9x Lunging rifleman figure.
n. 10x Ducking rifleman figure.
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The Bazooka Team
Description of Components
a. 4x Standing Bazooka gunner figures.
b. 4x Kneeling Bazooka gunner figures.
The Assembling The Bazooka Team
Each Boat Section contains two Bazooka teams. The Bazooka team is made up of one Bazooka gunner figure and one rifleman figure of your choice. The Bazooka teams are modelled on the small two-hole bases included in the box set.
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The M2 60mm Mortar Team
Description of Components
a. 4x Kneeling mortar gunner figures.
b. 4x M2 60mm mortars.
c. 4x Kneeling mortar figures directing fire.
The Assembling The M2 60mm Mortar Team
Each Boat Section contains one M2 60mm mortar team. To model the mortar teams arrange figures A and C around the M2 60mm mortar on a medium base four-hole base. The third member of the mortar team is made up of a rifleman figure of your choice. |
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The Flame-thrower Figure
Description of Components
a. 4x Flame-thrower figures.
Assembling The Flame-thrower Team
Each Boat Section contains one Flame-thrower team. To model the Flame-thrower team, simply replace one of the rifleman figures from a would-be Rifle team to create the Flame-thrower team.
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The .30 cal LMG Team
Description of Components
a. 2x Prone loader figures.
b. 2x .30 cal LMG gunner figures.
c. 2x Wooden crates.
d. 4x Ammunition belts.
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Assembling The .30 cal LMG Team
Arrange figures A and B along with a rifleman figure on a medium four-hole base; use the wooden crate as a rest for .30 cal machine-gun. The third member of the LMG team is a rifleman figure of your choosing.
Tip: Ensure that the loader is feeding the ammunition belt for the LMG from the gunner's left-hand side. |
Note: The LMG team can replace one Bazooka team in a Boat Section. However, you only only field two LMG in an Assault Company. |
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The Czech Hedgehogs & Teller Mine Stakes
Description of Components
a. 4x Single Czech hedgehog leg.
b. 4x Double Czech hedgehog leg.
c. 4x Teller mine stakes A.
d. 4x Teller mine stakes B.
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Assembling The Czech Hedgehogs & Teller Mine Stakes
These optional extras are used to add some extra realism to your 29th Infantry Division; add them to the bases as you feel fit. Use the painted examples above for modelling inspiration. |
The Bases
Description of Components
a. 9x Small two-hole base.
b. 6x Small three-hole bases.
c. 26x Medium four-hole bases. |
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Last Updated On Sunday, January 17, 2016 by James at Battlefront
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