Infanterie Vor! German Forces in Flames of War Version 4’s Great War

by Tom Burgess

As Battlefront expands its Version 4 rules back to the battlefields of the Great War, Germany still remains the only representative of the Central Powers in the new lists. Though not as well equipped with tanks and armored cars as many of the Allies in the book, the German lists offer some interesting options for both previous and new German players.

The two lists options in Version 3’s Great War for the Germans has now been expanded to four list types in Version 4. These are the Infanteriekompanie, the Stosskompanie, the Jägerkompanie, and the Siegfriedstellung. The fist two of these will be familiar to previous German Great War players.  The Jägerkompanie is an elite “light” infantry unit while Siegfriedstellung is more of an economy of force unit used to hold defensive positions.

Let’s first look at the returning Infanteriekompanie formation.  What struck me most about this formation option in Version 4 Great War is how similar it is to the company chart it had in Version 3.  All the platoon units are the same size and players can take the same number of them.

All teams are still based the same way, which I was a bit worried about having seen the change to German flamethrowers in the WW2 Enemy at the Gates. The core of two to three Infanterie platoons and up to three Infanterie Machine-gun platoons is still there.

The Version 4 formation now has two “boxes” that allow the choice of either a 3.7cm Anti-Tank Gun section or a 7.6cm Minenwerfer team. In Version 3 there was just one “box” but it allowed one to two teams of each to be taken. So the German player can take the same number teams as before, but in more smaller one team units now.

The headquarters attachments from version 3 have been moved out in Version 4, leaving just two Pistol Teams.  The anti-tank rifles and flamethrowers formally in the HQ are now upgrade options for each of the three Infanterie platoons. Each platoon can add one of each of these special weapons teams.

This means that if you want all three flamethrowers, you have to take all three platoons. It also means that you cannot load up all three flamethrowers into just one platoon.  The one to two Granatenwerfer teams, if taken, now form a single unit within the Version 4 formation. The single Version 3 sniper option is now a Version 4 support unit choice. Everything else that was available in Version 3, such as tanks, artillery, other infantry platoons are now support choices in Version 4.

In the new Version 4 points system, the Infanteriekompanie HQ is 2-points (no SMG upgrade option now). The Infanterie platoon has either seven G98 Rifle teams and two MG08/15 teams at 10 points or six G98 Rifle teams and one MG08/15 teams at 7-points. Each platoon can add one flamethrower team for 3-points, one 1.3cm anti-tank rifle team for 4-points, and upgrade one G98 Rifle to a M1917 Rifle Grenade team for 1-point.

The Infanterie Machine-gun platoons come with two teams at 9 points, three teams at 14-points, or four teams at 19 points. The Granatenwerfer unit has one weapon team at 3-points and two for 6-points. The 3.7cm TaK team is 8-points and a 7.6cm Minenwerfer team is 9-points.

In Version 3, the Infanteriekompanie could be taken from Reserve (Confident-Trained) or Infantry (Confident Veteran) Divisions.

In Version 4, there is only one version and it seems more like the Reserve option.  The Infanteriekompanie are rated as Confident (4+ motivation),  Trained (4+ skill), and Aggressive (Hit on 3+).

All Infanteriekompanie teams benefit from the “Infanterie Vor” rule which increases the Blitz move orders to a 3+ however. If a player in Version 4 Great War wants to represent the better trained German Infanterie he’ll have to use the Jägerkompanie formation (below) to approximate them.

The elite infiltration and assault Stosskompanie returns in Version 4. Like their Infanterie brethren, they are very similar to the Version 3 organization.

The Stoss formation is still based on the two to three Stoss platoons, up to two Stoss Machine-Gun platoons, and three Stoss Minenwerfer units. The Stoss still have the 3.7cm Anti-tank gun option with up to two single gun units. Everything else that the Stosskompanie could take in Version 3 is now a support option in Version 4.

The Stosskompanie were Fearless Veterans in Version 3. Now they are rated as Fearless (3+ motivation),  Veteran (3+ skill ), and Careful (Hit on 4+). Like Infanteriekompanie teams, Stoss teams benefit from the “Infanterie Vor” rule which increases the Blitz move orders for Stoss to a 2+. They also have the “Trench Fighter” rule which increases their assault rating to a 2+. They also have Assault Anti-tank 3+.

The Stoss HQ has two Pistol teams for 2-points with a 1 point SMG upgrade option for both teams. The Stoss Platoons have seven Pistol teams and two MG08/15 teams for 20 points or six Pistol teams and one MG08/15 teams for 16-points. Each platoon can add a single flamethrower team for 3-points, and can replace a Pistol Team with a SMG team for 1-point. Stoss Minenwerfers cost 12-points each and their “Veteran” 3.7cm Anti-tank guns cost just 8 points just like those in the Infanteriekompanie, but have a better 4+ “To Hit.”

In addition, the “Infanterie Vor” special rule, the Stosskompanie as benefits from the “Night Attack” special rule and the Stoss platoons have the “Spearhead” rule.  The “Trench Fighter” rule boosts their assault ratings. All these make the Stosskompanie a fearsome opponent.

Joining the Infanterie and Stoss formations in this new book is the Jägerkompanie. Historically these actually had very limited service on the West Front but they do add another option to the German line up. Jägers were traditional light infantry and in this new book they are an elite formation with both “Infanterie Vor” and “Spearhead.”

The Jäger formation has two to three Jäger platoons, up to three Jäger Machine-gin platoons, two units of either one Jäger 7.6cm Minenwerfer or one Veteran 3.7cm Anti-tank gun. Additional, the Jäger formation can take one Stoss platoon as an organic unit.

The Jäger HQ has two Pistol teams for 2-points with a 1-point SMG upgrade option for both teams. The Jäger Platoons are large with eleven G98 teams and two MG08/15 teams for 20 points or seven G98 and two MG08/15 teams for 14-points.

Each platoon can add a single flamethrower team for 3- points, a 1.3cm Anti-tank rifle team for 4 points, upgrade one G98 Rifle team to an M1917 Rifle Grenade team for 1-point, and can replace a G98 with an SMG team for 1-point.

Jäger Minenwerfers cost 11-points each and their “Veteran” 3.7cm Anti-tank guns cost just 8- points. The Jäger Machine-gun platoons come with two teams at 12 points, three teams at 18 points, or four teams at 24 points.

The Jägerkompanie are rated as Confident (4+ motivation), Veteran (3+ skill), and Careful (Hit on 4+). You could use the Jäger list to represent German Inafnteriekompanies from better line divisions, but in that case, you’ll have to go without the Granatenwerfer and one less 7.62cm Minenwerfer. I think the Jäger might very well become the favorite German formation in the new Great War book.

The last formation option for the Germans is also a new addition, the Siegfriedstellung. These formations were created when the German defensive strategy switched to having minimal forces forward in the trenches with strong counterattack forces in reserve. Thus the Siegfriedstellung has minimal foot soldiers, but a healthy amount of crew served-weapons.

The Siegfriedstellung formation has an HQ with a single mandatory Siegfriedstellung Infanterie platoon and mandatory Siegfriedstellung 7.7cm Field Gun.

To these can be added a single Siegfriedstellung Machine-gun platoon, another Siegfriedstellung 7.7cm Field Gun, up to three Siegfriedstellung 7.6cm Minenwerfers, up to two Siegfriedstellung 7.62cm Infantry Guns and up to two Siegfriedstellung 3.7cm Anti-tank guns.

The Siegfriedstellung HQ has two Pistol teams for 2 points with a 1-point SMG upgrade option for both teams. The Siegfriedstellung Infantry platoons are large with ten G98 teams and three MG08/15 teams for 15-points or seven G98 and two MG08/15 teams for seven points. Each platoon can add a single Granatenwerfer team for 4-points, a 1.3cm Anti-tank rifle team for 3-points, upgrade one G98 Rifle team to a M1917 Rifle Grenade team for 1-point, and can replace a G98 with a SMG team for 1-point.

The Siegfriedstellung Machine-gun platoon comes with two teams at 11-points, three teams at 17-points, or four teams at 23 points.

The Siegfriedstellung 7.7cm Field Guns are 10-points each. The Siegfriedstellung 7.62cm Infantry Guns are 8-points each. Siegfriedstellung 7.6cm Minenwerfers are 11-points each and the Siegfriedstellung 3.7cm Anti-tank guns 7 points each.

Perhaps not enjoying being left forward on their own, the Siegfriedstellung are rated as Reluctant (5+ motivation), Veteran (3+ skill), and Careful (Hit on 4+).  They have the “Infanterie Vor” rule giving them a 2+ Blitz Move Order.

They also have two other special rules to reflect their unique mission. The first of these is “Defense in Depth” which requires all non-Siegfriedstellung unit to go in reserve before any units from the formation. The other special rule is “Concrete Bunkers” that lets Siegfriedstellung units rally at a 4+ when in a trench or gun pit as well as allows a pre-game rally attempt from pre-game preliminary bombardments.

I’m not quite sure what to make of this new Siegfriedstellung formation. It may fill a very important historical role, but it seems a bit of an odd duck to take as your primary formation. Perhaps it could be useful as a second formation providing a fire support base for a maneuver focused infantry heavy formation?

The support options available to the German formations are very different in the new Great War book. Zero to six Panzers can be taken as support and can have any combination of A7Vs at 19-point each, Beute Mk-IV Males at 17 points each, or Beute Mk-IV Females at 15 points each. The Panzers are rated as Confident (4+ motivation, with a 3+ counterattack), Trained (4+ skill, with a 5+ tactics), and Aggressive (Hit on 3+).The 7.62 Krupp Infantry guns taken as support are 7-points or 9-points for veterans. Single 7.7cm Field Guns are 9-points or 11-points. Full batteries of the Field Guns are 18 points for two guns or 36 points for four.

If taken as veterans, these will the cost are 23-points for two guns or 46-points for four.  The support guns are always Confident (4+ motivation) and Careful (Hit on 3+). Making them Veteran only improves their skill to a 3+ with a 4+ Counterattack. I think I’d not usually take the Veteran guns over the normal ones.

The last support option is the 4-point single Sniper Team. Snipers auto-pin any unarmored team they hit and can always be in ambush.

The sniper team interestingly has a 2+ Tactics rating with base skill of 3+ and is Fearless (3+ motivation) and Careful (Hit on 4+).

In summary, the Germans did not get as many flashy additions like the Allies Cavalry and Armored Cars in Great War, but they still have some solid formations to implement the will of the Kaiser with. Though it really was a bit of a novelty on the West Front, I think the Jägerkompanie may be the most interesting and possibly one of the better German formation options to explore.

What I like most about the Germans in Great War is every bit of my previous German collection is still completely usable and are still all based the same way. The new German formations in Great War give the German player interesting options to employ old models in new ways and I hope many will be excited, like myself, to get their models back on the table.

I will follow with some battle reports soon!