List Building for Beach Defense and FJ Kompanies

By NDNG Dane

Battlefront announced the release of the new  book. The new book allows the German players some exciting options to oppose the allies in Normandy.

In this article, we will look at some of the options available for the Beach Defense Companies. Returning to late-war in V4 is the 352nd and 716th Infantry Divisions. The base motivation for the Beach Defense Grenadier Company is Confident (4+), skill rating of Green (5+), and is rated as Aggressive (hit on a 3+).

The Beach Defense Companies start off looking like traditional Late War Grenadier Company. The basic building block of two (Beach Defense) Grenadier Platoons is the same, as are support options of an HMG34 platoon, 7.5CM Infantry Gun Platoon, 15CM Gun Platoon, 8CM Mortar Platoons, 12CM Mortar Platoon, 5CM Anti-Tank Platoon, and 7.5CM Anti-Tank Platoon.

You can equip all your infantry platoon teams with Panzerfausts for +2 points. You can equip all your infantry platoons with up to two MG34 HMGs for +1 point each. Finally, you can equip all your infantry platoons with up to two Panzerschrecks for +1 point each.

Beach Defense Company Build #1 (Beach Defense)
Company HQs… 2 points
– equip one SMG team with Panzerfaust… 1 point
Beach Defense Grenadier Platoon #1 – 7 MG42 Teams… 6 points
– add two MG34 HMG 2 points Equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Beach Defense Grenadier Platoon #2 – 7 MG42 Teams… 6 points
-add two MG34 HMG 2 points
-equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Beach Defense HMG Platoon – 4x HMG Teams… 3 points
Beach Defense 12CM Mortar Platoon – 4x 12CM Mortar Tms… 4 points
Anti-Tank Bunker 8.8CM… 12 Points
HMG Tobruk Pit x4 8 Points HMG Tobruk Pit x4… 8 Points
AA Nest 2CM 4 Points AA Nest 2CM… 4 Points
AA Nest 2CM… 4 Points

Total: 70 points

I have stopped at 70 points as many of the missions the defender will be at a point disadvantage in some of the missions, the defender starts with as little as 20 points on the Table. It’s easy enough to bring the list to a full 100 points if that is what the game requires.

Beach Defense Company Build #2
This list I like to play when battles are a little deeper in the French countryside like Brittany, St Lo, or during the Cobra Breakout.

Company HQs 2 points Equip both SMG teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Beach Defense Grenadier Platoon #1 – 7 MG42 Teams 6 points add two MG34 HMG… 2 points
-equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Beach Defense Grenadier Platoon #2 – 7 MG42 Teams… 6 points
-add two MG34 HMG… 2 points
-equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Beach Defense Grenadier Platoon #3 – 7 MG42 Teams… 6 points
– add two MG34 HMG 2 points Equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Beach Defense HMG Platoon – 4x HMG Teams… 3 points
Beach Defense 12CM Mortar Platoon – 4x 12CM Mortar Teams… 4 points
Beach Defense 7.5 CM Gun Platoon – 4x 7.5CM Infantry Guns… 8 points
Beach Defense 7.5 CM Tank-Hunter Platoon – 3x 7.5CM Guns… 8 points

This list also takes advantage of fielding a Combat unit taken from another Unit. Being as the 352. Panzerjäger Abteilung historically had 10 x StuG III Ausf. G assault guns, I chose the following addition:
STUG Assault Gun Platoon – 4x STUG 7.5 CM… 23 points

Similarly, as the 352. Artillerie Regiment had 9 Batteries of 10.5 cm leFH 16 Howitzers and 3 batteries of 15 cm sFH 18, I chose at add Artillery support to the list.

10.5 CM Artillery Battery – 4×10.5 CM Howitzers 14 points

Adding the 15cm batteries would be historically accurate, but would require use of the Hummel batteries as 15 cm towed guns have yet to be added back into the mix.

Finally, as the 352. Panzerjäger Abteilung historically had, 9 x FlaKPanzer 38 Self-Propelled Flak AFVs, I chose at add AA support to my list for the inevitable appearance of the dreaded JABOs. Again, historically accurate to add the vehicles, and the stats are not exactly the same, but you can use the historically correct models and apply points and stats from the D-Day German Book.

AA Platoon – 4x SdKfz 10/4 2 CM AA 6 points
Total: 100 Points

Now, the new German D-Day book allows the German players some exciting options to field Fallschirmjager Kompanies. German Players can field units from the 3rd Fallschirmjager Division. These Companies are rated as Stomtroopers (unit may attempt a second movement order). Fallschirmjagers have a base motivation as Fearless (3+), skill rating of veteran (3+), and is rated as Careful (hit on a 4+).

The Fallschirmjager Kompanies start off looking like traditional Grenadier Companies. The basic building block of two Fallschirmjager Platoons is the same. Support options include an HMG34 platoon, 8CM Mortar Platoons, 12CM Mortar Platoon, and a 7.5CM Anti-Tank Platoon. You can equip all your infantry platoon teams with Panzerfausts for +2 points. You can equip all your infantry platoons with up to two MG34 HMGs for +1 point each. Finally, you can equip all your infantry platoons with up to two Panzerschrecks for +1 point each.

Now to the exciting Assault Gun Company Option! At the beginning of 1944, the OKW and the OKL attempted to bolster much-needed armor support for the I. and II. Fallschirm Korps. The formation of two Sturmgeschutz Brigades authorized. These brigades would each have approximately 2,000 men and 31 Sturmgeschutzen assigned. The brigades were further divided into three batteries of about 500 men with 10 assault guns each. One of these Brigades is detailed in the new book, allowing German players to field the 12th Fallschirm STUG Brigade.

Fallschirmjager Kompanie Build #1
Fallschirmjager Company HQs… 3 points
-Equip both SMG teams with Panzerfaust… 2 point
Fallschirmjager Platoon #1 – 10 MG42 Teams… 13 points
– add two MG34 HMG… 4 points
-equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Equip one Panzerschreck team… 2 points
Fallschirmjager Platoon #2 – 10 MG42 Teams… 13 points
-add two MG34 HMG 4 points Equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts… 2 points
Fallschirmjager HMG Platoon – 4x HMG Teams… 6 points
Fallschirmjager 12CM Mortar Platoon – 3x 12CM Mortar Tms… 8 points
Fallschirmjager 7.5 CM Tank-Hunter Platoon 4x 7.5 CM Guns… 18 Points
This list also takes advantage of fielding a Combat unit taken from another Unit. I will add
Fallschirmjager STUG Assault Gun Platoon 4x 7.5 CM STUG 23 Points
Total: 100 points

Now, for some STUG Love, Fallschirmjager STUG Kompanie Build #2
Fallschirmjager STUG Assault Company HQs – 2x STUG7.5 CM… 11 points
Fallschirmjager STUG Assault Platoon #1 – 4x STUG 7.5 CM… 23 points
Fallschirmjager STUG Assault Platoon #2 – 4x STUG 7.5 CM… 23 points
Fallschirmjager Stug Assault Howitzer Plt – 4x STUH 10.5 CM… 20 points
Fallschirmjager Platoon – 10x MG42 Teams 13 points add two MG34 HMG… 4 points
-Equip all MG42 Teams with Panzerfausts 2 points Equip two Panzerschreck teams 4 points
Total: 100 points

I hope this article and sample lists help to inspire others to look more closely at fielding these exciting and historical formations in Flames of War.