No Dice No Glory Episode 53: BattleVault Episode 2
Ed and Tom hit the air-waves again for the second installment of No Dice No Glory’s BattleVault podcast.
D-Day
Return of the 21st Panzer
By Tom Burgess
Battlefront has brought the 21st Panzer into Version 4 of Flames of War. This is tremendous news for those of us who have some of the very unique kit that the 21st Panzer division fielded in 1944. This also lays out a pathway to add more formation options to what is provided in the army books. Hopefully Battlefront will use this format to bring other unique formations into Version 4 in the future. But for now, let’s go ahead and get into the new Version 21st Panzer Division book and cards.
In late 1943, the German command identified a need for a mobile force that could move to quickly counter amphibious landings where they might occur on the French cost. So a mobile force, initially designated as “Schnelle Division West,” was created. However, the German command simply could not supply this organization with German vehicles and equipment. Alternatively, the force was equipped with captured French vehicles like the S307(f) and U304(f) Half-Tracks and Hotchkiss light tanks. Many of these were converted and heavily up-gunned by Major Alfred Becker’s workshop creating one of the most unique German fighting formations of the war. This formation was eventually was redesignated as the 21st Panzer Division, bringing one of Germany’s most famous panzer division names back on the rolls.
The Longest Day – a full afternoon “playing” the D-Day with FOW
It has been one of the hottest summers ever for WW2 gamers. Battlefront deployed a full array of Late War books: the “transitional” Fortress Europe with all four armies on the Western/Russian front, the US D-Day and the incoming German Normandy focused one. At our club in Milan, we decided to play the D-Day scenarios in US D-Day book to “celebrate” both the 75th anniversary of that fateful day and the starting of the Late War FOW season.
Es ist Tigerzeit! German Tank Formations D-Day Book
It is indeed Tiger time. The D-Day book for the Germans is out and we look at the armoured formations you can run out of this new release for Late War. No other commander during WW2 made such an impact in a tank as Michael Wittmann.
As a true Panzer Ace, his Tiger took its fight to the allies and he fought until he was finally KIA in August of 1944. Stopping by his final resting place in 2007 in a small cemetery in France was a small highlight of a trip that took me from Arras to Vimy and everything in between.
Before we look at the Heavy Tank formation from the D-Day book, why don’t we start a little ‘lighter’. Let’s have a good look at the Panzer IV Tank Coy, this list will likely be very popular to German tank purists.
German D-Day Bat Rep
By Benny Christiansen
With the new German D-Day book available, I made an effort to hurry and try to make a game with the two D-Day books. That means there will be some proxy units in the US list. Sorry for that and the poor quality of the photos. Blitz wasn’t working that day for the US or for the American player (me).
My friend is a veteran German player, so we decided to have a go at it. 80 points, as there will be a tournament later this year with 80 points D-Day books. My list was as follows:
German D-Day Command Cards – Going Off Book
By Tom Gall
Battlefront’s German D-Day Command cards fall into line with what continues to be a newly established V4 tradition, release a book of new lists for a particular time and theatre of the war and at the same time, release a deck of command cards that complement the book with more force options and bits of flavor to add to your force.
I’ll cover a good number of the cards. My goal is to give you a feel for what is found in the card pack not review each and every card, though I do certainly cover the majority of them. If you have any questions, please reply to the article and I’ll happily answer.
Stats
There are 46 command cards for the German D-Day book. They span the range of named heroes (6), Tiger ace and accompanying cards, force or unit ability buffs, special modifications tied to a historical unit, new companies (2), and last swap outs (ex: Nebelwerfers in place of 10.5cm artillery).
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.
Here Comes the Cavalry – US Cavalry in The D-Day America Book
By Chad Underdonk,
Last winter when Battlefront announced the return to late-war in V4 my heart began to pound a little faster as I’ve always been a big fan of the M8 Greyhounds and Jeeps of the US Cavalry. I immediately examined the announced title page of the US D-Day book and was a little upset to learn that there was no Reconnaissance formation listed for the United States. And worse, upon examination, I realized that the Germans, British, and Russians all had a reconnaissance formation on their title pages. So with much trepidation, I’ve been awaiting word of what is going on with my beloved US Cavalry.
FOW D-Day Mega Game
Embarking on a Great Crusade D-Day Mega-Game
The Huntsville Historical Gamers gathered on 8 June to recreate the Allied Invasion of Europe. Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase of Operation Overlord, was known as Operation Neptune. Operation Neptune began on D-Day (6 June 1944) and ended on 30 June 1944. By this time, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on 19 August 1944.
D-Day American Special Missions
One of the great sections contained towards the back of the new D-Day American book by Battlefront is the special missions that are thematic to D-Day. “Shot in the Dark“, “Help’s On Its Way” and “Fubar” model the airborne landings, the daring ranger assault on the coastal defenses and the landing themselves.
Battlefront has structured these such that they can be played individually or as a linked mini-campaign where the outcome of one game influences the next. It’s not quite a firestorm campaigns of yore, but certainly within the spirit of those past designs.