Festungskompanie

352. Infanteriedivision Festungskompanie (GBX12)

352. Infanteriedivision (352nd Infantry Division) rose from the ashes of 321. Infanterie-division, destroyed in the Soviet counteroffensive following the Battle of Kursk on the Eastern Front. A strong cadre of combat veterans survived to lead the division in a new battle of annihilation on the Western Front.

The division began mustering in earnest at St. Lô, in Normandy, on 5 November 1943, receiving young 18 and 19 year old recruits from Hannover, Germany.

As the commander, it fell upon Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss (awarded the Knights Cross with Oakleaves and the German Cross in Gold) to make his division ready to fight.

He and his staff worked ceaselessly to get equipment. Heavy weapons were scarce, trucks almost unobtainable. Shortages of ammunition and fuel meant a bare minimum of weapons training and virtually no driver training.

In spite of these shortages and spending up to 8 hours a day labouring on beach defences, by May 1944, 352. Infanterie-division was fully combat ready—a state that no other infantry division in the Normandy area could even aspire to. The biggest question on their mind was where would the division fight next?

352. Infanteriedivision had taken over half of the Normandy coastal sector from 716. Infanteriedivision, a second-rate static division, but expected to be called back to the Eastern Front at any moment. Its size had grown with the attachment of 726. Grenadierregiment (726th Infantry Regiment) and 439. Ost Bataillon (439th Eastern Battalion) from the previous garrison, but it had lost 915. Grenadierregiment and the divisional fusilier battalion, combined into Kampfgruppe Meyer (Battlegroup Meyer), the mobile reserve for its parent LXXXIV Armeekorps (84th Army Corps).

This loss cost the division all of its self-propelled guns, and truck and bicycle-mounted infantry.

D-Day, 6 June, answered the question of where the division would fight. The division reacted immediately to the Allied invasion, inflicting horrendous casualties on the two American divisions landing in its sector.

On the first day the only beach where the Germans stopped the Allies cold, even if only for a few hours, was Omaha, and it was 352. Infanteriedivision that had performed this heroic feat.

In Flames Of War

In Bloody Omaha you can take a Festungskompanie (Fortress Company) representing one of the companies of the 352. Infanteriedivision or one of the other divisions defending the coastline around Omaha Beach.

Though without the full array of support choices available to their colleagues on the Eastern Front, the infantry companies of the Normandy front do have some trick of their own. A Festungskompanie always defends, even against another infantry company.

It also always has a certain amount of fortifications available to it and can field fortifications even when not fighting a mission with fortifications (see special rules on page 12 ofBloody Omaha).

Contents of Box

The 352. Infanteriedivision Festungskompanie box contains:

A Company HQ (2 Command teams, 3 Light Mortar teams with options to upgrade to 3 8cm GW42 mortars, anti-tank section with Panzerschreck team or 8.8cm Püppchen RW43, and three sniper teams.

Three Grenadier Platoons with MG or Rifle/MG teams, Command Panzerknacker SMG team option and Goliath option.

Two R-35 tank turret bunkers and four HMG Tobruk bunkers (see pages 22-23 Bloody Omaha).

Designed by Evan
Painted by Jeremy and Wayne