Bolt action: Historically Normandy 1944 project
About the project.
Hey all.
So the boot-camp videos have inspired me to share my Bolt Action project with you all. So my Bolt Action fascination started with Beasts of War “how to play” video back in first edition of Bolt Action. I myself comes from a background in the danish army (8 years and still going). I found therefore the small platoon size battles very relatable and a opportunity to, in some form, train my tactical understanding in general. I also soon have a BA in history (thanks to the danish version of the G.I.-bill) and it is therefore important for me that the representation of the squads (equipment, force organisation for squad size units) is historcally correct. I will therefore try, with this project-blog, to make a project that is historically correct on a squad level. of course everybody can make mistakes, and I hope that you all will help to correct me, if I do make some mistakes.
I bought a couple of year ago the Bolt Action D-day firefight set. I therefore want to base the project on this set at its core. So I will be making an american army, airborne team and a german Heer army. I will be making the two armies in the late-war period, more precisely, Normandy 1944, Operation Overlord. From the alliede operational landing, that was launched on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings to the German forces retreated east across the Seine on 30 August 1944, marking the close of Operation Overlord.
The first thing I will talk about and work on and show you is my german forces. I will be going into the squad organization, the way they fought and in some degree their equipment. I will hopefully have the first part of this up tomorrow. Hopefully you guys will find this interesting 😀
Great idea on the project, @reaperfcrew . I’m very glad to see the Bolt Action videos had a positive effect, and glad to see more players take a sharper historical take on their armies and lists. 😀 I feel your detail information adds a lot to ours, since we were focusing on early war and you’re doing a great job on late war. Great project, I’ll be following with interest!
Thanks alot @oriskany, hope the historical editor will correct me if get something wrong. 😉 I will keep working on some of the previous posts as the project moves along, just to fill the gabs. Btw do you have any good suggestion for books about WW2 US army and airborne squad infantry tactics?
No worries at all, @reaperfcrew – my purpose isn’t to “correct” anyone, we have too many people on the site do that already. Anyway, your research seems pretty solid as it is. I’m not exactly sure how many StG 44 assault rifles would have been fielded between D-Day and Falaise (the time period you’re going for) – but I honestly don’t know. I have a few pdf books I could send on if you wanted to PM me your e-mail address. Not exactly WW2 US Army and airborne tactics, but WW2 Airborne tactics in general, WW2 US amphibious tactics, WW2… Read more »
yeah that would be very cool with the pdf’s! I would like that very much. I will PM you my email 🙂 And yeah I know that the StG 44 maybe historically on thin ice regarding its use during Operation Overlord. But if I remember correct, wasn’t there bigger army units on “leave” in france from the east front? units that where being rearmament and restrained after heavy causualty costs in Russia?