RECON CORNER -News from the front by the Iron Cross team - REPORT 10

belgian army in ww2

By Antônio Marcelo
antonmarcelo@gmail.com

Introduction

With the German invasion of Poland

in September 1939, although still
following a policy of neutrality, the
Belgian government began general
mobilization. Despite a policy of
netrality, the Belgians began to
mobilize around 600,000 soldiers,
awaiting a possible German
invasion.

This takes place in 1940 with

the operation Fall Gelb (“Case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belgium#/media/File:The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4444.jpg
Yellow”) as part of the wider invasion of France,
the Netherlands and Luxembourg . The Belgian The Belgian army can do little against the
army was yet another victim of the German war Germans, in 18 days of the campaign, Belgium
machine. Totally influenced by the tactics of the surrendered to Germany. After the surrender,
French army. BEF was organized in exile.

At the time, the Belgian army had about 600000
soldiers, 200 armored cars and commando cars,
most of which were inferior to the Germans.
Most of their armament was French and English,
but very little can be done against the Germans.
The Belgians had their first combat with the taking
of the Fortress of Eben-Emael on May 10, 1940,
and from then on, they were subjugated, until the
help of the British entered, however, it was late.
Belgium was the scene of one of the most
famous flanking movements in history, where
the Germans used it as a springboard to invade
France, flanking the Maginot Line.
The Free Belgian forces (French: Forces belges
libres, Dutch: Vrije Belgische Strijdkrachten)
were soldiers from Belgium and its colonies
who fought as part of the Allied armies during
World War II, after the official Belgian surrender
to Nazi Germany. It is distinct from the Belgian
Resistance which existed in German-occupied
Belgium. Much of the Belgians’ performance was
in English special forces, such as Commandos
and SAS.
Another importante Belgian force was the
Independent Belgian Brigade was a Belgian and
Luxembourg military unit in the Free Belgian
forces during World War II, commonly known Both situations use HE and normal ammunition.
as the Piron Brigade (Brigade Piron) after its For off-table artillery the radio contact for the
commanding officer Jean-Baptiste Piron. It saw pole player is 5+ in a d6 roll. The main AT Gun
action in Western Europe and participated in the is a 75mm (to hit 4+) and in game situation
Battle of Normandy, the Liberation of Belgium, is equivalent to a 75mm L/24 (See our Core
and fighting in the Netherlands over 1944-1945. Book). The Belgian army use the english PIAT
for infanrty AT weapon:
Troops Rooster
NAME RANGE* TYPE PF
Infantry Regular (9pts) (LA Defense*) PIAT 20 cm Rocket 3

mov bases moral * 1/300 - Other scales se our recon corner

“Diferent Scales”.
14cm** 2 6
The Belgians hits with AT Infantry Weapons in
4+ in hit roll.Regarding mortars, the Belgians
Infantry Regular (9pts) (Belgian used the following mortars bellow:
Expeditionary Force)
Caliber Range* Splatter Radius
50 mm 50 cm 1 cm
mov bases* moral
81 60cm 1cm
14cm** 2 7 120mm 80cm 2 cm

* Normal Troops *1/300 - Other scales se our recon corner

“Diferent Scales”
Commandos (20pts)
Vehicles and Tanks
mov bases* moral
With few tanks and an army with tactics based
16cm** 2 9
on World War I, Belgium did not fall so fast
due to help from the British who stopped the
**1/300 - Other scales se our recon corner German offensive for a few days. One of the
“Diferent Scales” most significant examples of his obsolete tactics
was the taking of the Eben Emael fortress by the
Note: See rules for Commandos in British German paratroopers, in one of the first airborne
Army in Recon Corner Report 8. robberies in the world. With few tanks, mostly
English and French, Belgium can do little
Guns, Anti-Tank Weapons, and Mortars against the Germans.

The Belgian Army owned the following off- Belgium’s fall, without a doubt, was the
table artillery: foreshadowing of what would be the French
campaign, which is shaped in the early days of
Splatter the 2nd. World War, the fame of the German
Caliber Range invincibility. This fact led to a feeling of
Radius*
75 mm Game Table 1 cm confidence in Hitler and his generals, which
would lead to the invasion of Russia and
These cannons can be used directly against consequently to one of the bloodiest campaigns
infantry or as artillery; their range is the size of in history: Barbarossa. I hope you enjoy this
the game table. article more! Good game!
Tanks

Name MV* Gun FA SA RA Machineguns Year Points

Renault FT-17 12cm 37mm 1 1 1 1 HMG 39-40 25

T15 15cm - 1 1 1 1 MMG 39-40 15
T13 15cm 47mm 1 1 1 1 HMG 39-40 30
AGC 1 14cm 47mm 1 1 1 1 HMG 39-40 30

Vehicles

Name MV* Gun FA SA RA Machineguns Year Points

Marno Herrington 25cm - 0 0 0 - 39/40 10

Minerva 25cm - 1 1 1 HMG 39/40 20

*1/300 scale
STOP NOW!
Different Scales Movements
Our team hopes you enjoyed the article!
Be sure to play the exclusive “Last
Name 10mm 15mm 1/72 28mm Run” scenario about Belgians+British
versus Germans in Belgian Campaign!
Renault FT-17 15cm 19cm 21cm
This scenario is available along with
T15 17cm 21cm 25cm our article.
T13 17cm 21cm 25cm
AGC 1 15cm 19cm 21cm
Marno Herrington 30cm 32cm 38cm
Minerva 28cm 30cm 34cm

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