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 of Bloody 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