British Commandos 1944

Royal Marine Commando Section

Could be taken as Regular, or Elite troops

Platoon Force Rating:

Regular: +0
Elite: +7

Command Dice: 5 (6 for Elite)

SECTION HEADQUARTERS
Subaltern, Senior Leader, armed with a Pistol
Sergeant, Senior Leader, armed with a SMG

SUPPORT SUB-SECTION
Corporal, Junior Leader, armed with a SMG
2” Mortar Team, with two crew

ASSAULT SECTIONS 1-2

Sergeant, Superior Junior Leader armed with a SMG
RIFLE GROUP GUN GROUP
Marine with a SMG Marine with a SMG
Five Marines, armed with rifles Bren Gun with two crew
Two Marines armed with SMG Bren Gun with two crew
(may swap one Rifle for a sniper-and/or a rifle (may swap out one Bren for 2 rifles)
grenade launcher)

Army Commando Section

Could be taken as Elite troops

Platoon Force Rating:

Elite: + 8

Command Dice: 6 for Elite

Commandos are aggressive

SECTION HEADQUARTERS
Subaltern, Senior Leader, armed with a Pistol
Sergeant, Senior Leader, armed with a SMG
2” Mortar Team, with two crew

SUB-SECTIONS 1-2
Lance Sergeant, Superior Junior Leader armed with a SMG
RIFLE GROUP LMG GROUP
Commando with SMG Commando with SMG
Six commandos, armed with rifles Bren Gun with two crew
Bren Gun with two crew
(may swap out one Bren for 2 rifles)
National Characteristics:

Commando!

The Commando is intensely aware of the need to get in fast and hit hard especially against dug in opponents. The
signal to attack with a volley of grenades and then close in with the Sten gun, Colt pistol or Fairbairn-Sykes knife was
the cry “Get Stuck in!“ from the squad leader.

To reflect this, when a Leader attached to a Team or Squad uses two Command Initiatives, he may lead a charge
against any enemy within 12” preceded by a hail of grenades. Roll 1D6, subtracting 1 if the enemy is in light cover, 2
if in hard cover. On a roll of 1 or 2, one hand grenade has hit the target unit; on 3 or 4, two grenades hit; on 5 or 6,
three grenades hit the target. Roll for the effect of these and the Team or Squad may then move with up to 3D6 to
try to initiate Close Combat

No route too tough

Commandos were very experienced at overcoming obstacles and difficult terrain to get to their objectives.

A Commando team may move at the double (3D6) in the following terrain:

Broken Ground

Heavy Going 1” per D6 deducted. – gaining 1 shock per team for the run.

Other movement:

Really heavy Going: No move at double but normal move allowed.

Crossing an obstacle: Movement 2D6 - Minor – no deduction, Medium – lower dice discarded Major – higher dice
discarded
 COMMANDO SUPPORT LIST
LIST ONE
Medical Orderly
Engineer Mine Clearance Team, 3 men
Engineer Wire Cutting Team, 3 men
Engineer Demolition Team, 3 men
AT Rifle
Replace two rifles with SMG
Car or Jeep, no crew
Replace two Bren LMGs with two Vickers ‘K Gun’ LMG (ROF 8 instead of 6) in one subsection
Entrenchments for one Team
LIST TWO
2” Mortar Team¸2 men
Pre-Game Barrage
PIAT Team, 2 men
Equip a man with engineering equipment max of 2 of each type per section*
LIST THREE
Engineer Flamethrower Team, 3 men
Sniper Team
AT Rifle team, 2 AT rifles, 2 loaders and 1 JL with SMG
Regular Commando Group (Team with Junior Leader Rifle or Gun)
Ranking Senior leader – Major **
LIST FOUR
Engineer Section with Junior Leader
Vickers MMG on tripod mount, 5 crew
Forward Observer and 3” Mortar Battery
Vickers ‘K Gun’ support team, 2 Vickers K guns, 2 crew each and a JL
Armoured Car Dutch or Belgian Recce Daimler Mk I
Elite Commando Group (Team with Junior Leader Rifle or Gun)
LIST FIVE
Regular Commando Assault/Sub-Section with Junior Leader
6 pounder anti-tank gun with 5 crew and Junior Leader
Armoured Car Dutch or Belgian Recce Staghound
LIST SIX
M4 Sherman with Junior Leader
Elite Commando Assault/Sub-Section with Junior Leader
LIST SEVEN
M-10 with Junior Leader
Centaur with Junior Leader
LIST NINE
Churchill AVRE with Junior Leader
Churchill Crocodile with Junior Leader

Vickers ‘K Gun’

Both numbers and firepower of LMG were increased on D-Day by the replacement of Bren guns with the Vickers K
gun. Not all units replaced them but most RM Commando sections did.

In addition those Commandos tasked with clearing defences often took extra K guns is a separate fire support
section, rather like a MMG but lighter and easier to move.
AT Rifle team

For several Commando sections additional fire support from Boys AT rifles were used – their role was to suppress
and kill enemy gun teams behind their gunshields. This tactic was successful at Dieppe and was used on D-Day at
Merville Battery and other gun positions.

*Engineering Equipment

RM Commandos were issued flamethrowers, explosives, wire cutters etc. directly to the sub-sections for use on D-
Day, again their role was to gain access to and suppress bunkers and other fortifications- this was especially useful
for those Commandos in 4th brigade tasked with linking the beach landings. The men so equipped still keep their side
arms but cannot use both at the same time. If they use their side arms to shoot or assault they drop their
engineering equipment and may no longer use it in the game.

** Ranking Senior Leader – the ‘Old Mans’ here!

Sometimes to make sure the Commandos kept moving and assaulting on time the senor officer for the Commando
the Lt Colonel or his 2 i/c the Major would be at the pointy end urging the men on. The Old Man counts as a ranking
Senior Leader with an initiative of 4 and a 12” command radius. Of course if he is killed or wounded it has a large
effect on the men’s moral so add a +1 to the die roll on table sixteen

BRITSH ARSENAL TABLE

TANKS AND ARMOURED VEHICLES
Vehicle Armour A.P. H.E. Speed Notes
Staghound 3 5 3 Wheeled Hull and Co-ax MG
Daimler Mk I 3 5 1 Wheeled Co-ax MG
M-10 4 10 5 Average Open topped no
co-ax or Hull MG,
Pintle HMG
Centaur Mk IV 6 4 9 Fast
Churchill AVRE 8 10 16 Slow Hull MG
Churchill Crocodile 10 7 6 / Flame Slow Hull and Co-ax MG
M4 Sherman (all marks & variants) 6 7 6 Average Ronson
ANTI-TANK GUNS
Weapon A.P H.E.
L50, 6 pounder 7 4

REFERENCES:

Royal Marine Commando Training Pamphlet No 2 - Commando Battle Drill (1945)

Commando Tactics, The Second World War – Dr Stephen Bull

Commandos and Rangers of World War Two – James Ladd

Commandos and Rangers D-Day Operations – Tim Saunders