german nachtjagers

the brutal battles east of Berlin. Russian commanders feared

these elite German warriors intent on inflicting severe damage
to the enemy in the death throws of the Third Reich. The
German Panzergeneral Guderian believed that Nachtjagers
truly revolutionized warfare – so much that he claimed Ger-
many would have won the war had the technology been intro-
duced sooner in the war! Guderian may have been wrong
about winning the war, but he was absolutely right about the
influence of infrared technology in modern combat. US troops
employed a “borrowed” version of the Vampir on Okinawa.
Called the Sniperscope, this infrared device proved highly
successful and paved the way for more advance infrared night
devices that still exist on the modern battleground of today!

Nachtjagers are great because they add a whole new

dimension to gaming the last days of the Reich – fighting
in darkness! Try a scenario using the Night rules found free
on our website. Though these bad boys of the night have a
German Nachtjagers distinct advantage during night combat, they also ooze with
desperation and a vicious will to fight to the death. But can
As the darkness of defeat descends on the ruins of the you play with Nachtjagers during daylight hours? Sure! Even
Reich, strange forms loom in the night. Resembling spacemen these hardy troops can get caught in the light of the day, put-
from Mars, these shadowy figures are in fact elite and dedi- ting them in equal light with the enemy! Because Nachtjag-
cated German night fighters. Equipped with advanced infrared ers may employ their scopes as normal in daylight, they make
night scopes that turn night into day, these Nachtjagers (Night
Hunters) stalk the dreaded enemies of the Reich in the dead of
night!
Beware of what lurks after midnight!
In the final days of the Third Reich, the German
people believed rumors that secret wonder weapons (geheim-
wunderwaffen) would save them from utter destruction.
Though most of these rumors were just that, one such weapon
was fact and not fiction: the infrared night scope. Designed to
“see” targets at night, this revolutionary technology promised
to help turn the tide against enemies already on German soil.
By spring, 1945 infrared scopes were mounted on designated German Nachtjager Costs
PzKfw. V Panther tanks and on Sdkfz. 251 Halftracks, the
latter variation given the nickname “Uhl” or “Owl”. Accom- Type Morale Cost
panying these night-sight equipped vehicles were elite assault Elite 14 400
troops armed with close combat defense weapon systems
(Nahverteidigungswaffe) featuring StG-44 Assault Rifles fitted
with infrared sights and scopes. Called the Vampir, the infra- Each Nachtjager Team comes with the following:
red scope was powered by a portable battery and utilized 1 Team Leader with StG-44 AR
infrared rays to illuminate enemy targets in the dead of night. 4 Rifleman with StG-44 AR
The addition of a scope gave Nachtjagers the ability to easily All Nachtjagers are armed with Three Defensive
pick out enemy targets from the infrared. When combined Stielhandgranate 39 (Frag Sleeve) Stick Grenades
All Nachtjagers are armed with One Nebelhandgranate
with the Panthers and Owls, these Nachtjagers quickly moved (Smoke Grenade) Stick Grenade.
around the battlegrounds of the Reich with ease.
The effect of the Nachtjagers, Panthers, and Owls
was immediate. The combination proved to be deadly during

Battleground World War II®

 German nachtjagers
even more accurate and elite Sturm (Assault) Troops! Players Nachtjagers/Sturm Nachtjagers are essentially the
may wish to incorporate Nachtjagers into “day” scenarios or cream of the crop of German Sturm (Assault) Troops. They
during a Point Battle. All rules for Nachtjagers remain in are armed and trained to fight at night and for special night
effect with the obvious exception of infrared (Vampir). One missions. Nachtjagers may always fight during the day as
thing is for sure – Nachtjagers give a whole new meaning to Sturm Troops equipped with scoped StG-44 Assault Rifles.
being spotted on the battlefield. It is a horrible thing to not All rules listed on the German Sturm Squad Play Sheet are
even see what just hit you! always in effect for Nachtjagers. Additionally, an Elite Nach-
tjager unit may be attached to a German Sturm Platoon if
Special Rules desired.

Vampir The Vampir (Vampire) married an infrared night Nachtjager Example

sighting device with an optical scope. When used together at
Before first action
night, targets could be more easily acquired. In daylight only
the optical scope by itself could be used.
Nachtjager rolls a spotting check before
Sighting To use the Vampir to sight the figure must spend an any of his actions. Because it is night
action. No special sighting checks are allowed at the top of the he doesn't spot anything.
figure’s turn, to get the nightsite special rules you must spend
an action.
Infrared Sighting Area The effective Sighting area of the First action
infrared extends outward from the weapon system 18” deep For the first action the Nachtjager uses
and 6” wide. This area cancels out all Night rules (i.e. tri- his Vampir system to spot for targets.
pling range) and should be treated like normal daylight/normal He gets a "path" of light 18" long and 6"
wide. He chooses an area to spot within 18"
Sighting Checks.
of himself Any target within this range he
Firing A Single shot taken after spending an action Sighting will spot as normal, no night rules apply.
with the infrared/scope tandem receives a –2 modifier to Hit.
Firing full ROF (3 dice) receives no modifiers. This applies
when firing in daylight or at night. To recive this bonus at Second action
night the target must be within the 18” range of the Vampir Because he spotted a target during the
unit. first action he is going to take a shot in
Non-Snipers Nachtjagers are NOT trained snipers but the second action. The Nachtjager decides
to take a single shot so he gets a -2 to
assault troops equipped with scopes. hit.
Captured Use Allied troops attempting to use a Vampir/
StG-44 must first pass a 1/2 Skill Check to use the weapon. +5
Captured Use modifier on all To Hit rolls.

Beam
Infared

18" Range

Battleground World War II®