Sarissa Precision are always pulling out the stops to bring us new goodies for your Bolt Action battles. This awesome little release is perfect for getting your Commandos to shore and into the thick of the fight! The most common British landing craft of WWII – the LCA (Landing Craft Assault) Thornycroft.
Built in great numbers by small shipyards, the Thornycroft-designed wooden LCAs (Landing Craft Assault) had a shallow-draft and a top speed of 7 knots (13km/h).
The LCA crammed in a crew of 4 with an infantry platoon of 31, leaving space to spare for five additional specialist troops. The average Tommy or GI even had the luxury of seating!
It was fitted with light armour – proof against small arms fire and shell splinters, a low silhouette, shallow draft, little bow wave, and silenced engines – all assets that made this the most likely sea assault transport of British Commandos, US Rangers, and other Special Forces operatives.
In Bolt Action
Using the basic rules for Landing Craft, Personnel from the Amphibious Assault update:
| Cost: | 40pts (inexperienced), 50pts (Regular), 60pts (Veteran) |
| Weapons: | one MMG covering the front and left arc, one MMG covering the front and right arc |
| Damage value: | 6+ light tank |
| Transport: | 36 men |
| Special Rules: | Slow |
| Waterborne: | |
| May only move in areas of deep or shallow water, being treated as a tracked vehicle for speed and turning ability |
To tempt you in to some modification work (kit bashing) why not try your hand at converting the LCA into one of the variants?
- LCA(HR) (‘Hedgerow’) – A Hedgehog spigot mortar weapon. Firing 24 bombs arranged in four rows of six. The bombs would clear paths through mines and wire on the beach. They were used successfully at Salerno and Normandy
- Other experiments included a field modification developed by US Rangers with assistance from LCA crews and Commandos, for the Pointe du Hoc assault of 6 June 1944. Each of the 10 LCAs which carried the 2nd Ranger Battalion was fitted with 3 pairs of rocket tubes, firing six-tine grapnels. At least some of the LCAs also had smoke floats on the stern and the armament in the gunner’s shelter was a Lewis gun, but a variety of Brens and other light weapons were also carried.
The LCA (Landing Craft Assault) now joins the Navy’s growing fleet:
Of course – Landing Craft are synonymous with Operation Overlord – the Allied invasion of mainland Europe. We’ve put together a series of Army Bundles themed upon the events of D-Day – why not take a look?
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon