Bulgarian infantry divisions usually contained three infantry regiments and one artillery regiment, although some divisions had four infantry regiments. On paper, Bulgaria maintained two cavalry divisions, each with two brigades, but in practice the brigades operated independently. The Bulgarian tank battalion had 50-60 tanks, mostly LT-35s received in 1940 from Germany, plus some Italian L3/33s and British Vickers 6-ton tanks. The battalion expanded to a regiment in 1941 when Germany supplied 40 ex-French R.35s and a handful more LT-35s.
The Bulgarian Air Force was tiny, as Bulgaria lacked the means to purchase advanced aircraft or to build its own. The B.534 unit contains ex-Czech fighters, and the mixed bomber unit consists of ex-Czech SB-2 and MB.200 bombers
1 Engineer Platoon: 4 rifle/engineer sqds, 4 trucks, 3 LMG
1 Recce Platoon: 3 rifle sqds, 3 GPMG, M/C Combos
3. Brigade Support (actual: Divisional level)
Up to:
1 Flak Battery: 6x 8.8cm Flak36, 6 lorries, 2 LMG 1 Flak Company:
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
4 platoons@ 3x 2cm Flak38, 1 LMG, 3 trucks
2 A/T Companies@
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
3 platoons@ 3x PAK38, 1 LMG, 3 trucks
1 A/T Company:
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck, 1 LMG
2 platoons@ 3x PAK40, 1 LMG, 3 trucks
1 Engineer Company:
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 lorry
3 platoons@ 4 rifle/engineer sqds, 3 LMG, 2 lorries
1 platoon: 2x 8.1cm Gr34, 1 lorry
1 Assault Engineer Platoon: 4 SMG/engineer sqds, 3 LMG, 3 flameguns, 4 trucks
1 Mine Detector Platoon: 3 rifle/engineer sqds, 2 lorries, tape & flag markers
1 Artillery Battalion:
BHQ: 8 rifle sqds, 6 lorries, Assigned FC
2 batteries@ 4x 15cm sFH18, 2 MMG, 4 lorries, radio van
1 Artillery Battalion:
BHQ: 6 rifle sqds, 6 lorries, Assigned FC
3 batteries@ 4x 10.5cm FH18M, 2 MMG, 4 lorries, radio van
4. Notes
a) Radios are in all Panzer IV and armoured cars, and in all other tank PHQs and in all other CHQs.
b) Infantry may have limited amounts of Panzerwurfmine or RPG-43 A/T grenades. Any LMG could be replaced by GPMG. No HEAT or APCR rounds available.
c) The Brigade, actually of divisional size, had an Armoured Regiment with 3 battalions , only one of which had Pz.38t in the Light company; and a Motorised Regiment of 2 battalions.
d) The brigade from September 1944 fought for the Russians against the Germans.
e) Can use Corps support from list BN3.
WWII
Bulgarian Infantry Division
1941-1945 East Europe
List BN2
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd
2 platoons@ 2-3 rifle/engineer sqds
1 Intelligence & Recce Platoon: 3 rifle sqds 1 Support Company:
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd
1 platoon: 3 sections@ 2x 37mm Infantry Guns, 1 MMG
1 battery: 12x 50mm mortars, Obsolete FC
1 A/T Company:
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd
3 platoons@ 4x 37mm A/T guns or 20mm AA/AT guns, horses
1 AA Platoon: 0 or 4x 20mm AA OR 6x AALMG, horses
3. Divisional Support
Up to:
2 Engineer Companies@
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd
3 platoons@ 4 rifle/engineer sqds
1 Artillery Battalion:
BHQ: 6 rifle sqds, horses, Obsolete FC
3 batteries@ 4x 75mm FK16, horses, 4 LMG or MMG
1 Artillery Battalion:
BHQ: 6 rifle sqds, horses, Obsolete FC
3 batteries@ 4x 75mm Skoda M15, pack horses, 4 LMG or MMG
1 Artillery Battalion:
BHQ: 6 rifle sqds, horses or 4 lorries
3 batteries@ 4x 105mm leFH16, horses or 4 lorries, Obsolete FC
3 MG Companies@
CHQ: 1 rifle sqd
3 platoons@ 4 MMG
3 Attached Pioneer Companies@
CHQ: 2 rifle/pioneer sqds
3 platoons@ 6 rifle/pioneer sqds
4. Notes
a) No radios available.
b) Infantry have no A/T grenades. 37mm A/T gun is probably the PAK35. 20mm AA/AT is possibly Breda 20mm. 37mm Infantry Gun and 50mm mortar are possibly French type.
c) No HEAT or APCR rounds available.
d) The division has 2-4 Regiments, usually 3, each of 3 battalions. Can use Corps support from List BN3.
e) Bulgarian units occupied parts of Yugoslavia and Greece on anti-partisan duties. From September 1944 they changed sides and fought the Germans.
WWII
Bulgarian Rapid Division
1938-45 East Europe
List BN3
2 Tank Companies@
CHQ: 1x H-39
3 platoons@ 3x H-39, 1x S-35
5. Notes
a) Radios are in all StuG IIIG, LT vz35 PHQs and all other tank CHQs. Infantry have no A/T grenades.
b) 37mm A/T gun is probably the PAK35.
c) No HEAT or APCR rounds available.
d) Make of 150mm and 155mm guns and howitzers, 20mm AA and 75mm AA is not known. 8.8cm Flak37 not before 1942.
e) The division has 2 Cavalry Brigades each of 2 Cavalry Regiments, up to half of which can be motorised.
f) In practice the 2 Rapid Divisions were split up on occupation duties throughout Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia.
WWII
Bulgarian Mountain Brigade
1941-45 East Europe
List BN4
by Mark Bevis
1. Teeth Arm
Mountain Infantry Battalion
1 Recce Platoon: 3 rifle sqds, skis or horses
1 Engineer Platoon: 4 rifle/engineer sqds
1 AA Platoon: 6 AAMG
3. Notes
a) No radios available.
b) Infantry have no A/T grenades.
c) The Brigade has 6 battalions, and can use Corps support from list BN3.
d) The Brigade probably fought partisans in Yugoslavia, then became committed against German forces from September 1944.
"Меня зовут Анти Рокка - крестьянин с Карельского перешейка."