Belgians

Belgians
Type	Sentry squad
Motto	Eendracht Maakt Macht!
Nation	Belgium
Roles	Korporaal Schildwacht Schutter Renner

For the country, see Belgium.

"Facing overwhelming odds, the Belgians gained a reputation for fierce and rugged defensive capabilities. Fighting in their own sectors and with the support of heavy siege weapons they can put up an excellent fight."

- Official Verdun Squad Guide

The Belgians are an Entente sentry squad added to Verdun in the Horrors of War free expansion, along with two US and two German squads.

The Belgians are equipped much like a regular frontline mortar squad – they have an NCO, a marksmen, a machinegunner and a grenadier. They use Browning weapons (manufactured in Belgium), Mauser weapons from Germany, and borrowed French weapons like the Chauchat. Besides their Browning weapons, one of the only other items of note for the Belgians is their use of body armour, which adds extra hitpoints to the character, meaning one or two more shots are needed to take them down.

The Belgian uniforms start as dapper top-hats and coats, but later become brown with body armour as the squad level rises.

Features

Main article: Sentry squad

The Belgian squad NCO has the ability to call artillery in the form of a heavy mortar strike, which is a single blast from an off-screen seige gun. It does incredible damage to a single point, and when used by a top-tier squad its area of effect is enough that one would want to get very well away.

However, it is hampered though by its long recharge time, somewhere between that of the mortar shot and gas. The Sentry class allows them to spawn on each other like the scout squad in their own trenches, and like the normal rifle squad when venturing forwards.

Like all Sentry classes, they also gain a defensive bonus when in their NCO's aura.

Squad Roles

Korporaal

Hold the line

The role of the 'Korporaal' in the sentry section is to hold a line at all cost.

Specialisations

Level	Title	Loadout
1	Kadet	FN1900 Binoculars
2	Loopgraaf Officier	Kar. 89 Binoculars
3	Veteraan	Gew. 89 + bayonet Binoculars

Schildwacht

Use the flanks

The Sentry is a hardened defender who dominates no mans' land with long range fire.

Specialisations

Level	Title	Loadout
1	Scherpschutter	Gew. 89 + bayonet Binoculars
2	Pion	Kar. 89
3	Karabinier	Gew. 89 + Goerz 3X custom scope

Schutter

Let none pass

This static Gunner defends his position with a range of machine guns.

Specialisations

Level	Title	Loadout
1	Wacht	Gew. 89
2	Vuurkracht Ondersteuning	Chauchat FN1900
3	Mitrailleur	Hotchkiss Ruby

Renner

Plug the gaps

The 'Renner' is a sentry whose task is to move along the trench and defend weak spots.

Specialisations

Level	Title	Loadout
1	Verbinder	Gew. 89 + bayonet
2	Verdediger	Berthier Ruby
3	Afweerder	Kar. 89 FN1900

Abilites and progression

Level	Shared	Corporal	Schildwacht	Schutter	Renner
0	Entrenched I: When in own sector, receive -10% suppression and team members are able to spawn on you Body Armor I: When in own sector, health regeneration time -10% Uniform I	Hold the Line Order: Places an attack marker, players in the command aura and in own sector get -25% suppression Officer Training: Pistol reload time -20% Mortar Shell: A mortar launches a single shell at target position	Hardened Defender: When in own sector and an attack has been repulsed, +75 points The Old Guard: When not in own trench or command aura, stamina regeneration speed -50% Hawkeye I: When in aura, 2 additional points for longshots	Cover Fire I: Assist kills get 2 additional points The Old Guard: When not in own trench or command aura, stamina regeneration speed -50% Static Gunner I: When in own sector and in command aura, MG reload time -10%	Hardened Defender: When in own sector and an attack has been repulsed, +75 points Liaison I: When in own sector and in command aura, sprint time +50% Battle-weary: When not in own sector, weapon draw time +10%
2	Uniform II
10	Uniform III
20	Entrenched II: When in own sector, receive -25% suppression and team members are able to spawn on you
25					Liaison II: when in own sector, sprint time +50%
33				Cover Fire II: Assist kills get 5 additional points
40	Body Armor II: When in own sector, health regeneration time -20%
41				Static Gunner II: When in own sector and in command aura, MG reload time -20%
45			Hawkeye II: 2 additional points for longshots
50		Heavy Mortar Shell: A heavy mortar launches a single shell at target position
60	Entrenched III: When in own sector, receive -50% suppression and team members are able to spawn on you
69				Cover Fire III: Assist kills give the same amount of points as an actual kill
70		Officer Training II: Carbine reload time -50%
80	Body Armor III: When in own sector, health regeneration time -20%, receive -25% damage from shrapnel/concussion
100		Super-Heavy Mortar Shell: A super-heavy Big Bertha or railway artillery piece launches a massive shell at target position

Trivia

• It is interesting to note that these Belgians speak Flemish (Belgian Dutch) - Belgium is split between Flemish-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia. The developers of Verdun could easily have simply reused the French voices already recorded, but didn't - perhaps because Flanders, where the Flemish live, is both a map in game, and where the Belgian Army made its stand.