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Thursday, September 17, 2009

German Heavy Tank TOE

In World War Two German heavy tanks, the Tiger I and Tiger II were organized in companies of 14 tanks. The tanks were not separated by type, so a Tiger I or Tiger II could be in the same company and Tiger II with either turret type can be in the same unit as well.

Platoons had four tanks each.

Three platoons of four tanks each, plus a headquarters platoon of two tanks made up a company of fourteen tanks.

Three companies of fourteen tanks, plus a headquarters platoon of three tanks made up a battalion of forty-five tanks.

As late as January, 1945 there was at least one heavy tank battalion that was at full strength.

6 comments:

Karcuss said...

3 ss abteilung (battalion) (4Th never came to be
101 102 103)
10 das Heer 501- 510 and a permanently allocated Abteilung to Grosdeutschland.
These were kept up to strength or just about as all allocated production went to these units.
I'm pretty sure that at at least company level Is or IIs were kept seperate. despeate measure call for..
And could find references to them being Kampfgrupped.

Most Heavies (Jagd panthers) were kept West were there mechanical ability suited them (pillboxes) defensive.
As Panthers and PanzerIV etc Stug's and Jagdpanzers were better to fluid defensive then counteratttack, of the East.
So there were a lot of tiger IIs at Normandy and Arnhem etc

Mike Bunkermeister Creek said...

Yes, Karcuss, good information. Some of the Tiger battalions in the West were mixed Tiger I and Tiger II, very interesting for wargaming units.

Karcuss said...

There is always information on small groups having 3 tiger Is and two IIs etc as in ad hoc defensive make ups.
So that isn't a problem. But having say U.S combat command A, Wagaming 200 shermans (or down to a realistic 120 operational, with the Stuarts and M8 and M3 etc so 200 vechiles)
against a depleted tiger unit 20 Tiger I and 15 tiger IIs with 88mm
and assorted halftracks and A/Cs etc Panzerschrecks/panzerfausts would sound realistic and do able ESP. in 1/300 but even in 1/72 1/87

as a down several roads village to village. with the Germans having to delay and destroy (and counterattack) like a three pronged attack. Against dug in Germans

Mike Bunkermeister Creek said...

Karcuss, that is a terriffic secenario. Thanks.

Karcuss said...

Do you get

Or i should say are you able to get more copies of wargames Illustrated (my sprue of Yanks are half painted as need a real pale green for the (some of) the jackets.)

I'm assuming that you do have an order or get it reguler like.

But if not there is a tonne of World War two stuff in it, and has become a giant mag.

But more to do they seem to have some great idea's on late war actions.

Cheers Karcuss

Mike Bunkermeister Creek said...

I don't regularly buy the magazine, it costs about as much as a box of troops. My book collection is large enough without having to add magazines.