Part III The Armies - Test of Battle

[Pages:28]Part III The Armies

This section tells you all you need to know to start gaming with the four most important armies of the European Theater of World War II: The United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union (Red Army), and Germany. It doesn't have everything about those armies, but it has enough to get you started.

Each nationality has a brief overview and then a listing of the late war organization for an infantry division and an armored division for that country. (In the Red Army, a division-sized armored unit was called a Tank Corps). These are all pretty self-explanatory. As much as possible, the vehicle that transports a particular stand is listed immediately below it. Note, that we show all supply vehicles in italics. You don't need to (and shouldn't) add these to the unit unless you are playing with the advanced Ammo Depletion rules.

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The United States Army

Despite some bad press over the Kasserine Pass fighting, the U.S. Army was a solid and professional force, from top to bottom, throughout the war. With the right leadership, it could "blitz" with the best of the German panzer divisions, as U.S. 3rd Army demonstrated in France. The Normandy bocage fighting, as well as the Gustav Line, Siegfried Line and Vosges campaigns demonstrated the ability of the infantry divisions to attack, keep attacking, and eventually win, even in very difficult conditions and where the defender held most of the cards.

The U.S. Army is sometimes criticized for relying on firepower instead of being willing to take heavier infantry casualties ? as if that's a bad thing. In fact, the basis of U.S. Army tactical doctrine was maneuver rather than simple firepower. U.S. fire was used to suppress enemy fire, to enable the engaged U.S. unit to maneuver to a flanking position, and then deliver the assault from there ? simple but highly effective tactics

Company Designations

All companies are lettered consecutively within their battalion or regiment, skipping the letter J. Specialized companies at regimental level, such as the cannon and antitank companies of an infantry regiment, were known simply by their regimental number, such as "147th Regimental Cannon Company." By the same token, light tank and assault gun companies of a cavalry-reconnaissance squadron were not lettered.

Unit Terminology

In the cavalry branch, battalions were called squadrons, and companies were called troops. In the artillery branch, companies were called batteries.

Integral AT Weapons

Most personnel stands (as noted below) have integral bazookas in the European theater from about February of 1943 on. In the Pacific they are not commonly available until mid or late 1943.

Reconnaissance Companies

The crews of the six recon jeeps and armored cars of each of the reconnaissance companies (reconnaissance troops in cavalry units) may dismount as patrols and combine to form three recon infantry stands.

Vehicle Abbreviations

A number of abbreviations were commonly used to describe certain types of U.S. vehicles, the most important of which were:

? GMC Gun Motor Carriage ? HMC Howitzer Motor Carriage ? HTMC Half-Track Mortar Carrier ? MGMC Multiple Gun Motor Carriage

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United States Infantry Division 1943-45

The backbone of the United States Army in World War II was the infantry division. Unlike the German Army, where infantry divisions came to play a decidedly secondary role to the Panzer and Panzergrenadier units, in the US Army, the infantry continued to shoulder a majority of the burden in both offensive and defensive operations.

U.S. infantry training was thorough, realistic, and effective. Most divisions, when first committed to combat in Europe, had been working and training together for over two years, and showed it. A few divisions faltered when first coming under fire, but the vast majority made the transition from "green" units to combat veterans without missing a step.

One problem which the US ground forces suffered from was that the rear services managed to lay claim to very high proportion of the best manpower, but that paid some unexpected dividends in France. When US infantry casualties exceeded the ability of the normal replacement system to make good the losses, service units already in the theater were "combed" for additional infantry replacement, and the quality of men received was so good that many infantry commander rated their unit as more efficient and capable in early 1945 than they had been in the fall of 1944.

Troop Quality: Experienced. Morale: 8 Selected divisions Veteran, particularly in 1945. A few divisions Regular in 1944.

Chain of Command

Div HQ Troops

Engineer Bn

Div Arty with

AA Arty Bn

3 FA Bn

Med How Bn

3 Inf Regts each with

3 Inf Bn

Tank Bn

TD Bn Towed or SP

DIVISION TROOPS Headquarters 1 command stand

1 car Headquarters 1 staff radio truck

Company 1 recon jeep with HMG 1 57L52 AT gun and crew 1 light truck

Cavalry 1 command stand Reconnaissance 1 jeep Troop, Mechanized 3 recon jeeps with MG

3 recon M8 armored cars 1 weapons stand 1 half-track with HMG

Engineer Battalion Headquarters 1 command stand

1 jeep Headquarters 2 engineer stands (integral bazooka)

Company 1 medium truck with class III bridge trailer 1 light truck with assault boat trailer 1 bulldozer

3 Engineer 1 command engineer stand Companies, each (integral bazooka)

2 engineer stands (integral bazooka) 2 medium dump trucks

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DIVISION ARTILLERY Headquarters 1 command stand

1 jeep Headquarters 1 staff radio medium truck

Battery 1 medium supply truck with HMG

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Medium Howitzer Battalion Headquarters 1 command observation stand

1 jeep Headquarters and 1 staff radio light truck

Service Battery 1 medium supply truck with HMG 3 Firing Batteries, each 1 command infantry stand

(integral bazooka) 1 155L20 howitzer and crew (ds) 1 medium truck with HMG

United States Infantry Division 1943-45

Antiaircraft Artillery Auto Weapons Battalion, Mobile (attached)

Headquarters 1 command stand 1 jeep

4 Auto Weapons 1 command infantry stand Batteries, each (integral bazooka)

2 40L56 AA guns and crews

3 light trucks

2 M16 MGMC

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Tank Battalion (attached) Headquarters 1 command M4 Sherman tank Headquarters and 1 staff radio half-track with MG Service Company 1 M8 HMC (M4 Sherman 105

in 1944-45) 1 recon jeep with HMG 1 M4 HTMC 1 medium supply truck with HMG 3 Medium Tank 1 command M4 Sherman tank Companies, each 2 M4 Sherman tanks Light Tank Company 1 command M3A1 Stuart light tank 2 M3A1 Stuart light tanks

Tank Destroyer Battalion SP (attached) Headquarters 1 command M20 armored car

HQ and Service Battery 1 medium supply truck with HMG

Reconnaissance 1 command M20 armored car Company 1 recon M8 armored car 3 recon jeeps with MG 1 recon jeep with HMG 1 bazooka stand 1 light truck

3 Tank Destroyer 1 command M20 armored car Batteries, each 1 recon M8 armored car 3 M10, M18, or M36 GMC

OR Tank Destroyer Battalion Towed (attached)

Headquarters 1 command M20 armored car HQ and Service Battery 1 medium supply truck with HMG

3 Tank Destroyer 1 command infantry stand Batteries, each (integral bazooka) 1 light truck 2 recon jeeps with MG 3 3-inch AT guns and crews (ds) 3 half-tracks with HMG

Notes 1. M3A1 Tanks: By 1944 there were replaced by M5 tanks. 2. M4 76mm tanks: Medium tanks were all M4(75) tanks until mid-

June of 1944. At that time, 76mm-armed tanks began arriving, and by autumn of 1944 most separate tank battalions in Europe had one platoon per company. Most separate battalions shipped to Europe from the late autumn of 1944 on were entirely equipped with 76mm-armed tanks. 3. Infantry Regimental Recon Jeeps: The two recon jeeps in the infantry regiment represent the regimental I&R (Intelligence and Reconnaissance) platoon. If the crews are dismounted as patrol stands, the two stands may be combined to form a single recon infantry stand. 4. Flamethrowers: No fixed number of flamethrowers were authorized for an engineer company, but instead were issued as needed.

United States Armored Division 1943-45

The U.S. Armored division was a balanced, mobile force of all arms. It habitually fought in three combat commands, each with one battalion of tanks, half-track infantry, and self-propelled artillery, as well as a company of half-track engineers, armored recon, self-propelled AA, and tank destroyers. It was a very advanced conceptual organization, and is the recognizable precursor of modern "heavy" divisions world-wide.

Troop Quality: Regular until first combat, then Experienced (1st, 2nd, and 4th Armored Divisions Veteran) Morale: 8 (1st and 4th Armored Divisions 9)

Chain of Command

Div HQ Troops

Cav Recon Sqdn, Mech

AA Arty Bn

Armored Eng Bn

TD Bn SP

3 Cmbt Cmd each with

Div Arty

DIVISION TROOPS Headquarters 1 command stand

1 car Headquarters 1 staff radio half-track with HMG

Company 1 recon jeep with MG 1 M3A1 Stuart light tank 1 infantry stand (division band) (integral bazooka) 1 57L52 AT gun and crew 2 half-tracks with HMG

Cavalry 1 command stand Reconnaissance 1 jeep Troop, Mechanized 3 recon jeeps with MG

3 recon M8 armored cars 1 weapons stand 1 half-track with HMG

Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized

Headquarters 1 command stand 1 car

Recon Troop 1 command stand 1 jeep 3 recon M8 armored cars 2 recon jeeps with MG 1 recon jeep with HMG 1 weapons stand 1 half-track with HMG

Light Tank 1 command M3A1 Stuart light tank Company 3 M3A1 Stuart light tank Assault Gun Troop 1 command infantry stand (integral

bazooka) 1 half-track with HMG 2 M8 HMC Three troops assigned to combat commands

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Tank Bn

Inf Bn

FA Bn

Antiaircraft Artillery Auto Weapons Battalion, SP Headquarters 1 command stand 1 jeep

4 Auto Weapons 1 command infantry stand Batteries, each (integral bazooka)

1 half-track with HMG 2 M15 MGMC 2 M16 MGMC Three batteries assigned to Combat Commands

Armored Engineer Battalion Headquarters 1 command stand

1 jeep Headquarters 1 engineer stand (integral bazooka)

and service 1 half-track with HMG Company 1 medium truck with class IV bridge trailer 1 light truck with assault boat trailer 1 recon jeep with MG

Three companies assigned to Combat Commands

Tank Destroyer Battalion SP (attached) Headquarters 1 command M20 armored car

HQ and Service Bat- 1 medium supply truck with tery HMG

Reconnaissance 1 command M20 armored car Company 1 recon M8 armored car 3 recon jeeps with MG 1 recon jeep with HMG 1 bazooka stand 1 light truck

Three companes assigned to Combat Commands

United States Armored Division 1943-45

3 COMBAT COMMANDS, each with

Combat Command troops Headquarters 1 command stand

1 jeep

Headquarters and 1 staff radio half-track with HMG Service Company 1 recon jeep with MG

1 M3A1 Stuart light tank

1 medium supply truck

Recon Troop (from 1 command stand divisional squadron) 1 jeep

3 recon M8 armored cars

2 recon jeeps with MG

1 recon jeep with HMG

1 weapons stand

1 half-track with HMG

Auto Weapons Battery 1 command infantry stand (integral Troop (from divisional bazooka)

battalion) 1 half-track with HMG

2 M15 MGMC

2 M16 MGMC

Armored Engineer 1 command engineer stand (integral Company (from bazooka)

divisional battalion) 1 half-track with HMG

2 engineer stands (integral bazooka)

1 medium dump truck

Tank Destroyer Battery 1 command M20 armored car (from divisional 1 recon M8 armored car battalion) 3 M10, M18, or M36 GMC

Tank Battalion - top right Armored Infantry - middle right

Battalion Armored (DS) Field - bottom right Artillery Battalion

Tank Battalion Headquarters 1 command M4 Sherman tank Headquarters and 1 staff radio half-track with MG Service Company 1 M8 HMC (M4 Sherman 105

in 1944-45) 1 recon jeep with HMG 1 M4 HTMC 1 medium supply truck with HMG 3 Medium Tank 1 command M4 Sherman tank Companies, each 2 M4 Sherman tanks Light Tank Company 1 command M3A1 Stuart light tank 2 M3A1 Stuart light tanks

Armored Infantry Battalion Headquarters 1 command stand

1 jeep Headquarters and 1 recon jeep with HMG Service Company 1 M8 HMC

1 M4 HTMC 1 bazooka stand 1 57L52 AT gun and crew 1 half-track with HMG 1 half-track with MG 3 Rifle Companies, 1 command stand each 3 armored infantry/bazooka stands 1 weapons stand (integral bazooka) 2 half-tracks with HMG 2 half-tracks with MG

Armored (Direct Support) Field Artillery Battalion Headquarters 1 command observation M4 Sherman tank

Headquarters and 1 staff radio half-track with HMG Service Battery Medium supply truck with HMG

3 Firing Batteries, 1 command infantry stand (integral bazooka) each 1 half-track with HMG 1 M7 HMC

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United States Armored Division 1943-45

DIVISION ARTILLERY

Headquarters 1 command stand

1 jeep

Headquarters 1 staff radio medium truck Battery 1 medium supply truck with HMG

All Firing Battalions Assigned to Combat Commands

Notes 1. Combat Commands: Combat commands were flexibly organized,

and the above is only a typical "balanced" force. Division assets could be shuffled any way the tactical situation required. The division was only provided with two combat command headquarters companies, but most divisions received a third headquarters in Europe by assigning redundant Tank Destroyer Group headquarters to them. 2. Armored Infantry Battalions: The actual organization of the battalion calls for each company to have an antitank platoon with three 57L52 antitank guns, or a total of nine guns in the battalion. This could either be represented as two guns at the battalion level or one gun per company. However, it appears that most armored infantry dispensed with their antitank guns and organized the gunners as an additional rifle platoon in the company, for two reasons. First, the battalion was almost always deployed with tanks, which could provide better long-range firepower than the battalion's own 57s. Second, in a close fight with tanks the lavish provision of bazookas in the battalion rendered the 57s superfluous. 3. Organization: The organization shown above is a rough meld of several field expedient organizations that were adopted and probably comes very close to an actual average unit.

4. Bazookas: Armored infantry battalions were lavishly supplied with bazookas (74 in the battalion, as opposed to 29 in an infantry battalion). As a result, all infantry stands of the armored infantry battalion may function in each fire phase either in their normal role or as a pure bazooka stand.

5. M4 76mm tanks: Medium tanks were all M4(75) tanks until midJune of 1944. At that time, 76mm-armed tanks began arriving, and by autumn of 1944 most low-numbered armored division in Europe had one platoon per company. Divisions numbered 8 and higher were supposedly all shipped to the ETO completely equipped with M4(76) Shermans, although there is considerable evidence that, in practice, these divisions had a mix of tank types as well.

6. Sherman Jumbos: In July of 1944, a small quantity of M4A3E2 Jumbos arrived, and most of these were assigned to armored divisions, giving each enough for about one platoon per tank battalion. In several cases, one of the tank battalions in the division had a pure Jumbo company. All Jumbos were 75mm armed, as they arrived from the factory, but a number were refitted in-theater with 76mm guns. Ordnance units also modified a number of tanks to Jumbo standards in theater, probably more than the original production run of the vehicle. This involved cannibalizing the armor of a disabled Sherman (or, in some cases, a German Panther) and welding it to the turret and hull front of a regular Sherman. There were also a number of armor upgrade kits manufactured in the United States and sent to the ETO for fitting to standard tanks. These field modifications appear mostly to have become available in early 1945.

7. Division Artillery: The artillery battalions assigned to the three combat commands are also subordinate to he Division Artillery.

8. Flamethrowers: No fixed number of flamethrowers was authorized for an engineer company, but instead were issued as needed.

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