Late German Forces - Squad Composition

[ShotGun_Jolly]

Hi all,
Seeing it is November, I decided to write a one shot adventure for the group. I am going to be writing it based loosely on the 1945 Late March offensive called Operation Varsity. Pushing across the Rhine.

The Group will be apart of the airborne operations at the time, and will be trying to take a key bridge/road junction, and control it till the main forces arrive.

Thing is, I cant seem to find out what the squad composition would be for a German squad at this time of the war, other then very broad references. The operation started around March 20th, 1945. Were the majority of the troops at this time SS elites? green? rag tag? I do know there was fierce fighting and resistance (for a short while anyways) Just don't know the quality/make up of the German forces in that area, at that time.

And, would a German squad in this time period be fairly well armed, MGs, SMG's, Panzerfausts... or would there be of a fairly limited supply at this time of the war? with mainly '98 Kar rifles, and a few (if any) of the other weapons?

Any advice/suggestions from the WWII buffs out there?

Thanks
SGJ

Oh, I am going to be keeping it mainly to Infantry combat, I am gonna leave the vehicles to a minimum in this adventure.

[jason taylor]

Panzerfausts were widely given to Volksgrenaiders. Getting more bang for the buck so to speak. They were only one shot deals, but militia are likely to run after one shot anyway so it is as well to make sure it's a good shot.

[Easterner9504]

Pretty much all of the above.

You'll meet SS, Para, Wehrmacht & VG/HJ troops. All squads in reduced form.
Allies found automatics like FG42 were being met in quantity. Allies thought FG42 was mass produced so many showed up. So MP44 etc would be common. Very few Vet or elites left probably just NCO's bear in mind 18yr olds could be vets of 2-3 yrs service. VG's and many Wehr would be green/conscript and SS MP's are rounding up and shooting/hanging anyone behind lines w/o authorization. For many surrender is an option; for HJ's & SS more fanaticism.

[Darkwalker]

The 18year old vet is mostly a piece of fiction. Even late war drafts where mostly 18+ years. The younger uniformed non-Volkssturm personal one sees are Luftwaffe "Flakhelfer" that is AAA gunners mostly. Given a uniform due to the Hague conventions those had little if any infantry training since they where operating in the german homeland, freeing grown-ups for frontline duty. They'd only count as veterans if you are flyboys

Units in the West sometimes had a larger number of modern weapons since they had gotten their re-fits with the StuG 44 (the alternate Name is MP43) in 8mm Kurz resonably early, sometimes when they rotated off-front for a refit (See Arnheim). Newly raised units also would end up with MG42 more often than elder units, same with the modern tanks.

The Jagdpanzer IV and IV/70 units where more common in the West with the East having more Hetzers (partially due to production places IIRC)

[HANS]

Originally Posted by Easterner9504

Allies found automatics like FG42 were being met in quantity. Allies thought FG42 was mass produced so many showed up.

They may have thought that, but it is highly unlikely they actually did. Even the highest estimates put the total production of the various FG42 variants at less than 10,000, which is a ridiculous figure on the scale of WWII. All or at least most of these were also used by Luftwaffe units exclusively (Fallschirmjäger), so meeting Hitlerjugend or SS units with it is dubious.

The StG44, on the other hand, actually was reasonably widespread. You may also want to look at the various obsolete and converted aircraft guns used in the ground role, see GURPS WWII: IRON CROSS, p. 64.

Cheers

HANS

[dynaman]

For the time and place you mention just about anything you want to put on the bridge is OK. The Germans still had excellent squads around, and average, and conscripts with no service time. The bridge defenders could be anything from an AA unit pressed to the job up to a platoon of nearby front-line troops who were resting or passing through.

[ShotGun_Jolly]

Thanks for all the Ideas!

I was kinda thinking of having a AA unit there at the bridge..

Cool!


Regards
SGJ

[PPoS]

Weapons such as the StG-44 would be very common. Some squads were equipped with these instead of the standard Mauser K98k. Panzerfaust were standard equipment among most of the different infantry types, sure the VS used alot of 'em but they were commong among trained infantry.
If they didn't use Panzerfaust (which they would most likely be equipped with) they would have "Panzerhandmine 4's", HL-3's or "Panzerwurfmine K's".

So for a short conclusion; Mauser K98k (standard), MG-42 (standard), StG-44 (very common), Panzerfaust (standard), MP-40 (standard).
Among the Volkssturm foreign weapons were almost standard alongside with older WWI-era weaponry. Panzerfausts and AT rifle-grenades (such as Panzer Gewehrgranate 40) were most common, some were equipped with Panzerschrecks aswell.
If you want a complete write-up of a standard Heer, SS, VS or FJ platoon or squad I can give it you ya.

Happy gaming in WWII ! :D

[fredtheobviouspseudonym]

however, remember that there might well be measurable differences in the numbers & equipment in squads.

1.) More experienced soldiers might well have "scrounged" various other weapons to match their preferences. While the military will not officially approve of this (problems with ammo supply, etc.) this has been known to happen. I've seen pictures of German troops with Lee-Enfield rifles and M-1 carbines as their personal weapons, not souvenirs. This was perhaps staged, but I can't quite see why. (Book, "Landser").

2.) Especially in March 1944, new troops might have received whatever was available rather than what was in the Table of Equipment (or TOE or TO & E, for table of "organization & equipment." US term, but all armies have something of the sort.)

3.) Squads are likely to be short-handed by at least 1-2 guys. Someone's sick, someone's wounded, someone's TDY (temporary duty) or training or on leave or whatever. Quite possible to have units at half or less strength.

4.) You might also get a mix of units in the area, especially at a bridge. The AA unit guarding it is a natural; so too is an SS unit trying to pick up deserters at a transit choke point, or a Feldjagerkorps unit trying to assemble stragglers into a Kampfgruppe, or possibly (and offering marvelous opportunities for conflict) both. Perhaps the local Gauleiter or Kreisleiter has decided to show his virtue by parking a unit of his Volkssturm there as well. Maybe this bridge is an RP (rendezvous point) for a different Kampfgruppe if you want more & merrier. So you might have four or five German units at the same place, each with a different mission, each with different weapons, and each with a different commander.

You also might want to see the film "The Bridge" (if this wasn't your inspiration already). It's an account of a group of untrained teen draftees who in late April 1945 by a sequence of errors wind up guarding a bridge in their home town against an American attack (well, recon probe, actually.) Gives a good feel for the time & place.

[Darkwalker]

Another good idea to watch ist the last part of 08/15 that has a similar thing happening in the end (Volkssturm at the bridge). And the movie about Remagen Bridge offers some more ideas.


A key bridge over any not easily crossed river will likely have some AT weapons assigned. This can be anything from near-obsolete 3.7 and 5cm guns (still a danger to some western theater tanks) to 7.5 and 8.8cm guns (there is a VERY nasty AT-gun variant of the 8.8cm gun, far smaller than the barndoor sized AA gun). And don't rule out the 88mm Panzerschreck (aka Ofenrohr) reloadabel system that was issued to and used by the regulars.

Expect some AA guns too, at least some 20mm guns. And remember that german forces had (and have) the nasty habit of setting the barrels to "elevation 0" and using the beast on anything that moves.