Thoughts about an plausible German OOB

An first Approach of an Post-WWII German OOB basing on an Brigade/Battalion and no Division/Brigade System.
I think it is more effective if we develop the techtree from the historic CW-Evolutions and plausible ahistorical ones, as we build something from scratch.
Also so we can speak about possible warfare and unit formations.


I.) Landforces

The German OKH had to deal with the following problems:
1.) Demobilizing: Although the military and political solution is unstable, the second World War is over and Germany needs its reservists back home to rebuild the Reich. So great parts of the land forces must be demobilized.
2.) Their is still an great direct foreign threat at the Italian-Zone Border and the Eastern truce line for NEUROPA.
3.) Their is an indirect threat through invasions at Northern+Low Countrys and Southern France, the Balkan and the Scandinavian Coast.
4.) As their are Allied Forces on all this possible fronts, those are still weak and won't be able to protect themselves.
5.) Their are Insurgencys and Anti-German Movements in wide parts of Europe, which needed to be contained.
6.) Most of the own formations are still bled to death and under equipped with obsolete material and need to be reconstructed.

So the Heerestruktur '47 was decided.
1.) New basic tactical unit of Heer is the Brigade, as it enable an high mobile style of warfare. A brigade consist of 4 to 6 Battalion.
2.) The Division HQs take the Function of the old Corps HQs and lead three to four brigades plus independent Division Forces like extra heavy armor battalions or tank-hunters.
3.) Core of the Heer '47 are mobile mechanized Forces with superior firepower. Those are full active units which allow rapid developments and elastic defense. Together with the Waffen-SS they are the first line of German defense and intervention.
4.) Those units are supported by full active intervention forces (Light Infantry, Bergsjaegeer, Marines and Paras) which will contain unrest and serve as an tactical reserve.
5.) There are demobilized part-active reserves of the first and second wave [simulated through as reserves built units], which consist from armored, mechanized, motorized and some lighter forces]. Those are equipped with modern material and could be quick mobilized as their are well trained reservists and core formations.
Their task is the direct support of the mechanized core units and the territorial defense.
6.) There are nonactive torsos for later mobilization waves, which will need a longer time to mobilize and use older depot material. They will fill the gasps and secure the homefront. [Will be simulate through events]

a.) Mechanized Combat Forces:

The core and heart of Heer '47 are the Combined Arms forces of Panzer (Tank) and Panzergrenadier (Mechanized) Divisons.
The Panzer-Divisions serve as the Spearhead, which will brake through enemy lines and take advantage of its mobility behind those.
The Panzergrenadier-Division supports the movement of the Panzers and secure the lines and advantages and is the main combat unit.
Both formations are fully mechanized/motorized and have independent support units like Recon, Heavy Amor, Anti Tank, etc.

- Panzer-Division
-- Panzer-Brigade
-- Panzer-Brigade
-- Panzergrenadier-Brigade
-- Division Forces

- Panzergrenadier-Division
-- Panzer-Brigade
-- Panzergrenadier-Brigade
-- Panzergrenadier-Brigade
-- Division Forces

-- Panzer-Brigade
--- Panzer-Battalion (MBT)
--- Panzer-Battalion (MBT)
--- Panzergrenadier-Battalion (mech. Inf)
--- Panzer-Artillerie-Battalion (Heavy SP Art)
--- Logistic/Support-Battalion

-- Panzergrenadier-Brigade
--- Panzer-Battalion (MBT)
--- Panzergrenadier-Battalion (mot.) (Mot. Inf)
--- Panzergrenadier-Battalion (Mech. Inf)
--- Panzergrenadier-Battalion (Mech. Inf)
--- Artillery-Battalion (SP. Art)
--- Logistic/Support-Battalion

On Corps level there are independent Brigades as Corps forces. Usually an Armored Recon Brigade, two Heavy Anti Tank Brigades (Heavy Armor + Tank Hunters), AA Forces... Additionally their could be an Super-Heavy Armored Brigade/Battalion.

b.) Other Combat Forces:

i.) Light-Infantry-Division/Jäger-Division
The light infantry is the main counterinsurgency force of Heer '47 and also supports the mechanized forces direct in heavy terrain and in citys. Despite its name this forces are the motorized formations of the Wehrmacht, in contrary to the bergsjaeger. To give this formations some firepower against enemy tanks, they have integrated anti tank and tank hunter support.

- Jäger-Division
-- Jäger-Brigade
-- Jäger-Brigade
-- Jäger-Brigade
-- Division Forces

-- Jäger-Brigade
--- Jäger-Battalion
--- Jäger-Battalion
--- Panzerjäger-Battalion
--- Artillerie-Battalion


ii.) Bergsjaegers/Gebirgsjäger-Divisionen
The real light guys for hard territory and mountain warfare. In non-war times, they are usually used as Counterinsurgency-Forces in harsh territories and unfriendly landscape like the Balkan or Russia.
They are also integral forces of the Italian-Zones Border Defense.
Unlike other Formations their firepower is concentrated in only two but heavy multi-capable Brigades.


- Gebirgsjäger-Division
-- Gebirgsjäger-Brigade
-- Gebirgsjäger-Brigade
-- Division Forces

-- Gebirgsjäger-Brigade
--- Gebirgsjäger-Battalion (Mountain Infantry)
--- Gebirgsjäger-Battalion (Mountain Infantry)
--- Gebirgsjäger-Battalion (Mountain Infantry)
--- Gebirgspionier-Battalion (Light Pioneers)
--- Gebirgsaufklärungs-Battalion (Light Recon)
--- Gebirgsartillerie-Battalion (Light Artillery)


iii.) Paratroopers/Luftlande-Division
Their job is the Feuerwehr and quick Reserve of the Corps. In an high mobile warfare their is the possibility of gasps through to rapid advantages or surprising counter attacks. When there is a gasp they will jump an fill it until heavy support is arriving. They also can do surprising advantages behind enemy lines to support the mechanized Forces.
As there Brigades are normally assigned to different Corps, an Luftlande-Division consists of four heavy Brigades.
In contrast the still existing Fallschirmjäger of the Luftwaffe which operate on Divisional level and serves as an air-invasion force. Interesting is that despite the rowing between OKH and Göring about this schism, the Paras itself have an very good comradely relationship and the same traditions. In fact their is an para intern rotation system between the men of Heer, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS which is tolerated (and secretly supported) by higher ranks in the service branches.

- Luftlande-Division*
-- Luftlande-Brigade
-- Luftlande-Brigade
-- Luftlande-Brigade
-- Luftlande-Brigade


* Virtual, as their is no Heeres Luftlande-Division on tactical level. All brigades serve as quick response Forces on corps Level.

-- Luftlande-Brigade
--- Luftlande-Battalion (Para)
--- Luftlande-Battalion (Para)
--- Luftlande-Battalion (Para)
--- LL-Panzerabwehr-Battalion (Light AT)
--- LL-Artillerie-Battalion (Light Artillery)
--- LL-Pionier-Battalion (Light Pioneer)


iv.) Marines/Seejäger-Division
Naval Infantry is still an young cooperation between OKH and the Kriegsmarine. Both branches decide to build an intervention force which is able to be quick develop outside Europe to protect German interests in oversea. From an strategic point of view OKW learned from the US Marines in the Pacific war, how cabaple such forces could be. Also invasions in England, North Afica and South Italy are taken into account if WWIII breaks out.
Some Officers even want the Seejäger to become the fifth Branch besides Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine and Waffen-SS in future.


- Seejäger-Division
-- Seejäger-Brigade
-- Seejäger-Brigade
-- Seejäger-Brigade
-- Division Forces

-- Seejäger-Brigade
--- Seejäger-Battalion (mech.) (Light Armor)
--- Seejäger-Battalion (Marines)
--- Seejäger-Battalion (Marines)
--- Seejäger-Panzerabwehr-Battalion (Light AT)
--- Seejäger-Artillerie-Battalion (Light Artillery)
--- Seejäger-Pionier-Battalion (Light Pioneer)


b.) Reserve formations:

Main units of the first wave are the part-active Reserve-Panzer-Brigades and Reserve-Panzergrenadier-Brigades. They have the same structure as their active counterpart.

The second wave consists mainly from part-active Heimatschutz-Brigades. When activated some of them would be renamed/regrouped to Panzergrenadier-Brigade (mot.) and would serve as direct front support besides the comparable Jäger-Brigades. The rest serves as homeland defense.*


-- Heimatschutz-Brigade
--- Panzer/Panzergrenadier-Battalion (MBT or Mech. Inf)
--- Jäger-Battalion (Mot. Inf)
--- Jäger-Battalion (Mot. Inf)
--- Panzerjäger/Panzerabwehr-Battalion (Tank Hunter or Anti tank)
--- Artillerie-Battalion (Artillery)

*In General Brigades with an Panzer and a Panzerjäger-Battalion were designated as Panzergrenadier-Brigade (mot.)

v.) Main equipment of Heer:
In 1946 the Heer makes great advantages in technologies as the former prototypes of 1944/45 are deployed in greater numbers and the bleed forces are regrouped and reorganized.

The PzKpfW V Panther F was the last German WWII series vehicle which was designated as Medium Tank. Its successors were redesignated as Gefechtspanzerwagen (MBT) and become the backbone of the Heer.

First MBT becomes in 1946 the Panther II based on the E-50 Project. In 1948 it was replaced by Panther III which served till 1955 when replaced by Leopard. Both Panthers get a upgrading.

Still a integral support of the MBT's are the heavy tanks.
In December 1945 the Tiger II C (Basing on E-75) was introduced, which get in 1946 an with Tiger III F an successor.

More is following.

Le-Boehm wrote:An first Approach of an Post-WWII German OOB basing on an Brigade/Battalion and no Division/Brigade System.
I think it is more effective if we develop the techtree from the historic CW-Evolutions and plausible ahistorical ones, as we build something from scratch.
Also so we can speak about possible warfare and unit formations.

Well-thought proposal, here are some comments to it.

Le-Boehm wrote:I.) Landforces

The German OKH had to deal with the following problems:
1.) Demobilizing: Although the military and political solution is unstable, the second World War is over and Germany needs its reservists back home to rebuild the Reich. So great parts of the land forces must be demobilized.
2.) Their is still an great direct foreign threat at the Italian-Zone Border and the Eastern truce line for NEUROPA.
3.) Their is an indirect threat through invasions at Northern+Low Countrys and Southern France, the Balkan and the Scandinavian Coast.
4.) As their are Allied Forces on all this possible fronts, those are still weak and won't be able to protect themselves.
5.) Their are Insurgencys and Anti-German Movements in wide parts of Europe, which needed to be contained.
6.) Most of the own formations are still bled to death and under equipped with obsolete material and need to be reconstructed.

1. Politically this is indeed most important part of the new reorganization. If we start the mod from the 1946 this reorganization also includes the demobilization of Waffen-SS and the implications this has. After all, many SS-volunteers fought for national independence for their homelands only to see the Germans brake their earlier promises after the war.

2. Due the ever-increasing refugee problem, the Iron Curtain will soon rise to the Italian Peninsula, while the border in the East will remain restless for decades to come as well - the sheer size of this border means that it will be difficult, costly and time-consuming to establish effective border security here.

3. The defensive posture in Western Europe will most likely remain initially in place - while the German occupation in rest of France will end by late 1940s, especially Luftwaffe will maintain a strong presence in France as well.

4. In addition the re-armament of France is politically difficult question in German plans - same goes for Ukraine and especially the Moscow Federation - especially the idea of a new national Russian Army is a difficult question and initially this force is purposefully equipped with obsolete WWII-era weaponry.

5. Here the local allies are much more useful and willing to contribute, since these movements are direct threat to their own power and authority as well.

6. This is true, even though one can assume that without OTL Hitler-styled insistence on creating new divisions rather than effectively supplying old ones this won't be as serious problem as one could imagine.

Additionally one must remember that this mod begins on the Atomic Age of 1950s - all major powers are conducting extensive research on nuclear warfare and reconsidering the future of warfare. Historically they came up with several different visions. One was the OTL Massive Retaliation, where nukes are used primarily as a deterrent in peacetime and the principal war-winning weapon in wartime. Another one the OTL Soviet approach: initially nukes would just be used as a deterrent against enemy nuclear weapons, while conventional armies would still start hostilities.

Later on, with improved tactical nukes available this school of thought developed into the final version of old Deep Battle doctrine, where tactical nuclear strikes would be used for fire support for conventional troops as a kind of a "strategic-level artillery." At the time when Warsaw Pact used this kind of doctrine in late 1960s and onwards, the OTL NATO countries adopted the Flexible Response strategy.

In my vision MacArthur is not as keen to cut defense spending as Eisenhower, and together with Taylor he devises an alternative National Security Strategy for US military. Meanwhile Germany will initially adopt a strategy close to OTL French "Force de Frappe" and Chinese nuclear strategy - credible deterrence. Conventionally German planners will come up with the idea that ground war in nuclear battlefield is possible, leading to development of new kind of specialized AFVS (OTL Leopard and Marder) that are ABC-protected and thus to increased mechanization.
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9381185&postcount=274

Le-Boehm wrote:So the Heerestruktur '47 was decided.
..On Corps level there are independent Brigades as Corps forces. Usually an Armored Recon Brigade, two Heavy Anti Tank Brigades (Heavy Armor + Tank Hunters), AA Forces... Additionally their could be an Super-Heavy Armored Brigade/Battalion.

IMO heavy armor will vanish from the battlefields as soon as the first decent MBTs appear. They will still have their place through the 1950s, though.

Le-Boehm wrote:v.) Main equipment of Heer:
In 1946 the Heer makes great advantages in technologies as the former prototypes of 1944/45 are deployed in greater numbers and the bleed forces are regrouped and reorganized.

The initial re-equipment project will demand enormous resources - and with nuclear warfare being increasingly critical, Heer will have to come by with less than hoped for when dividing the limited budgets between them, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.

Some equipment proposals for 1950s:
Small arms:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5891978&postcount=22
Anti-tank weapons during 1950s:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7939302&postcount=90
And later:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5892220&postcount=23

Le-Boehm wrote:The PzKpfW V Panther F was the last German WWII series vehicle which was designated as Medium Tank. Its successors were redesignated as Gefechtspanzerwagen (MBT) and become the backbone of the Heer.
First MBT becomes in 1946 the Panther II based on the E-50 Project. In 1948 it was replaced by Panther III which served till 1955 when replaced by Leopard. Both Panthers get a upgrading.

Still a integral support of the MBT's are the heavy tanks.
In December 1945 the Tiger II C (Basing on E-75) was introduced, which get in 1946 an with Tiger III F an successor.

See the final part of this update:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8755606&postcount=156
I came up with this fictional vehicle (in reality it's Swiss Pz 68) as the model that was used between historical designs and Leopard since it has the benefit of easily obtainable pictures (with MG-42s!) and the Swiss tanks utilized many features of WWII-era German designs. Additionally I think that whatever vehicles we choose to use, it will still require new combat experience with these "interim model" AFVs to fully create the new concept of main battle tank: a fundamental part of this new design philosophy is the ability to shoot accurately while moving, and OTL such advanced gun stabilization became available only during mid-1950s.

Therefore 1946 is too early for introduction of first MBT - no other power adopted them back then, so why would Germans? Especially since Centurion is definitively the most innovative AFV of this period, and I thus assumed that Germans would have to design their new AFV specifically to counter this new generation of Western tanks. The effectiveness of their new main weapons and especially new antitank missiles will also soon render heavy tanks obsolete, so I'd say the fictional successor of Tiger II should be the last German heavy tank.

As a summary I think your vision matches with mine and is a good overview of the situation of Heer.

Panzer ın maus and ratte?

Rashıd Alı Gaylanı wrote:Panzer ın maus and ratte?

ADD ALİ ADD RAŞİT ADD PANZER ADD GENARAL.AQ.SAYGILARIMLA.

Germans and Iraq panzer divion. Arabıc panzer division.

ıts south arabic german confederation federation cemiyetinin reichi.

Yes my friends