SOUTHAG Division #9: 1. Luftlandedivision
Hello, hello, hello.
We are back with a WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview. In today’s DevBlog, the last one for NATO, we’ll deep dive into the West German 1. Luftlandedivision.
Ready? Go!
[h2]NATO’s West German 1. Luftlandedivision’s History[/h2]
The West German 1. Luftlandedivision, or the 1st Air Landing Division, was raised in 1956, a year after the Bundeswehr’s founding. At first, only two airborne brigades were used, but by 1970, a third brigade was added.
Organized as a division with three brigades and an artillery regiment, the 1. Luftlandedivision’s combat units were distributed as reserves among the three main West German field commands: the I. Korps (with NORTHAG), the III. Korps (with CENTAG) and the II. Korps (with SOUTHAG). This left its divisional HQ and (only partially active) artillery regiment as administrative formations. It was quickly realized that these dispersed brigades were rather light, best used on the defensive, due to their limited number of soldiers and firepower.
This also led, turning to the end of the Cold War, to the Bundeswehr envisioning a different, more active role for the 1. Luftlandedivision. Although one of its brigades, the 27. Luftlande-Brigade would be kept separate and positioned in NORTHAG, the air landing division would regain control over its two more southern-located brigades.
These formations would operate in Bavaria, in a theater of war particularly well-suited for light infantry, defending the mountainous and wooded regions near the West German border with Czechoslovakia and Austria. The 1. Luftlandedivision was further bolstered by the addition of the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23, and one armored recon company, courtesy of the 1. Gebirgsdivision. On top of that, a territorial brigade - the Heimatschutzbrigade 56 - would also join the division’s ranks. This latter formation was rather powerful,
closer to a regular Panzergrenadier-Brigade than a rabble of reservists and local militia.
[h2]The 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO’s history[/h2]
In WARNO’s scenario, the CENTAG-assigned reserve 25. Luftlande-Brigade will aid the 2. Panzergrenadier-Division (as is depicted in this playable division, as well as Army General). This means it is not available to the 1. Luftlandedivision. Instead, our newest battlegroup will feature one airborne, one mountain, and one mechanized infantry brigade. A rather unique ratio of troops, which will be reflected within WARNO - SOUTHAG:
[h2]NATO’s 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO - SOUTHAG[/h2]
What can you expect from the 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. All the following is subject to change.
LOG
The logistics department is better than other comparable airborne divisions in terms of slots and their price. This is due to the 1. Luftlandedivision being only partially airborne, plus it was pre-positioned with close supply lines to the battlefields the battlegroup would be fighting on.
INF
As can be expected from a light/airborne/mechanized infantry division, this category is excellent in terms of the number of slots and their price.
We are back with a WARNO - SOUTHAG division preview. In today’s DevBlog, the last one for NATO, we’ll deep dive into the West German 1. Luftlandedivision.
Ready? Go!
[h2]NATO’s West German 1. Luftlandedivision’s History[/h2]
The West German 1. Luftlandedivision, or the 1st Air Landing Division, was raised in 1956, a year after the Bundeswehr’s founding. At first, only two airborne brigades were used, but by 1970, a third brigade was added.
Organized as a division with three brigades and an artillery regiment, the 1. Luftlandedivision’s combat units were distributed as reserves among the three main West German field commands: the I. Korps (with NORTHAG), the III. Korps (with CENTAG) and the II. Korps (with SOUTHAG). This left its divisional HQ and (only partially active) artillery regiment as administrative formations. It was quickly realized that these dispersed brigades were rather light, best used on the defensive, due to their limited number of soldiers and firepower.
This also led, turning to the end of the Cold War, to the Bundeswehr envisioning a different, more active role for the 1. Luftlandedivision. Although one of its brigades, the 27. Luftlande-Brigade would be kept separate and positioned in NORTHAG, the air landing division would regain control over its two more southern-located brigades.
These formations would operate in Bavaria, in a theater of war particularly well-suited for light infantry, defending the mountainous and wooded regions near the West German border with Czechoslovakia and Austria. The 1. Luftlandedivision was further bolstered by the addition of the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23, and one armored recon company, courtesy of the 1. Gebirgsdivision. On top of that, a territorial brigade - the Heimatschutzbrigade 56 - would also join the division’s ranks. This latter formation was rather powerful,
closer to a regular Panzergrenadier-Brigade than a rabble of reservists and local militia.
[h2]The 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO’s history[/h2]
In WARNO’s scenario, the CENTAG-assigned reserve 25. Luftlande-Brigade will aid the 2. Panzergrenadier-Division (as is depicted in this playable division, as well as Army General). This means it is not available to the 1. Luftlandedivision. Instead, our newest battlegroup will feature one airborne, one mountain, and one mechanized infantry brigade. A rather unique ratio of troops, which will be reflected within WARNO - SOUTHAG:
- One-third of its troops will feature the Airborne trait. These stem from the single airborne brigade.
- One-third mechanized infantry and units. Although part of the Heimatschutzbrigade 56 (HSB 56), these troops will not be considered Reservists. This particular territorial brigade was a cut above the rest, in terms of training and equipment, and instead will be represented as regular units with locked veterancy.
- One-third, the mountain troops, will feature the new Mountaineer trait. These represent the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23. These light units will have less to no movement penalty in rugged terrain, such as forests. This new trait will be retrofitted to existing units such as British Gurkhas and Soviet Afgantsy.
[h2]NATO’s 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO - SOUTHAG[/h2]
What can you expect from the 1. Luftlandedivision in WARNO - SOUTHAG? New units are both italic and bolded. All the following is subject to change.
LOG
The logistics department is better than other comparable airborne divisions in terms of slots and their price. This is due to the 1. Luftlandedivision being only partially airborne, plus it was pre-positioned with close supply lines to the battlefields the battlegroup would be fighting on.
- Like other WARNO airborne divisions, it doesn’t receive an FOB. Its supply units are airliftable KRAKA MUN., the light UNIMOG S404 MUN., and the medium (new) TYP 1017 MUN. supply vehicles, plus the CH-53G MUN. helicopter.
- Command units are the Fs-FÜHRUNGS ILTIS and M577GA2.
INF
As can be expected from a light/airborne/mechanized infantry division, this category is excellent in terms of the number of slots and their price.