Milestone DAVOUT Preview: 7. Panzer (DDR)
Hello commander,
Let’s have a first look at our third milestone, Milestone DAVOUT, named after the “Iron Marshal”, Louis-Nicolas Davout, undoubtedly Napoléon’s ablest lieutenant. Never defeated on the field of battle, Davout is best remembered as the bane of the Prussians, which is most fitting with that milestone featuring WARNO’s Germans. 😉
Today, we will focus on one of the two upcoming German divisions to be featured in DAVOUT: the East-German 7. Panzerdivision.
[h2]Nationale Volksarmee[/h2]
The Nationale Volksarmee (NVA), East-Germany’s army was created in 1956 in response to West-Germany’s rearmament and foundation of the Bundeswehr a few months earlier, although the KVP (Kasernierte Volkspolizei, or Barracked People's Police) was already an embryo of army without saying so openly. Just like its West-German counterpart, most of the cadre were former WW2 Wehrmacht veterans, ideologically selected to suit the new communist regime. An 20.000-strong all-volunteer force at its creation, the NVA increased to over 170.000 with the introduction of mandatory conscription in 1962, in the wake of the Berlin Wall’s construction.
By 1989, the NVA standing divisions amounted to two Panzerdivisionen (7. & 9. ) and four Motorisierte Schützendivision (1. ,4. ,8. & 11.), or MSD, as well as several smaller units (engineers, SAM, helicpopters, …), including the airborne/special forces Luftsturmregiment 40. Five more Motorisierte Schützendivision (6. ,10. ,17. , 19. & 20.) and an airborne regiment could be raised from reservists in just three days.
With its combination of old Prussian discipline and extreme loyalty to the communist regime, the NVA was regarded by friends or for as the most disciplined and best trained force among Warsaw Pact nations. And for NATO, among the toughest opponent to be faced in case of war.
Even the Soviets recognized that fact, with some suspicion, which might be the reason why they granted the NVA much less of their modern weaponry than other WP armies such as Poland or Czechoslovakia. Thus, although divisional organization & TO&E were based on Soviet ones (save for the parachute regiment), the NVA had to fight with much older equipment.
NVA divisions were split between “Military Districts”, Militärbezirk III & Militärbezirk V, which would have become the III. & V. Armee in case of war. Yet, it is believed that they wouldn’t have been allowed by the Soviets to act as independent armies, but instead been affected to Soviet ones. Militärbezirk V was in the North, facing NORTHAG, with 1. & 8. MSD and 9. Panzerdivision ; while Militärbezirk III was located in the South of East-Germany, facing CENTAG, with 4. & 11. MSD and 7. Panzerdivision.
This is the latter which is of interest to us today …
[h2]7. Panzerdivision[/h2] 7. Panzerdivision was formed in Dresden from the creation of the NVA in 1956, with the city’s KPV mechanized detachment as its core.
For six years, the division trained relentlessly to “protect the peaceful life of the citizens of the DDR” before Cold War caught up with it for the first time: on October 1962, at the height of the Cuba Missile Crisis, the division was placed in combat alert and draftees reaching the limit of their service where kept under arms for another month before being released.
From 1961 to 1984, 7. Panzer took part in no less than ten major manoeuvers alongside other Warsaw Pact members, as well as many national exercises.
In the Summer of 1968, 7. Panzer & 11. MSD are earmarked for deployment in neighboring Czechoslovakia, as part of Operation Danube, a Warsaw Pact intervention to quell the Prague Spring. But on August 20th, while ready to march, the order was countermanded and the division placed in reserve.
While 9. Panzerdivision, facing the might of the British Challengers in the North, had priority over T-72 allotment, 7. Panzerdivision only began receiving that model in … 1987. By the end of the Cold War, barely 25% of the division’s old T-55 had been replaced, leaving its Panzer-Regimenten with a mix of T-55 & T-72.
[h2]What to expect ingame?[/h2]
Although theoretically organized on the same lines as a Soviet Tank division, 7. PzD brings some specific features:
[h2]All quiet on the Western front[/h2]
West-Germany and its first division will be the topic of next week’s DevBog. But we won’t leave you without a few treats …
[h2]See you on the battlefield![/h2]
That’s all for this week!
Join the awesome (and passionate) growing WARNO community. You can check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Join the excellent Discord server, the new Reddit page and Instagram.
See you, commander!
Let’s have a first look at our third milestone, Milestone DAVOUT, named after the “Iron Marshal”, Louis-Nicolas Davout, undoubtedly Napoléon’s ablest lieutenant. Never defeated on the field of battle, Davout is best remembered as the bane of the Prussians, which is most fitting with that milestone featuring WARNO’s Germans. 😉
Today, we will focus on one of the two upcoming German divisions to be featured in DAVOUT: the East-German 7. Panzerdivision.
[h2]Nationale Volksarmee[/h2]
The Nationale Volksarmee (NVA), East-Germany’s army was created in 1956 in response to West-Germany’s rearmament and foundation of the Bundeswehr a few months earlier, although the KVP (Kasernierte Volkspolizei, or Barracked People's Police) was already an embryo of army without saying so openly. Just like its West-German counterpart, most of the cadre were former WW2 Wehrmacht veterans, ideologically selected to suit the new communist regime. An 20.000-strong all-volunteer force at its creation, the NVA increased to over 170.000 with the introduction of mandatory conscription in 1962, in the wake of the Berlin Wall’s construction.
By 1989, the NVA standing divisions amounted to two Panzerdivisionen (7. & 9. ) and four Motorisierte Schützendivision (1. ,4. ,8. & 11.), or MSD, as well as several smaller units (engineers, SAM, helicpopters, …), including the airborne/special forces Luftsturmregiment 40. Five more Motorisierte Schützendivision (6. ,10. ,17. , 19. & 20.) and an airborne regiment could be raised from reservists in just three days.
With its combination of old Prussian discipline and extreme loyalty to the communist regime, the NVA was regarded by friends or for as the most disciplined and best trained force among Warsaw Pact nations. And for NATO, among the toughest opponent to be faced in case of war.
Even the Soviets recognized that fact, with some suspicion, which might be the reason why they granted the NVA much less of their modern weaponry than other WP armies such as Poland or Czechoslovakia. Thus, although divisional organization & TO&E were based on Soviet ones (save for the parachute regiment), the NVA had to fight with much older equipment.
NVA divisions were split between “Military Districts”, Militärbezirk III & Militärbezirk V, which would have become the III. & V. Armee in case of war. Yet, it is believed that they wouldn’t have been allowed by the Soviets to act as independent armies, but instead been affected to Soviet ones. Militärbezirk V was in the North, facing NORTHAG, with 1. & 8. MSD and 9. Panzerdivision ; while Militärbezirk III was located in the South of East-Germany, facing CENTAG, with 4. & 11. MSD and 7. Panzerdivision.
This is the latter which is of interest to us today …
[h2]7. Panzerdivision[/h2] 7. Panzerdivision was formed in Dresden from the creation of the NVA in 1956, with the city’s KPV mechanized detachment as its core.
For six years, the division trained relentlessly to “protect the peaceful life of the citizens of the DDR” before Cold War caught up with it for the first time: on October 1962, at the height of the Cuba Missile Crisis, the division was placed in combat alert and draftees reaching the limit of their service where kept under arms for another month before being released.
From 1961 to 1984, 7. Panzer took part in no less than ten major manoeuvers alongside other Warsaw Pact members, as well as many national exercises.
In the Summer of 1968, 7. Panzer & 11. MSD are earmarked for deployment in neighboring Czechoslovakia, as part of Operation Danube, a Warsaw Pact intervention to quell the Prague Spring. But on August 20th, while ready to march, the order was countermanded and the division placed in reserve.
While 9. Panzerdivision, facing the might of the British Challengers in the North, had priority over T-72 allotment, 7. Panzerdivision only began receiving that model in … 1987. By the end of the Cold War, barely 25% of the division’s old T-55 had been replaced, leaving its Panzer-Regimenten with a mix of T-55 & T-72.
[h2]What to expect ingame?[/h2]
Although theoretically organized on the same lines as a Soviet Tank division, 7. PzD brings some specific features:
- In a few words: older equipment with better training over the board.
- 7.PzD most distinctive feature lies in the nature of its tanks: T-80 (and still missing T-62) are replaced here with T-72 and T-55. More specifically, NVA fielded “vanilla” T-72 & T-72M, as well as T-55A and modernized T-55AM2 & T-55AM2B. The latter two are identical, but with the “B” variant being able to fire 9M117 Bastion ATGM.
- The NVA only ever received a dozen BMP-2, which were all affected to 9.PzD. Therefore, 7.PzD’s main IFV is the BMP-1 SP2, with Malyutka on the gun (the same model currently inappropriate for the Soviet BMP-1P).
- NVA attack helicopters were Mi-24D & Mi-24P variants. The only difference between the “D” variant & current Soviet “V” one is the former’s inability to use Kokon missile, being instead restricted to Falanga-P older missiles. The “P” variant on the other hand is quite different, removing the twin 23mm nose turret and replacing it with two side-mounted 30mm autocannons. Like the Soviet variants, it carries more modern missiles.
- Although Mi-8 are in service in the NVA, the main helicopter workhorse is the Mi-2, used in both transport & recon roles.
- While some Soviet divisions use the improved ZSU-23-4M3 Biryusa, 7.PzD fields older ZSU-23-4 SHILKA.
- Instead of using the BM-21 Grad as divisional MLRS as the Soviets, 7.PzD fields the better Czech. RM-70 ones. Although they both fire 40-round salvos, the main difference is that the latter carries one extra salvo ready for reload.
- Czech.-made heavy T813 supply truck also advantageously replace the Soviet Ural-4320.
- Infantry RPG-7 doesn’t feature the latest ammunition, hence the lesser (but with more range) RPG-7VL is the main ordnance.
- It is to be noted that while even the best-equipped Soviet divisions hadn’t enough SPG and had to still relied on towed guns in 1989, the NVA equipped its two Panzerdivisionen with SPG in priority. Thus 7.PzD’s artillery will be entirely self-propelled.
- Air force support include several loadouts of Su-22M-4, MiG-21PFM & MiG-23MF.
- Currently missing units, but to be added later: SPG-9 fire support squad, FAGOT & KOKON ATGM infantry, PM-43 120mm mortar, …
[h2]All quiet on the Western front[/h2]
West-Germany and its first division will be the topic of next week’s DevBog. But we won’t leave you without a few treats …
- US 8th Infantry (Mech.)’s German arsenal has been increased with the KANJPZ (standing for Kanonenjagdpanzer).
- As spotted (and reported) by many, the ALPHA JET was missing its ventral gun pod. This has been fixed …
[h2]See you on the battlefield![/h2]That’s all for this week!
Join the awesome (and passionate) growing WARNO community. You can check the latest news on the Steam News page or visit the Steam Forums. Join the excellent Discord server, the new Reddit page and Instagram.
See you, commander!