Milestone DAVOUT Preview: 5. Panzer (BRD)
Hello commander,
Last week, we had a sneak preview at the NVA’s 7. Panzerdivision, the first of the two new divisions soon to be featured in the upcoming German-focused Milestone DAVOUT.
This week, let’s have a look at its NATO counterpart, the Bundeswehr’s 5. Panzerdivision.
[h2]Bundeswehr[/h2]
Just like its Eastern counterpart, West-Germany was forbidden to possess armed forces since the Wehrmacht had been dissolved in 1945. Although a new German state, the Federal Republic of Germany, had been founded in 1949, it was still officially completely demilitarized and dependent on NATO for its defense. Yet, an embryo of army existed since 1951 as the Bundesgrenzschutz (meaning Federal Border Guard), a 10.000-strong paramilitary force patrolling the German Inner Border.
Due to increasing tensions with the Eastern bloc in the early 1950, the USA, UK & France decided to rearm Germany, which they couldn’t hope to defend against a Soviet offensive without the Germans themselves. France was particularly reluctant to agree to the rearmament of a neighbor with which it had been at war three times in the past 80 years, but finally accepted.
The Bundeswehr (meaning Federal Defence, a name coined by WW2 veteran general Hasso von Manteuffel) was officially created on November 12th, 1955, the 200th birthday of general Gerhard von Scharnhorst. He was the man who rebuilt the Prussian army into a modern military machine after its crushing defeat at the hands of Napoléon (and especially Davout! 😉) in 1806. The Bundeswehr was to be a new military force, without ties with the Wehrmacht: instead, it looked toward the military reformers of 1806-1813 and the military resistance against Hitler for models & traditions.
Over the ensuing Cold War years, the Bundeswehr expanded to three corps, each of three divisions, plus three other independents divisions and several smaller units. Being stationed on their own soil, Germany, which was considered to be the most probable WW3 battlefield, the Bundeswehr was the backbone of NATO’s defense plans: with the few combat-ready US or British divisions, it would have to bear the brunt of a WarPac offensive while its NATO allies mobilized and built up their forces.
[h2]5. Panzerdivision[/h2]
Like the US 3rd Armored Division, 5. Panzerdivision isn’t new to Eugen Systems’ games’ veterans, being also featured in Steel Division 2. Yet, there is no connection between Bundeswehr units and their Wehrmacht predecessors.
The new 5. Panzer was created in Grafenwöhr (Bavaria) in 1956, as part as Heeresstruktur 1, the first iteration of the newly created Bundeswehr. It was initially structured around three Kampfgruppen (battlegroups), on the model of the US Army at the time. In 1959, a first reorganization converted the three Kampfgruppen into Panzerbrigade 14 & 15 and Panzergrenadier 13, a structure it will retain, despite some transfer or renaming, for the rest of the Cold War.
The Bundeswehr during the Cold War was organized around three army corps: I. Korps with NORTHAG, controlling 1. & 7. Panzerdivision and 11. Panzergrenadier-Division ; II. Korps in the South (de facto with CENTAG, but would have passed under SOUTHAG control shall the later be revived) with 10. Panzerdivision, 1. Gebirgsjäger-Division and 4. Panzergrenadier-Division ; III. Korps finally, with 5. & 12. Panzerdivision and 2. Panzergrenadier-Division.
5. Panzer & 2. Panzergrenadier were CENTAG’s northernmost divisions, liking it to NORTHAG. They were also the two German division closest to the Fulda Gap and trained to operate in close cooperation with the US V. Corps.
[h2]What to expect ingame?[/h2]
Germany’s Bundeswehr was smaller than some other NATO members, but it was very well equipped. Besides, save for a few M113-based vehicles, most of its equipment is either indigenous or European, making it quite distinct from the US Army.
[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!
Last week, we had a sneak preview at the NVA’s 7. Panzerdivision, the first of the two new divisions soon to be featured in the upcoming German-focused Milestone DAVOUT.
This week, let’s have a look at its NATO counterpart, the Bundeswehr’s 5. Panzerdivision.
[h2]Bundeswehr[/h2]
Just like its Eastern counterpart, West-Germany was forbidden to possess armed forces since the Wehrmacht had been dissolved in 1945. Although a new German state, the Federal Republic of Germany, had been founded in 1949, it was still officially completely demilitarized and dependent on NATO for its defense. Yet, an embryo of army existed since 1951 as the Bundesgrenzschutz (meaning Federal Border Guard), a 10.000-strong paramilitary force patrolling the German Inner Border.
Due to increasing tensions with the Eastern bloc in the early 1950, the USA, UK & France decided to rearm Germany, which they couldn’t hope to defend against a Soviet offensive without the Germans themselves. France was particularly reluctant to agree to the rearmament of a neighbor with which it had been at war three times in the past 80 years, but finally accepted.
The Bundeswehr (meaning Federal Defence, a name coined by WW2 veteran general Hasso von Manteuffel) was officially created on November 12th, 1955, the 200th birthday of general Gerhard von Scharnhorst. He was the man who rebuilt the Prussian army into a modern military machine after its crushing defeat at the hands of Napoléon (and especially Davout! 😉) in 1806. The Bundeswehr was to be a new military force, without ties with the Wehrmacht: instead, it looked toward the military reformers of 1806-1813 and the military resistance against Hitler for models & traditions.
Over the ensuing Cold War years, the Bundeswehr expanded to three corps, each of three divisions, plus three other independents divisions and several smaller units. Being stationed on their own soil, Germany, which was considered to be the most probable WW3 battlefield, the Bundeswehr was the backbone of NATO’s defense plans: with the few combat-ready US or British divisions, it would have to bear the brunt of a WarPac offensive while its NATO allies mobilized and built up their forces.
[h2]5. Panzerdivision[/h2]
Like the US 3rd Armored Division, 5. Panzerdivision isn’t new to Eugen Systems’ games’ veterans, being also featured in Steel Division 2. Yet, there is no connection between Bundeswehr units and their Wehrmacht predecessors.
The new 5. Panzer was created in Grafenwöhr (Bavaria) in 1956, as part as Heeresstruktur 1, the first iteration of the newly created Bundeswehr. It was initially structured around three Kampfgruppen (battlegroups), on the model of the US Army at the time. In 1959, a first reorganization converted the three Kampfgruppen into Panzerbrigade 14 & 15 and Panzergrenadier 13, a structure it will retain, despite some transfer or renaming, for the rest of the Cold War.
The Bundeswehr during the Cold War was organized around three army corps: I. Korps with NORTHAG, controlling 1. & 7. Panzerdivision and 11. Panzergrenadier-Division ; II. Korps in the South (de facto with CENTAG, but would have passed under SOUTHAG control shall the later be revived) with 10. Panzerdivision, 1. Gebirgsjäger-Division and 4. Panzergrenadier-Division ; III. Korps finally, with 5. & 12. Panzerdivision and 2. Panzergrenadier-Division.
5. Panzer & 2. Panzergrenadier were CENTAG’s northernmost divisions, liking it to NORTHAG. They were also the two German division closest to the Fulda Gap and trained to operate in close cooperation with the US V. Corps.
[h2]What to expect ingame?[/h2]
Germany’s Bundeswehr was smaller than some other NATO members, but it was very well equipped. Besides, save for a few M113-based vehicles, most of its equipment is either indigenous or European, making it quite distinct from the US Army.
- 5.PzD will feature the trademark German Leopard tanks, and more precisely the Leopard 1A5 (Panzergrenadier-Brigade 13) & Leopard 2A3 (Panzerbrigade 14 & 15). There are also a few older Leopard 1A1A1 with Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 5. Finally, the Panzerpionier held on to a few obsolete M48A2CGA1 (M48 Patton with 90mm gun!).
- Infantry weapons are mostly G3A4 rifles, MG-3 machine-guns & Panzerfaust 44 RPGs, as featured currently with 8th Infantry Division’s Jäger, but other less widespread ones include MP-2 (= license-built Uzi) & MP-5 SMG, Carl Gustav & Armbrust bazooka, HK-21 LMG or even the weird Handflammpatrone, a disposable flame-shotgun.
- The division’s infantry rely not on Jäger (although still present in small numbers) but on Panzergrenadier, riding into battle in either IFV or APC. IFV squads are down to 5 or 6 men, just like American Bradley infantry, to fit these vehicles’ space ; while APC-borne ones are up to 9 men. The Bundeswehr famous IFV is the Marder, coming here as either Marder 1A2 or up armored Marder 1A3, both with and without MILAN missiles. APC infantry comes with the ubiquitous MTW M113. Engineers & scouts come either in soft-skin vehicles, or the fast but lightly armored Fuchs wheeled APC.
- A German Panzerdivision fields less tank & foot soldiers than a US one, hence a bit less and/or more costly INF & TANK slots. On the other hand, W-German units bring a LOT of divisional artillery in comparison: Panzermörser 120mm (= M113-borne mortar), FH-155-1 field gun (= FH-70 howitzer, to be added later), M109A3GA1 155mm & M110A2G 203mm SPG, LARS 2 & MARS (= M270) MLRS. Lots of choices, lots of slots …
- On the other hand, 5.PzD, as any other German division and unlike American ones, has no helicopter squadron of its own, save for a few Alouette II unarmed recon ones. We’ve attached a few Bo-105 PAH-1 (HOT 1) & Bo-105 PAH-1A1 (HOT 2) from III. Korps's organic Heeresflieger-Rgt. 36. But slots are few and expensive!
- Air defense is provided by the already featured (and outdated) Redeye MANPADS, but also the much heavier & effective Gepard B2L SPAAG & Marder Roland SAM.
- Finally, the Luftwaffe provides cover and support with three different planes: the infamous F-104G fighter, the modernized F-4F Phantom II multirole & brand-new Tornado IDS strike aircraft. The latter will feature its trademark MW-1 cluster dispenser.
- Other indigenous vehicles include Iltis jeep, Unimog truck, Jaguar 1 (HOT) & Jaguar 2 tank destroyers, Luchs armored scout car, …
- Currently missing units, but to be added later: MILAN infantry, FH-155-1 field gun, FK 20 20mm light AA gun, ...
[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!