You are in charge of German Armour production

[KG_ThorsHammer]

It is January 1944. You have been given complete control of AFV production, and the organization of armored units. In essence you have taken over Guderians' position of inspector general of armored forces, but with expanded powers.

You can decide what to produce and what not to produce, where to focus production, etc. You can also decide the makeup of the panzer forces, etc.

What do you do to reverse the Reichs sagging fortunes after the disasters of 1943?


Here is a link to production figures as a reference.
http://www.feldgrau.com/afvstats.html

[KG_Panzerschreck]

Its too late. This should of been done in '43 when the writing was on the wall.

That being said i would scrap everything below and above the PzIII & PzIV Chassis as far as Tanks and SPG's go. All PzIII chassis go to making Stug IIIG and all PzIV chassis go to making PzIVJ model. Then id ramp up production of towed 75mm ATG's and stop production of other types. This is the same caliber/type as the Stug and PzIVJ. It is to facilitate ease in supplying shells to the front lines and is easier on production.

I would then build a multi layered defensive belt tied into terrain features, cities, strongpoints ect. using ATGs in a "PAK Front" style of defense. Backing up these lines of defense would be mobile reserves of Stugs, PzIVs and Mechanized infantry to strike at any attacking force. If one line became unholdable, simply fall back to the next til a counter-attack could be organized to take back the lost ground. Oversimplified, i know, but you get the jist of my ideas.

[KG_AirborneBob]

Thor,
That table is fantastic....it would appear that chassis production is the key...Pzkw IV chassis are common to several vehicles...but the armament has to be able to punch holes in T-34's and at a distance...
I would stop production of Panthers...increase Tigers and Jagd Tigers....and of course Panzershrecks for every soldier!:elefant:

[KG_AGCent]

I would immediately standardize and simplify the mfg process at every level. 75L48 paks across the board eventually looking for a way to convert the 75L70 to a pak. All AG systems other than the StuG IV would halt. Stu42 would be converted to Pz4 the chassis and all Pz3 production and development would end. Then StuG production would be phased out in favor of the Hetzer then eventually the E-25. All other tank production aside from pz4j and Panthers would halt. However, Panther production would be kept as low as possible to facilitate development of the E-50 series of tanks. Once E-50 came on line, pz-4 production would phase out. Once the E-50 came online PaK production would be upgraded to follow the same caliber of gun used in the E-50. There would be NO Tiger II, no JagdTiger or other wasteful development programs. HT production... would stay the same methinks perhaps with an increased emphasis on AA variants. All infantry units would be inundated with Pzfausts and Schrecks as field commanders required. Rail gun production would end. Artillery would be standardized at two echelons; 105's at regimental level and 150's at the divisional, corps and AG level. All small arms production would be standardized into the StG44 and MG42.

[KG_Kharkov]

I basically do what Shreck does except I keep Tiger production going to give me a heavy armor "shock" arm to work with.

[KG_Cloghaun]

I got a little carried away..sorry.


In order to fully recognize the development of my new panzer army & assuming my “expanded powers” went this far, I would recommend the following:

In order to make my plan a reality I would have to slow down the pace of the Soviet advance. In August of 43’, the Soviets had recovered from Kursk and started their push into the Orel salient. Through the fall the Germans tried to hold the Dnieper but by the New Year it was obvious to everyone but Hitler that it could not be held any longer. (This is evidenced, in part, by the great debacle of “The Korsun Pocket.”) Trading space for time just wouldn’t be enough. I also don’t want to expend man power in a war of attrition anymore than I have to in fighting delaying actions, so what to do?

I scrap the U-boat program all-together. Krupp steel, raw materials, factories & skilled workers are immediately reassigned & trained for tank production.
The V-Rocket program is immediately scrapped & work is refocused on improving smaller “wide dispersal” rocket munitions.

The immediate halt of “The Final Solution.” All concentration camp people are to be afforded the treatment they deserve under the Geneva Convention concerning P.O.W.s & non-combatants. People of working age who are physically able are to be transferred immediately to begin work on defensive positions all across Eastern Europe & Germany. (This creates a legitimate work force of at least a few hundred thousand, of which tens of thousands of skilled laborers are part of.)

Assuming I have the benefit of hind-sight, I send Otto Skorzeny into the Rumanian capital to protect General Ion Antonescu & also capture & execute those planning a Communist coup.
All Axis countries with factories capable of still producing armor (Czech & Hungary) shall retool immediately to help bolster production of German tank designs. I form the Eastern defenses into 2 zones of control; Army Group North & Army Group South. Army Group Central is absorbed into the 2 former groups & their weakened divisions are replenished. (Sorry Rob.) AGC’s officer corps is also absorbed to add an extra layer of seasoned logistics & combat leadership. Walter Model is put in charge of AGN & Erwin Rommel takes command of AGS. Erich von Manstein is made overall commander. All commanders are given “Carte Blanche” to operate unhindered by OKH.

After initial plans are set in motion, required numbers panzer forces start a covering action for every combat engineer battalion in the Wehrmacht & SS as they begin mine laying operations, setting demo charges on roads, etc. These delaying actions will give the needed time to orchestrate the main delaying action.

In the North, the MLR will be the Vistula river to roughly Lublin. In the South, defenses will stretch from Lvov to Odessa, along the Dniester river. By the time the Soviets are within 100 miles of these defenses, delaying actions will appear to stop completely & I will throw my armies in full retreat. The Soviets will assume I am making a run for the safety of said rivers & begin sprinting after me in full force. That’s when I will begin a massive barrage using rockets & artillery shells loaded with newly discovered Sarin gas which I began full scale production of months earlier & had test stock piles of already. It’s basically is the same as Mustard gas, only much more potent. If the wind is blowing well (as it probably would in Eastern European winter), I believe it would buy the needed time to move to stage two.

By the time the Soviets have reached the MLR’s of Vistula & Dniester, I would put everything I had into these defenses, while appearing weak between Lvov & Lublin where both rivers end. I would try to draw in enemy armored forces in this 200 mile gap & then pinch it off in an armored counterattack from the north & south behind the rivers, destroying the encircled enemy.

The forces used in this operation would be used from a reserve created from those I pulled off the line from previous months while I was in retreat.

As to the future of my tank arm, I am not a fan of turretless tank destroyers, even if they are economical. For the same reason, while cheaper to produce, I do not see the long term benefit of continuing the PzIV series when the Soviets are beginning to roll out the JS series. I am the first to admit I’m no expert when it comes to tanks, but if asked, I would do the following:

Continue development of the King Tiger. Figure out a way to make it lighter (reduce by at least 5-10 tons). Up gun the 88mm to a 105mm. Develop a range finder & improve fuel consumption while adding more horsepower. If, and I do mean “if”, I bought enough time to produce a sufficient quantity of new KT’s, I would outfit existing panzer divisions with the new KT’s & attach remaining older models as support companies. I would also attach older model panzers as support for mech. infantry divisions.

[KG_ThorsHammer]

I said authority over armored troops you Hitler wannabees!! lol :tanksmiley:

[KG_ThorsHammer]

As for myself.
I would immediately stop all production and development of the super heavies, as much as I love them. No King Tiger, jagdtiger or Maus, etc. I'd produce the Tiger E for another month and spare parts for existing Tigers after that, but Tiger factories would convert to produce panthers and jagdpanthers. StugIIIs would be pumped out, as would Hetzers. JagdpanzerIvs would superseed MarkIv tanks with about 1 markIV for every four jagdIV produced. No more marder 38s, all hetzers. Basically, the panzer force would be mainly jagdpanzers and assaultguns with as many panthers as could be turned out being the only real tank in significant numbers.

A Panzer Division would have three battalions of armour, with each battalion containing around 100 vehicles including HQ units.
First Battalion would be panthers, second would be jagdpanzerIVs with a few markIVs mixed in for close protection. Third would be StugIIIs and/or Hetzers.
The number of panzer Divisions would be reduced, with their units used to beef up other remaining units. Panzer Grenadier Divisions would be disbanded, with their badly needed men and material going to remaining panzer Divisions.
Motorised Infantry Divisions would take their place. Small numbers of various marders, hetzers and StugIIIs would be penciled out for infantry support.

Although focusing production of remaining vehicles is the priority, tank chasis would be used to produce quite a few more recovery vehicles, so not nearly as many tanks would have to be left behind on the battlefield, which was a big problem. I would also ensure an abundance of spare parts was available. I have read that nearly half the panzer force was out of commision at any one time, waiting to be fixed for one reason or another because of a lack of spare parts. I'd rather produce a few less tanks than possible and get the bulk of those exisitng vehicles running.

Tiger E's would fight on at the front while these changes are taking effect. Eventually, remaining vehicles would be sent to form a final Tiger unit of whatever size was possible.

Hopefully these changes would mean greater numbers of effective vehicles would be available, and panzer divisions would be considerably stronger and able to deal with enemy breakthroughs.

[KG_Cloghaun]

I said authority over armored troops you Hitler wannabees!! lol

I know, I know..sorry. I only wrote all that window dressing because I don't know squat about the logistics involved in panzer production. :withstupi

Still,...

I do not understand how any of you can ignore the fact that the Germans were going to need a heavy tank with a larger caliber gun- not only to deal with the JS-2, but the JS-3 that would be rolling out in 1.5 years. Not to mention what might come down the pipe a few years after that. The 105mm gun would be the answer to Germany's troubles for several years- and your going to need a heavier tank than a Panther to deal with a JS3.

I agree that the KT was wracked with problems. But ask yourself what would happen if they stuck with the basic design & continued to improve it with new versions? (like they did with the Panther.) Made it lighter, more horsepower, better trans, etc.

In the meantime, by all means, eliminate all other varients & classes of panzer & stick with 1 or 2 designs as a stop gap, like the Panther & the JagdPanzer (L70).

And Dave is right- ramp up spare parts production!

[KG_Swampfox]

As Schreck said, its already to late to make effective changes, however here goes with my ideas.

•Increase production of the Panther (the best all around tank the Germans had for the money). Outfit the numbered panzer divisions with Panthers and Jag Panthers. 2 Panthers for every Jag, 300 tanks total.

•Transition production of the MKIII of all types to Jag Panthers, to include STUGs.

•Discontinue production of the Tiger I after 6 months of making spare parts; combine all remaining Tigers into the SS panzer Corps including the crews and supporting infantry. Expand the SS panzer Corps into 4 Corps (including the GD division). This now becomes a mobile reserve used to seal off Russian counterattacks that have penetrated the MLR. Make tank recovery of Tigers a high priority.

•Get the E-50 off the drawing board and into production ASAP as a replacement for the Tiger I. Continue to develop the range finding and IR technology ASAP.

•As the Panther production climbs, discontinue Production of the MKIV as a MBT. Use the chassis for making self-propelled arty such as Hummels, a few Brumbars, and flak platforms. All artillery needs to be mobile ASAP. After the arty is mobile, EAT every horse in the artillery.

•Temporarily continue production of the MKII chassis for the Wespe. Develop a tracked chassis for future SP artillery/ flak based on the now proven Panther chassis.

•Discontinue the 38T of all types and convert its production into H/Ts and tracked supply vehicles. After the horses have been replaced by motorized transport, EAT all the supply horses.

•Place into storage all of the rail guns and the siege mortars. Increase production of the 88mm/43 A/T gun, and increase production of all panzerfausts.

•Pray for a change in senior leadership and that Goring eats himself into a early heart attack, preferably on horse meat …..