Very much a tyro in WW2 period, I am having difficulty with some weapons. I'm going to be using Peter Pig's Abteilung which doesn't differentiate much. Could anyone guide me to the right weapons, prferably in the Pendraken range?
I have my Bren guns as LMG support for the platoon's rifles but am not sure what to use as an equivalent for my Germans.
I'm assuming HMG would be MG42?
Was there much difference between Panzerfaust & Panzerschreck & which would be more common in 1944 Normandy.
What should I use for SMG? Is the STG44 different?
I'd very much appreciate help with this so I can get my forces on table asap
Cheers!
i
Try the Flames of War site, there are many briefings and PDFs available for free.
Basically mg42s are good!
The MG42 would be the nearest equivalent.
It can be used prone with bipod, as is commonly modelled. It can also be used resting on a wall or over the shoulder of the loader. Can't imagine the latter option would be too comfortable for the bloke acting as "human bipod."
A more solid mount was used for the MG42 when acting as an MMG - this is what the Pendraken MG teams depict.
Panzerfaust is a one-shot weapon used widely by the Germans and captured in such numbers that the Russians used them too. The Panzerschrek is a reuseable launcher, more like the bazooka. Packed more of a punch than the Panzerfaust too iirc.
The MP40 and StG44 are different in appearance and operation but both would do as an SMG for most rules.
The StG44 is an assault rifle rather than an SMG but fulfilled much the same role in combat.
That help any?
First off, I think that you would need to specify what kind of German unit you're considering. The Panzer Grenadiers would be better equipped that Infantry divisions, and the coastal divisions could be issued with all sorts of oddities. The SS Panzer Divisions would be a cut above (in equipment terms) ordinary Heer.
Assuming Panzer Grenadiers, the MG42 was issued at section and support company level, so can use for both.
The Panzerfaust was a single shot, disposable tank killer. You could quite liberally strew them about. They are deadly but not capable of a second shot.
(http://taskforcebaum.de/geraet/panzerfaust/pzfstschtz01.jpg)
The Panzerschreck was the German equivilent to the Bazooka, and would be much rarer.
(http://world.guns.ru/userfiles/images/grenade/offenrohr/1302449056.jpg)
The STG44 is more of a assault rifle - which I think was the basis of the Kalashnikov. Very limited use in Normandy, I suspect. I'd stick to the MP40.
High Ian,
As a generality platoons of British and Germans were organised into an HQ and 3 sections. Each section would contain 6-10 men and a single light machine gun (LMG) team. The section leader will have and 0-2 others may have a sub-machine gun (SMG). The platoon HQ will contain a commander and 2ic plus for the British a 2" mortar team and a PIAT team. The Germans could have a 50mm mortar in lower "fortress" grade units but all "field" infantry had dropped it by '44.
German weapons:
The terms LMG/HMG are not really accurate when describing either the MG34 or MG42. The MG42 was a mid to late war replacement to the MG34 designed to be easier to manufacture and cheaper (it happened to have a higher rate of fire as well). The MG34 was never completely replaced. Both weapons were a general purpose machine gun (GPMG) the forerunner of the British GYMPY and US M60, and could operate with a bipod as a section LMG or mounted on a tripod as a HMG. Pendraken lists show the bipod version as an MG34 and the tripod version as an MG42. Ignore the MG34/42 titles and use them as a bipod or tripod weapon.
Use the bipod version with your infantry sections and the tripod version as a heavy support weapon. The British use the Bren as the bipod LMG and the Vickers as the tripod support weapon.
Panzerschreck is a specialist anti-tank asset held at company level by the Germans and could be allocated as required to individual platoons depending on their mission. 2-4 teams would be available. Panzerfaust is a one shot throw-away weapon issued like ammunition to each section, so there may well be one carried by each infantry man. From a Pendraken point of view usemainly riflemen but with the odd Panzerfaust man mixed in. In game terns they should all be riflemen with the additional facility of a short range anti-tank weapon. Use the Panzerschreck teams more as specialists.
MG34 and MG42 had very high rates of fire and this meant the German infantry had to carry lots of the ammo for them. This resulted in 1 LMG per section for Grenadier sections. However Panzer Grenadiers could carry more ammo and had 2 MG34 or MG42 LMGs per section.
Stg44 was available in small numbers in '44 but wasn't general issue. If used it would replace the section SMG. The German SMG is the MP40.
Hope all this helps Ian. Check here for more detail:
http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/ (http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/)
Cheers, Rob :) :)
Thanks all for your prompt & concise replies as well as the links. I'll be able to make a good start with my orbats.
Cheers!
i
If you want to post your orbats here I'm sure there are several of us who would be happy to comment, constructively, on them ;)