Status Updates From Army of Steel: Tank Warfare...

Panzers still tactically superior after Normandy.

Open countryside further from the coast was good for mobile warfare. However, Allies had cracked German codes and therefore all German comms attracted air strikes.

Rommel

Here we are facing an EN who applies all his native intelligence to the use of his many technical resources, who spares no expenditure of material and whose every operation goes it’s course as thought it had been the subject of repeated rehearsal. Dash and doggedness alone no longer make a soldier, Bayerlein. He must have sufficient intelligence to enable him to get the most out of his fighting machine.

Rommel

‘In the air we must build more fighters and give up all idea of bombing. I no longer see things as black as I did in Africa, but titian victory is now, of course, hardly a possibility.’

Command Post 506

Bypassed M-Kill Tiger tank with 5 Panzergrenadiers. Had comms and defended their position until killed by flamethrowers.

It was acknowledged that the current generation of tanks was no good for the kind of street fighting they (Germans) were experiencing in Stalingrad, but modifying tanks that were already in production created numerous variations and made supplying spare parts a nightmare.

Hitler tried to sack and trip German commanders as they failed to follow or listen to him during Barbarossa campaign.

Found illegal. Hitler then changed to give himself the power to change the law by decree without reference to the Reichstag.

26 April, 1942.

Hitler now has full power.

Guderian suggested withdrawing to a fortified line prepared along the Rivers Susha and Zola.

‘No, I forbid it!’ yelled Hitler. ‘They must dig where they are and hold every square metre of land!’

Guderian pointed out that they could not dig in as the ground was frozen to a depth of 2 metres in most places and their entrenching tools made no impression.

Germans supplied by air and LoC thin due to over extension

Although an infantryman by training, Rommel used Panzers like cavalry, making quick changes of directions, feints and sudden withdrawals which earned him his nickname, the ‘Desert Fox’.

RAF had an airbase in Malta that threatened Rommels LOC to Africa.

Post France invasion.

Double of Panzer divisions (but by halving their size)

Increased number of mechanise units. But auto mobile industry could not cope

Agreed that the medium tank would carry a 75mm gun Abe its weight would not exceed 24 tonnes - the limiting factor being the lid bearing capacity of German bridges.

Hindenburg was against tank warfare.

“In war only what is simply can succeed. I have visited the staff of the cavalry corps. what I saw there was no simple.”

Plan 1919 - Fuller

Expand German tank corps from 17,000 to 35,000 pers.

Didn’t come to fruition due to German defeat and lack of resources.