Idle Time

[George Kelln]

I've got dozens of projects on the go and I have been reading "A Time for Trumpets, the Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge", which got me thinking of what else ASL. Upon further research, one thing lead to another and you guess it, "Hell at Dom Bütgenbach".

The "Hitlerjugend" German 12th SS-Panzer Division attacking the "Big Red One" US 1st Infantry Division. It's in the early stages of design; the map is still a work in process, but 1" sized hexes, saturated ground, slopes, and Mist, "Pea Soup" style; rough out the Tactical Mission (11 dates over four days) and 5-6 scenarios; but I thought I would share it with you.

 

[kynken]

nice, George. Any counters? 'cause that is how I roll.

 

[vetsurg]

Love the ‘box’ art! Who is the artist?

 

[George Kelln]

nice, George. Any counters? 'cause that is how I roll.

Just working out the Orders of Battle for each side; Might need some JgdPz IV & JgdPz IV/70

 

[Paul M. Weir]

Only JgdPz IV/70. By the time 1st & 12th SS were re-equipped for WAR the JgdPz IV with the L/48 gun had been replaced in production with the L/70 gun. I have yet to see a WAR era photo with the shorter gun.

 

[Paul M. Weir]

I should have added some strength detail. 1 SS PzJg Abt had 21 Pz IV/70 and 11 PaK 40 organised into 1 Pz IV/70 HQ, 2 comp. 10 Pz IV/70 (1 HQ, 3 pln of 3) and a towed company of 11 PaK 40. As far as I know 12 SS had the same except the towed company was fully up to strength with 12 PaK 40 and an extra Pz IV/70 for a total of 22 Pz IV/70 and 12 PaK 40.

Total for 12 SS:
Pz IV: 37
Panther: 41
Pz IV/70: 22
SdKfz 251/21 (triple 2cm FlaK): 12
SdKfz 251 (all variants): 118
7.5cm PaK 40 towed: 25
15cm sIG 33 towed: 13
8.8cm FlaK: 18
2cm quad FlaK 38: 5
2cm FlaK 38: 45
Artillery: 59
plus 7.5cm PaK (mounted) ??: 22
Not sure what the latter are, either SdKfz 251/9 or 251/22. While the /9 was not really an AT gun, it served in that role in PzGr units.

12th SS by Hubert Meyer, Stackpole Books, Pages 227-228

While totals for trucks and cars were pretty good for late '44 (80%-90%), 12 SS was deficient in cross country capable trucks and cars and grossly understrength in towing half-tracks and tractors. Personnel were up to strength (even overstrength) but included many recent ex-LW and KM draftees. In Normandy the 12 SS had a reputation for fanaticism but somewhat lacking in tactical nous. The gutting there and rebuilding with much green personnel suggests that any ASL force should go light on leaders. For those initial WAR actions I would suggest an ERL of 3 or 4, allowing ERL replacement. Later actions may be different, the stupid and unskilled either learnt stuff the hard way or have been weeded out. I have always regarded 12 SS initial WAR attacks as a bit of a clusterfuck, though that may be a bit overly harsh. 1 SS did so much better.

That exhausts my contribution.

 

[Eagle4ty]

Worked with a guy many moons ago that had been a member of the 12th SS during the Battle of The Bulge. He said he was 16 yrs old at the time as were most of the members of his Bn (school mates). They only put them thru a 3-4 week "basic training" (can't remember exactly, but it was a terribly short stint) but they had all been members of the Hitler Youth organization previously and had some weapons expertise. His platoon leader was a old veteran SGT returning after being wounded and from what I remember he was about the only veteran they had (at least in his platoon or company - memory fuzzy on exact details). His recollection is that they were used as cannon fodder with uninspired tactics and very little knowledge of what was happening around them (the bigger picture). He was wounded and later captured in or near Butengenbach early during the offensive and eventually interred in a POW camp in Wisconsin and somehow managed to stay in the States after the war working as a bricklayer until his death in the '90's. Perhaps consider making some of the SS infantry 548's with no underlined morale or some such as I don't believe this was an isolated example..