Between poking around in the books I've got and the Internet, I'm coming up with more questions than answers. But here's a few things to add to the discussion:
1) Flamethrower tanks and halftracks: Additionally, the SdKfz 251/16 is specifically addressed in KStN 1130 (1.8.43) Flammenwerferzug (gep).
2) Mineclearing tanks: Unless I missed something, the game has a PzKw IVc and IVh with a mine roller. From the "Achtung Panzer!" website I found the following: "Also single Panzer IV Ausf C was fitted with experimental mine rollers but it did not enter production."
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/pz3.htm Not sure if anyone has any other references on this type of vehicle. If this would have gone into production, and likely in low numbers, one could surmise it would have been held at Armee or Korps level in a special Abteilung (or snapped up by the Waffen-SS...). Again, just a guess, but such a specialized asset would have been likely shuttled up and down the front and cross-attached to be employed at the sharp end of assaults on prepared positions.
3) 251/1 rak rocket launcher halftrack: As far as the SdKfz 251/1 with Wurfrahmen 40, there are plenty of references with technical details, but little regarding tactics and organization. A couple of interesting points are that the crew of 6 or 7 could not stay with the vehicle when it fired due to the open top. At best, the driver and vehicle commander could maybe be in the forward seats, but would be warm! Elevation had to be set externally at each launcher bracket itself, and traverse was via the driver pointing the vehicle with the aid of sighting vanes on top of the engine compartment. I found one photo of a SdKfz 251 on pg 37 of "Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945" by T.J. Gander that shows the commander using a Scherenrohr "scissor spotting scope" to sight ahead. No clue if this was standard issue or appropriated. Regardless, given the aiming procedure and time of flight of the rocket, you can pretty much forget about successfully engaging a moving target. The physical layout of the launch brackets along with an elevation limit of 5-45 degrees would also preclude point-blank fire at a level target. Gander has range tables in mils of elevation for the Schweres Wurfgeraet 40/41 with the same open crated 28 & 32cm rockets. The 5 degree minimum elevation translates to a minimum ranges of roughly 400m for the 28cm and 450m for the 32cm rockets. The CEP zone (50% hit) at those short ranges is very elliptical with a length of +160m by 20m wide. As long as you’re aiming for the broadside of a barn, the size of the warhead would hopefully make up the difference.
This leads to my next question regarding this vehicle. Were they employed for indirect fire, or just direct fire? The game allows indirect fire. Would there be specialist assigned to these vehicle with Nebeltruppen or Artillerie background that would have the skill set to employ these in an indirect mode? (Along with a other stuff necessary for gun laying and fire direction control?) While the Schweres Wurfgeraet 40/41 with the same open crated 28 & 32cm rockets were definitely manned by the Nebeltruppen, I’m not so sure about the SdKfz 251/1 with Wurfrahmen 40. Gander makes note on pg 5 that, “In the armoured attack, the independent Panzerwerferbatterie and Wuhrfrahmen-armed half-tracks closely followed the attack and laid down supporting barrages as required, although towed projector units sometimes carried out this task.” The Panzerwerferbatterien would be the 15cm Panzerwerfer 42 (auf Maultier or SWS). This is the only reference I’ve found that implies the SdKfz 251/1 would have been in these sort of batteries.
Instead, I get the sense that the employment of the SdKfz 251/1 was more of a hip shot weapon for Panzergrenadieren for direct support. Think of it as a rifle grenade on steroids. Bruce Culver’s book “SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939-45” has a picture on pg 22 of one with a Pionierzug tactical symbol with the number 3 to the immediate right of it, and a Heer license plate. Squadron/Signal Pub 21 on the SdKfz 251 has a clear photo on pg 23 with the same tactical symbol ( I thought at first it was the exact same vehicle, but it has a different Heer license plate number). That same book has a less clear photo on pg 22 with what appears to be a similar engineer symbol and the tactical marking for the 8th Pz Div to the right of that. I haven’t found any photos with evidence of the type of battery markings found with artillery and rocket units (such as guns/platforms identified by single letters). So, there’s clear evidence it was in armored engineering units, but was it as a substitute for something or an addition to the TO&E? Does anyone know what KStN reflects this vehicle in a Pionier unit?
Was the Wufrahmen 40 equipped SdKfz 251 possibly also issued as a substitute for IGs or mortars of the heavy weapons company? Take the reference for what it’s worth, but the instructions of the Dragon model kit of the vehicle states, “According to the Kriegsstarkenweisung (Kstn) No. 1126 a(gp)(fg) Date 11th Jan 1944: the third gruppe in every Kompany was equipped with 251s with Wurfrahmen 40 but without the 8cm mortar.” In photos where vehicle tactical numbers were visible in a various references above, there are examples with 825 and 2124 (but no division markings or clear view of license plates), so in theory these were from the 8th company (typically the number of the second heavy co in a PzGren Reg) and 21st company (?!?) of their respective divisions.
Given the fluid nature of what could be lashed together to form a Kampfgruppe, I guess to a degree, anything goes, within some reasonable doctrinal boundaries. It’s certainly tempting to have that Tiger Zug advancing with the Maultiers in overwatch to employ direct fire with 15cm rockets on any AT-guns with the nerve to show themselves…
Ross
German armoured engineer vehicles
Hybrid Mode
