SS OOB Admission of Failure

[PanzerBob]

Good day,

Just a small admission of failure (with a good excuse).

As I had alluded that It was possible.

After spending several weeks tooling around with the idea of a SS OOB, I found it doesn’t figure in with the scope of the game. I admit the task would be possible for a game focused on the later years of the war, but for our game NOT. In a nutshell this is due to the way Waffen SS started with small units, which were effectively integrated into the Heer. It is only later on that any larger forces existed which operated autonomously and even that can be argued as to just how much independence from the Heer they really had.

However, it was a joy working on it.

I think I’ll stick to my Alt History Campaign Project

Eternal War (gaming) PanzerBob

[chuckfourth]

Hi PanzerBob
Not sure if you already realise this but you can adjust the start and end dates for each unit, maybe this could allow you to have the right types and numbers of each unit at any paricular time?
Best Regards Chuck.

[PanzerBob]

Good day, Chuck

I'm aware if that ability. I just don't believe an SSOOB fits the overall scope of the game. Mostly due the interdependencies they had with the Heer. For these reasons, I now see that the game designers were correct in combining all the ground force elements the Wehrmacht fielded. An SSOOB would make some sense if the game focused on the 1st SS Panzer Korps but even there Heer assets would figure in the mix. So again you would need an Wehrmacht OOB.

My own desire to create an SSOOB was more due to the forces I field in the game, than how it worked in actual practice.

Eternal War(gaming) PanzerBob

[chuckfourth]

Hi PanzerBob
I didnt realise the SS used Heer assets. They were independantly financed and AFAIK answered directly to Hitler (mind you hitler changed the Heers oath from country or similar to himself). Hitler didnt like the army (The army didnt like the "jumped up corporal" and Hitler didnt like how they tried to kill him in 44) and the SS was his method of usurping them (his own private army). Considering this I think its unlikely that the SS were combined in some way with the Army. I would have thought they cooperated with the Heer rather than being interdependant with it.
I would also be interested to know which HEER assets found there way into the SS?
In game terms a seperate SS OOB has the advantage of freeing up the German OOB. Even if some Heer assets did appear in the SS they could just be added to the SS OOB.
Best Regards Chuck.

[PanzerBob]

Good day, Chuck

Depending on which period your are time period you are referring too, there would be many reasons for Heer assets to be attached to or at least under control by SS Unit, or SS unit working with Heer or Luftwaffe units.

Artillery comes to mind without pulling out references, how much would depend on how large the unit. In 39-40, most Arty Support would have come from the Division on up the line.

Once the Waffen SS started fielding divisions, which have, some organic arty there would still be Korps or above support to account for. Luftwaffe air to ground support had to come from outside the SS (another reason USMC gets it's own OOB). As well it was not uncommon for parts of SS units to end up attached or part of advances or attacks. All this making good reasons to have the SS included in OOB16, as are the Luftwaffe ground and air units/assets.

I will concede that the Waffen SS fought many a battle "alone" but I'd hardly say there wasn't some element of Wehrmacht support, even if it was only where they got their bullets and sausage.

A couple examples of the Waffen SS and the Heer/Luftwaffe together come to mind; The LSSAH’s task was link up with the FJ troops with the job of securing the bridges in Holland. Another was elements of several Waffen SS Standarten working with Rommel's 7th Panzer during the Counterattack at Arras. Put into the context of the game those types of scenarios would require more than just SS troops.

"In game terms a separate SS OOB has the advantage of freeing up the German OOB. Even if some Heer assets did appear in the SS they could just be added to the SS OOB."

Even using that logic, Chuck, you'd still need all elements available in OOB16. I can't imagine a scenario in the Defence of Berlin without disheveled Volksturmers trying to defend the place on desperate hope and a snort of schnapps.

Eternal War(gaming) PanzerBob

[chuckfourth]

Hi PanzerBob
Aha you are correct I have been thinking only of division sized SS and Im not sure when the first of these appears so there is a period when there is little more than infantry and cavalry.
But If you did have Seperate SS oob then maybe you could just buy the HEER and Luftwaffe stuff from the other Regular German OOB, oob16
As far as freeing up the "German" OOB, oob16 you might be able to just leave the Heer in it and put SS, Luftwaffe, ect into there own.
Best Regards Chuck.