Panzerjäger, SdKfz 8 FlaK 18, etc. ...

Arralen · #1 February 19th, 2010, 02:43 PM

I just fired up SPWW2 again, and looked for some nice tank busting fun, and thought about running a tank hunter company - not necessarly german, as that feels like cheating sometimes ...

Looking through the possible units/formations for the first "tank destroyers", I found the "SdKfz 8 FlaK 18" (unit #484), available from 2/40 - and wondered where, how and by which unit is was deployed. As I do have exactly zero literature available, and both my grandfathers didn't serve in WW2, all I could do was ask google for info, and it came up with 2 interesting links:

Die selbständigen Panzerjägerabteilungen der Wehrmacht
by James A. Broshot and Jason Long
http://panzerjaeger-info.fuehr-online.de/html/WH2.html

88mm guns on half-track chassis ??
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...?f=47&t=122195

If I throw together the info from both threads, it appears to me that the "SdKfz 8 FlaK 18" was exactly used by one company, during a limited time span ...

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1./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 8

[Niehorster: late 39 issued six 8.8cm Flak 18 (Sf.) and became independent
10 May 40 attached to 2nd Panzer Division
22 Jun 41 XXXIX Panzer Corps, 3rd Panzer Group, Army Group Center]
29 Sep 41 9th Army, Army Group Center, Operation Typhoon
29 Jan 42 redesignated as Pz.Jg.-Kp. 601

Panzerjäger-Kompanie 601

29 Jan 42 formed by redesignation of 1./Pz.Jg.-Abt. 8
[Niehorster: 28 Jun 42 assigned to Panzerjäger-Abt. 521 as its third company. Equipped with four self-propelled 88mm guns and two self-propelled 50mm guns.]
late 42-early 43 redesignated as 3./521

Panzerabwehr-Abteilung (mot.) 521
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 521

25 Aug 39 mobilized in WK I
2 Apr 40 reorganized with 4.7cm SP guns
10 May 40 Panzer Group von Kleist; self-propelled with three companies @ 9 x 4.7cm PAK(t)
24 Jul 40 transfer from 2nd Army, Army Group C begins
22 Jun 41 XXIV Panzer Corps, Second Panzer Group, Army Group Center (4.7cm SP guns)
Mid-Aug 41, XXIV. Panzer Corps, 2nd Panzer Group, Army Group Center
29 Sep 41 2nd Panzer Group, Army Group Center, Operation Typhoon
[Niehorster: 28 Jun 42 XVII Corps, 6th Army, Army Group South with two companies of Marder IIs, one company of Panzerjäger Is, and one platoon with two self-propelled 128mm guns and one self-propelled 105mm gun]
Jan 43 destroyed at Stalingrad
15 Apr 43 reformed as schwere Panzerjäger-Kompanie 521
1944? expanded into a full abteilung
15 Dec 44 has 8 Jgdpz IV, 8 StuG, 5 Jagdpanther on hand
21 Dec 44 attached to 3rd Parachute Division, I SS-Panzer Corps, 6th Panzer Army
FtF: Army Group North/Third Army, 1x 1-10 mot AT II 521, Sep I 39
FoF: May I 40, Panzer Group Kleist, 1x 1-10 mot AT II 521
TFH: Sep I 40, 1x 1-10 mot AT II 521
SE: Jun II 41, Army Group Center/2nd Pz Group, 1x 1-10 mot AT II 521
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Only 6 vehicles to the "1./Panzerjäger-Abteilung 8", and maybe some in reserve?

And what are those SP guns mentioned? 47mm might be JgdPz I, but what are 50mm, 128mm and 105mm supposed to be?

Is it possible to add core points during a great campaign, to simulate the jump from 1 company to the whole 3-company Abteilung?

Finally: Any suggestion for non-german tank busting fun? Japanese (but they didn't have tanks..), or Italian Semovente maybe (though I'm seriously lacking any formation/deployment info here..)?!?!

thanks !