Deployment of the Sturmgeschutz as a component of the tank regiment.




"Insctructions on the use of Assault Gun battalion inside a Tank Regiment."


"1.) It is required in some Tank divisions to equip one of the tank battalions in the tank regiment with assault guns as a temporary solution.

2.) The battalion will be equipped with 96 StuGs.

Structure of the combat element:

HQ - 3 Command tanks (Panzer III)
HQ company - (recon and security) 5 StuGs.
1-4 company HQ troop - 2 StuGs
1.-4. platoon with 5 StuGs each

3.) Sturmgeschutz, compared to Pz IV, has these advantages:

a.) thicker frontal armor (Panzer IVs, in new production from April 1943, will have the same frontal armor thickness)
b.) lower height which makes it a smaller target.

Disadvantages are:
a.) Lack of commander's cupola - and therefore difficult observation and command ( From December 42, newly produced StuGs have the commander's cupola)
b.) Lack of turret and thus a lack of allround fire capability.
c.) No machinegun with all-round fire capability. This impairs close-combat capabilities.

4.) Characteristics and the performance of the StuG do not allow independent deployment without the support of tanks or Panzergrenadiers.
 Advantages of the StuG marks it a panzerjaeger. This determines the use of a StuG equipped panzer battalion within the framework of a Panzer regiment and Panzer division.

5.) Attack.
a.) StuG battalion cannot fight the enemy independently, support and overwatch  from tanks or Panzergrenadiers is therefore always required.
Hence the cooperation in attack with Panzergrenadiers will be the rule.
The guidelines for StuGs cooperating with the infantry apply here.
b.) Panzer Bn. equipped with Pz IIIs or IVs with thinner armor (50 mm) can be reinforced by a StuG platoon or company for special tasks ( as spearhead, attack with limited target).
StuGs fight in the forward front line.
c.) When StuGs encounter enemy tanks, they attack them head on, while the other Panzer battalion is free to envelop and complete the destruction of enemy Panzers from flanks and rear.
d.) As the Panzerjaeger, StuG is positioned on the open wing of the tank regiment so that it could  drawn up to the front to protect the flank and support the regiment in the event of engagement with enemy tanks.
e.) In the case the Panzer Grenadiere get the order to prepare the commitment of the Pz. Reg, for example at river crossings, the StuGs Units are able to ease the task significantly through their fire support.

6. Defense
In the defense, the Stug units are held back like the Panzer battalion, and used to counter-push and counter-attack with the Panzergrenadiers. The Sturmgeschutz, in particular,  plays the role of a Panzerjaeger.

7. Retreat
During attack with a limited target, the cooperation with tanks and panzer grenadiers makes disengaging from the enemy easier. The use of the Assault gun as a tank hunter will be in the foreground.



 

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