The Armoured Forces of Koenwitz
The Panzerwaffe and all its formations (organised into a single corps) are located at the imaginatively named “Panzerwald” [1] base on the western edge of the Nicole Heath. The flat terrain around the base is ideally suited for armoured training and operations and has been used as such since 1971. The arm was not formed until 1965 when there were sufficient armoured formations to justify its existence. Like the Infanteriewaffe, it controls all major clerical, tactical and organisational work and contains the Panzermeister or Chief Quarter Master of Panzer Troops, who assigns and orders equipment. As with the infantry, in a time of war the armoured corps is dissolved and the formations sent where needed, with the Panzerwaffe HQ retaining overall operational control.
Contents
Armoured Formations
Heavy Armoured Divisions
Armoured Divisions were not split between “Heavy” and “Light” until sufficient armoured vehicles were being produced. The behind the classification was that the Heavy Armoured Divisions would offer the metal ‘punch’ of an armoured thrust, while the Light Armoured Divisions could “finish off” the enemy, or operate independently in an area that was unsuitable for the heavier formations.
Heavy Armoured Divisions contain 15,000 men organised into two Armoured Regiments which each have 300 tanks (currently a mixture of Pz-48 and Pz-60, soon to be superseded altogether by the Cougar MBT) and a single Panzergrenadier Regiment (essentially a standard Mechanized Infantry Regiment with a fancy title), Mechanized Artillery and Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 1st Armoured Division – Raised at Panzerwald in 1942 with only one armoured regiment of two battalions of M4 Sherman and Panzer II tanks. Brought up to full strength in 1964. Fought in the battle of Nicole Heath and relieved the siege of Karentan, 1986. Returned to Nicole Heath area during the Kaen Offensives of 1987. Later employed in the assault on Koenburg in 1990 and Harabszk in 1991. Contains the 1st & 2nd Armoured Regiments, the 1st Panzergrenadier Regiment, the 1st Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 1st Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 3rd Armoured Division (for original 3rd Armoured see below) – Raised at Panzerwald in 1997. Has not yet served in any major combat operations. Contains the 10th and 11th Armoured Regiments, the 9th Panzergrenadier Regiment, the 7th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 9th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 3rd Armoured Division (Destroyed) – Raised at Panzerwald in 1969. Fought briefly in the battle of Teufel Gorge. In October, the divisional commander switched sides. The division held the Nicole Heath area until June 1987 when the force of the Kaen Offensives finally broke it. The surviving elements retreated to Elzstadt where they were destroyed after the city finally fell to Royalist forces at the end of July. Contained the 4th & 5th Armoured Regiments, the 4th Panzergrenadier Regiment, the 3rd Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 4th Armoured Division – Raised at Panzerwald in 1974. Fought in the Nicole Heath area during the Kaen Offensives of 1987 and was then employed in the central region for the remainder of the war. Deactivated in 1995 and placed on reserve mobilisation. Re-raised in 2007. Contains the 6th & 7th Armoured Regiments, the 5th Panzergrenadier Regiment, the 4th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 4th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 7th Armoured Division - Raised at Panzerwald in 2007. Has not yet fought in any major combat operations. Contains the 10th & 12th Armoured Regiments, the 10th Panzergrenadier Regiment, the 7th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 7th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 8th Armoured Divison - Raised at Panzerwald in 2007. Has not yet fought in any major combat operations. Contains the 14th & 15th Armoured Regiments, the 12th Panzergrenadier Regiment, the 8th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 8th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
Light Armoured Divisions
Light armoured divisions were created in 1962 when the Spreelow tank works were just getting into full flow, in order to make sure that Koenwitz had an effective tank force. This was because, on average, it took two years to get a Heavy Armoured Division up to full strength, compared to just one for a Light Armoured Division. However, these lighter units could not absorb casualties as well as their heavier counterparts, and despite their involvement in the Kaen Offensives, they were held in reserve for much of the Great Patriotic War.
After the conflict the Army decided to focus its armoured strength into Heavy Armoured Divisions and keep only one Light Armoured Division operational, but in 2007 the Army plans to deactivate its Light Armoured force altogether, holding it in reserve mobilisation.
Light Armoured Divisions differ from their heavier counterparts in that they have only 12,000 men organised into one Armoured Regiment, which is equipped only with Pz-48 medium tanks, and two Panzergrenadier Regiments.
- 2nd Armoured Division – Raised at Panzerwald in 1962. Fought in the Nicole Heath region during the Kaen Offensives of 1987. Defended the Karentan area for the remainder of the war. Was sent to Boico in the summer of 2007 and was employed in the defence of the Crepia bridgehead, providing the rearguard for the withdrawal of the KEF. Lost 30% of its armour during the evacuation. Contains the 3rd Armoured Regiment, the 2nd & 3rd Panzergrenadier Regiments, the 2nd Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 2nd Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 5th Armoured Division – Raised at Panzerwald in 1963. Fought in the Nicole Heath region during the Kaen Offensives of 1987. Held in reserve for the remainder of the war. Deactivated and placed in reserve mobilisation in 2003 but re-raised in 2007. Contains the 8th Armoured Regiment, the 6th & 7th Panzergrenadier Regiments, the 5th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 5th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 6th Armoured Division (Training/Reserve) – This division trains all Armoured recruits at Panzerwald, although, as with other Training formations, the division can be raised in a time of national emergency. Contains the 1st/9th Armoured Training Regiment, the 1st/6th Mechanized Artillery Training Regiment and the 1st/6th Mechanized Pionier Training Regiment.
- 9th Armoured Division' - Raised at Panzerwald in 2007. Has not yet fought in any major combat operations. Contains the 16th Armoured Regiment, the 14th & 15th Panzergrenadier Regiments, the 9th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 9th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
- 10th Armoured Division - Raised at Panzerwald in 2007. Has not yet served in any major combat operations. Contains the 18th Armoured Regiment, the 16th & 18th Panzergrenadier Regiments, the 10th Mechanized Artillery Regiment and the 10th Mechanized Pionier Regiment.
Independent Tank Battalions
The Independent Tank Battalions were raised in 1990 following the Army’s switch to the Republican cause to offer additional armoured support to the infantry, and also to provide the Panzerwaffe with a force that could launch quick, powerful strikes, as was Field-Marshal Kaen’s intention during the preliminary assault on Koenburg. In the event, only one battalion was ready in time, but the Panzerwaffe is continuing to raise newer battalions to support the Motorised Infantry Divisions.
Also included in this category is the Royal Army’s 501st Heavy Tank Battalion, which was originally part of the 3rd Armoured Division. Although that division changed to the Republican cause in late 1986, the battalion decided to remain loyal to the Crown-Prince and went on to fight independently until it was almost destroyed in Koenburg in 1990. Although maintained for some time after the war by the Army of Koenburg, it was ultimately deactivated and placed on emergency reserve.
Each Independent Tank Battalion contains three companies of 20 tanks and a command company of 5 tanks and 3 mechanized artillery pieces. The single Heavy Tank Battalion contains four companies of 12-13 “Kaiser Tiger” tanks.
- 101st Independent Tank Battalion – Raised at Panzerwald in January 1990 and went on to support the Infantry Divisions that fought in the siege/assault of Koenburg (see above).
- 102nd Independent Tank Battalion – Raised at Panzerwald in March 1993. Involved briefly in the containment of the Eastern Insurgency in 1999.
- 103rd Independent Tank Battalion – Raised at Panzerwald in May 2007. Has not yet been involved in any major combat operations. Operates a mixture of Pz-60 and Cougar MBT.
- 104th Independent Tank Battalion – Raised at Panzerwald in May 2007. Has not yet been involved in any major combat operations. Operates a mixture of Pz-60 and Cougar MBT.
- 105th Independent Tank Battalion - Raised at Panzerwald in June 2007. The Battalion was intended to serve in Boico, but the war ended before the unit could be deployed, and thus it has not seen action. Operates a mixture of Pz-60 and Cougar MBT.
- 106th Independent Tank Battalion - Raised at Panzerwald in July 2007. Has not yet been involved in any major combat operations. Operates a mixture of Pz-60 and Cougar MBT.
- 501st Heavy Tank Battalion – Raised at Panzerwald in 1978 to take the new batch of Pz-VIIIA “Kaiser Tigers”. Fought briefly during the Nicole Heath battles of the Kaen Offensives of 1987, but was otherwise held in reserve for most of the war. Remained loyal to the Crown-Prince and withdrew from Panzerwald after the Army switched sides. It fought in the defence of Koenburg and suffered 75% casualties. The battalion was purged of Royalist officers after the war and brought back up to full strength. The development of the Cougar MBT made the heavy tanks effectively redundant, so the battalion was deactivated in 1999 and placed on the reserve list until it was reactivated in July 2007.
- 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion - Raised at Panzerwald in August 2007. Has not yet seen combat. Operates 40 PZ-VIIIA.
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