"German doctrine at squad level" Topic

How did German squads maneuover.

With the British the Bren could be used as a fire base, and the rifles advance seperately. I intend to model this in my rules by allowing the Bren to move, but must start or finish in contact with it's associated rifle group, or under command of platoon sgt/leader

US have three – scout, rifle, BAR. Not finalised but I think when moving they must start or finish with either of the other 2 (or again sgt/Lt)

Not sure about the Germans. Ideas

German section tactics are covered adequately here:

PDF link

essentially they manouvre in file and any contacts are conducted by the MG team and section leader while everyone else takes cover and provides flank security, although if necessary the section can form line to thicken up the firing line. In some circumstances the assistant squad leader will lead the riflemen in a flanking attack, but in the main the section is supossed to assault together (including the LMG, fired from the hip. The Bundeswehr still do this).

One important thing to note is that the German infantry sections are supposed to avoid engaging in a firefight until absolutely necessary (to keep up momentum and avoid wasting ammo), the attack is shot in by the organic company and battalion heavy weapons who provide suppressive fire, the infantry manouvre.

This is a different approach to the British who rely much more on platoon fire & movement.

At a section level, the capabilities are similar but the doctrine is different. I usually model (standard) Heer rifle sections as a LMG group and a rifle group, fancy units like panzer grenadiers get two LMG groups and maybe a small rifle element depending on time period.

There was also a requirement that any squad who's forward movement was stalled should provide fire support, with their LMG, to the squads on either immediate flank. This was to help maintain the other squads forward movement, or provide the opportunity for them to recommence their advance by suppressing whatever was holding them up. This meant that individual squads along the line moved forward by rushes, but the rushes weren't coordinated by the platoon office, they happen organically as the opposition declined temporarily.

In the British army the tendency was for the whole platoon to come to a halt if they encountered too much opposition. They then would often wait for another platoon to deal what had stopped them, and possibly not recommence their attack at all even when the opposition was neutralised. There seemed to be a feeling amongst rifle platoons that if they ground to a halt then they had "done their bit" for day.

A German advance was much more self sustaining than that of British or US infantry.

Yep, as Martin mentions, essentially the riflemen are there to protect and support the LMG, and to carry ammunition.

The light machine gunners lead the way on patrols.

There seemed to be a feeling amongst rifle platoons that if they ground to a halt then they had "done their bit" for day.

This is known in the UK as "tea break" and may last anywhere from 15 minutes to two weeks in the holiday season.

Thanks for confirming what I thought I knew- the section sticks together. Rifles were basically ammo carriers for the hungry MG34/42.

Earlier in the war the intention was to split, hence the reference to it in the 1942 manual above, but in practice it was discovered to be impractical and pointless. Much the same thing happened with the British, where actual section level fire and movement became uncommon and it was conducted at platoon level. As with all these things, it depends.