"Bundeswehr PzGren Questions" Topic

I have a few questions about the Bundeswehr, and am hoping some of you may be able to answer them, since thus far, my searches have proved to be rather fruitless:

1. did the mid-late Cold War Marder company have 10, or 11 vehicles in it? I've seen conflicting info, with 3 x platoons of 3 vehicles, and listing either one or two HQ vehicles.

2. anyone know if the Kompanie HQ units had a standard number of men, like the regular squads, and what they were equipped with, e.g. perhaps more radios, runners, etc.? Seeking info for both the HS-30 and Marder vehicle(s).

3. does each squad MG3 come with a tripod for it, or are those more rare? I've seen pics of even ultramodern troops with MG3s on tripods, but don't know how often they would be used (I suspect rather rarely, and probably more likely on defense than offense). I imagine just a plain bipod would be used for offensive, dismounted operations, but don't really know for sure.

I don't see any support units for the PzGren personnel, so imagine if they had them, each MG3 would be given a tripod, instead of these only being available in a special HMG squad, or platoon.

4. for the 5th HS-30 in each platoon, do they have a full complement of 5 passengers, plus the 3 vehicle crew, or a reduced number of personnel due to it carrying a 106mm recoilless rifle, and ammo for it?

Also, anyone know how many 106mm rounds are carried by the vehicles?

Any info people can shed on the above will be appreciated.

I did find in my searches, that tactically, as in WWII, the machine gunner is usually the point person, and the other troops provide security and fire support to the flanks for the MG3 man.

Im afraid i can only help with #1. Marder companies had 11 vehicles, the extra in the HQ had a recon section.

The M113 companies didn't have this section, thus only had 10 vehicles.

Dont know anything about pre-HS 4 im afraid.

I don't know, but I did get a nice set of 1/32 Bundeswehr Panzergrenadiers from Airfix in the late 1970s.

I served with the PzGren during the mid-1980's.
Possibly somewhat late with regard to your early-mid Cold War.
I was "Army Structure 4". You are seemingly asking for AR3 for the 70's and somewhat earlier.
With AR4 the battalion I had the honour to serve was the PZGren BTL of an armoured brigade with Marders only. 11 per coy. 1 HQ, 3x3 platoons & 1 independent group (German: "Ungebundene Gruppe") with 2 Antennas, same as platoon leader. 6 MILANS per coy. I don't recollect ever seing a tripod for MG3 in our weapons room. No such thing found around. Not to forget about our dear 5th coy with SP mortars with ramshackle M113's. They had 2 FO squads with more smart looking converted Kanonen Jagdpanzer that had simply ther obsolete 90 mm guns removed, but not so much additional changes.
The HQ squad was just the command blokes. No combat team mounted with it.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the replies.

The info about the HQ squad is especially helpful.

Hi,

I was also searching for Hs.30 with the recoilless 106mm M40A1, but only thing I dig out was that it entered service in 1965/1966 and probably had additional two crewmembers, gunner and loader. Combined with ammo (no data available) I guess it would have been very hard to carry any dismount inside.