 Whirlwind  | 24 Jul 2022 12:47 p.m. PST |
I have a question about the German Motorcycle Reconnaissance Platoons and Sections which appear in the TooFatLardies' 1940 Blitzkrieg handbook link and in the Gembloux Gap pint-sized campaign link are the German motorcycle troops supposed to come with motorbikes or not? And if so, how many and are the sidecars armed with MG34s? |
| TacticalPainter01 | 25 Jul 2022 5:47 a.m. PST |
You have the option to have them mounted on m/c if you wish. If on m/c they enter as vehicles from table edge. If dismounted they use jump-off-points but get a 3" bonus (so 9" deployment range). Yes, sidecar for the MG34, the only weapon the squad can fire while mounted. At the close ranges of CoC I've found staying mounted can be risky. |
| Whirlwind | 25 Jul 2022 7:15 a.m. PST |
Thanks tacticalpainter. So the squad would have one motorcycle & sidecar and all the other squad members would be on individual motorbikes? |
| Martin Rapier | 26 Jul 2022 1:03 a.m. PST |
The KStN for a motorcycle platoon has the HQ with 2 x individual bikes and 2 x cars, the mortar section in 2 x mcycle w. sidecars and each rifle section with 3 x mcycle w. sidecars, one of which had an MG34. Basically they had nine guys riding three bikes per section. I imagine ammo was carried in the sidecars too, particularly for the mortar. Even at 'only' three bikes per section, it is still an awful lot of maintenance to do each evening compared to a single light truck! |
| Whirlwind | 26 Jul 2022 1:33 a.m. PST |
Thanks Martin. This is probably going to be the stupidest question I have ever asked on here (and the base is low!) but what is the third soldier in each team doing? Did they just take turns being LOB or something? |
| stephen m | 26 Jul 2022 8:42 a.m. PST |
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| Whirlwind | 26 Jul 2022 8:59 a.m. PST |
LOB – Left Out of Battle (it was a Brit period designation). |
| Martin Rapier | 26 Jul 2022 11:52 p.m. PST |
Im not sure what you mean? The whole section rides on the bikes it is allocated, and they all get off and fight together. Two guys on the bike and one on the sidecar, there are plenty of photos showing them mounted three men to one combination. It doesn't strike me as massively comfortable with all their gear, but better than walking I suppose. |
| Whirlwind | 27 Jul 2022 6:34 a.m. PST |
Ah gotcha, I hadn't realized that they rode like that – I have been misled by films and model miniatures which always seem to be two up!!!!!! Thanks very much, really appreciate that. |
| Fabianthedelayer | 30 Jul 2022 4:25 a.m. PST |
Does anyone know which supplement I need to use these in Battlegroup rules from PSC? |
