21st Panzer (overview of required figures etc.)

I'm going to use this blog as a note pad for this Kampfgruppe so I've added notes in green to help me keep track of whats required. This is a "work in progress" blog and will be updated as I purchase items or complete units.

I am trying to base this force on Von Luck's Kampfgruppe but with alterations/additions to give a more options when bringing to the table for pickup games. I've have collected information on the 21st from numerous sources and there are differences between each source. Some major some minor so I feel at this point I can pick and choose units but also add in some that might have been combined into the Kampfgruppe at different points in the campaign.

I have roughly followed the historical make up of each unit were I can but also kept an eye on Rapid Fire's basic unit make up so as not to create a force too out of touch with my gaming opponent. Having gamed with Rapid Fire rules v.1 and used its supplements to create units. I am also trying to resolve issues from following the new suggested unit make up with in v.2 and it subsequent supplements. Also considering that I have been wanting to build this force for some time I am shocked at how far I am away from getting it completed. Really do need to get my finger out on this one.

(H) = Historical (P) = Personnel preference.

Kampfgruppe HQ (P) Make up roughly follows standard Rapid Fire v.1 rules
CO + 5
Citroen Staff Car (or Von Luck's Panzer IV)
- In stock (Peter Pig 154)
Radio Truck
- Require (Sytrex CD-316A)
u304(f) 20mm Flak 38
- Require (FOW GE-246) (Purchased 20/04/09)
Panhard Armoured Car 50mm AT
- Completed (Peter Pig 247)
Ambulance
- Require (Skytrex CD-316B)
2 x supply trucks
- Require (?)

Panzer Grenadier Regiment 125
Armoured Battalion (P) Historically all but the 3rd Company was attached to Kampgruppe Oppeln in exchange for 1 Company Panzer Regiment 22 (Panzer IV's)
HQ -
CO + 4 figures inc. Panzershrecke + Medic + 1 x leSPW u304(f)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-245)(Purchased 20/04/09)

+ 1 x 4.7mm PAK (t) 35R(f) ohne turm (+ crew)
- Require (1 x QRF GFF-03)
1st Company -
8 figures inc panzerfaust + 1 x leSPW u304(f)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-245)(Purchased 09/05/09)
2nd Company -
8 figures inc panzerfaust + 1 x leSPWu 304(f)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-245)
3rd Company -
8 figures inc panzerfaust leSPW u304(f)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-245)
4th (Heavy) Company -
6 figures inc 2 x MMG + leSPW u304(f)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-245)
3 figures + AMR35(f) (SP Mortar)
- Require (1 x QRF GFF-12)
1 x mSPW S307(f) 75mm PAK 40
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-214)(Purchased 20/04/09)

Motorised Battalion (H)
HQ -
CO + 4 figures inc. Panzershrecke + Medic + 1 French soft skin vehicle
- Require (1 x QRF FSV-02)
5th Company -
8 figures inc panzerfaust + French soft skin vehicle
- In stock (1 x Peter Pig 30)
6th Company -
8 figures inc panzerfaust + French soft skin vehicle
- In stock (1 x Peter Pig 30)
7th Company -
8 figures inc panzerfaust + French soft skin vehicle
- In stock (1 x Peter Pig 30)
8th (Heavy) Company -
6 figures inc 2 x MMG + French soft skin vehicle
- Require (1 x QRF FSV-02)
3 figures + AMR35(f) (SP Mortar)
- Require (1 x QRF GFF-12)
1 x mSPW S307(f) 75mm PAK 40
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-214)(Purchased 09/05/09)

9th Company (H)
1 x 150mm sFH 13 auf Lorraine
- In stock (1 x FOW GE-149)

10th Company (H)
1 x mSPW s307(f) 8cm Reihenwerfer
- In stock (1 x FOW GE-212)

Other Attahments
1 Company (SPW) Panzer-Pioneer-Battalion 220 (H) transferred to Luck on 7th June
8 figures inc panzerfaust, flamethrower & demolition charges + 1 x s307(f) (Pioneer)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-211)(Purchased 20/04/09)

1 Company Pioneer-Battalion 716 (H) This was taken under command by Luck 7th June after being separated from its parent Division.
8 figures inc panzerfaust, flamethrower & demolition charges + 1 x Opel 1.5 ton truck
- Require (Skytrex CD-349)

Divisional Attachments
Sturmgeschutz -Battalion 200 (H) The whole Battalion was assigned to Lucks Kampfgruppe in June 1944
HQ
1 x 7.5cm PAK 40 auf 39H(f)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-127) (Purchased 09/05/09)

1 x leSPW U304(f) (2cm FLAK 38)
- Instock (1 x FOW GE-246) (Purchased 09/05/09)

4 Companies of
1 x 7.5cm PAK 40 auf 39H(f) + 1 x 10.5cm PzFH auf 39H(f)
- Completed (4 x FOW GE-217) - (4 Purchased and ready for painting)

1st Battalion Panzer -Artillery-Regiment 22 (H)
2 figure Observer team
- Required ??
2 x 122mm Russian Howitzers + horse drawn
- Require (2 x Skytex CD-421)
1 x 105mm Howitzer + tractor
- Require (1 x Skytrex CD-354 + 1 x CD-354A)

Elements of Panzer-Regiment 22
HQ (P)
1 x Panzer IV G/H
- In stock (FOW GE-887)
1 x Flakpanzer 38(t)
- Completed (FOW GE-163)
1st Company (H) As attached in June 1944
3 x Panzer IV's G/H
- In stock (FOW GE-046)
2nd Company (P) Just to added further options for pick up games
3 x Panzer IV's G/H
- Need finishing (3 x Skytrex CD-302)

1st Company -Battalion 200 (P)
2 x 88mm PAK 43/41 + 2 French Somua MCC 11 -
- Require (2 x Skytrex CD-332) + (2 x QRF FSV-05)

1st Battery Heeres -Flak-Battalion (H) As mention in Lucks memoirs during Operation Goodwood
1 x 88mm FLAK 41 + Citroen Kegresse Artillery Tractor
- In stock (FOW GE-550) Using existing SdKfz 7 (8t) Halftrack as tow
1 x SdKfz 10/4
- Require (1 x Skytrex Sdkfz 10/4 CD351)

The figures will be a mixed bag mainly from the Peter Pig and Skytrex ranges with a few FOW and QRF thrown in for good measure.

21st Panzer (Why?)

My existing WW2 forces are heavily weighted towards Western Europe after Normandy. I have been collecting mainly German units plus a smattering of American. The German units are made up a little randomly and I've never really settled on an historical formation. Rapid Fire do publish very nice generic unit organisations which I have loosely followed. These have been used in pickup games and have given good service but.....its about time I started to create a force based on historical units.

I have been trying to remember why I've settled on the 21st Panzer as a basis for my primary Kampfgruppe. My first encounter with this force must have been within the pages Rapid Fire's 1st supplement "Unit Organisations for the 1944-45 Campaign in North West Europe" by Colin Rumford. Here Mr Rumford has outlined a 1380 point force with a good mix of units. But the event that made me decided on the 21st Panzer was after reading "Panzer Commander" which are the memoirs of Colonel Hans Von Luck . This is extremely good read and I would recommed it to any one interested in WWII. It charts his experiences from Poland in 1939 though France then North Africa and Normandy ending in Russia in 1945.

Next I will confirm the units that will be included in my Kampfgruppe based on the 21st Panzer Division.

To start

This blog will hopefully chart my wargaming progress from this point onwards. The posting will cover projects and their progress along with games and any gaming related ideas. But first a little about myself.

I've been wargaming for approximately 10 years and possibly like many gamers been meandering though scales, eras and rules sets. Started off meeting with three other guys locally. This has now diminished to just two which has helped in narrowing down interests and which rule sets to use. When it was the four of us there would not seem to be a month go by when "...I've found this excellent new rule set for ....era.... it will mean re-basing but lets give it a go....." would not ring out. I cannot get my head around any rule set in one play. Any rule set is some ones interpretation of gaming mechanics and it takes many plays to fully understand how the author has arrived these rules.

Now it is just the two of us, even though we do not game as often as we would like, we we have settled on two main rule sets and the rules come back to use reasonably easily. Finally settled on 15mm scale for all figures in two eras, Naploeonic and WWII. The two rule sets we mainly use are Shako for Napoleonic and Rapid Fire for WWII. You may say that Rapid Fire are for 20mm figures but they do work just as well for 15mm figures.

Additionally I do like the computer rules Hard Pounding for Napoleonics. These do give an element of random uncontrol to your units which does add an extra dimension when issuing commands. We only get to game with these once or twice a year at a weekend as these games tend to last longer than and evening. But as they are computer driven all the mechanics/casualties/movement are calculated for you leaving you, the gamer, to command.

Also we have recently come across the DBN rule set. Though we have not gamed with these rule extensively they are and excellent set of rules to enable us to fit in one or even two quick Napoleonic games in a short evening.

I think that briefly covers it for now, hope to put a few more posts up soon covering at least one of my current projects.