Panzer Doctrine 1941

[AngrySwan]

After the first battles on the border - epecially Lwow and Uman - the following problems were identified in the tank armies:

- Although the tanks are quite up to date (Pz IIIH and Pz IVE) there are some reports on new Soviet tanks; so Pz IIIH needs to be replaced by the new Pz IIIJ. Pz IVE is more or less the same as F1 but the Czech tanks are obsolete and need to be replaced as soon as possible.

The tank army of 1941 will consist of 2 ''antitank tank divisions'' of Pz IIIJ that will specialize in antitank combat and 2 ''infantry tank'' divisions of Pz IVE or F1 - the same tank, in fact. PwIV will be ''all purpose'' divisions with abilities to fight tanks as well as infantry. The 1st tank army that starts with an extra tank division will have 3 divisions of Pz IIIJ.

The infantry brigades are too weak for attacking enemy positions, especially cities. Since there is a political controversy between Army and Elite, the Army does not want to depend on Elite motorized divisions; although they are useful. Each tank army will join its two motorized brigades in one battlegroup of division size.

Attacks on infantry normally start with the infantry battlegroup followed by an airstrike and Pz IVE or F1; the Pz III will finish what is left of the enemy. The attack on tanks start with airstrike (the best choice here is a Stuka squadron, otherwise by Ju88 or He111) coordinated by observers in the tank divisions (); then Pz IIIJ will fight the enemy tanks and Pz IV will finish them. Of course these are just general ideas and the battle plan may vary depending on the available forces and strength of the enemy.

The turretless tanks (StuG) will be used in brigades, giving them as many extra heavy weapons as available.