The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling

• The German Panzer Battalion of 1942-1943 was made up of three tank companies (usually two PzKpfw III
and one PzKpfw IV), organized into three platoons of five tanks each (a number only reached by elite units,
with ordinary units making do with four tanks per platoon), a platoon of four or five light tanks, and a
headquarters section of two tanks. This was supported by a headquarters platoon with three command
tanks, and a support company with an engineer platoon (with trucks), signals platoon (with trucks),
reconnaissance platoon (four or five light tanks), and an antiaircraft platoon (eight 20mm on four halftracks).
• The German Panzer Battalion of 1944-1945 was made up of three tank companies, organized into three or
four platoons of four or five tanks each, with a headquarters section of two tanks. This was supported by a
headquarters platoon with three command tanks and a support company with an engineer platoon (with
halftracks), signals platoon (with trucks), reconnaissance platoon (with four or five PzKpfw IV), and an
antiaircraft platoon (3 vehicles).
• The German Heavy Panzer Battalion of 1942-1943 was made up of two companies, organized into two
platoons of four heavy tanks (Tigers) and two platoons of four or five medium tanks, with one command
tank for the company headquarters. This was supported by a headquarters section with two tanks and a
support company with an engineer platoon (with trucks), a reconnaissance platoon (with three or four
tanks), and an antiaircraft platoon (three halftracks with four 20mmeach).
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• The German Heavy Panzer Battalion of 1944-1945 was made up of three companies, organized into three
platoons of four heavy tanks (Tigers) and two command tanks for the company headquarters. This was
supported by a headquarters section with three command tanks and a support company with an engineer
platoon (with trucks), an antiaircraft platoon (four or five Wirbelwind), and a recovery vehicle platoon (with
five Bergepanther).
• The German Panzer Grenadier Battalion was made up of three companies, organized into three platoons of
three halftracks (sometimes trucks were substituted, especially early in the war) and one command halftrack,
a headquarters platoon of three halftracks, and a combat support platoon of a machinegun section (with
three halftracks), an antiaircraft section (two halftracks with 20mm), and a mortar section (two halftracks
with 81mm mortars). This would normally be supported by a headquarters section with three or four
halftracks and a support company with a machinegun section (with three or four halftracks), a heavy mortar
platoon (with five halftracks and four 120mm mortars), and a mortar platoon (with seven halftracks and six
81mm mortars). To allow for greater anti-armor protection/offensive capability, a platoon of StuG or tank
destroyers was often attached.
• The German Infantry Battalion of 1939-1942 was made up of three companies, organized into three
platoons of three ten-man squads and a headquarters section each, a company headquarters platoon, and a
combat support platoon with a section of three 50mm mortars and a section of three MG34 or MG42 on
tripods. This was supported by a headquarters platoon and a combat support company with a headquarters
platoon, a machinegun platoon (with six machineguns), and a mortar platoon (with six 81mm mortars).
• The German Infantry Battalion of 1943-1945 was made up of three companies, organized into three
platoons of three eight-man squads and a headquarters section each, a company headquarters section, and a
combat support platoon with a section of two 81mm mortars and a section of three MG34 or MG42 on
tripods. This was supported by a headquarters platoon and a combat support company with a headquarters
section, a machinegun platoon (with six machineguns), and a mortar platoon (with four 120mm mortars).