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Bundeswehr Unit Callsigns and Titles


Tac197

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I am looking for some advice in the way Bundeswehr Tank and Mech Inf units break down into subunits for call signs and map marking.

Take for example PzBtl 203 of Panzerbrigade 21. I understand that the unit is broken into Company's and numbered 1 to 4, so for example 1st Coy, 203PzBtl would be 1/203 (now if I am wrong please correct me)

The area of most concern is:

HQ units - are they called 0A or CO or ?

Platoons - are they numbered sequentially through the unit eg 1st Coy has 1,2,3 Pl and 2nd Coy has 4,5,6 Pl or does each Coy have a 1,2,3 Pl

CSS(support units)- How are they named?

Thanks in advance

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If you want to use German explanations:

Btn Lead: Kommandeur (Kdr)

2IC: Stellvertreter (Stellv)

First Coy of 203 would be Headquarters: 1./203

Second to forth Coy are Combat Coys: 2./203 - 4./203

Coy Lead: Chef (Chef)

2IC: Stellvertreter (Stellv)

Platoons normally use roman numbers for identification: I/2./203 or III/4./203

Radio callsigns would be still NATO alphabet: Alfa, Bravo Charly...

Each Coy has their own 1st to xth platoon.

CSS is normally organized within the 1st Coy (AND within the combat Coys - depending on the army structure your working with) in approriate platoons or groups:

Instandsetzung (Inst) - Maintanance Inst/1./203

Beweglicher Arzttrupp (BAT) - Medics BAT/1./203

Versorgung (Vers) - Service + Support Vers/1./203

You can find a basic template for German callsigns here: http://www.steelbeasts.org/downloads.php?do=file&id=752

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To add to Falli's post:

2nd-5th companies are the line companies, while the 1st company is the HQ+CSS company. In infantry and grenadier battalions there is a 6th(=heavy) company...they would contain the mortar platoon, tankhunter platoon(pre 1999?) and the Mortar-FO teams(one for each line company)

1st company has:

-1x ComSig/commandpost Platoon

-1x Maintenance platoon

-1x Medical group

-1x supply platoon

As for radio traffic:

Each company gets a name. This name must have nothing to do with the units purpose, and must contain letters that fit the encryption table.

For example:

Kdr(CO) "Gartenerde"

1st Company's CO: "Stiefbruder"

2nd Company's CO: "Kindergarten"

And so on.

The Platoons (as said) will be: A, B , C...platoon

The deputy platoon leader A, would be A-2, his wingman is A-3.

The platoon leaders wingman is A-1

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Hi Falli,

Thanks for the information in your post, unfortunately I am unable to down load from 911 as I am not a member.( I don't know if I am allowed).

Would it be possible to get a basic template posted on this forum?

I have a copy so can email it to you when I get home or you can pull it from my 'Area Reconnaissance at Neustadt am Rubenberge 1989' scenario which I think you may have from Beta testing (or can access from Downloads here).

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  • 4 years later...

I am working on a 1980 scenario involving Bundeswehr units. If i understand this correct:

 At battalion level (Battalion radio net) callsigns consisting of words are used. At company level alphabetic/numeric callsigns is used. 

So calling someone on battalion radio: "Gartenerde" this is "Stiefbruder......"

At the company, commander calling his platoonleader: ALPHA this is "Stiefbruder"..... (or is he using another callsign on this net?)

And between platoon leader and his tanks: ALPHA2 this is ALPHA

 

So to the question: Have i understood this correctly?

 

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23 minutes ago, Sunken said:

I am working on a 1980 scenario involving Bundeswehr units. If i understand this correct:

 At battalion level (Battalion radio net) callsigns consisting of words are used. At company level alphabetic/numeric callsigns is used. 

So calling someone on battalion radio: "Gartenerde" this is "Stiefbruder......"

At the company, commander calling his platoonleader: ALPHA this is "Stiefbruder"..... (or is he using another callsign on this net?)

And between platoon leader and his tanks: ALPHA2 this is ALPHA

 

So to the question: Have i understood this correctly?

 

Yeah, you got it right.

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Great! 

 

Another question, it´s off this topic but... 

 

The Stabs- und Versorgungskompanie of a Panzeraufklärungs battalion (Heeresstruktur 4) what did it contain? 

The obvious parts is the command post, but what else?

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Sources:
Heeresaufklärung
Schild und Schwert - Die Panzertruppe der Bundeswehr
Fahrzeug Profile 7 - "Auge und Ohr des Heeres" Die Panzeraufklärer der Bundeswehr
Fahrzeug Profile 38 - Die Panzeraufklärungstruppe der Bundeswehr 1956 - 2008

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Members

Artillery observers belong to the artillery battalions and get detached to the task force, then distributed to the companies per task assignment. Up until the 1990s they used M113 observer vehicles (Steel Beasts 1.0 still had them, but we never managed to create a proper model for them, so they were eventually discontinued; I suggest to use the OPMV as a substitute).

Since the 2000s the Fennek would be the vehicle of choice.

Between 1990 and 2000, some Leopard 1A5 were converted, with the main gun removed.

 

Mortar observers (!) belong to the mortar platoons of the 6th (heavy) company of the PzGren battalions. They would operate dismounted or in a light truck (G240).

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 27.3.2018 at 12:46 PM, Ssnake said:

Artillery observers belong to the artillery battalions and get detached to the task force, then distributed to the companies per task assignment. Up until the 1990s they used M113 observer vehicles (Steel Beasts 1.0 still had them, but we never managed to create a proper model for them, so they were eventually discontinued; I suggest to use the OPMV as a substitute).

Since the 2000s the Fennek would be the vehicle of choice.

Between 1990 and 2000, some Leopard 1A5 were converted, with the main gun removed.

 

Mortar observers (!) belong to the mortar platoons of the 6th (heavy) company of the PzGren battalions. They would operate dismounted or in a light truck (G240).

The Mortar FO and later even some Arty FO where mounted on Marder-FO vehicles. Basicly converted Marder 1A3 or 1A4 with additonal SEM 93,  ADLER and the MILAN launcher replaced by an ZOG.

 

Would be cool to have those in SB as well! (could be modelled by replacing the dismounts with an FO team and giving FO functions to the Marder TC position)

Edited by Grenny
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  • 3 weeks later...

Still working on my scenario. Some further questions: 

Which version of  Leopard 1 were used in PzAufklBat (roughly 1989)?

Which version of Luchs were used?

How was the 5. Company used (Fuchscompany)? One source indicates that it was used to reinforce the other coys....

 

Regards 

Sunken

  

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57 minutes ago, Sunken said:

Still working on my scenario. Some further questions: 

Which version of  Leopard 1 were used in PzAufklBat (roughly 1989)?

Which version of Luchs were used?

How was the 5. Company used (Fuchscompany)? One source indicates that it was used to reinforce the other coys....

 

Regards 

Sunken

  

The 5. th company had ground-surveilance-radar equipment. They are used for "techical" recon. They can be attached to a recon team (2xLuchs + Fuchs-Para = 1 reeforced recon team)

They also have "light recon" platoons, for doing dismounted recon.

Of course these units can be used on their own...or get attached to other units (=reenforce them) when more dismounted strength is needed.

 

I have no Idea what was used in 1989...when I joined there was a mixed use of Leo2 and Leo1 in the recon BN...just before the armoured recon was disbanded, they where all of the Leo2 type...

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