What is a Pupchen

[Little Pete]

Now the in game model shows an AT type unit (about the size of a 50mm gun) but only equipped with hollow charge rounds.Was it just a quick way to get AT guns on the field? Am I completely wrong?

[Sirocco]

The Puppchen, or Raketenwerfer 43, was a wheeled version of the Panzerschreck using the same calibre, but with a carriage and protective shield.

[Little Pete]

Hmm that sounds like a pretty cool idea ,not as easy to hide though but a lot more ammo.

[Sergei]

The type is called as (Heavy) Recoilless Rifles. Having practically no recoil, the system was far lighter in weight than Anti-Tank Guns - definately a good thing, as even Pak 40 weighed over a ton. Even before them German mountain and airborne troops used recoilless rifles as indirect artillery, you can find these in CMBB as well. USA also had it's own heavy RR's deployed by the end of the war, at least for the Airborne troops (these are in CMBO and maybe also in CMAK).

Muzzle velocity was lower than for ATG. Penetration-wise that was not a problem as they used HEAT. Accuracy over range was lower, however, though better than for a shoulder launched Panzerschreck or Bazooka, so it wasn't intended to completely replace ordinary ATG's.

After WW2 all armies used RR's alongside with ATG's until they eventually were replaced by an infantry AT weapon which combined the light weight of RR to the long range of an ATG: the AT Guided Missile. RR's still remained in use in many backward armies until the end of the last century... I should know.

[Beta1]

Its a pretty useful weapon, sort ranged (ideally less than 150m) but hard hitting. Its pretty cheap as well and easy to hide but not the most accurate weapon in the world. Usefull for a reverse slope or a flank you need to cover. Think of it as a short range defense AT gun rather than a mobile asset - if you can set it up in a foxhole where you need it it is stealthy enough.

The recoilless rifles are also similar but with a longer range. In BO these were hollow charge only if memory serves but in BB they came with HE shells too. The 105 RLR had a decent blast and was a fairly useful direct fire support weapon although it does give its position away rather badly.

[Mr. Tittles]

RR are different than Pupchenn. The Pup is a rocket launcher. I recently read that soem were captured around the time of teh Bulge battles. Along with 50mm mortars.

[Doodlebug]

Think Panzerschreck with a closed breech and you're halfway to understanding the Puppchen. Closing the breech boosts the range of the rocket but reintroduces the recoil that a rocket launcher is designed to eliminate. Simple solution. Mount the whole arrangement on the carriage of the old 28mm taper bore AT gun which is obsolete at that stage and there you go. Longer range without increased use of rocket propellant and light enough to be moved easily by infantry.

[MikeyD]

I have seen a couple photos of that heavy wheeled shrek before. I suppose it would be like the difference between firing a rifle from the shoulder or from a bipod. Same weapon but but better accuracy.

CM has been a learning experience in regard to exotic anti-tank weapons. Who knew the Germans had recoilless rifles in 1941!!! (and I always confuse RRs with the Püppchen in the game too )

[Denwad]

First deployed them in Crete to great effect IIRC.

Yeah, the Püppchen, use it like a panzershreck with wheels. Longer range and more ammo, I like the PAW better.

{EDIT} It was introduced in 1943 and almost immediatly rendered obsolete by the Panzershreck.

[Sergei]

Ah, I stand corrected. Was the tube in Püppchen and Panzershreck of the same length?

[Bone_Vulture]

Originally posted by Sergei:

Ah, I stand corrected. Was the tube in Püppchen and Panzershreck of the same length?

I think the most important factor to projectile range was the closed port of the Püppchen. This also caused massive recoil, which is the reason for the weapon's harness.