German Machinegun Companies

[Berlichtingen]

I've read a number of accounts of German machinegun companies fighting in what I would assume is more like normal infantry. A good example is the defense of Primolsol Bridge in Sicily. My question is did they just forgo the use of the tripods and act as normal infantry sections (with 2 MGs)?

[JasonC]

I've seen some tactical accounts with 5th light in North Africa that has MG battalion troops fighting basically as infantry. But that would seem to be somewhat a matter of designations - they were basically the infantry of that formation, not a true specialist heavy weapons group.

As for the Silicy case, those were FJ from a airborne machinegun battalion, not just weapons companies from an ordinary battalion. A brief description of the process of reinforcement suggests they weren't all MG formation troops, either.

Some were other parts of 4th FJ regiment. And later, they got 2 companies of pioneers. The "western allies" way would be to cross attach companies to get a reasonable force mix. That might explain why they got pioneers sent to help them. The "MG battalion" designation may have been a KG thing, in practice.

"On arrival the 4th Regiment and the MG Battalion boarded Gliders and JU-52's and were sent on to Sicily where they were dropped around Syracuse and Catania."

Notice, the original force mixed infantry with the heavy weapions.

"The Fallschirmjäger immediately went to work preparing defensive positions, to meet the expected Allied advance. The MG Battalion under the command of Major Schmidt were sent to defend the important Primasole iron road bridge over the River Simeto which was the only road access through the mountainous areas in the east of the Island, this would definitely be an Allied objective."

So, is that all the organic units of the MG battalion and none of the ordinary infantry of 4th FJ regiment, or is it a "KG Schmidt" that is based on his command, but has swapped a company or two to get all arms?

"On the night of 12th & 13th July, the Paras already on the ground were joined by 2 Kompanies of Witzig's Fallschirm-Pioneers as well as some Fallschirm Anti-Tank and Artillery units."

Doesn't say they went to the bridge, though. Note again the commander's name designating the pioneer force - KG thinking. When the Brits drop -

"Confusion now set in amongst the men of the MG Battalion as they were expecting to be reinforced by the 2 Pioneer kompanies".

Are they all MG battalion at the bridge before this, or is the reality more like "KG Schmidt was expecting KG Witzig"?

"Once the identity of these men from above was established a race began to get back to the bridge. The British Paras got there first and captured it; they removed most of the demolition charges and hastily prepared defensive positions under fire from the MG Battalion."

A race, the Brits are faster, the MG unit sends fire - all consistent with a slower unit, but hardly dispositive.

"The Fallschirmjäger made repeated attacks on the bridge during the 15th and after only holding onto the bridge for several hours the British Paratroops were forced to withdraw after running low on ammunition. The MG Battalion was reinforced by elements of the 4th Regiment during the 15th"

Change the order of those sentences and the implication that the MG formation was fighting as infantry weakens considerably. It is possible they were mixed with infantry elements of 4th FJR from the time they dropped, and the "MG battalion" designation refers more to the commander and HQ and parent unit, than to a uniform composition under him.

"During the night of the 15th, the 2 Kompanies of Engineers jumped on to the airfield at Catania where they then foot marched to the Primasole Bridge. They were a welcome site to the defenders of the bridge"

So, clearly the pioneers (aka a KG Witzig?) weren't the infantry there in the afternoon, the first day. The next day they are there, as apparently as some of the elements described as sent the previous day - Panzerjaegers e.g. (Anti tank fire outgoing, an 88 mentioned in the narrative, etc).

You may have much more detailed sources, I'm just going by a fairly brief account. FWIW.

[Dandelion]

Originally posted by Berlichtingen:

I've read a number of accounts of German machinegun companies fighting in what I would assume is more like normal infantry. A good example is the defense of Primolsol Bridge in Sicily. My question is did they just forgo the use of the tripods and act as normal infantry sections (with 2 MGs)?

Short version:

yes

Long version:

German sMG teams were capable of transforming into leMG teams in a few seconds. The machinegun design you know.

Unless deployed in a static defensive position, the machinegun team needed to move and fight in a combat environment. This they did in exactly the same manner as infantry squads, as they had the same training. Wether attached to an infantry company, or performing independent tasks it was the same.

The Dreibein was dismounted, folded and carried on No. 2s back. The No. 1 then had a ready machinegun with bipod in his hands, and two loaders (3 and 4) ready to feed him. Voilá, a highly mobile leMG team.

[if they did not dismount the Dreibein, the thingy weighed 33kg and precluded intelligent movement due to carrying problems. The team was completely helpless while moving - as they are in CM you know ]

Though they were supposed to be six, IRL such a team consisted of five men, two of which (plus boss) was the MG Gruppe of 11 men. So yes, two machineguns per Gruppe, closely resembling the infantry Gruppe.

The machineguns of the heavy companies were normally dispersed among the infantry companies in squads and platoons. However, you'll easily find plenty of examples of them given quite independent tasks, even singular teams. I haven't seen any example of them given assault tasks independently, but you know they went along in infantry assaults when detached and were familiar with this role as well.

Think of them as infantry in this role, rather than Vickers type heavy machineguns crews. ASL recognised the phenonema and you could use German sMG units historically there, but not in CM I'm afraid.

Cheerio

Dandelion

[Berlichtingen]

Cool. THen in a scenario depicting that sort of action, I could use Panzergrenadiers (2 MGs) or Infantry with extra MG teams

[Dandelion]

Indeed. Except of course they don't have the option of setting up sMG positions, so not much is actually gained right?

Cheers

Dandelion