Whats that unit? 130. Panzer-Lehr-Division
Explanation: It seems there are people confused about the term Lehr. Lehr units in the Wehrmacht were instructional and training units, trained to high standarts and used to develop new tactics and their implementation, serving as show troops for Officers and NCOs at the training schools to show pictures of conducted combat and to test new weapons according to their branch.
Lehr units took always part in combat, the Luftwaffe had several Lehr Geschwader and Fallschirmjäger Lehr units. The Heer several Lehr units like the Lehr Brigade 900 who was part of Operation Barbarrossa in 1941 and in its armoured schools I and II and the later builded the core of the Panzer Lehr Division. This build up does not mean that the Germans had no Instructors at the Schools left. Also the Officers and NCOs transferred regulary in and out of the unit so that the Lehr units had always a leadership with battle experience, in fact you could meet there eastern front veterans as also veterans from Africa and Italy.
History: The unit was formed in its core from Lehr units out of the both Armored schools of the Heer , the Panzertruppenschulen I and II. The unit was enlarged by an influx of recruits and officialy founded on the 10 January 1944 in the Area of Nancy-Verdun. The Division was considered Elite due its core of Veterans but ironicly Allied intelligence at first assumed that the unit composed out of raw recruits. The Division stood further out that it was the only mechanized Division in the German army, the Panzergrenadier Batallions being equipped with Half tracks in the opposite to the one batallion in regular Panzer Divisions and SS Panzer Divisions. It took part in Operation Margarete the coup in hungary without fighting and then deployed back to France. The D-Day saw the Division deployed in the area of Chartes-Le Mans-Orleans where it got ordered to march to the Normandy. Because of the interdiction of the train net and the confusion the Division went into battle piecemeal and fought at first the Commonwealth units until relieved by the 276. Infanterie-Division unil the 5 July. Until then it had as casualties 490 killed, 1809 wounded and 673 missing. From the 10 July on it fought US troops in the west and northwest of St. Lo where it got hit at the 24 and 25 July by the heavy bomber attacks who depicted the start of Operation Cobra. At the 5 August only a Kampfgruppe remained in the frontlines and the rest withdraw to Alencon to rest and refit. The remainder of the August the Division or Kampfgruppen of it fought delaying actions.
In Germany in mid October the Division was refitted and went into action again in the Ardennes Offensive and capitulated finally in the Ruhrpocket.
TO&E:
Tanks:
Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130: 99 Pz IV, 89 Panthers
Conclusions: Here we have after the 21. Pz Div. the first units with Panthers which should in tank engagements give the Player an advantage but will come without doubt with a heavy price so being carefull instead of senseless rampaging is the motto here, Pz IVs can take over, like it was done in real, the flank guards and let them be supported by the infantry of the Panzergrenadier, Pionier or Aufklärungs units. Overall a very powerfull unit but pick your targets wisely, Tanks have no place in forests or urban areas.
Infantry:
Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiments 901 and 902 with two Batallions each:
Each Bataillion: 108 MGs, 6 8 cm Mortars, 39 Panzerschreck, 9 3,7cm ATGs on Half Track, 8 7,5cm, guns on Half Track, all in all 66 SdKfz of various versions including 20mm and 7,5cm guns.
Conclusion: A very mobile, hart hitting unit with several usefull vehicles to increase its firepower but should stay away from enemy tanks in long range battles.
Artillery:
Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130: 8 Wespe 10,5cm SPGs, 4 Hummel 15cm SPGs, 12 10,5cm towed howitzers , 12 15cm towed howitzers
Conclusion: A mix of SP and towed Artillery, the increased numbers of 15cm are very welcomed, making up in firepower what they lack in numbers but clearly not able to compete with allied artillery firepower.
Recon:
Panzer-Aufklärungs-Lehr Abteilung 130 (250 and 251 are SdKfz with the respective number): 25 234/2 Puma, 9 250/5 recon vehicle, 16 250/9 with 20mm, 44 250/1 APC with 6 Soldiers, 6 250/3 radio vehicle, 8 250/7 Mortar carrier, 6 250/8 with 7,5 cm short barrel, 6 251/1 APC, 9 251/3 radio vehicle, 7 251/7 Engineer vehicle with small bridge, 6 251/9 with 7,5 cm short barrel or 75mm IG , 4 251/17 with 20mm, 1 251/8 medic vehicle, 1x 251/11 radio vehicle with cable layer.
Conclusion: We have here a unit, often referred to as the ace in the sleeve of the Divisions commander, while its primary mission is recon it has enough infantry and support weapons to act as a combat unit if needed. The Pumas increase greatly the Anti-Tank capabilities but should act in ambushes instead of trying to slug it out frontaly, the great mobility of the Puma guarantees the ability to harass the enemy constantly on the flanks and evade heavier units with its speed. In phase A this unit will be a tough enemy but its weakness is still the lacking long range AT firepower .
Tank Destroyer:
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 130: 31 JgPz IV, 10 StuG III
Conclusion: While the JgPz might not be the fastes nor the agilest of all TDs (hello says the M18) but the sloped armor, low profile and powerful guns ensure that this tank destroyers are frontal a hard nut to crack, hence if you go up against them use flanking. The same is true for the StuGs. Cover, flank protection and long fields of fire let them excel in their Anti-Tank Duty or blasting away at enemy postions to let the own infantry advance or to protect the own Panzers in the attack. Think of them as mechanized snipers and use them accordingly.
Anti-Air:
Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 311: 18 towed 8,8cm AA Guns and approx. 4-8 towed 3,7cm AA guns
Conclusion: Nothing to sneer at but their big shields will make the 8,8cm guns in AT use more like a weapon of desperation, they are very vulnerable to flanking infantry and indirect fire and don’t expect the enemy to pile up dozens of tanks frontaly so your crews can have some shooting excersise. Best kept back with the 3,7cm who can give cover against an odd recon infantry or light vehicle and try to clear the skies for the ground pounders.
Engineers:
Panzer-Lehr-Pionier-Bataillon 130: 3 fully mechanized companies, we can expect a mix of SdKfz. 250 and 251 as in the Aufklärungsabteilung
Conclusion: Germans used Pioniere as a special attack infantry so don’t think you might find here some fat, bored bridge builders. The unit is highly mobile, has with their half-tracks an increased firepower and protection and will excel in close combats with its explosives and flamethrowers, a very good unit to support your infantry in those duties but valuable, do not throw them away.
Attached but was not used in combat:
316. Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk): 5 Tiger II, 3 Tiger I
Conclusion: This unit was de-facto in the Normandy only wasting air, the Tiger IIs were prototypes and unreliable as the night is dark. They were meant to lead radio controlled Goliaths into enemy fortifications while enjoying the armor protection of the Tiger. In the game they might appear without their shrotcomings, if so they of course increase the attack and defense power since the enemy will struggle to knock them out, but not being invulnerable they will need infantry and flank protection because the enemy will besides planes and indirect fire use exactly that to get rid of them.
Overall conclusion:
This unit will be no doubt be a hard hitting one, but only in the later stages when the heavy gear becomes available. Until then you will have to harass the enemy in its power build up and may set up some desperate defenses with your recon infantry at important points to have a stage area from where you can start your late game counter attack which should be good prepared since the clock will work against you. To be able to put up a decisive offensive recon information will be the most important but if you get it running the enemy will heavily struggle with mechanized infantry supported Panther spear tips supported by heavy artillery. In my opinion this deck will be not easy to master but often played, with a higher skill ceiling as an infantry division deck or other “standart deck” since it all depends on the last two phases and how good your defense and recon was in the tow first phases was.
Explanation: It seems there are people confused about the term Lehr. Lehr units in the Wehrmacht were instructional and training units, trained to high standarts and used to develop new tactics and their implementation, serving as show troops for Officers and NCOs at the training schools to show pictures of conducted combat and to test new weapons according to their branch.
Lehr units took always part in combat, the Luftwaffe had several Lehr Geschwader and Fallschirmjäger Lehr units. The Heer several Lehr units like the Lehr Brigade 900 who was part of Operation Barbarrossa in 1941 and in its armoured schools I and II and the later builded the core of the Panzer Lehr Division. This build up does not mean that the Germans had no Instructors at the Schools left. Also the Officers and NCOs transferred regulary in and out of the unit so that the Lehr units had always a leadership with battle experience, in fact you could meet there eastern front veterans as also veterans from Africa and Italy.
History: The unit was formed in its core from Lehr units out of the both Armored schools of the Heer , the Panzertruppenschulen I and II. The unit was enlarged by an influx of recruits and officialy founded on the 10 January 1944 in the Area of Nancy-Verdun. The Division was considered Elite due its core of Veterans but ironicly Allied intelligence at first assumed that the unit composed out of raw recruits. The Division stood further out that it was the only mechanized Division in the German army, the Panzergrenadier Batallions being equipped with Half tracks in the opposite to the one batallion in regular Panzer Divisions and SS Panzer Divisions. It took part in Operation Margarete the coup in hungary without fighting and then deployed back to France. The D-Day saw the Division deployed in the area of Chartes-Le Mans-Orleans where it got ordered to march to the Normandy. Because of the interdiction of the train net and the confusion the Division went into battle piecemeal and fought at first the Commonwealth units until relieved by the 276. Infanterie-Division unil the 5 July. Until then it had as casualties 490 killed, 1809 wounded and 673 missing. From the 10 July on it fought US troops in the west and northwest of St. Lo where it got hit at the 24 and 25 July by the heavy bomber attacks who depicted the start of Operation Cobra. At the 5 August only a Kampfgruppe remained in the frontlines and the rest withdraw to Alencon to rest and refit. The remainder of the August the Division or Kampfgruppen of it fought delaying actions.
In Germany in mid October the Division was refitted and went into action again in the Ardennes Offensive and capitulated finally in the Ruhrpocket.
TO&E:
Tanks:
Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130: 99 Pz IV, 89 Panthers
Conclusions: Here we have after the 21. Pz Div. the first units with Panthers which should in tank engagements give the Player an advantage but will come without doubt with a heavy price so being carefull instead of senseless rampaging is the motto here, Pz IVs can take over, like it was done in real, the flank guards and let them be supported by the infantry of the Panzergrenadier, Pionier or Aufklärungs units. Overall a very powerfull unit but pick your targets wisely, Tanks have no place in forests or urban areas.
Infantry:
Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiments 901 and 902 with two Batallions each:
Each Bataillion: 108 MGs, 6 8 cm Mortars, 39 Panzerschreck, 9 3,7cm ATGs on Half Track, 8 7,5cm, guns on Half Track, all in all 66 SdKfz of various versions including 20mm and 7,5cm guns.
Conclusion: A very mobile, hart hitting unit with several usefull vehicles to increase its firepower but should stay away from enemy tanks in long range battles.
Artillery:
Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130: 8 Wespe 10,5cm SPGs, 4 Hummel 15cm SPGs, 12 10,5cm towed howitzers , 12 15cm towed howitzers
Conclusion: A mix of SP and towed Artillery, the increased numbers of 15cm are very welcomed, making up in firepower what they lack in numbers but clearly not able to compete with allied artillery firepower.
Recon:
Panzer-Aufklärungs-Lehr Abteilung 130 (250 and 251 are SdKfz with the respective number): 25 234/2 Puma, 9 250/5 recon vehicle, 16 250/9 with 20mm, 44 250/1 APC with 6 Soldiers, 6 250/3 radio vehicle, 8 250/7 Mortar carrier, 6 250/8 with 7,5 cm short barrel, 6 251/1 APC, 9 251/3 radio vehicle, 7 251/7 Engineer vehicle with small bridge, 6 251/9 with 7,5 cm short barrel or 75mm IG , 4 251/17 with 20mm, 1 251/8 medic vehicle, 1x 251/11 radio vehicle with cable layer.
Conclusion: We have here a unit, often referred to as the ace in the sleeve of the Divisions commander, while its primary mission is recon it has enough infantry and support weapons to act as a combat unit if needed. The Pumas increase greatly the Anti-Tank capabilities but should act in ambushes instead of trying to slug it out frontaly, the great mobility of the Puma guarantees the ability to harass the enemy constantly on the flanks and evade heavier units with its speed. In phase A this unit will be a tough enemy but its weakness is still the lacking long range AT firepower .
Tank Destroyer:
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 130: 31 JgPz IV, 10 StuG III
Conclusion: While the JgPz might not be the fastes nor the agilest of all TDs (hello says the M18) but the sloped armor, low profile and powerful guns ensure that this tank destroyers are frontal a hard nut to crack, hence if you go up against them use flanking. The same is true for the StuGs. Cover, flank protection and long fields of fire let them excel in their Anti-Tank Duty or blasting away at enemy postions to let the own infantry advance or to protect the own Panzers in the attack. Think of them as mechanized snipers and use them accordingly.
Anti-Air:
Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 311: 18 towed 8,8cm AA Guns and approx. 4-8 towed 3,7cm AA guns
Conclusion: Nothing to sneer at but their big shields will make the 8,8cm guns in AT use more like a weapon of desperation, they are very vulnerable to flanking infantry and indirect fire and don’t expect the enemy to pile up dozens of tanks frontaly so your crews can have some shooting excersise. Best kept back with the 3,7cm who can give cover against an odd recon infantry or light vehicle and try to clear the skies for the ground pounders.
Engineers:
Panzer-Lehr-Pionier-Bataillon 130: 3 fully mechanized companies, we can expect a mix of SdKfz. 250 and 251 as in the Aufklärungsabteilung
Conclusion: Germans used Pioniere as a special attack infantry so don’t think you might find here some fat, bored bridge builders. The unit is highly mobile, has with their half-tracks an increased firepower and protection and will excel in close combats with its explosives and flamethrowers, a very good unit to support your infantry in those duties but valuable, do not throw them away.
Attached but was not used in combat:
316. Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk): 5 Tiger II, 3 Tiger I
Conclusion: This unit was de-facto in the Normandy only wasting air, the Tiger IIs were prototypes and unreliable as the night is dark. They were meant to lead radio controlled Goliaths into enemy fortifications while enjoying the armor protection of the Tiger. In the game they might appear without their shrotcomings, if so they of course increase the attack and defense power since the enemy will struggle to knock them out, but not being invulnerable they will need infantry and flank protection because the enemy will besides planes and indirect fire use exactly that to get rid of them.
Overall conclusion:
This unit will be no doubt be a hard hitting one, but only in the later stages when the heavy gear becomes available. Until then you will have to harass the enemy in its power build up and may set up some desperate defenses with your recon infantry at important points to have a stage area from where you can start your late game counter attack which should be good prepared since the clock will work against you. To be able to put up a decisive offensive recon information will be the most important but if you get it running the enemy will heavily struggle with mechanized infantry supported Panther spear tips supported by heavy artillery. In my opinion this deck will be not easy to master but often played, with a higher skill ceiling as an infantry division deck or other “standart deck” since it all depends on the last two phases and how good your defense and recon was in the tow first phases was.
