Rising to the CoC Challenge!

Last Saturday on the Too Fat Lardies Forum & Yahoo Group, member PatG issued the CoC Challenge for folks to step forward with their own lists for Chain of Command from any period & theatre, preferably using the official Coculator and quoting references to alleviate some of the workload from Rich Clarke & make the whole thing more of a community effort.

I'd already compiled my version of a list covering 21st Panzer Division covering it's first reactions to the Normandy invasion on June 6th 1944, so ideal for fighting either side of the Orne in the early days of the landings. The information is quite well documented and shows a great example of just how versatile the Germans were at forming purpose-tailored fighting units from larger organisations.

The division split into three main kampfgruppe. One under Rauch, another under Oppeln-Bronikowski and probably the most famous under the command of Hans von Luck. With a divisional reserve of anti-tank & anti-aircraft elements to be distributed as required.

Oppeln's force composed mainly of his tank command along with panzergrenadier elements  swapped with von Luck for his 4th Company of Panzer IV's. His specific purpose was to form a thrust to the coast and split the British and Canadian forces at Lion-sur-Mer.

Rauch's force consisted of predominantly infantry & the best anti-tank units. He was tasked with the dual role of exploiting any gaps forged by Oppeln while simultaneously defending the Lebisey Ridge, high ground lying between the beaches and the city of Caen.

Both of the above operated west of the Orne mainly against the forces landed via Sword and Gold beaches.

Von Luck's command was a more "combined arms" affair. It needed to be reasonably self-sufficient as it was separated from the rest of the division by the terrain. To support his own panzergrenadiers he had the previously mentioned 4th tank company from Oppeln also the entirety of StuG-Abteilung 200 and Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung 21. He was initially engaged against the combined British and Canadian parachute forces and would spend the whole Normandy campaign in the east, fighting later to defend the Bourgébus Ridge during Operation Goodwood.

This list was compiled by extrapolating information from existing lists or using comparative values on armour and/or gun calibres

 

 

This list was compiled using the official Coculator. I can't help feeling there are some anomalies with regards to the half-tracks. All comments on any corrections are most welcome.

 Select Bibliography

The Combat History of 21. Panzer Division - Werner Kortenhaus

21. Panzer Division - Jean-Claude Perrigault

Panzer Commander - Hans von Luck

Panzers and the Battle for Normandy - Geaorges Bernage

Panzers in Normandy Then and Now -  Eric Lefevre

as well as various on-line sources.

 

Next I might do a 6th Airborne or have a shot at commandos.......