12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend

I’m a fair ways in to this, so I’ll try to catch you up to where I’m at.

I’ll put links to my references at the bottom

The 12th SS Panzer Division (Hitler Jungend) were formed in ’43, based on a plan to enlist Hitler Youth members born in 1926. Most of these boys were 17 at the formation of the unit, and had lived exclusively under the Third Reich. Hitler, the narcissist that he was, loved the idea, and made sure they would get the latest equipment. The force was training in France in June 1944, so although they were inexperienced, they were well equipped, nearby, and fanatical when the allies landed in Normandy. The unit clashed with the Canadian 3rd Division, and took 80% casualties.(1)

The Order of Battle–linked below at (2)–gives a good overview of the strength of the division. I won’t recreate it here, I’ll just put the highlights, showing what equipment is available for the list.

• 3 Panzergrenadier regiments each with 4 panzergrenadier companies and a selection of:
  -Intellegence company
  -Flak company
  -Pioneer company
  -Tank Hunter company
• 1 Panzer regiment
  -66 Panthers
  -96 Pzr IV
• 1 Panzer Artiliery regiment
  -12x Wespe
  -6x Hummel
  -18x 105 mm LeFH 18
  -12x 150 mm SFH
  -4x 105 mm Kanone
• 1 Motorcycle regiment
• 1 recconassance regiment
• Along with a smattering of attached artillery battalions

As you can see, I have a lot of options for tanks, recce, and tank destroyers, but there isn’t a lot of detail on the platoon level. For that we’ll have to use organization lists developed for the Heer (German Army). I have links to 3 different basic formations at (3). While each differs slightly, and the 12th SS were rather well equipped, they are a good baseline for a list. (To see what I mean by well equipped, look above, and note that the most inexperienced formation of the SS had 160+ of the latest tanks, plus a decent number of German designed self-propelled-guns, while the 21st Panzer Division, a veteran organization, (to whom they were attached) had a series of cobbled together SPGs mounted on captured French tanks and half-tracks). Here are the summaries of the three lists:

PANZERGRENADIER-KOMPANIE (Armoured)

3 Officers, 52 NCO, 165 Enlisted;
122 Rifles, 69 Pistols, 55 SMG, 40 LMG, 4 HMG, 2 medium mortars, 13 antitank rocket launchers, 7 light antiaircraft guns, two 7,5cm guns; (numbers include weapons in and on vehicles);
The antitank rocket launchers (Panzerbüchse) could be substituted by other antitank weapons (such as Panzerfaust).
9 motor vehicles; 22 armored vehicles; 2 motorcycles; 3 motorcycles with sidecars or Kettenkrad

PANZERGRENADIER-KOMPANIE (Motorized)

3 Officers, 44 NCO, 178 Enlisted;
134 Rifles, 64 Pistols, 27 SMG, 18 LMG, 4 HMG, 2 medium mortars, 13 antitank rocket launchers;
30 motor vehicles; 2 motorcycles; 3 motorcycles with sidecars.

PANZERAUFKLÄRUNGS-KOMPANIE (Reconnaisance)

3 Officers, 45 NCO, 149 Enlisted;
121 Rifles, 60 Pistols, 47 SMG, 49 LMG, 2 medium mortars, 1 light antiaircraft gun, three 7,5cm guns; (numbers include weapons in and on vehicles);
10 motor vehicles; 31 armored vehicles; 2 motorcycles; 2 motorcycles with sidecars or Kettenkrad.

(As an aside, the 2 panzergrenadier companies have a number of assistant NCOs with Assault Rifles listed in the detailed list, but not in the summary. I’ve already built and started to paint my men, so I’m certain I have WAY too many SMGs and ARs for this list… An excuse to buy more dudes!). Of the three choices, I’ve chosen the Armoured Rifle Company. It has access to the sdkfz 251/1 (the Hanomag) which is one of my favourite German vehicles. The Motorised Rifles has trucks only, while the Reconnaissance group has the smaller 250/1.

Here is the personnel list I’ve chosen:

1 Rifle Platoon
1 Officer (Z) as Platoon Leader / Radioman (Pistol)(SMG);
Platoon Headquarters
1 NCO as Platoon Headquarters Section Leader / Radioman (Rifle with scope)
1 NCO Halftrack Driver (Rifle)
2 Messengers (Rifles)
1 Stretcher Bearer (Pistol)
1 Gunner / motor vehicle escort (R)
1 medium armored 2cm gun halftrack (Sd.Kfz. 251/17)
3 Rifle Squads, each with
1 NCO Squad Leader / Radioman (SMG)
1 NCO Assistant Squad Leader (Automatic Rifle)
2 MG Gunners (Pistols)
2 Assistant MG Gunners (Pistols)
2 Riflemen (Rifles)
1 Halftrack Driver (Rifle)
1 Halftrack Vehicle Escort / MG Gunner (Rifle)
2 light machine guns 
1 antitank rocket launcher (88mm)
1 medium armored halftrack (Sd.Kfz. 251/1)

Between this list and the division level support, I should be able to build a selector for Bolt Action that can support the feeling of the 12th SS. I’m looking to have a well equipped and well led group of inexperienced soldiers. Next time we’ll look at the options as presented in the Armies of Germany, and Battleground Europe books, and see if we can use them as the basis of a new selector that captures the spirit of the formation.

Links

(1)Wiki with some basic info on the formation: –12th_SS_Panzer_Division_Hitlerjugend

(2)Order of Battle for the 12th SS. (its 1 or 2 levels too high to be of excellent use, as shown above it only gives overall strength and not equipment at the platoon level) 12th SS Order of Battle

(3)These are 3 organization charts for Heer rifle companies. SS units were loosely based on these, so they are a great place to start from. (worth remember is that the 12th SS were Himmler and Hitler’s pet project, so they had some of the best equipment and officers available; even if their own training was not yet complete.

-Armoured Rifle

-Motorised Rifle

-Armored Reconnaissance Rifle Company

(4)The Canadian Official History has invaluable information on the structure of the Canadian forces facing the 12th SS, and on the battles between them. Part 2 of this project will be to build and paint the 3rd Canadian division.

Canadian Official History Vol III