Force Overview:
In 1944 Germany’s panzer forces reach their zenith, on paper at least, but the entire German military faces severe material shortages. Manpower reductions continue across all formations, but the proliferation of new vehicles, small arms, panzerfausts, and heavy mortars help compensate for reductions when equipment is available. However, Germany’s dramatic firepower escalation brings an equal rise in price and German forces are typically outnumbered as a result. One wrong move and even the most powerful armored kampfgruppe can be trapped by more numerous foes. Despite improvements in firepower, the Wehrmacht’s infantry divisions continue to contract and cover less front than ever. Likewise, the artillery arm relies heavily on werfers that cannot conduct fire support missions and a chaotic assortment of captured foreign guns. Germany’s panzer forces are formidable, but the army surrounding them has been stretched to the breaking point.
In total the 1944 German OOB consists of 256 units from 9 Panzer divisions, 6 Panzergrenadier Divisions, 16 Infantry Divisions, 1 Flakkorps, 3 Werfer Brigades, and dozens of independent tank destroyer, tank, artillery, and engineer battalions or brigades. Most of these units are drawn from OB West and are modeled according to their May-July 1944 TOEs or status reports, although some units have included from the Eastern and Italian fronts or from different times in the year.
The Panzerwaffe - The Crown Jewel:
1944 Germany commands the most potent armored divisions in CAOS, but their price can be their own undoing. For instance, in the most extreme example the famous Panzer Lehr Division is the strongest division in the game, but its gargantuan panzer regiment alone costs more than most divisions. For the price of the Lehr Division, an American opponent can purchase 2 less powerful US ‘Heavy’ Armored Divisions, but cover twice as much ground. Even the more mundane 116th Panzer Division costs significantly more most Allied rivals.
That said, many panzer divisions are far below their official table of organization. For instance, the 11th Panzer Division fields a Panther battalion but it barely has one company left in its Pz IV battalion. Cheaper, albeit often mauled, alternatives to the exorbitantly expensive panzer regiments of units like Lehr are available.
When it comes to tanks, 1944 Germany has many ways to kill you; Panthers, Jagdpanthers, Tiger Is or IIs, Sturmpanzer IVs, they’re all here. However, mechanical breakdown can quickly wear your panzers down unless you give them time to rest, which usually necessitates protecting them with less valuable units for several turns. Consequently, Germany has two broad armored playstyles that you can mix and match: 1) Rely on medium tanks/tank destroyers, and battlegroup your armor with panzergrenadiers and self-propelled artillery to sustain constant mobile combat. 2) Bring slower, mechanically unreliable, but exceptionally powerful, heavy tanks, assault guns, and tank destroyers to methodically crush your adversary.
The Infantry Arm - An Overburdened Workhorse:
Panzerfausts lend German infantry a potent anti-tank advantage over all competitors, but the German infantry arm is declining under the overwhelming weight of attrition on all fronts. Most line infantry divisions have been reduced to two infantry battalions per regiment, bringing the number of infantry combat battalions per division down from 10 to 7. This decline will continue during fall 1944 as recon fusilier battalions are downsized into companies. New small arms and support weapons partially compensate for falling manpower levels at a tactical level, but Germany’s shrinking infantry divisions simply cannot cover enough front. Specialist Fallschirmjager, Jager, and Gebirgsjager divisions remain exquisitely equipped, but these formations are rare and expensive. The bulk of Germany’s infantry divisions will require plentiful armor or artillery support to undertake offensive operations.
The Artillery Arm - Competent but Unambitious:
German artillery is effective, but it lacks the sheer concentration of firepower enjoyed by the US and Soviet Union. As in earlier years of the war, German artillery primarily serves to support combined arms operations, but German battleplans rarely hinge on artillery alone. Devastating 21cm Morsers, 17cm field guns, and self-propelled howitzers, are rarely available in sufficient numbers. Moreover, OB West deploys an abnormally high number of captured foreign field guns due to chronic artillery shortages. Meanwhile, Werfer Brigades provide powerful short-range barrage, but they’re incapable of fire support. German artillery is competent when used to support larger combined arms operations, but don’t expect a miracle.
Despite these limitations, Germany excels in flak artillery. The mixed 8.8cm FlaK battalions of III Flakkorps provide an ideal combination of anti-aircraft and artillery to support mechanized kampfgruppes. Use them, abuse them, and infuriate your opponents with them.
The Luftwaffe - Masters of Air Denial:
Historic logistical deficiencies aside, at an operational level the Luftwaffe excels at air denial. German fighters are excellent, but their bombers are highly vulnerable to interception, and the Luftwaffe lacks the close air support flexibility of its Western Allied rivals. Whereas the US and to a lesser extent UK can repurpose most of their fighters as support aircraft and flood the battlefield with close air support missions, the Germans largely rely on designated close air support squadrons. However, armed with Luftflotte III’s abnormally high allocation of FW-190s, the 1944 German OOB is well suited to disrupt enemy air missions and deny air superiority.
Development Note:We're still working on the air requisition interface shown in the screenshot above. In the current version of the game it doesn't show the individual air group's names. For those who are curious Germany 1944's fighters come from JG2 and 26. The ground support is from SG4 and SKG 10, and the bombers hail from KG 6, 66, and 76.
The Stricken Titan:
When properly played the German 1944 OOB is among the strongest in the game, but it has weaknesses that competent opponents can exploit. German armor is exceptional, but expensive and prone to excessive cohesion attrition from mechanical breakdown. German mechanized/motorized infantry is well organized and equipped, but there is never enough of it. German line infantry is tactically dangerous, but force reductions have left it unable to hold large swathes of front without significant support. German artillery is competent but it doesn't outshine the US or Soviets. Finally, the Luftwaffe is highly capable, but it lacks the flexibility of its Western rivals. Throughout the war Germany has always excelled at combined arms warfare, but now more than ever the weight of victory or defeat rests on the panzer divisions, but they must be skillfully employed, and the margin for error is very thin.