Motorcycle Squads

It’s a classic tabletop  problem. You see everything so recce is not really necessary.

The Kradschützen had been recce units, most serving with the Panzer units.  Moving as fast but also able to dismount infantry for supporting the tanks.  The problem was the bad ratio of sidecar bikes between driver and infantry dismounting, 1 to 2. So most units got later converted into the special Panzergrenadier battalion units in Aufklärungsabteilungen. With SdKfz 250 a much better ratio.

It was not the armor that was the reason!  Giving them some splinter shelter but the APC was not intended as a fighting vehicle. But supporting the foot from behind. So they got mortars and short 75mm guns mounted.

Use them like the true Panzergrenadiere in unarmored Panzergrenadier  Battalions on Lorries. in most Panzerdivisions just half had APC.  Kradschützen, Recce Panzergrenadiere and other Panzergrenadiere had been spevially trained in cooperation with Panzer units. But at last ever: Just mobile infantry.

Lorry or bike retreated to cover. The bike mounted LMG dismounted with the Gruppe. Firing from bike was a rare exception. Not like Indiana Jones….  😉

Don’t think of the Kradschützen unit as operating on its own. You will need to come up with a “strategy” to use them in conjunction with your other units to achieve the scenario objectives. This will depend on the objective, the terrain, etc.

Bolt Action 2nd Ed page 90:

Motorbikes are generally treated as units of infantry except where noted below. Bikers can dismount and fight on foot as infantry, from which point none of these rules apply.

A motorbike unit can dismount as part of any Advance move.

My understanding is the Kradschützen unit is an infantry unit itself and not an infantry unit onboard a transport unit. Hence it cannot dismount 6in away from the bikes. What should happen is it can advance 12in (motorbike rules) and dismount at the spot at end of that move. As to whether it can fire as part of the Advance move after dismounting, I would say yes.

To complicate things further, the Kradschützen unit in the Western Desert book (page 92) can fire its LMG (if LMG is taken) without dismounting after an Advance order. It costs the same points as the one in the German book but has 2 fewer men – 1 NCO and 3 men.

With DAK Motorbicycle units are a must.  And naturally no German horse there, not like in Europe. There more cavalry served than Kradschützen.

In fact the heavy German BMW and Zündap are great, even 2020 – On streets. Pure fun to drive, or in sidecar.  But even in European countryside not nice to move away from street. In Africa’s dunes it was horrible, even with two wheels driven.

The rules can not show the campaign advantage of flexible  motor transport along Panzer and fast Light Divisions. Horse units not being able to follow as fast.

I am about to play my first game using a squad.

I have a couple of thoughts on how to make them at least points neutral.  My plans at least… we shall see…

1. They only ever RUN or FIRE.

2. They never dismount

3. Use their RECCE ability to make my opponent waste a unit shooting at them while they escape.  This will mean they have to be the last thing to move in the previous turn so they get into a “harassment” position (like on a flank threatening a small weapons team or something).

4. Hold them in reserve to quickly grab an objective in those scenarios with objectives.

@MReyne – “where do the Disembarking rules state that troops can dismount 6 inches away from the transport.”

See p116, Vehicles, Transport Vehicles, Dismounting From Transports, third para, second sentence.  The unit is ordered to advance or run “Make the action as normal, measuring from the vehicle” – this allows a unit to dismount up to 6 inches away from the transport on an Advance order, or up to 12″ away on a Run order.

Not relevant to this discussion as a squad dismounting from it’s bikes is not the same as a squad dismounting from a transport vehicle.