KETTENKRAD oddity

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  • May 14, 2021 at 7:54 am #185484
    SteveT
    Participant

    From Germany forces book:  “It could carry three men (one driver and two passengers)”  and “Transport: Up to 3 men.”

    If it can transport 3 men, shouldn’t that be 1 driver and 3 passengers?

    If its 3 in total, then what happens if my 3-man squad leaps off it, leaving behind a Inexperienced, Regular, or Veteran transport – but in that case what does it mean that an empty vehicle has any such rating.

    I can only assume it’s a printing error and “transport 2”   plus the driver who is always a part of the vehicle.

     

     

    May 14, 2021 at 10:20 am #185485
    Nigel Heather
    Participant

    Good question, I don’t have an answer for you I’m afraid.

    Though I agree, for historical accuracy it should be 1 driver and 2 passengers.

    But that also begs another question – in war gaming in general, the Kettenkrad is often depicted as a PAK 36 tow – but what about the gun crew – and ammunition.

    I guess in reality, it wasn’t used that much as a AT gun tow, and if it was it would have to be accompanied by a lorry or half-track and in which case, why don’t they tow the gun.

    I guess Kettenkrads are fun and quirky and gamers want a reason to put them on the table.

    Cheers,

    Nigel

    May 14, 2021 at 10:44 am #185486
    invisible officer
    Participant

    It was used as an artillery tow. But not a single one.  Each 10,5 cm Gebirgshaubitze for example was transported with 5 Kettenkräder.   Amo was in trailers.

     

    The Kettenkrad was used in batteries of Fallschirm- and Gebirgs divisions.   They often had it in AT batteries too.

     

    It was not used as AT tow in normal divisions. It was the vehicle of choice under bad conditions.   Panzer units had it for the mechanics, driving on battlefield to damaged Panzer, being much more moblie than sidecar bikes.  The demand was ever bigger than production.

     

    Wargamer often forget  that batteries had more than one tow for a gun. Like the typical 25pdr one. Each had an amo limber between tow and gun. But the unit had two more towing two amo railers.

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