German Sturm Zug or Storm Platoon Tactics?

[Tems]

Several German KStNs describe Sturm Zugs, platoons of three squads, where two are armed entirely with automatic weapons (preferably STGs, though some might have had MP40s or captured SMGs) and the third has two or even three LMGs.

What I can’t find is what kind of tactics such a platoon would employ. In defense the three LMGs were supposed to be set up in “nests”, but were the sturmgruppen then part of those nests or were they kept behind the line for a counterattack? The name also suggests that such platoons were intended for going on the offense, but how so?

Simple fire and maneuver suggests that the third squad (sometimes called feuergruppe) with all the LMGs ought to engage a target and suppress it, but how are the two sturmgruppen supposed to attack?
1) Do they attack both flanks simultaneously and try to force an envelopment?
2) Do they attack both flanks simultaneously and expect one attack to fail, with the other as backup?
3) Do they attack one flank together? Or even the front?
4) Does one squad attack a flank with the other squad in reserve, ready to either follow up or to engage the other flank if the first grinds to a halt?

I am very interested in learning what the german planners had in mind for such a platoon, but also considerations about them in miniature wargaming. I’m sure the german planners had expected a platoon to attack nothing larger than a squad, but what were they to do if they were up against an even opponent (like another platoon)? Go on the defensive?

Were they ever intended to work solely as infantry units or were they only a part of a combined arms approach?

[invisible officer]

The basic idea was to give the units a “fire service ” to help the Standard Units in emergency.
Main job was deeper defence. The automatic weapons helping to stop the mass attack of the Soviets and then starting a Counter attack with high mobile firepower.

Panzergrenadierkompanie (fahrradbeweglich) (freie Gliederung)
K.St.N.1114b (fdbew) (fG) (1.11.1944) had for example a Sturmzug that had no LMG at all. 38 all ranks

1 officer, 3 NCO, 34 OR, 37 Stg.44, 1 Pistole (for the medic, not the officer), 38 bikes.

The could attack in one line or more common with one in reserve.

In 45 the third squads got 3 LMG because they learned by doing that the Sturmgewehr had not enough spitting power in defence.

Tactic in 45 was the classic with the LMG in centre and the other squads at the flanks. attacking with Hand grenades and small arm.
The main problem was that the SG 44 had no riflegrenade discharger (it was in design stage). So some Units got 2 K 98 with such a device.

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