
German WWII Battalion Tactics (Advanced Instruction) Manual - English Translation
Book - Reprint- Condition:
- New
Taktik in Rahmen des verstärkten Infanterie Bataillons - Tactics in the Context of the Reinforced Infantry Battalions. A guide for study, and a reference book for Active Officers, Officers of the Reserve, and Officer Candidates. 268 pages (paperback) of how to run a Battalion, written in 1941 by two Major Generals from the German Army.
This book is about managing the troops at the battalion level, dealing with reinforcements, march formations such as aircraft march depth and the sequence of the troops for the march, housing, written and verbal orders, meals, the advance guard, reconnaissance, deployment, security during march, attack and defense tactics on a large scale, assessing the terrain for tactical purposes, how to issue written and verbal orders, and on and on. Includes many large fold-out terrain maps with tactical symbols showing the deployment and situations in the numerous examples, which teach the why and how of troop management at the battalion level, and explains the differences between attached and supporting troops, and the differences in commanding them.
If you're looking for some light reading, this isn't it. If you want to know what the officers were taught and the work involved in commanding a battalion, this is a must read. This is a translation of a classroom textbook written for the officers. It's serious, detailed, and written for teaching the proper German way of managing a battalion and interacting with the other army units. The reader who has an interest in the advanced education of the German officer, and wants to understand the art of battlefield commands, orders, and tactics, will best appreciate this book. This gives a new insight into how the German officers were taught the discipline skills for which they were so well known and respected. Example scenarios include security during rest, attack from a prepared position, attack from the march, defense, pursuit and withdrawal, with details, considerations, reasons, and conclusions about each situation. This book tells how it was done, what would be a mistake, and the reasons why it should be done a certain way with examples of the orders that should be issued as the battle progresses. This is a combined 6th and 7th improved 1941 edition, having first been published in 1936; therefore, this book was used to train the Wehrmacht before and during WWII.
This is not a squad-level tactics book, showing how the 10 guys in your reenacting squad should attack and defend against those pesky Amerikaners. If you need that manual, get the Panzergrenadier squad training manual below.
This book will be sent by priority mail, since it's too heavy (over 13 ounces) to be sent as first class mail. About 8.5" high x 5.5" wide, 268 pages including 9 large fold-out maps at the back (5 with the original red colored tactical map markings indicating enemy troop positions), and numerous other sketches, maps and diagrams. This book was originally hard covered, but has been faithfully reproduced in English as a paperback, with all text and graphics of the original.