7th PANZER DIVISION

The "Ghost" Division in France 1940

7th Panzer Division Morale: 25% Veteran 75% Regular GR

7th Panzer Division Headquarters
HQ: 1 x HQ Sdkfz 263 Armoured Car
Defence: 1 x Motorcycle Stand (Rifles)

25th Panzer Regiment, with:
25th Regiment HQ:
HQ: 1 x HQ PzBefWg 38(t)
Recon: 1 x Recon Pzkpfw II

I/25th Panzer Abteilung
Abteilung HQ :
HQ: 1 x HQ Pzkpfw 38(t) A
Recon: 1 x Recon Pzkpfw I
Engineers: 1 x Engineer Stand in Sdkfz 251/1
FlaK: 1 x LTKw**
1 Light Panzer Kompany, with:
3 x Pzkpfw 38(t) A
1 x Pzkpfw I
1 Light Panzer Kompany, with:
3 x Pzkpfw 38(t) A
1 x Pzkpfw II
1 Medium Panzer Kompany, with:
2 x Pzkpfw IV B
1 x Pzkpfw II

II/25th (I/23rd) Panzer Abteilung
Identical to I/25th Panzer Abteilung

66th Panzer Abteilung
Abteilung HQ :
HQ: 1 x HQ Pzkpfw 38(t) A
Recon: 1 x Recon Pzkpfw I
Engineers: 1 x Engineer Stand in Sdkfz 251/1
FlaK: 1 x LTKw**
2 Light Panzer Kompanies, with:
2 x Pzkpfw 38(t) A
1 x Pzkpfw II
1 x Pzkpfw I
1 Medium Panzer Kompany, with:
2 x Pzkpfw IV B
1 x Pzkpfw II

7th Schützen Brigade, with:
7th Brigade HQ:
HQ: 1 x Stand in Staff Car/Truck
705th sIG Kompanie:
1 x 15cm sIG33(Sf) Pzkpfw I B (GW I)

6th Schützen Regiment, with :
6th Regiment HQ :
1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car/Truck

I/6th Schützen Battalion, with:
HQ: 1 x HQ Stand in Truck
Engineer: 1 x Engineer Stand in Truck
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Schützen Kompanies, with :
3 x Rifle Stands in Trucks
1 x HMG Stand in Truck
4th Heavy Kompany, with :
1 x 75/12 leIG/Truck
1 x 81mm Mortar Stand in Truck
1 x 37/45 PaK 35/Truck

II/6th Schützen Battalion, with:
Identical to I/6th Schützen Battalion, except Kompanies are 5, 6, 7, and Heavy Weapons 8.

7th Schützen Regiment, with :
7th Regiment HQ :
1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car/Truck
9th Regimental Gun Company:
½ x 150/11 sIG/Truck*
1 x 75/12 leIG/Truck

I/7th Schützen Battalion, with:
HQ: 1 x HQ Stand in Truck
Engineer: 1 x Engineer Stand in Truck
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Schützen Kompanies, with :
3 x Rifle Stands in Trucks
1 x HMG Stand in Truck
4th Heavy Kompany, with :
1 x 75/12 leIG/Truck
1 x 81mm Mortar Stand in Truck
1 x 37/45 PaK 35/Truck

II/7th Schützen Battalion, with:
Identical to I/6th Schützen Battalion, except Kompanies are 5, 6, 7, and Heavy Weapons 8.

7th Schützen Brigade, continued:

7th Kradschützen Battalion, with:
Battalion HQ :
1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car/Truck
1st & 2nd Kradschützen Kompanies, with :
3 x Motorcycle Stands (Rifle)
1 x HMG Stand in Truck
3rd Heavy Kompany, with :
(½ x 75/12 leIG/Truck)*
1 x 81mm Mortar Stand in Truck
1 x 37/45 PaK 35/Truck
1 x Engineer Stand in Truck

Divisional Assets :

7th Aufklärungs Abteilung (Recon), with:
Abteilung HQ :
1 x HQ Sdkfz 232 (8 rad) Armoured Car
1 x Sdkfz 231 (8 rad) Armoured Car
1st & 2nd Panzer Aufklärungs Kps, with :
2 x Sdkfz 222 Armoured Cars
3 x Sdkfz 221 Scout Cars
3rd Kradschützen Kompany, with :
3 x Motorcycle Stands (Rifle)
1 x HMG Stand in Truck (H/Track)
4th Heavy Kompany, with :
½ x 75/12 leIG/Truck*
1 x Engineer Stand in Truck

78th Artillery Regiment, with :
HQ : 1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car
I & II Artillery Battalions, each with :
3 x 105/28 leFH18 Howitzers/Tractors

42nd Panzerjäger Abteilung, with:
Abteilung HQ:
HQ: 1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car
1st & 2nd Panzerjäger Kps, each with:
3 x 37/45 PaK 35/Trucks
3/58th FlaK Kompany, with :
3 x 20/113 FlaK 30/Trucks

58th Panzerpionier Battalion, with :
Battalion HQ :
HQ: 1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car
1st & 2nd Pionier Kompanies, each with :
3 x Engineer Stands in Trucks
3rd Panzerpionier Kompany, with :
3 x Engineer Stands in Trucks
1 x Pzkpfw II
2 x Pzkpfw I
Pionier Bridging Column (Type K), with :
1 x Engineer Stand in Truck
1 x Small Bridge/Truck

86th FlaK Battalion, with :
Battalion HQ :
HQ: 1 HQ Stand in Staff Car
1st, 2nd, 3rd FlaK Batteries, each with:
3 x Sdkfz 10/4 (Zgkw 1)
or possibly 3 x 20/113 FlaK 30/Trucks

Attached Supports :

1-2 Luftwaffe Heavy FlaK Batteries
(or Army Heavy Panzerjager Batteries),
each with:
1 x 88/56 FlaK/Sdkfz 7 Tractor

8th Panzer Brigade (from 5th Pz.Div), with:
15th Panzer Regiment (2 Battalions)
31st Panzer Regiment (2 Battalions)

635th Pionier Battalion, with :
Battalion HQ :
HQ: 1 x HQ Stand in Staff Car
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Pionier Kps, each with :
3 x Engineer Stands in Trucks
Pionier Bridging Column, with :
1 x Engineer Stand in Truck
1 x Small Bridge/Truck
1 x Large Bridge/Truck

II/45th Artillery Battalion, with :
2 x 150/30 sFH18 Howitzers/Tractors
1 x 105/52 s10cm K18 Gun/Tractor

Notes :

* These Stands are actually only "Half" Stands (i.e. They represent only 2 "actual" weapons). The ½ Stand in the 7th Kradschützen Battalion is actually "on loan" from the 7th Aufklärungs Abteilung, so for game purposes do not use the 75/12 leIG for the Kradschützen and instead treat the 7th Aufklärungs leIG as a full stand. The 150/11 sIG stand in 7th Schützen Regiment can be treated as a full stand since the combined strength of 9/7th Gun Kp and 705th sIG Kp is 8 weapons (2 towed & 6 SP) which equates to 2 Spearhead Stands - 1 for each Kp.

6th Schützen Regiment did not have a 9th Gun Kompany, 7th Schützen Regiment's Kompany had only just been formed on 24 April 1940 and there had not been time to form one for 6th S.R.

** The LTKw (Leichter Truppenluftschütz Kraftwagen) is essentially a Kfz 4 Field Car mounting the Zwillingslafette 36 (Twin MG34 on pedestal mount for AA use). Numerous variants existed depending on which LKW or PKW had been used to mount the weapon (even some Opel Blitz Trucks were used as mounts). Treat this weapon simply as a Truck (Soft Vehicle) with AT -, AI 3, FlaK 1, and Range 9".

88mm Guns were present during the Meuse Crossing, Arras Battle, and other "significant" points during the campaign. Although I have been unable to identify them it is obvious that 1 or 2 Batteries of Luftwaffe Heavy FlaK were probably attached to the Division from Corps Assets. At this time the 88mm were not organised into Battalions, although the Army did have about 4 Heavy Panzerjager units equipped with them, and it may be part of one of these that is attached to Rommel's Division.

31st Panzer Regiment was attached to the Division on 12 May 1940 for a period during the Meuse Crossing.

8th Panzer Brigade was attached to the Division on 26-27 May 1940 for a period during the attack on Lille.

635th Pionier Battalion was attached to the Division on 26 May 1940 to assist in the la Bassée Canal crossing and the attack on Lille.

II/45th Artillery Battalion was attached to the Division on 05 June 1940 until the end of the campaign, and came under the command of the 78th Artillery Regiment.

Author: John Moher

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