Cult Icon wrote:Your calculation doesn't really have much to do with my statement of the ratio of losses being higher outside of the 'big three' events.
What the panzer units largely did outside of these big events were small counterattacks and hit and run actions.
Seriously? Your "big three events":
"Normandy" - the campaign as such may be said to have extended from 6 June to 25 August 1944. US "armor" losses were 1,185 for the period to 20 August. For the British, the losses to the end of August were 1,189.
"Lorraine" - I'm not sure why you think the Lorraine Campaign of Third Army, which ran from 1 September to 17 December 1944 is a "big three event" for armor, but the Roer River Campaigns of US First and Ninth armies and British 21st Army Group are not? Nevertheless, Third Army losses for the period were 342. Tank Destroyer GMC losses for the period 21 August to 20 December for all US forces in Europe (12th and 6th AG, including First, Third, Seventh, and Ninth Army) were 317. Calling it one-quarter for the Lorraine Campaign makes a total of 421.
"Ardennes" - the campaign as such may be said to have extended from 16 December 1944 to 16 January 1945. US "armor" losses in First Army for the period 13 December 1944 to 19 January 1945 were 520. Third Army losses for the period 17 December 1944 to 19 January 1945 were 258. British losses were negligible. GMC losses (as above) for the period 20 December 1944 to 20 January 1945 were 122. Call it half for the "Ardennes" for a total of 839.
Thus, the "big three events" accounted for perhaps 2,449 of the 10,500. About one-quarter rather than one-half. Yes, those periods, well at least Normandy and the Ardennes, were more intense than the 336-day average, but then that is to be expected, since they account for only about 343 of the 3,914 army "combat days", so less than a tenth.
Meanwhile, when exactly did the "panzer units" during those "big events" execute other than "small counterattacks and hit and run actions"? In Normandy we have the abortive initial I. SS Panzerkorps attacks in early June, the less than week-long Mortain counterattack, and the even briefer La Desert counterattack. In Lorraine we have the Arracourt battles, which lasted slightly more than a week. In the Ardennes, the "big events" lasted, arguably, from 16 December to 25 December.
So what are you referring to?