Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] Order of Battle - March, 1945

[RegimentNorge23]

Hello, i am currently making a mod for a World War Two strategy game called Hearts of Iron 4. The mod will give the player the responsibility for Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] and experience the same conditions the German Generals faced during the last days of the war in Europe.

The mod is called Hearts of Iron 4 - Grand Battle Strategy and is not announced yet. What i need some help with is a realistic overview of the order of battle of Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] from 1st of March till 16th of April, 1945. I have roughly made up a overview of the order of battle of Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] without reliable sources, i hoped someone could helped me out.

Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula]

General Gotthard Heinrici

3. Panzerarmee

General Hasso von Manteuffel

Swinemunde Korps - General John Ansat
2. Marine-Infanterie-Division (Not available)
402. Marine-Infanterie-Division (Not available)

XXXII. Korps - General Friedrich-August Schack
340. Volksgrenadier-Division
281. Infanterie-Division
549. Volksgrenadier-Division

Oder-Korps - SS-Obergruppenführer Erich von dem Bach
Infanterie-Division Klossek
610. Infanterie-Division

XXXXVI. Panzer Korps - General Martin Gareis
547. Volksgrenadier-Division
1. Marine-Infanterie-Division

9. Armee

General Theodor Busse

CI. Korps - General Wilhelm Berlin
5. Jäger-Division
390. Infanterie-Division Berlin
25. Panzergrenadier-Division
Kampfgruppe 1001 Nacht [1001 Nights]

LVI. Panzer Korps - General Helmuth Weidling
9. Fallschirmjäger-Division
18. Panzergrenadier-Division
20. Panzergrenadier-Division
Panzer-Division "Müncheberg "

XI. SS-Panzer Korps
303. Infanterie-Division “Döberitz”
169. Infanterie-Division
Panzergrenadier-Division "Kurmark"
V. SS-Gebirgs Korps - SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS und der Polizei Friedrich Jeckeln
286. Infanterie-Division
32. SS-Freiwilligen Grenadier-Division “30. Januar”
391. Sicherungs-Division

Heeresgruppen-Reserve

III. SS-Panzer Korps - SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Felix Steiner
11. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division “Nordland” (Later sent to 9. Armee)
23. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division “Nederland” (Later sent to 9. Armee)
27. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division “Langemarck” (Later sent to 3. Panzerarmee)
28. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division “Wallonien” (Later sent to 3. Panzerarmee)

[FORBIN Yves]

Hello, i am currently making mod for a World War Two strategy game called Hearts of Iron 4. The mod will give the player the responsibility for Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] and experience the same conditions the German Generals faced during the last days of the war in Europe.

The mod is called Hearts of Iron 4 - Grand Battle Strategy and is not announced yet. What i need some help with is a realistic overview of the order of battle of Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] from 1st of March till 16th of April, 1945. I have roughly made up a overview of the order of battle of Herresgruppe Weichsel [Vistula] without reliable sources, i hoped someone could helped me out.

OOB you post is for 16 april you want also number of tanks etc... by unit ?

[RegimentNorge23]

Yes! That would be great. Do you know where these Korps were deployed as well?

[Art]

Here is a detailed OOB as of 1 March:
http://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/pages/301338/map

Also situation maps, OOBs and tank strength for other dates in this folder:
http://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/de/n ... e-weichsel

[FORBIN Yves]

For Russians here with strenth etc… very detailed ! and in Kindle very cheaper.

The Berlin Operation, 1945

Also
Prelude to Berlin: The Red Army's Offensive Operations in Poland and Eastern Germany, 1945

https://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=dp_byline_s ... evancerank

[FORBIN Yves]

Yes! That would be great. Do you know where these Korps were deployed as well?

I can't post all for every week ofc but in the OOB you have posted it is north to south except III. SS-PzK in reserve behind 3. Panzerarmee

Remains 3 mechanized units which are presents end march in the Kustrin area 10. SS-Panzer-Division after go with 4. Panzerarmee ( the more powerful Pz.Div. in april with about 100 tanks/StuGs/Jg.Pz. ! ) 25. Pz.Div. and Führer-Grenadier-Division who go further south also

[RegimentNorge23]

Alright, thanks! Yeah i know they were in reserve, north of Berlin right? Do you know when Steiners 11. Armee was established? From what i know it wasn't up to Army strenght.

[FORBIN Yves]

Steiners 11. Armee in fact a Corps foz size for power a big ID... start operations near Oranienburg about 25 april


I add for III. SS-PzK in fact composed of only 2. SS-Div. the 16/04 near Angermünde :
11 SS PZG : 11000 mens, 23 St,10 JPz IV plus 503 Heavy SS-Pz.Btl. in the SS-Pz.Btl. 11 in fact a company with 12 Tiger II destroying dozens of tanks to the N-E of Berlin about 150 ! and in the city BTW he losse only 2 Tiger II before enter in Berlin and remains 10 inside one in the Postdamer Platz destroying many Soviet tanks !
23. SS PZG : in fact a big Bde, 7500 mens, 6 Stugs + 19 Hetzer


28. SS-Div. - 3. Panzerarmee reserve with 5000 mens to west of Grambow

27. SS-Div. - Heeresgruppe Weichsel reserve with 6000 mens

And during the battle many circumstance units created almost each week i have all but dificult to explain

Enough unusual during Berlin Battle Alkett plant to Spandau that build the greatest number of StuGs continued to build and the StuG 249 Bde had received his 31 StuGs 20 - 22/04 amazing ! the crew received in the factory as Soviets with T-34 to Stalingrad the painting was not even completely finished enormeous !
http://ncode.syosetu.com/n4826cz/5/

[FORBIN Yves]

15/03/1945

[RegimentNorge23]

Wow, interesting! Thank you so much. I have heard of a similiar story that i think was with Pz.Div. "Müncheberg" where they somehow picked up a few Panthers with the new Infrared Scopes, very interesting.

[FORBIN Yves]

Your welcome

Here very good exist also in PDF ( with excelent maps, charts ! ) in a US Army site what link ?
https://zapdoc.tips/battlebook-battle-o ... lin-c.html

Steiners 11. Armee attack 25/04
http://www.gutenberg-e.org/esk01/maps/L ... 45a_lg.jpg

Others maps for the 16 april the 8 april is good
http://www.gutenberg-e.org/esk01/eskmap.html

[valentine III]

Sorry to resurrect this old threat but I think is the best way.

I'm getting confused with the famous Steiner's counterattack, if there was one. Different sources read seem to contradict. There was and attack in the direction of Berlin on the 24th of April, from the Finow canal south till more or less Klosterfelde: about 10 Km of woodland. It was stopped by 1st Polish army resistance and forced to retire to the Finow canal again. I don't know wich german forces mada this try.

Steiner's corps was asked to launch a powerful attack from west of Oranienburg and for this he needed to use 25 Panzer grenadier division and other forces. This attack is said not to have been launched and create a nervous crisis on the bunker, but on Lage ost 25th April, the 25th PGD is situated just were they were supossed to launch the attack. Also in "Panzers in the sand, the history of panzer regiment 5, 1942-1945" is said that the division was from the 20/04 till 24/04 on Ebersbalde and on the 25th was to the west of Oranienburg, where the division conducted a last attack south and where the Panzer abt. 5 was able to acquit well until the division was forced to yield to the soviet counterattacks and the situation elsewhere on the front.

So there was a counterattack or there was not??

Thanks,

[Art]

According to A.S. Hamilton 25 PzGr.Div. made achieved some progress at Oranienburg-Germendorf until the attack was called off. As situation report of the 1 Polish Army described it:

In the sector of the 2nd Infantry Division in the area of the bridge over the Ruppiner Channel /5074d/ the enemy with forces of up to an infantry battalion supported by 6 tanks and assault guns managed to push troops of the 5 Infantry Regiment a little to the south from the Ruppiner Channel.
...
2 Infantry division with a part of its forces continues a battle for destruction of a penetrating hostile group of about a reinforced battalion strength in the area 600 meters west of the bridge /5078a/, 500 meters west of the second bridge /5074d/ and about 500 meters south of the Ruppiner Channel.

Sit.report from 20.00 26.4.45.
https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/view/?id=152131914

Further reports spoke about mopping up the forest south of the Ruppiner Channel. It doesn't seem that they were particularly impressed by this counterattack.