Panzertruppen

The Panzertruppe (Armoured Force) is a combat arms branch concerned with armored warfare. It works closely with the Infantry Branch. Apart from Headquarters and School Staff the majority of the Kavallerie are on reserve status.

History
The Kavallerie-Regimenter trace their lineage directly to the original regiments of the Royal Prussian Army formed in 1836. The first experiments with mechanization occurred between 1918 and 1920, but until 1940 the Cavalry remained mainly horsed. In 1940 the Panzertruppe (Armoured Force) was formed to command the new Tank units in the direct combat role, and the Cavalry began to give up their horses for Armoured Cars and operated in the reconnaissance role. By 1950 the entire Cavalry force was mechanized and was absorbed into the Armoured Force. The next major change came in 2009, with the absorption of the Artillerietruppe and the transfer of IFV crews to the branch.

Organisation
The Panzertruppe is headed by a Inspekteur der Kavallerie and consists of the Branch Headquarters, Panzer-Schule (Armoured School), and several units, either integrated or single field of service. There are 4 fields of service; Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, Artillery and Armoured Infantry. The Armoured Infantry Field consists of the crews of the Schützenpanzer 09's which are attached to the Infanterietruppe.

Equipment

 * Kampfpanzer 09 Schwartzen Adler
 * Schützenpanzer 09 Löwe
 * Panzerhaubitze 98 Donner
 * Leichter Gepanzerter Spähwagen 01 Fuchs

Units
The Panzertruppe continue the traditions of the cavalry regiments of the old Royal Prussian Army, as seen in the continued use of old regimental titles. (All units are on reserve status during peacetime)
 * Kürassier-Regiment Graf Wrangel (Heavy Cavalry)
 * Kürassier-Regt Herzog Friedrich Eugen von Württemberg (Heavy Cavalry)
 * Dragoner-Regiment Prinz Albrecht von Preußen (Heavy Cavalry)
 * Dragoner-Regiment König Albert von Sachsen (Heavy Cavalry)
 * 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment (Cavalry)
 * 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Königin Viktoria von Preußen (Cavalry)
 * Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Alexander III von Rußland (Cavalry)
 * Ulanen-Regiment Graf zu Dohna (Cavalry)
 * Lithauisches Ulanen-Regiment (Cavalry)
 * Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr.9 (Heavy Cavalry)
 * Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr.10 (Heavy Cavalry)


 * Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Prinz August von Preußen
 * 1. Ostpreußisches Feld-Artillerie-Regiment
 * 1. Westpreußisches Feld-Artillerie-Regiment

Training
Officers

On completion of their Initial Officer Training at the Military Academy in Königsberg and the Infantry Platoon Leaders Course at the Infantrieschule, the newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenants attend the Basic Armor Officer Course at the Panzer-Schule. The course is divided into two phases; Phase 1 is where Armour training begins in earnest. During Phase 1, Officers will learn to drive an armoured fighting vehicle, operate its communications equipment, fire its weapons, deploy it in battle and direct its crew.

During Phase 2, the Officers bring together all the knowledge and skills they have learned so far. Beginning with the primary duties of a Reconnaissance Troop Leader, they are exposed to the planning and command aspects of Armour operations including surveillance, reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance and direct-fire support. On completion of Phase 2, most Officers will be posted to Kavallerie-Regimenter for employment as Reconnaissance Troop Leaders. Officers selected for direct-fire training also receive instruction in 140-mm gunnery techniques and an introduction to direct-fire tactics and operations. Upon completion of direct-fire training, these officers will be posted to schweres Kavallerie-Regimenter for employment as Tank Troop Leaders and Direct Fire Support Troop Leaders.

Officers selected for the Artillerietruppe will learn the basic duties of a Field Artillery Officer, and a Target Acquisition Officer. This includes reconnaissance and deployment of a wide variety of equipment including indirect fire Artillery equipment, radars and UAVs. They will develop and refine their fire-discipline skills, and learn to move a gun battery on the battlefield, to bring guns into action quickly, and to select and prepare a gun position.

Soldiers

After completing the Basic Infantry Course at the School of Infantry, soldiers assigned to the Kavallerie-Regimenter attend the Basic Armor Crewman Course at the Panzer-Schule for 6 weeks training including:
 * Driving and maintaining the AFVs they will be using;
 * Firing and maintaining weapon systems currently used in the AFV's;
 * Identifying Bexaran and foreign military vehicles, aircraft and equipment;
 * Using tactical command-and-control communications equipment;
 * Organization, roles, doctrine and tactics of armor, artillery and reconnaissance; and
 * History and traditions of the Kavallerie-Regimenter.

Field Gunners attend Basic Gunnery Training at the Panzer-Schule. Basic Gunnery Training takes about five weeks and covers the following topics:
 * Recognizing, sorting and handling the various types of artillery ammunition;
 * Gun-position duties;
 * Gun drills for the Panzerhaubitze 98 Donner self-propelled 155-mm howitzer;
 * Map-reading;
 * Maintenance of guns and vehicles;
 * Camouflage of guns and vehicles
 * Field communications, including use of radios and field telephones; and
 * Basic survival, including: use of personal weapons, unarmed combat, and recognition of minefields and booby-traps.

Links

 * Bexar
 * Kriegsministerium
 * Bexarische Landeswehr