Grand Europa SS Order of Battle

Grand Europa SS Order of Battle, 1939-1942

by Jason Long with assistance from Jim Broshot

Revised 11 November 98. It was recently pointed out to me that a useful hiding place for most of the Totenkopfstandarten might be to put them in the various SS-Police brigades assigned to most Wehrkreise. This would eliminate a lot of weak counters and the shuffling involved with them. My only concern with doing so is with the timing since the TK standarten began forming in late 1939 and the German 1939 OB published in the FtF revision doesn't include any of them. However, this can be easily rectified in Grand Europa. However, for the nonce, I've left the detailed treatment given below as is.

Sep I 39, Initial Forces:

Field Forces:
1x 3-2-10 mot Inf III
LSSAH (SS)
3x 2-10 mot Inf III
DF, Dtsch, Ger (SS)
1x 1-2-8 mot Art IIIAA=1VT (SS)
1x 1-8 Eng II
Drsdn (SS)
[Note: VT had only 3 battalions of 105mm howitzers; the 150mm howitzer battalion doesn't arrive until 12 July 40. Drsdn was a normal combat engineer unit and acted as such during the Polish campaign, including building bridges.]

Garrisons:
WK VII, [16A:3516 (Munchen)]1x 1-5 Sec III 1 Ob (SS) at Dachau
WK III, [16A:1702 (Oranienbaum)]1x 1-5 Sec III 2 Brbg (SS) at Oranienburg (Sachsenhausen)
WK IX, [16A:2310 (Weimar)]1x 1-5 Sec III 3 Th (SS) at Buchenwald
WK XVII, [16A:3808 (Linz)]1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om at Mauthausen
WK BM1x 1-4 Training X Bnsch (SS)
13A:2401 (Danzig)1x 0-1-4 Static II Danzig (SS)

Sep II 39

WK III, Garrison [16A:1702 (Oranienbaum)]: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 5 Brbg (SS)
WK BM, Garrison [16A:3104 (Prag)]: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 6TK (SS)
WK BM, Garrison [16A:4615 (Brunn)]: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 7TK (SS)
WK GG, Garrison: 1x 1-8 Cav III TK (SS)
WK III, Garrison: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison:
1x 1-5 Sec III 2 Brbg (SS)
WK VII, Garrison: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison:
1x 1-5 Sec III 1 Ob (SS)
WK IX, Garrison: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison:
1x 1-5 Sec III 3 Th (SS)

Oct II 39

WK XX, Garrison: 1x 1-4 Static II AS (SS)
[I have nothing on this unit and am relying on JMA's draft OB.]
WK GG, Garrison: 1x 1-8 mot Inf II RFSS W (SS)
[I have nothing on this unit and am relying on JMA's draft OB.]
Convert: 3x 2-10 mot Inf III DF, Dtsch, Ger (SS), 1x 1-2-8 mot Art III AA=1 VT (SS), and 1x 1-8 Eng II Drsdn (SS) to:
WK BM, Forming: 1x 8-10 mot Inf XX Verf (SS) Convert: 3x 1-5 Sec III 1 Ob, 2 Brbg, 3 Th and 1x 0-1-4 Static II Danzig (SS) to:
WK VII, Forming: 1x 8-10 mot Inf XX TK (SS) and 1x 1-4 Trng III TK (SS)

Nov II 39

WK XVII, Garrison [16A:4302/4303 (Wien)]:1x 0-1-5 Sec III 13TK (SS)
General Government, Garrison: 2x 0-1-5 Sec III 8TK, 11TK (SS)
WK XX, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 9TK (SS)
WK XXI, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 12TK (SS)
WK IX, Garrison [16A:2310 (Weimar)]: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 10TK (SS)
WK BM, Garrison:Transfer to WK XX, Garrison:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 6TK (SS)
WK XVII, Garrison: Transfer to WK BM, Garrison [16A:3104 (Prag)]:
1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS)
WK III, Garrison: Transfer to WK XVII, Garrison [16A:3808 (Linz)]:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 5 Brbg (SS)

Dec I 39

WK BM, Full: 1x 8-10 mot Inf XX Verf (SS)

Feb I 40

WK III, Full: 1x 6-6 Inf XX Pol (SS)

Mar I 40

WK VII, Full: 1x 8-10 mot Inf XX TK (SS)
[Note: TK is placed under Army command at the beginning of March.]
WK XX, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 15TK (SS)

Apr II 40

Convert: 1x 3-2-10 mot Inf III LSSAH (SS) to:
1x 3-10* mot Inf III LSSAH (SS)
WK IX, Garrison: Transfer to WK XX, Garrison [13A:2401 (Danzig)]:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 10TK (SS)

May I 40

Denmark, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 14TK (SS)
WK BM, Garrison [16A:3104 (Prag)]: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 16TK (SS)
WK XVII, Garrison: Transfer to WK II, Garrison [13A:2412 (Stettin)]:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 5 Brbg (SS)
WK XX, Garrison: Transfer to Norway, Garrison:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 6TK (SS)
WK BM, Garrison: Transfer to Norway, Garrison:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 7TK (SS)

May II 40

WK GG, Garrison: Convert: 1x 1-8 Cav III TK (SS) to:
2x 1-8* Cav III 1TK, 2TK (SS)
WK XX, Garrison: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison [13A:4604 (Krakow)]:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 10TK (SS)

Jun II 40

WK GG, Garrison: Transfer to Netherlands, Garrison:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 11TK (SS)
WK BM, Garrison: Transfer to Netherlands, Garrison:
1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS)

Jul II 40

WK II, Garrison: Transfer to WK III, Garrison [16A:1702 (Oranienbaum)]:
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 5 Brbg (SS)

Aug I 40

WK XVII, Garrison: Withdraw: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 13TK (SS)

Aug II 40

Convert: 1x 3-10* mot Inf III LSSAH (SS) to:
1x 5-10* mot Div Grp LSSAH (SS)
[Note: Borderline for consideration as a division-sized formation as it's really just a heavily reinforced regiment. Most of its new artillery battalion is heavy flak so I kept it at self-supported status.]
WK BM, Garrison: withdraw: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 16TK (SS)
WK XXI, Garrison: withdraw: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 12TK (SS)

Sep I 40

Convert: 1x 6-6 Inf XX Pol (SS) to: 1x 7-6 Inf XX Pol (SS)
[Note: SS-Polizei-Division receives SS artillery regiment in Sep 1940]
WK VII, Forming: 1x 2-10 mot Inf III West (SS)
WK XVII, Forming: 1x 2-10 mot Inf III NL (SS)
[Note: The beginnings of SS-Division Wiking, from foreign volunteers; Westland from primarily Dutch citizens and Nordland from primarily Norwegian citizens]

Nov II 40

Norway, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec II K (SS)
WK III, Garrison: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 5 Brbg (SS)
Denmark, Garrison: Transfer to Netherlands, Garrison: 1x 0-1-5 Sec III 14TK (SS)
WK XXI, Garrison: Withdraw: 2x 0-1-5 Sec III 9TK, 15TK (SS)

Jan I 41

Convert: 1x 8-10 mot Inf XX Verf (SS),
1x 0-1-5 Sec III 11TK (SS) (Netherlands Garrison),
1x 2-10 mot Inf III West (SS) (WK VII, Forming), and:
1x 2-10 mot Inf III NL (SS) (WK XVII, Forming) to:
France, Forming: 1x 9-10 mot Inf XX Reich (SS) and
WK V, Forming: 1x 9-10 mot Inf XX Wiking (SS)
[SS-Standarte Germania and other units are detached from Reich to fill out Wiking; SS-Standarte 11 (formerly a Totenkopf unit) is attached to Reich to return it to 3 regiment strength and it acquires an assault gun battery and a motorcycle battalion; Reich trains in Southern France (Haute Saone Region).]
Convert: 1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS) to:
1x 1-8 Inf III 4 Om (SS)
Convert: 7x 0-1-5 Sec III 5 Brbg, 6TK, 7TK, 8TK, 10 TK, 14TK (SS) to:
7x 1-8 Inf III 5 Brbg, 6TK, 7TK, 8TK, 10 TK, 14TK (SS)
[Note: This compresses the motorization of the TK and their reorganization as SS-Infanterie-Rgts into one step. The date is arbitrarily chosen as slightly more than half way between these two events. The numerous withdrawals in the Summer of '40 free up the necessary troops to build up the surviving units, but I couldn't figure out a way to directly show this. If the TK units are incorporated in the SS-Pol brigades then most of these would just appear with 6 and 7 being absorbed into the forming Nord division.]

Feb I 41

WK GG, Garrison: Convert: 1x 1-8 mot Inf II RFSS W (SS) to:
1x 1-10 mot Inf II RFSS B (SS)
[Support dot isn't justifed as 3. batterie was flak. Released from garrison Sep I?]

Mar I 41

WK III, Forming: 1x 1-2-8 AA=1 Art III Nord (SS)
[Note: Location and date for the formation of Nord's artillery regiment is tentative]
Norway, Garrison: Convert 1x 0-1-5 Sec II K (SS) to:
1x 1-8 Inf III 9TK (SS)

Apr I 41

France, Full: 1x 9-10 mot Inf XX Reich (SS)
WK VII, Full: 1x 9-10 mot Inf XX Wiking (SS)

May I 41

Netherlands, Garrison: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison: 2x 1-8 Inf III 4 Om, 14TK (SS)

Jun I 41

Convert: 1x 5-10* mot Div Grp LSSAH (SS) to:
1x 6-10* mot Div Grp LSSAH
[Note: acquires an extra infantry battalion and a variety of small units. Presence of only a StuG batterie of 7 vehicles doesn't deserve PzG status. Formally termed a brigade.]
WK III, Full: 1x 1-2-8 AA=1 Art III Nord (SS)
Transfer to Finland: 1x 1-2-8 AA=1 Art III Nord (SS)
Norway, Garrison: Transfer to Finland:
2x 1-8 Inf III 6TK, 7TK (SS)

Jun II 41

WK GG, Garrison: Convert: 2x 1-8* Cav III 1TK, 2TK (SS) to:
East: 1x 3-8* Cav X Fgln (SS)
WK GG, Garrison: Transfer to East: 2x 1-8 Inf III 4 Om, 5 Brbg (SS)
[Note: This is probably not worth representing in Total War as these two counters appear only for a single turn. If so then ignore transfer to East.]

Jul I 41

Greater Germany, Forming: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II finn (SS)
[This is the N-O battalion familiar to players of FitE. It was redesignated as the Finnish volunteer battalion before reaching the front in January.]
East: Transfer to WK I, Garrison: 2x 1-8 Inf III 4 Om, 5 Brbg (SS)
[Note: See above comments for Jun II on these units. If alternate treatment is followed then transfer from from WK GG to WK I this turn]

Jul II 41

WK GG, Forming: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II Flndrn (SS)
[Note: This has only 3 infantry companies plus heavy weapons and anti-tank companies.]
WK XXI, Forming: 1-6 Inf II Dan (SS)
[Note: This has only 3 infantry companies plus a heavy weapons company.]

Aug I 41

WK XI, Forming: 1x 1-6 Inf II Norw (SS)
WK GG, Forming: 1x 2-3-6 Inf X Ndr (SS)

Aug II 41

Norway, Garrison: Release and Transfer to East, Arctic: 1x 1-8 Inf III 9TK (SS)

Sep I 41

WK I, Garrison, Disband: 1x 1-8 Inf III 5 Brbg (SS) (Replacement points received in East Theater)
WK I, Garrison, Convert: 1x 1-8 Inf III Om (SS) to:
1x 1-5 Sec III Om (SS)
WK I, Garrison: Transfer to East: 1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS)
WK GG, Forming: Transfer to WK I, Forming: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II Flndrn (SS)
WK GG, Garrison: Transfer to East: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II RFSS B (SS)
[Note: RFSS Begleit is in the East on anti-partisan ops by Oct II, presumed released with 2. SS-Inf. Brigade (mot.)?]

Nov II

WK I, Full: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II Flndrn (SS)
Transfer to East: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II Flndrn (SS)

Dec I 41

East: Transfer to WK GG, Garrison: 1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS)
East, Arctic: Transfer to East: 1x 1-8 Inf III 9TK (SS)

Dec II 41

WK GG Garrison: Transfer to East: 1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS)

Jan I 42

Greater Germany, Full: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II finn (SS)
Transfer to East: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II finn (SS)
WK XI, Full: 1x 1-6 Inf II Norw (SS)

Jan II 42

WK GG, Full: 1x 2-3-6 Inf X Ndr (SS)
Transfer to East: 1x 2-3-6 Inf X Ndr (SS)
[Note: This unit doesn't seem to be motorized. One source says it was shipped from Danzig to Libau, marched on foot from Libau to Riga, and then was trucked to the front.]

Feb II 42

WK XI, Transfer to East: 1x 1-6 Inf II Norw (SS)
[Holding Norwegen in Germany once it is full is the only way I've thought of to show that it basically sits there for a month and a half before it goes East because of transport shortages. A more detailed treatment would show that it moves to WK II on Feb I, but there's little point to such detail.]

Apr I 42

East: Replacement Pool, Remove: 1x 3-8* Cav X Fgln (SS)
WK GG: Forming: 1x 5-8 Cav XX Fgln (SS)
[Note: Fegelein leaves behind a small kampfgruppe until the end of June. I chose to represent this by withdrawing it from the replacement pool despite only small losses; the inf RPs yielded more than simulate the effects of the kampfgruppe.]

Apr II 42

East: Replacement Pool, Remove:
1x 1-5 Sec III 4 Om (SS)
1x 2-3-6 Inf X Ndr (SS)

May I 42

WK XXI, Full: 1x 1-6 Inf II Dan (SS)
Transfer to East: 1-6 Inf II Dan (SS)
Southeast, Forming: 1x 7-8 Mtn XX 7 PE (SS)

Jun II 42

East: Return: 1x 2-3-6 Inf X Ndr (SS)
Transfer: 1x 4-8 mot Inf Cdr (9-10) Reich (SS) to West, France:
Convert: 1x 2-8 mot Inf Cdr (6-10) LSSAH (SS) to:
1x 6-10 mot Inf Div Grp LSSAH (SS)
[Two more battalions are assigned to LSSAH as well as a number of new companies.]
East: Remove from replacement pool: 2x 1-8 Inf III 6 TK, 7TK (SS)
Convert: 1x 1-2-8 Art III AA=1 Nord to:
1x 7-8 Mtn XX 6 N (SS)
[Still uncertain how to handle this reorganization as well as the exact date.]

Jul II 42

East: Convert: 1x 4-8 mot Inf Cdr (9-10) Wiking (SS) and 1x 1-10 mot Inf II finn (SS) to:
1x 6-8 PzG Cdr (13-10) Wiking (SS)
Transfer: 1x 6-10 mot Inf XX LSSAH (SS) to West, France:
West, France: Convert: 1x 6-10 mot Inf XX LSSAH (SS) to:
Forming: 1x 18-10 Pz XX LSSAH (SS)
West, France: Convert: 1x 4-8 mot Inf Cdr (9-10) Reich (SS) to:
Forming: 1x 18-10 Pz XX Reich (SS)
[I've compressed the entire reorganization and rebuilding of these divisions into a single step.]

Aug I 42

East: Withdraw: 1x 1-8 Inf III 9TK (SS)
Replacement Pool, Remove: 1x 1-6 Inf II Dan (SS)

Aug II 42

East: Convert: 1x 6-8 PzG Cdr (13-10) Wiking (SS) to:
1x 13-10 PzG XX Wiking (SS)
[Note: Wiking absorbs the Finnish battalion to replace a battalion in its Nordland Rgt. However, it, III./Germania, and all of Westland were demotorized temporarily and didn't participate in the opening stages of Fall Blau. After a month or so they received new trucks and rejoined the division.]

Sep I 42

WK GG: Full: 1x 5-8 Cav XX Fgln (SS)

Oct I 42

East: replace: 1x 1-10 mot Inf II Flndrn (SS)

Oct II 42

East: Replacement Pool, Remove: 1x 9-10 mot Inf XX TK (SS)
France, Forming: 1x 17-10 Pz XX TK (SS)
[Note: TK is but a skeleton of its former self when it is withdrawn from the Demyansk Pocket. It absorbs the 9. SS-Infanterie-Rgt., aka Rgt. Thule, in partial replacement of its losses]

Nov I 42

WK XVIII, Forming: 1x 1-8 High Mtn II Kw (SS)

Nov II 42

East: Return: 1-6 Inf II Dan (SS)

Jan I 43

Southeast, Full: 1x 7-8 Mtn XX 7 PE (SS)
For more detailed information on many of the minor Waffen-SS units see my Obscure Units of the SS page
Return to Europa OBs.