In his last post Niklas Zetterling notes that around 20% of German tanks lost in battle were destroyed. Here is the data I have for Kursk in July 1943Â (pages 1336, 1337, and 1339 of my Kursk book):
Unit……………….Tanks Destroyed……..Tanks Damaged……..Percent Destroyed
3rd PzDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 70Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 15%
GD PzGrDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 144Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 15
Panthers              42                               188                           18
11th PzDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 124Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 9
LSSAH PzGrDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 138Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 13
DR SS PzGrDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 129Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 12
T SS PzGrDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 121Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 13
6th PzDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 87Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 17
7th PzDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 103Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 20
19th PzDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 89Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 21
503rd “T” Bn            5                                 70                              7
StuG units                 5                                 47                           10
Total                     226                             1310                          15%
Note that my count of tanks damaged/destroyed include those that broke down in combat. This is not an insignificant portion. It does not include tanks that were damaged or broken down during the day but were back in the action before they reported towards the end of the day a count of tanks ready-for-action. Rarely do we have reports of tanks damaged, mostly just reports of the number ready-for-action each day.
These figures include assault guns. Also, these figures include Marders (self-propelled anti-tank guns), which is why they differ slightly from the figures in my previous posts.
The units are listed from left to right (west to east) as they were deployed on 5 July 1943. They were organized into three panzer corps.
Also see:
Thanks
If you can also add the ratio of the Undamaged tanks (of the Total OOB), it would help to understand the attrition of the German armour.
I think you would be interested in Table III.51 of my book on page 1338. Total committed was 1749. Total damaged was 1310. Total destroyed was 226. Of course, some tanks were damaged more than once. So for example, for the Tigers (Panzer VI) total committed was 89, total damaged was 140, total destroyed was 8.
I love finding and absorbing little snap-shots of information like this. As my passion project currently is the development of combat models for a WW2 computer strategy game. These insights add to a library of information running around in my head that are applied when designing the models. I’m striving to provide the player as close to an authentic simulation of managing the conflict as possible within the scope of a playable game design.
As an aside, Dupuy, and you as well Mr Lawrence, have been influential in providing me with direction, and inspiration through your works. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading the books and blog posts. I look forward to reading your future projects.
Thanks. We are the only people who are regularly doing this type of work….which kind of amazes me.