Fewer Panzers, more Jagdpanzers?

August 1944. Somehow Hitler is convinced that since his empire is being strained economically and broken militarily, in order to maximize AFV production he should drastically reduce tank production and increase assault gun/jagdpanzer production, because self-propelled guns are cheaper.

So the Panzer IV is put entirely out of production, and Stug IVs and Jagdpanzer IVs are built instead. Panther production is reduced slightly and a few more Jagdpanthers are produced. Meanwhile Tiger II production is cut in half to make room for more Jagdtigers.

What would happen next?
 
Well, the Sturmgeschutz III tank destroyer was the armored vehicle that saw greatest production output during the entire war. I don't think any other model came close in matching its sheer numbers during its production run. Very successful vehicle and saw service in nearly every theatre.

Back to original question, I think it'd help significantly in holding off the Allies' final thrust towards Germany. By this point the Germans were fighting a defensive war anyway, so TDs that could lie in ambush in prepared positions would nicely complement the prevailing strategy.
 
The problem with more armoured vehicles is the same one that plagued the OTL army. Lack of fuel.
While on paper tank destroyers look more economical in defence on a cost-per-vehicle basis, they will drink more fuel, which simply isnt available.
 
Cancel all but Tiger/Pather production plan

The problem with more armoured vehicles is the same one that plagued the OTL army. Lack of fuel.
While on paper tank destroyers look more economical in defence on a cost-per-vehicle basis, they will drink more fuel, which simply isnt available.

Wasn't there a recommendation from Guderien or OKW in late 1942 that ALL AFV production except Tigers and Pathers be ended for exactly the reason you state?

I remember reading it in a history of the Kursk campaign, and the comment that it was the council of despair since it would lead to a drastic drop in production for the time it took to shift production away from the long list of vehicles actually being produced. It would also simplify logistics - fewer spare parts supply lines, fewer vehicles means less fuel consumed in total etc - and probably reduce total vehicle production.

The idea, as I understand it, was that Germany could stand the loss of a few months production better than the men and fuel consumed sending people against T-34's and KV's in Panzer III's etc (still in use for Kursk apparently). Fewer tanks whose crews lived long enough to become veterans was considered the smart move. That was supposedly the theory.

Or of course since I haven't heard the story repeated anywhere else it could be just a crazy idea that went nowhere for good reason.:D
 
Well, it could be argued that they would have been better off with a single tank model for (counter)thrusts and a light tank destroyer (ex. JagdPz.38) for defence, ambushes etc. but, as stated previously, that doesn't bypass the fuel problem. Yes, a light destroyer doesn't drink anywhere as much as a Tiger, but you still won't solve the overarching issue, just delay it.
 

Commissar

Banned
August 1944. Somehow Hitler is convinced that since his empire is being strained economically and broken militarily, in order to maximize AFV production he should drastically reduce tank production and increase assault gun/jagdpanzer production, because self-propelled guns are cheaper.

So the Panzer IV is put entirely out of production, and Stug IVs and Jagdpanzer IVs are built instead. Panther production is reduced slightly and a few more Jagdpanthers are produced. Meanwhile Tiger II production is cut in half to make room for more Jagdtigers.

What would happen next?

Sherman Crews will have fun taking these things out:
Dead.jpg

Dead.jpg
 
The problem with more armoured vehicles is the same one that plagued the OTL army. Lack of fuel.
While on paper tank destroyers look more economical in defence on a cost-per-vehicle basis, they will drink more fuel, which simply isnt available.

So for this reason the Tiger II may not have been as bad an idea as one might think?
 
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