Urgent request - tank commands !

[Marc von Martial]

Hi guys, I have an urgent request here. I would need some typicall commands for tank crews for the following events:

1. Assault a position / General Assault
2. Moving forward
3. Moving with use of cover / cautious
4. Defend orders (like waching a treeline etc.)
5. Fire orders

I would need typicall US / UK and GER commands if possible. Any as much variation as you know of.

So all you thread heads, fire for effects now...


Thanks, Marc

[Resisti]

Hi Mark.

WB, aka The Kunel, aka The Wild one, aka, well you know who I'm talking about , published some times ago an article on Raiders' HQ site, about a transcript of a true conversation between tank(Stuarts) Commanders, which took place somewhen on Guadalcanal.

You can find it here: http://www.militarygameronline.com/raid ... hatter.asp

I'm sure it will give some good idea

[Marc von Martial]

Interesting read, but I´m looking at actuall commands, like "Driver advance" for example.

[Orzel Bialy]

How about these...and perhaps some of our German friends can verify 100%, just in case.

Laden und sichern.................load and put weapon on safe (lock)
Feuer.....................................fire (or Schiessen......shoot)
Feuer frei................................fire at will
Feinde....................................enemy
Tiefflieger...............................combat plane
Kampflinie..............................make a battle line
Kampfkreis.............................make a battle circle
Gerade aus........................... go straight ahead
Gehen links gehen rechts..... go left go right
Langsam............................... go slow
Stille...................................... be silent
Sei ruhig.................................be quiet
Warten Sie.............................wait
Bleiben Sie.............................stay
Hinlegen.................................get down
Deckung.................................take cover
Auseinanderziehen................spread out
Eingraben...............................dig in
Aufstehen...............................get up
Laufen Sie...............................run
Schnell....................................hurry
Los..........................................go
Angriff......................................attack
Gegenangriff...........................counterattack
Gefahr.....................................danger
Zu befehl.................................as you have ordered
Jawohl.....................................yes, affirmative
Ja.............................................yes
Nein.........................................no
Beobachten Sie.......................observe
Aufklaeren Sie.........................do a recon
Haende hoch...........................hands up
.

[Marc von Martial]

Let me clarify again , I´m not looking for some commands. I´m looking for the specific commands for vehicle crews. Like "Driver forward" , "Gunner load HE" etc. etc. and that only for the above events.

Thanks

[Orzel Bialy]

my bad....

[Bernie]

I seem to recall a book I read over 20 years ago, about a British tank commander in NA during the war, that had some pretty detailed passages in it, including verbatim dialogues. I'll search for it, but I can't recall where I last had it. Might still be in my Mom's house. One thing I do recall, from other books I've read, is that in American units the TC (tank commander) would "spot" targets for the gunner and call them out on a clock system (ie: "Gunner! Panzer at 1 o'clock!") and that commands given on British tanks were in a red/green systen (port/starboard?) from the centerline (ie: "Gunner! Panzer at red 10!") Also, it was typical for the TC to order the loader to load a specific type of round (ie: "Loader! Load AP!" (or sabot/HE/whatever)) and the loader to repeat back the order and report the gun "up" (ie: "Load AP! (pause while running the round home and clearing himself from the recoil path) UP!") at which point the gunner should have aquired the target and acknowledged it (ie: "Tiger at 1 o'clock") and then, as the shot was fired yell, "On the way!"

Hope that helps Marc!

[Grenadier]

Vor-Forward

So to move the tank you would say
Panzer vor

Change to the name of the driver-
My German is not that good
Driver-Vor

[Voriax]

Here are fire/move orders for US tankers, from a current field manual: http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/17-12-8/ch5.htm

I doubt they have changed much over the years except for some new additions (missile fire, new target types)

And this article has the German WW2 tank firing routine: http://www.panzerlexikon.de/hinter/schuss.htm
(in German)

Voriax

[Jim1954]

Ok now, new idea for a sub-forum:

" Just Ask Voriax"

no tidbit of info is too small or vague!

no picture that can't be identified!

most all languages served!

1-800-694-8255

( 1-IKN-OWITALL)

Have your Mastercard or Visa Ready!

lol

[Karnaaj]

First, let me <insert drool here> ovewr the vidclips available on that PanzerLexicon site mentioned above. (www.panzerlexicon.de)

And now... I suspect the actual phrasing went something like this, at least in Allied tanks.

(Any crew member): "Tiger! One o'clock!"

(Any other crew member): "I've soiled my armour!"

Just hadda be the first one to use that line, folks. <G>

[mdavid9453]

Hi Marc,

From what I remember of my days as a Tanker, the only formal commands were the fire commands. Fire commands consist of:

Alert (usually Gunner)
Ammo (Sabot/HEAT/Coax(machine gun))
Target description (tank, PC, troops, helicopter, etc.)
Command of execution (fire or fire and adjust if TC is giving control to the gunner because the TC is engaging targets with the 50 cal.)
Round observation (short, over, target, or doubtful (left or right))

A typical fire Gunnery fire command might look like this:

Prior to engagement or if on manuevers at the time of move out:

TC (Tank Commander): Battle carry Sabot/HEAT (depending upon expected target)
Loader: Sabot/HEAT loaded.
Gunner: Sabot/HEAT indexed

Start of engagement or at contact with enemy:

TC: Gunner Sabot two tanks, left tank first.
Loader: UP! (meaning the gun was armed)
Gunner: Identified. (target identified)
TC: Driver move out. (to hull down from turret down if in defensive engagement)
TC: Driver stop. (once hull down has been reached)
TC: Fire
Gunner: On the way. (fires gun on the "y" of way)
TC: Target, right tank.
Gunner: Identified
Loader: UP! (after loading another round)
TC: Fire
Gunner: On the way
TC: Target. Cease Fire. Driver back up.

When manuevering, the TC usually directed the Driver by simply saying go left or right. He might tell the driver he wants to get to a certain place and let the driver decide how best to get there. A good driver knows how to pick good routes.

I hope this was what you are looking for.

[Marc von Martial]

Thanks guys, the links were helpfull.