Sd Kfz 250 Half Track

Full Title: An Sd.Kfz-250 half-track in front of German tank units, as they prepare for an attack, on July 21, 1941, somewhere along the Russian warfront, during the German invasion of the Soviet Union (Picture Courtesy of the Associated Press)

In addition to the actual panzers equipping German panzer divisions were a slew of armored fighting vehicles (AFV) central to the panzer division's ability to operate as a combined arms team. For example, to transport motorized infantry or panzer grenadiers, Germany developed half tracked armored personnel carriers developed from prime mover chassis used to pull artillery pieces; the Leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen SdKfz 250 and the superb Mittlerer Schutzenpanzerwagen SdKfz 251.

German weapons manufacturers also developed a range of Panzerspahwagen; armored reconnaissance cars for use in the panzer division's reconnaissance battalions alongside motorcycle mounted infantry; however, during the war's early years motorcycle battalions served as the primary reconnaissance units in the panzer divisions. In addition, to control the hordes of panzer initially envisioned for each panzer division as early as the fall of 1939 approximately 200 specialized command tanks had been built off the Panzer I model. Finally, each panzer division included self-propelled artillery pieces and anti-tank weapons, and/or assault guns.