The Three Kameraden – Two Maxs and a Moritz

Eastern Front

The Three Kameraden
– Two Maxs and a Moritz

With Adam Brooker

One thing the Germans did really well in WW2, was to try to strap the biggest guns they could, on the largest chassis they had lying around. Later in the war you had vehicles like the Elefant, Jagdpanther and Jagdtiger which are the ultimate examples of this. But the real pioneers of this type of gun-strapping ‘more Dakka’ idealism, after the Bunkerflak or Buffalo, was the Dicker Max (Fat Max) and Sturer Emil (Stubborn Emil). The Eastern Front Compilation gives us another two real designs that were actually fielded in combat in the early parts of World War 2, even up to the battle of Stalingrad in this case. The Germans gave these vehicles predictably long designations, the Panzer Selbstfahrlafette (Armoured Self-propelled Carriage) or Pz.Sfl. for short. 

The Dicker Max (Pz.Sfl. IVa) was the earlier of the two, it was designed to fight through the French Maginot Line, a series of strongpoints and fortifications on the borders of France and Germany. The Germans realised while fighting in Poland, the need for a mobile breakthrough weapon to help punch through significant fortifications which the Germans often had to bypass or encircle as they did not want to spend the time or lives reducing them.

In the case of the Maginot line, they may not have a choice, but in the end France fell before the two prototype Schartenbrecher (Bunker Buster) were delivered in 1941.
A Dicker Max and a Sturer Emil hunt for targets

The Dicker Max was made by mounting a long range s10cm K18 artillery piece with a muzzle break on a modified Panzer IV chassis. The chassis had an open-topped structure built to house the giant gun, with 50mm of armour at the front at 15° and 20mm thick armour around the sides to protect the crew, armoured ammunition storage bins (26 rounds), and curiously an identical fake drives compartment on the righthand side matching the one on the left. This large rounded fighting compartment gave it its nickname Fat Max.

The vehicle now developed as a tank-destroyer, had a limited transverse of 8° to the left and right, elevation 10° and an excellent depression 15°. 

The Dicker Max lost to the ammunition fire

But the gun was significantly better than the Flak18 which was the largest vehicle mounted anti-tank gun previously, could penetrate 111mm of armour with a 30° slope, at 2000m, around 30% better than the 8.8cm Flak.

Put into combat trials on the Eastern Front in 1941 with Panzerjäger- Abteilung 521 one vehicle accidentally caught fire and was destroyed when its ammunition detonated. The other fought on for three more months to gain field experience before being returned to the factory.

Dicker Max Overall, the vehicle performed well and the gun, despite being slow to fire and needing two loaders, easily penetrated heavy Soviet tanks like the KV-1, KV-2, T-34 and also hardened bunkers, with T-34s engaged at ranges of 3 kms. Although it was found difficult to use in direct fire support, as the huge dust clouds the gun brought up when firing did not allow them to observe their own shots, so an observation team familiar with the gun would be needed to work in with them in this role.

Another shortcoming was when used as the lead unit (Vorausabteilung), its limited gun traverse, meant it often had to turn the entire vehicle which was difficult in cross country due to the weight of the vehicle and engine size. This took a lot of time and slowed reaction time, this was not suitable for a lead unit vehicle, as it needed the ability to quickly engage targets in all directions.

But it had proved itself very effective against heavy Soviet tanks, so was put back into service with the Panzerjäger- Abteilung 521 alongside the Sturer Emil which fought with the 3. Panzer Division in the Caucases in the Case Blue Summer offensive. It appears it was lost sometime in late 1942, possibly during Operation Uranus. A picture was taken in February 1943, showing the vehicle with 19 kill-rings, in winter camouflage and a repaired penetration at the front, that was later abandoned, and for some reason the Soviets were not interested in it as a trophy vehicle.

In game, you can field the Dicker Max either by itself, or in a unit with the Sturer Emil, I think in either case they are great options, as cheap as 7 pts for one, or 25 pts in total with two Sturer Emils. It does have some armour, with a Front Armour of 3 and Side/Rear of 2, but is open topped, so more vulnerable to mortars and artillery. It has an MG for close defence, and reasonable movement, but a Terrain Dash of 12” and a Cross 4+ which makes sense given it was underpowered. But the real reason you take this is the 10.5cm K18 gun, with a range of 40”, an AT of 15, and a 2+ firepower. This will have no problems penetrating the KV-1 at range, and the KV-3 and IS-85 with a FA of 10 only having a 50% chance at range of saving, only the “Blue-print” vehicle the KV-5 with a FA 14 would have shrugged it off. A Soviet soldier looking over the abandoned Dicker Max in February 1943 near Stalingrad
Dicker Max Unit Card MG602
Dicker Max

Lets look at the other Panzer Selbstfahrlafette in the Panzerjäger-Abteilung 521, the Sturer Emil (Pz.Sfl. V). This was the Germans attempt to put an EVEN BIGGER gun on a vehicle, in this case they used two left over chassis of the Henschel VK 30.01 (H) design, an unsuccessful German heavy tank prototype, to mount the massive 12.8cm Flak 40 anti-aircraft gun. This was the most powerful self-propelled gun of the war, penetrating 120mm of sloped armour at 2000m, and over 200mm at point blank range, with many lighter Soviet tanks simply disintegrating after being shot.

The vehicle also has good armour protection for the time, not as much as the Ferdinand, but equivalent to other medium tanks of the period. The VK 30.01 (H) hull was lengthened around 2m and another road wheel added so there was enough space to fit the huge 12.8cm gun. An armoured fighting compartment, similar to the Hummel was added for crew protection. The vehicle had 50mm of sloped armour at the front, and an armoured drivers compartment on the LHS of both vehicles. They also both had dummy armoured drivers compartments on the RHS when produced, like the Dicker Max, but it appears in 1942 when they went back to the factory for refitting, they were removed on both.

The Sturer Emil ‘Moritz’ with its crew taking a break

Two prototypes were developed and fielded on the Eastern Front with Panzerjäger- Abteilung 521 in 1942 for combat trials, which was successful and seen as a possible option for mass production, but was eventually cancelled in favour of the Tiger I. The two vehicles were named Max or Moritz after two mischievous boys in a popular German dark children’s tale by Busch.

Although the vehicle was slow and overloaded due to the weight of the gun and the size of the engine, it also had logistical issues due to how specialized it was, constantly having engine or suspension issues, (Max more than Moritz) but this earned it the nickname Sturer (Stubborn) Emil, as it appeared to be temperamental or reluctant to move, but these short-comings were almost inconsequential to the power of the massive gun it carried.

After the fighting of Summer of 1942, Moritz racked up many kills with at least 31 kills recorded at ranges of around 800m to 1500m, mostly against T-34 and KV-1 tanks, Max had many kills too but less due to its engine and suspension troubles. Captured Soviet soldiers also mentioned that firing on the heavy tank destroyers at ranges they were capable of engaging Soviet tanks was difficult, where as the Germans seemed to have no such problems. The main faults noted by the crews were insufficient ammunition storage, and overloaded suspension, especially at the rear, causing many break downs in the field.
The Sturer Emil ‘Moritz’ abandoned next to a Panzerjäger I from Panzerjäger-Abteilung 521
Sturer Emil Unit Card MG603

The Sturer Emil in game costs 9 pts each, two for 18 pts, and you can field all three heavy tank hunters for 25 pts. As you can see it has decent Front Armour of 5, and a Side/Rear of 2, but is open topped like the Dicker Max, so the same vulnerabilities. As you can see it’s slow, a Tactical of 8”, Terrain Dash of 10” and Cross Country Dash of 12”, but an excellent 2+ Cross check.

It also has excellent range of 48”, an AT of 20 and a 2+ firepower, it simply overmatches anything it will face, even with the extra point of armour long range gives the target. So you should really try to keep this tank at range and use its strengths. This front armour allows it to shrug off most fire from light and some medium tanks, but for best results try to be hull down concealed, and at long range.

Also as its mobility is limited, but you still have a great Veteran 3+ skill rating, and the German Storm-trooper special rule, means again try to make the most of your Blitz and Shoot and Scoot movement orders, to keep your RoF 2 gun firing and limiting the return fire. Two of these vehicles working together will make short work of any armoured thrust!

Sturer Emil

The Sturer Emil in game costs 9 pts each, two for 18 pts, and you can field all three heavy tank hunters for 25 pts. As you can see it has decent Front Armour of 5, and a Side/Rear of 2, but is open topped like the Dicker Max, so the same vulnerabilities. As you can see it’s slow, a Tactical of 8”, Terrain Dash of 10” and Cross Country Dash of 12”, but an excellent 2+ Cross check.

It also has excellent range of 48”, an AT of 20 and a 2+ firepower, it simply overmatches anything it will face, even with the extra point of armour long range gives the target. So you should really try to keep this tank at range and use its strengths. This front armour allows it to shrug off most fire from light and some medium tanks, but for best results try to be hull down concealed, and at long range.

Sturer Emil
Also as its mobility is limited, but you still have a great Veteran 3+ skill rating, and the German Storm-trooper special rule, means again try to make the most of your Blitz and Shoot and Scoot movement orders, to keep your RoF 2 gun firing and limiting the return fire. Two of these vehicles working together will make short work of any armoured thrust!
Dicker Max

Until you see these models in person, and compared to the Dicker Max, they are bigger still, with the gun longer than the Ferdinand as well. They are dominating models both visually and on the tabletop.

Just a note, the Dicker Max and Sturer Emil both come from the same Anti-tank Support slot, so its either/or, unless you take the option of the 3 together to represent them in 1942 as part of Panzerjäger- Abteilung 521.
Well I have four large tank destroyers to paint….

Happy Gaming
Adam