Posted on 06 December 2018 at 06:05:13 GMT In this case, no. The US infantry division could and usually had both a tank battalion and a self propelled tank destroyer battalion giving it almost as many tanks/AFVs as a German panzer division. The 45th infanry division had two tank and one self propelled tank destroyer battalions attached to it. Also with the availability of motorized transport, all US infantry divisions would be the equivalent of German Panzergrenadier divisions. The penny packets rule is intended to reflect doctrine where tank divisions did not operate as a complete formation, but rather had their tanks dispersed amongst the infantry fomations to support them. I would have to find the information for the 1944 invasion of France, but by may 1945, out of 61 United States divisions in the ETO, fifteen were armored, which is much higher ratio of armored to infantry division than the Germans had. Quite frankly, I am not sure why that rule was included with the 1940 French army list as two French armored divisions were engaged at the battle of Hannut and there was the following battle of Gembloux. |