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Author Topic: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project  (Read 7851 times)

Offline carlos marighela

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #30 on: June 26, 2024, 11:37:48 PM »
Added a photo link from Wiki as a painting guide. Sorry first thing that came up but it is from a display in a Czech museum.
Em dezembro de '81
Botou os ingleses na roda
3 a 0 no Liverpool
Ficou marcado na história
E no Rio năo tem outro igual
Só o Flamengo é campeăo mundial
E agora seu povo
Pede o mundo de novo

Offline SBMiniaturesGuy

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #31 on: June 27, 2024, 03:45:52 AM »
Thanks. I've found a significant variety of uniform color shades from museum uniforms to re-enactment uniforms. I found a really helpful app for android phones in trying to interpret colors. They probably also have it for iphone. Great app, point it at anything and it gives you the color and a wide range of color scales -- a name and the hex color code, plus blends for CMYK, RGB, etc.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gmikhail.colorpicker&hl=en_US&pli=1
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Offline madman

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #32 on: January 07, 2025, 10:26:03 PM »
So the uniform colour is fine, I have used Vallejo German Uniform for my gendarmes. The only things to note are that the SOS battalions lacked support weapons above the  sqaud ZB.26 light machineguns and even there it seems they weren't fully equipped, with maybe 2 per platoon rather than 3. That and the fact that the gendarmes tended to use brown knee boots rather than puttees.

I am sorry but am confused by your statement. The images are clearly of grey, grey-green or a green. You state, and the link you give, shows khaki colours. Which would be correct?

Offline carlos marighela

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #33 on: January 07, 2025, 10:49:31 PM »
The gendarmerie wore a greenish grey uniform. The Vallejo German Uniform 2, the one that represents the reed green fatigue/ summer uniform works perfectly for this, straight from the bottle.

The army and the Finanční stráž, the finance guards, wore khaki. The principal distinctions being that the finance guards wore dark green collar patches and epaulettes and tended to wear boots with leather knee length leather leggings. Some museum and reenactment uniforms seem to show a slightly more olive khaki but other wise standard army khaki is good to go.

Both finance guards and gendarmes were to be found in the SOS border battalions, along with the occasional army reservist and policeman.

Offline madman

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #34 on: January 07, 2025, 11:10:07 PM »
Thank you Carlos. Just starting looking at this time and area.

My interest is in the Slovak-Hungarian war the next year. I have just started research but curious how prevalent, common or effective were the finance guards? Not knowing the background sounds like an odd unit unless it is a lot more involved. Thank you.

Offline SBMiniaturesGuy

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #35 on: January 08, 2025, 12:18:45 AM »
Hi, cool idea! I did some research via various AI tools and it looks like from a wargame standpoint, the Finanční stráž would have been most involved against pro-Fascist partisans and acting as a delaying force in case of invasion:

The **Finanční stráž** (Financial Guard) of Czechoslovakia in 1938 was a paramilitary customs and border guard agency responsible for preventing smuggling, securing borders, and enforcing customs regulations. Their duties and organization reflected their dual role as customs officials and a paramilitary force prepared for emergencies, including potential wartime scenarios.

---

### **Roles and Duties**

1. **Customs Enforcement**:
   - Prevented smuggling of goods, illegal border crossings, and unregulated trade.
   - Collected tariffs and monitored border traffic.

2. **Border Security**:
   - Patrolled Czechoslovakia's borders, especially in remote or rugged areas.
   - Identified and detained individuals attempting unauthorized border crossings.

3. **Support for Law Enforcement**:
   - Collaborated with the police and military to address threats, including espionage and sabotage.

4. **Emergency Defense Role**:
   - In the event of an invasion or national emergency, they were expected to delay enemy forces, conduct reconnaissance, and support the regular military forces.

---

### **Organization**

The Finanční stráž was a national organization, but its deployment and structure varied regionally based on terrain and threat levels. In 1938, with tensions high due to German aggression, the Finanční stráž focused heavily on border security, especially along the borders with Germany and Austria.

#### **Command Structure**
- **Headquarters**: Central authority in Prague coordinated operations, policies, and logistics.
- **Regional Commands**: Managed operations within specific areas, often aligned with geographic and administrative divisions.
- **Field Units**: Operated at border stations, organized into companies, platoons, and squads for operational effectiveness.

#### **Composition and Size**
A typical border post or unit was organized into:
- **Company (Kompanie)**: Commanded by an officer, consisted of multiple platoons. Strength varied but often around 100 personnel.
- **Platoon (Četa)**: Led by a sergeant or junior officer, consisted of 20–30 men. Operated in key areas to conduct patrols and surveillance.
- **Squad (Družstvo)**: Smallest unit, typically 6–10 men, used for local patrols and quick response.

---

### **Equipment and Weapons**

The Finanční stráž was lightly armed compared to the regular military, as their primary role was law enforcement and border security. However, they were equipped to handle small-scale skirmishes or defend against infiltrators.

#### **Weapons**
- **Rifles**: The primary weapon was the **vz. 24 Mauser bolt-action rifle**, standard for Czechoslovak armed forces.
- **Pistols**: Officers and some personnel carried the **vz. 27 pistol** for self-defense.
- **Submachine Guns**: Limited numbers of **vz. 26 light machine guns** were issued for additional firepower at key posts.
- **Grenades**: Hand grenades were available in small quantities for defensive purposes.
- **Bayonets and Knives**: Standard issue for personal defense.

#### **Equipment**
- **Uniforms**: Dark green uniforms with distinctive insignia, practical for both customs work and paramilitary roles.
- **Communication Tools**: Field radios and telephones for coordination with other units and military forces.
- **Transportation**: Horses, bicycles, and motor vehicles for patrolling and quick response.

---

### **Preparedness and Actions During a German Invasion**

In the event of a German invasion in 1938, the Finanční stráž's role was defined by contingency plans:
1. **Delaying Actions**:
   - Engage in skirmishes to slow enemy advances.
   - Destroy bridges, roads, and infrastructure to hinder enemy movement.
   - Set up defensive positions in rugged terrain to harass invaders.

2. **Intelligence and Reconnaissance**:
   - Report on enemy movements to higher command.
   - Provide local knowledge to the Czechoslovak Army.

3. **Support to the Army**:
   - Cooperate with military forces in defensive operations.
   - Guard key supply routes and prevent sabotage behind the lines.

4. **Fallback Measures**:
   - Withdraw to secondary defensive positions when overwhelmed.
   - Continue guerrilla-style resistance if necessary.

#### **Effectiveness in 1938**
The Finanční stráž was not equipped to withstand a full-scale military invasion, such as the planned German **Operation Grün (Case Green)**. However, their familiarity with the terrain and small-unit tactics would have made them valuable for early-warning actions and delaying maneuvers. The Munich Agreement, which handed over the Sudetenland to Germany, precluded their active involvement in defending the borders.

---

### **Legacy**

The Finanční stráž's efforts and sacrifices were later recognized as symbolic of Czechoslovakia's resistance during the Sudeten Crisis. Their readiness and discipline highlighted the nation's determination to defend its sovereignty, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Offline madman

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #36 on: January 08, 2025, 01:36:45 AM »
Thank you. Sounds like they could be considered and represented as locally raised militia. Used for scouting and delaying actions and since they were locally raised they would have knowledge of the area they operated in. Sound about right?

Offline cuprum

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #37 on: January 08, 2025, 06:44:59 AM »
My opinion: the militia is a unit that does not have special military training and skills. Analogue - Volkssturm. The units described are people who know how to conduct a rifle fight and conduct combat operations in rough terrain. Rather, these are security, anti-partisan and reconnaissance units. Light infantry.

Offline carlos marighela

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #38 on: January 08, 2025, 07:25:23 AM »
You need to remember that by 1938, while a number of its ranks would still be carrying out pure customs and border entry functions, much of the Finanční stráž was combined with the gendarmerie into the Stráž obrany státu or SOS, the State Defense Guard. These were organised as regular battalions but lacked supporting weapons above light machineguns and they typically didn't even have the full complement of those.

These essentially acted as border guard units and armed, equipped and trained as light infantry took the brunt of the fight against Henlein's Sudetendeutsches Freikorps. Most of the actual, historical skirmishes and there were many, involved elements of the SOS, occasionally backed up the regular army. The army did allot small 3 vehicle packets of Tančík vz. 33 tankettes to support the SOS formations fighting the Sudeten Nazis.

A lot of those actions see the SF popping over the border and attacking customs posts, police stations and othet symbols of Czech government authority.

The SOS wasn't designed to fight against a regular foe like the Wehrmacht, lacking heavy weapons but they would have fought them none the less and with their intimate knowledge of their local areas would have been a very useful trip-wire against a conventional attack buying time for the border defences to be fully manned.

Offline sultanbev

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #39 on: January 08, 2025, 07:34:33 PM »
Only just stumbled across this thread, this what-if has been one of my favourites.

I do have the full OOB for the Czechs, but it is in Czech language, so translating it has been a slow process that got dropped to one side. I think the Neihorster site has much of it now.

I do also have a full OOB for the planned Soviet army assistance, which is in the Nafziger collection, see attached. It was quite a substantial force!

So, a couple of points - Czech tank doctrine was to keep the tanks together and use battalions as complete units within the Fast Divisions, so no French style penny-packeting with the LT vz.35.

The army had only 20 infantry divisions, but they hid another 20 divisions worth of units in the border defence formations. So in effect it totalled 40 divisions of infantry more or less.

Unfortunately the infantry didn't have any integral anti-tank weapons, no A/T rifles or A/T grenades. There were some 20mm Solothurns I am pretty sure, although can't find references to it just now, but they were in the border guard units, so fairly static.
The Czech army did order 10,000 copies of the ZB ZK-382 7.92mm anti-tank rifle with 5-round clip, which would have entered service in late 1939 perhaps. That would have been enough for 1 per platoon but alas outside your time frame.

Glad to see someone exploring this topic as a wargame!
A lot of the AFVs and trucks for the Czech army are now available in from Battlefield 3D in 3d printed resin:
https://battlefield3d.com/product-category/other-nations/czechoslovakia-czech-republic/

Offline carlos marighela

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #40 on: January 08, 2025, 08:32:40 PM »
No Solothurns to the best of my knowledge but the Czechs had a wealth of 37mm AT guns, as good as the Pak 36 and more than a match for any German armour of the period.  That's not to mention to the static 47mm AT guns going into the Czech border defences.

They also had a number of Oerlikon 20mm AA guns, including truck mounted versions. At a pinch those could have been used for AT work and would no doubt have handily ripped through the tin plate on the available German armour but no doubt they would have been more sensibly employed in the primary role as anti- aircraft weapons.

It's worth remembering that there was less German armour in 1938, what there was was weaker, the overwhelming bulk of it being Pzkpfw I and  as the German march in to Austria a few months earlier had demonstrated, poorly supported logistically.

Offline muggins

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Re: Czechoslovakia 1938 "What If" Project
« Reply #41 on: January 13, 2025, 03:34:02 PM »
Just noticed this thread and glad I did! The Slovak army has been a massive interest to me for years now, mostly because my family is from Slovakia, originally. I've painted a ton of dudes for Bolt Action or Chain of Command  - can be seen here: https://www.goonhammer.com/ww2-on-the-eastern-front-the-slovak-fast-division/

There was actually a Kickstarter recently for Slovak minis: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studiohistoria/swords-of-the-two-barred-cross

is there a place where I can buy your campaign book?


 

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