How to structure your Brigade Games Asienkorps (Asian Corps)

[Helen]

Hi Folks,

As indicated in an earlier thread I've put together a brief on the Asienkorps and its basic structure from a gamers point of view. I decided to do this as I've not seen much traffic around on the gaming forums with folks using the Asienkorps in their games.

I've had one fellow in our Sideshowsgroup who gave us a post game report with the Asienkorps involved within the game alongside armoured cars and Arabs.

Whatever your interest the Asienkorps is just another example of a unique force that was raised to meet the operational urgency in Palestine.

Please consider its just not Johnny Turk that the British and Empire forces fought in Palestine, but also German and Austro-Hungarians allies as well.


Introduction
This brief is designed to familiarise folks who may have an interest in the Asienkorps and have been considering purchasing and using their Brigade Games figures. My intent is to outline the basic structure of the Infantry Company and associated support elements that you will need to consider when gaming this unique force on the gaming table. Whilst there will be supporting elements not yet designed I’ll still list them here as they form part of this autonomous unit.

Background
The German Expeditionskorps (Expeditionary Corps); code-named Pascha II, which was formed to recapture Bagdad was incorporated into the Turkish 7th Army as part of a new Turkish Army Group “Yildirim” (flash).

The recapture of Bagdad was cancelled and the Asienkorps was then used in unit size support to augment their Turkish allies front line in Palestine from September 1917.

Just a note also that Pascha I had already been in country from summer of 1916, but this will not be covered here, but only the basic fighting units of Pascha II for you to structure your Asienkorps troops.

General Remarks

Generally speaking every non-commissioned officer and private of the infantry battalion was armed with the model 98 rifle, a Seitengewehr 98 (model 98 Side Arm) and a “dagger like knife”.
Arms for personnel manning the infantry companies’ light machine guns were to be regulated by special order.
Every non-commissioned officer and private of every other unit had a carbine and a model 84/98 side arm.
Feldwebel (Sergeant-majors), Wachtmeister [Cavalry Sergeant-major), Vizefeldwebel (Vice Sergeant-major), Vizewachtmeister (Cavalry Vice Sergeant-major), Sanitats-Unteroffiziere (Medical Corps Non-commission Officers), Sanitats-Gefreite (Medical Corps Lance-corporals), Krankentrager (Stretcher Bearers), each had a Model 08 pistol and a Seitengewehr 98/05 (side-arm) in the infantry or 94/98 (side-arm) in other units.
Officers had to provide their own pistol, could draw a service carbine!
Non-commissioned officers had a pair of binoculars and a compass issued to them. Every infantry company owned 3 sharpshooter rifles with optical sights.There were no field kitchens allocated, but every unit had 1 Norwegian stove for every 25 men.

Infanterie-Battaillone (Infantry Battalion)

Before we breakdown the structure of the company we must first understand the Infanterie-Battaillone. Turkish support elements were also attached to the organic structure of the Asienkorps and I’ll list only those that are reflected in the establishment.

We will only talk about the Nr 701 Infanterie-Battaillone here and all associated supporting arms to this battalion. The following is the makeup of Nr 701:

The Nr 701 was structured with three rifle companies (each company with 6 Light Machine Guns Bergman MG 15 n. A.), 1 machine gun company (with 6 heavy machine guns MG 08), 1 cavalry detachment (with 2 light machine guns Bergman MG 15 n. A.), 1 infantry gun section (with 2 mountain guns) and 1 light mine thrower (with 4 light 7.7 cm bronze mine throwers).

Infantry Company

The Asienkorps infantry company was much smaller than their Western Front counter parts and due to the unique nature of operations they also contained a number of artisans. I’ll also provide the German names (where shown) including English in addition to assist you as its always nice to know!

Unless noted otherwise all personnel are German. Artisans would generally be located at echelon formations unless directed otherwise.

Company

Kompaniefuher (Company leader) x1 (with 2 horses, 1 mounted and 1 dismounted supply troops horse groom)
Oberleutnants (First Lieutenant) or Leutnants (Lieutenants) x 3 (each with 1 horse and 1 dismounted supply troops horse groom)
Assistenzart (Assistant Physician = Lieutenant) or Unterarzt (Under Physician = Vice Sergeant-major) x1 (with 1 horse and 1 dismounted supply troops horse groom. An under physician rated 1 horse, but no groom, as he was only a non-commission officer))

Unterzahlmeister (Paymaster Sergeant-major) x1
Feldwebel (Sergeant-major) x1
Vizefeldwebel (Vice Sergeant-major) x1
Non-commissioned officers x10
Lance-corporals x20*
Privates x84*
Vizefeldwebel (Vice Sergeant-major) for Bergmann machine guns x1
Non-commissioned officers for Bergmann machine guns x6
Lance corporals for Bergmann machine guns x6
Privates for Bergmann machine guns x18
Sanitatsunteroffiziere (Medical Corps Non-commission Officers) x3
Trainsoldaten (Supply Troops Privates) x6 Turkish personnel

*Including (to give you an idea):
Spielleute (Bandsmen) x4
Krankentrager (Stretcher Bearers) x4
For the telephone and signalling party x4 (using Heliographs or signalling lamps)
Waffenmeistergehilfe (Weapons Mechanic Assistant) x1
Zimmerleute (Carpenters) x3
Schlosser (Locksmiths) x3
Schmiede (Smiths) x3
Schumacher (Shoemakers) x2
Schneider (Tailors) x2
Schlacter (Butchers) x2
Backer (Bakers) x2
Koch (Cook) x1
Friseur (Barber, Hair Dresser) x1

In summary, when you subtract from the company the 24 machine gunners and the bandsmen attached to the company leader or the section leaders, the stretcher bearers attached to the company leaders party, the telephone personnel and the various artisans this will equal enough manpower for the 9 Schutzen Gruppen (Rifle Squads) divided into 3 sections.

Section

Each section was lead by a non-commission officer with 3 rifle squads containing 8 Lance corporals or privates.

Light Machine Gun Party

The separate leichter Maschinengewehr-Trupp (Light Machine Gun Party) lead by a vice-sergeant-major has 6 squads each of 1 light machine gun, 1 non-commission officer as squad leader, 1 lance-corporal as his deputy and 3 private gunners.

Machine Gun Company

The Nr 701 Machine Gun Company was organised into 3 sections, each lead by 1 lieutenant with overall commanded by a Kompaniefuher (Company leader). 5 Turkish personnel acted as supply troops.

Section
2 x machine gun squads of 1 heavy machine gun Model 08 Machine Gun, 1 non-commission officer as gun leader and 6 gunners.

Cavalry Platoon

The Nr 701 Cavalry Platoon consisted of 6 squads each of 1 non-commission officer or lance corporal as leader and 7 lance corporals or privates plus a machine gun party. An Oberleutnant with a 2IC of a Leutnant commanded this platoon with a Vizewachtmeister (Cavalry Vice Sergeant-major). Note: There was no trumpeter on establishment.

The machine-gun party was lead by 1 vice sergeant-major with 2 light machine guns in which each Bergmann was crewed by 1 non-commissioned officer as leader, 1 lance-corporal as his deputy and 4 gunners. The extra gunners in the party would hold 3 Packhorse leaders and 3 packhorses. Note: Normally 3 gunners to manned the Bergmann LMG hence the fourth gunner as horse holder. 2 Turkish supply personnel were attached to this unit.

Infantry Gun Section

The Nr 701 Infanterie-Geschutz-Zug (Infantry Gun Section) is attached to the infantry battalion and consisted of 1 section of 2 guns of either 10.5 cm Gebirigs-Haubitzen (10.5 cm Mountain Guns) or 7.7 cm Infantrie-Geschutze (7.7 cm Infantry Guns) L/27. There were 3 Turkish supply personnel attached to this unit

Mine Thrower Section

The Nr 701 Mine Thrower section consisted of 4 light 7.7 cm bronze mine throwers. Minimal crew for each mine thrower consisted of 1 non-commission officer or lance-corporal and 2 gunners. In addition if quick fire was to be achieved a further 4 ammunition personnel were allocated. The additional personnel were employed as unpacking ammunition, calibrating, setting fuses and preparing charges.

The Mine Thrower Section is commanded by a Truppfuhrer (Party Leader) and a Leutnant as 2IC with a Vizefeldwebel (Vice Sergeant-major). Note: The Mine Thrower Section was seconded from the engineers. 2 Turkish supply personnel were also on establishment.

Engineer Detachment

The Nr 701 Engineer Detachment was divided into 3 sections, in which to operate independently from one another. Equipment was distributed evenly and this included flamethrowers and light bridging material. Total strength of the Engineer Detachment is 129 personnel and 6 Turkish supply personnel.

Ammunition Columns

There are ammunition columns for the Gun section and light mine thrower. If you require information on these then please PM me.

Field Artillery Batteries

The Nr 701 Feldartillerie-Abteilung (Field Artillery Detachment) has 3 batteries comprising of two 10.5 cm Leichten Feldhaubitzen (Light Field Howitzers) I.F.H. 16 and one 7.7 cm Feldkanonen (7.7 cm Field Cannon) F.K. 16.

A battery has 4 guns and is divided into 2 sections each of 2 guns. A Battery leader with 5 Leutnants commands each battery. A Wachtmeister [(Artillery) Sergeant-major] and a VizeWachtmeister [(Artillery) Sergeant-major] and 97 other ranks plus 7 Turkish supply personnel.

Mixed Ammunition Column

Each Feldartillerie-Abteilung of the Asienkorps comprised of 1 gemischte leichte Munitionskolonne (Mixed Light Ammunition Column) of 83 All Ranks and 5 Turkish supply personnel.

Conclusion

The Asienkorps was an unique organisation that was heavily structured in support weapons to support their Turkish allies in Palestine. Whist the Asienkorps arrived in penny packets what arrived was hastily thrown into the front-line and acquitted themselves well especially the machine gun crews who were very stubborn and in most cases gave their lives to the last man on the machine guns. The Nr 701 and its attachments actually arrived in country; hence I’ve outlined their structure here. Not all units arrived in country, as the Western Front was now becoming a priority plus a number of other theatres.

I hope you find this information invaluable for your own interest and gaming with your Brigade Games Asienkorps figures and artillery.

For Poly

Poly, in the Army Group Staff there is a Feldgeistlichen (Field Clergy) consisting of 1 Protestant minister and 1 Catholic priest. Each with 1 horse and 1 dismounted Turkish supply troops horse groom.

Best Wishes.

[twrchtrwyth]

Excellent info there. Could you point me towards some uniform information? Cheers.

[Helen]

Excellent info there. Could you point me towards some uniform information? Cheers.

Hi twrchtrwyth,

I've used the Osprey books for my guide to painting my Asienkorps.

Just remember that uniforms fade in the desert

Best Wishes.

[twrchtrwyth]

Thank you.

[Poliorketes]

Great Job, makes me want to do an Asien-Korps unit.

[PeteMurray]

Thanks tremendously, Helen! I have the Asienkorps but have no idea how they were supposed to be organized! I've copied this entire post and filed it away in my references.

You really do contribute volumes of really great historical data, and it is a pleasure to read your postings.

[Helen]

Thankyou

[twrchtrwyth]

I found this uniform page which may be of interest, there's a section on the Asienkorps,
http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk/

[axabrax]

Fantastic info. Hopefully we can get some MG 15s and sharpshooters in the future  from BG

[Helen]

Fantastic info. Hopefully we can get some MG 15s and sharpshooters in the future  from BG

Here is a pic of the Asienkorps Bergmann LMG 15 n/A:
[/img]