GUARDS RIFLE BRIGADES

The Soviets began raising rifle brigades in earnest in the autumn of 1941, probably because they were running out of resources and capable officers required for raising the larger rifle divisions. Rifle brigades had all sorts of organizations, particularly in 1941-42, but usually had three or four rifle battalions, one or more mortar or other artillery battalions, and various supporting units. The first Guards brigades were drawn from the victors of the first winter counteroffensive, while later ones were formed from airborne troops and battle- proven brigades. In 1943, almost all the rifle brigades, including Guards, were converted to rifle divisions or were disbanded to provide replacements for the rifle divisions.

AIRBORNE BRIGADES

In 1943 the Soviets began forming twenty Guards airborne brigades. Eighteen went into Guards airborne divisions (Divisions 11-16: see note 5 in the Guards rifle divisions notes), and two were independent units. Brigades 1- 5 participated in the airborne operation on the Dnepr River in September 1943. The only major airborne operation of the Guards forces, it was, at best, only partly successful.

Guards Airborne Brigades Notes

1) Presumably, three of the first five brigades are part of a Guards airborne division (11, 12, or 16), and the other two are independent. Which are which is unclear. I showed all five as independent brigades in Scorched Earth. (No doubt OB accountants will notice that they get the three brigades, supposedly in a division, AND all six of the divisions formed by the brigades - a free division! Count it as a gift. If you find that unsatisfactory, then consider that several of the brigades that dropped in 9.43 got smashed and had to be rebuilt - equivalent in the game to "buying" the uextra" division out of the replacement pool. If this still doesn't satisfy you, then consider the fact that the Soviets may actually have had even more airborne brigades running around. German intelligence identified 21 and 23 Gds Abn X's, although no Soviet source mentions these.)

2) 1, 3, and 5 Gds Abn X's were formed with cadre drawn from the Vyazma partisans. These partisans had been formed from paratroopers who dropped in the Vyazma area during the Soviet airborne operation in the winter of 1941-42.

3) One of the 11, 12, or 16 Gds Abn XX

4) See note 5 in the Guards rifle divisions notes for the 11-16 Gds Abn XX's.

MOTORIZED RIFLE BRIGADES

Motorized rifle brigades first appeared in 1941 as motorized versions of the rifle brigades. With the appearance of the tank corps in 1942, most motorized rifle brigades became the motorized infantry component of the corps, organized on the basis of three motorized rifle battalions. Similarly, most Guards motorized rifle brigades were components of the Guards tank corps.

The gaps in the numbering of these brigades are due to how the Soviets raised Guards motorized rifle and mechanized brigades. Originally, each type of brigade had its own numbering sequence, but after the number 7, the Soviets raised them both as one sequence. See the Guards mechanized brigades listing for the "gap" numbers.

MECHANIZED BRIGADES

Mechanized brigades were organized around three mechanized battalions and one tank regiment, providing a balanced force of tanks and motorized troops. Most mechanized brigades were sub-units of mechanized corps, and all Guards mechanized brigades were subunits of Guards mechanized corps.

TANK BRIGADES

The debacle of 1941 showed the Soviets that they hadn't the resources or skills to handle large tank formations effectively, so they organized their tanks in brigades and smaller formations. Tank brigades had various organizations in 1941-42, but eventually became standardized on the basis of three tank battalions and one motorized rifle battalion. Tank brigades, including Guards, served both as independent units and in tank and mechanized corps.

Correction (from Europa 13)

Page 23: The 65th and 66th Gds Tank X's were formed 11.44.

More Soviet Guards: Part II

Introduction and Errata
Guards Divisions
Guards Brigades
Other Guards

Soviet Guards Airborne Brigades Errata [Europa Issue 21]

More WWII Soviet Guard Units: Part I

Introduction and History
Guards Armies and Groups
Guards Corps