Railroad artillery was a natural development of the nineteenth century and the coming of the railroad. During World War I both sides mounted large artillery pieces onto railcars to add to the murderous weight of fire on the Western Front. Both the Allies and the Germans primarily used surplus naval ouns for this purpose.

German Railroad Artillery Gun "Leopold"

During the war, the Germans achieved lasting fame or infamy for the "Paris Gun," a souped up 38cm naval piece that had a range of seventy-five miles. After the war, all German guns were ordered scrapped by the Versailles Treaty. However the technology and weapon shops remained to later resurrect this form of weaponry.

When German rearmament commenced in earnest in the 1930s, a whole new generation of railroad artillery was under design, testing and development. To provide tubes for the new guns, the Wehrmacht team turned to the navy and mounted old World War I battleship guns as railroad artillery. During World War II, after the demise of the German surface fleet, big guns intended for unbuilt capital ships were converted to railroad artillery. These were mainly devoted to coastal defense.

The Germans spent much time, effort and Reichsmarks on railroad artillery. This lavish use of resources could have been better devoted to more modern and needed weapons. Railroad artillery had been made obsolete by the airplane, and the exotic and expensive German railroad guns had very little decisive effect on the war. Technology triumphed with the 80cm (31.5 inch') Gustav Gerat (also known as "Dora"), a monster weapon intended to defeat the Maginot Line. However, the line was flanked before Gustav/Dora was finished. Later in the war, the gun eventually made an appearance before Sevastopol in 1942.

The Germans added to their railroad artillery arsenal after the fall of France with captured French guns. These were all World War I models and most were used as static coastal defense guns. The Germans likewise acquired 9.2-inch railway guns and 12-inch railway howitzers (all of WWI vintage) that the BEF had brought over. The use, if any, made of these guns is unknown.

Note: The German designation for British 12-inch Railway Howitzer, Mark 3 or Mark 5, was "Haubitze Eisenbahn 633 (e)" and "Haubitze Eisenbahn 634 (e).")

All told, the Wehrmacht formed some 45 railroad artillery batteries ("Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterien, "E-Batterien"), which were grouped for tactical purposes under various battalion (Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilungsstab zbV) or regimental (Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV) headquarters in combat, and this is how they are represented in the various Europa games.

Suggested Europa "Chrome" Rule

Railroad artillery units may not be replaced once eliminated (there were only a finite number of these guns and all had a limited barrel life).

German Railroad Guns 1939-1945

The "Sofort-Programm" 1936-1939

These consisted of converted naval guns.
15cm K (E) [15cm SK L/40] (5.9"/40cal) 18 guns
17cm K (E) [17cm SK L/40] (6.7"/40cal)* 6 guns
24cm Theodor Kanone Bruno (E) [24cm SK L/351(9.4"/35cal) 6 guns
24cm Theodor Bruno (E) [24cm SK L/40] (9.4"/40cal) 3 guns
28cm kurze Bruno Kanone (E) [28cm S K L/35] (11"/35cal) 8 guns
28cm lange Bruno Kanone (E) [28cin SK L/45] (11"/45cal) 3 guns
28cm schwere Bruno Kanone (E) [28cm KustK L/42] 2 guns
28cm neue Bruno Kanone (E) 3 guns
20.3cm K (E) [20.3cm SKC/34] 8 guns

(Note: Surplus guns from heavy cruisers; replacement barrels in 21 cm caliber built; used for coastal defense guns in France.)

Purpose Built Guns

21cm K 12 (E) (8.3"/196 cal) 2 guns
(Note: Called "little more than a toy" and very expensive; theoretical range 120 kilometers [74 miles]; fired on England from France at a range of 88 kilometers [54 miles])
28cm K5 (E) (11"/76cal) 26 guns
(Note: Normal range 58 km 138.7 miles]; range with rocket assisted shells 86 km [53.75 miles]; nicknamed "schlanke Bertha" by the Germans and "Anzio Annie" by the Allies.)

28cm K5 (E) Glatt 2 guns
(Note: Seven guns projected; long range smooth bore version of the K5 (E); range with fin stabilized shells: 93.8 miles.)

38cm Siegfried K (E) [38cm SKC/341 [15"/52cal] 3 guns
(Note: Eight guns projected.)

40.6cm K (E) Adolf [40.6cm SKC/34] [16"/50cal] 1 gun

80cm Gustav Gerat K (E) (15"/36cal) 2 guns
(Note: Three guns projected; also known as "Dora;" range 47,000m [51,400 yards or slightly over 29 miles])

Captured French Guns
24cm K (E) 557 (f) and 557/1 (f)
24cm K (E) 558 (f)
27.4cm K (E) 592 (f)
28.5cm K (E) 605 (f)
32cm K (E) 651 (f) or 65 1 /1 (f)
34cm K-G1 (E) 673 (f)
34cm K-W (E) 674 (f)
37cm H (E) 711 (f) (Three guns used.)
40cm H (E) 752 (f) (Eight guns used.)
52cm H (E) 871 (f) (One gun used.)

Abbreviations:
E-Eisenbahn (railroad);
e--englisch (english);
f-franzozisch (french);
H-Haubitze (howitzer);
K-Kanone (cannon); KustK-(coastal defense cannon);
SK-(ship's cannon)

German Railroad ("Eisenbahn") Gun Units 1939-1945

The following roster is based on Edelmann, cross-referenced to Europa units; all units are batteries, "Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterien" or "E-Batterien," unless otherwise noted.

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Lehr-und-Ersatz-Abteilung 100 (WK 11)
(Note: located at Rugenwalde, this was the training unit for railroad artillery units; this may be a different designation for the SF 1 x 2-1-R RR Art II IV/2Lr (?), see next page.)

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 459
SE: 1x 1-0-R RR Art I 459, Dec I 41

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 532

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 592

Stabsbatterie-fur-Eisenbahn-Artillerie 620 (WK III)

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 640
SE/Fiff: 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 640, Sep I 42-Jun I 43
SF: 1 x 2-1-R RR Art II 640, Dec I 43

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab 646
SF: 1x 2-1-R RR Art II 646, Apr I 44

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 649

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 655 [15cm K(E)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilung 660

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 664 (WK III) [24cm guns]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 665

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 672
SE: 1 x 0-1-R/5-1-0 RR Art 1672, May I 42

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 673

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 674 [24cm guns]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab 676 (WK IV)
FtF 1x 2-1-R RR Siege Art II 676, Sep 139
FoF: 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 676, May I 40
FitE/SE.- I x 2-0-R RR Art II 676, Jul I 41 - Jun I 43
SF: 1x 2-1-R RR Art II 676, Dec 143

Esenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 679 [28cm K (E)]
FtF: 1x 2-1-R RR Siege Art II 679, Sep 139
FitE/SE: 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 679, Jun II 41

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 680
FtF: 1x 2-1-R RR Siege Art II 680, Sept 139

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 681
FtF 1x 2-1-R RR Siege Art II 681, Sep 139
FoF: 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 681, May I 40
FitE/SE: 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 681, Jul I 41 - Jun I 43
SF: 1x 2-1-R RR Art II 681, Jul I 43

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 685

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 686
FitE/SE: 1x 1-0-R RR Art 1686, Feb I 42-Jun I 43

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 687

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 688 [28cm Ig BrK (E)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 689 [28cm s BrK (E)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 690 [28cm kz BrK (E)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 691 (WK III)

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 692

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 693 [40cm H (E) 752 (f)]
FitE/SE: 1x 1-0-R RR Art 1693, Feb I 42-Jun I 43

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 694 [28cm guns]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 695 [28cm guns + 37cm H (E) 711 (f)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 696 [29cm guns + 40cm H (E) 752 (f)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 698

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 701 [21cm K 12 (E) (Note: On Western Front with only one gun in service at any time.)

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 702 (WK IV)
FtF 1x 2-1 -R RR Siege Art II 702, Oct 1139
FoF 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 702, May I 40
FitE/SE: 1x 3-0-R RR Art II 702, Jun II 41 - Jun I 43
SF 1x 2-1-R RR Art II 702, Jul I 43

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 704

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilunc,sstab zbV 704

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 710

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 711 [37cm H (E) 711 (f)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 712 [28cm K5 (F)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 713 [28cm K5 (E)]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 715

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 717 [17cm K (E)] (only in Gander)

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 718 [17cm K (E)] (only in Gander)

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 719 (WK VI)

Eisenbahn-Artilllerie-Regi ments stab zbV 720
FtF: 1x 2-1-R Art II 1720, Sep 139

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 721 [28cm guns]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 722 [24cm guns]
(Note: 1944, in France with 28cm BrK (E))

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 725 (WK VIII)
(Note: 1944, in France with 28cm k BrK (F))

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regiments stab zbV 725
FitE/SE 1x 2-0-R RR ArtII 725, Jun II 41-Jun I 43
SF: 1x 2-1-RR R Art II 725,Jull43
(Note: For "Wacht am Rhein," 16 Dec 1944, Army Group B had under command Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilung 725 with: E-Batterie 674 with 1x 24cm ThBrK (E), 1x 24cm ThK (E) and 1x 27.4cm K (E) 592 (f); E-Batterie 688 with 1x 28cm K5 (E); and E-Batterie 749 with 1x 28cm K5 (E) Glatt])

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 726

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regiinentsstab zbV 726

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 729

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 744

Eisenbahn-Artillei-ie-Batterie 749 [28cm K5 (E) Glatt?]

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 752

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 765 [28cm K5 (E)]
SE: I x 2-0-R RR Art 1765, May I 42

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 766

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 780 (WK IV)
FoF: 1x 2-0-R RR Art II 780, May I 40
FitE/SE: 1x 2-0-R RR ArtII 780, Jul I 41-Jul I 43
SF 1x 2-1-R RR Art II 780, Jul I 43

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Regimentsstab zbV 78 1
SE: 1x 4-0-R RR Art III 781, May I 42

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Batterie 853
SE: 1x 3-0-R RR Art 1853, May I 42

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilung 1227

Eisenbahn-Artillerie-Abteilung zbV

Note: I was unable to cross-reference the following Europa Railroad Artillery units to my source material. The brigades appear to represent composite units.

SF: 1x 2-1-R RR Art II IV/2Lr, Wehrkreis III garrison, Jul I 43
SF: 1x 4-2-R RR Art X 317, Dec I 1943
SF: 1x 6-4-R RR Art X 15017, Wehrkreis II garrison, Jul I 43

BIBLIOGRAPHY