Bundeswehr to deploy Marders to 'Stan

[Arralen]

Article in "Das Handelsblatt" says the QRF gets 4 Marder for regular deployment.
Last year, it actually it looked like they wanted to send Panzergrenadiere from Panzergrenadier-Bataillon 212 to 'Stan ... yeah, Panzergrenadiere to the Front!! Oh, wait, didn't we have that before ... However, they wanted to send the whole bunch, completly with MTW with 120mm Tampella mortars .. but in 2008 those turned out to have become unusuable during all those years of conscripts handling (Source isn't that reliable, though: http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb5/frieden...ndeswehr3.html)

I'm not sure, but from that I understand they send the PzGr not only without mortars, but without APCs as well?!? Or are those 4 Marder which can be seen securing the camp actually those 4 which belong to the PzGr Komp ?

Why do they want to send 4 more, then ???

While I wouldn't rate Marder as heavy weapons by todays standard ... did you notice the Milan launcher of those pics above? I wonder how Milans will do against those mud huts. At least it will be an opportunity to get rid of all those old missiles which wouldn't be of any use otherwise .. if they are still usuable, that is

I wonder if 'Stan will last long enough for the first Pumas to be deployed there ... if anyone is interested in doing some scenarios or a small campaign, I would like to contribute some ideas

[Marek_Tucan]

Javelins seem to do OK against Mud Huts, so MILAN should do as well, but it's a bit expensive... Though maybe not as much as ecological disposal of the missiles

[redcoat2]

The German media has reported that the Bundewehr has relocated Marders from Mazar-e-Sharif to Kunduz and used them in a combat mission for the first time.

Der Spiegel (in English)

Frankfurter Allgemeine (in German)

Europe World News (in English)

The English language news reports seem to have referred to the Marders as tanks. Something was lost in translation methinks.

[Double_Deuce]

Originally Posted by redcoat2

The English language news reports seem to have referred to the Marders as tanks. Something was lost in translation methinks.

To most civilian Marders are tanks, same as they see the Bradley. Whats really said though is I know 19D's who also thought the Bradley was tank.