When the war stagnated into trench warfare, officers on both sides tried to break the stalemate. Various new weapons were tried: massed heavy artillery bombardments, poison gas, aircraft,
and tanks. Yet the most effective change was not a new weapon, but a new tactic. A revolution in military thinking occurred, with the strict discipline and drill that had been required of infantry since the days of Frederick the Great giving way to newer, more flexible movement and tactics. In the German army these tactics were called Stosstaktik, or shock tactics. They were to be carried out by Stosstruppen (shock troops). The aim of the Stosstruppen was to seek out weak points in the enemy lines and advance through them quickly in small groups. Enemy  strongpoints would be bypassed in order to capture objectives in their rear.

Shock tactics were first conceived in 1915 by Hauptmann (Captain) Willy Rohr, a career infantry officer. He realized that current assault tactics did not work. He reorganized his assault detachment into squad-sized assault groups, teaching them to move quickly and quietly using cover. Enemy trenches were rolled up in short rushes with grenades. The new tactics were tested in the Vosges Mountains, and they worked well.

Hauptmann Rohr began training more men in his tactics and the detachment was expanded into Sturmbatallion Rohr (Assault Battalion Rohr). The battalion took part in the initial attack at Verdun in 1916, successfully clearing the first line of French trenches. Hauptmann Rohr’s idea was adopted by his commander, Eighth Army General Hutier. Hutier added a short, sharp
artillery bombardment before the assault. This would silence defenders and maintain tactical surprise. Detailed planning was reduced, and junior officers would be given more freedom
to adapt tactics to the situation.

Through 1917, the new tactics continued to be used and adapted successfully. New units of Stosstruppen were raised and distributed across the front for major assaults.

Stosstaktik was used on a large scale during the 1918 Spring offensive. Entire divisions infiltrated and quickly overran the French and British trench lines, ending the stalemate that had lasted four years. Generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff are usually given the credit for planning this offensive, but none of it could have happened without Willy Rohr’s new idea.

THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS:

• 2x metal Mauser Pistol Teams
• 2x metal Stoss Platoons which contain: (each with 8 teams)
  • 6x Mauser Pistol Teams
  • 1x MG 08/15 Team
  • 1x Flame-thrower Team
• 4x metal Maxim MG 08 HMG Teams
• 1x metal 7.6cm Minenwerfer Mortar Teams
• 2x metal 7.62cm Krupp IG Gun Teams
• 1x metal 7.7cm FK96 n.A. Gun Team
• 2x metal and resin A7V Tanks
• 1x metal Sniper

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These miniatures are supplied unassembled and unpainted