Osprey- German Marders of World War II: The Wehrmacht's Prime Tank Destroyers

About the Author:

Steven J. Zaloga is a renowned military historian and defense analyst specializing in armored warfare. He has authored more than 200 books and numerous articles on World War II armor and military history, including many popular Osprey titles. His clear writing style and meticulous research have established him as one of the foremost authorities on armored warfare history. His work is familiar to virtually every member of the armor modeling community, especially those in the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society where he was honored as an AMPS Master in 1994.

Link to the book:     https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/german-marders-of-world-war-ii-9781472872142/

Book Specifications:

Like other books in Osprey's New Vanguard series, this is a handy 7 x 10-inch softcover containing 48 pages printed on quality semi-gloss paper that reproduces the photos and artwork very well. The is illustrated throughout with 40 black-and-white wartime photographs and eight pages of full-color artwork by Felipe Rodriquez, an architect, modeler, and military illustrator from Salamanca, Spain. making it and excellent visual reference for both historians and modelers.

The book opens with an introduction and is organized into nine chapters. It concludes with a Further Reading section, followed by a comprehensive index.

Introduction:

The author's introduction explains how Germany's encounter with the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks in 1941 exposed the limitations of its existing anti-tank weapons. To meet this immediate battlefield challenge, German engineers mounted powerful anti-tank guns on available tank chassis, resulting in the Marder series. Although these expedient vehicles sacrificed crew protection with their lightly armored, open-topped fighting compartments, they restored the Wehrmacht's ability to engage enemy armor effectively at long ranges. Zaloga emphasizes that while the Marders were far from ideal fighting vehicles, they filled a critical gap in Germany's anti-tank defenses and played a significant role in combat operations from 1942 until they were gradually replaced by purpose-built tank destroyers. 

Chapter 1 - Divisional Antitank Defense

The opening chapter explains how German divisional anti-tank units were organized and the challenges they faced after encountering heavily armored Soviet tanks. Zaloga shows why existing towed anti-tank guns were no longer sufficient, creating the need for a more mobile and better armed solution that ultimately led to the development of the Marder series.

The author has included an image on page five showing 3 German antitank guns.

Chapter 2 - The Soviet Viper

In this chapter, Zaloga examines the shock created by the introduction of the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks during Operation Barbarossa. Their superior armor and firepower quickly exposed the shortcomings of Germany's existing anti-tank weapons, forcing the Wehrmacht to find an immediate solution. This battlefield experience directly led to the development of the first Marder tank destroyers armed with more powerful anti-tank guns. 

Page nine shows a color artwork rendered by Felipe Rodgrquez of two Pak 36 guns in different markings captured by the Wehrmacht from the Soviet army.

Chapter 4 - Marder II

This chapter looks at the Marder II, built on the Panzer II chassis and armed with either a captured Soviet 86.2mm gun or German 75mm PaK 40.  Zaloga explains how it gave German troops a much more effective mobile anti-tank weapon, while also pointing out its drawbacks, including light armor and an open fighting compartment.

On page eighteen is an excellent black and white image showing the fighting compartment the author discusses of a Marder II from Alkett plant in 1942.

Chapter 5 - Marder III Ausf H

Zaloga examines the Marder III Ausf. H, built on the dependable Czech 38t chassis with a 75mm PaK 40. He explains how it became an effective mobile tank destroyer and notes that this production version featured light overhead protection for the crew. He also discusses the tradeoff of its open fighting compartment, which still left the crew vulnerable. 

One page twenty-three, Zaloga includes a useful chart showing the production dates and manufacturing totals for the Marder 7.5cm Pak 40. This is a representative of the many informative charts included throughout the book.

Chapter 6 - Marder III Ausf M

The author covers the final and most refined version of the Marder III. Built on the reliable Czech 38t chassis, the Ausf.M featured the powerful 75mm PaK 40 mounted in a rear fighting compartment, giving the crew better protection and improved balance. Zaloga explains why many consider it the best of the Marder series, even though its open-topped design still left the crew vulnerable. 

On page 24, Zaloga includes two excellent photographs. The upper image shows a 7.5cm Marder III Ausf.M, while the lower photograph provides a detailed view of a 5cm PaK 48 mounted on a Panzerjäger chassis.

Chapter 7 - Marder Substitute: The RSO

Zaloga explains how the Raupenschlepper Ost (Tracked Towing Vehicle East) RSO was adapted to carry the powerful 75mm PaK 40 as a simple, low-cost tank destroyer. Although the design showed promise, only a limited number were built, and it never replaced the Marder in frontline service. He also provides interesting details on the vehicle's production history, the companies involved in its manufacture, and Hitler's personal interest in the project and his reaction to its development. 

On page 31, Felipe Rodriquez's full-color artwork depicts two Marder III Ausf H vehicles in 1944. The camouflage schemes and markings provide excellent reference material, especially for modelers looking to accurately finish their build. 

Chapter 8 - Marder's Replacement

Zaloga explains how the Marder eventually gave way to purpose-built tank destroyers designed from the ground up for the anti-tank role. These newer vehicles, such as the Jadpanzer 38t or Hetzer, offered better armor protection, a lower silhouette, and improved survivability while maintaining the firepower needed to defeat Allied tanks. This chapter also marks the introduction of the Sd. Kfz.251/22 medium armored half-track and the Sd.Kfz. 234/4 armored car into German service. On page 41, Zaloga includes an excellent photograph of a Sd.Kfz. 251/22 that was captured by the U.S. forced in 1945. On page 42, an image of a Sd.Kfz 234/4 is shown detailing the camouflage scheme. 

Chapter 9 - Marder Combat Lessons

In the final chapter, Zaloga puts his years of research and knowledge to work by explaining what made the Marder successful and where it came up short in combat. The powerful 7.5cm Pak 40 could knock out most enemy tanks, but the light armor and open fighting compartment left the crew exposed. He does a great job tying everything together, showing why the Marder became such an important and effective stopgap tank destroyer until new vehicles took its place. On page 44, Zaloga includes an interesting photograph of one of the Marder crews to earn Panzer Ace status on the Eastern Front in 1943. The image clearly shows victory rings painted on the gun barrel, a detail that will be of particular interest to armor modelers. 

Book Highlights

• Full color artwork with excellent camouflage and marking references.
• Wartime photographs showing stowage, weathering, and field details.
• Clear coverage of the different Marder variants and their features.
• Production charts to help date specific vehicles.
• Great inspiration for dioramas and vehicle weathering for the modeling community. 
• Zaloga's experience as an accomplished armor modeler and historian is evident throughout the book. 

For these reasons, I highly recommend adding this book to your reference library. 

Highly Recommended for Beginner to Advanced builders.

Thanks go out to Osprey Publishing for this review book

Reviewed by Phillip Cavender

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