Reconnaissance forces were a key component of the Panzer divisions in the Wehrmacht in World War II. These highly mobile divisions had a vital need for good quality battlefield intelligence, and the battalion-sized motorized units provided this. These units were equipped with a mixture of armoured cars and motorcycles, and often operated far ahead of the battlefront to survey the terrain, observe enemy positions and identify enemy forces – key information required ahead of any armoured assault.

In the second half of the war, with Germany on the strategic defensive, armoured reconnaissance troops found themselves increasingly drawn into combat operations, and even holding sectors of the line. At the same time, more modern equipment was brought in, with motorcycles phased out and purpose-built armoured personnel carriers (Schützenpanzerwagen) introduced.

This highly illustrated volume by Thomas Anderson uses original German archival material, after-action reports and previously unpublished images to reveal the full history of the reconnaissance forces of the Panzer divisions.