Known originally as the Ebbinghaus Battalion, and then re-constituted as the Lehr und Bau Kompagnie z.b.V. 800 (Special Duty Training and Construction Company No. 800), it was popularly known as the Brandenburg Commandos (or Brandenburg Regiment z.b.V.800), after the city where the unit was formed. The original reasons for the formation of this special force were, among other things, sabotage, capturing roadways and bridges, and securing strategic targets before they were demolished.*
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The German employment of Special Forces was innovative, but suffered severely by both military, political and inter-service rivalry between the Abwehr and the RHSA. The original German Special Forces units were the Brandenburgers and Assault Battalion Koch (a glider born Assault Engineer Group). In the years of it's ascendency the Brandenburg Regiment grew from a Company sized formation to Divisional size in three years. However as the Abwehr's influence waned that of the SS grew, and by 1944 the Brandenburgers as a special forces unit ceased to exist, having been incorporated into the Waffen SS and used in several of their own special forces formations.*
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Although the early operations of the Brandenburgers were mainly covert recon and demolition special operations, as the unit grew in size they became to be used as regular army troops. In the early war years (before the invasion of the Soviet Union) only the two-unit scout formation should normally be used. The platoon and company formations are available, but should only be used in rare situations.*
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During the middle war years many Brandenburgers were lost on the Eastern Front where they were misused as conventional infantry to plug holes in the front and act as a 'Fire Brigade'. This was due in part to the Command and Control structure, which placed these Special forces under the command of Divisions for certain Operations; thus strategic troops were employed on local tactical operations, such as fighting Partisans. For game use the Player may use any of the Brandenburger formations on the Eastern Front, though all usage should be considered a rare occurance.*
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In North Africa the Brandenburgers were used mainly in their covert role, for special recon and demolition operations behind enemy lines.  For these raids they used captured vehicles and impersonated enemy soldiers.  They did very little conventional fighting in North Africa. For game use the Player may occasionally use the Brandenburger two-unit Scout formation in North Africa, but not the other formations.
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The Waffen SS completely absorbed and dispersed the Brandenburgers.  The Waffen SS was brought to the center of the Special Forces stage from 1944 onwards.*
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The Brandenburg Panzergrenadier Division of 1944 onwards was not the same "Brandenburgers" that made up the earlier commando forces.  The latter division was not a special forces unit, and has no substantial connection with the earlier Brandenburgers.