SCOUTS OUT: A History of German Armored Reconnaissance Units in World War II

Intelligence on the enemy's strength, location, and activities, as well as on terrain, climate, and other factors is critically important to military decision making at all levels, and the fast, reliable gathering of intelligence has received special attention from the world's fighting men from the dawn of human conflict. In World War II a large portion of the German military's on the ground intelligence gathering mission was conducted by the armored reconnaissance forces, the soldiers and vehicles at the very tip of Germany's fast-moving spear.

"Scouts Out" is the definitive account of German armored reconnaissance in World War II. In text, photographs, and diagrams, it covers:

•the development of reconnaissance doctrine
•the training of forces
•the organization of recon elements as part of panzer, panzergrenadier, and motorized infantry units in the Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe
•recon vehicles from armored cars to halftracks and motorcycles
•uniforms and insignia
•the major recon formations of the German military, including details on activation and deactivation, organization, commanders, and awards