3. Fallschirmjäger

 is an Axis Airborne division in Steel Division. The 3. Fallshirmjäger-Division proved to be among the toughest opponents the Allies faced in Normandy. Although lacking heavy guns and armour, they were highly motivated, well led, and equipped with the best weapons the Reich could muster. In the bocage, their firepower was unmatched… A skilled and charismatic leader, Schimpf led his division with great effectiveness in Normandy despite heavy odds.

A WW1 veteran, Schimpf transferred to the air force branch (Luftwaffe) years before it officially existed, it still being a secret training program in violation of the Versailles Treaty. Rising quickly through the ranks, he held several technical and staff positions, until being placed in command of 21. Luftwaffe-Field Division which he led for more than a year on the Russian Front. Being given command of 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division in February 1944, he led it through the Normandy campaign. Under his leadership, his division ranked among the best and most reliable German ones: during the desperate breakout attempts from the Falaise pocket, only what was left of the 12. SS-Panzer & 3. Fallschirmjäger remained as organised and disciplined units around their leaders to lead the charge. Although Schimpf was seriously wounded in the breakout, his paratroopers carried him with them in the escape.

Tactics
3. FJ relies mainly on a large number of elite paratroopers equipped with the best infantry weapons. Although their firepower is unmatched, they can only rely on very light support, and are at their best in Phase A. Fallschirmjägers are the deadliest opponents one can face in close combat, but will be much less effective on an open terrain. There, only the massive support of the Luftwaffe will help them progress. Remember that many airborne division's units (identified by wings on their cards) can't be surrounded. Or at least, if they are, they don't care…

Phase A
The only 1000m range unit with AT capabilities is the L.PaK 41 Gerlich. With its AP value of only 8 you will have very serious difficulties keeping enemy tanks away from your vulnerable infantry, let alone destroying enemy tanks! As a comparison, the not so impressive 716. Infanterie has at least the PaK 37 47mm and the IG 18! And this crappy unit comes at a cost of 50!

The Puppchen has a range of 300m (or 500m in certain versions of the game!) only! This is barely 50m more than a much more mobile and much more concealable Fs-Pz.Schreck or Fs-Pz.Abwehr unit. With this crappy range, the only way to have a shot at disabling an enemy tank, is to surprise the unit. It is impossible to keep a Puppchen concealed when enemy recon units are present.

The 20mm canons of the Panzer L6(i)s will devour infantry units a closer range and have a good chance of taking out enemy AT guns at close range! A maximum range of 800m the accuracy is that bad, that most shots will actually miss! The targeted unit might be stunned, but it will survive! All 20mm units have limited ammunition! With an AP of 4, these tanks can take out enemy half-tracks on paper, but ingame it takes a lot of ammo doing so! The limited ammo is too valuable to shoot at half-tracks at 800m!

3. FJ does not have any quad 20mm, and while Fs-FlaK 38 20mm is not particular effective against air units, they do very well against soft targets up to 800m range. Enemy tanks devour this units of course.

You should seriously consider fielding at least one Fs-FlaK 36 37mm in this phase, if only to have something with a range of 1000m!

The HS 129 B1 Tank Buster can reign supreme, or can totally fail, or can even be shot down at first sight!

Phase B
The StuG III G with its combination of 10 frontal armour and 14 AP cannon is a solid unit. Lacking a turret this unit will not get first shot in a duel with a turreted enemy tank. At maximum range this is not a big deal, but a close range, this is deadly.

The StuH 42 is the only tank unit with 1200m range. But it does not carry any AP shells!

Two packs of x1 FlaK 41 88mm can be fielded. Only impressive when fighting a 1000m-range-tank at 1200m range or weakly armoured 1200m-range-tanks, such as the M18 Hellcat or the M10A1 Destroyer (US). One or two Char M4A3(76) might just risk going against this unit. Units on a "cruciform mount" seem to be particularly vulnerable to enemy HE fire.

Conclusion
 might look very impressive but in reality it is a formation that is rather hard to successfully lead to victory.