Question:
Can a detached Panther battalion be attached to a plain old Panzergrenadier XX, thus making it a Panzer XX?
Answer:
Rule 15E allows a detached panzer battalion only to be attached to a panzer division, and not to a panzergrenadier division.
This covers all the historical cases I can think of off-hand, although I would not be surprised to hear about exceptions to this. I note that a panzer division had a panzer regiment headquarters, capable of controlling several panzer battalions. A panzergrenadier division, having only one panzer battalion, did not have a panzer regiment headquarters and thus on paper was less able to handle multiple panzer battalions. In reality, however, the German’s practice of cross-attaching units and forming battle groups (Kampfgruppen) probably meant that a panzergrenadier division could competently manage a second panzer battalion. So, if you want to add this to the game as a house rule (and your opponent agrees), go ahead.
Source:
Errata published at http://www.hmsgrd.com/Files/Europa/Second Front/Second Front.pdf
