Quote Originally Posted by Fuchs View Post
There was little if any difference between Waffen SS quality and normal Heer quality once you look at equals in terms of type of formation, supply and age structure of personnel.

In fact, the Waffen SS was rather incompetent early on and way too reckless.

My assertion here is that there's no need to look closely at their attributes because you can learn the same from the fast and light troops of the Wehrmacht (Panzer, Panzergrenadier, Gebirgsjger and early Fallschirmjger formations) without most of the political hazzle.
Martin van Creveld's book Fighting Power is worthy of study.

He speaks of a formula -

Within the limits set by its size, an army's worth as a militray instrument equals the quality and quantity of its equipment multiplied by what, ... (is) termed its Fighting Power. The latter rests on mental, intellectual and organisational foundations; its manifestations, in one combination or another, are discipline, cohesion, morale and initiative, courage and toughness, the willingness to fight and the readiness, if necessary, to die. Fighting Power in brief, is defined as the sum of the total of mental qualities that make armies fight.