The division suffered heavy losses in the first month of the war, losing half its tanks and a third of its manpower in June and July.

With the start of the Soviet counter offensive in December 1941 the 18th Panzer Division was driven back to Oryol with heavy losses.

[3] In the summer of 1942, the 18th Panzer Division took part in the initial drive on Stalingrad, but was soon transferred to the central section of the front.

[1][4] According to Omer Bartov, the 18th Panzer Division was heavily engaged in the looting of food from Soviet civilians to the point that the latter starved to death.

Within the division, harsh measures were employed against any soldier found guilty of dissent or reluctant to fight, leading to a number of executions.