From: Barclay, Tom <tomb@b...>
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 17:33:34 -0400
Subject: A platoon by any other name... would it smell as sweet?
Many force organizations have been bandied about. I've yet to see one that is
as troop intensive as mine. Where as many of those forces tend to favour
6-8 man squads, with only three squads to a platoon, plus in some cases
a command squad, averaging about 32 members, I tend to prefer heavier
formations. I certainly wouldn't find a platoon of 24 to be a viable size.
Here's my typical TO&E (NSL): LT. PSgt.
Signaller/EW
Medic team of 2 any attached specialist (8 man pioneer squad or a 2 man sniper
team etc) Machine gun (if the force has tripod mounted weapons, this weap det
is off to the side commanded by the PSgt)
Anti armour (generally 4 guys, in teams of 2, either with a GMS/P and
ammo for a team or 2 x Infantry Plasma Guns for a team) Infantry Squads x 4
broken into: Fireteam A: Sqd Sgt, 3 x Rifleman Fireteam B: Cpl on a SAW, 3 x
Rifleman
I subscribe to the rule of 2 (rather than 3) -- each rifleman has a
buddy, each pair has another matching pair, each fireteam another fireteam,
each squad a squad, etc. I know some of the Canucks and Aussies are more
familiar with the rule of 3, which allows 2 bounding and 1 covering or 1
bounding and 2 covering, but I find the rule of 2 works well too.
So that makes my typical NSL force between 35 and 41 without extra attachments
or tripod heavies.
An NSL Task Group (heavy company for independent ops) might look like: 4 x NSL
Platoon 1 x CHQ (about 8 guys including Coy Cmdr) 1 x Assault Pioneer Section
(may be attached to a platoon)
2 x NSL PA Platoon (18 guys - 4 squads of 4 plus Sgt and Lt)
1 or 2 x sniper team of 2
2 x GMS/L or GMS/H AT teams
2 x GMS/L-AA teams (with GMS/P-AA too)
1 x Support Platoon (18 or so guys... mechanics/logsitics/meds/etc
headed by the XO) Mortars or Artillery support (1 battery of medium to heavy
mortars and perhaps a battery of light to medium guns)
Vehicles/Crews
Total Manpower: Ballpark around 300.... too light to be a battalion task
group, which will likely come in at around 750-800.
My TO&E for My OUDF is similar but different:
Lt. PSgt.
EW/Sig
Medic team of 2 any attached specialists Infantry Squads 3 x broken into:
Fireteam A: Sgt Squad leader, 4 x Rifles (sometimes 3 x Rifles +
1 IPG) Fireteam B: Cpl with SAW, 3 x Rifles
So, we have normally about 32 guys in this formation but the OUDF are meant to
be a slightly smaller force... budgetary constraints etc.
Note that my numbers are larger than most SG forces. My logic runs as follows:
Men are expensive to send to space. We all know this. But what does that mean?
It means they are too expensive to lose by not having support enough to get
their wounded out... their combat power can't be allowed to attrit as fast as
it does in a 24 man platoon. It means if it is worth it to send 20 guys 20
light years, its probably worth sending 40 to make sure the job is done right.
You look pretty stupid (and economically senseless) if you commit
insufficient sized forces to the task. And sending freezer-sticks really
isn't that bad of a use of space.... cold sleep makes shipping your marines
around far more attractive. And due to the desire to send smaller forces long
distances from help, each force must have at least minimum capability in many
areas normally reserved for "support". This includes
arty/air/meds/sniper/engineer/EW/Anti-armour. If they are star-going
regulars, you will find they have the best kit their nation can afford for
them plus expendable munitions like grenades and IAVRs. No sense sending a boy
to do a man's job...
Also, a platoon is expected to take and hold land. This means a certain
minimum manpower density for operations in many close terrain types. Reduced
platoon sizes are okay in open terrain, but in close terrain, you still need
guys. Larger platoon let you operate for longer periods before getting fresh
bodies if the excrement hits the rotary air-mover. Have a platoon of 24,
get mauled in one fight, your platoon might easily be combat lossed, whereas a
40 man platoon, though hurt, would still be combat effective _as_ a
platoon. Smaller forces have to consolidate more after casualties. Chain of
comand has to be flexible in either case.
Sometimes you get smaller forces:
Ships troops - not much support, mostly PA or full shell armour.
Special Ops - smaller forces, wazoo kit
Militia or other local troops - lesser support (or lower tech), lesser
troops, possibly smaller or larger numbers...
Raiders - less formal support, more emphasis on speed, hitting power,
and fast get away
Peacekeepers/makers - less heavy support, less heavily armed.
Recce - only smaller formation, but these tend to have far less support
elements etc.
But line infantry still has, and always will, the task of taking ground (often
occupied) and holding it. That ground can be jungle or urban as easy as any
other.... and this requires men. And men get hurt, and more men means a lower
loss of combat effectiveness. And more men means if need be you
_can_ be spread further. And more men means someone to get your wounded
out when they are hit... a morale boost. And more men means you have real
humans to watch your back... always comforting.
Ultimately, I can imagine a platoon of 24 for militia, internal security,
PA, elite forces. But for line forces I'd think 30-40 would be the norm.
Your Mileage May (of course) Vary Dramattically!