So here I am all ready to try my hand at building a army for my imagi-nation. The first thing I do being a army infantry veteran and having always believed that I knew more then my officers is promote myself to general. Now I figure its a cake walk what a mistake.
First I betray my own and don't start with building my infantry force. Why you ask because I decided I want to start with MLRS vehicles because they always fascinated me but more importantly because I am now a general and I say so.
And there my troubles really begin. How many companies , how many battalions should I build a whole regiment. What other vehicles do I want should I add regular artillery should everything be self propelled or is towing ok. How many guns to a firing battery how much is enough.
I gotta say being a imaginary general is tough. And I still haven't got my military budget approved by the Senate aka she who must be obeyed aka the love of my life.
The problem with being a new general
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Ranger257
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The problem with being a new general
Been there and not going back
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panzergator
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Ranger257,
I think budget is something we all deal with.
Organization is a complex problem. What era, what service, which TOE? What kind of organization do you want to build?
You are interested in the MLRS. A J-series Divisional Artillery in the 1980s consisted of one battery of 9 MLRS. It may have been increased or decreased for Gulf 1, but that's what my reference for the early '80s says. There are ancillary vehicles, as well, but that's a good start.
As an armor guy, I always favored armor-heavy units - two tank, one mech for H-series. That's how my brigade in the '70s in Germany was organized. The brigade had 2 tank bns, 1 mech bn, and 1 155 SP bn.
H-series (1970s) - Tank battalion: 5 tanks per platoon, 3 platoons per company, plus a company hq of 2 tanks, and 1 M88 and 1 M113, 3 companies per battalion, plus a combat support company with a scout platoon of 10 M114s (later changed to M113s, then 3 M113s and 3 TOW tracks), a mortar platoon of 4 M106s and an M577, 2 AVLBs, and a Redeye platoon with 6 M151s with trailers and a GSR platoon. The BN HQ company held three tanks (CDR, S3, Fire support officer), a medical platoon with 3 M113 ambulances, one M577, and one Gamma Goat. In the headquarters company maintenance section, there were 2 M88s, 1 M578, and a wrecker. There was a medical platoon with one M577, 3 M113 ambulances, a Gamma Goat and staff sections - 3 M577 for S3, S2, and S1/4, an M113 (S-3). There was another M577 in the Signal platoon. There are a LOT more vehicles, but those are the principals. There is an extensive truck pool for support platoon, to haul ammo, chow, maintenance, and other stuff. 54 tanks per battalion.
H-series Mech: 4 tracks per platoon, 3 platoons, plus 3 81mm mortar tracks and two TOW tracks, a maintenance M113, an M578, and a two track hq per company. Combat support company is same as tank without the AVLBs. HQ Company also the same, subbing M578s for the M88s and two 5-ton wreckers instead of one. The Combat Support Company also had an AT platoon of 12 M113 chassis - eventually the M901.
H-series Arty-3 battalions in DIVARTY of SP155, 6 pieces per battery with matching M548, 3 batteries per battalion. DIVARTY also had M110s, 4 pieces per battery, later 6.
The MLRS replaced the M110A2s.
In studying WWII armored divisions, the rifles were ALWAYS short, to the point where I think you need two, maybe three battalions of mech to one of tanks, just so you can support the infantry missions. WWII light armored divisions had 3 battalions each of armor, mech, and arty.
There seems to be general agreement that the Bradley doesn't carry enough dismounts, so I'm hoping that its replacement will remedy that, but armored vehicles are always compromises. If I were building my own organization, I would go with a Bradley with the remote 30mm to give more interior space for dismounts and then increase the number to 5 per platoon. Infantry isn't called the Queen of Battle for nothing.
J-series (1980s) increased the line companies to 4, reduced the tank platoon from 5 to 4, took away the combat support company, and put the scouts, mortars, and stuff in the headquarters company. The Bn HQ was reduced to 2 tanks. Arty Batteries were increased to 8 pieces per, the M110s went away, and the MLRS was issued. The latter may have been increased to a battalion of 3 batteries, but since, TOEs have been changed a lot and I haven't kept up. I do know that, at least for a while, the arty establishment went down to two batteries per bn and 6 pieces per battery for the brigade combat team concept. Personally, I prefer divisions. The Mech Bn had replaced the CSC AT platoon with an AT company, divided into 3 platoons of 4 M901s, each having a plt ldr in an M113. That company was added while the mech transitioned from M113A2 to Bradleys in J-series configuration. The company was retained for a while until someone remembered that was to augment the battalion's AT capability until it got Bradleys, which all mounted TOW launchers.
In the late 90s and on, the Army really messed with organization, instituting brigade combat teams, permanent cross - attachment (battalions of 2 armor and 2 mech companies each), reduction of strength in arty, and I disagree with those decisions, so, although I do follow them, I can't dash off the organization. I keep mine at H and J series TOE. I believe in the powerful, hard-to-deploy divisions, using Marines and fictional armored cavalry organizations for rapid deployment. (Hey, it's MY army.)
Perhaps this helps. Let me know if you have questions. My memory may not be the best, so I hope someone else out there can offer corrections.
I think budget is something we all deal with.
Organization is a complex problem. What era, what service, which TOE? What kind of organization do you want to build?
You are interested in the MLRS. A J-series Divisional Artillery in the 1980s consisted of one battery of 9 MLRS. It may have been increased or decreased for Gulf 1, but that's what my reference for the early '80s says. There are ancillary vehicles, as well, but that's a good start.
As an armor guy, I always favored armor-heavy units - two tank, one mech for H-series. That's how my brigade in the '70s in Germany was organized. The brigade had 2 tank bns, 1 mech bn, and 1 155 SP bn.
H-series (1970s) - Tank battalion: 5 tanks per platoon, 3 platoons per company, plus a company hq of 2 tanks, and 1 M88 and 1 M113, 3 companies per battalion, plus a combat support company with a scout platoon of 10 M114s (later changed to M113s, then 3 M113s and 3 TOW tracks), a mortar platoon of 4 M106s and an M577, 2 AVLBs, and a Redeye platoon with 6 M151s with trailers and a GSR platoon. The BN HQ company held three tanks (CDR, S3, Fire support officer), a medical platoon with 3 M113 ambulances, one M577, and one Gamma Goat. In the headquarters company maintenance section, there were 2 M88s, 1 M578, and a wrecker. There was a medical platoon with one M577, 3 M113 ambulances, a Gamma Goat and staff sections - 3 M577 for S3, S2, and S1/4, an M113 (S-3). There was another M577 in the Signal platoon. There are a LOT more vehicles, but those are the principals. There is an extensive truck pool for support platoon, to haul ammo, chow, maintenance, and other stuff. 54 tanks per battalion.
H-series Mech: 4 tracks per platoon, 3 platoons, plus 3 81mm mortar tracks and two TOW tracks, a maintenance M113, an M578, and a two track hq per company. Combat support company is same as tank without the AVLBs. HQ Company also the same, subbing M578s for the M88s and two 5-ton wreckers instead of one. The Combat Support Company also had an AT platoon of 12 M113 chassis - eventually the M901.
H-series Arty-3 battalions in DIVARTY of SP155, 6 pieces per battery with matching M548, 3 batteries per battalion. DIVARTY also had M110s, 4 pieces per battery, later 6.
The MLRS replaced the M110A2s.
In studying WWII armored divisions, the rifles were ALWAYS short, to the point where I think you need two, maybe three battalions of mech to one of tanks, just so you can support the infantry missions. WWII light armored divisions had 3 battalions each of armor, mech, and arty.
There seems to be general agreement that the Bradley doesn't carry enough dismounts, so I'm hoping that its replacement will remedy that, but armored vehicles are always compromises. If I were building my own organization, I would go with a Bradley with the remote 30mm to give more interior space for dismounts and then increase the number to 5 per platoon. Infantry isn't called the Queen of Battle for nothing.
J-series (1980s) increased the line companies to 4, reduced the tank platoon from 5 to 4, took away the combat support company, and put the scouts, mortars, and stuff in the headquarters company. The Bn HQ was reduced to 2 tanks. Arty Batteries were increased to 8 pieces per, the M110s went away, and the MLRS was issued. The latter may have been increased to a battalion of 3 batteries, but since, TOEs have been changed a lot and I haven't kept up. I do know that, at least for a while, the arty establishment went down to two batteries per bn and 6 pieces per battery for the brigade combat team concept. Personally, I prefer divisions. The Mech Bn had replaced the CSC AT platoon with an AT company, divided into 3 platoons of 4 M901s, each having a plt ldr in an M113. That company was added while the mech transitioned from M113A2 to Bradleys in J-series configuration. The company was retained for a while until someone remembered that was to augment the battalion's AT capability until it got Bradleys, which all mounted TOW launchers.
In the late 90s and on, the Army really messed with organization, instituting brigade combat teams, permanent cross - attachment (battalions of 2 armor and 2 mech companies each), reduction of strength in arty, and I disagree with those decisions, so, although I do follow them, I can't dash off the organization. I keep mine at H and J series TOE. I believe in the powerful, hard-to-deploy divisions, using Marines and fictional armored cavalry organizations for rapid deployment. (Hey, it's MY army.)
Perhaps this helps. Let me know if you have questions. My memory may not be the best, so I hope someone else out there can offer corrections.
Last edited by panzergator on Thu Aug 11, 2016 5:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
All blessings flow from a good mission statement.
Pogo was right. So was Ike.
"A Gentleman is a man who is only rude intentionally." (Churchill)
Give credit. Take responsibility.
Pogo was right. So was Ike.
"A Gentleman is a man who is only rude intentionally." (Churchill)
Give credit. Take responsibility.
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Mech
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I believe it depends on what rules do you want to use, or maybe just collect the minis
I started buying like "oooh, this is cool! i want!", no necessarily following any standard
Also, budget wise, as I'm brazilian, my finances are third-worldly
I like the "ultra modern" stuff, and as rules, the one I liked more so far are Bolt Action and Force on Force (with house adaptations), so they are more platoon level games, i'm building my armies like that, smaller infantry-heavy forces with some mech around (mainly tanks, ifvs and softskins)
I think it depends on where you want to go with your forces, so far I'm happy being a captain at most
I started buying like "oooh, this is cool! i want!", no necessarily following any standard
Also, budget wise, as I'm brazilian, my finances are third-worldly
I like the "ultra modern" stuff, and as rules, the one I liked more so far are Bolt Action and Force on Force (with house adaptations), so they are more platoon level games, i'm building my armies like that, smaller infantry-heavy forces with some mech around (mainly tanks, ifvs and softskins)
I think it depends on where you want to go with your forces, so far I'm happy being a captain at most
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Extra Crispy
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redleg
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When I started collecting micro armor I was trying to replicate the US heavy BCT that I was in, but then at some point my imagination / ego / ADHD got out of control and I decided that I needed to just have my own damn country so I could do everything the right way. (no such thing as "no dogs allowed" in the Republic of Dalmatia)
Since I already had stuff organized along modern US lines, and I have personal experience with how they're organized and how they operate I just kept that TO&E for the ROD. I'm mixing time periods a bit, but that's OK with me.
BTW - I appointed myself a Colonel n the ROD because I don't have enough micro armor to warrant a generalcy, but I do still have an aide, a valet, and a personal chef!
Since I already had stuff organized along modern US lines, and I have personal experience with how they're organized and how they operate I just kept that TO&E for the ROD. I'm mixing time periods a bit, but that's OK with me.
BTW - I appointed myself a Colonel n the ROD because I don't have enough micro armor to warrant a generalcy, but I do still have an aide, a valet, and a personal chef!