Chain of command

[robot]

How many men to an american squad. How many squads to an Plattoon. How many plattoons to a company. How many companys to what ever is next and so forth. Can anyone tell me a link where I can get this kind of information. This is what I understand right now. 10 men to a squad 3 squads to a plattoon 3 plattoons to a company. 3 companys to a regement not sure on this. What makes up a battalion Where does a corp come in at. I know some time there is four companys but what it is called im not sure. Is a company only about 110 men with some support such as mmgs and mortars. Or is this usually a seperate heavy weapons company. Any help is appreciated in advance. Also what is an army made up of such as the bloody one in wwII Or was the bloody one a division the first division i assume. What comprises a division by the way I am really confused and my brain wont seem to bring back any of the information I knew back in 1948. A link would really be nice if any one knows one.

[FlashfyreSP]

There are variations, but basically:

Platoon HQ = 1 Officer/4 men
Squad = 12 men
3 Squads + Platoon HQ = 1 Rifle Platoon
1 Platoon HQ (1 Officer/5 men) + 1 Mortar Section (17 men)+ 1 MG Section (12 men) = 1 Weapons Platoon
1 Company HQ (2 Officers/33 men) + 3 Rifle Platoons + 1 Weapons Platoon = 1 Rifle Company
1 Rifle Company = 6 Officers/187 men
1 Company HQ (2 Officers/32 men) + 2 MG Platoons (1 Officer/35 men each) + 1 Mortar Platoon (4 Officers/56 men) = 1 Heavy Weapons Company
1 Company HQ (2 Officers/24 men) + Battalion HQ Section (13 men) + Communications Platoon (1 Officer/22 men) + Ammunition & Pioneer Platoon (1 Officer/26 men) + Antitank Platoon (1 Officer/32 men) = Headquarters Company
1 Battalion HQ (4 Officers) + 1 HQ Company + 3 Rifle Companies + 1 Heavy Weapons Company = 1 Rifle Battalion
1 Rifle Battalion = 35 Officers/836 men

3 Battalions = 1 Regiment
2 Regiments = 1 Brigade
2 Brigades = 1 Division
2 Divisions = 1 Corps

For TO&Es, see here: http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/Uni ... s_army.htm

[KG Erwin]

Robot, maybe what you're having trouble with is the concept of combined-arms task groups, which the Germans and American Marines commonly used.

To ME, understanding how these worked is the key to getting a grasp on translating historical doctrine into SPWaW usage.

I could bore you with the history of the development of US Marine Combat Teams/Battalion Landing Teams, but suffice it to say that potentially each company of a battalion can operate independently. That is how I organize my core force.

At the top is the battalion commander, a Lt Col, NOT a full bird Colonel. He has a second-in-command, a Major. Under him is maybe three or four Captains (the fourth commanding the Weapons Company, which is usually split up anyway, so he's not needed).

The following is how my notional US Marine Battalion core force is set up:

The way I do it is this -- The Battalion CO is a separate entity, as is his transport unit (that's the Major).

Three tank platoons, all independently commanded by Lieutenants.

Two 75mm GMCs, each commanded by a Lieutenant. These are also independent units.

Four 81mm mortars, in two sections with two LVTs as transport.

The 81s are almost always in contact as they operate on their own, subject to approval from the battalion commander. This is essentially the battalion commander's personal artillery.

Three Rifle companies, each commanded by a Captain.

Each company has:
Three 60mm Mortars, commanded by a Lieutenant. The mortars are split with one per platoon.

Three Rifle Platoons, commanded by a Lieutenant, each with three rifle squads and one BAR squad, led by Sergeants.

An Engineer Section (two squads), led by a Lieutenant.

Three Recon Squads (4 men each), also led by a Lieutenant.

In my setup, I allow for a lot of individual initiative. This provides a maximum of rally points and still maintains a modicum of a command chain.

This is especially true of the tanks. I left out the tank company CO, as assignment of tank support would come from the Rifle Battalion HQ it was subordinated to, and it was likely that these platoons would be split between the Rifle Companies.

So, my battalion is three maneuver elements, each with potential to draw from offboard artillery/onboard medium mortar support as requested from battalion HQ.

That's MY main function. I'm there to coordinate with regiment and/or division for assigning indirect fire missions from offboard artillery and being a liaison with air power support when its available.

[robot]

Thanx gunny for the info. Was more concerned with what formation I was fighting with. Turns out I have a battalian. 3 rifle companys plus 3 platoons of tanks as support. Just needed it for my dars to make them more real. One more gunny is an army made up of 3 to 5 corps. At least thats how it seemed with some of the civil war battles.

[Riun T]

even further breakdown if your interested, and someone correct me on the national differances between command structure.
Section/2-6 men usually commanded between a corpral to a mastersargent.
Squad/6-14 men {differant for other nations} from sargent- 2nd Lt.
Platoon/8-21 men{dependent on nation}from mastersargent-captain.
Company/45-128 men{national varience again}captain-major.
Regiment/150-500 men command gets wider from major to colonel.
battalion/500-1800 men, from bird col. to brigadeer general/one star general

[Riun T]

someone should post the german command structure,, I can never get straight which Oberloitemann and orschedsargent i'm dealing with!!! and how much clout he has in the chain?? Heir REICH COLONELS!![&o]

[Goblin]

I like to look at this site sometimes, Riun, but there are others too.
 
http://www.military-sf.com/Ranks.htm
 
 
 
 
Goblin

[Riun T]

nice site Gobster!!

[Goblin]

I use it for AAR's with German ranks sometimes.



Goblin

[RockinHarry]

ORIGINAL: Riun T

someone should post the german command structure,, I can never get straight which Oberloitemann and orschedsargent i'm dealing with!!! and how much clout he has in the chain?? Heir REICH COLONELS!![&o]

Another nice one:

http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/kstn/stellengruppen.htm

now with this info you can check particular unit types:

http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/kstn/kstnpanzermain.htm

and

http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/kstn/kstninfmain.htm

as well as the other stuff on this site. You can´t ask for more detail!:)

For wargaming purposes and general interest I made some list out of the given info some time ago:

Note: 1st is command level, 2nd german ranks (incl. 1-2 lower) and 3rd US ranks

German Units/Ranks Normal Alternatively (1-2 lower) US Ranks

(Heeresgr.) Front cder: Feldmarschall Generaloberst Field Marshall
Army commander: Generaloberst Genreal
Corps commander: General Lt-General
Division commander: Generalleutnant Generalmajor Major-General/Brigadier
Ia (divisional staff member) Generalleutnant Major-General
Brigade commander: Generalleutnant Generalmajor Oberst Major-General/Brigadier/Colonel
Regiment commander: Oberst Oberstleutnant Colonel/Lt-Colonel
Battailon commander: Major Hauptmann Major/Captain
"Abteilung" commander: Major Major
Company commander: Hauptmann (Ober-)Leutnant Captain/Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant
Leader Cpy. troop: Feldwebel Unteroffizier Company Sergeant Major/Sergeant
Leader Plt. troop: Feldwebel Unteroffizier Company Sergeant Major/Sergeant
Platoon Leader Leutnant Feldwebel 2nd Lieutenant/Company Sergeant Major
Battery Leader Leutnant 2nd Lieutenant
Squad leader Unteroffizier Obergefreiter Sergeant/Corporal
Troop leader Obergefreiter Gefreiter Corporal/Acting Corporal

Edit: Tabs don´t work [:(]