More on My Customized USMC Combat Teams

[KG Erwin]

This was something I did specifically for use in a USMC long campaign starting in August 1942. I created a miniature Combat Team, which is basically a reinforced Rifle Company.

This consists of three rifle platoons, three light mortars, three MG sections, an engineer section, and a section of recon troops.

There's more, though: each MG section has one 30 cal HMG and one 30 cal MMG, so I had to create a new formation.

On top of these three Combat Teams, you add the following:

Battalion HQ (A0)

A Command Vehicle (B0)

Three Light Tank Platoons

Two 75mm GMCs

Two 81mm Mortar Sections (transported by jeeps w/trailers)

This is my recipe for a Battalion Landing Team, circa 1942. The only ahistorical aspects to this (1) the light mortars: in 1942, there were two per company. This was increased to three in 1943. (2) the mix of heavy/medium MGs: the 1942 company had more HMGs.

My reasoning behind these changes are to simplify the upgrade path. For the Marines, this basically involved replacing the light tanks with Shermans/flame tanks and enlarging/uparming the infantry squads.