More on My Customized USMC Combat Teams
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 4:19 am
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.
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.