RE: [SG] Scenario with engineers

We had a brief thread a few weeks back discussing combat engineers and
assault pioneers.  To recap - assault pioneers in the British and Brit.
descended armies (ie Canada, Australia, etc.) are attached as a
permanent
part of the infantry battalion, and provide some of the services that
combat engineers provide.  Combat engineers are trained to do the whole
deal - NBC decontam., obstacle construction / destruction, demolitions,
mine clearance, etc etc.  Assault pioneers are trained to provide the
services that an infantry unit is likely to need in combat quickly, like
mine clearance.  They can do some of the more complex work (have the
training) but don't have any heavy engineering equipment.  The point of
assault pioneers is to provide the infantry battalion with this kind of
support without having to rely on getting tasking from the Brigade's
engineer unit.	The type of mission you describe, with an infantry
platoon
providing security for a squad of engineers clearing booby traps, mines,
etc. is exactly the sort of mission that would be tasked to the assault
pioneers of a battalion.

Either way, with pioneers or engineers, there's no problem with a squad
being attached to a platoon for route recon.  Only real difference
between
the two, as far as game terms go, is that it is reasonable for an
assault
pioneer squad to be put under the command of the infantry platoon leader
(since they are both part of the same parent unit), while if it was a
squad
of engineers, they would be placed in support of the infantry -
different
status of command.  In the game, your assault pioneers could be
reactivated
by the infantry platoon leader, while engineers would not.

Adrian

>Well, I've been in the situation of our platoon providing protection
for an
>engineer breaching team on a number of occasions. Engineers are
employed in
>route recon and this might fall into that category. If you want to be
more
>generic then the task could be simply "clearing the area of enemy as
part of
>Bn advance". I would suggest that teh Engineer squad cannot be
activated by
>the Platoon Comd.
>
>Anyway, infantry protection for a specialist team is very much a real
time
>task.
>
>Owen G
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: tlsmith@micron.net [mailto:tlsmith@micron.net]
>Sent: Tuesday, 1 December 1998 12:59
>To: gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
>Subject: [SG] Scenario with engineers
>
>
>I am putting together a SG scenario in which a platoon of light
infantry is
>checking a potential ambush point before the main force comes through.
I
>plan to attach a squad of engineers to deal with mines, booby traps, or
>road blocks if they should be found.
>
>My question is: is attaching a squad of engineers to a platoon of
infantry
>for this type of mission reasonable from a "real world" perspective?
>Alternatively, if it is not ideal, might it be done because it is
expedient
>(as is known to happen in the "real world")?
>
>Obviously, comments from those of you with actual experience in this
sort
>of thing is most valuable, but comments from all are welcome.
>
>Terrance L. Smith, Ph.D.
>tlsmith@micron.net
>Nampa, Idaho
>
>