A platoon by any other name... would it smell as sweet?

Many force organizations have been bandied about. I've yet to see one
that
is as troop intensive as mine. Where as many of those forces tend to
favour
6-8 man squads, with only three squads to a platoon, plus in some cases
a
command squad, averaging about 32 members, I tend to prefer heavier
formations. I certainly wouldn't find a platoon of 24 to be a viable
size. 

Here's my typical TO&E (NSL):
LT. 
PSgt. 
Signaller/EW
Medic team of 2
any attached specialist (8 man pioneer squad or a 2 man sniper team etc)
Machine gun (if the force has tripod mounted weapons, this weap det is
off
to the side commanded by the PSgt)
Anti armour (generally 4 guys, in teams of 2, either with a GMS/P and
ammo
for a team or 2 x Infantry Plasma Guns for a team)
Infantry Squads x 4 broken into:
	Fireteam A: Sqd Sgt, 3 x Rifleman
	Fireteam B: Cpl on a SAW, 3 x Rifleman

I subscribe to the rule of 2 (rather than 3) -- each rifleman has a
buddy,
each pair has another matching pair, each fireteam another fireteam,
each
squad a squad, etc. I know some of the Canucks and Aussies are more
familiar
with the rule of 3, which allows 2 bounding and 1 covering or 1 bounding
and
2 covering, but I find the rule of 2 works well too. 

So that makes my typical NSL force between 35 and 41 without extra
attachments or tripod heavies. 

An NSL Task Group (heavy company for independent ops) might look like:
4 x NSL Platoon
1 x CHQ (about 8 guys including Coy Cmdr)
1 x Assault Pioneer Section (may be attached to a platoon)
2 x NSL PA Platoon (18 guys - 4 squads of 4 plus Sgt and Lt)
1 or 2 x sniper team of 2
2 x GMS/L or GMS/H AT teams
2 x GMS/L-AA teams (with GMS/P-AA too)
1 x Support Platoon (18 or so guys... mechanics/logsitics/meds/etc
headed by
the XO)
Mortars or Artillery support (1 battery of medium to heavy mortars and
perhaps a battery of light to medium guns)
Vehicles/Crews

Total Manpower: Ballpark around 300 .... too light to be a battalion
task
group, which will likely come in at around 750-800. 

My TO&E for My OUDF is similar but different:

Lt.
PSgt.
EW/Sig
Medic team of 2
any attached specialists
Infantry Squads 3 x broken into:
	Fireteam A: Sgt Squad leader, 4 x Rifles (sometimes 3 x Rifles +
1
IPG)
	Fireteam B: Cpl with SAW, 3 x Rifles

So, we have normally about 32 guys in this formation but the OUDF are
meant
to be a slightly smaller force... budgetary constraints etc.

Note that my numbers are larger than most SG forces. My logic runs as
follows:
Men are expensive to send to space. We all know this. But what does that
mean?
It means they are too expensive to lose by not having support enough to
get
their wounded out... their combat power can't be allowed to attrit as
fast
as it does in a 24 man platoon. It means if it is worth it to send 20
guys
20 light years, its probably worth sending 40 to make sure the job is
done
right. You look pretty stupid (and economically senseless) if you commit
insufficient sized forces to the task. And sending freezer-sticks really
isn't that bad of a use of space.... cold sleep makes shipping your
marines
around far more attractive. And due to the desire to send smaller forces
long distances from help, each force must have at least minimum
capability
in many areas normally reserved for "support". This includes
arty/air/meds/sniper/engineer/EW/Anti-armour. If they are star-going
regulars, you will find they have the best kit their nation can afford
for
them plus expendable munitions like grenades and IAVRs. No sense sending
a
boy to do a man's job... 

Also, a platoon is expected to take and hold land. This means a certain
minimum manpower density for operations in many close terrain types.
Reduced
platoon sizes are okay in open terrain, but in close terrain, you still
need
guys. Larger platoon let you operate for longer periods before getting
fresh
bodies if the excrement hits the rotary air-mover. Have a platoon of 24,
get
mauled in one fight, your platoon might easily be combat lossed, whereas
a
40 man platoon, though hurt, would still be combat effective _as_ a
platoon.
Smaller forces have to consolidate more after casualties. Chain of
comand
has to be flexible in either case. 

Sometimes you get smaller forces: 
Ships troops - not much support, mostly PA or full shell armour. 
Special Ops - smaller forces, wazoo kit 
Militia or other local troops - lesser support (or lower tech), lesser
troops, possibly smaller or larger numbers...
Raiders - less formal support, more emphasis on speed, hitting power,
and
fast get away
Peacekeepers/makers - less heavy support, less heavily armed.
Recce - only smaller formation, but these tend to have far less support
elements
etc. 

But line infantry still has, and always will, the task of taking ground
(often occupied) and holding it. That ground can be jungle or urban as
easy
as any other.... and this requires men. And men get hurt, and more men
means
a lower loss of combat effectiveness. And more men means if need be you
_can_ be spread further. And more men means someone to get your wounded
out
when they are hit... a morale boost. And more men means you have real
humans
to watch your back... always comforting. 

Ultimately, I can imagine a platoon of 24 for militia, internal
security,
PA, elite forces. But for line forces I'd think 30-40 would be the norm. 

Your Mileage May (of course) Vary Dramattically!

Tomb