[sg] platoon stuff and combat engineers

G'day guys,

Sorry this is all mushed together but for some reason my server is
giving me
two copies of some emails and no copies over others, mostly JohnA's
(maybe
my server doesn't like yahoo?). I got suspicious when replies were
turning
up to mails I hadn't seen so checked the majordomo archive. <John if
you've
answered my books question you could you please resend that too or send
it
to derekfulton@bigpond.com with ATTENTION: BETH or something on it
thanks>

> From: John Atkinson <johnmatkinson@yahoo.com>

<My sad PA detachment idea>
> It's not a real good idea to create these sort of ad
> hoc groupings at such a low level.  You need to
> practice working together on a regular basis and
> forming detachments of individuals won't work.
> 
> And whether it's lowtech or hightech, concentrating
> your powered armor will be a more effective tactic. 
> Concentration of force/mass.

OK, you may win me round... eventually ;)

>>>(would you like to carry a couple hundred
>>> land mines in your pack??), 
>> 
>> Now no, when they're down to the size of a 5c piece
>> may be ;P
> 
> 5c piece?  Not likely. . . 

I was teasing, but in the far future wouldn't it be possible that mines
will
get small and light weight? <OK maybe not 5c piece small...>
  
> I tried to find a picture of 'em, but the demolitions
> manual is locked.  Imagine that.  Someone else
> described 'em already.

Thanks anyway.
  
> Probably.  Pick a troop with a full rucksack and hang
> more stuff on him.  :)

Sounds good to me... assuming my mother agrees that a Platoon makes a
grand
grad present ;)

Now on to Adrian...
> Beth - as John said, you have a huge platoon. It often helps 
> when putting together a platoon TO&E (for Stargrunt) to 
> have an idea of how that platoon fits into a Company and 
> Battalion.  

Now I have to go learn more fancy names? ;P ;)

Seriously, I hadn't thought much beyond platoon as we won't be playing
larger games. Overall though I guess I saw this as a more decentralised
force (OK I know that is going to go against the grain based on many
existing militaries I guess). Each "region" of the "nation" provides a
platoon which has its bit to cover normally (and so needs a bit of
everything) and get grouped as needed when push comes to shove.

> So, having a squad of them in EVERY infantry platoon is a huge
> investment of your total force in Pioneers. 

True enough, but I was coming from the thought that it was a reflection
of
the skills the population so if they were there use them, they can
always
use a gun if they're not needed as pioneers. 

> and it would be difficult (from a command-and-control) 
> point of view in a lower tech (and not highly
> computerized, all zoomie with high tech communications, etc) 
> force, to mass your mortar fire if they are all assigned 
> to different rifle platoons.	

That's part of the reason each squad got a comms guy.

> This means you have a platoon that is roughly 50% larger than
> usual.  This also means that the higher level formations (company and
> battalion) will be larger than usual also. Current Canadian/Aussie/UK
> battalions might be approx. 750 - 900 troops.  Yours would be 
> maybe 1200 - 1400 if you keep the battalion assets.  That's a BIG 
> formation, and would consequently place a bigger requirement 
> on your economy for resources, etc (if you translate that type of 
> formation across your army).	

As I said above only if you organise under existing military structure,
I
see my structure as being much flatter (and smaller) then you guys (and
today's miltaries) use. OK 2000+ yrs of fighting means the military
knows
what its doing (probably), but it kinda fits that a nation set-up by
scientists and historians are going to experiment - and get their butt
kicked probably ;)

> Your formation isn't big enough or different enough 
> that you can say "my battalions are going to do what 
> everyone else's Brigades do, so it doesn't matter if
> they're bigger."  

Fair point. I had originally thought about more rifle squads, but that's
when real life budget concerns kicked in ;)

> Having a company-equivalent force of pioneers is interesting for a
> battalion, but but hardly necessary unless you're the 
> Egyptians breaching the Israeli Suez canal defenses, or something.  

The planets my scenarios are set on are high on walled cities, aquaducts
etc.

> I'm not suggesting that you give up your orgainization at 
> all!	But...

There's always a but ;)

> ...and at the same time have a force that reasonably
> translates into larger size units for Dirtside crossovers 
> (and makes more sense from a Stargrunt point of view, also).

Do you mean mechanics wise or in traditional view of the military wise?

> Anyway, I hope this gives you something to think about!

Thanks very much for your help.