So I've organised my infantry into 8 man sections. Here's my first example of a standard BAOR Mechanised Infantry Section:
I've split the section into 2 "units". A Rifle section of 5 men on the left and a 3 man GPMG section.
The Rifle Section is primarily armed with the L1A1 (or SLR or FN FAL) and one of the men has a L14A1 84mm Carl Gustav Medium Anti-Tank Weapon (MAW). The rifle team can take up to 2 M72A2 Light Anti-Tank Weapons (LAW).
The GPMG Section has the L7A4 GPMG and two men with L1A1.
Both teams are transported by a FV432. In a Mechanised Infantry Platoon, 2 FV432s can be upgraded to be fitted with a Peak Engineering MG turret - like so:
Part of the BAOR's 4th Armoured Division, but needing to be quickly moved from the UK to Germany is the 19th Infantry Brigade, which is equipped with the Saxon APC.
Other units in the 2nd Infantry Division and the United Kingdom Mobile Force would also have been equipped with Saxons.
Finally we have those units that are equipped with the Warrior MCV-80. Two battalions were equipped with warrior in 1988, however I'm inclined - what with the increasing tensions etc - to allow Warrior to be available in small numbers a year or so earlier. (I believe several Warriors took part in Exercise Lionheart in 1984 - so they were around).
Around this time increasing amounts of L85 and L86 small arms were becoming available, along with new uniforms and helmets - so the Armoured Infantry Sections looks a little different to the previous Mechanised sections (note I did not paint these infantry but bought them painted):
The section is "bought" as a complete section of 8 men. 6 armed with the L85 (or SA80 or IW) and 2 armed with the L86 (or LSW). The section has the Fireteam special rule - which means it can be split however the player wants - however it "should" be split into 2 fireteams of 4 men each - with 3 L85s and 1 L86. The entire section can also take upto 2 LAW 80 anti-tank weapons.
So that's my BAOR infantry TO&Es. I'm interested to see what you think
Thanks
Richard
For Battlegroup games, the squad level TOEs can be the hardest to get right. Will you have the 2 teams activate separately? I think as long as the main weapon systems are appropriately represented, then you have a solid organization. I think this looks like a very capable force.
ReplyDeleteDisregard that question about the team. I missed the last paragraph. Well done sir!
DeleteThanks Steven - you're right - they can be very tricky - especially those countries where info is pretty scarce.
ReplyDeleteRichardC
Neat little article, but being a bit of nit-picker, the terminology is a little off. In the BAOR era the section would be divided into a rifle group & a gun group. (Note, group and not section. As I said, being a bit nit-picky.) Rifle group four privates and the section leader, a corporal and the gun group, two privates one with a GPMG and the section 2.i.c. a Lance-corporal. Later on when the SLR/GPMG was replaced by the L85 and L86 the section would, as mentioned above, have been divided into two fire teams. Each of three L85s and one LSW. One fire team lead by the section leader and the other by the section 2.i.c.
ReplyDeleteI believe i.e. I've no hard evidence or personal experience of this, that a lot of infantry sections kept the GPMG going in the light role well after the LSW was adopted owing to perceived, and actual at least with the A1, deficiencies with the LSW in the role of section automatic weapon.