[vic]

Nice, Andy!

I regularly mobhack infantry company formations removing the heavy weapons (lt. mortar & MG) from the HQ platoon. i wind up with 3 rifle platoons and a heavy weapons platoon, or attach the mortar and MG as separate "0" units (one unit section). In long campaigning the problem with "heavy" HQ platoons is that if your CO gets knocked off command can be transfered to say a mortar unit which doesn't make such a spiffy CO.

My HQ platoons usually have two units, a scout (4 men) acting as the CO (moves quickly hard to spot and nice for calling in arty at the prce of being somewhat "fragile") and a "patrol" type unit (6 men) as a sort of security XO type unit. If the CO gets knocked off during a battle command function transfers immediately to the N1 unit from the destroyed N0, meaning you still have a command unit around for rally etc. This gives the HQ platoon 10 men which is roughly equally to the full sized squad CO found in most standard OOBs.

The best thing about the individual weapons (mortar/MG)units attached as sections is they can be re-assigned (and just as easily returned) to other companies as needed (e.g. fire support etc.) especially for situations where companies have to travel light/fast and not drag weapons along (e.g. flank moves, mountainous/rough terrain, river crossing etc.)

If you use the "on map" squad re-assignment tool you run the risk of your re-ssigned unit becoming a platoon leader in which case it can't be transfered whence it came.

Andy's comment about extemporaneous "field modifications" to formal TOE is dead on the money. E.g until the USMC TOE caught up with the need for more firepower (especially MGs) at the company level, company and battalion commanders improvised independent "mobile" MG units that could be dispatched to where needed.

I view the default OOBs as representing, APPROXIMATELY, the weapons allocation to a company and as well its APPROXIMATE organization and mobhack something I view as more functional. E.g. my rifle Bn weapons company HMGs are usually in one or two unit sections that can be easily cross-attached to a rifle company on a mission appropriate basis. For the GE team my weapons company (first wave) has 4 independent (one unit section) MMG units with 2 MMGs each. These little beauties can then be shuffled around to the three "line" companies as needed. Leaving mortars and MGs with the weapons company is problematic. Where does the weapons company CO go? with the MGs or does he stay back with the mortars? With the MGs cross-attached to the rifle companies the weapons CO can stay with the mortars to rally them if necessary (the coffee is usually better with them too).

My (larger) LC organizations usually also contain one "indpendent" CO HQ platoon (attached line platoons deleted at purchase) around which I can form a task group by attaching support units or transfers from other core companies. I usually make these guys paras (experience and morale bonus at purchase). I don't use paras much (actually i think gliders are better) due to the "flak problem" but once in a while they are practical. If nothing else they make a good arty spotting adjunct to the organization (company COs can ALWAYS call in arty). [I don't usually buy FOs as they are way pricey and i am somewhat frugal with purchase points. Besides with ME as A0 who is better to call in arty fire!] Over time this CO builds up experience and becomes a betters a "leader" than the company COs you'd get if buying full companies with support points.

This type of fluid organization also helps in human vs. human play as the opponent doesn't always know EXACTLY what kind of formation he faces. If he "sees" a rifle platoon he can't be sure there are exactly two more, an MG unit and a CO in the immediate vicinity. Sometime I'll build a "scout company" consisting of one rifle platoon and a bunch (number varies, three is typical) of (two unit) scout sections, fast maneuverable and with a bit of fire support from the rifle platoon if needed. This company is especially effective if formed of "mountain" infantry and used in rough terrain. I doubt you'll see this in any "historically accurate" TOE.

Best,
Vic