Quote:
Originally Posted by DRG
You know... if you set these up with a basic core of units then add what you need to complete the scenario you have the basis of a campaign
Don
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Yes, I'm hoping to do that. Still researching the low level TOE details with (thanks to wulfir's tip) the aid of some polish speaking members of the Axis History forums. The squadron TOE I've been using for the scenarios is close but about 50% too heavy in manpower and over by one HMG. Fact is, none of the available low level TOEs (saber company, rifle company, bicycle company - all of calvary regiments) fit.
As near as I can tell with current data, the motorized calvary squadrons of the 10th had between 162 and 195 men each. This gives roughly between 44 and 55 men per platoon, after allowing for the squadron HQ and platoon of two HMGs.
The
rifle company TOE has platoons of 72 men,
saber company TOE has platoons of 29 men, and
bicycle company TOE has platoons of 53 men. At first glance the bicycle company TOE looks to be a good fit from manpower requirements but the squadrons of the motorized brigades only has 3 LMGs per platoon indicating the four rifle squad model is a bad fit.
Translating back into game terms, the current model I'm using in these scenarios is quite overweight in manpower and over by one HMG (assuming regiment MG company split between squadrons). The HMG is a non issue, easy to explain away. A 38% to 72% overage in rifles isn't.
While it is a bit of a micro detail past a certain point, I do think it has an in-game impact on the firepower of the squadron. With the data I have at present, I'm looking at doing the campaign core platoon TOE as:
Code:
u0: unit 290 DMntd Troopers (HQ 4 men)
u1-u3: unit 285 Rifle Squad (with BAR, 19 men)
u4: unit 405 wz.35 AT-Rifle (2 men)
Still overweight at 63 men but closer to 'correct' than the current 76 man platoons I've been using in the scenarios. Also I think given the way even decent morale/experience 19 man Polish squads seem to quickly rout, the separate (non combat) HQ unit would help to keep them online more as befitting an elite formation.
I'll probably use this revised TOE guestimate for the next scenario to see if it makes much (if any) real difference.
One another note, the
Polish AA batteries seem to have been organized as four platoons of one 40mm Bofors and two machineguns each. There's some reports that, in at least some cases, the machineguns were mounted on vehicles (Fiat 508/518).
After over 71 years no doubt any details much deeper than what I've found so far are probably unobtainable.