Anomaly reports

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Richard_H

Class 110 – Marines

USMC – From 1/58 to 12/67, there are 4 14-man squads and 2 13-man (706 & 760), neither of which is a template unit. From 1/90 to 12/109, there are 3 13-man squads and 2 11-man (374 & 719), neither of which is a template unit. From 1/93 to 12/109, Unit 711 has 13 men, 721 has 11. Neither is a template unit.

This one I can speak on with a certain amount of authority...and perhaps help explain why some of the anomalies aren't.

In about 1958 the USA started swapping from the venerable M1 Garand to the M14 rifle.
In about 1962 the M79 40mm grenade launcher was adopted.
In about 1968 the M16 rifle was adopted by the USMC (the Army got it in 1965ish).
In about 1972 the M203 40mm grenade launcher was adopted.

The traditional USMC squad has been 13-man since the last part of WW II - BUT - the inclusion of the M79 ment they added a 14th man, the grenadier.

Rather then having:
1/58-12/61 13 man with M14's
1/62-12/67 14 man with M14's and M79 (actually valid till 1970)
1/68-12/71 14 man with M16's and M79
1/72-now 13 man with M16's and M203's

They simply combined the adoption of the M14, M79, and 14-man squad in 1958 and back to 13-man on 1968. Thus you have both 13 and 14-man squads during this period.

In 1993 they started using the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) trucks but they can only carry 11 passengers so an 11-man vice the normal 13-man squad was created to fit in these vehicles (for my OOB variant I just made the MRAP 13 passenger).

The reason none of these are template units is they're all a "standard" USMC Rifle Squad, so the 1/46 squad is the template for virtually every formation.

Originally Posted by Richard_H

Class 112 – Marine Light Infantry

USMC 784-795 & 810-821 have Size 1 and Crew 4.

This unit is used for the USMC Fire Team (3 per squad plus the squad leader = 13-men (+1 for 14 if they have an M79) rather then a crew or crew served weapon as is normally the case with 4-man units. Thus they are not given the defensive and other advantages of a size zero unit.