Suhiir's Revised USMC OOB #13

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by scJazz

Unknown strangeness...

I noticed this but can not reproduce. I'm still totally fail on OOB design.

During the '65 period... could be 12/64 or 7/65 and might even include '67 and the 90s now that I think about it.

Sometimes the Tank Sections (what would be expected as 2 tanks also effecting Zippos/CS Tank sections) only represent a single tank. This is during Long Campaigns in the '65 time period. Sometimes, I start a campaign and sections are 2 tanks sometimes just 1.

I might have lost my mind and this is a useless post but somehow I think not.

Error in the OOB, will be corrected in the next revision after WinSPMBT v 5.6 is released.

Thanks for pointing it out!

[Jaakko]

While playing the USMC during the battle of Hue 1968, I noticed the lack of M60 LMGs. What appeared to be in their place in most cases was the weapon number 24 "M16A1 AR" or 26 "3x M16A1 AR". Is this supposed to be so and what is the weapon number 24/26 supposed to represent?

I also noticed relatively low morale levels compared to later periods. I wonder what's the reasoning behind this.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Jaakko

While playing the USMC during the battle of Hue 1968, I noticed the lack of M60 LMGs. What appeared to be in their place in most cases was the weapon number 24 "M16A1 AR" or 26 "3x M16A1 AR". Is this supposed to be so and what is the weapon number 24/26 supposed to represent?

I also noticed relatively low morale levels compared to later periods. I wonder what's the reasoning behind this.

The USMC never regularly used the M60 as a LMG the way the US Army did.

With the loss of the BAR in the late 50's (tho many units did continue to use them till about 65ish) the official USMC policy was for each fire-team Automatic Rifleman (the person in a team "authorized" to fire in full auto mode) to be issued a bipod for the M14/M16 and carry some extra magazines.
With the advent of the M249 SAW they were issued them as an "LMG".

So yes, weapons "M16A1 AR" and "3x M16A1 AR" represent the use of M16's as "Automatic Rifles".

Not to say the M60 isn't used as an LMG regularly, but WinSPMBT code can't deal with an MMG unit becoming an LMG unit when in motion and back to an MMG when stationary.

As to morale ... Vietnam was a rather unpopular war and I believe (and can't personally verify) there is a hard-coded reduction to morale for US (and possibly other) OOBs during the late Vietnam period. This probably lasts till about the Regan Era (ca. 1981) when it is returned to "normal".

[DRG]

Yes it's hard coded and why some nations "elites" might have +10 modifiers and another nation might have +15..it's to make their "elites" equal.

Morale is 10 points higher in the 90's than in the 60's for USMC and there is a 5 point increase in experience during the same time period. Changes are made by decade in MBT, in WW2 it's by decade up to the start of WW2 then it's by year.

Don

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by DRG

Yes it's hard coded and why some nations "elites" might have +10 modifiers and another nation might have +15..it's to make their "elites" equal.

Morale is 10 points higher in the 90's than in the 60's for USMC and there is a 5 point increase in experience during the same time period. Changes are made by decade in MBT, in WW2 it's by decade up to the start of WW2 then it's by year.

Don

((Hurriedly scribbles herself some notes))

Thank you Don.

[Suhiir]

In response to a couple questions I've had I'll post here for everyone to "enjoy".

The basic Rifle Company TO&E used by the USMC was adopted on May 1st, 1945 (called the "G Series" TO&E).

Fireteam
1x Fireteam Leader w/rifle (Cpl)
1x Automatic Rifleman w/M249 or the new M27 (L/Cpl)
1x Grenadier w/rifle and M203 40mm GL (PFC)
1x Rifleman w/rifle and AT4 or two (Pvt)
Extra AT4's carried as needed

Offensive: 2x 2-man teams, one team advances as the other covers.
Defensive: 2x 2-man teams, 2x foxholes (1 man working/resting as the other keeps watch)

Rifle Squad
1 x Squad Leader w/rifle (Sgt)
3 x Fireteams
Normally has an MMG or SMAW attached from Weapon Platoon

Offensive: 2 teams (+SMAW) advance in assault, single/double envelopment as the 3rd (+MMGs) covers
Defensive: As Fireteam

Rifle Platoon
1x Platoon Commander w/carbine (1st or 2nd Lt)
1x Platoon Sergeant w/rifle (SSgt)
1x Platoon Guide w/rifle (Sgt) platoon supply/admin chief
1x US Navy Corpsman w/carbine (HM3) medic
Normally has 2-3 Scout/Sniper Teams from Battalion attached
Frequently one man from the platoon is detailed to act as radioman

Offensive: 2 squads advance in assault, single/double envelopment as the 3rd covers
Defensive: As Fireteam

Weapons Platoon
1x Platoon Commander w/carbine (1st or 2nd Lt)
1x Platoon Sergeant w/rifle (SSgt)
1x Platoon Guide w/rifle (Sgt) platoon supply/admin chief
1x Radioman w/rifle (Cpl)

3x MMG Sections (each with 2x MMG)
--1x Machine-gunner w/M240 (Sgt or Cpl)
--1x Assistant Gunner w/rifle (L/Cpl)
--1x Ammo Carrier w/rifle (PFC or Pvt)

3x AT Sections (each with 2x SMAW)
--1x SMAW Gunner w/SMAW & carbine (L/Cpl)
--1x Ammo Carrier w/rifle (PFC or Pvt)

3x Mortar Sections (each with 1x 60mm Mortar)
--1x Mortar-man w/M224 (Sgt or Cpl)
--1x Assistant Mortar-man w/rifle (L/Cpl)
--1x Ammo Carrier w/rifle (PFC or Pvt)
Frequently has a HMMWV attached as an ammo vehicle

Normally each Rifle Platoon has 2x MMG and 1x SMAW attached
The mortars remain under the control of the Weapons Platoon Commander

Rifle Company
1x Company Commander w/carbine (Capt)
1x Company XO w/carbine (1st Lt) often has 2nd job as Weapons Platoon Commander
1x 1st Sgt w/carbine (1st Sgt) admin chief (usually back in the rear)
1x Co Gunny w/carbine (GySgt) training/supply chief
1x Radio Section (2-3 radiomen)
1x US Navy Corpsman w/carbine (HM2) medic
3x Rifle Platoon
1x Weapons Platoon
Normally has an FO Team from Battalion 81mm Platoon attached
Normally has 2x Javelin Teams from Battalion attached
Normally has a Stinger MPAD Team from ACE attached

A Rifle Company has no organic vehicles but normally has 4 x HMMWV's (ammo, CO, 1st Sgt (supply), Utility(ambulance), plus others as needed/available/stolen)
Depending on mission a Rifle Company may have Engineer/AGL/HMG/AAV/Tank or other attachments

For all intents and purposes a USMC Rifle Company is an autonomous unit.
With the capability to call-in and direct mortars/artillery/helos/air support as required.
Most military services create companies for specific tasks (infantry/armor/air mobile). The USMC assigns tasks to companies. Everyone is trained, and practices infantry patrolling, mech assault, helo assault, and urban combat. At least once a year they spend a week or so doing rubber boats and amphibious assault. Every couple years they do a month or so of mountain warfare and cold weather/jungle/desert training; so about half of them at any given time know at least the basics, and senior people have done it often enough to be fairly proficient.

Other then when on patrol it's rare to see a fireteam/squad/platoon operating far from it's Company. But Companies often go days without anything but radio and resupply contact with their Battalion.

[Warhero]

Btw, is latest version of USMC oob already in SPMBT v.6.0? If so, no need to d/l version 5.5 in previous page?

[cbreedon]

I don't think this has been updated for 6.0. I have been using 5.5 with 6 and haven't seen any problems.

[Suhiir]

Working on the update to 6.0.
Real life has intruded into my free time.
As Andy and Don frequently say ... it'll be done when it's done.

[Suhiir]

Update to 6.0 finally complete.

It has always bothered me that there is no provision (and, yes, I do understand why there isn't) for counter-battery air strikes in the game. So I created some special O/M artillery units named "CB Airstrike" (the formation is named "Ctr Bty Air"). Tho it can be used as cheap artillery they have very limited ammo and a small blast footprint so it's rather pointless. However if you buy one and don't allocate any fire missions it will do a reasonable job of disrupting opposition O/M artillery.

As something of a joke (given the number of times I've seen this in movies) I've added the Harrier Jump Jet as a Lt Attack Helo variant. Given their lack of armor and speed they're not the most efficient unit, but you can use them if it amuses you.