KG Erwin
Posts: 8981
Joined: 7/25/2000
From: Cross Lanes WV USA
Status: offline
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One thing I learned early on in working with the SPWaW OOBs is that strictly historical formations don't necessarily work well in actual game play. Let me use as an example the OOB I worked on the most--the USMC.
The historical D-series battalion weapons company had four 81mm mortars, an anti-tank-AA platoon, which had two 50 cal M2-HBs and 4 37mm ATGs, and three MG platoons, each with 8 M1917A1 .30 cal HMGs. This unwieldy organization can't be portrayed properly in game terms, as it was common practice to cross-attach the component elements to rifle companies as tactical needs dictated, especially the HMG platoons.
In later TOEs, the E series of 1943 and the F series of 1944, the weapons company was disbanded, with the MG platoons being dispersed to the rifle companies and the other units attached to the battalion HQ company. The mix of HMGs and MMGs was also changed as the war progressed. By 1944, a rifle company had 6 HMGs and 6 MMGs in its weapons platoon.
In addition, by 1943-44 the rifle battalions held shotguns, flamethrowers and bazookas in their weapons pools. This is why we now have rifle squads with differing weapons loadouts for each year.
This is where compromises were made in the construction of the USMC OOB. My final version, completed after 8.3 was released, conforms closer to the actual tactical deployment of these MG/heavy weapons elements, as well as the engineers, recon teams, and even tank support. This also prevents a bewildering variety of platoon- or company-sized formations as the "official" TOEs changed over the years.
In simplest terms, I broke down the weapons platoons into their smallest component parts, i.e., MG sections or platoons or even single weapons. Same goes for mortars and ATGs.
In this way, it is much easier to "task-organize" a rifle battalion or even a company in a given year with attached MGs, mortars, and other support elements, as was actually done. A single company can be a combined-arms team, which is appropriate and allows for maximum flexibility in force purchases.
This philosophy, while not married to the "on-paper" TOEs, does follow historical parameters and I believe is the best method to allow players and scenario designers the freedom to customize their forces as they see fit. Fortunately, the USMC followed a logical progression of organizational changes from 1942 to 1944, with a fourth (G series) TOE that was officially adopted in September 1945, but was in use for the Marine units that fought at Okinawa.
I'm happy with the results of my research, and I'll give this re-worked OOB to anyone who wants it.
< Message edited by KG Erwin -- 3/23/2005 2:14:17 AM >
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