Post by madmorgan on Aug 18, 2016 14:41:43 GMT
At the end of the small battles based around the starter or starter + 1 box format, I said I'd expand the concept to a divisional scale. Rather than do this now, I'm going to take the basic 1911 battalions from the rule book and do those with the ratio rules. It should be nice to have a way of 'fielding' an entire battalion for a game. Also, an excellent source for WW1 army formations is GDWs Over the Top rules. I picked on up at a conventions flea market ($10!) and have found the National Data Section (pages 27 to 64) to be a great resource for outfitting armies. They list TO&Es for the following armies -Austria-Hungary, Britain, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, United States. The various vendors like Peter Pig and Eureka carry figures that will fill in the minor states mentioned.
Please note that I count all MG armed Flivvers as combat units and counting towards BP count. Unarmed Flivvers are still non-BP units.Enjoy!
US Infantry Battalion, 1911 Organization:
Battalion HQ: (1) Mk II Command Tank @55 {Mk II tank}, (3) Armored Flivvers @15 + MG for each @30, (1) Command Stand @30 + FC @30 = 160/3 units
Support Company: (3) Squadrons of Rough Riders at (3) Squads each @45 each = 135 x 3 = 405/9 units
Anti-Tripod Company Battery: (3) Anti-Tripod Guns @80 each = 240 + (3) Armored Flivvers @15 + MG for each @30 = 285/4 units
[each gun operates independently] There is a conflict here as the stats indicate the ATgun is a 'heavy field gun' but shows flivver vehicles for towing. This presents an interesting idea that a 3.5" gun should indeed be able to be towed by a flivver. I support this idea; only the really big piece howitzers and guns should require a 'tractor' pull if at all - the flivver should be able to pull anything as the definition of the 'heavy field gun' states "Heavy Field Guns cannot move at all unless there are towing vehicles available to move them." There is no requirement that these vehicles be tractors, they just were shown as such in the TO&E chart. Now I often used actual tanks to tow the 'HFG's about as it was convenient to have the extra firepower available and there were No Models for the Holt Tractors! Bottom line - any flivver can tow any towed artillery piece.
Heavy Infantry Platoon: (3) Squads of 10 men each of Armored Infantry @60 each = 180/3 units
Artillery Company: HQ with (3) Armored Flivver @15 + MG for each @30 + (2) Munitions Carriers @30 + MG for each @20 = 95/3 units
A Battery: (3) FA guns @80 with horses for tow {use Old Glory figures for these??} = 80/1 unit
B Battery: (3) FA guns @80 with horses for tow {use Old Glory figures for these??} = 80/1 unit
Heavy Howitzer Battery: (3) HF guns @160 + (3) Holt Tractors @25 + MG for each @30 = 215/6 units (armed tractors)
(4) Infantry Companies. Each Infantry Company as below.
Company HQ: (1) Command Squad @30, (1) Armored Flivver @5 + MG @10 = 45/2 units
1st Infantry Platoon: (3) Infantry Squads @90, (1) MG Squad @40, (1) Forlorn Hope @15 = 145/4 units
2nd Infantry Platoon: (3) Infantry Squads @90, (1) MG Squad @40, (1) Forlorn Hope @15 = 145/4 units
3rd Infantry Platoon: (3) Infantry Squads @90, (1) MG Squad @40, (1) Forlorn Hope @15 = 145/4 units
Company Total is 480/14 units so 4 x = 1920/56 units
US Infantry Battalion, 1911 Organization Total = 3420 points in 86 units = BP 43 [17 order tokens] At 50% = 1710 Break Point.
US Tank Battalion, 1911 Organization:
Battalion HQ: (2) Mk II Command Tanks @110 {Mk II tanks}, (3) Armored Flivvers@15 + MG for each @30, (1) Tender Tank @15 + MG @10 = 180/4 units
Heavy Tank Platoon* (3) Mk III Tanks @225 = 225/1 unit
(the chart has an error as the Mk IV didn't enter into service until 1914. I've substituted the Mk III as it was the 'heavy' tank of this period.)
Artillery Company HQ: (1) Mk II Command Tank @55, (1) Munitions Carrier @30 + MG @10 = 95/2 units
A Battery: (3) Holt MA @160 = 160/1 unit* *(according to scott washburns timeline for units which I use, the 6" howitzer version Mk II MA wasn't available until 1912 - thus I substituted the earlier Holt MA).
B Battery: (3) Holt MA @160 = 160/1 unit* *(as above)
(3) Line Tank Companies. Each Company has the following units:
HQ: (1) Mk II Command Tank @55, (1) Tender Tank @15 + MG @10 = 80/2 units
1st Platoon: (3) Mk II @165 = 165/1 unit
2nd Platoon: (3) Mk II @165 = 165/1 unit
3rd Platoon: (3) Mk III @225 = 225/1 unit
Company Total = 635/5 units so 3 x = 1905/15 units
US Tank Battalion, 1911 Organization = 2725 points in 23 units = BP 12 [13 order tokens] At 50% = 1363 Break Point.
As you can see, using the Ratio Rules really allows a club or even a person to field a full 1911 battalion. I'm really excited about the Ratio idea as it allows us to game higher up the organization tree. It gets even more interesting with the later years organization. Hopefully, this will give you or your gaming group a chance to try some really big games with a 'normal' amount of figures. Cheers!
Please note that I count all MG armed Flivvers as combat units and counting towards BP count. Unarmed Flivvers are still non-BP units.Enjoy!
US Infantry Battalion, 1911 Organization:
Battalion HQ: (1) Mk II Command Tank @55 {Mk II tank}, (3) Armored Flivvers @15 + MG for each @30, (1) Command Stand @30 + FC @30 = 160/3 units
Support Company: (3) Squadrons of Rough Riders at (3) Squads each @45 each = 135 x 3 = 405/9 units
Anti-Tripod Company Battery: (3) Anti-Tripod Guns @80 each = 240 + (3) Armored Flivvers @15 + MG for each @30 = 285/4 units
[each gun operates independently] There is a conflict here as the stats indicate the ATgun is a 'heavy field gun' but shows flivver vehicles for towing. This presents an interesting idea that a 3.5" gun should indeed be able to be towed by a flivver. I support this idea; only the really big piece howitzers and guns should require a 'tractor' pull if at all - the flivver should be able to pull anything as the definition of the 'heavy field gun' states "Heavy Field Guns cannot move at all unless there are towing vehicles available to move them." There is no requirement that these vehicles be tractors, they just were shown as such in the TO&E chart. Now I often used actual tanks to tow the 'HFG's about as it was convenient to have the extra firepower available and there were No Models for the Holt Tractors! Bottom line - any flivver can tow any towed artillery piece.
Heavy Infantry Platoon: (3) Squads of 10 men each of Armored Infantry @60 each = 180/3 units
Artillery Company: HQ with (3) Armored Flivver @15 + MG for each @30 + (2) Munitions Carriers @30 + MG for each @20 = 95/3 units
A Battery: (3) FA guns @80 with horses for tow {use Old Glory figures for these??} = 80/1 unit
B Battery: (3) FA guns @80 with horses for tow {use Old Glory figures for these??} = 80/1 unit
Heavy Howitzer Battery: (3) HF guns @160 + (3) Holt Tractors @25 + MG for each @30 = 215/6 units (armed tractors)
(4) Infantry Companies. Each Infantry Company as below.
Company HQ: (1) Command Squad @30, (1) Armored Flivver @5 + MG @10 = 45/2 units
1st Infantry Platoon: (3) Infantry Squads @90, (1) MG Squad @40, (1) Forlorn Hope @15 = 145/4 units
2nd Infantry Platoon: (3) Infantry Squads @90, (1) MG Squad @40, (1) Forlorn Hope @15 = 145/4 units
3rd Infantry Platoon: (3) Infantry Squads @90, (1) MG Squad @40, (1) Forlorn Hope @15 = 145/4 units
Company Total is 480/14 units so 4 x = 1920/56 units
US Infantry Battalion, 1911 Organization Total = 3420 points in 86 units = BP 43 [17 order tokens] At 50% = 1710 Break Point.
US Tank Battalion, 1911 Organization:
Battalion HQ: (2) Mk II Command Tanks @110 {Mk II tanks}, (3) Armored Flivvers@15 + MG for each @30, (1) Tender Tank @15 + MG @10 = 180/4 units
Heavy Tank Platoon* (3) Mk III Tanks @225 = 225/1 unit
(the chart has an error as the Mk IV didn't enter into service until 1914. I've substituted the Mk III as it was the 'heavy' tank of this period.)
Artillery Company HQ: (1) Mk II Command Tank @55, (1) Munitions Carrier @30 + MG @10 = 95/2 units
A Battery: (3) Holt MA @160 = 160/1 unit* *(according to scott washburns timeline for units which I use, the 6" howitzer version Mk II MA wasn't available until 1912 - thus I substituted the earlier Holt MA).
B Battery: (3) Holt MA @160 = 160/1 unit* *(as above)
(3) Line Tank Companies. Each Company has the following units:
HQ: (1) Mk II Command Tank @55, (1) Tender Tank @15 + MG @10 = 80/2 units
1st Platoon: (3) Mk II @165 = 165/1 unit
2nd Platoon: (3) Mk II @165 = 165/1 unit
3rd Platoon: (3) Mk III @225 = 225/1 unit
Company Total = 635/5 units so 3 x = 1905/15 units
US Tank Battalion, 1911 Organization = 2725 points in 23 units = BP 12 [13 order tokens] At 50% = 1363 Break Point.
As you can see, using the Ratio Rules really allows a club or even a person to field a full 1911 battalion. I'm really excited about the Ratio idea as it allows us to game higher up the organization tree. It gets even more interesting with the later years organization. Hopefully, this will give you or your gaming group a chance to try some really big games with a 'normal' amount of figures. Cheers!