Orders of Battle

[protevangelium]

As far as we can all tell, AAM works out to at most the company level. I've been trying to put together accurate orders of battle at the squad, platoon, and company level for infantry. After doing some research, I have come up with the following...

Germany:

Given their love of the machine gun, I have come up with the following for a German infantry platoon of about 1942 strength.

1 x Mauser Kar 98k at 3 pts ea
1 x MG 42 Machine-Gun Team at 10 pts ea
1 squad/section = 13 pts

3 squads of the following forming a platoon with support from 1 x light mortar (4 pts ea) or a company support platoon of 3 x light mortar

3 platoons could be led by an SS Haupsturmfuhrer to represent the command platoon. For a total of about 136 pts w/o reinforcement from heavy weapons (ATGs, Panzerfausts, etc).

Japan

The following is a rifle company, using various sources. Of course, depending upon the situation one would expect this to change. Such as there being more machine guns present in an island-defense situation.

1 x Imperial Sergeant (could represent a platoon sarge or slightly senior junior officer)
9 x Arisaka Rifles (representing 3 platoons of three squads each)
1 x Type 97 Machine-Gun Team
3 x Type 92 Mortar (Knee mortars)
Rifle/Infantry Company for 70 pts or so... w/o reinforcement

And that's all I've come up with so far. Feel free to add or critique to what I've listed here.

[Athanasius]

Very nice! More Please!

[komichido]

This is if you are playing at a company level? Is it possible the figures could represent squad level and you could field more guys? Like say 4 inf and one hmg as a squad? Just a question, I have never been very good at translating unit sizes into game sets in relation to the scale of the maps. Anyone have a good explanation on how to figure this stuff out easily. Does it slide at all? Meaning can you have multiple levels of unit sizes on the same map boards. Play a tactcal squad game one day and a strategic company or regimental level game another?

Komi

[Andras]

A US Armored Infantry Platoon '44

'Leuitenant'
3x Garand
3x Bazooka (1/rifle sqd)
2x Vickers .30 MG
1x M2 60mm Mortar
56pts/plt

Company
3 Rifle Plts
Plus
'Captain'
1x Garand Sqd(HQ element)
3x Bazookas
3x 57mm ATGs

218pts/company

An Armored Infantry Company also has 20 Halftracks, 3 Jeeps, and 2 supply trucks. Most half tracks should have 30cal MGs in addition to squad weapons (could be dismounted with sqd), PLT leaders tracks had .50s, although every .50 that could be aqcuired was grabbed.

Basically, this would give every sqd an additional Vickers (20*8) for +160pts

I've actually undercounted Bazookas, there's 18 in each Rifle company.

A Sherman Plt would be 5 tanks (105)
a Sherman company would be 3 platoons, plus 2 Shermans and a Sherman 105. Add 2 jeeps, a half track, a recovery vehicle and a supply truck. Call it 3 garand squads worth of extra infantry, at least 375 pts plus whatever a Sherman 105 and a halftrack would cost

[Dr.Cornelius]

If you are heading for a historical simulation, I suggest looking at the infantry stacking limits. One squad (2 AAM infantry) per 100m hex is far too spread out for many tactical situations. Any Grognards out there know WWII doctrine for the frontal area to be covered by infantry? My guess is that it is more like 2 squads or an entire platoon on a 100m front.

My impression is that the 2 unit stacking limit was chosen rather arbitrarily to keep the game simple. Increase the stacking limit to 3 or 4 units for extra realism.

[Muenchausen]

I suggest you all keep up the good work. I'm taking notes. :)

[Pasalades]

My impression is that the 2 unit stacking limit was chosen rather arbitrarily to keep the game simple. Increase the stacking limit to 3 or 4 units for extra realism.

If the stacking limit was that high, the effectiveness of units with blast like the sIG 33 would double. I think it's a great unit to begin with, and the Brumbar will probably be unstoppable is it has blast as well. Perhaps if their point cost went up 25% with the higher stacking limit that might work out better.

[fifleche]

If the stacking limit was that high, the effectiveness of units with blast like the sIG 33 would double. I think it's a great unit to begin with, and the Brumbar will probably be unstoppable is it has blast as well. Perhaps if their point cost went up 25% with the higher stacking limit that might work out better.Hmmm... I don't think increasing the stacking limit should increase the cost of units having the "blast" SA... After all, nobody is forcing you to group all your infantry in the same hex... And I'm guessing we'll see the Priest and/or Bishop / Katyusha units, which -should- give the "blast" SA to the allies too... :D

[Dr.Cornelius]

Actually, increasing the stacking limit increases the survivability & effectiveness of infantry. Denser stacking lets infantry better take advantage of the available cover, but they can still spread out in the face of an artillery bombardment. Denser stacking also increases the firepower available from a single hex.

At this point there is no reason for the allies to play any infantry at all. The Sherman, Stuart, KV-1, Crocodile and others are effective against both armor and infantry. On the axis side, the SS-Panzergrenadiers are an excellent unit for the points, but again there is no reason to ever play basic infantry.

I would add the following house rule to boost basic infantry:

Increased Stacking: If this hex contains at least one Soldier with cost 3 or less the stacking limit is increased by one.

Combined Fire (http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=6793) also helps basic infantry be more effective.

[Pasalades]

I'm not quite sure how 50 people firing rifles at a tank are necessarily more effective than even a single person. I personally think combined fire would be a complicating and terrible idea for this game.

[Dr.Cornelius]

I'm not quite sure how 50 people firing rifles at a tank are necessarily more effective than even a single person. I personally think combined fire would be a complicating and terrible idea for this game.Read my house rule carefully. Combined fire is only for soldiers firing at other soldiers. As of the first set, basic infantry have little chance against defense 5 SS-Panzergrenadiers. If you don't believe me, try a little scenario with 8 3-point infantry (24 points) against 4 SS-PG (20 points). In my experience, the SS beat the basic infantry every time.

Allowing soldiers to combine fire against other soldiers gives the basic infantry a fighting chance against defense 5 infantry.

[Modern Major-General]

Increased Stacking: If this hex contains at least one Soldier with cost 3 or less the stacking limit is increased by one.


Dr. C, can I call you Dr. C? How about Doc?

In all my years of gaming and putting up with other people's headache-inducing, just plain-ol-stupid house rules, this is the first one that I like upon first glance. Congrats.

[Pasalades]

Read my house rule carefully. Combined fire is only for soldiers firing at other soldiers. As of the first set, basic infantry have little chance against defense 5 SS-Panzergrenadiers. If you don't believe me, try a little scenario with 8 3-point infantry (24 points) against 4 SS-PG (20 points). In my experience, the SS beat the basic infantry every time.

Allowing soldiers to combine fire against other soldiers gives the basic infantry a fighting chance against defense 5 infantry.

My apologies. It comes with reading some posts a little too quickly in class. In this case I can see the application of combined fire. Good idea.

[protevangelium]

A US Armored Infantry Platoon '44

'Leuitenant'
3x Garand
3x Bazooka (1/rifle sqd)
2x Vickers .30 MG
1x M2 60mm Mortar (w 1/2t)
56pts/plt

Company
3 Rifle Plts
Plus
'Captain'
1x Garand Sqd(HQ element)
3x Bazookas
3x 57mm ATGs

218pts/company

An Armored Infantry Company also has 20 Halftracks, 3 Jeeps, and 2 supply trucks. Most half tracks should have 30cal MGs in addition to squad weapons (could be dismounted with sqd), PLT leaders tracks had .50s, although every .50 that could be aqcuired was grabbed.

Basically, this would give every sqd an additional Vickers (20*8) for +160pts

I've actually undercounted Bazookas, there's 18 in each Rifle company.

A Sherman Plt would be 5 tanks (105)
a Sherman company would be 3 platoons, plus 2 Shermans and a Sherman 105. Add 2 jeeps, a half track, a recovery vehicle and a supply truck. Call it 3 garand squads worth of extra infantry, at least 375 pts plus whatever a Sherman 105 and a halftrack would cost


Assuming you already saw the newest preview for Set II, our prayers have been answered: an American half-track. Some people hate these things, but I happen to be a great admirer of the half-track. Tank or truck? The world may never know...

[Autarch]

I agree whole heartedly. Now I can start rounding out my US mechanized forces.

[Autarch]

Protevangelium and Andras,

What sources are you refering to?

Thanks.

[Andras]

I used Osprey's US Armored Divisions, European Theater, 1944-1945