Hi,
I didn't write this, Dan Hebditch did, but I think it's relevent...
Bryn
Infantry
'. as far as infantry fighting is concerned, I am more than ever convinced that the standard infantry action consists of a body of attackers
seeking hand-to-hand combat. Bear in mind that all advances in armament over the centuries have only aimed at one thing: to fire from as far away as possible to avoid this hand-to-hand combat which men fear. The job of the infantry is to break through the enemy lines; to do that they must get in amongst these lines. In an attack, no matter how powerful the artillery and the heavy
weapons, there comes the moment when the infantryman gets close to the enemy lines, all support ceases, and he must mount the charge that is his last argument, his sole raison d'être. Such is the infantryman's war. (and) the sole object of his training should be to prepare them for what one might call 'the battle of the last hundred metres'.
Commandant Delort, CO 2/8 Régiment de Tirailleurs Morocaines, Italy 1944. Quoted in British Army pamphlet PAM 13 'The Light Role Infantry
Battlegroup' 2287
Light Role Infantry Units
Each of the three infantry battalions in the brigade are organised identically and operate in the same manner. Light infantry rely on physical
fitness and mastery of infiltration tactics to survive on the modern battlefield, yet they also possess the human 'touch' that can be used to
great effect in operations other than war. The infantry of the brigade are all trained paratroopers and regard themselves as the fittest and most competent soldiers in the British Army, although others parts of the army have different views.
Each battalion is composed of the following:
a.. 3 Rifle Companies
b.. 1 Reconnaissance Company
c.. 1 Support Company
d.. 1 Headquarters Company
However they also receive assets from the brigade or from other battalions depending on the task and so are normally designated as Battle Groups
when deployed. The battalion Commanding Officers are normally very experienced colonial soldiers who will probably have also served in an Air Assault Brigade on Earth and on secondment to a Commonwealth Army. Thus they will have understanding of a whole range of operations and co-operative assignments. Frequently on detached operations the CO will often be the senior British military official on a given world, they are dominating figures in their battalions.
Rifle Companies
The rifle companies are organised in a fairly conventional manner with each containing 3 rifle platoons and a HQ element. Support from the
battalion is usually assigned to the company in the shape of Mortar Platoon forward observers, machine gunners, combat walkers, drones and possibly snipers and pioneers. The resulting Company Group is a potent formation in its own
right, capable of undertaking almost any colonial troubleshooting or peacekeeping task whilst also being an effective manoeuvre sub-unit in
conventional operations. Companies are led by Majors.
The rifle platoons are composed of three sections and a platoon HQ, each platoon is composed of 29 men at full strength. Platoons are led by either a
Lieutenant or a Colour Sergeant if no officers are available, with a Sergeant as second in command (2 i/c). In addition a signaller (electronic/information warfare specialist) and two platoon weapons operators are part of the HQ. The platoon commander with his signaller in tow are in charge of the tactical handling of the platoon. The platoon sergeant and two weapon ops are responsible for administration, ammo resupply, casevac, handling of reserves and co-ordination of fire support.
In conventional operations the platoons will always operate as a close, integral part of the company, but in other operations may be dispersed
widely down to the section level.
Sections in the brigade are organised to carry a great deal of firepower whilst retaining inherent tactical flexible. Each section has eight soldiers, commanded by a Corporal and a Lance Corporal in support and divided into two four man fireteams. Each fireteam consists of a Commander,
Front Gunner, Rear Gunner and Plasma Gunner. The commander is armed with a rifle, the front gunner with a short barrelled VR5 and these two usually
work as a team. The rear and plasma gunners are armed with a VR5 and LPW, and are grouped in to a 'Vickers Team'. This structure gives the section
immense firepower and flexibility. Although not rifle equipped one man in each section is a qualified Sharpshooter and can be taken out of the section to perform that specialist duty.
The brigade's infantry started the war exceptionally well trained in small unit operations and patrolling in a variety of testing terrain. However full brigade exercises or manoeuvres with other formations were rare as the
brigade normally provided OPFOR for other units in most of these.
However the brigade's troops were fit, self-reliant and willing to take calculated risks to achieve their missions. It is these men who would fight the vital 'Battle of the last 100 metres' in the Kafer War.
Reconnaissance Company
A dedicated recce company is unique to light role battalions. It consists of three platoons, Reconnaissance Platoon, Patrols Platoon, Drone Platoon and the Sniper Section. Each of which is commanded by a captain whilst the Snipers are led by a Colour Sergeant. The role of the recce company is to provide timely and accurate data for the CO to control the battlespace and maintain his situational awareness. They can also be tasked with screening duties, flank protection, raids and harassing tasks, in addition to being assigned to brigade tasks. The large concentration of recce assets is due to
the large distances the battle group has to cover in many of its tasks.
The soldiers of the recce company are usually the most experienced or promising in the battalion, many go on to serve in brigade recce units or to
special forces.
Recce platoon is the most mobile using specially equipped Quads to roam far in front of the battalion. Patrol Platoon specialises in foot born recce and covert OP duties, however both of these platoons are essentially interchangeable. Drone Platoon operates a number of air and ground
RPV's and also has 1 EOD drone and specialist operator. The Snipers have 16 men trained in the latest concealment and surveillance techniques. Whilst they are all highly skilled marksmen they are most often used to supplement the patrols platoon and will usually call in fire-support than risk closing on a target for a killing shot.
Support Company
Support companies contain a battalion's integral support assets. This includes the Mortar Platoon, Direct Fire Platoon, Assault Pioneer Platoon,
Anti-Tank Platoon, Combat Walker Platoon and Anti-Aircraft Section. All these units are commanded by Captains, except the Pioneers and Anti-Aircraft
who are commanded by Colour Sergeants. All of these units rely on Quads as their prime movers.
Mortar Platoon has nine lightweight 120mm mortars to fire indirect support of the rifle companies, it also has four three man teams of forward
observers called Mortar Fire Controllers or MFC who are attached to companies to co-ordinate fire support. MFC's are also qualified to call in
artillery, but few have the training to bring in strike aircraft although most would be willing to try given the opportunity.
Direct Fire Platoon is equipped with a mixture of heavy plasma weapons and large calibre machine guns, normally with 12 firing posts with 4 attached to each company. Direct Fire Platoon, normally referred to as the 'Drums' Platoon to avoid any confusion of the meaning of DF (and to reflect the frequent dual tasking), provides high volumes of fire to support infantry attacks and defensive tasks. Assault Pioneers are trained as combat engineers and provide immediate support to the battalion, if the task is too big for the pioneers then support is requested from the brigade's Royal Engineers.
Anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft units are normally deployed under the command of the CO but as part of a brigade armour and aircraft defence plan.
Anti-Tank is a large platoon with some 24 Green Hunter firing posts deployed in 6 post sections. Anti-Aircraft section has six Darter missile systems. Combat Walker Platoon is a powerful asset equipped with 24 Bowman-A combat walkers,
a fast, robust and effective weapon system.
Headquarters Company
HQ Company consists of all the elements required to command, train and administer the battalion. These include a Signals Platoon, Quarter Master
Platoon, MT Platoon and a Regimental Aid Post.
To command the Battle Group in action the CO has his Tactical HQ, or Tac 1. This consists of the CO, his signaller/bodyguards, various support
platoon commanders, attached specialists and most importantly the commander of the artillery battery in direct support of the battalion. This group allows the CO to operate just behind his forward elements an to see what is going on.
Tac 1 operates from a number of Quads but often simply moves by foot.
Tac 2 is organised virtually identically to Tac 1 and is commanded by the Battalion 2 i/c, a Major. If the CO is killed, injured or out of contact
then the 2 i/c can take over virtually instantly and continue fighting the battle. The remainder of the personnel man Battalion Main, commanded by
the Adjutant which takes care of routine admin for the CO leaving him free to fight his battle.
QM and MT personnel combine to create A and B Echelons which are responsible for collecting supplies and ammo from brigade and getting them up to the battalion. The RAP has a number of highly trained medical orderlies who are
responsible for collecting casualties and the getting them to the RAP usually using Quads. The RAP has a number of light automed units however it
is brigade policy to get casualties to the Field Ambulance and on to a hospital facility as soon as possible.
