Solitare99
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu 18 Jun 2020, 14:08

Re: Infantry Squads

Mon 14 Jun 2021, 00:14

British Section:

Late and Post–Cold War:

The British Army fully adopting the L85 A1 system (SA80) in 1987 the standard British infantry section comprised of the following loadout and breakdown.

A section consists of eight soldiers, divided into a Charlie and Delta fireteam with each team comprising an NCO and three other men. Rifle platoon compised of three sections.

The normal section organisation during the late 1980s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s was as follows

Charlie Fireteam
Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L85A1 5.56mm rifle
Two Riflemen armed with L85A1 5.56mm rifles
Gunner armed with an L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon ( Due to the lack of firepower normally replaced by L7A2 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun and later officially replaced by the L110A1 5.56mm light machine gun circ 2003)

Delta Fireteam
Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L85A1 5.56mm rifle
Two Riflemen armed with L85A1 5.56mm rifles
Gunner armed with an L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon ( Due to the lack of firepower normally replaced by L7A2 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun and later officially replaced by the L110A1 5.56mm light machine gun circ 2003)

For Anti Tank protection the section would also carry 2 LAW 80 (L1A1) HEAT distributed to two of the riflemen, normally one in each fireteam but this could be changed to support an assaulting force.
 
baldrick0712
Topic Author
Posts: 672
Joined: Fri 28 May 2021, 12:29

Re: Infantry Squads

Mon 14 Jun 2021, 04:23

For the uninitiated, the L110A1 5.56mm light machine gun is the British variant of the M249 SAW.
 
CWGamer
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat 12 Dec 2020, 15:11

Re: Infantry Squads

Mon 14 Jun 2021, 15:08

Isby's Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army has:

SVD was issued one per platoon. Issued to one rifleman in one of the squads. In Afghanistan some units had one SVD per squad.

Squad numbers varied - BTR units tended to have more numbers than BMP units, same for support weapons.

BMP squad (no fire teams in Soviet Army):
One sergeant with AKMS or AKS-74
Two PKM gunner or two RPK-74 gunners
One RPG-7
Two assistant MG with AKMS or AKS-74
One Assistant RPG with AKMS or AKS-74
Two vehicle crew with PM pistols

BTR Squad
One sergeant with AKMS or AKS-74
One RPK gunner
One PKM gunner (added from 1979) - possibly limited as they have different ammo to rest of the squad
One RPG-7
Four riflemen with AKMS or AKS-74 (Two MG assistant, one RPG assistant)
Two vehicle crew with PM pistols

Some squads have one or two machine guns

GP-25 issue was uncertain during the time of the book, said to one or two per squad

Each AKM or AKS-74 issue has 4 magazines, they probably have a further 180 rounds each carried in the APC.

RPK is 1000 rounds carried by the entire squad (gunner and assistants)

SVD standard issue is 140 rounds carried by gunener.

PM pistol issue is 16 rounds or two magazines.
 
CWGamer
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat 12 Dec 2020, 15:11

Re: Infantry Squads

Mon 14 Jun 2021, 15:25

Each tank carries 10 or 20 hand grenade and one AKMS or AKS-74 with 300 rounds (10 magazines), although all probably have PM pistols.

Each RPG-7 gunner and assistant has 5 RPG rockets

This source has one spare seat in an BMP-2 being empty: https://thesovietarmourblog.blogspot.co ... bmp-2.html
The composition of a typical dismount squad is as follows:
1 x Squad leader, BMP-2 Commander (Sergeant) (AK-74)
1 x Grenadier (Private) (RPG-7, PM)
1 x Assistant Grenadier (Private) (AK-74)
1 x Machinegunner (Private) (RPK-74 or PKM)
1 x Senior Rifleman (Corporal) (AK-74 with grenade launcher)
1 x Rifleman/Designated Marksman (Private) (AK-74/SVD)
1 x Rifleman/Medic (Private) (AK-74)
The same link gives BMP storage space for 12 hand grenades, 700 AK rounds, single 200 round box for PKM, along with 440 7.62x54 rounds

So one GP-25 per squad.

So yeah plenty of squad variety in Russian squads. As they take casualties pure rifleman would be less common as they pick up machine guns and so on. I could see the RPG-7 gunner would pick up an AK as a backup weapon for example.
 
swedishtrex
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri 27 Nov 2020, 12:52

Re: Infantry Squads

Fri 18 Jun 2021, 09:10

There are pretty good pictures of this at https://www.battleorder.org/rus-ussr-squad-graphics
i tried going by that more than the generic stats setup in the book.
 
baldrick0712
Topic Author
Posts: 672
Joined: Fri 28 May 2021, 12:29

Re: Infantry Squads

Fri 18 Jun 2021, 11:05

What stat changes to the AK-74 would you make for the AKS-74u listed as a secondary weapon for the Grenadier in some squads?

Image

Shorter barrel so maybe range -1 but ROF + 1?

We should also not forget this fella (AK-74M)....

Image

"M" variant of AK-74 that was due to become the standard service rifle when the "real life" USSR collapsed.

Probably no difference to AK-74 as most changes are just for faster/cheaper production
 
swedishtrex
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri 27 Nov 2020, 12:52

Re: Infantry Squads

Fri 18 Jun 2021, 14:33

What stat changes to the AK-74 would you make for the AKS-74u listed as a secondary weapon for the Grenadier in some squads?

Image

Shorter barrel so maybe range -1 but ROF + 1?

We should also not forget this fella (AK-74M)....

Image

"M" variant of AK-74 that was due to become the standard service rifle when the "real life" USSR collapsed.

Probably no difference to AK-74 as most changes are just for faster/cheaper production
the ak74u should be -2 range +1rof, it lost like 100m to 400ish and with a verry significant reduction in accuracy on longer shots. The problem is that the game does not realy handle the benefits it had (over the rof) such as being compact, it is more a GM thing i guess when you want to hide it or figure out some special rule.

the ak74m does not realy statisticly differ from the normal ak74, it's again more roleplay stuff like you want to attach something or where material would matter.
 
baldrick0712
Topic Author
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Joined: Fri 28 May 2021, 12:29

Re: Infantry Squads

Fri 18 Jun 2021, 16:01

On the subject of AK variants, what would be the explanation for why the AK-74 has a range of 6 but the AKM only has a range of 5? Is it something to do with lower recoil?
 
CWGamer
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat 12 Dec 2020, 15:11

Re: Infantry Squads

Fri 18 Jun 2021, 17:06

AKS-74U should probably be treated as a carbine which is a -1 instead of -2 modifier in the same hex (Players Manual, page 63). It cannot mount a bayonet or GP-25 grenade launcher.

AK-74M has folding stock and all have provision for a sight bracket. Its possibly the standard Russian Army rifle in Merc: 2020.

Only some AKM and AK-74 had provision for a sight bracket.:
The AK-74N, AKS-74N and AKS-74UN had provision for the x4 USP-1 scope (1988) and 1PN51 image intensifier sight (1992?). But these would be Spestnaz only weapons.
Some AKM versions also had provisions for sight brackets. Again the Spetsnaz tended to use 7.62x39 so AKM still in Twilight: 2000,

The AK-74MR upgrade adds Western-style rails for accessories. This is Marc:2020 only.
 
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omnipus
Posts: 742
Joined: Mon 22 Jun 2020, 20:58

Re: Infantry Squads

Wed 23 Jun 2021, 00:28

On the subject of AK variants, what would be the explanation for why the AK-74 has a range of 6 but the AKM only has a range of 5? Is it something to do with lower recoil?
Theoretically, the 7.62 has longer range. However, 5.45mm has a much flatter trajectory and faster speed, meaning it's more likely to be accurate at distance even if the practical limits of that distance are a bit less. I'd assume that's what this is meant to reflect.
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