Posted by: Garfunkel
« on: November 05, 2018, 01:24:23 PM »
I'm leaving this up for posterity but due to changes in the ground combat model (this was written when things were still on the planning stage), I've changed things around.
Tentative Ground Forces Organisation for all countries.
Through the years of war, the various national quirks of armies have been worn down, thanks to several multi-national operations. All powers are in the process of replacing their horses with the newfangled automobiles and tractors, though this process is ongoing and currently such vehicles are only used to ease the transportation of heavy equipment.
The old line and square formations of Napoleonic Wars turned out to be nothing but a recipe for a massive butcher's bill. After the first year of the Martian War, all powers had delegated the lowest leadership level from captains to lieutenants and sergeants, meaning that no longer was the company the smallest manoeuvre element, it was now the platoon. Even this was not sufficient against the firepower of the Martian Death Machines, and as the war progressed, the importance of the squad was realised. Thus was born the new rifle squad, led by a senior corporal or a sergeant, that utilised movement in pairs and individual marksmanship. Consisting of 10 riflemen, it formed the basis of the armies of all powers.
Supporting the riflemen are two important weapons - one brand new, and the other an already existing one that rose to prominence. The Maxim machine-gun, water-cooled and with tremendous stamina, proved its worth and very quickly every country adopted it, if it had not already done so before the Landing. Stories told of Maxim gunners who pissed in the gun to keep it from overheating. Rough and durable, it was still light enough to be moved by its crew. The new weapon was the Rocket-Grenade, invented by Max von Foerster in Germany during the first year of the Martian War. Many of the Martian Death Machines were impervious to bullets and artillery was not always available quickly to prevent them from rolling up entire trench lines. Foerster was a mining engineer and had refined the shaped charge design for mining. Realising the potential it had in fighting the Martians, he was granted nearly unlimited funds by the German military to fast-track a prototype. The first version was a complete disaster, more often exploding at the hands of the operator, but refinement and improvements followed. The current model, the Marsshreck, as it became to known, was soon adopted by other powers as well, and is now an effective, albeit short-ranged weapon.
Two Grenadier teams and two Maxim teams, together with three infantry squads, form the Infantry Platoon, sized 186 tons and using 32 GSPs per combat round.
Infantry Company consists of three infantry platoons, supported by a Mortar Platoon (3 Light Bombardment) and a Infantry Gun Platoon (3 Heavy Crew-served Anti-Personnel). The mortars are light enough to be moved by their crew, as are the infantry guns - exact models vary from country to country but they are generally in the 50-80 mm area, using high-explosive ammunition. The captain has a Headquarters Squad to facilitate command and communications (HQ 1250) and the Light Column uses horse-carriages to transport munitions, food and other supplies (3 Logistics Module - Small). All in all, the Infantry Company takes up 726 tons and uses 147 GSPs per combat round. It can support itself for three combat rounds before needing supply from parent formations.
Infantry Battalion consists of three infantry companies, supported by a Anti-Air Platoon of three Quad Maxims on a high-angle tripod (Light Anti-Aircraft). The Maxims are not especially effective against Martian Flying Machines, but four of them put together, firing at the same point, are generally sufficient to harass them. The battalion also has an Observer Platoon, that has the experts and the equipment to provide fire observation for artillery, and two Heavy Columns (1 Logistic Module each) carry enough supplies for two combat rounds for the entire battalion. This is in excess of the organic company supply. Thus the battalion can fight for five combat rounds without needing external supply. The battalion major has an HQ platoon to help him the formation. It clocks in at 2,458 tons and uses 447 GSPs per combat round.
Infantry Regiment consists of three infantry battalions, supported by another Anti-Air Platoon, and an Observer Platoon, as well as a HQ company, three Heavy Column, and Engineers. While the construction equipment of the engineers is not sufficient to fortify the entire regiment quickly, it is enough to facilitate it. Parent formations are expected to provide more engineering support when necessary. Thanks to the additional Heavy Columns, the regiment can fight eight combat rounds without needing resupply from the division. The regiment takes up 7,919 tons and eats 1347 GSPS per combat round.
On the artillery side, things have changed less radically. All powers now divide their guns into three categories: Field Artillery for the medium pieces meant for closer support, Heavy Artillery for heavy pieces to support the Schwerepunkt, and Siege Artillery that has become to mean special pieces with long-ranges, instead of the old siege mortars with very limited range, generally placed on special rail carriages. Thanks to first experiments with Trans-Newtonian minerals, the large railroad guns are now being transplanted to tractor platforms, basically a square Duranium carriage with multiple tracks underneath it, allowing the guns to move outside the rail network. Without this improvement, the long range guns could not be brought to Mars alongside their lighter counterparts.
Unlike infantry, the smallest element of artillery is the battery. A Field Artillery Battery houses six field guns, a Heavy Artillery Battery houses six howitzers, and a Siege Artillery Battery has three railroad guns. Batteries never operate alone, thus the smallest formation is the battalion.
Field Artillery Battalion has three FA batteries, three Becker guns for air cover, a Heavy Column for supply, and a HQ squad to coordinate the fire. The battalion takes up 890 tons and uses 78 GSP per combat round.
Heavy Artillery Battalion has three HA batteries and is otherwise identical to a FA Bn. It does require more space at 1250 tons and uses 168 GSP per combat round.
Siege Artillery Battalion has three SA batteries and is otherwise identical to the FA and HA battalions. With fewer guns per battery, it takes up 620 tons of space and 78 GSP per combat round.
An Artillery Regiment combines three FA battalions and one of both HA and SA battalions each, with five heavy Oerlikon guns for air defence, two Heavy Columns for supply and a HQ company to run the regiment, for a total space of 4840 tons and using 570 GSP per combat round. All lower supply combined, an artillery regiment can go for at least five combat rounds or, possibly as many as eight combat rounds depending on consumption, before it needs external supply.
This is a work-in-progress post, more will be added in due time.
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