The Competition & Teaser Thread

[jimcrowley]

I don't really agree with the rate of fatigue increasing with units broken down as mostly back in those days, a soldier's world was the guys he was with. Just because his platoon was detached doesn't mean his fatigue increases faster because he is still with his own world. Neighboring companies suffering doesn't really affect your guys other than they are glad it wasn't them. I have never liked that rule of faster or more fatigue just because they are not combined. That one a definitely disagree with. I just don't buy it. Usually a soldier only worried about the other company because he had a buddy over there or a brother, but that was his only concern was if he was ok, not how much fatigue he was suffering because his unit was detached.

Platoons didn't exist in a vacuum; the command organisation was there for a purpose. Aside from being able to receive new orders and getting updates on the bigger picture, a platoon was reliant on its Company for ammunition resupply.

A solitary platoon was far more vulnerable than one that was in close contact with it's Company and the other platoons, which could provide mutual covering fire and, one would imagine, the morale benefits of nearby friendly troops would be considerable.

I'm still not sure about the absence of Company HQs or, at the very least the Company COs. These were very much front line units and while they may not have much fire-power, they were the glue that held a Company together, providing leadership and, often, inspiration in combat. There are numerous accounts, from all WW2 armies, relating to the very positive effects provided by good leadership at the Company level. Whereas from battalion, upwards, the leadership aspect became much more diluted and remote.