"Falklands Orbats" Topic

I've posted some Falklands orbats up at fireandfury.com

The British orbat is here: PDF link

and the Argentine orbat is here: PDF link

They're geared for the 'Battlefront: WWII' rules and organisations, so each infantry element is a section/squad and each vehicle or heavy weapon represents 2-3 actual items.

My sincere thanks to Dom and Tango for their help.

I've also got a scenario here for the Battle of Goose Green: PDF link

Oh, do I need to check that to see which other figures I need to make?

Chas is waiting on one figure from me (low port with SLR) to release the first packs. I still need to get the Sterlings to him.

It's ok, take your time – I've just blown this month's budget on KNIL (where's the Overvalwagen?)! :o)

The only ones I thought of were SAS/SBS types and SAS with Stinger, though I can't see you selling many of the latter (that said, they'd almost certainly be equally good for US Special Forces with Stinger). I think you've got everything else from the last discussion.

Speaking of which – I found some good accounts of the Paras' use of M79s at Goose Green – particularly in the assault on the Burntside House at the start of the battle.

Pack of SAS/SBS in wool hats with M16 (and M16/203) done…

SAS boat teams, riding in rubber boats, and on shore would be nice. A just beached team too, with troops standing next to the rubber boat, and/or dragging it ashore.

Perhaps some carrying anti-tank launchers (LAWs, etc., if appropriate), and/or satchel charges for taking out those wonderful Pucaras someone at QRF is working on.

;-)

A team of SBS paddling a Klepper.

A beached Klepper, and team unloading kit from it, in addition to the other stuff.

While perhaps not the most clamored for items, the twin kayak and crew, and the boat team and crew could be used in other areas of the world too, e.g. anti-pirate ops in Somalia, doing recon/sabotage work against the Soviets, during the Cold War, etc.

Separate SEAL or US Marine teams would be nice as well, for the above, too. No doubt, Russian Spetznatz might want to use them as well.

A Sniper/Observer team, with telescope(s), in one of the many shallow, underground hides used around the islands, to keep track of the Argies, and to report back on their positions and movements, if those haven't already been done. Prone poses are probably best for that.

Thanks for creating and sharing all your info R Mark.

That is greatly appreciated!

Nice one Geoff.

Cheers Mako. While we're going berserk with suggestions – the SBS tooled themselves up with stacks of GPMGs for the Fanning Head battle, so a special forces GPMG might be another useful one.

Perhaps a pack of civvies too, to use in some scenarios, as hostages, etc.

Thanks for the information. Very useful.

Great job Mark!.
And many thanks to mention me, only a tiny contributor.

Also want to add that the Marine Infantry had all new and good equipment (cloth, weapons, ammo, food, etc) they had been trained during two years (as conscripts) because when you went to the Navy you had to serve that time. In the Army was only one year but the most important difference was that during those two years the marines (and sailors) trained all time while the land forces trained only three month and then became "servants" of the officers and NCO.
So, you are quite right to rank them as "experience" troops even when that was their first real combat.

Take note that when the Junta Militar decided to went to war the "class" of the 5th Marine Infantry was dismised a month ago. Robacio and his staff had to call all them by phone asking if they want to return to their unit because the new "class" was so young and inexperienced. Like a single man they all accepted to return to wear the uniform and march (fly) to the islands. Even the few which were sick or out of the country, managed to return to the 5th by any way.

Not the same on the Land Army. They had to search the ex soldiers with the police to return to their quarters (not all, but maybe the 40%) and a 15% deserted (fly to Uruguay).
That show you how was the quality of the officers in the marine and in the Army.
As Robacio said one day: "If we had here instead of five Army Regiments only two more Marine Infantry battalions, the history would be another one".

About the Commandos, it was very interesting too.
The best unit, the 601 with REAL commandos had to fly to the West Malvina (Falkland) island (Soledad) by direct order of the stupid and useless of Menendez and finished lost there because they cannot return again. All the troops on Soledad Islands were lost without any purpose and I know that some soldiers died for hungry there (no posibility of supply). The 602 of Rico was a mixed unit with some commandos (few) gendarmes (more fat than pigs), some "trained" (they had made the commando curse many years ago) with grey hair and other voluntaires.
Maybe 12 of those men were useful as commandos.
But even that, they were experienced men and when the British began to advance after Goose Green, our "heroe" Menendez order the 602 to became his "personal guard" in Port Stanley.
It seems that two Regiments were not enought to him to guard his important person!.

Congratulations again my friend.

Amicalement
Armand

Excellent work Mark.

I was slightly curious about the absence of pioneer platoons from the Guards and Ghurka bns (whereas they are in the Commando Bns).

Good question. I did have a nightmare working out who did and didn't have Assault Pioneer Platoons during the 1980s. The Guards at the time were officially Type A Infantry Battalions, but were lightened for the Falklands. I'd read that Type A battalions had their Pioneer Platoons removed in the 1970s, as they were meant to rely on divisional REs. The same thing happened to Mech Infantry Battalions and Paras also didn't have Pioneer Platoons.

The Gurkhas meanwhile, were Type B (Light Role) battalions who also apparently had their Pioneer Platoons taken away in the 1970s, but had them returned in the mid-1980s, as it was felt that they were more likely to be operating independently. Home Defence TA Battalions also retained a Pioneer Platoon.

I can't say that the subject of Pioneer Pltoons is something I've researched in any great depth, so I might have put too much credence in a single (incorrect) source. I'd appreciate any further information.