"WWI Small-Unit TOE's?" Topic

I'm thinking about grabbing some World War I 28mm figures for some company or platoon-level games. Does anyone know a good website or book that would give information on company and platoon-level TOEs?

Osprey does a good job tracking the various changes to the TOE as the war progresses. The German Army is covered in 3 volumes, the AEF in one, the French in one, The Italians in one, the Austrians in two, the Russians in one, and the same for the Turks. They also do books on individual battles and seem to give good overall TOE to follow.

That said, show me a unit that matches it's TOE and I will show you a unit that only sees the parade ground. I would say that as long as you task organised your forces and provided +/- leaders of appropriate rank for the numbers of men for late war (17&18) you wouldnt be too far off the mark.

My 2cents anyway

Is any of this information (TOE, uniform/painting guides, equipment guides etc) available online?

As I am loath to dive into yet another period I really don't need to spend $300 on the requisite books just to enjoy a few half-hour skirmish games...do I?

I am not in any way a historical purist so anything "close enough" will do.

At the end of "The Breaking of Nations", WWI skirmish, I attached (long ago) a table with ToEs for all the great powers on the Western Front.

Need to change it from zip to pdf one day...

link

This exchange illustrates a problem...while this site and others enhances the exchange of information it also encourages laziness, which in turn promotes the growing dilitant attitude of many wargamers...bouncing from one period to another without any real investment. Read a book, do some research, "Oh my God, that might require some effort". A big problem and growing every day...

Merry Christmas

db

Of course in life you do get what you pay for...I doubt the "unit information" in the Breaking of Nations rules will give Westphalia what he's looking for...very cursory and gosh, Germans, British, French...even Austrians...where are the Americans?

Bah Humbug

db

Please note that I *did* ask for "a good website OR BOOK." I spent a little over $10k last year on my hobby, so laziness is hardly a problem.

"Where are the Americans?"

Enjoying the entertainment in Paris...

But seriously, I originaly omitted them from the list (mostly as a response to the Hollywood myth). They did fight from March to November 1918 and Pershing had some dumb ideas that matched those by the early war leaders. I am getting together some ToE info at the present moment and it is being included.

I am by no means the end all expert but reading memoirs and histories it seems that the Platoon was the basic thought of element of manuver. The squad was still thought of in terms of the "mess" in the American Civil War.

Reading several accounts of the first "sucessful" American trench raid they tok along 40 to 50 handpicked men, organised into teams; Ie, Bombers, Body Snatchers, Fire Group, and Reserve. They rehearsed the act for several days behind the lines and then went through with the live performance. At the end the men were returned to thier platoons. Junger in his book makes the point several times of having men volunteer to go on a trench raid and sending them back to train then having them return after the raid. Even the English Army in 1916 was doing a bit of mixing and matching for the job at hand if Guy Empey is to be believed.

That is why I say that for late war raids and such task organised with proper NCO/officer supervision is not going to be far from the mark. Add to the fact that as I said before TOE is never filled by a combat unit and you may end up having a less historical unit on the table going by the book as opposed to going with what you have.

Hi. Other than the specialized late war assault units the basic manuever element is the company. This is why doing WW1 skirmish is so difficult. Early war platoons and Company's are huge compared to WW2. I have done a lot of looking into this and believe that unless you use an unstated scale you need to go with 1 figure equals at least a section. Low level info is available but somewhat difficult to find compared to WW2.

John

[I'm thinking about grabbing some World War I 28mm figures for some company or platoon-level games.]

Do you have any particular theatre of war in mind? Western Front trench warfare? African conflicts? Middle Eastern and Lawrence of Arabia? Russians? Balkans?

Check out the rules "Contemptible Little Armies".
link

Or take a look at the following yahoo group.
link

BTW, Gallipoli would be a perfect campaign for the beginner in WWI. Because of the terrain, conflicts often broke down into small scale skirmishes.

advice -

decide what theatre

buy one or 2 ospreys and a set of rules. you will have enough information to pour over to decide.

I have a selfish interest to recommend War in Africa. Great bunch of small scale skirmishes and lots of colorful battles. Plus they were the last germans to surrender in the war!
Osprey has a great book - Armies of East AFrica - will cost you about $12-15. You can use Contemptible Little Armies, Trench Wars, etc. for Rules.

Minis:
link

Rules:
link

snobbery - yes in historicals many will want you to show some basic knowledge of a period before offering any advice.

Brigade has a fine line of figures usable for both the War in Africa and in Gallipoli. I like the minis myself.