"USMC Platoon Organization and Attachments" Topic
14 Posts
All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.
Please avoid recent politics on the forums.
For more information, see the TMP FAQ.
Back to the Ultramodern Warfare (2014-present) Message Board
Areas of InterestModern
Featured Hobby News Article
Featured Recent Link
Top-Rated Ruleset
Featured Showcase ArticleThe Editor snaps some photos of the pre-painted Middle Eastern infantry from Mongoose's new game, Battlefield Evolution.
Featured Profile ArticleThe gates of Old Jerusalem offer a wide variety of scenario possibilities.
|
troopwo | 28 Oct 2014 4:04 p.m. PST |
So I finally assembled my 28mm USMC platoon by Eureka. Three squads of a squad leader and three fire teams each per squad. Maybe a platoon leader and another body or two for the platoon HQ. OK, let's see, that makes 13x3 and maybe anthoer three bodies, so 42 or so altogether. 1. Now where do the M240s, the SMAW and the the 60mm mortars come from? Are they attached out from a weapons platoon as needed? Are M240s ever attached just one gun or one gun team to a platoon or should it be in a pair of guns or a pair of gun teams? 2. Is this ever the situation that a platoon is anywhere near full strength? Seriously??? I like these Eureka figures. Now that I built these guys I suppose it is off to the garage sale part of TMP for my platoon of JC Daniels USMC in 28mm. |
TNE2300 | 28 Oct 2014 4:54 p.m. PST |
|
troopwo | 28 Oct 2014 5:20 p.m. PST |
As much as I appreciate the thought, that's a bit like reading a phone directory. So the weapons platoon has a thirteen man assault squad. Another infantry section or different how? Three 60mm mortar dets of three men each. And,,, 22 men in a mg split into seven man groups. One or to 240s between these seven men and do they always deploy together? |
Dennis0302 | 28 Oct 2014 6:03 p.m. PST |
USMC Weapons Plt. 3 60mm mortars 6 M240G MG 6 SMAWS As a rule of thumb, two M240G's are attached to each rifle platoon and two SMAWS are attached to each rifle platoon. The 60mm mortars are generally employed together as a section as the Company Commander's "pocket artillery." Number of Marines in the weapons platoon can vary greatly from TO+E depending on manpower. The assault section of 13 includes a section leader and six two man teams. The machine gun section likewise consists of a section leader, six two man gun crews and the balance are ammo ammo bearers |
Rod I Robertson | 28 Oct 2014 6:07 p.m. PST |
Troopwo: link Cheers Rod Robertson. |
Leigh Neville | 28 Oct 2014 6:08 p.m. PST |
From memory so caveats apply; 1) Assault Squads carry the SMAWs plus frame charges and similar dets (or they did in Fallujah). They are attached in two to four man teams to infantry platoons as required. 2) Yes three 60mm tubes, each manned by three enlisted and the three squads commanded by a junior NCO. Again attached as operationally mandated or grouped for pre-planned fires. 3) Two 240s per machine gun squad- three men per gun plus junior NCO commanding. No they rarely deploy all together- they are generally chopped out to the infantry as needed but two gun teams per rifle platoon is not uncommon (guys from weapons platoon may also be chopped across to the rifle platoons to plug manpower gaps). 4) No I don't think in the history of the USMC or of any other military force has anyone ever deployed at full strength. And if they have, it doesn't take long for attrition to kick in once in theatre (mid tour leave, illnesses, casualties, courses etc. etc.) 5) TO&Es and doctrine go out the window as soon as a unit is in theatre and in combat. Units develop theatre specific orgs that work for them in the context of the threat, the environment and the mission they face. Hope this assists. |
Dennis0302 | 28 Oct 2014 6:13 p.m. PST |
BTW, the Platoon Hqts. for a Marine Rifle Platoon would consist of a Platoon Leader, Platoon Sgt., Right Guide (an assistant Plt. Sgt. who handles logistics for the platoon), a naval medical corpsman and two messengers/radio operators. The Weapons Platoon Hqts.is identical except it doesn't have a Right Guide. |
Lion in the Stars | 28 Oct 2014 6:23 p.m. PST |
USMC Infantry Company Weapons platoon: HQ: 1 officer, 1 enlisted MG Section: 22 enlisted men, one section leader and 3x MG squads of Squad leader and two teams of 3 men w/M240G each (6x MGs in the section) Mortar Section: 10 enlisted men, one section leader and 3 squads of 3 men w/ mortar each. Assault Section: 13 enlisted men, one section leader and 3 squads of 4 men with 2x Mk153 SMAW each. link I think the mortar section usually stays together, but that the MGs and SMAWs are usually assigned out weapon-by-weapon. That said, there are enough MGs and SMAWs to have two MGs and two SMAWs per platoon, or one MG and one SMAW assigned to each platoon with the other three MGs, three SMAWs, and mortars under the company commander's direct control. Gotta ask Mardaddy or one of the other Marines how the weapons platoon usually gets dealt out. (I was a Sailor) |
troopwo | 29 Oct 2014 7:44 a.m. PST |
Thanks everyone. Wow is that manpower heavy! I have seen infantry companies with as many men as a platoon plus! |
Just Jack | 29 Oct 2014 8:03 a.m. PST |
When I was in Iraq in 2004, we went in at T/O in the rifle platoons, but this was largely made up from Weapons Platoon, so that we had one gun and one SMAW per rifle platoon, and mortars stayed together under Weapons Platoon (as Dennis stated, that's the Skipper's Arty). Like I said, all the remaining non-rates (E-3 and below) from Wpns guns and assault men were used up as riflemen, but it had the funny effect of the company having a bunch of Sergeants from Wpns running around with no troops. We joked about them forming a squad led by their Gunny (the Wpns Plt Platoon Sergeant is an E-7, while the rifle plt Platoon Sergeants are SSgts (E-6)). Regarding the Plt HQ, we actually had two Corpsmen (this was plussed up for Iraq, and there were additional Corpsmen at Company and Battalion level as well), though we didn't always have the Guide and two radiomen (a lot of times the second radioman was pulled up to Company HQ to work for the Company Gunny). The Company was also plussed up with a couple combat engineers and a couple HET guys. V/R, Jack |
Apache 6 | 25 Jun 2015 5:53 p.m. PST |
A lot depends on when and where you are talking about but, there were fairly few Plt level fights in Afghanistan for the Marines that were not deliberate reductions of strongpoints. The Afghans rarely tried to take on USMC infantry. They were FAR more likely to employ IEDs, occasionally using small arms and RPGs to make it a "combined arms ambush." They much preferred to attack the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) or Marine Corps resupply convoys. Some other things to think about: There should be an interpreter assigned to each Plt (who may be patrolling with the squads). As Just Jack said there should be engineers attached. A Cbt Engr Platoon normally reinforces a Inf Bn. For Afghanistan where IEDs/mines were THE threat, a rifle platoon should get a four man team, after ~ 2006, one of the engineer is likely to have an IED detector dog, black Labradors. Each rifle squad had their own metal detectors in addition to the combat engineer squads. All of the grunts will be crosstrained with metal detectors. After ~ 2010 each Inf Plt started to deploy with their own IED Detector Dog (IDD) IN ADDITION to the ones with the engineers. Up until 2008 or 2009, you might have seen pure USMC Plt, after that must operations would be 'partnered' with a USMC Plt working along side a ANA Squad (roughly 2008 – 10) Plt (roughly 10 – 12) or Company (12 – 14). Throughout there were missions were the USMC job was to escort the ANP to certain areas, and or serve as their QRF. Again depending on when and the mission, in several instances the weapons plt were used as annother rifle platoon. The SMAWs were usually only carried during reductions of enemy strongpoints. Though each squad would likely have an AT-4 or a couple of LAW rockets (after about 2008 I think). Depending on when/where (i.e. the terrain) and the mission they may be employing MRAPs to patrol or for the QRF. Normally a Sqd would be motorized in 3 MRAPs, each one sporting a MG, one mounting a 2 M240s, 1 a .50 cal, and a 1 Mk-19 would not be far off. Ideally one of them would have a mine roller. It was not uncommon for commanders to use their Wpns Plts to form "Motorized Assault Platoons" employing MRAPs for patrolling and fire support of the dismounted rifle squads. |
Visceral Impact Studios | 26 Jun 2015 4:20 a.m. PST |
Troopwo, A USMC rifle platoon doesn't have organic 60mm mortars or M240s. It seems that everyone is talking past each other here. You accurately described the organization of the rifle platoon but the gear you then asked about is the company weapons platoon. Like the army, a USMC fireteam is 1xM249, 1x rifle/M230, 2x rifles. 3x fireteams and 1x squad leader form a squad. Platoon HQ is LT, RATELO, and plt. sgt. Total platoon strength is 13x3 = 39 + 3 = 42 (ie no mortars, no M240, no SMAW). Did the package you purchase include both a rifle platoon and full weapons platoon? The weapons platoon is organized into three sections (MG, assault/SMAW, and mortar). It would be strange to assign the entire weapons platoon to a single rifle platoon (thus your surprise at the "rifle platoon's" firepower). The M240s might get parceled out to the rifle platoons along with a couple SMAWs here and there. But the mortars would remain under company control. In this context a "platoon+" would be the 42 guys in the rifle platoon, maybe an MG section of 2x MW40, and a couple of SMAW teams. It wouldn't be the rifle platoon plus all of the weapons platoon assets. |
Lion in the Stars | 26 Jun 2015 6:30 p.m. PST |
As Just Jack said there should be engineers attached. A Cbt Engr Platoon normally reinforces a Inf Bn. For Afghanistan where IEDs/mines were THE threat, a rifle platoon should get a four man team, after ~ 2006, one of the engineer is likely to have an IED detector dog, black Labradors. Each rifle squad had their own metal detectors in addition to the combat engineer squads. All of the grunts will be crosstrained with metal detectors. After ~ 2010 each Inf Plt started to deploy with their own IED Detector Dog (IDD) IN ADDITION to the ones with the engineers. Wow, that's a whole lot of counter-IED support! So, a platoon would be deployed with a metal detector team and a dog team from the engineers, plus a metal detector in each squad, AND another dedicated dog team? I think I may need to pester Khurasan to make some dog teams for his modern US forces, both German Shepherd and Lab. |
Apache 6 | 30 Jun 2015 12:25 p.m. PST |
Yes, that is a lot of CIED support. For much of the time in Helmand, the IED was the only way the Taliban could restrict USMC (or UK) maneuver and engagement with the local population. I think that both dog teams and figures of Marines/Soldiers employing metal detectors would be very useful for current era gaming. Another reinforcing 'element' that you might think about including would be a female engagement team (FET), often unofficially called Lioness platoons or squads inside USMC. A Squad of 13 female Marines and a female corpsman were often assigned to an Infantry Bn. On missions that would include interaction with local females a team of 4 – 6 of them, plus a female interpreter would be attached to the suported unit. With current modern armor/uniforms it can be difficult to tell female from male. You might be able to represent this by using slightly shorter figures for your FET. In game you might consider having them fight as well as other Marines, but restricting their movement, as the load of body armor/water/ammo/radios/batteries tended to be more of a challenge for the females than most males. Going over compound walls with 75+ lbs of gear is challenging for a lady who may weigh 130lbs. |
|