"Modern infantry squads and anti-tank" Topic

In the '80s the US infantry seemed to use LAW rockets as part of a standard squad organization. I'm not directly familiar with the TO&E for the time, but When I look at modern squad organizations there is no real mention of a squad using the AT-4 ( replacement for the LAW). Did it stop being a normal part of a squad, or is it because modern conflicts don't usually call for a lot of AT?

Xcalibernick: Both the LAW and AT-4 are issued as rounds of ammunition, based on the operational requirements.

You will not find them on a TO&E.

Every Marine and Soldier is trained to use them. If there is significant armor threat then they can be issued.

Just to make things complicated the USMC 'resurrected and upgraded' the LAW. So now a unit could be issued either. The AT-4 is a better weapon against main battle tanks. The LAW is 'good enough' to defeat light armor and has been used extensively in urban fighting.

You might even see AT-4s issued to vehicle crews, again, not on the TO&E [circumstances are for vehicles operating in urban areas, where the turrets may not traverse fully or quickly enough].

In gaming terms, I think its better to think of them as an add on, of limited quantity to a platoon, rather than a weapon associated with a dedicated "gunner".

Chalfant

There were three types of anti-tank systems for the infantry. The TOW was a ground deployed system, even though it is better known as M113 mounted. I had two in my cavalry platoon.
The LAW you have mentioned, load out list, (we only used ones for daily trading) we had plenty including mortar squad, Me in HQ, two in scouts and four in the infantry squad.
The third system was much better than a LAW, it was the DRAGON. A lot more effective and it it defeat light amor APC at 500 yards and heavy armor at 300 yards. We had in in the infantry squad.

We had two AT-4s issued per fire team -- one carried by the rifleman and one by the grenadier. As combat engineers, we weren't issued the ATGM of the day, which was the Javelin.

What about the re-introduction of Karl Gustav RR/ M3 MAAW to infantry and Rangers starting 2014? 2-man team with effective range of up to 1000 yards.

Thanks everyone! I was hoping the AT-4 was used similar to the LAW. That means in a more modern setting I'll just keep the Team Yankee base organization for the teams (SAW rifle team with an AT-4 stat line).

The Gustav and the Javelin are easier, since they were used in teams of 2 as mentioned like the Dragon teams in the base rule set.

I commanded a Mech Company '87-'89. In a Mech Bde attached to the 18th ABN XXX. I posted this on another thread. And I agree with much that the others have said here …

Each of my 11 man Mech Inf Squads had :

2 M249 SAWs
1 60 MG
1 M47 MAW
2 M203 GLs

The rest carried M16s and extra ammo for the MG and M47, plus based on the mission; M72 LAWs, M18 Claymores, hand grenades, demolitions, etc. …

Plus each M113 APC mounted an M2 50 cal. HMG

So the Squad was designed to use "Fire & Maneuver". And Kill the enemy.

And the leaders could call in CAS, FA, etc. …

As far as TOWs. Each Mech Company[4 per Bn] has a 2 M 901 ITV Section organic to it's TO&E. And the Mech Bn had an AT Company with three Plts of 5 M901s, IIRC, Plus the Bn Scout Plt had 3 M901s & 3 M113s.

At the time with the main threat being the Armor heavy Warsaw Pact forces. Mech Infantry had a lot of AT assets organic to it's TO&E.

Stryker units also have the possibility of sticking a Javelin into one fireteam (the other fireteam has a Designated Marksman, there's an M14 in each Stryker in addition to the Javelin).