"Russian scouts WW2" Topic

Here at Peter Pig we are getting ready to release Russian scouts. 6 packs done already. However help is needed! So far we have SMG, rifle, LMG,political officer packs.
What equipment did they have available (light mortars, AT rifles assumed?)
Is there an organisational listing somewhere? I thought pack horses would be useful.
I have the Zaloga Russian book(red army handbook) which seems comprehensive but not sure where the scouts are listed. Probably not the reconnaissance platoon?

Also any opinions as to packs that players would enjoy??

thank you for your thoughts

martin

Martin, I can't vouch for the source, but this looks quite detailed as you scroll down

LINK – link

Maybe a few captured MP40 and both PPSH with drum and regular magazines?

Also, if its not too late, some guys crouched and aiming, hunched over walking, waving, looking around, that sort of stuff.

Light mortars: yes.

ATRs: Maybe. But less likely.

Captured weapons: Yes. Particularly SMGs.

Horses: Pack – maybe. Also consider riding horses, with mounted and dismounted troopers if possible.

Also: troops with comms gear and light engineering gear. (ie: Manpack radio, field phone and line reel. Wire cutters, mine detectors, demo charges.

Also motorcycles.

Red Army scouts generally tried to avoid combat. An LMG maybe … but mostly to provide cover for troops trying to extricate themselves. Their goal was truly scouting … locating, itentifying and marking enemy positions, safe infiltration routes, etc. Occasionally also demolitions/sabotage. Thus an ATR would not typically be useful.

Just my thoughts. Keep or ignore at your discretion.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

That was quick and effective

thank you

martin

snipers, infiltrators, observers

Are you looking at a specific period and/or type of unit? The Rifle Div Recce Coy was a very slight unit from Mar42 onwards, and had no LMGs or 50-mm mortars issued.

Non-Div Recce Bns proper I've got some details on for 1942, but not much on subsequent developments.

Gary

The idea is that gamers can use the figures for a number of scout type units. I suppose they could blend them in with other formations albeit the figs are all in two piece camo .

martin

Well this is the Recce Coy for the Mar42 Rifle Div –

HQ – Capt, Senior Lt, Political Offr
HQ Squad – Starshina, Medical NCO, Sergeant radio op, asst radio op, one radio

Three Pls, each;
Platoon cmdr, Pl Sgt
Three Squads, each Sgt and ten men

Pistols for all offrs, SMGs for Squad and Pl Sgts, rifles for all others (medic unarmed).

July42 deducts one man per Squad

Dec42 deletes the third Pl and changes the other two to a four Squad basis; each Pl to have 4 Squad leaders and 30 riflemen, so possibly allowing for a couple of runners at Pl HQ?

Rifle Regts had their own small Recce Pls, one mounted and one walking. They were allowed LMGs at the start of the war, but they were quickly deleted. Later variants had sniper rifles allocated.

There were a variety of Motorcycle units, but I think they were largely tied to mobile formations (Tank or Mech Corps), and I can't pretend to now much about them.

Gary

This gets better. Most appreciated chaps!

martin

cudos to you are seeking input from players.
RSN
Nelson Time Portal
In business since 1983.

Thank you Rudy. A most positive thread! (better stop now then?)

May as well mention the only other recce units I have info on;

Mounted Pl of a Rifle Regt, started with officer and Senior Sgt, commanding three Squads, each of Sgt and nine riflemen. SMGs for the offr and each NCO, plus 9 riflemen, with rifles for 15 riflemen, the last three men each with an LMG (one per Squad).

Dec41 dropped the Pl to an offr, SenSgt, and two Squads, each of a Sgt and nine men. Now a pistol for the offr and rifles for all others (SMGs and LMGs both cut).

Mar42 Pl now offr, Pol offr and SenSgt, two Squad Sgts and now 13 riflemen. Pistols for the offrs, rifles for all others, except two riflemen with SMGs.

Jul42 deleted the extra rifleman (I think he may have been a runner), rest stayed the same.

Dec42 deleted the political bod, dropped riflemen from 12 to eight and switched the SMGs to the two Squad Sgts.

Foot Recce Pl of a Rifle Regt started with Pl HQ of offr, SenSgt, two snipers and messenger. Then four Squads, each Sgt, two LMG numbers and eight riflemen. SMGs for the offr and each Squad Sgt, one LMG per Squad (pistol for the gunner), then three SMGs and seven rifles per Squad, and anyone else a rifle.

Dec41 Pl keeps HQ as before but culls the LMG man from each Squad to become a Sgt and ten men. Offr switches to a pistol and all SMGs replaced by rifles.

Mar42 Pl adds a Pol Off to Pl HQ, and allows two SMGs across the four Squads.

Jul42 deletes the fourth Squad, the other three becoming a Sgt and nine men. A weird four SMGs and 26 rifles across the three Squads.

Dec42 drops Squad size again, now three Sgts and 16 men, still with four SMGs across three Squads.

A version of an reduced strength Rifle Regt shows the same, but all armed with SMGs. The Political Offrs were deleted from Pl/Coy level sometime during 1943.

Gary

Some in the white snow over suits and/or with ski's would be good.

the 'true' scouts are the ones in the Armoured car/ recce regiments at division which was a full company. As they tended to either be with Armoured cars or light tanks, I dont think they bothered much with AT rifles. these were also the chaps who were motorized so would have M3 half tracks, M3 scout cars and the bren carriers, possibly motorcycles or just plain old trucks.

They seemed to get confused with desant smg troops and integral infantry recce platoons of the rifle regiments in infantry divisions and motorised regiments in tank corp.

As such, it is difficult to say if there should be AT rifles, light mortars or the like. Russian recce regiments are notoriously ad-hoc in composition.
I remember Spearheads organisational charts almost let you have 3 companies of anything you felt inclined to have!

Merci!

the 'true' scouts are the ones in the Armoured car/ recce regiments at division which was a full company. As they tended to either be with Armoured cars or light tanks, I dont think they bothered much with AT rifles. these were also the chaps who were motorized so would have M3 half tracks, M3 scout cars and the bren carriers, possibly motorcycles or just plain old trucks.

Checking the infantry division TOEs on Zaloga's Companion to the Red Army, armoured cars and light tanks do not seem to be particularly common reconnaissance assets. April 1941 division TOE features a reconnaissance battalion with separate companies of armoured cars, light tanks and motorised infantry. However, once the Germans invade and TOEs start getting cut down, the divisional reconnaissance rather quickly gets down into a motorised infantry company with 9 trucks for transport.

Tank and mechanised formations tend to maintain armoured car reconnaissance assets of varying strenghts through the war, however.

Thanks

First figures will be out this week!

martin