"OP's and scouts" Topic

In doing my Review on Maneouver Group for issue 2 one potential addition is that we have not covered the use of Scouts/guards in advance of the basic unit. I have read accounts where scouts/pickets are placed forward of the unit in cover to give advanced warning of enemy approach. What sort of distance forward would it be in the real world. I have read as little as 50 yds but it could be more. I assume that they would be difficult/near impossible to spot and would have sorted a route out that maximised concelament as they sprint to confirm a warning and get to the Platoon MLR.
Can anybody shed more light on the real world practice?

LP/OP 25 to 200 meters out, depending on terrain. They may be part of the defense in depth, in which case they will engage the enemy; they may hear something and head back in, or they may just hunker down and wait for the attack to be over depending on the circumstances. If possible, the LP/OP should have a field radio of some sort to communicate with the command post.

That is about right … Basically there to give the main unit a little warning. And it may only be one or two 2 man LP/OPs based on terrain, situation, unit strength, etc.

In a UK platoon defence, we usually placed a GPMG/LSW forward 50 metres of so, terrain depending…….we always got the impression it was unlikely they would get back unless they had just bumped a patrol……

We usually kept the heavier weapons within main unit positions, etc. Among the other weapons in the Co or Plt. For mutual support, protection, etc.

In some fire plans the MGs wouldn't fire, until the enemy had reached the FPL, i.e. FPF. As "Heavy weapons draw heavy return fire !" …

But I'm not saying there is anything wrong with what the UK troops did or do. It's just a matter of different TTP, etc. E.g. We Yanks like coffee over tea generally!

And yes again as with many situations it is terrain and situation dependent. Or what the highest rank on site tells you what to do !

With Cavalry troops in front of a battalion front, the distance between tracks was flexible. Factors such as terrain, concealment, main advance routes type and number, into the operating area. The assigned brigades operating area to which you were assigned, (it was dangerous to be in front of an adjacent unit that you could not talk too.
In one excercises, I had to cover several miles of frontage in order to check out my platoons deployment. Other times and terrain I could see all ten of the tracks and their position.

the distance between tracks was flexible. Factors such as terrain, concealment,

Very much so even for dismounted Grunts or APCs …