"Which Recon units get the Recon/self order capability?" Topic

Gentlemen: How do you (we?) determine which units are self ordering in a units OOB? If they are called scout and or recon do they get it? For my specific I'm working on a "cold war gone hot 1985 scenario.
Does a Scout Plt in a Soviet Motor Rifle Bn get to self order? Does a Recon Company at the Motor Rifle Regt have a Command Std for the Company or is each Plt (BMP-2) self order? For a US Army Mech Inf Battalion, I'd think the Battalion Scout Platoon is self ordering. Concur? For a USMC Battalion Landing Team, I have the Light Armored Recon PLt and the Force Recon PLt as self ordering but not the Scout Sniper Platoon.

For WW2 units it is listed in the various published OBs, no idea about modern stuff but if it's job is reconnaissance it is probably self ordering.

In the WW2 lists eg a US Cavalry Troop is listed as command stand, 3 x recon jeep, 3 x recon M8, 1 x weapons stand. The labelled recon units are self ordering.

A soviet rifle division cavalry company has 2 x recon cavalry stands but no command stand.

The recon company in a 1943 motor rifle brigade has four self ordering stands, so I'd suggest that is the model to use for a 1985 one.

Looking at the Combined Arms organisations…

The US Mech Bn has a Recon CFV listed as part of the Headquarters.

The Soviet Bn does not list any independent recon elements.
The Soviet Regt has a recon company or a Recon BRDM-2 and a Recpn BMP.

In general I'd say if it is meant to do recon then it is recon.

Cheers
David

The recon units' mission is to reconnoider and find the enemy. The unit needs to have the flexability to perform that task. Don't assume that the commander who ordered them to perform the task already knows the terrain and where tghe enemy is. Which means why woulod he need to send themk out in the first place?!

The Sniper team(s) are a specialized asset where the commanders turn to for specific puirposes. Sending them out to scout is not the right tool for a recon job (unless your command is THAT low on personnel!) Why would you send out a bazooka team, flamethrower, LMG or HMG or mortar crews out to perform recon?

Recon teams report back to the commander they work for. That commander passes along the results of that team up the chain (when applicable) to HHQ.I do not know of any independant recon organizations that just cruse around the battlefield Willy-Nilly without being commanded. If you find one, please share it here. (Even tyhe SAS and LRDG who DID seem to be self directed but in reality, they were assigned missions to accomplish and the patrol leaders has the authority to make the decisions how to accomplish the taskings locally. Not the same but in reality, such organizations are intregal to Command, Control and Communications for leadership.

I have seen many a wargamer use the lightly armed recon force as cannon fodder rather than use them as they were trained to perform in real life. Reflects what many of us consider to be common knowledge is really not all that common amongst some wargamers.