WCGW Chpt 167

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==Chapter 167 - What Could Go Wrong==
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SaRI Temporary HQ
Thazi (Former Outworld System)
2nd August, 3044
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Everyone had gotten a good night's sleep and after breakfast they reconvened to finish working on the commands TOE. Lieutenant Colonel Gweneth Rolando started the next session. "Since I was given the task of working out the composition of our regular infantry, I have spent quite a lot of time digging into everything I could find on different makeups down thru history. So, I am going to start off with a brief history lesson on various TOEs. Since Major General Mitchell is fond of the old US Army model, let's review what one of their company's looked like. From what I can tell, each consisted of 132 personnel and 14 Infantry fighting vehicles. Of those, 84 could be considered dismounts and not vehicle crews. That is on par with what the AFFS/AFFC uses to this day."
"I played with some of General Mitchell's notes and learned the Bradley, which the US Army used for many decades was a 30 ton vehicle. So, a light tank by our standards. We have 36 Turhans, each able to carry a full platoon of infantry. I then also looked, and the US Army also formed combined arms commands, 2 Mech Infantry Company and an Armor Company or 2 Armor Company and 1 Mech Infantry Company. The Star League Defense Force went even further, assigning each Company with a infantry fighting vehicle with regular APCs and then an Armor Company to each Battalion. Since our Turhan carry a full platoon, I have formed the following force structure for the 4287th Infantry Regiment, though we will not be parachute trained like they were. If you will look at the following force structure, please."
4287th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)
Command Company
-2x Infantry Platoon (56 men)
-2x Heavy Track APCs (4 men)
1st Battalion
A Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
B Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
C Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
D Company
-12x Manticore Main Battle Tanks (48 men)
2nd Battalion
A Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
B Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
C Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
D Company
-12x Manticore Main Battle Tanks (48 men)
3rd Battalion
A Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
B Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
C Company
-4x Infantry Platoon (112 men)
-4x Turhans (16 men)
D Company
-12x Manticore Main Battle Tanks (48 men)
"I had to arm wrestle Colonel Dunn for the Manticore Heavy Tanks, but I have also provided Major General Mitchell with a purchase request for more to replace what I hijacked. I feel this structure provides the 4287th enough infantry to do the job, while also being able to have a chance against a Battlemech unit besides just dying. I wish we had more Turhans and I will strongly argue that we keep any that we manage to recover. The firepower and armor on them are just too important. Since we will be using one of those Lee Class Dropships, the entire Regiment will fit comfortably inside a single one." Lieutenant Colonel Rolando ended her brief
"On paper it looks like a very strong structure. Time to poke some holes in it. Who wants the first stab?" Major General Mitchell asked
Colonel Patrick Dunn, newly arrived, took the first strong stab "She has taken all of our heavy armor. I am not keen on that at all. Plus, it pulls valuable tankers from my own Regiment."
"Your just mad because you come from heavy armor and have no experience commanding hovers. You have a Battalion of Drillson, Battalion of those Zephry, almost Battalion of those Chevaliers and a company of LVT-4 Hover Tanks. I already asked for replacements when I took those Manticores." Lieutenant Colonel Rolando replied
"But until they are replaced, I have no staying power in a fight." Colonel Dunn countered
Brigadier General Erikson interjected "Colonel Dunn, right now, until we replace your heavy armor, your mission is not to stand and fight but to move rapidly, find the enemy and use standard cavalry tactics to delay or flank them. I am sure that you have completed your command's structure using what remains."
"Yes sir, I have completed it. And while it is a fast command overall with some punch, it just lacks the staying power. Hover Tanks are prone to being disabled quickly and that gets people killed, my people. If I can get the structure up on the screen you can all see what I have come up with." Colonel Dunn replied
3328th Cavalry Regiment
Command Company
-8x Chevalier Light Tanks (24 men)
-4x Padilla Artillery (20 men)
1st Battalion
A Company
-12x Zephyr Infantry Support Tanks (48 men)
B Company
-12x Drillson Heavy Hover Tanks (48 men)
C Company
-12x Drillson Heavy Hover Tanks (48 men)
D Company
-12x Manticore Heavy Tanks (48 men)
2nd Battalion
A Company
-12x Zephyr Infantry Support Tanks (48 men)
B Company
-12x Zephyr Infantry Support Tanks (48 men)
C Company
-12x Drillson Heavy Hover Tanks (48 men)
D Company
-12x Manticore Main Battle Tanks (48 men)
3rd Battalion
A Company
-12x Chevalier Light Tanks (24 men)
B Company
-12x Chevalier Light Tanks (24 men)
C Company
-12x LVT-4 Hover Tanks
"This is the best I could come up with right now. I added in those Padilla that got tossed to the side. I have been reading up on them since I arrived since I had never seen them before. Those Zephry were built to take advantage of the guided artillery missiles those Padilla shoot. We have a total of 80 tons of guided missiles and 120 tons of unguided missiles in storage. I think using a few tons in target practice will be worth the expense. Otherwise, we are leaving a substantial piece of firepower out of the fight. We might need it. 
Even though the techs moaned and groaned about me mixing the commands, this allows me two Battalions able to call in those guided missiles to a target. My third Battalion will have to form my main battle line when needed. Though it is slower, it was what I have to work with. I even changed the Regimental designation to Cavalry since we are not all hover. Though looking at the records Captain Davis provided me with, those Zephry had a different version available armed with a SRM-6 instead of those NARC launchers. After talking to a few techs and I have learned that it would be an easy swap, which is what I want to do. It boosts my firepower, and no one is toting those special missiles anyway, so they are useless to me in a fight. I had to do some serious reading up on all this new weaponry to figure out what was what. While some make me smile, others make me cringe. I was given a task, and this is the best I could come up with in a week." Colonel Patrick Dunn said
"If you can make it work, then that is how we will roll. I will authorize the release of the missiles so that you can get some practice with them. You have a month before we leave for our first mission with most of the new people. Major Croyle, we take a single one of your Company's, the others remain here and help get this place out of the stone age. This is not a recovery effort so the extra engineers should not be needed. I think that takes care of the ground force structures for now. We now have the people to crew all our Dropships and Jumpships. Any new people arriving will be assigned to the garrison here on Thazi until we return and restructure again if need be. Everyone work out the kinks, get used to your equipment. We leave 1st of September for Onverwacht." Major General David Mitchell said 
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