WWII British Infantry Battalion
I started this project with thoughts of putting together a late WWII British Infantry battalion at nearly 1:1 scale in 10mm. With a platoon consisting of 3 bases each of 6 infantry for 3 sections, with a command base of 5 men including a 2" mortar.
I have used bayonetstrength.150m.com as a source for the TO&E. For my diagram of the TO&E have a look here (this is a large image).
But after having started on this I think this may be a little over ambitious, as I would need about 50 bases of infantry plus the support company. I think a rescaled unit of 2 companies of infantry and the support company is rather more practical.
For BlitzKrieg Commander at 1 stand = 1 platoon, then a battalion needs 12 infantry bases plus support, which is broadly similar to the requirements for a 1:1 company.
At the BKC scale I currently have painted an Infantry Battalion and a Motor Battalion, both will have markings as units from 11th Armoured Division. I have enough extra infantry to add to the Motor Battalion so that it can be used as normal leg infantry, but these still need painting.
Infantry Battalion
Back Row - Support Company, 3" Mortars, Carriers, 6 pdr AT gun, Pioneers
Middle - 4 Rifle Companies, each of 3 platoons
Front Row - CO and Recce stands
These units have Green 51s as tactical markings, and the Black Bull on a yellow background of 11th Armoured Division. The carriers all have allied recognition stars applied. Although soon after D-Day tanks tended to have the stars on the sides painted out, most photos of soft skins and light tracked vehicles show quite large stars.
Command Stand
In BKC this represents the Battalion Commander, obviously this will just be the forward tactical HQ, with rest of the HQ staff and other B echelon units further back, out of the firing line.
Infantry Stands
Vickers MGs |
6 pdr ATG |
Carriers |
FAO & FAC |
3" Mortars |
Infantry |
CO |
|
Infantry and Carriers
Support Company
Carrier Platoon
The carrier platoon consisted of about 40 men and 13 carriers, with a HQ and 4 sections of 3 carriers. The unit was heavily armed with each section having a 2" mortar, a PIAT and several Bren guns. Later in the war a section was often converted to Wasp flame throwers.
The Carrier Platoon is a bit awkward to represent in BKC as one vehicle can carry a full platoon. Therefore one choice is to make it a mobile infantry platoon using one carrier. Another option is to use it as a recce unit, but in the rules only one recce unit is allowed per 1000 points, and an infantry battalion will typically cost 300 to 400 points.
Here I have gone for an infantry stand and two carriers, I will add a Wasp carrier as the third carrier. The Wasp has only recently been released by Pithead so mine still needs painting.
Anti-Tank Platoon and Pioneer Platoon
On the left, Pithead 6pdr and Loyd carrier, the 6pdr has an added Bren gunner in a foxhole from the infantry pack.
On the right a jeep towing trailer for the pioneer platoon, the trailer is the 4.2" mortar one from Pithead. Engineers are one of the few gaps in the Pithead British infantry, and I have some Pendraken ones to fill the gap, though these weren't ready when the photos were taken. The Pendraken and Pithead figures are very compatible in both height and bulk.
3" Mortar Platoon
Infantry Battalion and extra carriers and AT guns on their storage board. This is a sheet of 3mm MDF cut to fit in a box file, it has steel paper covering the surface, the base have magentic sheeting on the bottom.
Notes
Infantry are based 6 figures on a 50x30mm base, guns and command on 40x40mm, and carriers on 40x20mm. All bases are 2mm MDF from East Riding Miniatures.
The ground is a Javis hairy grass mat (I think the spring colour).
The figures and vehicles are all from Pithead Miniatures. Their 50 figure infantry pack and command pack provide a good variety of poses, and figures that paint up easily. Pithead also have an extensive range of carriers, which all come with inserts to go on the back of the carrier, which allow the carriers to be customised for different uses, eg 3" mortar, MMG both carried and deployed, infantry equipment, FAO.