Infantry Company Detailed TO&E Battalion Organization
| Oceanic Union - Regular Infantry |
| By Owen Glover |
Infantry Company Detailed TO&E Battalion Organization
| • OUDF Infantry Introduction | Back to Top |
The Oceanic Union includes what is today Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and the island nations of the SW Pacific rim. The diverse nature of operating environments, from the steamy jungles of New Guinea to snow bound mountains in New Zealand and the inhospitable arid rocky deserts of Northern Australia have resulted in the development of a versatile and adaptable Defence Force capability. OU military forces are capable of, and experienced in, prolonged independent operations down to platoon level. Consequently, heavy weapon support is available more directly at the tactical level than in other military organisations. It is not uncommon for a Platoon Commander to call Heavy Artillery or Orbital Support Fire directly. Regional antagonists, principally the Indonesian Commonwealth as well as various mercenary organisations, are normally light in armour suppport. Consequently, GMS weapons are not carried within the standard platoon but are held at Company and Battalion level.
The OU Regular Army Battalion includes specialist EW, Pioneer, Mortar and Heavy Weapons (Ground Mount RFAC) Platoons. Normally the Transport Platoon provides organic vehicles the Rifle Companies; GEV (the locally produced Wombat) for operations in open country and the M38 wheeled APC for operations in mountain and close country. Standard Infantry weapons include the F72 Advanced Combat Rifle and the F77 Support Weapon. Both fire the conventional 4mm caseless round. OU Infantry Sections, whilst lacking the heavier GMS of other nations armies, are liberally supplied with the 72mm IAVR.
Special Note: For further information on relevant equipment, see our article on OUDF Weapons and Vehicles
| • Infantry Company Detailed TO&E | Back to Top |
Total Strength: 5 Officers, 107 Other Ranks (112 total troops).
Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 7 Other Ranks)One squad sized unit including the Company Commander, Company 2IC, Company Sergeant Major, two support staff, plus a Battalion detachment of three or four, including Fire Support, EW or other specialist liaison as required. Transport is a standard APC (Wombat or M38).
Company Support Section (10 Other Ranks)This provides the organic heavy weapons support for the Rifle Platoons. It consists of the Section Sergeant and a Signaller and two detachments each of four men. Normally each detachment mans a Ground Mount GMS/L although when operating in light scales these are replaced with either two GMS/P or PPG(I) per detachment, as operations require.
3 x Rifle Platoons (1 Officer, 30 Other Ranks each)Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 3 ORs)
Four men comprising the Platoon Commander, Platoon Sergeant, Signaller and Combat Medic.
3 x Rifle Sections (9 ORs each)
The standard section consists of nine men divided into three Teams. A Command Team contains the Section Commander and two Scouts whilst the other two Fire Teams each consist of SAW Gunner (F77) and two Riflemen. Standard weapon is the F72ACR, whilst each Team will carry one or two additional IAVR giving a total of three to six per IAVR per section. Some scouts may be armed with Automatic Shotguns or Submachineguns, depending on mission and terrain conditions.
| • Battalion Organization | Back to Top |
The following details are provided to give additional background to the level of support available to the Rifle Platoon.Compared to other nationalities the OU Battalion/Battle Group organisation contains a somewhat heavier emphasis on heavy and support weapons. This provides the Rifle Companies the organic supported needed for the dispersed nature of operations they often undertake.
Battalion HeadquartersBattalion Headquarters includes Battalion command and operations staff, and a small security force.
Administration CompanyThe Administration Company is not detailed, as its elements will not usually appear on the gaming table (though this might make for an interesting scenario - a improvised "cooks and clerks" platoon repelling an attack in the rear area, for example).
4 x Rifle CompaniesDetailed above.
Support CompanyCompany HQ
Provides administrative control of the Company, and liason with the Battalion HQ. This company is not operated as a single unit in the field, as most of the company's elements are "battalion assets" controlled directly by battalion HQ, so the Company HQ is smaller than in the rifle companies.
Recon Platoon
Four Recon Patrols and Two Sniper Teams. Recon Patrols consist of 1 Patrol Commander, SAW Gunner, Medic, Signaller and sniper qualified soldier (no sniper rifle). The sniper team consists of a No.1 sniper armed with the F82 Laser Rifle and a No.2 armed with F72ACR. The Recon Platoon also may contain 2 motorcycle teams each of 2 men mounted on wheeled or grav 'bikes'. All Recon soldiers have Superior Sensor suites (d10).
Direct Fire Weapons Platoon
Four DFW Sections. Direct Fire Weapons Sections each consist of two 4-man teams operating an RAFC/1 in Ground Mount or on a 4WD 'Gun Buggy'.
Mortar Platoon
Four Mortar Sections. Each Mortar Section operates two RAM mortars. In support of each Rifle Company is a 2-man Mortar Forward Observer (MFO) team per Mortar Section.
Assault Pioneer Platoon
Four Pioneer Sections. Pioneer Sections can detach a 4 man 'splinter team' to support Company or Platoon operations in assaults using flamers or in clearing defensive minefields and obstacles and assisting in laying minefields during defensive operations.
Signals Platoon
Four Signals Sections. ESM/ECM detachments of two men may be deployed down to Rifle Platoon level.