For quite some time now, I have been hesitating (procrastinating, allowing myself to veer off onto other projects) from organising properly my World War Two Red Army into something coherent and useable. The ideas have been there, informed largely by fellow bloggers' ideas and methods. I was particularly taken with Bob Cordery's 66th Army, but wanted something a little more substantial by way of infantry units. Chris Kemp's NQM units seemed just about ideal, but in my army they stand for regiments. Single stand 'battalions' I have reserved for the Tank Brigades. At any rate, I have at last decided to lay out most - nearly, but not quite all - organised as Sixth Shock Army.
Now, in 'real life' there was no 'Sixth Shock Army'. Their numbers went up to five. But its was the Fifth, and its constituent formations that inspired this outfit. Readers whose memories go back 6 years might recognise it. The Army comprises:
- HQ, staffs and signals; truck, scout car, jeep
- Tank Brigades 399, 504, 511 (each with 3 tank plus 3 SMG stand)
- Infantry Brigade 47
- Field Artillery Battalion 77 (76.2 Zis3 field gun)
- Heavy Mortar Battalion 410 (122mm Mortar)
- Recon Group (jeep, T70, BA10, Su76)
- Supply columns 144 (Ammunition), 493 (Victualling), 763 (POL)
- Guards Cavalry Regiment 7
- Guards Cavalry Regiment 8
- Light Tank Battalion 456 (T26 or T70)
- Field Artillery Battalion 78 (76.2mm)
- Tank Destroyer Battalion 569 (45mm AT gun)
- Guards Tank Destroyer Battalion 533 (Su76)
- Supply Columns 532 (Wagon), 616 (Pack animals), 855 (Pack Animals)
This formation is weaker than it ought to be. The Divisions should comprise 6 elements, and a third regiment would not go amiss. I'm just short of Russian cavalry.
- HQ: Command, staffs, signals: jeep, truck
- 3 Rifle regiments (399, 445, 544) each with
3 rifle/SMG/LMG stands
1 MMG stand
1 mortar or infantry gun stand
1 anti-tank rifle (PTRD or PTRS) stand - Artillery Battalion 279 (76.2mm field gun)
- Artillery Battalion 425 (122mm howitzer)
- Tank Destroyer Regiment 649 (45mm AT gun)
- Supply columns motorised and/or horse drawn
5th Mechanised Corps:
- HQ: command, staffs signals
- Tank Brigade 606 (3 Tank + 3 SMG tank desantski)
- Mechanised Brigade 129 (6 infantry stands plus 2 trucks)
- Mechanised Brigade 222 (6 infantry stands plus 2 trucks)
- Mechanised Brigade 235 (6 infantry stands plus 2 trucks)
- Field Artillery Battalion 277 (76.2mm)
- Tank Destroyer Battalion 231 (Su76)
- Guards Mortar Battalion 12 (BM13)
- (attached) Guards tank Destroyer Battalion 866 (ISU152)
- Recon Group
- Supply columns: 229 (Victualling), 113 (Ammo), 1615 (POL)
There are some 'Army Troops' to be added, mainly in the areas of heavy artillery (152mm) and heavy tanks (KV or IS tanks), plus an assault engineer column.
To be continued...