Quote Originally Posted by William F. Owen View Post
My basic Company Orbat is 3 x 30 man platoons, each with 2 x LRR, 2 x GPMG, and 2 x ATGM like Spike or Javelin.

Carrier Platoon with 16 APCs crewed by 32 men. APCs armed with 7.62mm or HV 40mm TI-RWS, plus ATGM.

9 man Coy HQ, with a man packed UAV, and including a Casualty Evacuation Team (3 men).
This Company is superlatively efficient. It appears easy to control, wields heavy firepower especially for a sub-unit of its size, and is quite agile. The 40 mm in the RWS (et al) on the APC is a formidable weapon.

I have questions about it:

1. While Spike may be used in a role somewhat akin to that of a mortar, is it sufficient to replace the Mortar in all its roles? The 60 mm is good for laying down smokescreens quickly, and is useful for illumination to an extent. I am still impressed by its ability to supress with HE an enemy Section or Platoon position in combination with the GPMG and AT Weapons.

2. Battle Losses: In The RCR, we were told that the 8-man Section would suffer 60% casulaties in the first 24 hours of offensive operations; I have never found an offical study that states this. The CTC at Gagetown was responsible for testing these sorts of matters. Either the Melody article or the Karcher article (or maybe both) state two general figures for Squad casualties rates: The US Army Infantry School, in an historical analysis of Infantry battle losses, concluded that the Squad typically operates 20-25% below authorized strength; I think it was Melody who mentioned a figure of around 30%, based upon what I am unsure, though Vietnam may have been a factor here.

For Battle Losses, how is this Company designed or intended to cope with casualties, and at what rate?

Once again, a supremely efficient Company structure.