Quote Originally Posted by Norfolk View Post

@ And whether you're starting with a German Platoon of four 10-man Sections each with a GPMG, a US Army or Commonwealth Army Platoon of three 8-9 man Squads/Sections each with a pair of LMGs, or a USMC Platoon of three 13-man Squads each with 3 LMGs, or whatever, you still usually end up with these roughly half-dozen man groups.

@ As to Wilf's Platoon, it would probably find itself whittled down from five or six 5-6 man teams (2 of them GPMG teams) to three or four 4-6 man groups, two of them with a GPMG; it's probably more efficient than the other Platoons, and simpler to fight, but isn't much more resistant to battle losses given its modest size to begin with.

@ Wilf's Platoon might avoid or at least mitigate that, provided that it dispensed with LMGs in the non-GPMG teams.
Platoons are not games of absolute numbers. Numbers is not that important compared to Leader ratios, cost, training and primary equipment's. For example, a Company of 4 x 24 man platoons is far more expensive than 3 x 32 man platoons.

A Fully manned 1918 Commonwealth Platoon was 27-28, dependant on whether it was commanded by an Officer or NCO. (1 extra was the Officers Batman!- Soldier Servant).

I picked 30 men, as being able to be transported across current scales of commonly used vehicles, and to offer the greatest range of flexible groupings for smallest number of leaders (1 less corporal and L/Cpl per platoon) within generally accepted spans of command. I am looking at principles of organisation, not TOEs. The 30-man platoon is just an example of that thinking.

40-Man platoons have all problems associated with being 25% larger, and probably 50% more expensive. This would reduce the number of platoons and companies held in a battle group for a given number of men. Cost may be mitigated by needing less officers, NCO's and primary equipment, but I suggest a 40 man platoon needs at least 2 more NCOs to maintain effective spans of command.

The discussion on Platoon Organisation never starts from the real world perspective that the Manning level of a Battle Group is X or Y. - (that being said someone has just asked me to start looking at just that!)

Yes, a 30-man platoon may drop to 24 or even 4, but that can't govern principles of organisation. Principles are what commanders are trained in. The T of E (like that shown) is just a budget pot.

"You x men, and NCOs, plus Y equipment. Now get the job done."

The where my thinking currently stands there are no 5.56mm LMGs!

30 Man Platoon Outline

Manning
1 Officer, 1 Sergeant, 2 Corporals, 2 Lance Corporals, 24 other ranks

Weapons.
30 x Individual Weapons/Carbines (5.56mm)
6 x 40mm UGL kits, or 40mm launchers
2 x GPMG (7.62mm)
2 x Long Range Rifles (8.6mm)
1 x 60mm Mortar Hand Held
2 x MAW, - Alcotan / Panzerfaust / 84mm
M72 type LAW and M200 type Rifle grenade issued as required.

3 x ATGM Posts held for Anti-armour mission

Communications
30 x PRR
6 x PRC-148 or 710 type multi-band hand held.
1 x HF Manpack
6 x Commanders GPS sets (PLGR) and PDAs

Night Vision
30 x NVG and IR Weapons pointer
4 x Weapons mounted Long Range Night Sight
4 x Thermal Weapons sight
6 x Light Weight Laser Range Finder

Organisations – organised by mission, transport and operational requirement.
2 x Multiples
Each multiple is 3 x 5 man teams. Each multiple Commanded by the Platoon
Commander, and the Platoon Sergeant.
3 x Sections
3 Sections of 2 x 5 man teams, or each section as 3,3,4 groups.
5 x Sections of 6 men
6 Sections of 5 men.

Transport (as dismounts)
5 x 6 man APC
4 x 8 man APC (2 spare seats)
3 x 10 man APC
10 x M/WMIK crews (2 Sections of 5 vehicles)