The Universal Infantry Battalion

[GarrisonMiniatures]

Very near future...

It isn’t often I feel it’s worthwhile to post an article from the internet, but this one on possible future structures of the British army seems to be very useful – army list providers please note!:

https://wavellroom.com/2019/08/29/the-universal-battalion-possible-future-infantry-unit-structures/

[commissarmoody]

I think they stuck with this structure. https://www.battleorder.org/british-rifle-platoon-2019

[Brummie]

I'm still surprised they removed the Minimi. Reminds me of what the USMC have done with the M249 and the M27 (albeit not as extreme).

For wargaming I try not to be too rigorous with force structure. My 6mm British army has a mixture of what would make up different brigades (I have some boxer MIVs that'd form a planned rapid deployment force with a recon element of the turreted version) but I've also got stuff that'd be part of the typical JRRF and then later Armoured units that'd be deployed as things escalate.

Similarly with 28mm or 20mm I'm never against figures using older weapons or forces using older organization, just because its convenient but also because as soon as things get heated these structures tend to break down. The British army has a tendency of mothballing kit and then as soon as a conflict kicks off there is a mad rush to bring it back into use (think LSW during OP Herrick did a comeback because they didn't have enough/any DMRs) or FV432 ala Bulldog because we've always lacked sufficient transport. So I can imagine in the next war many old faithful's will make a comeback.

Not that we're uniquely guilty in that way, heard the American 82nd now have LAVs because them sexy Strykers are too heavy, and Vietnam is bringing back its ASU-85s as Short range arty for mountain warfare and the even more venerable SU-100 for coastal defense units.

[commissarmoody]

Oh I agree, and once a conventional war kicks off again. The Squad support weapons will be back in a vengeance.
And yes the 82nd has a company of LAVs to support the first birgade combat team. The LAVs are supposed to be a stop gap tell the army finally okes a new light tank. Sorry mobel protected fire power or what ever they are calling it this week. 

[Metternich]

Thanks for posting.  Useful background material.