WesWorld

I've been spending a lot of time working on army TO&Es recently... Chile's was the hardest as they seemed to have the most modern military of the nations I run, and were the only ones who have benefited from war experience within the past five years.

The Chilean Army of 1937 is composed of nine infantry divisions and two cavalry divisions which are named "Armies" for propaganda purposes. The Infanteria de Marina de Chile (Chilean Marines, nicknamed "Cossacks") is a separate force.

Over the next four years I'm planning to turn the two cavalry divisions into armoured divisions. At the moment, Chile does not have enough tanks to turn cavalry units into armoured; so the cavalry battalions are composed of four cavalry squadrons rather than three cavalry and two tank squadrons, as I intend; tanks are assigned provisionally where necessary.

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Infantry Squad:
- 1 Corporal: SMG
- 8 privates: 1 LMG, 1 SMG, 6 rifles
- Total: 9 men, 2 SMGs, 1 LMG, 6 rifles

Infantry Platoon:
- 4 rifle squads: 9 men each
- 1 command squad: 1 lieutenant (SMG), 1 sergeant (carbine), 2 runners (2 carbines)
- Total: 40 men, 4 LMGs, 9 SMGs

Infantry Company:
- 1 company commander: pistol
- 4 rifle platoons: 40 men
- 1 command squad: 4 messengers (4 carbines), gas protection section (4 men, 4 rifles), antitank squad (10 men, 4 AT rifles/satchel charges, 1 horse). 18 men total.
- Total: 179 men

Infantry Battalion:
- 4 infantry companies: 179 men each
- 1 machinegun platoon: 12xHMGs, 66 men
- 1 Cazadores platoon: 40 men
- 1 mortar platoon: 57 men and 4x81mm mortars
- 1 battalion HQ: 6 men
- 1 battalion commander
- Total: 886 men, 4 mortars, 12 HMGs

Infantry Regiment:
- 1 Regimental Commander
- 1 Regimental HQ: 12 men (Command Office and Supplies Office)
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men (includes Supplies Platoon, Signal Platoon, Engineer Platoon, and Field Kitchen)
- 4 Infantry Battalions: 886 men
- 1 Mortar Company: 83 men, 4x81mm mortars
- 1 Regimental Column
- Total: 3,809 men + regimental column

Infantry Division (Army of ___):
- 1 Division Commander
- 1 Division HQ: 24 men
- 3-4 Infantry Regiments: 3,809 men each
- 1 Light Detachment: 1 Cazadores company (179 men), 1 cavalry company (179 men), 1 MG platoon (66 men)
- 1 Field Artillery Regiment: 2,002 men, 72 guns, 1 regimental column
- 1 AT Gun Battery: 8 AT guns, 114 men
- 1 AAMG Platoon: 66 men, 12 AAMGs
- 1 AA Gun Platoon: 66 men, 3 75mm AA guns
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men
- 2 Engineer Companies: 247 men each
- 2 Signal Companies: 247 men each
- 2 Field Hospitals: 150 men each
- Total: 15,647 to 19,456 men (if four infantry regiments assigned)

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Cavalry Squad:
- 1 Corporal: SMG
- 8 privates: 1 LMG, 1 SMG, 6 rifles
- Total: 9 men, 2 SMGs, 1 LMG, 6 rifles

Cavalry Troop:
- 4 rifle squads: 9 men each
- 1 command squad: 1 lieutenant (SMG), 1 sergeant (carbine), 2 runners (2 carbines)
- Total: 40 men, 4 LMGs, 9 SMGs

Cavalry Squadron:
- 1 company commander: pistol
- 4 cavalry troops: 40 men
- 1 command squad: 4 messengers (4 carbines), gas protection section (4 men, 4 rifles), antitank squad (10 men, 4 AT rifles/satchel charges, 1 horse). 18 men total.
- Total: 179 men

Tank Squadron:
- 1 Command Tank (T-26): 3 men
- 3 Tank Platoons: 5 tanks each, 15 men
- 1 Command Squad: 9 men, 1 armored car, 3 motorcycles, 1 automobile
- 1 Supplies Platoon: 8 trucks, 32 men
- 1 Engineer Squad: 9 men
- 1 Repairmen Squad: 9 men each, 2 Repair trucks each
- Total: 1 command tank, 15 regular tanks, 1 armored car, 3 motorcycles, 1 car, 4 repair trucks, 53 men

Cavalry Battalion:
- 3 cavalry squadrons: 179 men each
- 2 tank squadrons: 53 men, 16 tanks each
- 1 machinegun platoon: 12xHMGs, 66 men
- 1 battalion HQ: 6 men
- 1 battalion commander
- Total: 716 men, 32 tanks, 12 HMGs

Cavalry Regiment:
- 1 Regimental Commander
- 1 Regimental HQ: 12 men (Command Office and Supplies Office)
- 4 Cavalry Battalions: 716 men, 32 tanks
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men (includes Supplies Platoon, Signal Platoon, Engineer Platoon, and Field Kitchen)
- 1 Mortar Company: 83 men, 4x81mm mortars
- 1 Regimental Column
- Total: 3,129 men, 64 tanks + regimental column

Cavalry Division:
- 1 Division Commander
- 1 Division HQ: 24 men
- 3 cavalry Regiments: 3,129 men, 64 tanks
- 1 Light Detachment: 1 Cazadores company (179 men), 1 cavalry company (179 men), 1 MG platoon (66 men)
- 1 Field Artillery Regiment: 2,002 men, 72 guns, 1 regimental column
- 1 AT Gun Battery: 8 AT guns, 114 men
- 1 AAMG Platoon: 66 men, 12 AAMGs
- 1 AA Gun Platoon: 66 men, 3 75mm AA guns
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men
- 2 Engineer Companies: 247 men each
- 2 Signal Companies: 247 men each
- 2 Field Hospitals: 150 men each
- Total: 13,541 men, 192 tanks

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Gun Section:
- 1 gun and crew: 8 men or more, depending upon model

Field Battery:
- 8 field guns between 75mm and 125mm: 8 crew each
- 1 Battery HQ: 25 men
- 2 tractor/truck sections: 8 tractors, 8 trucks, 16 men
- 1 Spotting Section: 9 men
- Total: 114 men, 8 guns

Mountain Battery:
- 8 mountain guns between 75mm and 105mm: 8 crew each
- 1 Battery HQ: 25 men
- 2 transport sections: mules, llamas, horses, as appropriate, 36 men
- 1 Spotting Section: 9 men
- Total: 134 men, 8 guns

Heavy Battery:
- 8 field guns larger than 125mm: 12 crew each
- 1 Battery HQ: 25 men
- 3 tractor/truck sections: 8 tractors, 16 trucks, 24 men
- 1 Spotting Section: 9 men
- Total: 154 men, 8 guns

Field Artillery Battalion:
- 2 Field Batteries: 114 men, 8 guns each
- 1 Heavy Battery: 154 men, 8 guns
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men
- 1 Battalion HQ/Communications: 40 men
- Total: 591 men, 24 guns

Mountain Artillery Battalion:
- 3 Mountain Batteries: 134 men, 8 guns each
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men
- 1 Battalion HQ/Communications: 40 men
- Total: 611 men, 24 guns

Artillery Regiment:
- 2 Field Artillery Battalions: 591 men, 24 guns each
- 1 Mountain Artillery Battalion: 611 men, 24 guns
- 1 Supplies Company: 169 men
- 1 Regimental HQ/Communications: 40 men
- 1 Regimental column
- Total: 2,002 men, 72 guns, regimental column

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The Cazadores de Montaña (Mountain Huntsmen) are specialist light infantry serving as scouts and skirmishing troops.

Cazadores Platoon:
- 4 Cazadores squads: 9 men each
- 2 messengers
- 1 Lieutenant, 1 sergeant
- Total: 40 men

Cazadores Company:
- 1 company commander: pistol
- 4 rifle platoons: 40 men
- 1 command squad: 4 messengers (4 carbines), gas protection section (4 men, 4 rifles), antitank squad (10 men, 4 AT rifles/satchel charges, 1 horse). 18 men total.
- Total: 179 men

Hmmmm. The infantry might be a little bit lightly equipped on the mortar front: in this period it's fairly common for there to be light mortars (45-60mm) at either platoon or company level.

On the artillery, do you mean guns as in long range, high velocity weapons, or guns as in howitzers, shorter ranged, higher angle of fire, usually more effective against infantry per round weapons?

Are the HMGs sustained fire rifle caliber weapons, like the MGs of the Great War? Or something else?

The Cazadores platoon per battalion is an interesting idea.

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
Hmmmm. The infantry might be a little bit lightly equipped on the mortar front: in this period it's fairly common for there to be light mortars (45-60mm) at either platoon or company level.

That was my thought as well, and I wondered if anyone would comment about it. When I was writing this, I was referring very closely to the Finnish Army's TO&E from 1941, where they assigned a mortar platoon (3x81mm mortars) per battalion) during the Continuation War. That seemed to be too few mortars for a lot of men, but I didn't fiddle with that part much, as I was interested to receive comments.

This website has the Finnish TO&Es down near the bottom, by the way, and I referred to it fairly closely.

I'm pretty amenable to an alternate formation for more mortars - preferably around eight per battalion. Perhaps adding an eight-man mortar squad per company..

This is the standard Finnish Mortar squad that I'm drawing inspiration from:
- Squad leader (rifle)
- Traverse setting soldier (rifle)
- Elevation setting soldier (rifle)
- Assistant aiming soldier (rifle)
- Soldier loading the mortar (rifle)
- 3 Soldiers taking care of ammunition (rifles)
- Mortar vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)
- Ammmunition vehicle (horse towed cart/sledge)

One mortar squad per company, plus a four-squad platoon in the battalion (eight mortars total per battalion) - is that better distribution, do you think?

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Originally posted by Hrolf HakonsonThe Cazadores platoon per battalion is an interesting idea.

This idea also came from my Finnish Army inspiration: the Finns attached Jaegers just as I attached the Cazadores units. I expect they'll serve as scouts and Alpine specialists. The Cazadores, along with the Cossacks (Chilean Marines) will be re-equipping in 1937 with new weapons never before seen in Chile. (Dun dun dunnn!)

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
On the artillery, do you mean guns as in long range, high velocity weapons, or guns as in howitzers, shorter ranged, higher angle of fire, usually more effective against infantry per round weapons?

I'm meaning both, actually. In general I'd prefer to equip with 105mm howitzers while retaining longer-ranged HV guns as more independent support batteries.

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
Are the HMGs sustained fire rifle caliber weapons, like the MGs of the Great War? Or something else?

Oh those? I actually think some 30mm GAU-8 Gatling guns with harnesses for storm-troops would probably...



No, I'm thinking just basic .50cal heavy machine guns, probably Atlantean Bolo Heavy Fifty types, chambered for 12.7x100 Heavy (.50 Bolo). That'd make them about the same as the M2 Browning - probably some air-cooled, and probably some water-cooled models. I'd also expect for them to have some Vickers .50cals and some German MG 08s in the inventory. Probably some Maxim guns as well.

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I should note that historically, the Chilean Army has drawn many of its traditions from the Prussian and German armies. If you've ever seen video of Chilean soldiers even in modern days, you'll see them goose-stepping while wearing stahlhelms - almost like watching the Nazi German army on parade. They call their mechanized infantry panzergrenadiers, which I'm going to do come 1939. Hopefully that helps you envision this army's sense of fashion and espirit a bit...

The Finns were pretty lightly equipped at least until the later part of that war. Now, a possible alternative to light mortars are rifle grenades, they're not as accurate but they're less expensive.

A single 81mm mortar probably isn't really worth it at the company level, a smaller mortar in greater numbers is probably what you'd want. Either a mortar team with 2-3 light mortars at company level, or a single light mortar in each platoon.


I figured you were referring to howitzers, and given Chile's rather vertical terrain guns would be less useful than usual (lots of blind spaces behind the hills, for instance).


I'm not sure about the wisdom of the HMG platoon being equipped with .50s exclusively, given that you've got AT squads at company level. It's a great weapon against soft vehicles and protected targets, but against infantry it's not the best choice. I'd be more inclined, assuming you're going to be using a .50", to have a mixed platoon, with around 4 .50s and 8 water-cooled rifle-caliber machineguns.

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
The Finns were pretty lightly equipped at least until the later part of that war. Now, a possible alternative to light mortars are rifle grenades, they're not as accurate but they're less expensive.

A single 81mm mortar probably isn't really worth it at the company level, a smaller mortar in greater numbers is probably what you'd want. Either a mortar team with 2-3 light mortars at company level, or a single light mortar in each platoon.

I already see rifle-grenades being worked into the infantry - one rifle grenadier per squad, perhaps, or at the very least one or two per platoon. How many men do you think it would take to keep a 3x50mm mortar squad supplied and firing - twelve men? Fifteen?

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
I figured you were referring to howitzers, and given Chile's rather vertical terrain guns would be less useful than usual (lots of blind spaces behind the hills, for instance).

That was my thinking as well, and also a large part of my reasoning for putting a mountain gun battalion in each division. I'm guessing the "heavy batteries" would be the long-range guns while the 75mm and 105mm guns are predominantly howitzers.

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
I'm not sure about the wisdom of the HMG platoon being equipped with .50s exclusively, given that you've got AT squads at company level. It's a great weapon against soft vehicles and protected targets, but against infantry it's not the best choice. I'd be more inclined, assuming you're going to be using a .50", to have a mixed platoon, with around 4 .50s and 8 water-cooled rifle-caliber machineguns.

That might work, perhaps. I'll have to look around for some decent older MGs to assign in this spot - perhaps some sort of license-built M1917 or M1919?

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Originally posted by Brockpaine

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
The Finns were pretty lightly equipped at least until the later part of that war. Now, a possible alternative to light mortars are rifle grenades, they're not as accurate but they're less expensive.

A single 81mm mortar probably isn't really worth it at the company level, a smaller mortar in greater numbers is probably what you'd want. Either a mortar team with 2-3 light mortars at company level, or a single light mortar in each platoon.

I already see rifle-grenades being worked into the infantry - one rifle grenadier per squad, perhaps, or at the very least one or two per platoon. How many men do you think it would take to keep a 3x50mm mortar squad supplied and firing - twelve men? Fifteen?

The current 60mm M224 has a crew of 3, so a 50mm mortar would need a 3-man crew. So 10-15 men would be plenty.

Quoted

Quoted

Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
I figured you were referring to howitzers, and given Chile's rather vertical terrain guns would be less useful than usual (lots of blind spaces behind the hills, for instance).

That was my thinking as well, and also a large part of my reasoning for putting a mountain gun battalion in each division. I'm guessing the "heavy batteries" would be the long-range guns while the 75mm and 105mm guns are predominantly howitzers.

Reasonable, though you might have a few more guns than you really want or need.

Quoted

Quoted

Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
I'm not sure about the wisdom of the HMG platoon being equipped with .50s exclusively, given that you've got AT squads at company level. It's a great weapon against soft vehicles and protected targets, but against infantry it's not the best choice. I'd be more inclined, assuming you're going to be using a .50", to have a mixed platoon, with around 4 .50s and 8 water-cooled rifle-caliber machineguns.

That might work, perhaps. I'll have to look around for some decent older MGs to assign in this spot - perhaps some sort of license-built M1917 or M1919?

There's lots of choices in rifle-caliber MGs, which one is most available mostly depends on what cartridges Chile in WW is using. Historically, that was the 7 x 57 Mauser, but that's hardly definitive here in WW.

[SIZE=3]Proposed Equipment List:[/SIZE]
Since there's really no definitive Chilean equipment list, I'd like to propose the following as their historic arsenal:

Rifles: Main rifle is the Model 1912 Steyr (historical) which is a 7mm Mauser ordered from Austria in 1912; a virtual copy of the Gew.98, albeit in 7x57. There'd also be the Steyr 1912 Short rifles. Model 1893 and 1895 Mausers would also be in the inventory. These are the historic weapons of Chile.

In 1935 Chile also ordered Model 1935 "Carabineros" carbine from Germany; with the Andean War, I'd propose that another 7x57mm Mauser order is made in 1932, replacing the 1935 order. If no one has a problem with this then we'll call it the Model 1932 Rifle.

Pistols: I can't find anything on historic Chilean sidearms, so I'd like to propose using American-made m1911s in .45ACP. I expect many officers might buy their own sidearms and get anything from .25 Colt Autos to Lugers, S&W revolvers, etc...

Light Machine Guns: I'd like to have some Fabrique Nationale BARs from the 1920s in this category, supplemented with some Atlantean Eleuthra Automatic Rifles, Mle.24s chambered for 7x57, ordered in 1932 during the Andean War.

Medium MGs: Perhaps license-built m1917s and m1919s, or something Atlantean.

Heavy MGs: Probably use the Atlantean Bolo Heavy Fifty in this role...

Mortars: 50mm Brandt, 81mm Brandt

Howitzers: The Atlantean 155/697/1928 would seem to fit in as a heavy howitzer; also some Atlantean 122/548/1928 howitzers?

Mountain Guns: Perhaps the 75/27/1914 from Atlantis and some Canon de 75 M(montagne) modele 1919 Schneider from France?

SMGs?

Another option for the mountain guns would be Skoda M1928s, either in 75mm or 90mm.

Erg, knew I'd forget something. (Actually, I left off a lot of stuff in the interests of brevity...)

I figure SMGs would probably be a mix of US Thompson M1928s and Atlantean Azeas M1931s chambered for .45ACP

[SIZE=3]Batallón de Paracaidistas "Boinas Azules"[/SIZE]
The test unit for the Ejército de Chile's airborne forces are the elite Boinas Azules, or Blue Berets. Though formed as a military parachutist company in 1933 they did not take active part in the Andean War, and did not receive much attention until 1936, when they received some prototype VEP-11 assault gliders, and FACh work on a paratroop chute. The Boinas Azules are an elite, recruiting from both the Ejército de Chile as well as the Fuerza Aérea de Chile.

Glider Infantry Squad:
- 1 Corporal: SMG
- 8 privates: 1 LMG, 1 SMG, 6 rifles
- 1 Glider Pilot/corporal: 1 SMG, 1 assault glider
- Total: 10 men, 3 SMGs, 1 LMG, 6 rifles

Glider Infantry Platoon:
- 3 rifle squads: 10 men each
- 1 command squad: 1 lieutenant (SMG), 1 sergeant (SMG), 2 runners (2 carbines), five privates (4 rifles, 1 LMG), one Glider Pilot/corporal (SMG)
- Total: 40 men, 4 LMGs, 12 SMGs, 4 assault gliders

Glider Assault Company:
- 1 company commander: SMG or carbine
- 4 rifle platoons: 40 men
- 1 command squad: 3 messengers (3 carbines), specialist squad (6 men including one glider pilot, 4 rifles/satchel charges, 2 LMGs), glider. 9 men total.
- 1 mortar squad: 10 men with three 50mm mortars
- Total: 140 men

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Parachute Infantry Squad:
- 1 Corporal: SMG
- 9 privates: 1 LMG, 2 SMG, 6 rifles
- Total: 10 men, 3 SMGs, 1 LMG, 6 rifles

Parachute Infantry Platoon:
- 3 rifle squads: 10 men each
- 1 command squad: 1 lieutenant (SMG), 1 sergeant (SMG), 2 runners (2 carbines), six privates (4 rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG),
- Total: 40 men, 4 LMGs, 12 SMGs

Parachute Infantry Company:
- 1 company commander: SMG or carbine
- 4 rifle platoons: 40 men
- 1 command squad: 3 messengers (3 carbines), specialist squad (6 men, 4 rifles/satchel charges, 2 LMGs). 9 men total.
- 1 mortar squad: 10 men with three 50mm mortars
- Total: 140 men

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Paratroops Battalion, Batallón de Paracaidistas:
- 4 assault companies: 140 men each
- 1 machinegun platoon: 8 MGs, 40 men
- 1 Pathfinders platoon: 40 men
- 1 mortar platoon: 50 men and 4x81mm mortars
- 1 battalion HQ: 9 men
- 1 battalion commander
- Total: 700 men, 16 mortars (12x50mm, 4x81mm)

Heh, the inevitable question: what's the carbine?

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Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
Heh, the inevitable question: what's the carbine?

Historic m1912 Steyr bolt-action, 7x57, at the moment.

The Paras are going to get the first FM-36 rifles in February, though. Perhaps I should announce that little bit...