I agree things like this add to the atmosphere of the game.
The guys that came up with the British Army order of battle on the etranger website obviously thought along the lines of replacing Regiments / Battalions with composite Battlegroups:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dh...al/BritA2K.htm
I also agree that it seems pointless for Armoured Regiments to keep multiple Squadrons when their numbers of tanks are lucky to be in double figures, so having a Regiment consisting of a CVR(T) Squadron, an MBT Squadron, and an HQ / Support Squadron seems like a very sensible option.
My only query about consolidation into Battlegroups where the Regimental / Battalion identity is lost is that this would tend to go against the British Regimental system and the tradition contained within. One could argue about how much relevance tradition would have on the battlefields of Europe in the year 2000, but it is possible it could affect morale. So I’d be inclined to suggest that an effort would be made to retain Regimental identities even if Armoured Regiments are effectively single Squadrons and Battalions are single Companies. For example etranger orbat has a Battle Group “White Rhino” made up of elements of three Armoured Regiments and three Infantry Battalions, so could in theory look like this
1 x Armoured Regiment
Composite HQ Squadron
4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards Squadron (MBT)
Queens Own Hussars Squadron (MBT)
17th / 21st Lancers Squadron (CVR(T))
All MBT's are thus concentrated in two Squadrons, so if the 17th / 21st Lancers did have any operational they would hand them over to the other two Squadrons (receiving any CVR(T)'s they had in return). If there aren't enough MBT's to equip two Squadrons then one Squadron could perhaps convert to horse cavalry instead.
1 x Infantry Battalion
Composite HQ Company
Queens Company
Devonshire & Dorset Company
Staffordshire Company
Again, you could consolidate any APC's / IFV's in one Company (probably the Company that had the most operational vehicles to start with).
From a US point of view, some time ago a forum member called
Graebarde posted an order of battle for a reorganised 5th Division prior to the summer offensive. I'm at work at the moment but will post it when I get home (unless anyone else has a copy handy) as some people may not have seen it and may be interested in it.