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Old 10-08-2017, 10:06 AM
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mcchordsage mcchordsage is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silent Hunter UK View Post
Can you post this again please? It sounds very interesting.
It's actually here on the forum in its entirety if you search Twilight 1964. That's what I usually reference. It is kind of out there, there are things I don't think are correct or really accurate. However, I'm a sucker for early 60s US Army tech, when things were still on the Pentomic model. To me, it's worth noting that at least on paper most of these divisions were allotted Honest John nuclear-capable rockets, even if the battalions only trained with the launchers once a year.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RN7 View Post
Hi Mcchordsage I remember this alternative version of the Twilight War. It was a very good read if a bit far out there. I saved it all onto a CD and I posted it all up on here about five years ago or so. I think everyone who read it liked it.

I've been checking this list with the first and second additions of the American Combat Vehicle Handbook. None of the ten divisions were listed as reformed in the Twilight War, at least not before the U.S. government split into CIVGOV and MILGOV factions. After the splitting of the U.S. Government I believe there were militia units attached to both factions. It is conceivable that either faction could reform these divisions and fill them with militia or new recruits to increase the number and the loyalties of the forces under their command in CONUS. I don't think raising the manpower would be a problem, but equipping and arming them would certainly be a problem. More likely divisions in name only, but of brigade size with some weak regiments and battalions. But they would still be an organised force under a command structure, and more accountable to either faction than irregular militia forces.

Do you have any more information on the organisation of of U.S. forces in this period?
My idea was to provide some flexible options for an early 1960s Twilight War campaign by laying out the order of battle, like in the vehicle guides, to give folks something to work with. The PDF version I plan to post tonight will also include all the non-divisional, mostly support, units I've identified.

Most of them had been converted to Army Reserve Commands or support commands (63rd, 90th, 77th, 83rd, 96th, 94th, 103rd, 81st) or separate brigades (102nd men formed the 205th Infantry Brigade, 96th men formed the 191st Infantry Brigade, 94th men formed the 187th Infantry Brigade). None of these units continued the lineages of the WW2 or 1950s-1960s combat divisions, however. They were authorized to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia but the army did not consider them a descendant of the original division.

I think that's what most folks do with the ARCOMs and the training divisions not mentioned as being fed overseas (or in the case of the 77th, straight into the NYC mess). Makes sense, though I imagine a lot of the cadres would be gone, that the others were similarly used as command formations for militia or other ad-hoc formations.

It depends on what you want to know. There's a lot of material out there. 1962 is an interesting time for the Army, organizationally, which is a euphemism for being a mess. Units were almost all still on the old Pentomic order of battle, and ROAD was right around the corner. On top of that, quite a few of the Cavalry, Infantry, and Artillery battalions would be inactivated then reactivated in the regular army at a later date.

Last edited by mcchordsage; 10-08-2017 at 10:44 AM.
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