The Soviet Motor Rifle Squad

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by copeab

I assume they don't ride in the same vehicle, as a single hit on one vehicle could wipe out the platoon's HQ section.

FM100-2-3 has the PL riding with 1st Squad and the APL with 2nd Squad, any SA-14 gunner is with 3rd Squad, and attached RTO or medic would ride with the PL/APL, the remaining seat with the SAM gunner holds his reserve missiles.

[dragoon500ly]

There is an old joke from my OPFOR days that goes, "How many tanks are in a Soviet tank platoon?" You had a choice of 3 tanks, 4 tanks, 5 tanks or all of the above. The correct answer being all of the above.

Source is FM 100-2-3 and Isby's "Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army"

In a Motor Rifle Division...
The Tank Platoon consists of 1 officer and 11 enlisted men (T-64/72/80) or 1 officer and 15 enlisted men (T-54/55/62). Personnel weapons are the PM pistol, with the tank commander (NOT the PL), being issued with a AKS-74 in place of the pistol.

Three tank platoons, with a Company Headquarters (1 officer and 2 enlisted men) all armed with PMs and a single MBT form the Tank Company Company totals include 13 T-64/72/80 MBTs, 30 PMs, 9 AKS-74s along with 13 vehicle mounted R-123 radios and one vehicle mounted R-130 radio. For battalions equipped with the T-54/55/62 series tanks, add 13 enlisted men and another 13 PMs.

Each Motor Rifle Regiment has an organic tank battalion, it is comprosed of a battalion headquarters (5 men), a headquarters & service platoon (40 men) and 3 tank companies. Equipment totals include 40 T-64/72/80 MBTs, 2 RPG-16s, 2 BTR-70 ACV, 7 Ural-375/ZIL=157 trucks, 3 POL trucks, 2 ZIL Maintenance Vans, 1 Kitchen Van, 1 Ambulance, 8 2-axle cargo trailers, 1 1-axle cargo trailer, 1 generator trailer and 1 water trailer. Radios include 2 manpack R-104M, 5 vehicle mounted R-130s, 1 manpack R-107, 41 vehicle mounted R-123s and a single R-311 warning receiver.

The Soviets will use this battalion either en masse as an attack force (or counterattack as the case may be) or breaking up the tank companies and attaching them to the motor rifle battalion, in this case, it is doctrine to detach tank platoons to motor rifle companes, especially in offensive operations. On the defensive, the tanks are often consolidated as a reserve force or emplaced in over watch positions to provide antitank fires.

In the Motor Rifle Division's tank regiment as well as in the tank regiments of a Tank Division, the platoons are formed with a strength of 3 MBTs. In this setup, doctrine stresses the use of tanks en masse, they are seldom, if ever, detached from their regiment, ie, when the tank regiment is committed, that's 93+ MBTs advancing on your battalion's position!

The last tank organization is perhaps the oddest. It is found only in the Motor Rifle Division (and even then, not everyone has one). It is the Independent Tank Battalion. It is organized with 3/4/5 tanks in its platoons and fields 4 companies vs the normal 3. Major equipment thus includes 41-65 MBTs, 3 RPG-16s, 1 BTR-70 ACV, 1 BRDM-2 ASC, 2 UAZ-469 jeeps, 1 GAZ-66 truck, 8 ZIL-131/157 trucks, 4 Ural 375 trucks, 1 GAZ Signal Van, 1 ZIL Maintenance Van, 3 POL trucks, 1 Ambulance, 1 Kitchen Truck, 2 armored recovery vehicles, 1 MTU/MT-55 AVLB, 1 BTM/MDK-2 ditching machine, 12 KMT series mine clearers, 1 BAT dozer, 2 2-axle cargo trailers, 1 1-axle cargo trailer, 1 generator trailer, 2 2-axle POL trailers, and one 1 water trailer. Radios include 2 manpack R-104M, 7 vehicle mount R-130s, 1 manpack R-107, 43-67 vehicle mounted R-123s, 1 R-311 warning receiver and 2 R-401/405 radio relay sets.

Over the years, there has been a lot debate over the independent tank battalion, most puzzling was its wide range of organization and that it was not assigned to every MRD. Suroev explaines it this way. The independent tank battalion is usually assigned to Category I divisions. It can also be found in Category II divisions in certain critical regions. It is comprised of the best tanks available in the division (if the MRD has T-54/55, then the ITB has T-62s for example), it is then manned by the finest tank crews in the division, these crews are allowed more than the normal allocation of training ammunition. The ITB is under the personal control of the division commander. It is used to deliver the critical attack of the division or it is used as the final defense against a NATO breakthrough.