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Pendraken News & Info! => General Pendraken => Topic started by: old smokie on 06 August 2012, 10:44:34 AM

Title: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: old smokie on 06 August 2012, 10:44:34 AM
I bought a BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion  :D

1 x BR70         White scout car    
8 x BR7/7A         Bren carrier with crew, Camouflaged Bren carrier with crew       
8 x BR46/47      M3 Halftrack, M3 Halftrack with tilt       
1 x BR24          6pdr A/T with crew
3 x BR1/2/3/6/23    Riflemen, Sten, Bren, Officers, Riflemen firing
2 x BR4         Vickers MG team
2 x BR9         3" mortar with crew
3 x BR49         Morris commercial 3/4 tonne truck

can anyone tell me what all the Bren carriers and half tracks are for, I am right and thinking that the half tracks are for the infantry ? also the infantry how many stands would you get out of the above assuming 5 figures per stand, any help appreciated
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 06 August 2012, 11:00:31 AM
this is an odd organisation. It has just 3 Rifle Coy + HQ.

Each company has an Hq - in the White SC or M9 1/2 Track (2 of these), and often a scout car(Damiler), a section of 2 Vikcers Mg in carrier, 2 3"mortar in carrier, and 2 6pdr towed by carrier or Loyd carrier, 3 Rifle platoons - nominally organised like an ordinary Rifle Plt in 1/2 Tracks, although the sections were smaller 6 to 8 men. Some Btn used a scout car for PHQ. Finally the company had a carrier platoon of Hq of 1 carrier, 1 Scout Car, and 3 Sections of 3 carriers with 3 LMG, 1 PIAT, and 1 dismountable 2" Mtr. 1/2 Tracks normally used the section Brens as weapons, and the carriers a 2" mortar - primarily for smoke.

You have enough stuff to do the supports and 2 Rifle companies, need 1 more 1/2 track, and 6 more carriers. Could probably also use another pack of rifles or mixed rifle/Bren to complete a btn. This depends on rules and how you are going to do the carriers, I use one per section.

IanS
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: old smokie on 06 August 2012, 11:52:35 AM
thanks Ian, using BKC 2 for rules
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: Leon on 06 August 2012, 12:16:13 PM
The BKC packs were made up for the original BKC rules, but I've not got a copy to hand to check.  We will be switching them over to the BKC II lists soon though.
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: NTM on 06 August 2012, 04:47:46 PM
Quote from: ianrs54 on 06 August 2012, 11:00:31 AM
Each company has ... a section of 2 Vikcers Mg in carrier ... and 2 6pdr towed by carrier or Loyd carrier,

There were actually 2 platoons of 4 Vickers and 3 platoons of 4 6pdr per bttln but they were probably farmed out to individual companies as they often supported the armoured regiments 1 coy per regt. The bttln had 53 universal carriers on strength.

http://www.warestablishments.net/Great%20Britain/Infantry/Motor%20Battalion%20June%201943.pdf

http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/British/Motor/british_motor_battalion%201943%20to%201945.htm
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: fred. on 06 August 2012, 04:55:44 PM
I've got a webpage that gives an Motor Battalion at 1 stand = 1 platoon level for NWE

http://www.kerynne.com/games/BritishMotorBattalion.html

It is 3 rifle companies and a strong support company

For BKC its quite hard to determine what to categorise the extra Universal carriers in the Rifle Companies as - one good option is to use them as Wasp Flame Throwers  :d
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: NTM on 06 August 2012, 05:53:53 PM
Quote from: fred  12df on 06 August 2012, 04:55:44 PM

For BKC its quite hard to determine what to categorise the extra Universal carriers in the Rifle Companies as - one good option is to use them as Wasp Flame Throwers  :d


I believe Wasps were put in the MG Coy of the Lorried Inf Brigade in Armoured Divisions rather than replacing sections of the Carrier Platoon as they did in Infantry Divisions (I've even seen pictures of a Wasp in a Carrier Troop of 43 Recce too)
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: old smokie on 06 August 2012, 06:41:49 PM
thanks for all the reply's, and the confusion  ;D, so what would the  3 x BR49 Morris commercial 3/4 tonne trucks be used for in the pack
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: nikharwood on 06 August 2012, 08:32:24 PM
Quote from: old smokie on 06 August 2012, 06:41:49 PM
thanks for all the reply's, and the confusion  ;D, so what would the  3 x BR49 Morris commercial 3/4 tonne trucks be used for in the pack

Dragging round the two ATG - and one for your CO's stand I reckon...
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 07 August 2012, 07:46:13 AM
No - Europe 44 the 3/4ton would be for 2nd line stuff in a Motor Btn. Guns would be towed by loyd or Universal Carriers.

I'd use 1 Carrier base per section, giving 3 per company. Expensive option but would reflect the way they were used.

IanS
Title: Re: BKC8 British Armoured Infantry Battalion query
Post by: nikharwood on 07 August 2012, 11:31:13 PM
That's as may be...but in terms of using them with what's in the pack (which was the question), that's what I'd do with them  :)