Depleted OOBs

[PatG]

I am contemplating making one or more OOBs to represent depleted, understrength or just generally battered units. We've all read about paper divisions that were nothing more than a battalion and companies reduced to a couple of under strength sections. I'm looking to pick a few brains to get an idea of what a depleted unit looks like.

Here are a few thoughts
Reduced man power - There are several of approaches. Sections could be reduced giving a platoon of 3 understrength sections. Higher formations could be reduced giving a platoon of 2 full strength sections.

Reduced firepower - Again there are several options. My gut feeling is that most under strength sections will tend to retain the LMG at all cost but may tend to lose things like PIAT, ATRs or light mortars. However, I spoke with a couple of Vietnam era vets who said if the M60 gunner was taken out, no one else was trained to use it. Again for higher formation this is a matter of making (-) formations without integrated mortars, IGs etc.

Reduced or degraded equipment - The covers the usual Lewis/MG08 in place of a better LMG, but could also include things like a mech unit having some or all of its APCs replaced by trucks or boot leather. Further, armoured formations could have all or part of its untis replaced with less capable ones such as a Schwere Kompanie with one platoon of Tigers and two of PzKw III or IV.

At the unit level, I could see reduced moral and reorganization to stress the C&C to represent officer casualties. I can also see vehicles with reduced mobility, reduced firepower and reduced ammo loads.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

[narwan]

Hehe, makes me think of those people who insist on realistic forces for PBEM games. Realisitc forces would mean depleted and understrength formations nine times out of ten, but if you bought those they weren't happy! They want you to buy the theoretical 'on paper' OB. I've had a few debates on this already...

I like your idea a lot. I wouldn't mind seeing these as part of the regular in-game OB's, not that that is likely to happen (a lot of work and pretty subjective).

[Marek_Tucan]

Yup, it'd be nice if game egine was able to make say random downgrades of no. of men in infantry units (say 100-50% scale)...

As for understrength units, I recall reading commentary of some German officer whose battalion shrank to ca. 50 men and 15 MG-34's - he said that retainin the machineguns was critical as they were main firepower - even more important as the no. of riflemen did shring down - and that they were able to conduct defense in this numbers on Bn-sized frontline, but it was almost impossible to gather enough force for even local counterattacks in case of breakthrough.

[narwan]

Yes, you could make a depleted company either by reducing the number of units in it (down to two platoons for example) or by keeping the full structure but reducing the number of men in each squad (and maybe eliminating some specialist teams). You could combine that with a reduction in the available weapons within a unit.
There is off course the editor to tweak stuff, but for PBEM games it would be a nice addition to have something like 'depleted companies' in the OB's. Who knows, someday....

[PatG]

Gentlemen,
thank you for the input. My next task is to investigate the radio rarity codes to get some real variation. My plan is start by copying the German OOB into an alternate Blue OOB. From here I will make the changes. PBEM or other players can then copy in the custom Blue and buy from it using the "captured" setting. This will allow for a "core" of full strength Wehrmacht, SS or other backed up by depleted units.

Another question. Should the depleted OOB formations tab be left completely intact allowing for good compatibility with AI pick lists or should some formations be stripped out allowing for more variations of depleted units but breaking AI picklist compatibility? For example in the German OOB I can see stripping out Brandenburgers, Maus and other "chrome" units to free up both unit and formation slots.

[PanzerBob]

Sounds interesting Pat, keeping an eye out for how it goes.

Prosit!