I originally posted this in another thread but strongly believe it is worth its own thread, if only to bring it to the forefront of discussion and to the attention of the PI developers:
It is not just medium and heavy divisional artillery that appears missing from the divisions, but the additional support elements that were intrinsic to divisions in the armies of most modern WW2 combatants.
To take the example of the US Army in 1943-45, an infantry division had in its permanent organization:
3 regiments of infantry (each with 9 companies of infantry, 3 heavy weapons companies with 81mm mortars, 1 infantry howitzer company with 4 105mm infantry howitzers (short barreled, lighter versions of the medium 105) and an AT company with 57 mm AT guns)
3 battalions of 105mm medium howitzers
1 battalion of 155 heavy howitzers
1 troop (company) of mechanized cavalry (reconnaissance scout cars and jeeps)
1 battalion of combat engineers
Depending upon circumstances, but often for long periods of time, US infantry divisions on the line and engaged in combat would expect any or all of the following attachments from corps or army assets:
1 or more medium artillery battalions (sometimes SP)
1 AA Automatic weapons battalion with 37 or 40 mm AA and 50 cal quad AA
1 AT battalion of 57mm or 76mm towed guns
1 TD battalion of 76mm or 90mm TD's
1 Tank battalion of 54 M-4 Sherman mediums and 17 M-5 or M-24 light tanks, along with 6 105mm armed Shermans or M-8 75mm GMC.
1 or more additional engineer battalions and/or bridging companies
These attachments would sometimes be broken down and dispersed in the infantry regiments and their battalions, for use in front line combat.
So, clearly, there is much more to a division than we appear to be seeing in the present Paradox vision. What is missing is the divisional HQ with these all these assigned and attached support elements.
Combined, these elements make up a very large "brigade equivalent" that should come AT A ZERO COST AGAINST THE BRIGADE LIMIT FOR THE DIVISION with any US division.
Mind you, I am not claiming every army followed exactly these practices and numbers - but the big players of the Allied and Axis armies did do so for the most part.
The solution, as I see it, is to have the division designer include one each "divisional HQ brigade" (DHQB) to come FREE with the formation of the division...free not from IC or personnel costs, because it should include those, but NOT COUNTING AGAINST THE DIVISIONAL BRIGADE LIMIT.
Furthermore, although there are combat elements in the DHQB, I would argue that the DHQB have a frontage of zero (0) to reflect the fact it did not form part of the combat frontage of the division, never being required to go "on the line" but rather performing its functions in the division rear area.
Clearly, these DHQB's will vary from division to division (armored and para divisions had different ones) but also from country to country and from time to time based upon technology, research and doctrinal advances.
As your research into the applicable weapons and doctrines proceeds, these DHQB's will grow stronger (or perhaps weaker) but in any event they will evolve and their corresponding strengths will evolve.
Now, if this is not included in the vanilla game (and I would strongly argue that it should, to represent historical reality), it should at least be one of the first and most important things to be modded into the game.
__________________
Things are getting better. Well, maybe not as good as yesterday, but definitely better than tomorrow!
-old Russian saying
It is not just medium and heavy divisional artillery that appears missing from the divisions, but the additional support elements that were intrinsic to divisions in the armies of most modern WW2 combatants.
To take the example of the US Army in 1943-45, an infantry division had in its permanent organization:
3 regiments of infantry (each with 9 companies of infantry, 3 heavy weapons companies with 81mm mortars, 1 infantry howitzer company with 4 105mm infantry howitzers (short barreled, lighter versions of the medium 105) and an AT company with 57 mm AT guns)
3 battalions of 105mm medium howitzers
1 battalion of 155 heavy howitzers
1 troop (company) of mechanized cavalry (reconnaissance scout cars and jeeps)
1 battalion of combat engineers
Depending upon circumstances, but often for long periods of time, US infantry divisions on the line and engaged in combat would expect any or all of the following attachments from corps or army assets:
1 or more medium artillery battalions (sometimes SP)
1 AA Automatic weapons battalion with 37 or 40 mm AA and 50 cal quad AA
1 AT battalion of 57mm or 76mm towed guns
1 TD battalion of 76mm or 90mm TD's
1 Tank battalion of 54 M-4 Sherman mediums and 17 M-5 or M-24 light tanks, along with 6 105mm armed Shermans or M-8 75mm GMC.
1 or more additional engineer battalions and/or bridging companies
These attachments would sometimes be broken down and dispersed in the infantry regiments and their battalions, for use in front line combat.
So, clearly, there is much more to a division than we appear to be seeing in the present Paradox vision. What is missing is the divisional HQ with these all these assigned and attached support elements.
Combined, these elements make up a very large "brigade equivalent" that should come AT A ZERO COST AGAINST THE BRIGADE LIMIT FOR THE DIVISION with any US division.
Mind you, I am not claiming every army followed exactly these practices and numbers - but the big players of the Allied and Axis armies did do so for the most part.
The solution, as I see it, is to have the division designer include one each "divisional HQ brigade" (DHQB) to come FREE with the formation of the division...free not from IC or personnel costs, because it should include those, but NOT COUNTING AGAINST THE DIVISIONAL BRIGADE LIMIT.
Furthermore, although there are combat elements in the DHQB, I would argue that the DHQB have a frontage of zero (0) to reflect the fact it did not form part of the combat frontage of the division, never being required to go "on the line" but rather performing its functions in the division rear area.
Clearly, these DHQB's will vary from division to division (armored and para divisions had different ones) but also from country to country and from time to time based upon technology, research and doctrinal advances.
As your research into the applicable weapons and doctrines proceeds, these DHQB's will grow stronger (or perhaps weaker) but in any event they will evolve and their corresponding strengths will evolve.
Now, if this is not included in the vanilla game (and I would strongly argue that it should, to represent historical reality), it should at least be one of the first and most important things to be modded into the game.
__________________
Things are getting better. Well, maybe not as good as yesterday, but definitely better than tomorrow!
-old Russian saying
