[OOC] Called Up - A WWII-esque Military RP (Alternate Universe)

[HeySeuss]

Well, we have one engineer type, two machinegunners, one NCO, one anti-armor gunner (well, while anti-tank rifles are a thing) and two riflemen, one of which -just- became a casualty.

[Nobodyman123]

Need a marksman? I can make a guy with a scoped rifle.

[Gunther]

Nobodyman123 said
Allright. Are we missing a certain type of character or should I just get creative?

Do what HS said. Someone from another squad would tie in fine. We are going to be conducting a hasty retrograde operation soon. Avoid taking the Leutnant position. He's going to be vacant soon. ;)

[HeySeuss]

Gunther said
Do what HS said. Someone from another squad would tie in fine. We are going to be conducting a hasty retrograde operation soon. Avoid taking the Leutnant position. He's going to be soon. ;)

^^ Yeah, the officer's about to be iced, and the Principality's position is getting plastered; the Holtish moved faster than anyone expected (welcome to armored warfare) and caught the enemy unprepared.

[Nobodyman123]

Ok, one former hunter turned sniper coming up.

[HeySeuss]

Just be sure to understand the difference between a true sniper, who tends to operate with another man in a team, and a squad designated marksman, who functions as part of an infantry unit -- because what we want is one of the latter. ;)

[Nobodyman123]

I wasn't sure if designated marksmen was a term we could use here in this setting, but I get your point :). He'll play well with others.

[Gunther]

I honestly don't care what term you use. There are plenty of guys in a rifle squad who qualify expert. Especially guys with hunting skills. Run with it. I just posted. Leutnant Hans Pfeffer is dead, got axed by a mortar round. Platoon Sergent, Sergent Guy DeMille got hit in the shoulder, but he should be OK. The Platoon is running away, heading toward another small clump of trees beyond the farm. Gefreiter Lachance, the Platoon's Radio Telephone Operator is going to be either a KIA or a POW. He is gripped with fear. The survivors of 1st and 3rd squads are with 2nd in the woods. Not sure about Machine gun teams. I assumed there may be as many as three MG Teams, but some of them could have been taken out. Crew Served weapons would be a priority for the advancing Holtish Infantry.

[Rock Killjoy]

Gunther said
I honestly don't care what term you use. There are plenty of guys in a rifle squad who qualify expert. Especially guys with hunting skills. Run with it. I just posted. Leutnant Hans Pfeffer is dead, got axed by a mortar round. Platoon Sergent, Sergent Guy DeMille got hit in the shoulder, but he should be OK. The Platoon is running away, heading toward another small clump of trees beyond the farm. Gefreiter Lachance, the Platoon's Radio Telephone Operator is going to be either a KIA or a POW. He is gripped with fear. The survivors of 1st and 3rd squads are with 2nd in the woods. Not sure about Machine gun teams. I assumed there may be as many as three MG Teams, but some of them could have been taken out. Crew Served weapons would be a priority for the advancing Holtish Infantry.

That's what I get for being a Machine gunner,also Amsel hasn't responded shall I add him in my post as a casualty?

[HeySeuss]

Nobodyman123 said
I wasn't sure if designated marksmen was a term we could use here in this setting, but I get your point :). He'll play well with others.

He can be 'ze guy mit der scope on his rifle' or whatever. ;)

Rock Killjoy said
That's what I get for being a Machine gunner,also Amsel hasn't responded shall I add him in my post as a casualty?

I already described Amsel taking it, but yeah, they aimed first for a position with an MG.

Gunther said
I honestly don't care what term you use. There are plenty of guys in a rifle squad who qualify expert. Especially guys with hunting skills. Run with it. I just posted. Leutnant Hans Pfeffer is dead, got axed by a mortar round. Platoon Sergent, Sergent Guy DeMille got hit in the shoulder, but he should be OK. The Platoon is running away, heading toward another small clump of trees beyond the farm. Gefreiter Lachance, the Platoon's Radio Telephone Operator is going to be either a KIA or a POW. He is gripped with fear. The survivors of 1st and 3rd squads are with 2nd in the woods. Not sure about Machine gun teams. I assumed there may be as many as three MG Teams, but some of them could have been taken out. Crew Served weapons would be a priority for the advancing Holtish Infantry.

I'm pretty sure the machinegun teams got the treatment, even if they're spread out. Odds are unless they're fast or really have their shit together, those MG's might get abandoned.

BTW, yes, the Holtish are rocking MG34 analogues.

[Rock Killjoy]

Alright then I'll post shortly.

[Gunther]

I put a possible Platoon Organization together. This should give you an idea of what the platoon looks like on paper. It is authorized a Platoon Headquarters section with the PL, PSG, RTO and three runners. There are also three 12-man rifle squads and three 5-man Machine gun teams. Note that Machine guns used at the Platoon Level are different than the ones used at squad level; the MG24 v. MG04.

So the platoon is authorized 57 soldiers, but may have mustered only 33; the PL, PSG, RTO in the PLT HQs and 7 men per squad plus three 3-man MG teams. By the time we all consolidate and reorganize in the woods beyond the farm, the platoon would number 19 soldiers; PSG, three 6-man squads and no one from the MG teams.

Platoon
Platoon Headquarters [6 soldiers]
3x Rifle Squads [12x3=36 soldiers]
3x Machine Gun Teams [5x3=15 soldiers]
Authorized Total: 57 Soldiers

Platoon Headquarters
Platoon Leader
Platoon Sergeant
RTO
3x Platoon Runners

Rifle Squad
1. Squad Leader - Korporal
2. Assistant Squad Leader - Senior PFC or Junior Korporal
Machine gun Team #1
3. Gunner (MG24)
4. Asst. Gunner
Machine gun team #2
5. Gunner (MG24)
6. Asst. Gunner
Scout Team
7. Scout
8. Scout
Rifle Team
9. Rifleman (AT gunner)
10. Rifleman (Grenadier)
11. Rifleman (Designated Marskman)
12. Rifleman (Pioneer/Engineer)

Machine Gun Team
1. Squad Leader - Korporal
2. Gunner MG04
3. Assistant Gunner
4. Ammunition Bearer
5. Ammunition Bearer

[Rock Killjoy]

Mind giving me a little insight to all these abriviations? I think it would help me out with positioning and stuff.

[Gunther]

Rock Killjoy said
Mind giving me a little insight to all these abriviations? I think it would help me out with positioning and stuff.

Not sure what you are looking at, but I'll take a stab.
RTO = Radio Telephone Operator. They probably didn't have one, but when I got into the groove, I ran with what I know. He is the guy who carries the man portable radio for the Platoon Leader.
PL = Platoon Leader
PSG = Platoon Sergeant
MG = Machine Gun
You'll have to look at HeySeuss' post on the MG24 and the MG04. Basically, the MG24 is the American Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and the MG04 is the American .30 caliber MG used during WWII.
AT = Anti-Tank.

Frankly, I thought I defined all those acronyms. Did I miss any?

[Rock Killjoy]

Yes thanks I knew some of them I just wanted to make sure.

[Gunther]

In the time frame we are dealing with, Man portable radios were not an abundant commodity. In fact, the lowest level, you would find one is at Company or possibly Battalion. They did however rely extensively on field phones and wire in the defense. In order to communicate up and down the chains of command below Battalion, Leaders relied on Runners. There may have been 3-5 privates assigned at the Platoon and Company level, who's job it was, to carry messages from Platoon Leader to Company Commander and/or Company Commander to Battalion. Since most intelligence at the tactical level is urgent, more than likely the runner was a fast runner, for there was always the risk of being captured or killed by the enemy.

But I was getting into the moment when I wrote that last post and slipped the RTO in there. Most likely the Platoon Command Post (CP) consists of the Platoon Leader (PL), Platoon Sergeant (PSG) and three Runners.

[HeySeuss]

As a matter of nomenclature, realize that K31's do feed from stripper clips; they are actually clips. I'm just saying that before anyone harps on me about clips and magazines; the G34 (which is the real life K31) has a detachable magazine where most bolt actions have an internal magazine, but as a matter of practicality, they stayed in the rifle. The charger clip holds the rounds in place, you put that over the chamber with the bolt open, you push down with your thumb and they go into the magazine.

Demonstration

Realistically, the Lee Enfield is faster and has a much gentler recoil (actually about that of an M-16 in semi-auto, which was a little surprising to me when my buddy made that observation) but the SMLE is just too British Empire and works against the zeitgeist.

On the other hand, the K31 is undoubtedly the more accurate rifle.

[HeySeuss]

Whose getting ready to post and where are we?

Roll call.

[Goldmarble]

Alive and well..?

[HeySeuss]

Hah, sounds good.