MC NATO national army doctrine design question
Gentlemen,
I am hoping that this is not "off topic" for this forum. If it is, my apolgies and I will be happy to move it!
I am in the process of reviewing the "ZAPAD 85" OOB for errors prior to building the campaign scenario. This campaign is based on the original HPS FG85/NGP85/DF85 scenario design, ie set in June 1985 and predicated on the same casus belli etc but with a different approach to many aspects of command and control, movement, NATO arty break down, AAA, etc. 2 and 3 hour turns, NATO first move at 0100, WP jumps off at 0400, etc
The huge DF85 Germany map has been worked over hex by hex labeling all towns, rivers, canals, airbases, airports, fixing spelling errors, etc etc.
To get to the point, the current Zapad OOB relies heavily on the "KG" method to represent company-sized NATO combat arms formations (except arty). I am not satisfied that this work-around makes up for other game-play issues it creates (even though I may stick with it in the end).
As a result, I am going to attempt to model NATO combined arms (Tank/mech inf) battle-groups for the nations that used those tactics in 1985. The design goal is that NATO units break down into companies and can be recombined into BN's, and that these units represent mixed of tanks and mech infantry. BN ATGM units would be "rolled" into the units (and thus not represented in dribs and drabs as seperate maneuver units)
I have a very solid handle on 1985-era US combined arms doctrine (company teams, battalion task forces) mixing tanks and mech infantry at the BN and COY level. I believe that I can also work out mixed formations for the Brits and the West Germans and that their doctrine called for such combat synergy in 1985.
I am wondering about the Belgian, Dutch and Danish heavy units though, and I cannot seem to find any good sources on 1985-era doctrine for these three NATO Armies. Did these armies mix tanks and mechs (and in the case of the Danes, mot infantry as well) in such a way as to allow me to represent them as scalable, recombinable battalion battlegroups?
All opinions, ideas and/or points to sources welcomed!
Thank you,
Taffy
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