7 replies to this topic

[Dan Lewis]

Hello Gents, Does the Tank company commander count as one of the "units"? Ditto for infantry platoon command stand. 

[Peter M. Skaar]

Hi Dan

The command stand(s) activate at the same time as one of their subordinate elements. 

Example:  You have a Sherman tank company consisting of 3 tank platoons plus the headquarters section, typically of 2 tanks.  For purposes of number of activations you have 3 units not 4.  The command section does not count as a 4th element but activates with one of the other platoons during its activation.  Which element the HQ section activates with is entirely up to the player.  In this case, the HQ section could choose to activate in either the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd impulse.

I hope this answers the question that I think you were asking.  If not, let me know.

[Dan Lewis]

Perfect, thank you

[Mark 1]

I have always interpreted the rules somewhat differently.  In formations where there is a separate command formation of some sort, I often (not always) give it a separate activation.

 

At the platoon level I just activate the platoon commander with the platoon.

 

Frequently at the company level there is a small HQ unit of 2 or 3 stands (command stand, support stand, communications or scouts or whatever).  In those cases I often give it a separate activation. This provides a surprising level of flexibility in gameplay, which reflects well on armies that provided resources to company commanders.

At the battalion level there is almost always an HQ platoon, which I also give its own activation. 

 

Let's walk through an example or two.  It is particularly visible in some nation's tank companies.  In a Red Army tank company there is typically one tank, one recovery vehicle (tractor, sometimes an ARV), one supply truck, and one or two armored cars.  But in combat most of that is left behind at the rally point, and the company commander takes his tank into action with the tanks of the company. If I am not taking the rear HQ onto the table I will typically activate the company commander with one of the platoons. A US tank company, would typically have an HQ of two tanks, an assault gun, and supply and recovery units (2 halftracks, two squads of troops, an ARV, and a couple jeeps).  That whole bunch gets it's own activation in my games. As the HQ has 2 tanks that makes for a fair bit of flexibility for the US tank company, with an additional activation that the player can use to optimize which platoons activate when.  This is reasonable, as US (and German) tank companies were demonstrably flexible and maneuverable on the battlefield.

At least that's how I do it.

 

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

[Kenny Noe]

This is the beauty of Mein Panzer.  While typical vehicle units are based on platoon and up and infantry is based on squads, a gamer can make units be what ever size they want.  Example, in my modern scenarios player Soviet units are typically company size (10 tanks, the command tank is just attached to one of the three platoons) and Western player units are platoons (4 or 5 tanks per platoon, one tank designated the CO).

I can see the advantage of separating Command into a unit.  Especially if the Command and Moral Drop-Ins are used.

Potato / potahto.   Use as you feel to make the game yours.

[Dan Lewis]

My game last week was first one I've run in years. Wasn't sure what to do with Tank Company commanders. So I just told them to activate their commanders in the last phase. I think for this weeks game I'll just give the company commander their own chit. I agree with the infantry platoon commander should just activate when the platoon activates. We'll see how that goes. 

;;;

[Peter M. Skaar]

Ultimately, it is up to the host how he wants to handle command stands in his game.  I am fine using the rules as written for the most part.  An exception for me would be those sometimes large British squadron HQs that consist of sometimes up to 4 tanks.  In that case you really have a whole other platoon to work with.

To clarify things a bit (hopefully) the command elements activate in the same impulse as one of the subordinate elements(platoons) but they do not have to move with that subordinate element but are independent of them.  There is a provision for the CO to aid the movement of the element that he activates with.  I think it increases the movement by 1 additional pip.

[Dan Lewis]

Working on a scenario now where there are couple platoons of infantry and a company HQ. Imbedded in the company is a 2" mortar, a 3" mortar, a MMG, and an ATR (this is 1940). I'm going to give the player the option of attaching the support stands to individual companies or attach it to HQ unit. If I attach to HQ then it will be considered stand alone unit. If support units are attached to companies, then HQ will not count as a seperate unit, but simply move at the same time as one of the companies moves.