AFFS RCT Infantry-BA ratio

[VhenRa]

There are tiers beyond Rangers, and you may recruit from the Jump troops first, but they'll be replaced.  The missions those Regiments were put into the RCT to perform won't go away, and BA isn't exactly a good replacement for a lot of those (perimeter security, checkpoints, etc.).  Like I said up thread, BA has capabilities beyond anything un-augmented infantry can do.  They're most properly an addition to the RCT, not a replacement for other infantry formations.

The problem is the RCT is already getting to the size of being too unwieldy. So adding more units frankly sounds like you are going past the point of effectiveness.

[Daryk]

I don't think one battalion pushes the size up that much.

[Arkansas Warrior]

Well, you have to get the bodies (and replacements) from somewhere.  The Jump Infantry regiments are the best source because they are already trained to think in some of the terms IF its BA that jumps (so early AFFC, IS Std/Cavalier/Infiltrator Mk II).  If you are going with GDL Standard then it does not matter about the jumping skill.

That makes sense for your stereotypical elemental-like jumping medium suit in 3062.  But even then there were other paradigms, like the Sloth and Kanazuchi.  By the Republic era, with the proliferation of suits like the Hauberks and Grenadier, I think the idea of jump infantry being the best choice breaks down.  For quads especially, vehicle crewmen might be a more appropriate pool to draw from than jump troopers.  For the big, ground-bound bipedal suits, you might even look to mechwarrior washouts.  Driving a Hauberk probably has at least as much in common with driving an UrbanMech as it does with being a jump trooper.

[Daryk]

That is a hilarious comparison!  :D

[Hellraiser]

Pretty sure its noted in FM:FS that most RCT Infantry Regiments could also call on a single Company of BA per Regiment.

IIRC, Its noted that this is NOT the case for March Militia RCT.

For sure not the case for Line Infantry brigades,  just Front Line RCTs.

Line Infantry Brigades also don't get Jump Regiments IIRC, just Foot/Motor.

So I think when it comes to adding BA to RCTs,  you get Companies w/ Each Regiment & then you get a full Battalion/Regiment added to the Infantry Brigade.

While this might make them larger than traditionally they were, I think it does nothing but show an RCT is designed to take & hold a world (for at least a short time) entirely by itself so the added infantry won't hurt at all.

[Daryk]

I agree that an RCT should be able to take and hold a world independently, even if only for a short time.  Infantry is absolutely required for that, and in as large a number as possible.

[Colt Ward]

That makes sense for your stereotypical elemental-like jumping medium suit in 3062.  But even then there were other paradigms, like the Sloth and Kanazuchi.  By the Republic era, with the proliferation of suits like the Hauberks and Grenadier, I think the idea of jump infantry being the best choice breaks down.  For quads especially, vehicle crewmen might be a more appropriate pool to draw from than jump troopers.  For the big, ground-bound bipedal suits, you might even look to mechwarrior washouts.  Driving a Hauberk probably has at least as much in common with driving an UrbanMech as it does with being a jump trooper.

Thought the OP was discussing 50s-60s BA integration in the RCTs?  Once you are past that period you have started training troops in the academies to handle BA so they are not converting infantry regiments per se at that point.  Guess it also comes down to how much of the BA corp is made up of Cavaliers/InfilMkII/Fusiliers vs Grenadiers/Hauberk.

[Arkansas Warrior]

The OP says “during and after the FedCom Civil War”.  The Grenadier was prototyped in 3062 and entered production in 3065, so I’d say it fits.  I’d thought the Hauberk had a similar timeline, but it wasn’t prototyped until ‘69, entering full production the next year.  And don’t forget the Sloth!  Maybe the Fenrir too.  I know it was primarily fielded by the LAAF, but I don’t doubt that at least a few found their way to Kat-loyal AFFC units, or came home with AFFS commands returning from the Lyran half at war’s end.

[Terrace]

The OP says “during and after the FedCom Civil War”.  The Grenadier was prototyped in 3062 and entered production in 3065, so I’d say it fits.  I’d thought the Hauberk had a similar timeline, but it wasn’t prototyped until ‘69, entering full production the next year.  And don’t forget the Sloth!  Maybe the Fenrir too.  I know it was primarily fielded by the LAAF, but I don’t doubt that at least a few found their way to Kat-loyal AFFC units, or came home with AFFS commands returning from the Lyran half at war’s end.

I mentioned that to set the stage for the topic, which concerned the Conventional Infantry/BA ratio in the post-Jihad era.

[Hellraiser]

I mentioned that to set the stage for the topic, which concerned the Conventional Infantry/BA ratio in the post-Jihad era.

If the 3062 Deployment is 5 Companies for 5 Regiments w/ the occasional Independent Battalion,  I'd think that by 3085+ you'd be looking at 5 Companies for 5 Regiments + 1 Full Independent 6th Regiment.

[Onion2112]

In FM:3085 the Davion Guards RCTs are mentioned as getting a Battle Armour Regt to supplement their existing infantry - I take that to mean a 6th infantry Regt (of Battle Armour) - so Hellraiser is correct at least for the Guards.

The Assault Guards have two BA Regts both at 3085 & 3145 (but have 4 conventional infantry) - this TO&E appears to be unusual

The 6th Regt for the Guards is mentioned as a replacement for the loss of Reinforced BM Regt status so a 6 Regt Infantry Brigade (6th being a BA Regt) for the Crucis Lancers RCTs is not clear.

Kestrel Grenadiers RCT at 3145 also have 2 Battle armor Regts but an unspecified number of infantry (probably 1 to 3)

I’d like to think the BA company in infantry Regts is a bit like a “musket & horse” era grenadier company ie the best soldiers in the Regt in an independent company.

The Armour in the 3067 model FS infantry kit is very bulky (reduces movement and prohibits anti mech attacks) but doubles protection. By the Dark Age (65ish years after introduction) you’d imagine it would be wide spread amongst front line infantry (ie those in RCTs). If so I would think the bulk of conventional RCT infantry would be Mechanized mainly due to this reduced mobility. Light or jump infantry using older more mobile Armour types might exist in national guards or specialized independent infantry brigades.

[Nebfer]

Basically what we have here is as such

For the Fed Suns
3058 to 67 era is Battlearmor companies attached to infantry regiments (the 3063 FM states most front line RCT infantry regiments had a BA Company) with a ~25% chance of a front line RCT having a BA Battalion.

Post 3067 to 3080 ish is unknown but seems to be a general increase in over all numbers.

By 3085 Regiments are not unknown, the 17th Avalon Hussars has two regiments as dose another RCT, in fact it indicates that the 17th had more than that but gave up a number to other units.

The Lyrans in the 3058 to 67 era started out as the same as the Fed Suns but cut back on the BA deployments, but do create a BA regiment (said to be about five months production) Later on over all rate of issue is generally unkown as far as I can see. But I would assume that a Battalion or so being attached to most Infantry brigades would not be out of line.
 
Of the other Houses the Combine and Mariks where indicating that they where planing fielding battalions by the mid 3060s in their field manuals.