WWII
Russian Tank Division
Aug'40-Aug'41

Eastern Europe

List R12

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth

    Light Tank Battalion
      Tank is:(d8):
        1: BT-5 M33
        2-3: BT-7-2 M37
        4: BT-7M M39
        5: T-26B M33
        6-7: T-26S M37
        8: T-26E

      Bttn HQ: 2x Tanks
      4 Companies@

        CHQ: 2x Tanks
        4 platoons@ 3 Tanks

      1 Support Platoon: 3x OP-7A (if any BT fielded) or 3x BT-7A (if BT-7-2) or 3x T-134 (if T-26S) or OT-133 M37 (if T-26S or E) or 3x OT-130 M33 (if T26B)

    Motor Rifle Battalion

      Bttn HQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      3 Companies@
        CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
        3 platoons@ 3 rifle sqds, 2 LMG, 3 trucks
        1 platoon: 2x MMG, 2 LMG teams, 3x 50mm, 3 trucks

      1 Support Company:
        CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
        1 platoon: 4 or 6x 45mm M37 A/T guns, truck or Komsomlet tows
        3 platoons@ 4 MMG, 2 trucks
        1 battery: 6x 82mm mortars, 6 trucks, radio truck

    Divisional Recce Battalion

      Bttn HQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      1 Recce Platoon: 2 rifle sqds, 12 LMG, 21 M/C Combos
      1 Tank Company:
        CHQ: 2x T-38 or T-40
        3 platoons@ 3x T-38 or T-40

      1 Armoured Car Company:
        CHQ: 1x Ba-10 or Ba-20 or Ba-32
        3 platoons@ 3x AFV as in CHQ

2. Brigade Support

    Light Tank Brigade (or Regiment)
      HQ: 3x tanks as in battalion

      Motor Rifle Brigade

        HQ: 2 rifle sqds, 2 LMG, 2 trucks with up to:
          1 Gun Battery: 6x 76mmL16 M27, 6 trucks, Obsolete FC
          1 Armoured Car Company:
            CHQ: 1-3x Ba-10 or Ba-20 or Ba-32
            3 platoons@ 2-4x AFV as in CHQ

3. Divisional Support

Up to:

    0-6 Medium Tank Companies@
      CHQ: 2x T-34/76A (March 1941+)
      2-4 platoons@ 3x T-34/76A

    0-6 Heavy Tank Companies@

      CHQ: 1x KV-1 M39 or M40 or M41
      2 platoons@ 3x KV-1
      1 platoon: 3x KV-1 or KV-2A or B

    1 AA Regiment: 3 batteries@ 6x 37mm M39, 6 trucks OR 4x ZIS-5 (Quad MMG on truck)

    3 Engineer Companies@

      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      3 platoons@ 3 rifle/engineer sqds, 0-1 flamegun, 3 trucks
    2 Artillery Battalions@
      BHQ: 6 rifle sqds, 4 lorries, radio van
      2 batteries@ 6x 122mm M38, 6 lorries or STZ-5 tractors
    2 Artillery Battalions@
      BHQ: 6 rifle sqds, 4 lorries, radio van
      2 batteries@ 6x 76mm M36, 6 trucks or T-26T tractors
    1 Artillery Battalion:
      BHQ: 8 rifle sqds, 1 radio van, 6 lorries
      2 batteries@ 6x 152mmL24 M38, 6x Komintern tractors

4. Mechanised Corps Support

Up to:

    3 Flights@ 4x U-2 (Po-2) scout planes

    3 Pioneer Companies@

      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      3 platoons@ 3 rifle/pioneer sqds, 3 trucks

    3 Motorcycle Companies@

      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 2 LMG, M/C Combos
      3 platoons@ 3 rifle sqds, 5 LMG, M/C Combos

5. Notes

    a) Radios are in Bttn HQs and BT-7A, possibly in CHQs. Radio equipped BT-5 and T-26B have frame aerials and must be pointed out if requested. Artillery is Assigned or Obsolete FC.
    b) Infantry have RPG-1940 A/T grenades, and in 1941 can add 1 PTRD41 per platoon.
    c) The division has 1-3 Tank Regiments each of 2-4 Light Tank Battalions and 1 Motor Rifle battalion. Most divisions were understrength, as 50% of divisions have a Motor Rifle Brigade of 3 Motor Rifle battalions. 20% of divisions have the Recce Battalion. 40% of divisions have the divisional artillery.
    d) The division is also supposed to have 2 Medium Tank battalions and 2 Heavy Tank Battalions each of 3 companies. In practice they were split up if present, hence they are included as divisional support rather than teeth arm.
    e) Some divisions were also independent, 2 in the Far East lasting until 1946. Most Tank Divisions belonged to reformed Mechanised Corps, at 2 per corps plus one Motorised Division (List R13). These Corps were disbanded from August 1941.
    f) Note in service date of: KV-1A M40 (Mar'41); KV-2B(mid'41); KV-1B M41(mid'41); T-134(May'41); T-40(Mar'41);


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© Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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