Fire-Team/Squad/Platoon Organization
It's just as it sounds.
I want to organize the best squad, fireteam, platoon group possible, for infantry and other similar fire-team squad organizations (such as plane squadrons, tanks, and various other vehicles).
Obviously, aerial bombing, artillery strikes, and long range pin-point surgical attacks and long range reconnaissance are the big "killers" in warfare. That, along with all kinds of poisons, environmental conditions, and disease, which have in many cases been purposely used to kill large quantities of people in the past.
Machine guns, grenades, and sniper rifles usually have some of the highest kill/causality rates out of infantry.
But, there are many ways to go about organizing infantry and basic attack units.
One of the most basic units is the fireteam. This can range from 3 units (as in police units), to some suggestions of even 6 units, although it generally ranges from 4-5 units.
The Army fire teams have historically been two groups of 4-5 man fireteams, one who provides covering fire, while another provides assaulting firepower. This is also what the Navy Seals do, generally, except the navy seal squad leader is generally incorporated into the fireteam as a unit, rather than it's own individual unit (8 +1 in army, 8 total in navy).
The Marines have been using three man groups of 4 man teams, with one leader, for 13 man squads, and recently they have added another member to the group for a total of 14 units, for things like MARSOC (special forces). The idea is that 3 is the smallest required number for a geometric attack pattern- I.E. you can make shapes. You can make L's, Triangles, surround your enemy, flank, ambush, etc., it's the smallest unit size required in order for you to be able to preform complex strategic and tactical maneuvers.
The Navy seals generally use two squads per platoon. Each squad works as covering fire group and an assaulting group, just as their fire team make-up serves as a covering unit and an assaulting one. Then, they usually have some kind of support unit per squad, such as a sniper team, and so generally it's 16 man squad + 2 to 4 units, or 1 to 2 sniper teams.
The Marines use a 3 man platoon- 13 + 13+ 13+ 1, in order to get a 40 man platoon. They work in the same manner as their three fireteam squad, except as a larger more cohesive unit.
There is also the "Fire an maneuver team", that involve one guy shooting, and one guy moving, as in the leap frog approach of fire for defense, then move, with units switching back and forward as to who is firing and who is moving.
There is also the idea of a two 5 man fire teams being a squad, or even a 6 man squad.
The Army special forces use a 4 + 4 + 4 team, with a team lead also serving as a fire-team lead.
Police officers generally use 3 groups of 3, and whatnot.
So anyways, what do you think that the best squad/Fire-team/platoon composition is or would be?
Any ideas?
