Steel Panthers-Soviet Light Independant Brigades

Background

From the start of hostilities on 22 June 1941, the Red Army had undergone stark changes in its composition and its look. For example, so many senior commanders were murdered by the communists in the 1930s, that when the Germans invaded, the Red Army found it did not have enough competent corps commanders to continue with the organization, and the corps structure containing divisions was scrapped for the time being. Corps were eventually resurrected in 1943 in some armies but never became in widespread use.

The Red Army and other Soviet ground forces already had in some organizations light rifle brigades, notably the Naval Infantry, but there were others, organized specifically as a brigade. The first shock armies formed in 1941, were composed of solely light rifle and naval infantry brigades. The 1st Shock was one such unit, 10 independent brigades formed the core of its maneuver strength, but the distinction for the 1st Shock Army was the amount of additional artillery that went with it. This writer doesn't have any figures for the artillery composition for the Shock armies because there was no formal organization. However, the independent rifle brigades were responsible for a large amount of the additional artillery strength of shock armies

The Red Army followed the tradition of the Czarist army. In organizations formed with the marker of battalion, regiment or brigade, a Russian commander can look upon that unit and be assured that this unit has the same basic combat value of any other unit of that size. The purpose of this doctrine is simple: that any commander can take control of any unit and plan that its strength will be that of a brigade.

Reforms

The Red Army's transformation during the summer of 1941 led to some specific reforms as they relate to organization with respect to brigades.

The first reform was removing general support artillery from most line rifle divisions and concentrating those assets at the army front level, leaving divisions with only battalion commanders and a few specialists, such as observers for fire support, with the divisions. The move weakened rifle divisions considerably, but it also kept the artillery assets in the field from falling into enemy hands, and enabled planners at the top additional tools to deal with developments on the defense.

The second was the disbanding of all tank divisions, and reforming them into brigades. This move would eventually lead to the formation of tank and mechanized corps, as well as tank armies. The core of the organization of brigades came with this move.

The third was taking independent Red Army brigades, including NKVD and other political units and forming them into the first Guards divisions. But not all brigades went this route. Those that did not stay with the shock armies were transferred to army and front level units as strategic reserves.

Composition and Uses

The independent light rifle brigade was the only unit of its type used as strategic assets in World War Two. While German corps along with every other army, kept battalions of armor and artillery as general headquarters assets, only the Red Army kept independent light rifle brigades at the disposal of the staffs of armies and fronts.

Not much literature exists concerning these units, since being light rifles they were more or less expendable, even though rifle brigades were most likely of all rifle units to survive an offensive. What extant literature does suggest is that these rifle units were used for four basic purposes.

1. Holding an area for more mobile units in preparation for an offensive.
2. Reinforcing an attack in progress.
3. Screening a line during an advance by more mobile forces.
4. Penetrating an enemy rear area, especially in close country, during breakthrough operations.

Literature suggests that the organization of Soviet light rifle brigades closely mirrored the motorized brigades which were attached to tank and mechanized corps, the only difference being that independent brigades relied upon horse transport for crew-served weapons and supply, while mobile brigades relied on motorized transport.

Brigades were similar to regiments in rifle divisions in most respects except that brigades each had at least an addition mortar battalion of 82mm and 120mm mortars (approximately 16 tubes total), and a regiment of light artillery (about 16 tubes of 76.2mm light guns) attached as part of their organization. The battalions were nearly identical to those held in regiments of line divisions. The brigade headquarters had additional recon, engineer, anti-tank (45mm mostly), and ATR (the 14.5mm infantry anti tank rifle squads) support attached. By contrast most regiments only had a mortar battery and some AT and ATR support in addition to mortars carried by battalions.

The factor that made Red Army light rifle brigades was of course the headquarters. A brigade has a larger staff and a more efficient support mechanism, and like most army brigades, was expected to be able to fight, maneuver and re-supply itself as a division, if need be.

Using the Rifle Brigade in SP3

In order to use the units properly, SP3 players must increase infantry toughness to 160 and command must be turned off if they are to be used on the offensive. If the German player objects suggesting widening the training gap in favor of the German player may be sufficient compensation. The command rules for SP3 with regard to Soviet light rifles advancing basically mean that the Soviet side can't advance their infantry at all. Turning off the command realism setting fixes this problem.

In a pitched battle with armor dominating, rifle brigades should not be used in advances at all except to screen the armor from counter attacks.. German armor and artillery will chew them up and spit them out.

Remember to drag those light and medium mortars along too. You can hold your 76mm artillery back since it does have the range. Since SP3 does not have horses to tow mortars and light artillery, trucks will have to do.

Notes: Data for this article is available from a variety of books in the author's possession and from notes take from other sources. Some can be found in US Army technical libraries.

By Chris Covert