RL resupply in CM-style engagements

[Machina]

I've been following the forum since the early days of CMBO, but mostly I've found my answers with the search button so I haven't needed to post anything (even saves time compared to waiting for answers ). However, here's something I've never quite found out:

Ammo shortage is a serious problem. Especially in the longer battles. My question is: How did the real world armies deal with this? What kind of time scale would you need to resupply forward squads/platoons/companies/battalions? Did individual companies carry extra ammo and dump it at the at the forming up point? How much extra supplies did the battalions carry with them? How close was the field train? How.. okay, I guess you get the picture.

[Michael Dorosh]

In the CW, ammunition was kept in an ammunition dump overseen by the Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, with ultimate responsibility being the Quartermaster's. The Regimental Sergeant Major also had the duty of getting ammo forward to the companies.

The companies each had a Company Quartermaster Sergeant, who also had a company ammo point. The Company Sergeant Major would assist with getting ammunition forward; his other duties were getting wounded and prisoners back, rations and water up.

Individual resupply was probably done by runners, though the CSM would likely endeavour to get ammo as far forward as possible in his carrier, or using locally procured transport in rough terrain (mules in Italy, for example).

The battalion was divided into F Echelon, A Echelon and B Echelon (this was the "field train", as you refer to it and which I think was the German term).

"F" (for "fighting") Echelon consisted of the rifle companies and support companies, and were located in the front line. As well, fighting transport and supplies, along with battalion headquarters, were considered part of "F" Echelon.

"A" Echelon was located three to five miles behind "F" echelon and held quartermaster stores, repair equipment, spare transport and supplies, the rear battalion HQ (where records were kept; the paymaster was also located here). "A" echelon was under brigade control.

"B" Echelon, under divisional control, held the Headquarters Company headquarters, dental staff, personnel Left Out of Battle (LOB - see below), and was where kit was stored.

[JasonC]

We use ammo much more rapidly in CM than they did in the real deal. A typical basic load might last men days in moderate combat. In heavy fighting, ammo resupply by runner might be necessary for the hardest fighting units in a few hours, but not in 20-30 minutes. This is largely a function of the abstractions involved in "% exposure" as a way of modeling the effect of cover on firepower. Its main effect was not to "catch" bullets thrown before they reached the target, but to prevent shots from being fired in the first place. I've suggested in the past, as a tweak in the correct direction (but arugably, smaller than needed), that ammo expenditure be probabilistic, going like the square root of the target's % exposed.

[Michael Dorosh]

Most infantry units redistributed ammo amongst the squad also - in the CW, everyone carried Bren Gun magazines, for example, the Germans shared out the MG ammo in the form of linked belts or even boxes - using the same calibre rifle ammo meant that you could refill rifles/MGs using each other's ammo.

SMGs in most first line (not SMG) squads were not really an issue as the squad leader was often the only one to have one, and he was busy directing the squad and not using his .45 or 9mm pistol ammo.