This will be the first of many articles on the history of the campaign and design notes for Drop Zone: Southern France. We will begin with a discussion of the organization of the Allied and German armies in August 1944, beginning with the infantry from squad level moving up to battalion level.

Squad

The basic building block of all the infantry units in this campaign was the rifle squad, section or gruppe.

US Parachute Rifle Squad: authorized 12 personnel.

1× Squad Leader, Staff Sergeant, armed with a M1 Garand Rifle
1× Assistant Squad Leader/Demolitions NCO, Sergeant, armed with a Thompson sub-machinegun (SMG) usually, or M1 Rifle 
1× Machine Gunner, Private, armed with an M1919A6 light machine gun (LMG) and an M1A1 paratrooper Carbine (folding stock)
1× Assistant Machine Gunner, Private, armed with an M1A1 Carbine
1× Ammunition Bearer, Private, armed with an M1 Rifle
1× Automatic Rifleman, Private, armed with an M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)
1× Grenadier, Private, armed with an M1 Rifle and M7 grenade launcher
5× Riflemen, Privates, armed with M1 Rifles

British Army Parachute Infantry Section: authorized 10 personnel.

1× Section Commander, a Sergeant, armed with a Sten Mk. V SMG
Rifle Group
1× Section Second-in-Command, ​Corporal, armed with a Sten Mk. V SMG
5× Riflemen, Privates, armed with No. 4 Mk. I rifles
Gun Group
1× Bren No. 1, Private, armed with a Bren Mk. 3 LMG and a M1911A1 pistol
1× Mortarman, Private, armed with one Ordnance SBML 2-inch mortar and a Sten Mk. V SMG
1× Sniper, Private, armed with a No. 4 Mk. I(T) sniper rifle

German Grenadier Squad (Grenadiergruppe): authorized 9 personnel.

1x Group Leader, Gruppenfuhrer, armed with a MP 40 submachinegun
Rifle Group
1× Deputy Group Leader, Stellvertreter Gruppenfuhrer, armed with a MP 40 submachinegun
1× Riflemen, Grenadier, armed with a Gewehr 43 automatic rifle
4× Riflemen, Grenadiers, armed with a Karabiner 98K rifles and panzerfausts
Gun Group
1× Machine Gunner, MG-Schutze, ​a Corporal (OR-4), armed with a MG 42 (or MG 34) LMG and a Luger P08 or Walther P38 pistol
1× Assistant Machine Gunner, Assistenz-MG-Schutze, armed with a pistol

One can see that all these squad configurations were very similar—including a leader, a deputy, a two or three-man light machinegun team and five to seven riflemen. Only the British integrated a light mortar into their rifle squad, while the Americans could use a rifle grenade with the M1. The weapons carried were for the most part comparable in effectiveness, however the American M1 Garand was the superior rifle while the German MG 42 machinegun was the best automatic weapon.

Platoon

A group of two to three rifle squads, and sometimes a weapons squad, formed a rifle platoon. I found it interesting that the structure of infantry platoons and companies had changed very little from World War II to the 1980s, when I led a rifle platoon in Berlin and commanded a rifle company in Korea.

US Parachute Rifle Platoon: authorized 36 personnel.

1× 6-man Platoon Headquarters (HQ), a Lieutenant commander; armed with one M1 2.36” Bazooka and one M1903A4 or M1C sniper rifle
2× 12-man Rifle Squads, armed with one M1919A6 LMG (each)
1× 6-man Mortar Squad, armed with a 60mm M2 Mortar

British Parachute Rifle Platoon: authorized 34 personnel.

1× 4-man Platoon HQ, a Lieutenant commander; armed with one Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank Mk. 1 (PIAT)
3× 10-man Sections, armed with one Bren LMG, one 2-inch mortar and one sniper rifle (each)

German Grenadier Platoon (Grenadierzug): authorized 33 personnel.

1× 6-man Platoon HQ, Lieutenant (Leutnant) or Platoon Sergeant (Feldwebel) commander
3× 9-man Rifle Squads, armed with one MG 42 LMG and 4x Panzerfaust (each)

Again, all these platoon configurations were very similar, 33 to 36 personnel—including a leader, small HQ section, and three squads. The only noticeable differences were that the Americans had only two rifle squads, and the Germans had more SMGs but no light mortars. The reinforced rifle platoon is the core of an infantry strength point, or step, but we will hold off on describing it in detail until the attached heavy weapons from company and battalion are examined.

Company

A group of three rifle platoons, and sometimes a weapons squad, formed a rifle company.

US Parachute Rifle Company: authorized 130 personnel.

1x 22-man Company HQ, a Captain, Lieutenant, and 20 enlisted armed with 1x bazooka
3x 36-man Rifle Platoons, armed with 2x LMGs, 1x 60mm mortar and 1x bazooka (each)

British Parachute Rifle Company: authorized 117 personnel.

1× 15-man Company HQ, a Major, a Captain and 33 enlisted
3× 34-man Platoons, armed with 3x Bren Mk. 3 LMGs, 3x 2-inch mortars and 1x PIAT (each)

German Grenadier Company (Grenadierkompanie): authorized 142 personnel.

1× 25-man Company HQ, a Captain (Hauptman): includes HQ and Trains.
1× 18-man Machinegun Squad, armed with 2x MG 42 MMG  3× 34-man Rifle Platoons, armed with 3x MG 42 LMG (each)  

Again, all these company configurations were very similar, with 117 to 142 personnel—including a leader, small HQ section, and three platoons. The only significant differences were that the Germans added a heavy machine squad to the company and had slightly more authorized manpower, but did not have any organic light mortars at this level. The German MG 42 was considered a LMG when used with its bipod, but a MMG when mounted on a tripod. Similarly, the US .30 cal M1919A6 LMG and M1919A4 MMG had the same difference. I have reserved the term heavy machinegun (HMG) for the M2 .50 cal MG and similar weapons. Although Drop Zone: Southern France is a company-level game, what the game’s blocks represent cannot be discussed without first considering what additional heavy weapons and manpower were routinely provided by battalion level support units.

Battalion

A group of three rifle companies, and an HHC, support or heavy weapons company, formed an infantry battalion. There are five US and three British parachute infantry battalions, and five German grenadier battalions (each of three companies) in Drop Zone: Southern France, accounting for the preponderance of units. The US Glider Infantry and German Reconnaissance Battalions have been added below, as these are the only other types of battalions in the game.

US Parachute Infantry Battalion: authorized 583 personnel.

1x 193-man Battalion HQ and HQ Company (HHC) which included:
            -1x HQ, a Lieutenant Colonel commander
            -1x HQ Company: including Mess, Supply and Signal sections with 3x bazookas
                        -1x Mortar Platoon armed with 4x 81mm mortars and 3x bazookas
                        -1x Machinegun Platoon armed with 8x .30 Cal M1919A4 MMG and 3x bazookas  
3x 130-man Rifle Companies, armed with 6x LMGs, 3x 60mm mortar and 4x bazookas (each)

US Glider Infantry Battalion: authorized 643 personnel.

1x 178-man Battalion HQ and HQ Company (HHC) which included:
            -1x HQ, a Lieutenant Colonel commander
            -1x HQ Company including Command, Mess, Supply and Signal sections
                        -1x 42-man Mortar Platoon armed with 6x 81mm mortars, 3x bazookas with jeeps
                        -1x 44-man Machinegun Platoon armed with 4x MMG with jeeps  
3x 155-man Rifle Companies, armed with 2x LMGs, 4x 60mm mortar and 12x bazookas (each)

British Parachute Infantry Battalion: authorized 613 personnel.

1× 262-man HQ/Support Company  
           -1× HQ: a Major commander
            -1x Support Company
                        -1x -man Machinegun Platoon armed with 4x Vickers MMG
                        -1x -man Mortar Platoon armed with 4x 3-inch mortars
                        -1x -man Anti-Tank Platoon armed with 10x PIATs
3× 117-man Companies, armed with 9x Bren Mk. 3 LMGs, 9x 2-inch mortars, 3 PIATs (each)  

German Grenadier Battalion (Grenadierbattalion): authorized 708 personnel.

1× 77-man Battalion HQ, a Major commander, including HQ, Communications and Trains
1× 205-man Heavy Weapons Company
            -1× Machinegun Platoon, armed with 6x MG 42 MMG
            -1× Mortar Platoon, armed with 6x 8-cm Mortars   
            -1× Heavy Mortar Platoon, armed with 4x 12-cm Heavy Mortars   
            -1× HQ and Trains, with 51 horses
3× 142-man Grenadier Companies, armed with 9x MG 42 LMG and 2x MMG (each)     

German Reconnaissance Battalion (Aufklärungs-Abteilung): authorized 600 personnel.

1× 90-man Battalion HQ, a Major commander, including HQ, Communications and Trains
1× 150-man Heavy Weapons Troop
            -1× Armored Car Platoon, armed with 3x Sd.Kfz 222 Armored Cars  
            -1× Machinegun Platoon, armed with 5x MG 42 LMG and 4 MMG  
            -1× Mortar Platoon, armed with 6x 8-cm Mortars   
            -1× Anti-Tank Platoon, armed with 3x 7.5-cm AT Guns and 3x 2-cm AA/AT Guns  
            -1× Infantry Howitzer Platoon, armed with 2x 7.5-cm Infantry Howitzers  
            -1× HQ and Trains
2× 180-man Bicycle Reconnaissance Troops, armed with 9x MG 42 LMG & 2 MMG and
            -4x 50-cm mortars (each)    

All these Infantry Battalion configurations were very similar, with about 600 to 700 personnel—including a HQ, three rifle companies and an HHC/support/heavy weapons company with heavier machineguns and mortars. The German Reconnaissance Battalion had a unique structure, with two large troops and more heavy weapons.

*On hand personnel strength reflects the pre-invasion plus-up of US airborne units (up to 105%) and shortfalls in German manning assessed by allied intelligence (down to 80% for the 148^th Division, 85% for the 242^nd and 244^th Divisions).

Before we continue and take a look at Regiment, Brigade and Division structure, let’s now consider exactly what a company block and a step represent in Drop Zone: Southern France. The allied paratrooper units fighting on D-day were initially ad hoc in structure. Units coalesced around key small unit leaders—a Lieutenant platoon leader or Captain commanding a company might have been leading as few as a dozen men from his own unit, collecting additional personnel from other companies and even battalions that had scattered his way, not to mention engineers and artillery crews. We will drop the 5% plus-up here, as more than that number were scattered in the jump and did not re-join their companies in the first two days. By the end of D-ay or early on D+1 most of the units had sorted themselves out to some degree. This is what the official organization would have looked like, bearing in mind the actual groups were extremely varied.

At full strength, a US parachute company looks like this:

Playtest image of three US parachute rifle companies.

We will begin with the German units, which more closely followed their authorized structure. Each German grenadier company block has three steps. Each step is based on a platoon, with additional manpower and heavy weapons from company and battalion level. We will apply an 80% on-hand personnel strength, as assessed by Allied intelligence.

At full strength, a grenadier company included the following:

Playtest image of three German grenadier companies.

Infantry Battalions in Drop Zone: Southern France are represented by their three maneuver companies. The Battalion HQ and support/weapons company personnel and weapons are considered to be integrated into the maneuver companies.

Here are playtest samples of the US 3^rd Battalion, 517^th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the III Battalion, 932^nd Grenadier Regiment.

In the next section, we will cover the allied and German organization at the Regiment and Brigade levels.

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