NQM Orders of Battle - Eastern Front : Soviet 3

Soviet Cavalry Division

Div HQ & Sig Sqn	1 Commander (in Gaz Jeep, on foot or horse), 1 Signals Staff Car (S3)
Div Tank Sqn	1 Light Tk (T40) or A/C (S1-2)
Cav Regt  HQ x 3	RHQ:Comd, MMG,  NKVD (all stands@Strength 3), 45mm + limber (S 2-3)
Cav Sqn x up to 15	5 Rifle Stands ( up to 2 may be SMG) (all stands @Strength 2 or 3)
Horse Arty Bn	BHQ comd, up to 3 FOO(S 1-3), 2 76mm Div gun + limber, 120mm Morter + limber (all stands S 3-4)
Arty Ammo Column	1-2 trucks or limbers (all stands S3-4)
Arty Regt	RHQ comd, up to 2 FOO(S 1- 3), 1 76mm Div gun + limber, 122mm Howitzer + limber (all stands S3-4)
Anti- Tank Bn	3 45mm Guns(S 2- 3), 3 Limbers, 1 Anti-tank Rifle (ATR) stand (S 2- 3)
Pioneer Bn	2 Pioneer Stands (S2-3), 1-2 Wagons with  optional Bridging Trailer

Note that the Soviet Cav Div would have no FOOs, early in the war, so can
only pre-plan indirect artillery fire, or use direct artillery fire. As the War
progressed FOOs were introduced in greater quantity.   

Here the Div Comd is in a Rolls Royce, and the Div Tk Sqn only has an armoured car.
The Div Arty is made up from an assortment of older field pieces.

In 1939 the establishment of the Division was 4 Regiments each of
 5 Squadrons, (Total 20) and a Mechanized Regiment of a Tank Bn
and two Motor Rifle Bns. Supporting arms comprised a Horse Arty
Regt, Atk Bty, AA Sqn and Pioneer Sqn. Out of a possible 100 cavalry
sabre stands, My Division currently has 23

There are only Four Regiments in this picture. One has a Tachanka , but is short
of Sabre Squadrons. Two are more or less at full strength, and one is down to three
Squadrons 

The cavalry briefly benefited from the need to absorb mechanized troops after the destruction of mechanized corps as an effective fighting force in the early stage of
the war. Later it lost these forces as the mechanized forces were rebuilt.

The Divisional Pioneers, Artillery Ammunition Column and Divisional Anti-Tank 
Bn are all shown here. The first two troop stands from the left are Pioneers. Our Division
depicted here only has two 45mm Gun Companies and an Anti-Tank Rifle Company.

By 1941 the Orbat had been reduced to the one shown at the top of the page.
15 Sqns of 5 stands = 75 Stands (I still have only 23)
The exigencies of war would mean that very few units would exactly match
their Order of Battle. Combat would quickly reduce the strength of the
fighting companies down. We typically fight battles with units at 2/3 to
1/2 their authorized combat strength, so the pictures above represents the
norm rather than an exception. Units in contact with the enemy would also
add captured equipment (especially logistic equipment ) to their inventory.
The Pictures above show how reinforcements progress from Raw (just
undercoated), through various stages of being half-painted, to finished
(Veteran) troops. With enough troops on the table and a bad squint, I just
about get away with it!