Crossfire Order of Battle for the Portuguese Colonial War

These are the orders of battle for Fogo Cruzado my Crossfire variant of for the Portuguese Colonial War of the 1960s and 1970s. They are based on the historical orders of battle. As Fogo Cruzado is more or less 1:1 scale the basic stand is a Fire Team rather than a Squad. Similarly heavier weapons such as Medium Machine Guns (MMG) are individual weapons rather than sections of 2 or 3.


Portuguese

All Portuguese, whether metropolitan or born in Africa, are Reckless like WW2 Russians and Japanese. Even the conscripts liked to close. This includes mixed Portuguese / African units (Caçadores) and the elite African units raised by the Portuguese (African Commandos, GEP). Other African units were relatively less willing to venture into close combat.

Light Infantry (Caçadores)

The Caçadores were the main stay of the Portuguese army during the war. The quality varied quite a lot, largely due to the dedication of the officers. Some Caçadore officer created very efficient fighting units and others were just waiting for the end of their tour without venturing from their assigned posts.

Light Infantry (Caçadores) Company

  • 1 x Company Command Team (+1)
  • 4 x Combat Groups
    • 1 x Combat Group Command Team (+1)
    • 1 x Combat Group Support Section
      • 0 or 1 x Bazooka Team
      • 0 or 1 x MMG Team
      • 0 or 1 x 60mm Mortar Team
      • 0 or 1 x 57mm Recoilless Rifle often mounted on a truck
    • 3 x Sections
      • 1 x Battle Rifle Team
      • 1 x Battle Rifle + LMG Team
  • Morale: Green or Regular
  • Command and Control: Poor or OK
  • Reckless

Special Groups (Grupos Especiais or GE)

The Special Groups (Grupos Especiais or GE) were black para-military units. I assume, given they were used in combat more often than the Caçadores, that they were a better quality.

Special Groups (Grupos Especiais or GE)

  • 1 x Special Group Command Team (+1)
  • 3 x Sections
    • 1 x Battle Rifle Team
    • 1 x Battle Rifle + LMG Team
  • Morale: Regular
  • Command and Control: OK

Intervention units (unidades de intervenção)

This order of battle covers the:

  • Commandos (Comandos),
  • Paratroops (Pára-quedistas),
  • Special Paratrooper Groups (Grupos Especiais Pára-quedistas or GEP) and
  • Special Marine Detachments (Destacamentos de Fuzileiros Especiais or DFE)

All of them had a similar order of battle. For the first three this structure facilitated insertion by helicopter. The presence or absence of the back up team with RPG indicates whether Commando unit was from a “heavy” or “light” company; I don’t think other intervention units had this team. Commandos on ground patrol carried a lot of supporting arms (mortars and bazookas) and I suspect the others did as well. My one reservation are the GEP; being a paramilitary units they may have had less/inferior equipment.

Intervention unit (unidade de intervenção)

  • 1 x Command Team (+2)
  • 3 x Battle Rifle + LMG Teams
  • 0 – 1 x Back up Team1,2
    • 1 x Commander (+1)
    • 2 x RPG Teams
  • 0 – 3 x On-table 60mm Mortar team2
  • 0 – 5 x Alouette III (“Cannibal”) Helicopters3
  • 0 – 1 x Alouette III (“Wicked Wolf”) Gunship4
  • Morale: Veteran
  • Command and Control: Good
  • Reckless

Notes:
(1) available to Heli-bourne Heavy Company but not the Heli-bourne Light Companies.
(2) available when on patrol; commandos on patrol carried a lot of support weapons, both bazookas and mortars.
(3) one “Cannibal” troop carrier for each of the Command Team, the Battle Rifle + LMG Teams, and the Back up Team. But not for the mortar teams.
(4) the “Wicked Wolf” is only available if the troop carriers are present.


Insurgent

PAIGC Bi-group

The PAIGC were organised into Bi-groups – literally two groups and effectively a reinforced platoon.

PAIGC Bi-group

  • 1 x Bi-group Commander
  • 1 x Political Commissar
  • 2 x Groups
    • 1 x Group Commander
    • 2-4 x Teams chosen from any combination of:
      • Assault Rifle + LMG Team
      • Assault Rifle + RPG Team
      • Assault Rifle Team
      • SMG Team
      • Bolt Action Rifle Team
  • Morale: Regular
  • Command and Control: OK

UNITA

UNITA had a good reputation but were poorly equipped.

UNITA Platoon

  • 1 x Platoon Commander (+1)
  • 1 x Platoon 2-in-C Commander (+1)
  • 3 x Sections
    • 2 x Bolt Action Rifle Teams
  • Morale: Regular
  • Command and Control: OK

Poorly armed UPA followers in 1961

The UPA followers in 1961 were superstitious, poorly armed and poorly trained.

1961 UPA Insurgent Group

  • 1 x Group Commander (0)
  • 4 x Machete Gang
  • 2 – 4 x Teams chosen from any combination of:
    • Bolt Action Rifle Team
    • Bow Gang
    • Machete Gang
  • Morale: Green
  • Command and Control: Poor
  • Untrained
  • Looter
  • Reckless

Other Insurgents

Includes MPLA, FRELIMO, UPA / FNLA / GRAE and early period PAIGC.

Insurgent Group

  • 1 x Group Commander (0)
  • 0 or 1 x Political Commissar (appropriate for FRELIMO, MPLA and PAIGC) or Group 2-in-C Commander (0)
  • 3 x Sections
    • 2 x Teams chosen from any combination of:
      • Assault Rifle + LMG Team
      • Assault Rifle + RPG Team
      • Assault Rifle Team
      • SMG Team
      • Bolt Action Rifle Team
      • Bow Gang
      • Machete Gang
  • Morale: Usually Green sometimes Regular
  • Command and Control: Poor
  • Most insurgents have these special characteristics:
    • Untrained
    • Looter
  • Some insurgents would have these special characteristics:
    • Technology Gap – for any heavy support weapons
    • Timid – most appropriate for Green troops from the FNLA or MPLA
    • Reckless – for superstitious types such as the poorly armed UPA followers in 1961

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