Standard Crossfire uses large bold Platoon and Company ID numbers on the top-rear the stand. After trying quite a few alternative systems – see my musings on Unit identification – I’ve ended up back with a system quite like the official method – big bold numbers on top-rear of the stand – but with the addition of the Battalion Code.
Introduction
I use four labelling systems: Battalion-Company-Platoon (B-C-P), the B-C-P variant for Infantry Anti-tank (IAT) weapons, FO, and Commissar.
Here are two quick examples of the main one, B-C-P:
T-2-1 = 2nd Tabor of Regulares of Tetuán, 2nd company, 1st Platoon
P-•-BC = Popular Army Battalion, Not attached to a specific company, Battalion Commander
After describing these systems, I’ll give lots of Examples.
B-C-P = Battalion, Company, Platoon
Most stands have a three part label of this format B-C-P. Where B is the Battalion, C the company and P the platoon. For example G-2-1 is a stand in the German Grenadier battalion, 2nd Company, 1st Platoon.
The Battalion Code is a letter A-Z. I have a system for Battalion Codes, but for a start “G” is “German Battalion”, “R” is “Russian Battalion”, and “A” is “Artillery”.
The Company Code is the rifle/SMG company within the battalion, so is 1, 2, 3, etc. If a stand can be allocated to any company in the battalion then the company code is a dot.
The Platoon code is the rifle/SMG platoon within the company, so is also numbered 1, 2, 3 etc. If a stand can be allocated to any platoon in the company then the platoon code is a dot.
Squads
Squads just follow the B-C-P pattern.
T-1-1 = 2nd Tabor of Regulares of Tetuán (Battalion Codes = T), All stands are 1st Company, 1st Platoon.
Commanders (BC, CC, PC)
PCs are labelled in the same way as the squads in their Platoon. The base size indicates they are a PC.
BC and CC both have the Battalion Code and the type of commander in the position of the Platoon code. For the Company Code the BC has a dot and the CC has the company number.
The examples are from the 2nd Tabor of Regulares of Tetuán (Battalion Codes = T):
Battalion Commander
Company Commander of the 2nd company
Platoon Commander of the 1st Platoon of the 1st Company
Company Level Assets
If a stand can be allocated to any platoon in the company then the platoon code is a dot .
The example is from the Spanish Civil War Popular Army. The dot in the platoon position indicates this stand can be attached to any platoon in the 1st Company, or left unattached.
Popular Army Battalion (Battalion Codes = “P”), 1st Company, HMG
Battalion Level Assets
Battalion level assets such as HMG in the Heavy Weapons Company have a can be allocated to any platoon and company in the battalion so both the company code and platoon code are a dot .
Republican HMG Platoon with PC
(You’ll notice in the photo I have a PC for my HMG unit. This is because in the Spanish Civil War HMG companies often operated independently.)
Infantry Anti-tank (IAT) weapons
Squads with Infantry Anti-tank (IAT) weapons are marked with a red dot · after the Platoon Code. For my WW2 units I mark one stand / platoon as having IAT in addition to their normal weapons. This scheme has the advantage that for particular games I can specify any of these possibilities:
- Marked squad has a Anti-tank rifle
- Marked squad has a panzerfaust/bazooka/piat
- Marked squad has a panzershreck and others have panzerfaust.
The example is a squad from my Russian Naval Infantry Battalion which is equipped with an anti-tank rifle. red dot indicates they have an infantry anti-tank weapon. Soviet orders of battle and/or the scenario say it is an anti-tank rifle.
Forward Observer (FO)
FOs are a bit different as you have to track the Fire Missions (FM) of each FO. For an FO and on-table gun use the gun size instead of the company. For example G-81-1 an FO in the German Grenadier Battalion, for 81mm mortar battery, FO number 1.
The first two examples are from my Russian Naval Infantry Battalion (Battalion Codes = “N”). The first is the FO for an the off-table 76mm field gun battery, number 1. The second is the FO for the off-table 82mm mortar battery, number 2.
N-76-1 = Russian Naval Infantry Battalion, off-table 76mm field gun, battery number 1
N-82-2 = Russian Naval Infantry Battalion, off-table 82mm mortar, battery number 2
I gave army level artillery for all nations and period the Battalion Code A so that the FO stand out and to distinguish them from FO embedded in battalions. These examples are from my Spanish Civil War collection. The first is the FO for the off-table 75mm field gun battery, number 1. The second is the FO for the off-table heavy artillery battery, number 3. Both stands can be used for either Republicans or Nationalists.
FO for the off-table 75mm field gun battery, number 1
FO for the off-table heavy artillery battery, number 3
I use non-standard bases for FOs. The shape of the base indicates an FO
On-table guns and mortars are labelled to match their FO.
PCs for on-table guns just have the battalion number and gun size, e.g. A-75 is the PC for an Army level 75mm ATG company.
Commissar
Commissars have Cm followed by the company number for example, Cm-2 is the Commissar for the 2nd Company. Cm-BC is the commissar attached to the Battalion Commander. I don’t give Commissars a battalion code so I can use them with any battalion.
Other Examples
P-1-CC Popular Army Battalion, 1st Company, Company Commander. Spanish Civil War
P-1-3 Popular Army Battalion, 1st Company, 3rd Platoon.
Both the PC (left) and Squad (right) have the same label.
P-1-Dot Popular Army Battalion, 1st Company, No Platoon.
This is the company level HMG stand in the 1st Company. The dot in the platoon position indicates this stand can be attached to any platoon in the 1st Company, or left unattached.
T-Dot-Dot 2nd Tabor of Regulares of Tetuán, No Company, No Platoon
This is a battalion level HMG stand. The dot in both the company and platoon position indicates this stand can be attached to any platoon in the battalion. You would use the same label for a battalion level SMG stand.
N-Dot-BC Russian Naval Infantry Battalion, Battalion Commander
P-2-3 Popular Army Battalion, 2nd Company, 3rd Platoon, Squad without IAT weapon because no red dot.
