British Army 70th Div Stock OB issues

[el cid again]

FYI

This is a problem in RHS and probably virtually every mod -
at least if the mod uses stock OB data.

The British Army 70th Division is shown in slot 6496 - which is fine by itself.

However, it should point at formation 2840, and it does not. Its slot order
and squad count should be the same as 2840, and it is not. Its slot order
should be compatible with its component units, and it is not.

This unit is composed of the 14th, 16th and 23rd brigades in slots 6718 to 6720.
They ARE present but to NOT point at 6496 as parent - which they should. That means
the division is duplicated. IF they are repointed at the parent, the slot order MUST
be the same - or the parent formation squad counts will be wrong if they combine.

There is another element as well. Slot 6745 is shown as a recon regiment and it is
properly part of the division. It also does not point at formation 6496, and its slot
order is not completely compatible either. I suggest renaming this the 70th Division
Support Brigade and putting in it all the squads missing (or at least many of them)
not in any of the four sub units at present.

Final issue, the formation 2840 is not quite right in squad counts. In some cases
the sub units have too many squads for the formation. In others too few - which might
be OK. Use your own judgement but check every slot.

[Terminus]

That's not how the OOB works. The division never fought as a single unit, and the brigades are not fragments of it. This is not an "error" in the game.

[Andy Mac]

70th Div is on map as 4 units DELIBERATELY - you can disagree with the logic but it correctly placed as per my intention.

70th Div HQ, Engineers and Arty in one counter (which withdraws to the pool as the units were used to bolster the expansion of the Indian Army or arrive as independent regiments later in the war)

14th, 23rd and 16th Bdes as independent units because they have different TOE conversions which you cannot do if the division as a whole is able to recombine.

i.e. specifically one Bde is set to be Para capable to reflect the air landing ability of the Chindits the other 2 are not because having a full Para capable Div would be a misrepresentation of the allied capability in this period but a Bdes is probably a fair reflection.

This was the best compromise available as we did not have an air mobile but not para option and you cannot have different Bdes of a combinable division having different TOE upgrades.

Andy

[JeffroK]

A sad (IMHO) misuse of a fine Infantry Division.

It began life on 3rd November 1939 by the redesignation of 7th Infantry Division which was the Regular Garrison of Palestine.
When the Divisional HQ was redesignated as HQ Western Desert Force the Division ceased to exist and the Brigades were spread around, providing a garrison for Crete and providing garrisons for Palestine & Egypt.

On 17 February 1941 the Division was reformed in Egypt and served in Syria & Egypt before being shipped to Tobruk in October 1941 to provide relief for the 9th Australian Division.

After heavy fight in the breakout from Tobruk during the Crusader Offensive the Division was sent back to Egypt and Syria before shipping out to India on 28 February 1942.

On 6 September 1943 the Division was relieved from its Garrison role which included time on Ceylon and began reorganizing for its Long Range Penetration Role and being handed over to Special Forces (3rd Indian Division) control on 25 October 1943.

(Mostly from Orders of Battle WW2 by H F Joslen)