Unit Organization in the Royal Dragoon Guards

The Royal Dragoon Guards is currently a battalion-sized formation, but the intention of the mysterious owners who founded the unit on Galatea in 3034 was to eventually field a full regiment.  To that end, they used a slight modification of the standard Inner Sphere unit organization chart as their theoretical model for what that Regiment would look like.  Below is the information on unit organization in the Royal Dragoon Guards.

The Squad

Infantry and Technical/Support teams in the RDG are organized into squads.  A squad consists of seven personnel.  In a combat squad, it is composed of two Fire Teams, with each fire team having three soldiers, plus a squad leader.  Squad leaders are most commonly Corporals or Sergeants with Fire Team Leaders almost universally Corporals or Privates First Class brevetted into the role.  A Pfc serving as a Fire Team Leader is sometimes called a “lance corporal” in deference to military tradition.

In an armor or BattleMech unit, each individual vehicle or BattleMech is considered a squad for purposes of unit organization.

The Lance/Platoon

The smallest unit most commonly deployed by itself is the Lance, also called a Platoon when referring to units not comprised of BattleMechs or Aerospace fighters.  A BattleMech lance or armor platoon consists of four ‘Mechs or armored vehicles.  An Aerospace lance consists of two fighters.  An infantry platoon consists of three squads in the Jump Infantry or four squads of foot, motorized or mechanized infantry for a total of 21 or 28 soldiers.

Lances are commanded by Leftenants, with a sergeant as NCOIC.  In many units it is not uncommon to see a Staff or Gunnery Sergeant serving as NCOIC of a Lance.

The Company

Companies consist three lances or platoons.  This makes for twelve BattleMechs or armored vehicles, or around 84 soldiers.  Companies are commanded by a Captain, with a First Sergeant serving as NCOIC.  Companies are the most commonly detached units, as a Lance is a bit small to be self-sufficient on most contracts.  BattleMech Companies are theoretically assiged a lance of Aerospace fighters as integral air support, but in practice this is not always the case.

A “company” of Aerospace or conventional fighters is called a Squadron, and consists of six aircraft.

The Battalion

A battalion in the RDG consists of three companies and a headquarters element.  In an all-BattleMech battalion, this would mean 36 BattleMechs making up the three companies, plus another 4 for the headquarters Lance, usually known as the Battalion Command Lance for a total of 40 BattleMechs.  A battalion is commanded by a Major or Leftenantn Colonel, with a Sergeant Major as NCOIC.

The Regiment

At it’s full theoretical strength, the Royal Dragoon Guards would be a regiment, consisting of three battalions and a headquarters lance.  The current strength outline authorized has the regiment formed of combined arms, with infantry, armor, BattleMechs and aerospace all represented.  The full regiment would be commanded by a Colonel, with a Regimental Sergeant Major as his NCO.