Stalwart Veteran Guard Sergeant
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I recently started picking at the organization of my main Guard army- an airborne infantry regiment. I wanted to have a better idea of its exact size and structure. I ended up falling down a... bit of a rabbit hole. So, here's an absurdly detailed treatise on the organization of the Navy tactical wing attached to the regiment. I figured somebody might find it interesting or could use it as the basis for their own army structure.
The structure is based partially on the TO&E of the Elysian 23rd Drop Troops found in the Imperial Armour: Taros Campaign book, partially on Lexicanum sources for Imperial Navy ranks, and partially on a squint-and-maybe-it-works analogy of how a WW2 British rifle company could fit into a Vietnam-era US air cavalry division. I really wish there was a better source for organization within the Aeronautica Imperialis- the information on pilot/co-pilot ranks and the organization of vehicles into flight/squadron/wing is all my doing.
153rd Navy Tactical Wing
The 153rd Imperial Navy Tactical Wing, Ultima Segmentum, is permanently attached to the 18th Ricochet “Crashlanders” airborne infantry regiment. The wing provides the regiment with the transportation and firepower necessary for its primary role as an air cavalry and assault regiment. It also allows the regiment to participate in drop troop, planetfall, mobile reconnaissance, and fire support missions as required by the strategic situation.
Owing to the ancient separation of powers between the Guard and Navy, the wing is managed independently from the regiment. Its commanding officer is a captain of coequal authority with the Guard colonel, and its men and material technically serve only at the discretion of the Navy. In practice, the wing command focuses on logistics, training, and tactical advisement, allowing the regiment broad discretion in day-to-day operations and use of Naval assets.
The wing’s HQ section is managed by the wing’s 2iC, as the captain is often busy advising regimental staff. Below the commander are six first lieutenants, each responsible for one of the wing’s component squadrons. Each squadron lieutenant is assisted by two second lieutenants who manage tactical and logistics concerns. Below them are a number of sub-lieutenants who serve as liaisons between the wing, the regiment, and the greater Navy. These sub-lieutenants organize fighter escort, aerial or orbital strikes, and temporary detachments of additional transports for the regiment. They are often seen in the field at the company level and above, serving as Officers of the Fleet for targeted fire missions. The HQ staff is fleshed out by the wing’s master chief petty officer and a staff of enlisted aides.
The bulk of the wing consists of four transport squadrons, each composed of five flights of six Valkyrie AACs. One flight is sufficient to transport a single infantry platoon plus their attached heavy weapon squad. The lead vehicle is piloted by a flight lieutenant (equivalent in rank to a shipboard third lieutenant); the other pilots are all Warrant Officers without a commission. The co-pilot of each vehicle is an enlisted petty officer who handles navigation, comms, and damage control. The flight lead’s co-pilot is the chief petty officer of the squadron. The transport bay of each vehicle is crewed by two able voidsmen, who also man the door-mounted heavy bolters when required.
One heavy transport squadron, comprised of seven flights of three Valkyrie Sky Talons, provide heavy lift capability for the wing. They are most often detached to transport a Drop Sentinel squadron into battle in support of an infantry company. They also commonly serve as recovery vehicles, logistics support for the base, and as transport for field fortifications. As in the Valkyrie squadrons, the lead vehicle of each flight is piloted by a flight lieutenant and the remainder by warrant officers.
The wing’s fire support is provided by one attack squadron of Vulture Gunships. The organization is broadly similar to the other squadrons: seven three-vehicle flights piloted by warrant officers and led by a flight lieutenant, with co-piloting duties handled by petty officers and the chief petty officer, respectively. One flight is assigned to each infantry company in the field, providing fire missions under the direction of the company commander. Two flights remain under the direct control of wing command, allowing for discretionary fire support missions when required.
Roughly half of the wing (two transport squadrons, three heavy transport flights, and three attack flights) is assigned to support active combat operations. This is sufficient to fully mobilize one of the regiment’s three battalions at a time, with additional vehicles available for supply drops, medical evacuation, and auxiliary fire support. Field doctrine calls for two battalions to be engaged at once, with the third in reserve; active vehicles rotate between the two field battalions as required. The reserve force (one transport squadron, one heavy transport flight, and one attack flight) can provide an additional company’s worth of support when the regiment is hard pressed. A full regimental deployment requires calling in an additional Tactical Wing on temporary detachment. Permanently maintaining such a force would render the regiment logistically unfeasible, in the infinitely wise opinion of the Departmento Munitorum.
Vehicles neither on combat duty nor in reserve are either detached to headquarters sections or are rotated through regular maintenance. The regimental HQ maintains two transport flights for the use of its HQ staff and the reconnaissance platoon. Tactical Wing HQ maintains two transport flights for its HQ staff and two attack flights that allow it independent air strike capability. The two remaining heavy transport flights are split between the Sentinel companies and the service company. In emergency situations, these detachments can also be pressed into service to bolster the reserve force. At any point one flight of each vehicle type is undergoing regular maintenance and is not available for immediate duty.
The wing’s service company handles maintenance, replenishment, and recovery of all Naval assets. They are considered separate from the regimental service company, which handles regimental stores and maintains the regiment’s motor and service vehicle pool. Likewise, they are separate from the Adeptus Mechanicus tech-priests who monitor and sanction their work and who take over when major repairs or refit are required. Because they are dependent on the regiment’s service vehicle pool for their duties, the two sections work together regularly. However, the Naval staff jealously guards the technical knowledge required to maintain their aircraft. The company is led by a sub-lieutenant and a staff of technically-trained petty officers who lead a crew of able voidsmen. The service company also contains the Wing’s quartermaster and his mates, who contract with the Departmento Munitorum for supplies and equipment for the Wing.
The final component of the Wing is the security detachment, consisting of a sub-lieutenant and three squads of voidsmen-at-arms each under the command of a voidmaster. The armsmen are not equipped or trained for battlefield duty, instead providing security detail for Naval assets, escort for command staff, and discipline for Wing personnel. While they technically have no authority over guardsmen, they are a convenient source for brute squads when a commissar needs to shut down a riot. As such, their impassive void-helmet masks are widely despised among the clanners of the regiment, who take great pleasure in inconveniencing them at any opportunity.
Total Complement:
71 Commissioned Officers
299 Non-Commissioned Officers
327 Other Ranks
120 Valkyrie AACs
21 Valkyrie Sky Talons
21 Vulture Gunships
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