Tank Brigade OOB's 1941-1945

Tank Brigade - August 1941 (TO 010/75-83)

Brigade HQ (2 LMG)
Two Tank Battalions, each
Battalion HQ (2 T-26 tanks)
Three Light Tank Company each with 30 T-40 tanks.
Medium Tank Company each with 11 T-34s.
Heavy Tank Company with 7 KV-1 tanks.

Motorized Rifle Battalion
Battalion HQ
Two Rifle Companies, each (9 x LMG, 2 x MG, 3 x ATR)
Submachine Gun Company
Mortar Company (6 x 82mm mortar)
Anti-Aircraft Battery (3 x AAMG, 4 x 37mm AA)
Anti-tank Company (4 x 45mm ATG, 6 x ATG)

Note: One tank in each medium and heavy platoon was equipped with a radio, as were all tanks in company and battalion HQ elements, light and medium/heavy; the light tank platoons apparently had no radios.

The brigade´s infantry battalion included not only a large conventional AT company but also a unique tank-destroyer company that utilized extemporized close-in anti-tank weapons such as hand grenades, flamethrowers, "Molotov cocktails" and engineer demolition material. The Brigade had no indirect fire support other than the mortars of the infantry battalion.

*** Light Tank Company´s were made up of Three platoons of 3 T-40´s and a Company Command Tank. Medium Tank Companies were made up of Three platoons of 3 T-34 and a Company Command tank. The Heavy Tank Company was made up of three platoons of 2 KV-1´s and a Company Command tank. *** (sro)

Tank Brigade - September 1941

Soviet sources give the September 1941 Tank Brigade a total of 7 KV´s, 22 T-34´s and 38 light tanks.

This change apparently did not apply to the tank brigades that were operating with older tanks. On 10 November 1941 the 54th Tank Brigade reported itself using the old (August) TO&E and at full strength in tanks, but all ninety-three tanks being T-26 models.

*** I find little information about this interim TO&E. I´m not sure that it was ever official. *** (MR)

Tank Brigade - December 1941 (TO 10/345-352)

Brigade HQ (2 LMG)
Two Tank Battalions, each

Battalion HQ
Light Tank Company each with 8 T-60 tanks.
Medium Tank Company each with 10 T-34´s.
Heavy Tank Company each with 5 KV-1 tanks.

Motorized Rifle Battalion
Battalion HQ
Rifle Companies, each (9 LMG, 2 MMG, 3 ATR)
Submachine Gun Company
Mortar Company (6 x 82mm mortar)
Anti-Aircraft Battery (3 x AAMG, 4 x 37mm AA)

Note: Two changes were immediately apparent. The first was that overall tank strength in the brigade was deduced to forty-six (including sixteen light tanks), barely the strength of a conventional Western tank battalion. The second was that all three types of tanks - light, medium and heavy - were now integrated into each tank battalion.

*** Light tank companies were made up of two platoons, each with 3 T-60 tanks with the company HQ having two more. None of these 8 tanks had a radio.

The medium tank companies were made up of three platoons, each with 3 T-34's with the company HQ having another tank. The company and platoon command tanks all had radios.

The heavy tank company was made up of two platoons of two KV tanks with the company HQ having another KV tank. The company and platoon command tanks all had radios.

The new battalion HQ did not have any tanks or any other equipment that is available in CMBB. *** (MR)

Tank Brigade - July 1942 (TO 10/270-277)

Brigade HQ (1 T-34)
Medium Tank Battalion
Battalion HQ (1 T-34)
Three Medium Tank Companies, each with 10 T-34's.

Light Tank Battalion
Battalion HQ (1 T-60/70)
Two Light Tank Companies, each with 10 T-60/70 tanks.

Motorized Rifle Battalion
Battalion HQ (3 Armored Cars)
Two Rifle Companies, each (9 LMG, 2 MG, 3 ATR)
Submachine Gun Company
Mortar Company (6 x 82mm mortar)
Anti-tank Battery (4 x 76mm ATG)

Note: Each command tank, from the Brigade commander down through the platoon commanders, had a radio.

Tank Brigade - November 1943 (TO 10/500-506)

Brigade HQ (2 T-34, 3 Armored Cars)
Three Tank Battalions, each
Battalion HQ (1 T-34)
Two Tank Companies, each with 10 T-34´s.

Motorized Sub-Machinegun Battalion
Battalion HQ
Two Sub-Machinegun Companies, each (18 LMG, 4 MMG, 18 ATR)
Mortar Company (6 x 82mm mortar)
Anti-tank Battery (4 x 45mm ATG)

Note: Each command tank, from the Brigade commander down through the platoon commanders, had a radio.

sources
- Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two" by Steven J. Zaloga and James Grandsen
- Bagration 1944: The Destruction of Army Group Centre" by Steven Zaloga
- Red Army Handbook 1939-1945" by Steven J. Zaloga and Leland S. Ness