Russian Armored Formations

The Mechanized Corps

German successes, using large, mobile armored formations during the early years of the war, prompted STAVKA to reinstate the Mechanized Corps formations in mid 1940. The Mechanized Corps was comprised of two tank Divisions and one motorized Division. However, vehicles, especially the newer types such as the T-34 and KV series, were scarce and the units were rarely at full strength. In addition, the vehicles that were available were poorly maintained, crews were inexperienced and poorly trained and the units suffered from a lack of experienced commanders following Stalin's purges during the late 30's. The units were large and difficult to control and suffered heavy losses during the early stages of the campaign in the east.

The Tank Divisions

The command element of the tank Division was the Divisional HQ. It was comprised of a command Company, a signal Battalion and a reconnaissance Battalion. The reconnaissance Battalion consisted of an armored car Company of three Squadrons, each equipped with five Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars, a light tank Company equipped with seventeen T-40 light tanks and a motorcycle Company comprising three rifle platoons, each of 50 men and a mortar section with three 50mm mortars.
The armored component of the Division consisted of two tank Regiments. Each was comprised from a Regimental HQ, an anti aircraft detachment and a reconnaissance Company formed from three Platoons, each equipped with four Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars. The Regiment itself was divided into four tank Battalions, one heavy, two medium and one flame. The heavy Battalion was comprised of a Battalion HQ, equipped with one KV tank and three Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars and three tank Companies, each equipped with ten KV tanks. The two medium Battalions were each comprised of a Battalion HQ, equipped with one T-34 tank and three Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars and three tank Companies, each equipped with seventeen T-34 tanks. The flame tank Battalion was comprised from a Battalion HQ, equipped with one T-26 tank and three Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars and three tank Companies each equipped with three T-26 tanks and nine flame equipped T-26 vehicles. Within the Battalions, where the new variants, such as the T-34 and KV series were unavailable, they were often replaced, if possible, with BT series vehicles. Support elements within the Divisions consisted of a motorized infantry Regiment, a pioneer Battalion, an artillery Regiment, an anti aircraft Battalion, a maintenance Company and a supply Company. The motorized infantry Regiment comprised a Regimental HQ, with a signal Company formed from a radio Platoon and a wire/optical Platoon, a reconnaissance Company consisting of motorcycle scout Platoon, a light armored car Platoon equipped with four Ba-20 armored cars and a heavy armored car Platoon equipped with four Ba-10 armored cars. The infantry Regiment itself was formed from three infantry Battalions. Each provided its own integral support elements consisting of a machine gun Company equipped with six M1910 maxim machine guns, a mortar Platoon equipped with two 82mm PM-41 mortars, an anti tank Platoon equipped with two 45mm M1937 anti tank guns and an infantry gun Battery equipped with four 76mm M1927 guns. Of the Divisional support elements, the artillery Regiment was formed from a Regimental HQ and two howitzer Battalions, one light, one heavy. The light howitzer Battalion consisted of three Batteries, each equipped with four 122mm M-30 howitzers, while the heavy Battalion again consisted of three Batteries, each equipped with four 152mm M-10 howitzers. The anti aircraft Battalion was comprised of three Batteries, each equipped with four 37mm M-1939 guns.

The Motorized Division

The motorized Division consisted of a Divisional HQ, a signal Battalion and a reconnaissance Battalion comprised of an armored car Company equipped with fifteen Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars, a light tank Company equipped with seventeen T-40 light tanks and a motorcycle rifle Company comprising three rifle platoons, each of 50 men and a mortar section with three 50mm mortars. The Division also had its own integral armored support, which was provided by a tank Regiment comprised of five light tank Battalions. Each tank Battalion was formed from a Battalion HQ, three tank Companies, each equipped with seventeen BT light tanks, a maintenance Company and a supply Company. The Division also fielded two motorized Infantry Regiments. Each consisted, as in the tank Divisions, of a Regimental HQ, with a signal Company formed from a radio Platoon and a wire/optical Platoon, a reconnaissance Company consisting of motorcycle scout Platoon, a light armored car Platoon equipped with four Ba-20 armored cars and a heavy armored car Platoon equipped with four Ba-10 armored cars. The infantry Regiment was formed from three infantry Battalions. Each provided its own integral support elements consisting of a machine gun Company equipped with six M1910 maxim machine guns, a mortar Platoon equipped with two 82mm PM-41 mortars, an anti tank Platoon equipped with two 45mm M1937 anti tank guns and an infantry gun Battery equipped with four 76mm M1927 guns. Divisional support elements were provided by an artillery Regiment consisting of three Battalions. A field gun Battalion formed from three Batteries, each equipped with four 76mm F-22 guns, a light howitzer Battalion consisting of three Batteries, each equipped with four 122mm M-30 howitzers and a heavy Battalion again consisting of three Batteries, each equipped with four 152mm M-10 howitzers. The pioneer Battalion was formed from two pioneer Companies and a bridging Company, while the anti aircraft Battalion was comprised of two light Batteries, each equipped with four 37mm M1939 guns and a heavy Battery equipped with four 76mm M1931 guns. The final support element was the anti tank Battalion, which consisted of three Batteries, each equipped with six 45mm M-1937 guns.

The Abandonment of the Mechanized Corps

The inability of Russian commanders to control these large formations, resulting in their poor combat performance, lead STAVKA to disband them in mid July 1941. They were replaced by individual, more compact Tank Divisions, while the motorized Divisions all reverted to regular rifle Divisions. Within the new Tank Divisions, the most significant change was that in the tank Regiments the number of Battalions was reduced from four to three, two light and one medium. The medium Battalion was formed from one heavy Company, equipped with 10 KV's and two medium Companies, each equipped with ten T-34's. The light Battalions were formed from three Companies apiece, each equipped with ten T-26 or BT vehicles, depending on availability. The size of the rifle Companies in the Motorized rifle Regiment were also reduced to three rifle Platoons, each comprised of three Squads. Other reorganization took place in the reconnaissance Battalion where the armored car Company was reduced to two Squadrons, each equipped with thirteen Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars. The light tank Company was also reduced in strength to only ten T-40 light tanks, while the motorcycle Company remained at its existing strength. The artillery Regiment was also restructured into three mixed Battalions. Each consisted of two gun Batteries equipped with four 76mm F-22 guns and one howitzer Battery equipped with four 122mm M-30 howitzers.

The Independent Tank Brigade

In August 1941, following the limited success of the tank Divisions, another new formation was introduced, the Independent Tank Brigade. It consisted of a Brigade HQ, with a signal Platoon, a pioneer Platoon, a supply and transport Platoon equipped with eight trucks and an armored car Platoon equipped with five Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars. The armored component was provided by a tank Regiment, consisting of three Battalions, one medium/heavy and two light. The medium/heavy Battalion was comprised of a heavy tank Company equipped with seven KV's and two medium tank Companies, each equipped with ten T-34's. The two light Battalions were each formed from three light tank Companies, equipped with ten T-26 or BT vehicles, depending on availability. A conventional infantry Battalion supported the Brigade. The organization of the Battalion was improved with the inclusion of a reinforced anti tank Company, comprised of four Platoons, each equipped with two 45mm M1937 guns and a specially formed tank destroyer Company equipped with flamethrowers and demolitions. Other support elements within the Brigade included an anti aircraft Battalion consisting of an HQ Platoon, an AA machine gun Platoon equipped with six 12.7mm DShK machine guns and two AA gun Batteries each equipped with four 37mm M1937 guns. The remaining support elements were the maintenance Company, the motor transport Company and the Medical Platoon.
In December the heavy losses of the early campaign saw the strength of the light tank Companies within the tank Regiment, reduced to only two Platoons with three vehicles each, while the heavy tank Companies were reduced to only two Platoons with two vehicles each.

The Introduction of the Tank Corps

In March 1942 it was decided to introduce the larger formation of the Tank Corps. The Tank Corps was comprised of two tank Brigades and a motor rifle Brigade.
The tank Brigades were each formed from two tank Battalions. Each had a heavy tank Company equipped with five KV tanks, a medium Company, equipped with ten T-34's and a light tank Company equipped with ten T-60 or T-70 vehicles. The tank Brigades included no integral artillery, reconnaissance, engineer or other service and support elements. In April 1942, a third tank Brigade was added to the organization of the Corps, as was an independent engineer-mine Company. In February 1943, the engineer Company was expanded to a full Battalion. In July, further changes were made with the introduction of a rocket launcher Battalion, comprised of two Batteries each equipped with four BM-13 launchers. However the rocket launcher Battalions were rarely actually added due to the limited availability of launchers. In addition, a motorcycle reconnaissance Battalion was also added and consisted of a motorcycle Company and an armored car Company equipped with twenty Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars. A further improvement in July 1942 came with an increase in the number of vehicles equipped with radios, improving the standard of command and control within the units.
The motor rifle Brigade was a new formation, designed to hold captured ground and provide protection for the tank Brigades. The Brigade was comprised of an HQ Company, three motorized infantry Battalions and support elements. Each of the infantry Battalions three Companies comprised of an HQ section, three rifle Platoons each with four squads and a machine gun Platoon of two squads. The Battalions support elements consisted of an anti tank rifle Company, equipped with eighteen PTRD anti tank rifles, a mortar Battery, equipped with six 82mm PM-41 mortars, an anti tank Battery, equipped with four 45mm M1937 guns, a sub machine gun Platoon for close tank support and an engineer Platoon. In July 1942 a machine gun Company was added to the Battalions support elements, comprising of nine M1910 maxim machine guns.
Support elements within the Brigade included a mortar Battalion formed from a heavy Battery, equipped with four 120mm M1938 mortars and two light Batteries each equipped with six 82mm PM-41 mortars and an artillery Battalion comprised of three Batteries each equipped with four 76mm F-22 guns. In July 1942 the heavy mortar Battery had the number of 120mm mortars increased to six. The Brigade reconnaissance Company consisted of an HQ Section, an armored car Platoon equipped with seven Ba-10 or Ba-20 armored cars, two rifle Platoons and a sub machine gun Platoon.
In January 1943, the Corps was further strengthened with the addition of an integral anti aircraft Battery, equipped with four 37mm M1937 guns and four 12.7mm DShK machine guns, a mortar Regiment comprised of two Battalions each of three Batteries, equipped with six 120mm M1938 mortars, an assault gun Regiment consisting of six Batteries, five equipped with SU-76's and one equipped with SU-122's. A reserve tank Detachment was also added, which provided forty spare vehicles, either T-34 or T-70, depending on availability. In April 1943, a tank destroyer Regiment was also added, equipped with twenty 45mm M1937 guns. This was expanded again in May, with the addition of an extra Battalion equipped with either 76mm Zis-3 or 85mm M1939 guns, depending on availability. A further improvement came in August 1943, when the tank destroyer Regiment was re-equipped, with the towed guns being replaced by three tracked gun Battalions, one equipped with twenty one SU-76's, one equipped with sixteen SU-122's and the other equipped with twelve SU-152's. In February 1944, the number of guns in all the Battalions was increased to twenty-one vehicles.
In November 1943 the organization of the tank Brigades changes again and eliminated all light tanks. The Brigade was reorganized around three tank Battalions, each comprising of two tank Companies, each equipped with ten T-34's.

The Mechanized Corps

In September 1942, a new formation, the mechanized Corps was introduced. Designed to provide a more potent offensive presence on the battlefield, it was built around three mechanized Brigades. The Brigades in turn consisted of three motorized infantry Battalions and supporting units. The infantry Battalions were organized similarly to those in the smaller motorized infantry Brigades, but with the addition of a machine-gun Company and an expanded anti tank rifle Company. A tank Regiment of thirty-nine tanks was also attached to each Brigade. Support elements included an anti tank artillery Regiment, an air defense Regiment, a rocket launcher Battalion, an armored car Battalion, an engineer Battalion, a maintenance Battalion, an engineer-mine Company and a supply Company. In October a motorcycle Battalion was added to the Corps organization, but as few Corps actually fielded their armored car Battalion, the newly added motorcycle Battalion often filled the role of the Corps reconnaissance. In January 1943, the strength of the tank Regiment was increased to three medium Companies, each equipped with ten T-34's and a light tank Company equipped with seven T-70's. In addition a mortar Regiment and a self propelled artillery Regiment, equipped with seventeen SU-76's and eight SU-122's, were added to the Corps structure. In August 1943 the strength of the self propelled artillery Regiment was increased to three Companies, one equipped with twenty-one Su-76's, one equipped with sixteen SU-85's and one with twelve SU-122's. The Corps mine-engineer Company was also disbanded and instead a Company was added to each mechanized Brigade. The anti tank rifle Company was disbanded due to its ineffectiveness and the anti tank artillery Regiment was re-equipped with 76mm Zis-3 guns.

The Tank Army

The final formation utilized by the Red Army was the Tank Army. Introduced in May 1942, they comprised two tank Corps, a mechanized Corps and support elements. In April 1943, each tank Army received additional support elements in the form of two anti tank artillery Regiments, each equipped with twenty 76mm Zis-3 guns, two mortar Regiments, each equipped with thirty six 120mm M1938 mortars, two assault gun Regiments, each equipped with nine SU-76's and 12 SU-122's, two anti aircraft Regiments, each equipped with sixteen 37mm M1939 anti aircraft guns and one rocket launcher Regiment equipped with twenty BM-13 launchers. In March 1944 further support elements were added. A light assault gun Brigade, equipped with sixty SU-76's and five T-70's and a light artillery Brigade, equipped with forty eight 76mm F-22 and twenty 122mm A-19 M1937 guns.