In “Armies of the Soviet Union” it says on page 32 that specialised scouts were formed from 1943 onwards.
However, any student of the Soviet army knows that reconnaissance units were integral to all teeth arms since before WWII.
The infantry had three reconnaissance platoons: Regimental cavalry and infantry platoons, and a Battalion infantry platoon.
Ignoring the cavalry for the moment, the two infantry reconnaissance platoons were quite different.
I suggest they can be represented in Bolt Action as follows:
Regimental Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon
1 Officer and up to 1 further man.
At least 2 and up to 4 Squads of 8 men
Up to two men per squad may have automatic rifles at +1 point per man. Automatic rifles have no penalty for moving and firing.
One squad may upgrade to forward scouts at +1 point per man. Forward scouts use the same set up rules as observers and snipers.
Battalion Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon
1 Officer and up to 1 further man.
1 Sniper Team
At least 2 and up to 3 Squads of 5 men
Up to two men per squad may have automatic rifles at +1 point per man. Automatic rifles have no penalty for moving and firing.
One squad may upgrade to forward scouts at +1 point per man. Forward scouts use the same set up rules as observers and snipers.
Please note that reconnaissance platoons operated in advance of other formations, so have no support units. But, with your opponent’s permission, you could field a platoon – or some squads – to add some variety to your Soviet forces.
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