M113 Question

I just got a platoon's worth of M113's from battlefront and am trying to decide which way to build them, as either standard M113's or the ACAV version with armoured turret/shield around the MG. Were vehicle platoons always one configuration or the other, or were some platoons mixed? Did the battlefield role differ between the two?

That's quite the loaded question, but I will give it a try.
No gunshields: very early war and maybe only low-risk security units (like Air Force base security at Bien Hoa, though they usually had a shield for the .50, but no bucket, until '69ish)

In an Armored Cav unit tracks would always be ACAV format, except for mortar tracks.
In Armored units the tracks were usually ACAV, like at least 80% of them.
In Mechanized units it depended. From what I have read they always had shield and tub for the .50s, but rarely used the ACAV shielded M60s. Some, like in the 25th ID's mechanizsed units, had an M60 mount on each side, but only 1 M60 that had to be switched between sides when a firefight happened (troops rode sitting on ammo boxes on the top and jumped down whenever fighting started). I've seen pix of tracks in the 5th Mech ID that used only gunshields on their .50s, but also others with no shields at all.

So, basically, you may want to research the unit your wist to portray.

Thanks for the info. It seems when it comes to anything organizational in this war, there is never a straight answer! Gives a bit of freedom for modelling at least.

Yes, hence the disparagement between paper strength and real strength.

I agree. I think any unit that is in the field would be ACAV. Starting in 1967 I do not see any photos of non-ACAV M113s in the field.

Good luck with the build!

This isn't an area where I claim any expertise (my interests are about 15 years earlier), but I have seen some interesting TOEs for units with M113s.  My personal favourite TOE has a mixed platoon consisting of:
- 1 command track,
- 1 scout section (with 4 M113 ACAVs)
- 1 light armoured section (with 3 M551s)
- possibly with a M106 mortar track for support.

But once you take into account battle and mechanical losses, and cross attachments, you have a lot of flexibility as to what appears on the table.

Tim

And I understand the question most likely refers to US forces, the ANZAC tracks were quite different.

They were basic M113 with 50 cal early on, no shield, then with shield, and later yet again with T50 turrent usually with 2 x 30 cal or 1 x 30 and 1 x 50.

ANZAC's also had M125 mortar tracks and fitter tracks, armed with 50 cal usually with no shield.

I do not think the ACAV variant was ever "officially" used in ANZAC service.

Just read a book about the 5th Mech in 1966 and 1967 and the pictures in the book all show their M113s with either the "Okinawa" wedge shaped shield with a road wheel mounted on each side for additional protection, or with no shield at all. No tubs, flat shields, or additional M60s. So you totally could do them any way you wanted, or even period specific!