Spearhead Guide To Typical Engineering Tasks

This information is drawn from standard Australian and New Zealand Army manuals from the 1970's (which include the equivalent British Army texts from same period). It should be little different from World War II (especially the latter period) since much of the equipment and operational methods are virtually identical.

This list for Spearhead & Modern Spearhead assumes several factors:

  Engineer Officers have had previous reconnaissance of area work is to be done,
  Preparation has been possible and all required stores are available on site,
  Best case situation exists, so use common sense if conditions are poor (e.g.
     Bad Weather or working at night).

These tables assume a Spearhead or Modern Spearhead Turn Scale of 30 minutes - so if you prefer to think of the turn as the shorter end of the scale (15 minutes) you will need to basically double these times.

Some Nations also had specialist Labour/Pioneer units, that were primarily used for Engineering tasks, but lacked the full extent of training and skills that Engineers had. These may be used as follows for some Construction tasks (Digging Field Defences, or Building Roads or Camps); "For every 1 Engineer Platoon on a task, 3 Labour/Pioneer Platoons may assist, the whole group (of 4 stands) counting as if 4 Actual Engineer Platoons". Labour/Pioneer Platoons may also Dig Field Defences as if Engineers unassisted, every 3 Platoons counting as if 2 actual Engineer Platoons (assuming they have suitable equipment).

In some situations Combat Units (Rifle Companies) may be permitted to serve as Labour units for Engineers when Digging Field Defences. In this case every 1 Engineer Platoon assisted by 3 Rifle Platoons will count as 3 Actual Engineer Platoons.