British WWII Recce unit white tactical markings - A Squadron

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NOTE - This suggestion is based upon British units operating in the North-West European Campaign 1944–45.

In-game, we currently have red, yellow, blue, and green variations of the tactical markings used for identifying the Squadrons within British armoured units. Each colour represented the Senior, Second, and Junior Armoured Regiments, and the Motor Battalion of an Armoured Brigade respectively.

However, there is still a large gap in the form of the white-coloured markings which were generally used by the reconnaissance units, these being the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments, Armoured Car Regiments, and Infantry Divisional Reconnaissance Regiments.

Together with Arm of Service markings and Corps, Divisional, or Brigade emblems, the combination of these shapes and colours helped identify both the Regiment to which a vehicle belonged and its particular Squadron. The shapes represented Regimental HQ, A Squadron, B Squadron, and C Squadron respectively.

Within the standard British tactical marking system, A Squadron was represented by a hollow triangle.

There’s a decent list of vehicles that this marking could be applied to, both in terms of what’s currently available, and possible future additions. These include:

  • Cromwells
  • Challengers
  • Stuarts
  • Daimler Armoured Cars
  • Humber Armoured Cars
  • AEC Armoured Cars
  • Staghounds
  • Chaffees
  • Comets

The exact sizes and placements varied. It typically depended on unit preferences, available surface area, and especially whether units preferred their markings to be more visible or less. They could usually be found on the turret or hull sides, hull front or rear, and occasionally the rear of the turret. Examples are shown in the Images section below.

This marking would be a simple addition but would allow the representation of a wide range of units across a nice variety of vehicles covering different sizes, weights, and roles.

Images
IWM (B 9331)
A Challenger tank and Cromwells of 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry, 11th Armoured Division, passing through Flers, 17 August 1944. - IWM (B 9331)


A27M Cromwell ‘Athasi’ of 8th KRIH being towed away by ‘Adonis’ a Cromwell ARV. - IWM (A70 49-4)


A34 Comet ‘Athasi’ of 8th KRIH during the Berlin Victory Parade.

IWM (BU 4672)
Knocked-out Cromwell tanks of the 2nd Welsh Guards, Guards Armoured Division, 28 April 1945. - IWM (BU 4672)


Restored Humber Mk. IV Armoured Car


2nd Welsh Guards, Guards Armoured Division - IWM (A70 85-4)

Sources
British Tanks in Normandy - Ludovic Fortin
https://43rdrecce.co.uk/vehicle-markings/

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