Help needed: Difference between regiment and brigade

r@n3g@de

Active member
Anyone has any concrete idea or reference book i can chk up?

I understand that a regiment is a homogenous organisation of similar combat units, while a brigade is a heterogenous one. anyone can clarify more?
 
In the British army - a brigade is made up of 3 battalions, each of which is usually up to 1000 men. 3 brigades represents a division, two divisions make up an army. A regiment is a specific entity, originally from a particular recruiting area, and distinctly identified as such, The Black Watch for instance, and these Regiments can have any number of Battalions, say two in peace time, but many in times of war, 5/6 upwards under conscription. The HLI once even had a 'bantam' battalion, made up of men short of stature, which was a feature of Glasgow and environs, probably because of poor diet.(WW1 or WW11). They were great fighting men, in fact I have heard them described as the most dangerous men in the world.
This has always been my understanding, but I am prepared to stand corrected, therefore please recognise this as my opinion.
 
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Yeah...

A regiment is kind of the parent unit of a battalion. Its like you sharing your last name with your parents, you are part of the family but are an individual. There can be multiple battalions, or just one.

A collection of battalions from multiple regiments can be organized into a brigade. The reason for this is to create flexibility and promote mobilization, as well as create a more self-sufficient combat ready team.

An example of this is the 25th ID 4th BDE CT. It is comprised of:
2 Airborne Infantry Battalions
1 Cavalry Battalion
1 Field Artillery Battalion
1 Special Troops Battalion
1 Support Battalion

Note that every unit comes from a different parent regiment.

Hope it helps!
 
In Australia a Regiment can be two things. It can be a part of a brigade, or in the case of the Royal Australian Regiment in can be part of several brigades.

For example, I am in the 10/27th Battalion which is part of the Royal South Australia Regiment, which in turn is part of 9 Brigade.

Generally an infantry Regiment will have 2 or 3 battalions. I couldn't answer questions about armoured regiments as that isn't my area.

An Australian reserve brigade generally has the following units; an Infantry Regiment, an artillery battery, a signal squadron, an armoured unit of some sort (light cav etc), a combat service support battalion (transport, medical, ordnance,MP's, electrical & mechanical engineers etc) and an engineer squadron or regiment.

A regular army brigade may be slightly differently composed as they have more specialised roles eg. 1st Brigade is Armour heavy with Abrams tanks, two mechanised infantry battalions, 155mm artillery regiment, cavalry, Army Aviation, and an armoured combat engineer regiment.
 
Yeah...

A regiment is kind of the parent unit of a battalion. Its like you sharing your last name with your parents, you are part of the family but are an individual. There can be multiple battalions, or just one.

A collection of battalions from multiple regiments can be organized into a brigade. The reason for this is to create flexibility and promote mobilization, as well as create a more self-sufficient combat ready team.

An example of this is the 25th ID 4th BDE CT. It is comprised of:
2 Airborne Infantry Battalions
1 Cavalry Battalion
1 Field Artillery Battalion
1 Special Troops Battalion
1 Support Battalion

Note that every unit comes from a different parent regiment.

Hope it helps!
nicely put.
 
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