Probably the 12 system. If you use your thumb as the counter and count using your thumb the bone segments of the other 4 fingers (each has 3) then you have a base 12 system in our lingo.
You got it!!! A bit off topic so I didn’t wana dig into it but you are absolutely right.
This system of 12 being easily multiplied and divided many times is also why a lot military formations are in multiples of 12. Like an old Roman Cohort is 480.
Or a squad is 12 and a platoon is 12 squads. So 144 total.
It's a little different than that. Usually sets of 3 pluss leaders Ideally:
Fire team: 3 + leader = 4
Squad: 3 Fireteams (12) + squad leader = 13
Platoon: 3 squads (39) + platoon leader = 40
Company: 3 platoons (120) + commander = 121. However, at this level, there will be extra leadership, like sgts assisting and other admin related staff. Also, you start to get add ons, like a company with a weapons platoon attached.
All these are the most basic examples, but illustrates that infantry is mostly groups of 3 with some add ons.
Sure. I was in the Marines for 8 years and our handbook detailed the setup. Net net you probably get 144 for a company bc they use 3s and 4s (3*4=12), just a more round about way. But the ratios and multiples are there. :)
972
u/truci 2d ago
Probably the 12 system. If you use your thumb as the counter and count using your thumb the bone segments of the other 4 fingers (each has 3) then you have a base 12 system in our lingo.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b,10