{"id":42279,"date":"2020-09-14T12:54:52","date_gmt":"2020-09-14T12:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/14\/how-chimpanzee-research-can-help-decide-the-best-size-for-your-squad\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:54:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:54:14","slug":"how-chimpanzee-research-can-help-decide-the-best-size-for-your-squad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2020\/09\/14\/how-chimpanzee-research-can-help-decide-the-best-size-for-your-squad\/","title":{"rendered":"How algorithms and primate research can help decide the best size for your squad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The ideal number of troops for a commander to control come in groups of five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, chimpanzees gather in groups of 5, 15 and up to a max of about 150. When they do, researchers note, their communications are better<\/a>, affectionately calling it \u201cape politics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many soldiers and Marines might also smell like a chimp after a few days in the bush, they likely don\u2019t know that they\u2019re mimicking prehistoric primate moves when they gear up and step off on patrol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A squad of 15 will be better controlled and more effective than one with seven or even 18 members. A company of 150 would be better ready for a mission than one with 220, at least as far as communicating what the unit needs to do and when.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effective group numbers start at five, then to 15 and so on, seeing their effectiveness peak <\/a>at 150 and again at intervals of 50 or so until maxing out at 500, according to decades-old academic anthropology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Army mathematicians just proved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways, warriors have known this going back to the days of the Roman Legion, which varied somewhat in size but at times featured cohorts of 500 legionnaires for battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\t