A commando's theoretical establishment of roughly 450 men did not equal its usable strength. High-tempo training caused injuries, while combat added casualties, deaths, and the ordinary physical and mental wear of war. Men also needed rest or time away if the unit was to remain effective. Even after personnel availability was calculated, the number of boats and berths aboard the parent ship imposed a separate hard limit on the force that could actually deploy.
Notable Point · 31:16-32:50
Why paper strength overstates a raiding unit's power
A nominal establishment says little about how many raiders, berths, and boats are actually available after training injuries and operations.