[layer8]

You are right, from [0]:

1630s, "a small body of soldiers acting together but separate from the main body of troops," from French peloton "platoon, group of people," literally "little ball" (15c.), hence, "agglomeration," diminutive of Old French pelote "ball" (see pellet).

[0] https://www.etymonline.com/word/platoon

[dieselgate]

Indeed didn’t associate “pellet” with these words before either