FV430 Series

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FV 432 Armoured Personnel Carrier

In Team Yankee

The FV 432 is the workhorse of the British Army, seen in virtually all ground combat formations from territorial infantry companies to regular forces like the Coldstream Guards and the Regiment of Fusiliers. Much like it's American counterpart the M113, it is a metal box designed to carry your troops to the battlefield in safety and comfort along with their hourly tea ration from the boiling vessel. Unlike the M113, the FV432 carries a puny 7.62 machine gun with a stunning AT value of 2, meaning that it would take around 36 shots to kill a BTR from the front. It retains a moving ROF of 3 at all times, making it specialized to engaging soft skinned units like BM-21s and enemy infantry. Furthermore, British infantry rarely wish to leave their foxholes to get up close with the enemy, preferring to stay back and let artillery and milans do the heavy lifting rendering the FV432's use as a transport rather minimal. Treat these as mobile MG carriers with the potential to be used for blocking off enemy movement. If destroyed, they also provide bulletproof cover.

The FV432 has a decent tactical movement speed with mediocre dash speeds. They may be used in assaults if needed, and possess a cross rating of 3+ if you wish to move into treelines.

Ironically, these things have better utility dead than alive. Treat them as expendable forces if playing an Infantry Company, or as a mobile anti-infantry unit if playing an Armored list. Take note that should your infantry platoons fall back or are wiped out, the transports retreat off the battlefield.


In Real Life

As the British Army reformed from a force relying on conscription to a smaller, professional force, the FV432 became instrumental to greater mechanisation to improve the efficiency of the force. While it served its time as a decent battle-taxi, the role of the armoured personnel carrier in the British Army was superseded by two main competitors, the CVRT and the Infantry Fighting Vehicle concept. As proven in exercises with West German Marders and the effectiveness of BMPs in the 1980 Polish Crisis, IFVs acted as a force multiplier to the infantry. By 1988, armoured divisions and brigades began deployment of the FV510 Warrior to replace the aging FV432. Rather than mothball these perfectly functional vehicles, they have been transferred to many reservist infantry units and most notably, the Supply Corps. Today, some variants of the FV430 series are still in service as specialist vehicles such as the FV430 bulldog; an FV432 equipped with an armour package considered equal to a Warrior. For similar vehicles, see Metal Boxes and the Israeli Namer.

FV 432 Mortar Carrier

In Team Yankee

Essentially an FV432 with its crew compartment filled by a mortar crew, the mortar carrier is an ubiquitous part of every mechanized infantry formation in the Western world. It is the cheapest artillery unit in the game but is incapable of engaging anything but enemy infantry. Armed with an 81mm mortar with firepower 4+ and a 7.62mm MG, a mortar battery provides an artillery template capable of reliably hitting infantry on 3s or 2s. For the low, low price of 5 points, you can purchase 8 mortar carriers and a single forward observer. This provides a +2 to hit bonus from the additional artillery pieces, and a 2+ to range in. The provision of 8 artillery pieces also makes this ideal for firing smoke; as you may have 6 or 7 carriers firing bombardments (hence retaining the +2/+1 to hit bonus) while a single carrier pops smoke.

Absolutely critical to any player in an infantry-spam meta, and one of the best units in the game due to the sheer utility it provides for such a low cost.


In Real Life

Surprisingly, the role of the mortar carrier is represented rather well in the game. Mortars have always been traditionally under the Infantry, typically in the Weapons Platoon or Company in an Infantry Battalion. Due to the fast and close quarters nature of modern infantry combat, the mortar was the ideal weapon due to its properties. Thanks to its portability and relative simplicity, it provides organic artillery fire to the infantry company. Furthermore, it has the unique trait of being far more accurate than howitzer and rocket artillery due to its trajectory, reliably allowing for enemy controlled city blocks to be shelled without endangering a neighbouring block held by friendlies. Furthermore, most mortars (with exceptions such as the Soviet NONA) have a far greater rate of fire due to the simplicity of the firing sequence (Prime, load, fire). Conversely, tube artillery firing sequences can be described as having the simplicity of loading a cannon. The simplicity of such designs also allows for far more of these artillery pieces to be produced: mortars are considered Company level equipment; whereas howitzers and rocket artillery have traditionally been Division or even Corps assets; depending on the ORBAT of the country in question.

FV 438 Swingfire

In Team Yankee

The FV 438 is an ATGM carrier unique to the Chieftain squadron, and may not be brought more than once unless fielding several squadrons. For 2 points per piece in a 2 or 3 vehicle platoon, you get an AT23 missile which is guaranteed to destroy virtually all tanks in the game without a problem, with the possible exception of the M1IP Abrams. As with all other FV chassis, the 438 is equipped with a 7.62mm machine gun for engaging enemy infantry which gets too close for comfort if you somehow allowed enemy forces into your backline. Unsurprisingly, the FV438 should be fielded as far back as possible, using its superior range 48" to destroy enemy armour. Expect these things to die if touched by anything in the game. It is also one of the only British units equipped with Thermal Vision, allowing you to fire through smoke. Use its swingfire rule to go-to-ground when firing missiles, making them 6+ to hit or 7+ in cases without the guided special rule.

The Swingfire is a poor choice unless playing in a tank-only meta, due to the cheapness of milans. While its main draw might be the swingfire rule, the effective halving of your potential firepower makes this an incredibly poor choice. For 6 points, you may either have 3 missiles that will stay in the fight or 6 slightly inferior Milans. Even in a tank game, AT23 is overkill against all current tanks apart from the M1IP. Consider taking an additional Chieftain for 6 points instead of all-around firepower capable of reliably defeating enemy tanks and infantry. If your anti-air net is rather shoddy, consider taking a Rapier or a Blowpipe Platoon instead. Otherwise, a unit of Scorpions or Scimitars can provide far more effective firepower for the points (3 anti-tank missiles or 12 shots at 10AT, firepower 5+?). The Swingfire is an incredibly specialised vehicle for defeating friendly tanks and is one of the most questionable units in the British Arsenal, whose survivability would not matter if everything else you have is dead.


In Real Life

Fortunately, its real-life effectiveness is far less miserable than its in-game depiction. Rather than being a stationary ATGM wasting valuable points, the Swingfire has a key role in the Chieftain Squadron. Serving as the first line of defence against the hypothetical Soviet hordes, the Swingfire could engage enemy armour from concealed positions and destroy key vehicles, such as Command tanks, engineering vehicles or mine-clearing equipped tanks. Rather than a miserable range superiority of an infantryman's running distance, it would require around a minute for a T-72 to get into range to engage a unit of Swingfires. Conversely, Soviet forces may choose to stop the advance and engage with artillery or their own ATGMs, which would not only slow the advance but also delay the Soviet advance significantly. The FV438 remains in service under the Royal Armoured Corps.