2d4chan - User contributions [en]

BRDM-2

2022-04-23T21:23:40Z

2001:67C:2660:425:12:0:0:39: /* In Team Yankee */

[[File:BRDM-2.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Its like a boat and a Russian car had a one night stand.]]
The '''"Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina-2"''' or "'''BRDM-2'''" for short, is a Soviet-made amphibious scout car. A good example of Soviet design doctrine: equipment designed for a specific purpose that it accomplishes well, but nothing more; it was an improvement over it's predecessor the "BRDM-1". The "BRDM-2" was fully sealed to allow it to operate in NBC environments, came with a sealed turret, and had more options for electronic equipment to allow it to do it's job better. While it could technically be operated by only 1 person at the wheel (or two if the gun is needed), it's combat crew consisted of 4 people: driver, assistant driver (read: radio operator), gunner and tank commander to coordinate the whole; just like in a tank.

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:BRDM-2 Stats.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Da Stats]]

The BRDM-2 is a passive recon unit open to all PACT forces with one job: expand your deployment area and bail out immediately afterwards.
[[File:BRDM-2 VolksArmee.jpg|300px|left|thumb|It comes in Deutsch, Achtung!]]
At a piddly 1-2 points for 2-4 BRDMs, you get a scout car that has a measly frontal armour of 1, armed with a 14.5 MG. The lack of armament and small unit size means that this is an easy kill point for your opponent, especially without the scout special rule. It does have AT5 which can cut through artillery pieces, but using them on the offensive is very situational.

Depending on your playstyle, you may prefer BMP recce if you want all your units to have the chance of making their points back or contributing to the battle as it goes on. If you simply need recon as cheaply as possible, the BRDM-2 is unit for you. Note that you may not take both: a battalion has a single recon platoon slot and you can either get a BRDM or BMP-1 Recon platoon (or BMP-2 if you are playing the Soviets.)

As utility units, you are buying these for their special rules and NOT the weapons they bring to the table. Keep them out of sight and get the hell out of there as soon as possible.

{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:BRDM-2 IRL.jpg|300px|right|thumb|'Comrade, is we lost again?']]
Weighing in only at 7 tons, the BRDM-2's V8 engine was capable of propelling it to speeds 100km/h on solid land (and 10km/h when wading through water), easily allowing it to traverse the terrain with ease to monitor enemy positions and movement. However, as it's main shtick was speed, rather than combat, it's armour is woefully lacking and the only weapons it had were a 14.5mm heavy machine-gun and co-axial 7.62mm medium machine gun, so at best it was only reliably capable of engaging other scout vehicles or infantry (who were not lucky enough to bring anti-armour weapons, at least. Although even then, grenades and AP rounds loaded in their rifles could still potentially wreck a BRDM if shot in it's weaker sides). That said, it was fast enough that what it couldn't out-gun it could out-run instead; and it was exactly what it was supposed to do in case it came under fire: leg it and report the enemy's position to the rest of the Soviet forces!

On a sidenote: despite being introduced in 1962, the BRDM-2 is still going strong today, almost sixty years later. Some countries still use the modernised version as scout cars, others have used the sturdy and proven base to create lightweight ATGM carriers and/or point-defense AA vehicles.

{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{East German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Polish Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Czech Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

SA9 Gaskin

2022-04-23T21:16:38Z

2001:67C:2660:425:12:0:0:39:

[[File:Gaskin.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"Sergei, what if we took a missile launcher and put it on a wheeled box?]]
Officially known as the "'''9K31 Strela-1'''" and called the "'''SA-9 Gaskin'''" by NATO, the Gaskin is a low-altitude surface-to-air missile launcher, designed to take out low-flying aircraft, like helicopters.

The vehicle consists of 4 turret-mounted 9M31 infra-red guided missiles and radar equipment that's mounted to a BRDM-2 scout car. The weapon is simple, but effective, still used by many former-Soviet and foreign militaries. The vehicle is fast, making it decent at aircraft interception, but lightly armored (a scout car had even less armor than most APCs), and no ground defense capabilities, beyond the crew popping out and firing their guns (and since most vehicle crews are only armed with submachine guns or compact assault rifles, a basic infantry squad would make short work of a vehicle crew).

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:Gaskin Stat Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Da Stat Card]]
The Gaskin exists in team Yankee as budget AA with good range and the strength of a thrown potato. Point for point it will kill slightly more Aircraft than an equivalently priced Gopher unit, and give you an extra shot over a gremlin team (one gremlin costs the same as two Gaskins). The medium range of the missiles will ensure NATO choppers have to take some risks to get shots off at your army, even if that risk is minor.
[[File:SA-9 Gaskin VolksArmee.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Ze Deutsch Stats]]
If long ranged AA is what you are after though, give this unit a pass. It is cheap, but it's only going to kill 0.84 NATO choppers per volley, compare that to the 1.3 kills you would get from a Shilka unit of equivalent point cost. Avoid unless you have a cunning plan.

The Gaskin is open to all PACT forces as company-level air defence, perhaps as a backhanded Soviet insult.
{{clear}}
==IRL==
[[File:Gaskin IRL.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Molotov gets to join the tankovy and I gets Gaskin. Blyat.]]
The SA9 Gaskin aka the 9K31 Strela-1 is a short range IR SAM platform based on the BRDM-2.
{{clear}}
{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{East German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Polish Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Czech Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

MI-24 Hind

2022-04-23T21:10:07Z

2001:67C:2660:425:12:0:0:39: /* In Team Yankee */

[[File:Hind.jpg|300px|right|thumb|[[Metal Gear|“A Hind D?!”]]]]
{{topquote|1=Oy, Soap! Take this RPG and shoot at Hind!!!|2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9hdS2Qtwq8 Cpt. Price on the most effective method of fighting Hinds]}}

Called the ''Krokodil'' (Crocodile) by its crews, the [[wikipedia:Mil Mi-24|Mi-24V Hind]] is an unusual aircraft in that it combines the roles of transport and attack helicopter, which has never been fully replicated before or since ([[Valkyrie|except in sci-fi]]). Thus the Mi-24 is more like a flying Infantry Fighting Vehicle than an attack helicopter (More like Infantry FLYING Vehicle AMIRIGHT!?!)

The Hind is also as armoured as a friggin' tank. Anything smaller than a 23mm round will have a hard time even scratching the paint on this thing. That said, it was also as graceful as a tank, thanks to its bulky profile. So while it was pretty durable for a chopper, it wasn't exactly that hard to pelt the damn thing to death, if you had the armaments to bring it down.

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:Hind Stat Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card]]
Just like in real life the Hind is an interesting beast. While it is not quite as safe during anti-armour operations as the US [[AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicoper|Cobra]], the Hind has a more penetrating shot. Mounting the AT-6 Spiral missile, the Hind can abuse NATO armour with an AT 23, FP 3+ missile that can strike targets up to 20" away. The AT-6 is also Guided and HEAT so don't worry about the penalties of using it at range.
[[File:MI-24 Hind (Afgantsy).jpg|300px|left|thumb|Now in Afghansty flavor]]
As for the infantry that just crawled out of their smouldering transport (or an Attack Chopper wanting to dogfight like it's 1915 or something) the Hind has the 12.7mm Yak-B Gatling Gun. A ROF 3, AT 5 Machine gun that stands a chance of wiping out dug in infantry with its 5+ FirePower or more likely; enemy vehicles such as M109s which can be mass-bailed.
[[File:MI-24 Deutsch.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Sprechen Sie Deutsch]]
Also, if the Capitalists start to mimic you and use human wave tactics, once per game your Hinds can let loose a massive salvo template with the UB-32 Rocket launcher. Though it only has a FP of 6, these rockets will still royally screw infantry in the open, so don't be afraid to use it when you get the opportunity.

In addition, the copious amount of firepower the Hind can carry 2 infantry teams in its belly. While it might not seem like much, these sons of the motherland can surprise unsuspecting NATO players given how mobile they are. You can easily set up ambushes and sneakily secure objectives from under their capitalist noses. However, your helicopter must start its turn on the ground for the onboard infantry to jump out, meaning that you must land the previous turn, then endure at least one turn of enemy shooting (if you land in the open) before you can drop off your Gopniks. So really think hard before you try to take out opposing artillery and take a [[M109 Paladin|155mm Direct Fire Shell]] to the face. It is worth noting that these kinds of landings are much easier to do if your battle is being fought at night, as long as you land more than 24inches from enemy AA.

You can Field Hinds as part of your Soviet or East German armies at 5 points (6 For the East Germans) per pair of choppers, from a minimum of 2 Hinds to a max of 6 (Max of four for the East Germans).

Typically, these gunships would be used to neutralize the last of the enemy's anti-air net in combination with Frogfoots to establish aerial superiority, as the rules of Team Yankee forbid the gentlemen pilots of NATO and PACT from engaging one another. With a brutally tough but short ranged ATGM combined with their mobility (which you would probably do each turn, without any benefits for being stationary), the Hind excels in an environment clear of any missile anti-air units. With a passenger capacity slightly smaller than a metal box, the ability to grab an objective at the final turn can be a game changer. Compared to NATO helicopters, the Hind has a highly different role: terror weapons to be used in strafing runs with the protection to shrug off bullets rather than <s>sensibly</s> cowardly hiding behind forests, plinking away with missiles.

As of the new Soviet book, the Hind will be able to upgrade to the AT-9 missile, giving it an additional 4” range, and an AT of 24. Though points cost is unknown at this time, the upgrade will enable these flying tanks to stay out of range of .50 cal machine guns, as well as some autocannons. The additional punch is also appreciated to keep the new heavy tanks on their toes to a greater degree, or not worry about having to flank older models: AT 24 will make anything with armour 19 and less melt very reliably.

==IRL==
[[File:Hind IRL.jpg|300px|right|thumb|A Polish Hind]]

The Mil Mi-24 (Mi-35 for export models) saw its first flight in 1969, was introduced in 1972 with the Soviet Air Force. In the decades since, it has emerged as the helicopter of gunship of choice for just about anybody that doesn't like the Americans and/or NATO. Built around a completely different philosophy than Western attack helicopters, the Mi-24 is a flying tank. NATO's gunships are designed to avoid enemy fire at all costs. The Mi-24 is designed to not care. It was intended to play a central role in assaulting Western Europe if the order came, and the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia all maintained a large fleet of them. A mean SOB of a helicopter, the Mi-24 can load so much ordnance onto its stubby wings and into the nose-mounted cannon that it loses the ability to take off vertically. A Mi-24/Mi-35 under maximum takeoff load has to taxi down some manner of runway to get started, like a plane, before it can get into the air. The Mi-24's unique blend of tough-as-nails-gunship and infantry transport has never been replicated before or since. Like many other Soviet weapons, the "Hind" has far outlived the demise of its original designers and operators (the Warsaw Pact) and will likely be present in fighting around the world for a long time to come.

Instead of taking on NATO in a dramatic battle to control Europe, the "Hind" got its combat debut when the Soviet Union barged into Afghanistan to introduce shared possessions and Party meetings for everyone. The Mujahideen could handle jet fighters and bombers- those would only be around for a short time before they had to turn around and go back to rearm and refuel- but this beast could stick around essentially forever, dishing out fire and death. As a result, the rebels nicknamed it "Shaitan-Arba"; "Satan's Chariot" and did their best to kill it with American-made Stinger surface-to-air missiles. This did not work as well as they would have liked, indeed, a Hind once ate a direct SAM hit on video, and the Mujahideen learned to move around at night to avoid finding out for themselves whether or not Satan really has one of these.

Soviet pilots would often leave the infantry behind during missions for a variety of reasons. One was that when they were forced to pull some pretty extreme maneuvers to avoid the Stinger missiles supplied to the Muhajadeen by the good ol’ US of A, anyone in the troop cabin tended to scream and tumble about, which was very distracting. Carrying soldiers around really weighed the Mi-24 down in any event, as did the armor fitted to the troop compartment. The preferred setup came to be to remove the troop compartment armor, fly the Mi-24 only as a gunship, and have dedicated transport helicopters like the Mil Mi-8 bring infantry in and out while "Hind" gunships covered them.

A great many countries, especially former Soviet allies and Warsaw Pact member states, maintain Mi-24/Mi-35 gunships in their arsenal and the "Hind" has proved adaptable to numerous variants and roles. It is, however, gradually showing its age. Eventually, a large number of Hinds will be replaced by the [[wikipedia:Mil Mi-28|Mil Mi-28 Havoc]] and [[wikipedia:Kamov Ka-50|Kamov Ka-50]] (the former for the army, latter for special forces), both of which are gunships with no infantry transport capacity. As effective as the "Hind" has been in many roles, the infantry transport/gunship concept has not caught on in East or West and the Hind will likely be the first and last of its kind.

As stated above, the Hind D is more-or-less a flying tank (or IFV, to be more precise), making it mostly immune to small-arms fire and capable of dishing out as much punishment as one as well. However, the size and weight were also one of its glaring weaknesses; it was about as graceful as a tank while in the air. Its large' profile and heavy armour made it less agile in the sky, compared to other choppers of its class (The Hind was roughly 50% heavier than your average utility chopper and almost as heavy as a gunship,).

The most famous version is the Hind-D, featuring the iconic double-bubble cockpit. The earlier Hind-24A (as seen in the classic film "Red Dawn") featured a more conventional flat windows cockpit but it was replaced with the double-bubbles due to poor visibility. Battlefront's model and in-game stats represent the Mi-24 Hind V and not the D, an updated version which featured the deadly Shturm/At-6 missile which was capable of punching through all main battle tanks in existence during its years of service. Later models like the P and the VP would swap out the 12.7mm Gatling gun for a 30mm autocannon. Export Mi-24Vs went under various names in different forces, like the Czech Mi-35 the Polish Mi-24Ws.

The LAAT/i Gunship operated by the Galactic Republic in the Clone Wars, part of the legendary "Star Wars" franchise, bears a striking resemblance to the Hind, both in looks and in role. Two "bubble" cockpits, infantry transport bay, combination of the roles of gunship and infantry carrier all link the two machines. Though the LAAT/i is undoubtedly the one with the greatest resemblance to the Hind, gunships doubling as infantry transports are quite common in sci-fi.

{{clear}}
{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{East German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Polish Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Czech Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

==Monster Hunter International==
[[Monster Hunter International]] (the organization) bought a MI-24 Hind after the fall of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately the US Government will not let them fly it in the United States without stripping off most of its armament since it would frighten civilians (though MHI keeps it around and sometimes reinstalls it for ops where secrecy is already blown) so they've replaced all the weapons with fuel and cargo pods, reducing its armarment it to a door machine gun and whatever small arms are carried by the hunters on board, and painted it to look like a medical helicopter. Even though it's well over half a century out of date by the first book and was never considered maneuverable when it was new, it has the advantage of an [[Orc]] pilot named Skippy who can make it do things even a modern helicopter shouldn't be able to do. If you're working for MHI and sent on an important mission, it may be used to transport/support you. Just don't damage it, or Skippy will kill you for harming his baby.

A question is raised: Why not get some weapons that are attachable and detachable as neccessary? Carry a AN/M3 HMG pod inside, land it when confirmed target, and hop back up after reattachment.
Cargo pods are just disguised rocket weapon points.

MI-24 Hind

2022-04-23T21:05:05Z

2001:67C:2660:425:12:0:0:39: /* In Team Yankee */

[[File:Hind.jpg|300px|right|thumb|[[Metal Gear|“A Hind D?!”]]]]
{{topquote|1=Oy, Soap! Take this RPG and shoot at Hind!!!|2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9hdS2Qtwq8 Cpt. Price on the most effective method of fighting Hinds]}}

Called the ''Krokodil'' (Crocodile) by its crews, the [[wikipedia:Mil Mi-24|Mi-24V Hind]] is an unusual aircraft in that it combines the roles of transport and attack helicopter, which has never been fully replicated before or since ([[Valkyrie|except in sci-fi]]). Thus the Mi-24 is more like a flying Infantry Fighting Vehicle than an attack helicopter (More like Infantry FLYING Vehicle AMIRIGHT!?!)

The Hind is also as armoured as a friggin' tank. Anything smaller than a 23mm round will have a hard time even scratching the paint on this thing. That said, it was also as graceful as a tank, thanks to its bulky profile. So while it was pretty durable for a chopper, it wasn't exactly that hard to pelt the damn thing to death, if you had the armaments to bring it down.

==In Team Yankee==
[[File:Hind Stat Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card]]
Just like in real life the Hind is an interesting beast. While it is not quite as safe during anti-armour operations as the US [[AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicoper|Cobra]], the Hind has a more penetrating shot. Mounting the AT-6 Spiral missile, the Hind can abuse NATO armour with an AT 23, FP 3+ missile that can strike targets up to 20" away. The AT-6 is also Guided and HEAT so don't worry about the penalties of using it at range.
[[ File:MI-24 Hind (Afgantsy).jpg|300px|left|thumb|Now in Afghansty flavor]]
As for the infantry that just crawled out of their smouldering transport (or an Attack Chopper wanting to dogfight like it's 1915 or something) the Hind has the 12.7mm Yak-B Gatling Gun. A ROF 3, AT 5 Machine gun that stands a chance of wiping out dug in infantry with its 5+ FirePower or more likely; enemy vehicles such as M109s which can be mass-bailed.

Also, if the Capitalists start to mimic you and use human wave tactics, once per game your Hinds can let loose a massive salvo template with the UB-32 Rocket launcher. Though it only has a FP of 6, these rockets will still royally screw infantry in the open, so don't be afraid to use it when you get the opportunity.

In addition, the copious amount of firepower the Hind can carry 2 infantry teams in its belly. While it might not seem like much, these sons of the motherland can surprise unsuspecting NATO players given how mobile they are. You can easily set up ambushes and sneakily secure objectives from under their capitalist noses. However, your helicopter must start its turn on the ground for the onboard infantry to jump out, meaning that you must land the previous turn, then endure at least one turn of enemy shooting (if you land in the open) before you can drop off your Gopniks. So really think hard before you try to take out opposing artillery and take a [[M109 Paladin|155mm Direct Fire Shell]] to the face. It is worth noting that these kinds of landings are much easier to do if your battle is being fought at night, as long as you land more than 24inches from enemy AA.

You can Field Hinds as part of your Soviet or East German armies at 5 points (6 For the East Germans) per pair of choppers, from a minimum of 2 Hinds to a max of 6 (Max of four for the East Germans).

Typically, these gunships would be used to neutralize the last of the enemy's anti-air net in combination with Frogfoots to establish aerial superiority, as the rules of Team Yankee forbid the gentlemen pilots of NATO and PACT from engaging one another. With a brutally tough but short ranged ATGM combined with their mobility (which you would probably do each turn, without any benefits for being stationary), the Hind excels in an environment clear of any missile anti-air units. With a passenger capacity slightly smaller than a metal box, the ability to grab an objective at the final turn can be a game changer. Compared to NATO helicopters, the Hind has a highly different role: terror weapons to be used in strafing runs with the protection to shrug off bullets rather than <s>sensibly</s> cowardly hiding behind forests, plinking away with missiles.

As of the new Soviet book, the Hind will be able to upgrade to the AT-9 missile, giving it an additional 4” range, and an AT of 24. Though points cost is unknown at this time, the upgrade will enable these flying tanks to stay out of range of .50 cal machine guns, as well as some autocannons. The additional punch is also appreciated to keep the new heavy tanks on their toes to a greater degree, or not worry about having to flank older models: AT 24 will make anything with armour 19 and less melt very reliably.

==IRL==
[[File:Hind IRL.jpg|300px|right|thumb|A Polish Hind]]

The Mil Mi-24 (Mi-35 for export models) saw its first flight in 1969, was introduced in 1972 with the Soviet Air Force. In the decades since, it has emerged as the helicopter of gunship of choice for just about anybody that doesn't like the Americans and/or NATO. Built around a completely different philosophy than Western attack helicopters, the Mi-24 is a flying tank. NATO's gunships are designed to avoid enemy fire at all costs. The Mi-24 is designed to not care. It was intended to play a central role in assaulting Western Europe if the order came, and the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia all maintained a large fleet of them. A mean SOB of a helicopter, the Mi-24 can load so much ordnance onto its stubby wings and into the nose-mounted cannon that it loses the ability to take off vertically. A Mi-24/Mi-35 under maximum takeoff load has to taxi down some manner of runway to get started, like a plane, before it can get into the air. The Mi-24's unique blend of tough-as-nails-gunship and infantry transport has never been replicated before or since. Like many other Soviet weapons, the "Hind" has far outlived the demise of its original designers and operators (the Warsaw Pact) and will likely be present in fighting around the world for a long time to come.

Instead of taking on NATO in a dramatic battle to control Europe, the "Hind" got its combat debut when the Soviet Union barged into Afghanistan to introduce shared possessions and Party meetings for everyone. The Mujahideen could handle jet fighters and bombers- those would only be around for a short time before they had to turn around and go back to rearm and refuel- but this beast could stick around essentially forever, dishing out fire and death. As a result, the rebels nicknamed it "Shaitan-Arba"; "Satan's Chariot" and did their best to kill it with American-made Stinger surface-to-air missiles. This did not work as well as they would have liked, indeed, a Hind once ate a direct SAM hit on video, and the Mujahideen learned to move around at night to avoid finding out for themselves whether or not Satan really has one of these.

Soviet pilots would often leave the infantry behind during missions for a variety of reasons. One was that when they were forced to pull some pretty extreme maneuvers to avoid the Stinger missiles supplied to the Muhajadeen by the good ol’ US of A, anyone in the troop cabin tended to scream and tumble about, which was very distracting. Carrying soldiers around really weighed the Mi-24 down in any event, as did the armor fitted to the troop compartment. The preferred setup came to be to remove the troop compartment armor, fly the Mi-24 only as a gunship, and have dedicated transport helicopters like the Mil Mi-8 bring infantry in and out while "Hind" gunships covered them.

A great many countries, especially former Soviet allies and Warsaw Pact member states, maintain Mi-24/Mi-35 gunships in their arsenal and the "Hind" has proved adaptable to numerous variants and roles. It is, however, gradually showing its age. Eventually, a large number of Hinds will be replaced by the [[wikipedia:Mil Mi-28|Mil Mi-28 Havoc]] and [[wikipedia:Kamov Ka-50|Kamov Ka-50]] (the former for the army, latter for special forces), both of which are gunships with no infantry transport capacity. As effective as the "Hind" has been in many roles, the infantry transport/gunship concept has not caught on in East or West and the Hind will likely be the first and last of its kind.

As stated above, the Hind D is more-or-less a flying tank (or IFV, to be more precise), making it mostly immune to small-arms fire and capable of dishing out as much punishment as one as well. However, the size and weight were also one of its glaring weaknesses; it was about as graceful as a tank while in the air. Its large' profile and heavy armour made it less agile in the sky, compared to other choppers of its class (The Hind was roughly 50% heavier than your average utility chopper and almost as heavy as a gunship,).

The most famous version is the Hind-D, featuring the iconic double-bubble cockpit. The earlier Hind-24A (as seen in the classic film "Red Dawn") featured a more conventional flat windows cockpit but it was replaced with the double-bubbles due to poor visibility. Battlefront's model and in-game stats represent the Mi-24 Hind V and not the D, an updated version which featured the deadly Shturm/At-6 missile which was capable of punching through all main battle tanks in existence during its years of service. Later models like the P and the VP would swap out the 12.7mm Gatling gun for a 30mm autocannon. Export Mi-24Vs went under various names in different forces, like the Czech Mi-35 the Polish Mi-24Ws.

The LAAT/i Gunship operated by the Galactic Republic in the Clone Wars, part of the legendary "Star Wars" franchise, bears a striking resemblance to the Hind, both in looks and in role. Two "bubble" cockpits, infantry transport bay, combination of the roles of gunship and infantry carrier all link the two machines. Though the LAAT/i is undoubtedly the one with the greatest resemblance to the Hind, gunships doubling as infantry transports are quite common in sci-fi.

{{clear}}
{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{East German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Polish Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Czech Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

==Monster Hunter International==
[[Monster Hunter International]] (the organization) bought a MI-24 Hind after the fall of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately the US Government will not let them fly it in the United States without stripping off most of its armament since it would frighten civilians (though MHI keeps it around and sometimes reinstalls it for ops where secrecy is already blown) so they've replaced all the weapons with fuel and cargo pods, reducing its armarment it to a door machine gun and whatever small arms are carried by the hunters on board, and painted it to look like a medical helicopter. Even though it's well over half a century out of date by the first book and was never considered maneuverable when it was new, it has the advantage of an [[Orc]] pilot named Skippy who can make it do things even a modern helicopter shouldn't be able to do. If you're working for MHI and sent on an important mission, it may be used to transport/support you. Just don't damage it, or Skippy will kill you for harming his baby.

A question is raised: Why not get some weapons that are attachable and detachable as neccessary? Carry a AN/M3 HMG pod inside, land it when confirmed target, and hop back up after reattachment.
Cargo pods are just disguised rocket weapon points.

T-80

2022-04-23T20:57:55Z

2001:67C:2660:425:12:0:0:39: /* T-80 Shock Company */ add stats

[[File:TYBX02-03.jpg|300px|right|thumb|'Honour and Glory' - motto, 4th Guards Tank Division]]

{{topquote|The instrument of doom.|Apocalypse Tank, Red Alert 2 }}
The Soviet version of the Bradley's horrible beauracratic design process, the T-80 series was the Soviet's answer to the third generation of Western main battle tanks like the Leopard 2, Challenger and the Abrams. Building on the principle of the T-64 as the premium battle tank of the Soviet shock armies, the T-80 would become defined for its horribly inconsistent gas turbine engine and unreliability while on the move.

==In Team Yankee==

[[File:DE7DA872-887D-4557-9995-2C1EB19C5B66.jpg|thumb|left|300px]] <ref> https://www.team-yankee.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=7057</ref>

The T-80 represents the cream of the crop, the best that the USSR has to offer, and boy is it... one of the tanks ever in the game.
Battlefront chose the T-80U. This model sported the famous 'Kontakt-5' reactive armor package, and image intensification sights in addition to all the classic Russian tank features you know and love. The T-80 is a much closer match to the likes of the Abrams and Leopard, both in points and performance. It comes with some incredibly powerful hard stats: armor 20/10/2; an AT 22, brutal cannon; and a 14" tactical speed with its advanced stabilizer. Where you should be getting suspicious is the price: 7.33-8.8 points each, due to a few important weaknesses we'll discuss below.

The most outstanding feature of this tank is by far its sheer armor protection. For an 8 point tank, armor 20 is nothing to scoff at: by comparison, NATO is paying 11 points for the same levels of protection and that's on a hull that is significantly less mobile. Not only that, but its the first tank in the game with ERA, giving it effectively Chobham protection and making you a far more potent assault tank compared to your lesser Soviet peers. Before you start yelling "Russian bias" or get a raging, stalinium reinforced hard-on, there is a catch; one that Soviet players are more than aware of by now: 3+ to hit. "What does being hit matter if the capitalist swine can't even penetrate my armor?" And to that we reply "They can't penetrate your FRONT armor, tovarisch..."

The second important feature is this tanks sheer mobility. It is one of 2 tanks in the Soviet arsenal with a 14" move and absolutely outstanding dash speeds. The problem is... nothing, actually, there really isn't a catch here. You have a 2+ cross, letting you get through any terrain you need, and that's something not even your mediocre skill can mess up. This mobility will be a great tool for protecting your tanks and letting you keep your armor toward the enemy.

The last, probably least interesting stat on these tanks is the firepower. Once again, we have the classic 125mm 2A46 cannon with AT22, firepower 2+, and brutal. This is a justly feared weapon, capable of facing all but the most advanced NATO tanks pretty well. There are 2 major Achilles heels though, both of which Soviet players will be well aware of: 32" range and RoF 1. To help combat the first weakness, we have the AT-11 "Sniper" missile. This bumps your range to 48", and unlike other tanks with such missiles, it maintains AT 22 to help overcome its loss in firepower. Not only that, but its stabilized and can be fired while moving 14". What's the catch? '''It's a point per tank''' On a regular, 6x4' table, this just isn't worth it, as your mobility and armor let you get within gun range rather fine and +1 AT (only at range) rarely is a decisive difference when you're sacrificing recon, artillery, or infantry to get it. No, 32" range isn't a massive crutch, but RoF 1 is crippling, and what ultimately defines the conditions where you deploy this tank. This may seem odd, since it's fine for other Soviet tanks, but those tanks don't cost as much as an Abrams! For 8 points, you are fielding a relatively expensive tank: A NATO player spamming Leo 1s will easily have 2-3 tanks to your 1, which are harder to hit and only marginally less mobile. For the cost of 2 of these tanks (total of 2 shots), you could have 10 T-55s, which can pump out 5x the firepower.

''side note: notice that we never mentioned the Tandem Warhead feature of the missile. This is because it's that important (It can only be used against fellow PACT tanks for now and is practically useless when it just negates their 6+ save anyway.)''

All this combines to put this tank in a relatively interesting predicament: for the price, you get great protection and mobility, but firepower that is far worse than it should be, not by quality, but quantity (ironically). This has important implications for both your list and the roles the T-80 does well. We'll start with the roles.

The T-80 is probably the worst tank in the game for handling swarms of cheap tanks and IFVs, but its great armor and mobility for the price make it relatively potent for hunting more elite NATO tanks, from Chieftain up. Your armor lets you tank their AT22 shots rather well, and you cost around half the price of the most expensive of them while having similar or superior mobility, allowing you to chase them and flank them rather effectively, where you still have a severe numbers advantage. The other role the T-80 fills rather well is just...being a tank. Once again, the relatively large numbers of them you can bring with that level of armor lets them distract important enemy units and protect objectives better than many other units in your arsenal for the price.

If you really must include T-80s for whatever reason, you need to have a plan. As we discussed, the T-80 is powerful in very specific rolls, but it is absolute trash in others, and your army needs to compensate for this. The real result of this is that, on top of the regular cost of the T-80, you have a phantom cost of the support assets and capabilities required to support them. The first weakness is your firepower: you will need something that can put out a lot more dakka than your T-80s can manage, and fortunately the Red Army has a few options: T-55AMs have AT21 ATGMS and cost a measly 1.8 points a tank max, there are 3 different flavors of BMP you can choose from, which come in large numbers with bonus infantry ''and'' pack ATGMs that can handle hoards rather effectively. The second is your weak flanks. Thanks to objectives and board edges, you can only pull back so far before the hoard catches up with you, and so you need to buy yourself time. Soviet infantry can set tarpits that prevent you from being flanked by bum-rushing M60s, and you have the cheapest recon in the game with the BRDM-2 to help block enemy spearheads and give you room to maneuver. Use these to create space and prevent enemy breakthroughs, then when your flanks are secure, push forward and punish the capitalist aggressors mercilessly!

===T-80 Shock Company===
[[File:T-80.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Meet the Professionals]]
Representing the best of the best the Soviet army has to offer, the T-80 Shock company is a very different beast from any formation yet seen by Soviet players. It gives the ability to field a small, elite formation as opposed to the massed parking lots so familiar to many. The astute may notice that it is designated as a formation rather than a unit, and this is not a typo. Consisting of an HQ and 2-3 platoons of 2-3 tanks each, it is comparable in size to NATO armoured formations, with all the support options that Soviet formations bring. Available support includes a Shock Motor Rifle company, a Shock BMP 3 scout platoon, a SPAAG platoon of either Shilkas or Tunguskas, a SAM platoon of Gaskins or Gophers, and a Carnation battery. It is noteworthy that the stats discussed below belong only to the tanks, infantry, and scouts: support units have the typical Soviet stat line.

Anything with the “Shock” designation is hit on a 4+, has 3+ Skill, and one better Assault rating than is normal. Different units benefit to varying degrees from the boost to Assault and Skill, but the 4+ to hit is very solid for an army with a universal 3+. The T-80s themselves are still the same tank as the standard version, but now more difficult to hit and able to reliably shoot and scoot to avoid the worst of enemy return fire.

The Shock T-80s take all of the problems and advantages of the regular T-80 to 11. For about 10 points per tank, you get West German levels of training and morale with the same silly armor and mobility of the T-80. The problem is that now you're paying ''ten points'' for a single shot. These could be good as formation support in the same roles as the regular T-80s, but fielding the entire formation is very difficult in a 100 point game: 7 tanks (that's only 7 shots!) only gives you 32 points to field all of the necessary support elements mentioned above as well as the infantry, artillery, and recon that you'll need. Consider pairing them with BMP-1/2s to bump the level of firepower you have and bring infantry concurrently. You will be heavily outnumbered in most situations, and you'll need a solid amount of cheap AT to make up the difference against swarms, even more so than the regular T-80s. Because of the numerical disparity, you will have to play a far more subtle game than is typical for Soviets, and avoid casualties as much as possible. If NATO tactics using Russian equipment are what you’re after, then this is the formation for you! As an added bonus, it can make playing Soviets mercifully cheap in real-life currency.

==In Real Life==
[[File:1280px-4thTankBrigade - T-80U -33.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Soviet Power Supreme]]
[[File:Tank training of Ukrainian Air Assault, December 2018, 03.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Ukrainian Airborne Forces Rockin the T-80]]
Visually similar to the T-72, any Western commander who mistook it as such would be in for a shock: the T-80 was a frighteningly deadly weapon, combining the 125mm cannon with BDD armour superior to the T-64's, reactive armour blocks and the latest tank-killing shells the Soviet Union had to offer. Later versions like the T-80B would even have the ability to fire Kobra missiles, allowing it to outrange the latest Western tanks of the time. As of 1985, T-80U was arguably the best tank around: heavy ERA "Kontakt-5" made it pretty much immune to anything Westerners could reasonably throw at it, while newest munitions had a good chance of penetrating both Leopard-2 and M1A1 Abrams.

Unfortunately, gas turbine engines tend to require a lot of fuel to sustain. The US was able to sustain having those engines in their Abrams due to having ALL THE OIL, but Russia and its dead-in-the-water economy could not. Due to the increased costs of feeding and maintaining said engine, the Russians made the diesel T80UD for its armed forces but eventually decided to stick with the T-72. Eventually the T-72 would evolve into T-72BU or the T-90: a T-72 with better armor, an improved engine, the advanced fire control systems and APS found within the T-80 turret, provisions for ERA and loads of other smaller upgrades that essentially make it an entirely new tank.

Today, the T-80 remains the core of the Russian tank corps alongside heavily modernized T-72s. The T-80 might lack the reliability and fuel-economy of modern T-90 variants, but the Modern Russian Federation has the petroleum infrastructure the Union lacked to feed these gas guzzling monsters and so these tanks can keep up with all but the absolute best armour of the West… but not Javelin ATGM’s, as seen in Ukraine. Ukrainian T-80s/T-84s are taking out a lot of T-72s however.

{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]