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Motor Rifle Company

2021-08-25T13:34:17Z

2600:1014:B11A:EEE2:21F6:D28:A405:713E: /* IRL */

{{topquote|The Hammer, the Sickle, the AK-47|Ahoy}}

While tanks were the icon of the Warsaw Pact's militaries, it was the infantry that allowed these tanks to lead feared charges into Western Europe. With hordes upon hordes deployed, the Eastern Bloc often combined Soviet doctrine with training and doctrine from World War 2 or even earlier. For example, Poland's militaristic culture combined nicely with Communism while the NVA combined Soviet technology to Wehrmacht doctrine and the German reputation for precision. Regardless of their origins and uniforms, the infantry of the Eastern Bloc lacked the advanced technology that defined NATO forces but made up for it with reliable tools in sheer numbers.

Despite having nearly identical equipment, each faction employs its infantry in different roles thanks to the varying lists and stats.

==Motor Rifle Company==
[[File:Motorrifle Company.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Ivan! Keep up you ''debil''!]]
{{topquote|Soldier, remember! In critical situation, you won't rise to the level of your expectations but fall to the level of your training.|Red Army poster}}
The base of all Soviet Infantry armed with AK74s for the most part. Additional weapons include PKM light machineguns, RPG-7s and a SA-14 Gremlin AA missile team. The differences in game vary mostly in specializing transport like the VDV with their Hinds and the Hardened veterans of the Afghan wars.

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Soviet_MRC.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stats. Cyka Blyat?]]
The motorstrelki have the most options for a singular unit. In addition to additional weapons, you have a choice of three transports: BMP-2s, BMP-1s and BTR-60s. A good PACT player can be told from a great one from how they build their motorized infantry lists. There is no correct answer; each of these units are competitive and have their own niche. While your infantry company WILL overwhelm a NATO platoon in a head-on fight, they require support to get there. All the infantry bases in the world are next to useless when hit by machine gun fire and artillery without cover: smoke, artillery and pinning the enemy are essential to making your motor-rifles work, and also a key reason why PACT forces are far less beginner friendly than NATO units which can mostly function on their own (but not ideally).

While their PACT brethren may have 4+ skill, orders are not totally essential when commanding a solid wall of men. The key stats that make Soviet infantry so deadly in the game is 3+ morale and 3+ rally which allow them to recover from pinning most of the time. This means less time spent hugging the ground and more time to carry out your plan, whether its repelling attacks from a building or slowly advancing with smoke to cover. 3+ counterattack is nice to have, but not required in most game plans.

They might be expensive, but are more versatile and have easy access to BMP-2s across most formations, unlike their PACT comrades.

Update: the Motor Rifles are set to receive a boost to their firepower. The upcoming Soviet book will enable all companies to upgrade to the RPG 7 VR for 2 points for the unit, sacrificing 4” range for AT 19 and firepower 2+, as well as the very situational Tandem Warhead. This is a very solid upgrade, finally allowing infantry to be a legitimate threat to tanks with Chobham. Like the TOW tax, all units that can take this upgrade must do so if anyone is so equipped.

'''BMP Shock Motor Rifle Company'''

A new variant of Soviet infantry, only available as in-formation support for the T-80 shock company. These are highly capable fighters, whose stats put the Afghantsy veterans to shame. Still having the same rock solid Soviet morale/rally, Shock rifles have a Skill rating of 3+, Assault 4+, and are hit on a NATO-esque 4+. This makes them slightly superior to West German panzergrenadiers, and flat out better than most other infantry. Coming in BMP 3s and rocking the RPG 7 VR stock, as well as having the same heavy weapon options as the standard Motor Rifles, this unit is equipped to handle most battlefield situations. To save a few points, they can be downgraded to BMP 2s. Their transports likewise share their awesome stat line.

Naturally, all of this does not come without cost. Available in small (4 AK, 3 RPG, 4 BMP) and medium (6 AK, 5 RPG, 1 PKM, 6 BMP) size only, the Shock company is smaller than their standard brethren, though still larger than most NATO infantry units in the case of the medium company. They are also quite expensive, with the medium company weighing in at 24 points with BMP 3s, or 21 points with BMP 2s. For comparison, a medium BMP 2 motor rifle company with upgraded RPGs costs 1 point less, and has an additional AK, RPG, and PKM base, as well as three extra BMPs. Having said that, the additional cost may not be entirely unjustified. Being hit on 4+, reliably using orders, and hitting harder in assaults makes the Shock rifles far more self-sufficient. Likewise, their transports can use movement orders and line of sight blocking terrain to play peekaboo with enemy units and stay alive rather than relying on target overload. The unit will certainly require a different approach that Soviet players are used to.

===IRL===
[[File:Soveit BMP & Infantry.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Ignore the dust comrade! It will only make you stronker!]]
Soviet Motor Rifle infantry, known as Motostrelki, were the bread and butter of the Soviet Armed Forces since the reformation of the Red Army into the Soviet Armed Forces in 1946. As the name implies Motorstrelki, or MR as they're abbreviated to, were all motorized infantry who were to act as the main Soviet force in any conventional or unconventional conflict. Their job would to act tactically as motorized infantry, and on what the Soviets dubbed the 'operational' level, a level of warfare between the strategic and tactical levels, help in the exploitation, reinforcement, and line holding duties, alongside supplementing tank units, their all motorized nature allowing them to keep up with the extremely high tempo warfare they had planned on.

Their use in battle was to dismount from their BMP, BTR, and MT-LB vehicles at a few hundred meters from their targets, and advance with their attached tanks at roughly equal pace which should, at least in theory, allow for infantry to keep pace with the tanks, allowing the tanks to cover the infantry, and vice versa with targets being pointed out to the tanks through the use of tracers the Motostrelki are given.

By the time of Team Yankee the Russians have replaced their 7.62x39 AKMs with 5.45x39 AK-74s. This tweaked copy of 5.56 NATO gives lighter, longer range ammo with less recoil in exchange for less barrier penetration. The AKM remains in use for rear line units.

Bears mentioning that Group of Soviet Forces in Germany was creme de la creme of the Red Army, supplied and trained to a highest standards. Simply being enlisted there was considered very prestigious, as every candidate had to show both physical (or professional) qualities and unshakable loyalty to the Party not to defect to the Westerners (and let's not forget that a lot of western stuff could be bought there, and salaries for conscripted soldiers and NCOs were paid in East German marks). Many officers had families there, as one could call GSFG a state within a state.
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==Mot-Schützen Kompanie==
[[File:Mot-Schützen Kompanie.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"Franz...are we the baddies, again?"]]
The ''Nationale Volksarmee'' was regarded as the best trained of the Warsaw Pact client states, including both their NCOs and officers who were considered to be a cut above their less motivated allies. Constructed on a base of communist die-hards and reformed ex-Wehrmacht veterans the ''NVA'' combined the traditions of a German Army with battle-tested Soviet doctrine. Armed with their older MPi KM (AKM) rifles, the Mot-Schützen lack the added firepower of the under-barrel grenade launcher of their Soviet comrades (reflected in the stats), though they were known for a greater usage of RPKs in the SAW role (not reflected in the stats).

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Mot-Schützen_Kompanie_Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card...]]
[[File:TV113.jpg|300px|right|thumb|and the heavy weapons. Achtung!]]
Like any PACT army, the East Germans have a tendency towards hordes of men and machines, and the Mot-Schützen Kompanie is no different. They are functionally identical to Soviet motorized rifles with identical point costs. However, they gain 4+ skill and drop to 4+ rally: expect them to pass orders most of the time, but they are more vulnerable to being pinned. Experienced players will realize the importance of 3+ rally when their infantry choose to stay pinned instead of moving forward, which is the main issue stopping the East Germans from being strictly better Soviets. Motorschützen also lack 5+ firepower on their assault rifles. Take note of this when planning attacks on entrenched or garrisoned infantry.

The two fundamental parts of your unit are the AKM Teams and your RPG-7 teams, but added weapon teams make this unit more interesting. For 1 point each, you can take an AGS-17 grenade launcher team, up to two Spigot ATGM teams and/or one Gremlin MANPAD team. Considering that you can take smaller infantry companies to bring more heavy weapons to the field, certain units may become redundant. For example, 3-4 companies of Mot-Schützen with Gremlin MANPADs could fill your anti-air role in games with point values below 30. Spigots are not purchasable for BMP mounted troops, as your transports are already capable of firing missiles.

Points cost for the motorschutzen are identical to Soviet motor rifles, including the cost of transports.
{{clear}}

===IRL===
[[File:Mot-Schützen_Kompanie_BTR.jpg|300px|right|thumb|East German tourists, posing for a picture near the border.]]
One of the smaller armies of the Warsaw Pact the NVA maintained a high level of readiness like their Soviet comrades in the GSFG garrison, ready to mobilize for war within hours, and remember Berlin was split right in half with western armed forces behind the border in east German territory. If war started the first order of business was wiping those troops off the map as-fast-as-possible so they don't cause trouble. In the event of war, the NVA was to be placed directly into the 5 Soviet Armies of the GSFG, as opposed to their larger allies Poland and Czechoslovakia who would have their own Army-sized units.

You might be wondering why the East Germans have their own infantry models while the other PACT nations have to make do with painting soviet infantry in different colors. Besides staggering laziness and favouritism on Battlefront's part, the Volksarmee wore a distinct helmet which makes using the standard Soviet infantry as NVA infantry impossible.

When the National Volksarmee was formed in the late 1950s, they desperately wanted to prevent their soldiers from looking like Red Army clones, as the atrocities committed against the German people in the closing days of the war by the Soviets were still very much in the public consciousness. In an effort to minimize obvious red army influences, many Wehrmacht traditions were transplanted directly into the Volksarmee, such as goose stepping on parade, and peacetime uniforms were almost a direct copy of the ones worn by their fathers, just with communist iconography rather than fascist ones. Their signature helmet was actually a wartime design, trailed in 1943 but never put into service due to the fact that helmet factories would have to have been retooled (it was thought that the West Germans would keep using the stalhelm, so to prevent friendly fire they needed something different). The Stalhelm was also rejected out of worry the offensive it would cause to Soviet and WARPAC citizenry and veterans, since the WARPAC had notionally been formed to prevent renewed German aggression (a genuine worry given West Germany's revanchist stances towards the 1945 Polish border, a matter not fully settled until the ''1990s'').

The Volksarmee was so proud of its direct lineage from the Wehrmacht, that they often accused their Western counterparts of "selling out" to the West in general and the Americans in particular, as the Bundeswehr had gone to great lengths to distance itself from the past by adopting American gear like the M1 helmet and by removing almost all of the past Nazi traditions. A number of East German Officers and Generals had even been in the Wehrmacht and League of Free German Officers, a wartime Soviet backed collaborationist organisation that included Wehrmacht and KPD (Communist Party of Germany) members.

The Volksarmee was one of the few outside of Russia to adopt the AK-74 and its more modern 5.45x39 cartridge before the end of the Cold War, and the bayonet remains standard even today because they had so many of them. Many of the obsolete East German AKs in 7.62x39 were given to Soviet allies and remain one of the more common variants to see use by irregulars, though they are still far behind the Chinese Type 56 in quantity (though ahead in quality). Remaining surplus has been purchased by Finland (where every man must learn how to use an AK or go to jail) as reserve arms.
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==Kompania Zmotoryzowana==

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Slide1.JPG|300px|thumb|left|Polish Stats, towarzyszu!]]

The motorized rifle company (zmotoryzowana kompania piechoty) have a very weird place in the Pact forces as having the best statline for frontline troops: resistant to morale shock and pinning but paying for it in points and weak equipment. Notably, your rifle teams don't have RPG-18s. All anti-tank duties are delegated to your RPG-7 teams, which may or may not be very significant depending on whether you expect your infantry to serve as all-rounders or to fight other infantry for the most part. They do have 4+ skill, which means you should be using orders whenever possible.

As with other PACT forces, try not to have these teams in close combat. You may have plenty of bases, but 5+ assault means you will only land one hit per three teams.

Polish motorized rifles (BTR/OT-64s) may purchase the following heavy weapon teams: 2 Spigot ATGM teams for 2 points each, and an SA-7 Strela team for one point.

Mechanized rifles (BMP-1s/BMP-2s) may purchase only a single SA-7 team, with the BMP-1 mounted team costing 1 point and the BMP-2 mounted team costing 2 points. Companies above the smallest size get 2 PKM LMG teams though, which offer a very solid base of fire that can pin a NATO platoon or shred through [https://www.callofduty.com/ca/en/| doughboys in the open].

Without mass BMP-2s, Polish players are forced to rely on the BMP-1: a decent vehicle, but lacking the AT21 ATGMs that make the BMP-2 so strong. The cost discounts of NVA and Czech riflemen balance this out, something your Poles do NOT get.

However, they do have the best statline second to the VDV if you want your infantry to push forward or just to bog the enemy down without becoming pinned. With 4+ skill and orders, you will have an easier time giving orders to blitz or dig-in and have the required stats to minimize the chances that they will panic and go to ground when hammered by artillery or machinegun fire. 5+ FP means that they excel in close-range firefights against enemy infantry...once you get close enough of course. Use smoke, artillery and cunning plans to ensure that these men can get close and do their job.

A key point with Polish units is that with BMP-1 and BMP-2 mounted infantry, you are paying premium points for the combination of elite infantry and 4+ BMPs with ATGMs. In fact, the maxed out BMP platoons cost 5 points more than their Soviet counterparts. For once you will probably outnumber the enemy by 3 to 2 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epeQwq-aYV0 instead of the usual 40-1 that your Poles are used to]. For those who don't get the joke, this will be one of the few times the Poles aren't horribly outnumbered and destroyed.

Mediocre with BMPs, excellent with BTRs/OTs.

===IRL===
[[File:PolishFlavour1TeamYankee.jpeg|300px|right|thumb|Onwards, when no-one else will!]]
{{clear}}

Polish forces were a mixed bag. The officer corps was without a doubt very Polish and the lower levels sometimes even openly anti-Soviet (there were some parties in 1967, to celebrate “their” Jews defeating the soviet backed Arabs). The Soviets considered them politically unreliable in the long term, and put the Polish troops in the tip of the spear plans so that if there was a betrayal by the Polish military, the best equipped forces the traitors might have would be still engaged with the west. Polish marines were earmarked for some of the most dangerous missions and plans of the war, as expendable troops with acceptable equipment and good training was just what the Soviets wanted for high risk medium reward operations. Polish marine and airborne forces were supposed to try and take over the Danish Belt, supported by some East German units and some of the Baltic Fleet. This was without a doubt a suicide assignment, as they’d be operating with minimal supplies and the landing forces would have to run a gauntlet and a half just to put troops on the ground. Still, they provided the most men out of all the Non-Soviet Warsaw Pact nations.

==Motorizovaná Pěchota==

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Slide7.JPG|300px|thumb|left|Onwards, when no one is left!]]

[[File:Slide4.JPG|300px|thumb|right|We are 'eavy weapons guys]]

The Rota motorizované pěchoty (motorized infantry company) of the Czechs represent the cheapest infantry one can buy in Team Yankee and interestingly, are the only ones presented as a true conscript force with unmotivated, underequipped soldiers who would rather be getting pissed in babushka's basement than being shot at by strange men shooting at them with big black cannons.

Unlike their Pact brethren, Czech infantry are atrocious on the offensive. Like the East Germans they have 4+ skill to make use of cover, but their 5+ rally stat mean that once pinned by artillery or machine gun fire, they are going to stay there for 3 turns statistically speaking.

In a firefight, the Czechs are rather mediocre. With their Vz.58 rifles having an 8" range, FP6, and pinned ROF 1, they are incredibly unlikely to actually do any damage once suppressed by artillery or gunfire. They may have the numbers, but they don't have the guts to actually fire back at the enemy or close in where their ROF3 Vz.58s can do their work. If you don't run minimum sized companies the Vz.59 LMG team(s) can try to get a few shots off, but you only get one or two depending on your transport choice.

On the attack, a pinned company is a dead company that will fall to machine gun fire, rockets and almost anything that the enemy has to offer. On the defensive? This is where things start to change....

It may seem the Czechs have THE most worthless infantry in the game, which is false thanks to one redeeming factor: cost. While your infantry won't make their points back against all but the worst opponents, infantry in Team Yankee are still the toughest units to dislodge when <s>hiding in</s> taking bulletproof cover. And with skill 4+ you stand a decent chance of digging in. Taken as a single allied company, your conscript horde will HOLD the objective. Any player who has tried to repel dug-in British infantry will give horror stories of these troops gunning down all who tried to get close, before tearing through their men with 3+ assault. NATO players can look forward to sharing their own story, where an objective was protected by 7-21 bases of dug-in infantry. Your dug in infantry company can literally outlast your opponents, having enough bodies that it becomes a mathematical impossibility to capture objectives unless all firepower is focused on killing the defending company. The body-blocking tactics are a possibility with Czech players thanks to their discounts.

You can pay 1 or 2 points for a single stand of AGS-17 grenade launchers and/or SA-7 AA missiles per company with a transport for each team, with the BMP-2 mounted teams costing more. OT-64 mounted infantry also have the option of taking up to 2 stands of AT-4 ATGM for 2 points per team and transport. If you are attacking then these are just extra points for a single stand that will probably spend most of the game moving or pinned down. On the defense the AT-4 ATGM teams, while pretty mediocre, at least mean the enemy can't ignore the company until it is convenient for him to close in, but taking them nullifies any points you saved by not bringing BMPs. Take any points you were considering investing in the AGS-17 and/or SA-7 teams and just bring [[ZSU 23-4 Shilka|Shilkas]]

With BTR-60 and OT-64 mounted infantry you can purchase a 4 point company with 4 rifle teams and 3 RPG teams mounted in 4 vehicles, an 8 point company with 7 rifle teams, 6 RPG teams and 1 LMG team with 8 vehicles, or 13 points gets you 10 rifle teams, 9 RPG teams and 1 LMG team with 11 vehicles. The BTR-60 is slightly less likely to get stuck in terrain, where the OT-64 is can dash a few inches more.

BMP-1 mounted infantry can get a 5 point company with 4 rifle teams and 3 RPG teams mounted in 4 BMP-1s, a 10 point company with 7 rifle teams 6 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams mounted in 9 BMP-1s, or a 14 point company with 10 rifle teams 9 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams mounted in 12 BMP-1s.

BMP-2 mounted infantry can get a 7 point company with 4 rifle teams and 3 RPG teams mounted in 4 BMP-2s, a 13 point company with 7 rifle teams 6 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams teams mounted in 9 BMP-2s, or an 18 point company with 10 rifle teams 9 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams mounted in 12 BMP-2s.

===IRL===
[[File:CzechFlavour1TeamYankee.jpeg|300px|right|thumb|KSC men looking badass, proper firing posture not included. That's not an AK.]]
Probably the most rebellious nation in the Eastern Bloc, Czechoslovak forces were generally quite displeased at being on the Soviet Union's side, especially after the Soviet invasion during the Prague Spring. There was a good degree of mutual animosity between the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, so Czechoslovak forces had limited access to or desire to use Soviet gear, often preferring local designs. Humorously enough prior to the 1960s Czech motor rifles would actually be found riding in the German designed SdKfZ 251 half track of World War 2 fame, as these were already in production in Czechoslovakia and they didn't want to switch to making Soviet gear.

Like most Pact forces outside of Russia proper, at the time Team Yankee is set the Czechs still use the older 7.62x39 cartridge instead of the more modern 5.45x39. Contrary to appearances, the Czech forces do ''not'' use a variant of the AK rifle and instead use a native design in the vz. 58, which operates differently and has no interchangeable parts (not even the magazine). Compared to an AK it is more accurate, features a last round bolt hold open and uses lighter aluminum mags than the overbuilt steel mags used by the AK, but on the downside gets unmanageably hot, even with gloves, much quicker. Today the vz. 58 is being phased out in favor of the CZ 805 BREN 5.56x45 NATO. Due to heavy legal restrictions on rifles based on the AK and AR15 platforms, the vz. 58 remains popular among Canadian civilians since the vz. 58 is not an AK. In addition to not being a restricted firearm, it is able to hit the broad side of a barn, uses readily available detachable magazines, is able to use modern accessories with minimal work (while never issued with the Soviet side rail, it's easily added by a gunsmith and often imported with one already on) and can use the cheap Chinese 7.62x39 all while not being prohibitively expensive.

==Mechanized Infantry Company==

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:N56.jpg|300px|thumb|right|I surrender! Here, take me!!]]
The mechanized company is the main objective holder of the Iraqi Army, and also one of the only units that can fight tanks.

Like other WARPAC infantry companies, the Iraqis have cheap, spammable infantry with the numbers to beat down Western forces with sheer weight of fire: both from the riflemen and the vehicles they ride.

The Iraqis do not have access to BMP-2, but make up for it with a somewhat respectable profile. While your conscripts have the training of Soviet peasants, they have 4+ courage, morale and rally and should be played like a mix of East Germans and Soviets. Thanks to their Western equipment, some units have access to Milan missiles, giving you the option to turn your Iraqis into quasi-British units with spammed Milans.

Like the Frenchies, these Milans are one of the only weapons capable of beating 3rd generation tanks and should be positioned to deny areas to enemy tanks, if not outright engaging them. These troops should be aggressively pushed to deny pieces of terrain to your enemy. They might not have the numbers of Czechs, but are extremely close and come with better morale.

In the Iraqi arsenal, the AMX-10P could be seen as a BTR with more armour, a (barely) heavier weapon and better off-road performance. Your BTRs have traditionally been the suicidal first wave in an assault, and your AMX-10Ps should take the same role: except they have a chance to brush off autocannon fire from enemy IFVs and won't vapourize under artillery.

A BTR-60/OT-64 motorized company comes in at 4 points for 7 AK teams, 1 RPG team and 4 vehicles; 13 AKs, 2 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 9 vehicles for 7 points or 19 AKs, 3 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 12 vehicles for 10 points. Each company may take a team of SA-7s for 1 point, AT-3 Saggers for 1 point, or 1 Milan team for 2 points. All of these units come with a vehicle of their parent company.

The BTR-60/OT-64 company can upgrade its vehicles to AMX-10Ps for only 3 points, and can mount Milans if desired: but not Sagger missiles.

A BMP-1 mechanized company comes in at 5 points for 4 AKs, 3 RPGs and 4 BMPs, 7 AKs, 6 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 9 BMPs for 10 points, or 10 AKs, 9 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 12 BMPs for 14 points. Each company can add on a team of SA-7s with a BMP for 1 point.

===IRL===

[[File:150303-calbraith-iraq-army-tease fescam.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Modern hajis, because equipping folks with questionable loyalty is a great idea.]]

By 1985, the Iraq Mechanized Infantry Company, with it's soviet level of training, either represents an Iraqi force at the start of the conflict, or more likely the Republican Guard units being trained in Western Iraq for the eventual counterattack in 1987. The only truly mechanized units left in the Iraqi army were the Republican Guard forces, mostly because as losses mounted and replacements were not easily available, things broke down and were never recovered. Purchases were starting as funding from the Gulf States allowed the Iraqis to make foreign arms purchases once again, but in general the Iraqi army of this period was by no means a mechanized force in reality.

The conscript based Iraqi army was struggling to do anything at all really, and the stalemate was being held to by both sides at this point in the war. The Iraqis had spent their best troops in a meat grinder in 1980 and 1981 trying to seize and siege several Iranian cities, and lost way more than they gained. The Iraqi forces were only really effective fighting in the defense, from static positions - maneuver was practically unknown. Executions for minor infractions were common, and about 80% of the army was Shia, and not enthusiastic about being there, but had to fight or be killed either by their officers or the Iranians. Really, Battlefront, a better model for the base line Iraqi's would be to have morale issues even worse than the Czechs.

Historically speaking, the major issues with the Iraqi army wouldn't be solved without major outside assistance and the Iranians pissing everyone off enough that they couldn't buy new equipment. Iraq would be rocked hard in '86, and end up having to resort to absolutely insane amounts of chemical weapon use in '87 and '88 to force the Iranians back and out of Iraqi territory - which for most of the war had been under Iranian control. By this point the Iraqi conscript army was a more professional force probably better deserving the statline assigned to them here, as training and equipment improved over time. This army though had also ballooned in size and expense to the fourth largest in the world, something that would be partially responsible for the 1991 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq.

{{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:Team Yankee]]

Motor Rifle Company

2021-08-25T13:26:23Z

2600:1014:B11A:EEE2:21F6:D28:A405:713E: /* IRL */

{{topquote|The Hammer, the Sickle, the AK-47|Ahoy}}

While tanks were the icon of the Warsaw Pact's militaries, it was the infantry that allowed these tanks to lead feared charges into Western Europe. With hordes upon hordes deployed, the Eastern Bloc often combined Soviet doctrine with training and doctrine from World War 2 or even earlier. For example, Poland's militaristic culture combined nicely with Communism while the NVA combined Soviet technology to Wehrmacht doctrine and the German reputation for precision. Regardless of their origins and uniforms, the infantry of the Eastern Bloc lacked the advanced technology that defined NATO forces but made up for it with reliable tools in sheer numbers.

Despite having nearly identical equipment, each faction employs its infantry in different roles thanks to the varying lists and stats.

==Motor Rifle Company==
[[File:Motorrifle Company.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Ivan! Keep up you ''debil''!]]
{{topquote|Soldier, remember! In critical situation, you won't rise to the level of your expectations but fall to the level of your training.|Red Army poster}}
The base of all Soviet Infantry armed with AK74s for the most part. Additional weapons include PKM light machineguns, RPG-7s and a SA-14 Gremlin AA missile team. The differences in game vary mostly in specializing transport like the VDV with their Hinds and the Hardened veterans of the Afghan wars.

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Soviet_MRC.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stats. Cyka Blyat?]]
The motorstrelki have the most options for a singular unit. In addition to additional weapons, you have a choice of three transports: BMP-2s, BMP-1s and BTR-60s. A good PACT player can be told from a great one from how they build their motorized infantry lists. There is no correct answer; each of these units are competitive and have their own niche. While your infantry company WILL overwhelm a NATO platoon in a head-on fight, they require support to get there. All the infantry bases in the world are next to useless when hit by machine gun fire and artillery without cover: smoke, artillery and pinning the enemy are essential to making your motor-rifles work, and also a key reason why PACT forces are far less beginner friendly than NATO units which can mostly function on their own (but not ideally).

While their PACT brethren may have 4+ skill, orders are not totally essential when commanding a solid wall of men. The key stats that make Soviet infantry so deadly in the game is 3+ morale and 3+ rally which allow them to recover from pinning most of the time. This means less time spent hugging the ground and more time to carry out your plan, whether its repelling attacks from a building or slowly advancing with smoke to cover. 3+ counterattack is nice to have, but not required in most game plans.

They might be expensive, but are more versatile and have easy access to BMP-2s across most formations, unlike their PACT comrades.

Update: the Motor Rifles are set to receive a boost to their firepower. The upcoming Soviet book will enable all companies to upgrade to the RPG 7 VR for 2 points for the unit, sacrificing 4” range for AT 19 and firepower 2+, as well as the very situational Tandem Warhead. This is a very solid upgrade, finally allowing infantry to be a legitimate threat to tanks with Chobham. Like the TOW tax, all units that can take this upgrade must do so if anyone is so equipped.

'''BMP Shock Motor Rifle Company'''

A new variant of Soviet infantry, only available as in-formation support for the T-80 shock company. These are highly capable fighters, whose stats put the Afghantsy veterans to shame. Still having the same rock solid Soviet morale/rally, Shock rifles have a Skill rating of 3+, Assault 4+, and are hit on a NATO-esque 4+. This makes them slightly superior to West German panzergrenadiers, and flat out better than most other infantry. Coming in BMP 3s and rocking the RPG 7 VR stock, as well as having the same heavy weapon options as the standard Motor Rifles, this unit is equipped to handle most battlefield situations. To save a few points, they can be downgraded to BMP 2s. Their transports likewise share their awesome stat line.

Naturally, all of this does not come without cost. Available in small (4 AK, 3 RPG, 4 BMP) and medium (6 AK, 5 RPG, 1 PKM, 6 BMP) size only, the Shock company is smaller than their standard brethren, though still larger than most NATO infantry units in the case of the medium company. They are also quite expensive, with the medium company weighing in at 24 points with BMP 3s, or 21 points with BMP 2s. For comparison, a medium BMP 2 motor rifle company with upgraded RPGs costs 1 point less, and has an additional AK, RPG, and PKM base, as well as three extra BMPs. Having said that, the additional cost may not be entirely unjustified. Being hit on 4+, reliably using orders, and hitting harder in assaults makes the Shock rifles far more self-sufficient. Likewise, their transports can use movement orders and line of sight blocking terrain to play peekaboo with enemy units and stay alive rather than relying on target overload. The unit will certainly require a different approach that Soviet players are used to.

===IRL===
[[File:Soveit BMP & Infantry.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Ignore the dust comrade! It will only make you stronker!]]
Soviet Motor Rifle infantry, known as Motostrelki, were the bread and butter of the Soviet Armed Forces since the reformation of the Red Army into the Soviet Armed Forces in 1946. As the name implies Motorstrelki, or MR as they're abbreviated to, were all motorized infantry who were to act as the main Soviet force in any conventional or unconventional conflict. Their job would to act tactically as motorized infantry, and on what the Soviets dubbed the 'operational' level, a level of warfare between the strategic and tactical levels, help in the exploitation, reinforcement, and line holding duties, alongside supplementing tank units, their all motorized nature allowing them to keep up with the extremely high tempo warfare they had planned on.

Their use in battle was to dismount from their BMP, BTR, and MT-LB vehicles at a few hundred meters from their targets, and advance with their attached tanks at roughly equal pace which should, at least in theory, allow for infantry to keep pace with the tanks, allowing the tanks to cover the infantry, and vice versa with targets being pointed out to the tanks through the use of tracers the Motostrelki are given.

By the time of Team Yankee the Russians have replaced their 7.62x39 AKMs with 5.45x39 AK-74s. This tweaked copy of 5.56 NATO gives lighter, longer range ammo with less recoil in exchange for less barrier penetration. The AKM remains in use for rear line units.

Bears mentioning that Group of Soviet Forces in Germany was creme de la creme of the Red Army, supplied and trained to a highest standards. Simply being enlisted there was considered very prestigious, as every candidate had to show both physical (or professional) qualities and unshakable loyalty to the Party not to defect to the Westerners (and let's not forget that a lot of western stuff could be bought there, and salaries for conscripted soldiers and NCOs were paid in East German marks). Many officers had families there, as one could call GSFG a state within a state.
{{clear}}

==Mot-Schützen Kompanie==
[[File:Mot-Schützen Kompanie.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"Franz...are we the baddies, again?"]]
The ''Nationale Volksarmee'' was regarded as the best trained of the Warsaw Pact client states, including both their NCOs and officers who were considered to be a cut above their less motivated allies. Constructed on a base of communist die-hards and reformed ex-Wehrmacht veterans the ''NVA'' combined the traditions of a German Army with battle-tested Soviet doctrine. Armed with their older MPi KM (AKM) rifles, the Mot-Schützen lack the added firepower of the under-barrel grenade launcher of their Soviet comrades (reflected in the stats), though they were known for a greater usage of RPKs in the SAW role (not reflected in the stats).

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Mot-Schützen_Kompanie_Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card...]]
[[File:TV113.jpg|300px|right|thumb|and the heavy weapons. Achtung!]]
Like any PACT army, the East Germans have a tendency towards hordes of men and machines, and the Mot-Schützen Kompanie is no different. They are functionally identical to Soviet motorized rifles with identical point costs. However, they gain 4+ skill and drop to 4+ rally: expect them to pass orders most of the time, but they are more vulnerable to being pinned. Experienced players will realize the importance of 3+ rally when their infantry choose to stay pinned instead of moving forward, which is the main issue stopping the East Germans from being strictly better Soviets. Motorschützen also lack 5+ firepower on their assault rifles. Take note of this when planning attacks on entrenched or garrisoned infantry.

The two fundamental parts of your unit are the AKM Teams and your RPG-7 teams, but added weapon teams make this unit more interesting. For 1 point each, you can take an AGS-17 grenade launcher team, up to two Spigot ATGM teams and/or one Gremlin MANPAD team. Considering that you can take smaller infantry companies to bring more heavy weapons to the field, certain units may become redundant. For example, 3-4 companies of Mot-Schützen with Gremlin MANPADs could fill your anti-air role in games with point values below 30. Spigots are not purchasable for BMP mounted troops, as your transports are already capable of firing missiles.

Points cost for the motorschutzen are identical to Soviet motor rifles, including the cost of transports.
{{clear}}

===IRL===
[[File:Mot-Schützen_Kompanie_BTR.jpg|300px|right|thumb|East German tourists, posing for a picture near the border.]]
One of the smaller armies of the Warsaw Pact the NVA maintained a high level of readiness like their Soviet comrades in the GSFG garrison, ready to mobilize for war within hours, and remember Berlin was split right in half with western armed forces behind the border in east German territory. If war started the first order of business was wiping those troops off the map as-fast-as-possible so they don't cause trouble. In the event of war, the NVA was to be placed directly into the 5 Soviet Armies of the GSFG, as opposed to their larger allies Poland and Czechoslovakia who would have their own Army-sized units.

You might be wondering why the East Germans have their own infantry models while the other PACT nations have to make do with painting soviet infantry in different colors. Besides staggering laziness and favouritism on Battlefront's part, the Volksarmee wore a distinct helmet which makes using the standard Soviet infantry as NVA infantry impossible.

When the National Volksarmee was formed in the late 1950s, they desperately wanted to prevent their soldiers from looking like Red Army clones, as the atrocities committed against the German people in the closing days of the war by the Soviets were still very much in the public consciousness. In an effort to minimize obvious red army influences, many Wehrmacht traditions were transplanted directly into the Volksarmee, such as goose stepping on parade, and peacetime uniforms were almost a direct copy of the ones worn by their fathers, just with communist iconography rather than fascist ones. Their signature helmet was actually a wartime design, trailed in 1943 but never put into service due to the fact that helmet factories would have to have been retooled (it was thought that the West Germans would keep using the stalhelm, so to prevent friendly fire they needed something different). The Stalhelm was also rejected out of worry the offensive it would cause to Soviet and WARPAC citizenry and veterans, since the WARPAC had notionally been formed to prevent renewed German aggression (a genuine worry given West Germany's revanchist stances towards the 1945 Polish border, a matter not fully settled until the ''1990s'').

The Volksarmee was so proud of its direct lineage from the Wehrmacht, that they often accused their Western counterparts of "selling out" to the West in general and the Americans in particular, as the Bundeswehr had gone to great lengths to distance itself from the past by adopting American gear like the M1 helmet and by removing almost all of the past Nazi traditions. A number of East German Officers and Generals had even been in the Wehrmacht and League of Free German Officers, a wartime Soviet backed collaborationist organisation that included Wehrmacht and KPD (Communist Party of Germany) members.

The Volksarmee was one of the few outside of Russia to adopt the AK-74 and its more modern 5.45x39 cartridge before the end of the Cold War, and the bayonet remains standard even today because they had so many of them. Many of the obsolete East German AKs in 7.62x39 were given to Soviet allies and remain one of the more common variants to see use by irregulars, though they are still far behind the Chinese Type 56 in quantity (though ahead in quality). Remaining surplus has been purchased by Finland (where every man must learn how to use an AK or go to jail) as reserve arms.
{{clear}}

==Kompania Zmotoryzowana==

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Slide1.JPG|300px|thumb|left|Polish Stats, towarzyszu!]]

The motorized rifle company (zmotoryzowana kompania piechoty) have a very weird place in the Pact forces as having the best statline for frontline troops: resistant to morale shock and pinning but paying for it in points and weak equipment. Notably, your rifle teams don't have RPG-18s. All anti-tank duties are delegated to your RPG-7 teams, which may or may not be very significant depending on whether you expect your infantry to serve as all-rounders or to fight other infantry for the most part. They do have 4+ skill, which means you should be using orders whenever possible.

As with other PACT forces, try not to have these teams in close combat. You may have plenty of bases, but 5+ assault means you will only land one hit per three teams.

Polish motorized rifles (BTR/OT-64s) may purchase the following heavy weapon teams: 2 Spigot ATGM teams for 2 points each, and an SA-7 Strela team for one point.

Mechanized rifles (BMP-1s/BMP-2s) may purchase only a single SA-7 team, with the BMP-1 mounted team costing 1 point and the BMP-2 mounted team costing 2 points. Companies above the smallest size get 2 PKM LMG teams though, which offer a very solid base of fire that can pin a NATO platoon or shred through [https://www.callofduty.com/ca/en/| doughboys in the open].

Without mass BMP-2s, Polish players are forced to rely on the BMP-1: a decent vehicle, but lacking the AT21 ATGMs that make the BMP-2 so strong. The cost discounts of NVA and Czech riflemen balance this out, something your Poles do NOT get.

However, they do have the best statline second to the VDV if you want your infantry to push forward or just to bog the enemy down without becoming pinned. With 4+ skill and orders, you will have an easier time giving orders to blitz or dig-in and have the required stats to minimize the chances that they will panic and go to ground when hammered by artillery or machinegun fire. 5+ FP means that they excel in close-range firefights against enemy infantry...once you get close enough of course. Use smoke, artillery and cunning plans to ensure that these men can get close and do their job.

A key point with Polish units is that with BMP-1 and BMP-2 mounted infantry, you are paying premium points for the combination of elite infantry and 4+ BMPs with ATGMs. In fact, the maxed out BMP platoons cost 5 points more than their Soviet counterparts. For once you will probably outnumber the enemy by 3 to 2 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epeQwq-aYV0 instead of the usual 40-1 that your Poles are used to]. For those who don't get the joke, this will be one of the few times the Poles aren't horribly outnumbered and destroyed.

Mediocre with BMPs, excellent with BTRs/OTs.

===IRL===
[[File:PolishFlavour1TeamYankee.jpeg|300px|right|thumb|Onwards, when no-one else will!]]
{{clear}}

==Motorizovaná Pěchota==

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:Slide7.JPG|300px|thumb|left|Onwards, when no one is left!]]

[[File:Slide4.JPG|300px|thumb|right|We are 'eavy weapons guys]]

The Rota motorizované pěchoty (motorized infantry company) of the Czechs represent the cheapest infantry one can buy in Team Yankee and interestingly, are the only ones presented as a true conscript force with unmotivated, underequipped soldiers who would rather be getting pissed in babushka's basement than being shot at by strange men shooting at them with big black cannons.

Unlike their Pact brethren, Czech infantry are atrocious on the offensive. Like the East Germans they have 4+ skill to make use of cover, but their 5+ rally stat mean that once pinned by artillery or machine gun fire, they are going to stay there for 3 turns statistically speaking.

In a firefight, the Czechs are rather mediocre. With their Vz.58 rifles having an 8" range, FP6, and pinned ROF 1, they are incredibly unlikely to actually do any damage once suppressed by artillery or gunfire. They may have the numbers, but they don't have the guts to actually fire back at the enemy or close in where their ROF3 Vz.58s can do their work. If you don't run minimum sized companies the Vz.59 LMG team(s) can try to get a few shots off, but you only get one or two depending on your transport choice.

On the attack, a pinned company is a dead company that will fall to machine gun fire, rockets and almost anything that the enemy has to offer. On the defensive? This is where things start to change....

It may seem the Czechs have THE most worthless infantry in the game, which is false thanks to one redeeming factor: cost. While your infantry won't make their points back against all but the worst opponents, infantry in Team Yankee are still the toughest units to dislodge when <s>hiding in</s> taking bulletproof cover. And with skill 4+ you stand a decent chance of digging in. Taken as a single allied company, your conscript horde will HOLD the objective. Any player who has tried to repel dug-in British infantry will give horror stories of these troops gunning down all who tried to get close, before tearing through their men with 3+ assault. NATO players can look forward to sharing their own story, where an objective was protected by 7-21 bases of dug-in infantry. Your dug in infantry company can literally outlast your opponents, having enough bodies that it becomes a mathematical impossibility to capture objectives unless all firepower is focused on killing the defending company. The body-blocking tactics are a possibility with Czech players thanks to their discounts.

You can pay 1 or 2 points for a single stand of AGS-17 grenade launchers and/or SA-7 AA missiles per company with a transport for each team, with the BMP-2 mounted teams costing more. OT-64 mounted infantry also have the option of taking up to 2 stands of AT-4 ATGM for 2 points per team and transport. If you are attacking then these are just extra points for a single stand that will probably spend most of the game moving or pinned down. On the defense the AT-4 ATGM teams, while pretty mediocre, at least mean the enemy can't ignore the company until it is convenient for him to close in, but taking them nullifies any points you saved by not bringing BMPs. Take any points you were considering investing in the AGS-17 and/or SA-7 teams and just bring [[ZSU 23-4 Shilka|Shilkas]]

With BTR-60 and OT-64 mounted infantry you can purchase a 4 point company with 4 rifle teams and 3 RPG teams mounted in 4 vehicles, an 8 point company with 7 rifle teams, 6 RPG teams and 1 LMG team with 8 vehicles, or 13 points gets you 10 rifle teams, 9 RPG teams and 1 LMG team with 11 vehicles. The BTR-60 is slightly less likely to get stuck in terrain, where the OT-64 is can dash a few inches more.

BMP-1 mounted infantry can get a 5 point company with 4 rifle teams and 3 RPG teams mounted in 4 BMP-1s, a 10 point company with 7 rifle teams 6 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams mounted in 9 BMP-1s, or a 14 point company with 10 rifle teams 9 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams mounted in 12 BMP-1s.

BMP-2 mounted infantry can get a 7 point company with 4 rifle teams and 3 RPG teams mounted in 4 BMP-2s, a 13 point company with 7 rifle teams 6 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams teams mounted in 9 BMP-2s, or an 18 point company with 10 rifle teams 9 RPG teams and 2 LMG teams mounted in 12 BMP-2s.

===IRL===
[[File:CzechFlavour1TeamYankee.jpeg|300px|right|thumb|KSC men looking badass, proper firing posture not included. That's not an AK.]]
Probably the most rebellious nation in the Eastern Bloc, Czechoslovak forces were generally quite displeased at being on the Soviet Union's side, especially after the Soviet invasion during the Prague Spring. There was a good degree of mutual animosity between the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, so Czechoslovak forces had limited access to or desire to use Soviet gear, often preferring local designs. Humorously enough prior to the 1960s Czech motor rifles would actually be found riding in the German designed SdKfZ 251 half track of World War 2 fame, as these were already in production in Czechoslovakia and they didn't want to switch to making Soviet gear.

Like most Pact forces outside of Russia proper, at the time Team Yankee is set the Czechs still use the older 7.62x39 cartridge instead of the more modern 5.45x39. Contrary to appearances, the Czech forces do ''not'' use a variant of the AK rifle and instead use a native design in the vz. 58, which operates differently and has no interchangeable parts (not even the magazine). Compared to an AK it is more accurate, features a last round bolt hold open and uses lighter aluminum mags than the overbuilt steel mags used by the AK, but on the downside gets unmanageably hot, even with gloves, much quicker. Today the vz. 58 is being phased out in favor of the CZ 805 BREN 5.56x45 NATO. Due to heavy legal restrictions on rifles based on the AK and AR15 platforms, the vz. 58 remains popular among Canadian civilians since the vz. 58 is not an AK. In addition to not being a restricted firearm, it is able to hit the broad side of a barn, uses readily available detachable magazines, is able to use modern accessories with minimal work (while never issued with the Soviet side rail, it's easily added by a gunsmith and often imported with one already on) and can use the cheap Chinese 7.62x39 all while not being prohibitively expensive.

==Mechanized Infantry Company==

===In Team Yankee===
[[File:N56.jpg|300px|thumb|right|I surrender! Here, take me!!]]
The mechanized company is the main objective holder of the Iraqi Army, and also one of the only units that can fight tanks.

Like other WARPAC infantry companies, the Iraqis have cheap, spammable infantry with the numbers to beat down Western forces with sheer weight of fire: both from the riflemen and the vehicles they ride.

The Iraqis do not have access to BMP-2, but make up for it with a somewhat respectable profile. While your conscripts have the training of Soviet peasants, they have 4+ courage, morale and rally and should be played like a mix of East Germans and Soviets. Thanks to their Western equipment, some units have access to Milan missiles, giving you the option to turn your Iraqis into quasi-British units with spammed Milans.

Like the Frenchies, these Milans are one of the only weapons capable of beating 3rd generation tanks and should be positioned to deny areas to enemy tanks, if not outright engaging them. These troops should be aggressively pushed to deny pieces of terrain to your enemy. They might not have the numbers of Czechs, but are extremely close and come with better morale.

In the Iraqi arsenal, the AMX-10P could be seen as a BTR with more armour, a (barely) heavier weapon and better off-road performance. Your BTRs have traditionally been the suicidal first wave in an assault, and your AMX-10Ps should take the same role: except they have a chance to brush off autocannon fire from enemy IFVs and won't vapourize under artillery.

A BTR-60/OT-64 motorized company comes in at 4 points for 7 AK teams, 1 RPG team and 4 vehicles; 13 AKs, 2 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 9 vehicles for 7 points or 19 AKs, 3 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 12 vehicles for 10 points. Each company may take a team of SA-7s for 1 point, AT-3 Saggers for 1 point, or 1 Milan team for 2 points. All of these units come with a vehicle of their parent company.

The BTR-60/OT-64 company can upgrade its vehicles to AMX-10Ps for only 3 points, and can mount Milans if desired: but not Sagger missiles.

A BMP-1 mechanized company comes in at 5 points for 4 AKs, 3 RPGs and 4 BMPs, 7 AKs, 6 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 9 BMPs for 10 points, or 10 AKs, 9 RPGs, 2 PKMs and 12 BMPs for 14 points. Each company can add on a team of SA-7s with a BMP for 1 point.

===IRL===

[[File:150303-calbraith-iraq-army-tease fescam.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Modern hajis, because equipping folks with questionable loyalty is a great idea.]]

By 1985, the Iraq Mechanized Infantry Company, with it's soviet level of training, either represents an Iraqi force at the start of the conflict, or more likely the Republican Guard units being trained in Western Iraq for the eventual counterattack in 1987. The only truly mechanized units left in the Iraqi army were the Republican Guard forces, mostly because as losses mounted and replacements were not easily available, things broke down and were never recovered. Purchases were starting as funding from the Gulf States allowed the Iraqis to make foreign arms purchases once again, but in general the Iraqi army of this period was by no means a mechanized force in reality.

The conscript based Iraqi army was struggling to do anything at all really, and the stalemate was being held to by both sides at this point in the war. The Iraqis had spent their best troops in a meat grinder in 1980 and 1981 trying to seize and siege several Iranian cities, and lost way more than they gained. The Iraqi forces were only really effective fighting in the defense, from static positions - maneuver was practically unknown. Executions for minor infractions were common, and about 80% of the army was Shia, and not enthusiastic about being there, but had to fight or be killed either by their officers or the Iranians. Really, Battlefront, a better model for the base line Iraqi's would be to have morale issues even worse than the Czechs.

Historically speaking, the major issues with the Iraqi army wouldn't be solved without major outside assistance and the Iranians pissing everyone off enough that they couldn't buy new equipment. Iraq would be rocked hard in '86, and end up having to resort to absolutely insane amounts of chemical weapon use in '87 and '88 to force the Iranians back and out of Iraqi territory - which for most of the war had been under Iranian control. By this point the Iraqi conscript army was a more professional force probably better deserving the statline assigned to them here, as training and equipment improved over time. This army though had also ballooned in size and expense to the fourth largest in the world, something that would be partially responsible for the 1991 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq.

{{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:Team Yankee]]

AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter

2021-08-25T13:16:44Z

2600:1014:B11A:EEE2:21F6:D28:A405:713E: /* Iran */

{{topquote|Close air support covereth a multitude of sins.|The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries}}
[[File:AH-1 Cobra.jpg|right|300px|thumb|HSSSSSSSSSSSS!]]
Though it's been through some updates since the jungles of Vietnam, the AH-1 Cobra is the front line attack helicopter of the United States. The Cobra is an excellent tank hunter, using its narrow cross-section to avoid incoming fire and unleashing hell from its side mounted TOW tubes. It's also no slouch at taking down infantry with its M197 20mm Vulcan Gatling cannon, and M159 rocket pods.

==In Team Yankee==
===USA===
[[File:AH-1 Cobra Stat Card.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Crashing through the Skies, comes a fearful Cry!]]
The AH-1 Cobra is an excellent, all-round Helicopter.

With its Improved TOW missile, the Cobra can detonate vehicles four feet away, and since it's Guided and HEAT like all AT missiles, you ignore the penalties for shooting at long range. This means you can hover well out of the range of non-missile AA and pop the turrets off of Soviet armor. The only downside is that you can't shoot if you move.

For <s>Krauts</s> Ivan in the open, you can drop the massive Salvo template in the form of the M159 Rocket Launcher once per game.

For dealing with infantry (and helicopters), the Cobra carries the M197 20mm Gatling Gun. Its short(ish) range is made up for by the fact that it has a ROF of 6 if you hover, great for mopping up the infantry that just bailed out of the transport you just blew up. The cannon alone makes the Cobra superior to all other NATO helicopters. For just 0.5 more points per heli, you gain an ROF 6 autocannon with 5+ FP, able to comfortably destroy anything which isn't a tank once enemy AA has been sufficiently neutralized.

An added bonus is the ''Hunter Killer'' special rule, which is unique to NATO choppers. This rule means that the Cobra can use terrain as concealment and unless it has fired, it counts as gone to ground so you're only being hit on a roll of 6+.

US armies can take two AH-1 Cobras for 7 points and a full platoon for 14.

While expensive, the Cobra is arguably the most versatile helicopter in the game. The 21AT missile might be mediocre compared to the PAH and the Hind's kokons but it is able to comfortably destroy all existing Soviet armor with ease (with the T-72 needing 5s to BAIL). However, the crown jewel of the Cobra is its stationary ROF 6, a terrifying weapon with the ability to shred through vehicles and helicopters with an AT 6, 5+ FP weapon. While mediocre against entrenched infantry, the Cobra can remove blocks of platoons in the open with rocket pods or its vulcan. The Cobra is also the only true gunship in NATO, and 2 flights can be brought in from Divisional support. Armored Cavalry Companies have access to a single Cobra platoon, bringing up the maximum to 3. It may be a good support unit, but can also serve you well in an air assault list with Warthogs and Cobras with a handful of ground units to mop up anything that your aircraft missed.

The new American book for TYV2 brings the almost mandatory upgrade (the TOW tax) to switch out its TOWs for the TOW2, which gives the cobra an amazing AT23 to deal with any opponent for 1 point per unit.

===Israel===
[[File:ISREALCOBRA.jpg|300px|left|thumb|]]
Take the base US variant and improve its Morale, Skill, and Courage rolls by 1. Otherwise, no changes.
{{clear}}

===Iran===
[[File:IRANCOBRA.jpg|300px|left|thumb|]]
Iran troops are horribly undertrained, as represented by their 5+ skill, but are really REALLY fanatical, bringing 3+ for Morale and Courage. Ironically, IRL, the Iranian aviation groups and Air Force were among the least effected by the revolutionary purges, and would fight and win again and again against the Iraqi Air Forces.
{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:AH-1 Cobra irl.jpg|300px|right|thumb|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40JmEj0_aVM It ain't me, it ain't me! I ain't no senator's son!]]]
The AH-1 Cobra was first deployed by the US Military in 1968 and saw use in the Vietnam War.

The Cobra was developed in response to a US Army demand for a "Helicopter Gunship" to support its UH-1 Hueys, as it was becoming apparent that the Huey was vulnerable to ground fire and if fully loaded with troops was incapable of suppressing enemy positions near a landing zone. The AH-1 utilized the same engine and rotor as the venerable UH-1 as well as several avionics systems.

The Cobra is still in use today in many countries around the world, and the US Marine Corps uses a twin-engine version as its primary attack helicopter. [[Fail|However it can't keep up with the V-22 Osprey. Which itself has no weapons and the Army will most likely get an armed tilt-rotor before they do.]]

Just as the T-72 wasn't the most modern tank used by the Soviets. The Huey based helicopters were not the most advanced aircraft that the US military had in 1985. The Black Hawk was adopted in 1979. While the Ah-64 Apache went into service a year later in 86. Team Yankee has gotten rules for the Apache but we haven't seen anything for the Black Hawk just yet.

{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Israeli Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iranian Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Team Yankee]]
[[Category:Vehicles]]

Basij Infantry Company

2021-08-25T13:13:12Z

2600:1014:B11A:EEE2:21F6:D28:A405:713E: /* IRL */

[[File:BASJI.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"''Let's see them fight ALL OF US!'' "

– <small>Imperial Guardsmen, Dawn of War</small>]]
{{topquote|It is said that God is always on the side of the big battalions.|Voltaire}}

{{topquote|It was simply a manner of out-smarting them. You see Kill-bots have a pre-set kill limit. Knowing their weakness, I sent wave after wave of my own men at them, until they reached their limit and shut down. |Captain Zap Brannigan, Futurama }}

The Basij (meaning literally, the Mobilization or the Movement) were an all-volunteer paramilitary militia branch, before their merger into the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Following that, they were an official militia. The Basji didn't change much during the Iran-Iraq Wars, and though untrained and without any kind of vehicles to hide behind, sheer fanaticism is their sword and armor. It's a real pity that doesn't work too well against bullets.

==In Team Yankee==
Once upon a time, a battlefront developer decided that the Iranians needed a human-wave unit that laughed at the Czechs and the Basij were born.

The Basij are Team Yankee's first footsloggers that do not begin the game in transports, and are the only infantry with a 4+ save.

With a maximum strength of 25 AKM teams and 12 RPG-7 teams, the Basij is the Iranian equivalent of a super-sized motor-rifle company. While their armament may not be much to boast of compared to the Iranian mechanized platoon, they have a totally different role in the Iranian list: placing a massive blob in your enemy's face with spearhead deployments with fixed bayonets.

The Basij have two unique rules; Basij assault and martyrs. Martyrs gives you a 6" charge distance while Basij assault allows your troops to spearhead during the deployment phase but only if placed in the regular deployment zone, and have the usual limitations on spearheading. They also lose bulletproof cover, as a result of charging in the open with hymns to the almighty.

Unlike the mechanized platoon which has enough anti-armor weapons to put holes in vehicles and 16” MG3s to fight infantry with, the Basij should be expected to fight enemy infantry under the cover of smoke and have enough bodies to beat nearly all infantry in close combat. Unfortunately, your army of fanatical martyrs has a 4+ Infantry Save to offset their rather excellent 3+ Morale, Courage, Rally, Assault and Counterattack. They cost less than their Soviet spam counterparts too: 7 points gets you 9 AK teams and 4 RPG teams while 22 points gets you 25 AK and 12 RPG teams.

Here's the kicker: at such a low cost, these units can tarpit almost as well as the Czechs, with the advantage of having excellent morale. Hit by artillery? You'll get back into the fight on a 3+. Took 8 hits of MG fire? 3+ to get back in the fight. Without transports or heavy machine guns and support weapons, they'll be a poor match against enemy infantry in a fair fight. Fortunately, you're bringing enough troops to tilt the odds in your favour and [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX| scare the crap out of an opponent who doesn't know how to deal with Napoleanic blocks of the righteous literally marching over their enemies.]] They might not be the most well-trained troops, but their armaments and numbers can seriously hurt any unit that gets too close.

Aside from the Basij infantry battalion, the T-62 tank company is the only other list that can bring Basij to the field.

While Basij can use their ''Basij Assault'' as a form of Spearhead move, it is almost never worth it. It has the same limits as normal spearhead (cannot go within 16" of enemy, enemy deployment zone or any objective etc) and the Basij lose bulletproof cover '''for the entire game'''. So only under ''very'' specific circumstances can you assault turn 1 with Basij.

==IRL==
[[File:Iraniraqwar-front-1980s.jpg|300px|right|thumb|It might look like a Halloween Party, and cute if you live on Cadia]]
The Basij started out as your standard paramilitary youth toughs for the new revolutionary government, but they were quickly mobilized by the Iranian government into an ad-hoc milita force shortly after the Iran-Iraq war started. The Basij's ranks were open and encouraged membership from the age of twelve to eighty, with very little training (if any) given. Similar to the Volkssturm of Nazi Germany during the last days of the Third Reich and the revolutionary mobs of the first French Republic the performance of the Basij was mixed at best. At times, their fanatical nature gave them the edge in night raids into the Iraqi lines, the dark making up for a lack of armor or transport besides their own feet in closing with the enemy. At other points, Basij units were used as human mine clearers and machine gun bait, paving the way for the better trained army units or softening up resistance with human wave attacks. The casualties they suffered during offensive operations was wildly disproportionate with that of any other unit, especially at the start of the war.

In terms of attack tactics, the Basij would develop a relatively effective method of breaking through Iraqi static defenses, although at a heavy cost. 20+ man squads would engage in probing attacks on the line, looking for gaps in defensive works. When a weakpoint was discovered, the reserve sections would be sent in to force the issue, World War 1 style. "Human Wave" attacks are often what this is characterized as, but it was more similar to the infiltration assault tactics used by the Allies for Trench raids and the Chinese in Korea. These squads would attempt to suppress, surround, and close with the enemy, overrunning the static defenses and seizing the position. By their very nature, these assaults were often bloody and resulted in high casualties when the defenders weren't overrun quickly.

Towards the end of the war, the Basij had essentially become more of a proper militia and military unit. Organization, training, and equipment, while not amazing, were all vastly improved by 1985 to the point that they could be considered a dedicated light infantry force. And like any light infantry force, they would get absolutely slaughtered whenever heavier elements of the Iraqi forces decided to show up.

The Basij are ''somewhat'' unfairly maligned as a force of nothing more than Shia fanatics and child soldiers. While of course this is in part an accurate description of the Basijs makeup (see the above pics), it isn't entirely true and taints the overall picture of the nature of this war from the Iranian perspective. Many Basij members came from other ethnic and religious groups across Iran (including Jews, Kurds, Arabs, and Zoroastrians), and many were not motivated so much by a Shia 'love of Martyrdom' but rather a sense of genuine patriotism (and/or a disdain for the Iraqi army and its brutal tendencies). Many were the products of middle class families, and even women joined the Basij (in auxiliary roles, of course). For the Iranian people, this war was and still is a point of national unity, and everyone who died in the Basij, regardless of faith or ethnicity, is a martyr to the revolution.

One must remember that during the Iran-Iraq was, a vast majority of the worlds powers supported Iraq, and as such the Iranian government was often depicted as near comically evil. There are many stories about the Basij going into battle with 'golden keys to paradise' (though these are almost certainly false.) This is not to deny that many children were practically press ganged or encouraged to join the Basij, and many suffered terribly in the fighting with the Iraqi army.

It is important to remember this was for the Iranian people and government, a war of national survival and identity. Extreme measures were taken by both sides. For the Iraqis, it was chemical weapons use. For the Iranians, it was a willingness to send the young and the old alike into the meat grinder. The Iran-Iraq War was unbelievably brutal, and the suffering of millions is testimony to man’s inhumanity to one another.

{{Iranian Forces in Team Yankee}}

Iranian Mechanized Platoon

2021-08-25T13:02:08Z

2600:1014:B11A:EEE2:21F6:D28:A405:713E: /* IRL */

[[File:TIR702-06.jpg|300px|right|thumb|]]
{{topquote|And Our Soldiers, They Verily Would Be The Victors.| Iranian Army Motto}}
{{topquote|Prepare against them what force you can.| Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Motto}}

The Iranian military isn't all just martyrs and volunteers with little training. Inheriting a sizable force of western vehicles and acquiring eastern bloc equipment through trade deals and battlefield capture, the Iranian army and IRGC are motivated, reliable, and drilled. With this oddball mix of equipment, the Iranians stand firm against the aggression of any who threaten the revolution.

==In Team Yankee==
Just like the Basji, your Iranian mechanized platoon is a highly motivated force. With Courage, Morale, Rally, and Counterattack all at 3+, they'll be hard to shift. What hurts though, is their Skill of 5+. They're essentially better-motivated Czechs with worse skill and NATO weaponry (MG3 Teams with 16" compared to AK teams with 8").

Unlike most PACT troops, these guys are not your usual human wave of AKs. With NATO unit sizes and PACT stats, these guys are weak and small enough to melt under concentrated fire. Their firepower is comparable to a British mechanized platoon; capable of side-shotting tanks and pinning down enemy infantry from a defensive position but have little talent as offensive infantry.

In the Iranian army list, these troops are your defensive troopers dutifully holding rough terrain and objectives while your Basji fix bayonets. You could take M113s or BTRs as transports, or upgrade your transports to BMP-1s for just a single point! Considering the low cost of a mechanized platoon, these BMPs could operate as multiple small units hunting for soft-skinned vehicles like enemy IFVs.

Three points gets you 3 MG teams, 3 M113s and 2 RPG-7 teams while four points gets you 4 MG teams, 4 M113s and 3 RPG teams.

For transports, these guys start with M113s but can swap to BTR-60s for free if you want glass cannons with better on-road performance. Alternatively, you could pay 1 point to outfit a platoon with BMP-1s.

Your AT/AA options are simple, but simple is better sometimes. You can take an M47 Dragon team and/or a SA-7 Grail missile team for one point each: note that they only fire one shot, unlike PACT weapon teams.

If you want to represent the Iranian army, take M113's for your transports. If you want to represent IRGC professionals (not militia like the Basji), use BTR-60's and BMP-1s.

==IRL==
The Iranian army was not in a good place after the revolution due to the inevitable political purges, and some early defections and defeats in the initial wave of the Iraqi offensive cemented the fate of the Army coming second to the political Revolutionary Guard Corps in terms of reliability. Expected to make do with a load of equipment they were running low on spare parts for, the Army, IRGC, and the militias like the Basji essentially fought as completely isolated forces against the Iraqis for the first year of the war. After the Iraqi invasion stalled out at the end of 1980, the Army and IRGC had time time to rebuild, dig in, and get ready to strike back.

By 1985, both the IRGC and Iranian Army were much improved over their state at the start. With the NCO corps mostly escaping the political purges or defecting to the new IRGC, along with low level officers, they were quickly able to shape up and start fighting on the level they were before the war. Sadly enough, lack of equipment and outside support would lead to further issues later on. The Iranian supply of arms was further hampered by infrastructure damage early in the war, often blamed on either counterrevolutionaries, the CIA, the KGB, or simply lack of parts to repair existing arms manufacturing.

Oddly enough, your average Iranian soldier's equipment at the start of the war was not too dissimilar to that of your average German Jaeger. The Iranians used (and still use) G3's and MG3's, all built locally under license (and without license later on).

{{Iranian Forces in Team Yankee}}