CVRT

A wild Spartan, awaiting orders

"The first quality that is needed is audacity. ~ Winston Churchill

The Combat Vehicle, Reconnaissance (Tracked) or CVRT is the successor of the Alvis Armored Car. Serving a huge variety of roles in the British Army, with SEVEN variants playable in Team Yankee. These are the Spartan APC (serving as a command vehicle for the Queen's Dragoon Guards, and as a transport for the Recce Support Troop), Spartan Blowpipe, Striker, Spartan MCT, Scorpion and Scimitar light tanks. All are distinguished by their airmobile capability, and their shared chassis components.

In Team Yankee

Due to the common chassis, the following applies to all subsequent models of the CVRT. While the CVRT has a lackluster tactical speed of 10" (6" for the Scimitar and Scorpion), it has several key advantages over most other vehicles of the British Army. With a cross country dash of 28", these vehicles are able to abuse their small profiles to great effect. Most variants feature some form of bonus to cover, namely Swingfire and Scout, allowing the vehicle to count as gone to ground even after firing or moving respectively. This translates to a 6+ to hit if used effectively.

Its armor is effectively non-existent, being vulnerable to almost every single REDFOR unit in the game. With its front rating of 2, it is best to rely on concealment and positioning as even BTRs can reliably take them out in the open.

(Work in progress!)

Spartan (Command)

The Stat Card

Serving as the HQ unit for the Queen's Dragoon Guards in Team Yankee (rather than the FV105 Sultan), it serves as a harmless, yet essential component of the Recce Squadron. While it's vulnerability makes it a questionable choice to attach to a frontline unit let alone a spearhead, the improved stats make it a possible option should you decide that a unit must achieve certain orders without fail. Conversely, a concealed Command Spartan will only be hit on sixes or higher due to its scout ruling. You get 2 Spartans for 1 point; the formation commander and his meatshield 2nd in command (2 IC).

Its 7.62mm AA machine gun can be used to engage enemy infantry or enemy helicopters in a worst case scenario.

Spartan (APC)

The Stat Card

In Team Yankee

Identical to the Command Spartan albeit without Scout, these APCs serve as transports for the Recce Support Troop. Employ them as suicide units to destroy enemy infantry teams, or to block narrow paths. If necessary, a group of APCs can be used as anti air, but only get one shot per MG with a firepower of 6+. You get 4 of them per Support Troop. One point to note is that unlike the FV432, they can only carry 1 passenger should you wish to remount infantry to claim or reinforce an objective.

Real Life

The Spartan was primarily used as an APC for specialized troops such as ATGM teams carrying milans or recoilless rifles, or Blowpipe sections. Its smaller size and weight allowed for a faster road speed than the FV432, while its aluminium construction gave it marginally better durability than the 432.

Striker

The Stat Card

In Team Yankee

The most expensive ATGM carrier of the British Army weighs in at 2.5 points, taken in a platoon of 2 or 4. Most notably, it is one of the few British units equipped with Thermal Vision. It also packs a guided 3+ Firepower AT23 missile; enough to guarantee the destruction of any vehicle it hits. As the profile reflects, these should be used in your backline to pop enemy tanks. With the Swingfire rule, these guys can remain gone to ground while firing, giving them a 6+ if concealed before any penalties for smoke or firing beyond 16 inches. It also packs a 7.62mm MG, ideal for use as a club against assaulting infantry.

Its restriction into the Queen's Dragoon Guards severely cripples players' ability to deploy it to the field, given that the Swingfire provides an identical missile with thermal vision, in addition to the Swingfire rule. Unless you are willing to pay 4 points for a 4th missile, the Swingfire Platoon of 3 carriers comes in at 6 points making the Striker a highly questionable choice. In the event that the player decides to play the meta cheese of British infantry, they have little reason to bring either Swingfires or Strikers, since Milans come in at 1 point per piece: you can either have 4 missiles which will kill any armor they hit or 10 Milans which will not only have far greater effect on target, but also be more effective at engaging enemy transports. Incredibly difficult unit to justify taking unless playing in a smoke heavy meta.

Spartan (Blowpipe)

The Stat Card

In Team Yankee

A division level support unit granted to your lowly company of heroes, the Blowpipe Section (Battery in Real Life sizes, a section would mean 2 blowpipe operators with their assistants) provides a versatile choice for anti-air at 1.5 points per vehicle, taken in a unit of 2, 4 or 6. Compared to its direct opposite the Tracked Rapier, Blowpipes provide less shots per point with a firepower of 4+, compared to the Rapier's 3+. In addition, it also has a lower range of 48 inches compared to the Rapier's 64 inches.

So why take blowpipes in the first place? Two reasons: You've gone mad and decided to waste precious points, or you find Rapiers far too specialized for your meta. Due to the tunnel vision of Rapiers, they provide excellent anti-air but nothing else, meaning that these units are literally worse than useless when facing a force without any air assets. Blowpipes however, retain the ability to threaten light armored vehicles and infantry with their Blowpipe missile and 7.62mm MG. In essence, blowpipes are a versatile choice for those who require anti-air but are willing to sacrifice some of that specialization for versatility. A blowpipe can function as a worse, overcosted Milan section if your opponent hasn't called in their air support yet.

Despite the open hatch, it retains a top armor of 1 suggesting that Blowpipe operators are either made of steel or utterly drunk from all that Irish Guinness they've been drinking off duty.

In Real Life

Unlike the ingame models, the actual Blowpipe AA Battery would almost always dismount rather than fire while standing out of an open hatch. In addition to being far harder to aim in the confines of a vehicle, Spartans are incredibly poor at hiding (most vehicles are). A dismounted battery has the ability to reach ideal anti-air positions such as hilltops or forest clearings, giving additional stealth and sometimes giving an easier time aiming against the target. After firing a volley or until an order to fall back is given depending on the mission, the Battery would then remount and displace to the next location. In the event that troops actually needed to fire from the hatch, it would typically be a result of the aircraft being spotted far too late; air defense units would almost always get a heads-up to prepare for incoming aircraft from a certain direction.

The Blowpipe model comes separately, so you may consider basing him and an assistant on a 2 man base to represent the section dismounting rather than firing from the back. Treat the base as absent for all purposes; the models commit suicide should their favorite teapot meet an untimely end.

Spartan MCT

The Stat Card

In Team Yankee

Effectively a more mobile but squishier Milan section, the MCT is an option available to players using an Irish Guards Company. Functionally, the FV432 Milan Section provides greater firepower and durability, as the APCs are able to fire their machine guns while the missile teams continue engaging enemy armor. Conversely, MCTs may fire twice as many machine guns (12 shots maximum) but would sacrifice their missile output to do so, meaning that they would most likely be used in defensive fire against assaulting Soviets or Hinds.

However, its ability to relocate up to 28" inches makes it a legitimate option, unlike the overcosted Striker and Lynx. A potential strategy in a hasty attack British List would be to dash the Milans to an alternative firing position since units count as moving on the first turn. While ultimately bested by the FV432 Milan Section due to the amazing 3+ infantry save along with any potential foxholes and concealment, its saving grace is its ability to be purchased IN ADDITION to the Milan Section, meaning that an Infantry Company could have 12 Milans if maximized.