LAV-25

Look at it! Isn't it adorable?

The LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) is an interesting toy of the USMC. Built by GMC Canada and based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha, the LAV sports an M242 25mm Auto Cannon, coaxial M240 MG, and an additional M240 on the roof.

In Team Yankee

The Stat Card

As a mobile armored fighting vehicle toting an autocannon, the LAV excels in maneuver warfare against lightly armored forces. With a moving ROF of 3 and a AT8, it can comfortably destroy pretty much anything apart from main battle tanks through weight of fire. With anti-helicopter, it can even engage Hinds from a range of 24" albeit with penalties above 16" (which would probably not be a problem with the PACT's short ranged helicopters). However, their paper-thin armor means that these glass cannons will die in droves if hammered by artillery, infantry or anything bigger than a rifle cartridge. Even BTRs can overwhelm an LAV platoon with their HMG rounds posing a serious threat.

Consider using the LAV as a flanking force to divert the enemy away from your main thrust. With their powerful guns, a group of LAVs can wreck havoc on high value, rear-echelon units like artillery pieces and spotters. Alternatively, they may be used as a mobile reserve to protect gaps in your line. Do not expect them to hold however: they lack the fanatical morale of the Soviets or the survivability of M113s.

IRL

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!

The LAV-25 is an armored fighting vehicle used by the US Marines Corps for reconnaissance and light fire support. If it wasn’t for the fact that its armor is only designed to handle small arms fire (later variants improve survivability up to 14.5mm and small explosives), you might WOULD classify this as a proper Infantry Fighting Vehicle, as it sports a mean 25mm autocannon in addition to the real life 6 man passenger capacity; enough for a fireteam of Marines with equipment. The idea of having IFVs with truly effective armor would only become widespread later on in the 21st Century with the push to vehicles capable of surviving in an urban environment, birthing designs like the MRAP. The purpose of an IFV is to support the infantry in combat, with armor packages compromising the priority of speed. This is especially relevant to forces like the Marine Corps who require lightweight vehicles for seaborne transportation or beachhead assaults when required.

The LAV-25 has many variants that used by the Marines Corps, some represented in Team Yankee (LAV-AT, LAV-M), and some that are not (LAV-AD, which was basically like a hybrid of the M163 VADS and M48 Chaparral but was retired due to budget constraints. The US Army uses their own version of the MOWAG Piranha, the advanced Stryker. Although that variant was only armed with a machine gun (and possibly a 40mm grenade launcher) until recently and wasn’t adopted until more or less a decade after the Cold War. Other Stryker variants match LAV variants, with the exception of the M1128 MGS which mounts a 105mm cannon.