Let's Make a Modern Army

1987 United Kingdom

by Bill Rutherford

BRITISH 1:1 1987 BATTLEGROUP

HQ Element: 2 MCV80/FV432,2 Scimitar, 2 Scorpion, 2 FV432/81 mm mortar, 2 Ferret s/c, 2 MCV80/FV432 each w/ 2 Milan ATGW and 1 Lt Mtr, 2 Spartan w/Blowpipe AAGW

Infantry Company: 14 MCV80 or FV432 (6 w/mg tur.), 1 Ferret, 14 sqds, 9 LMG, 9 MAW (2 sqds, 2 MCV80/FV432, 1 Ferret in HQ, 4 sqds, 4 MCV80/FV432 (2 w/mg tur.), 3 LMG, 3 MAW in each of 3 plts)

Tank Company: 18 Chieftan or Challenger (2 in HQ 4 in each of 4 plts)

AT Battery: 4 Striker ATGW carriers

**6 FV432s carry GPMG turret; these turrets must be scratch-built or taken from ROS FV432/GPMG, which have the turret.

This Battlegroup is the British equivalent of the American Taskforce, and is fairly straightfoward. The force above costs $76.75. Substitution of CinC models in the basic force where possible will reduce the cost to (prediscount) $71.75. Substitution of ROS throughout further reduces the cost to $57.00. In the case of the British Battlegroup, obtaining all of the swapins actually gives two battlegroups - the extra support vehicles needed almost all show up as remainders, above.

BRITISH 1:5 1987 BRIGADE BATTLEGROUP

HQ Element: 1 MCV80/FV432, 1 FV439 Signals, 1 FV434, 1 plt, 1 Ferret

Mechanized Battalion: 1 FV432/81 mm Mtr, 1 Scimitar, 1 FV439 Signals, 12 MCV80/FV432, 3 Milan ATGW, 1 FV434, 9 plts (3 plts and 3 MCV80/FV432s in each of 3 cos, 3 MCV80/FV432 and 3 Milan in ATGW co, all else in HQ co.)

Armored Regiment: 17 MBT, 1 Scimitar, 2 Striker, 1 Sultan (4 MBT in each of 4 cos, 2 Striker in ATGW plt, all else in HQ)

Artillery Regiment: 3 M109, 1 FV439 Signals

Recce Squadron: 1 Striker, 4 Scorpion, 1 Spartan, 1 plt

Composite ADA

Company: 2 TR1 Rapier AAGW, 3 Spartan w/Blowpipee AGW

Composite Engineer Company: 1 Chieftan AVLB, 1 Centurian AVRE, 1 FV180 CET 1 Sultan, 1 Chieftan ARV

This Battlegroup comprises most of a Brigade, with some Divisional assets in support. Doubling either the infantry or the armored assets would complete the Brigade, The basic list, above, costs about $101.00. Substituting in CinC where possible, the cost (pre-discount) drops to $93.25. Swapping in ROS miniatures drops the cost still further to $78.00

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