Let's Make a Modern Army

Conclusion

by Bill Rutherford

Airpower could be added to any of the above lists quite simply. Ownership of fixed wing aircraft, in most cases (A10s and Frogfoots are neat!), isn't initially necessary; their positions on table can be simply noted with a counter. Helicopters, though, operate much closer to the battlefield and are frequently used, and should be represented with the appropriate models. Sample listings of helicopters usable by the forces listed above follow. Note that air cavalry, etc., are not given, just meat and potatoes tank killers.

The models that I selected were chosen based upon attractiveness and durability. It should be noted that CinC makes a number of helicopters including the Apache and the Hind D - they're quite nice, but are fragile, including such amenities as separate individual rotor blades and stores, etc.

To all of the above lists could be added one or two dedicated artillery observers (AOPs and MOPS) for offboard artillery - these could be mounted in whatever APC/MICV is being used, or in a jeep (Western armies) or UAZ 46 (USSR). These aren't so important in the 1:5 lists, as rules at that level don't normally require use of MOPs/AOPs.

I included in the 1:5 lists only that engineering equipment that was organic to the formation represented, or that would likely be attached without difficulty. There are a number of types of engineering equipment available now that are organic to higher level organizations, and that would be useful in specific scenarios - they will be addressed in a later article.

These lists aren't particularly balanced. They are, however, such that one or two (as noted) players can handle them. In most instances, two or three attacker basic lists should attack one defender list of equipment. Ths US Army assumes that its forces will have to defend while outnumbered at least 3:1, The ratio could vary, of course, based on the equipment used US M1s and M2s fighting Soviet T55s and BTR60s might, for example, require adjustment of the force ratio in favor of the Soviets, while T80s and BMP2s versus Leopard 1A2s and M113s might require an adjustment in favor of the West Germans.

TERMS USED IN THIS ARTICLE

AAGW Antiaircraft Guided Weapon
ADA Air Defence Artillery
AEV Armored Engineer Vehicle
AGL Automatic Grenade Launcher
ACIP Artillery Observation Post
APC Armored personnel Carrier
ARV Armored Recovery Vehicle
ATGW Anti Tank Guided Weapon
AVLO Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge
AVRE Armored Vehicle Royal Engineers basically, a CEV (below)
CET Combat Engineer Tractor
CEV Combat Engineer Vehicle
GPMG General Purpose Machine Gun
ITV Improved Tow Vehicle (eg: M901)
LMG Light Machine Gun
MBT Main Battle Tank
MICV Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle
MOP Mortar Observation Post
MRD Motor Rifle Division
MRR Motor Rifle Regiment
MTR Mortar
Co Company (ok so this one was pretty obvious!)
Plt Platoon (this one was obvious, too)
Sqd Squad (so was this one)
Sqdn Squadron
VADS Visual Air Defence System

MANUFACTURERS OF MODELS USED

C in C Soft Metal Casting
8090 University Ave. NE
Fridley, MN 55432

Heroics and ROS Figures
Enola Games
POB 1900
Brooklyn, NY 11201

GHQ
2634 Bryant Ave, South
Minneapolis, MN 55408

Scotia Micro Models
SimTac
20 Attawan Road
Niantic, CT 23139

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