So as not to disappoint the CA players out there, I would like to present the following information on one of the largest armies of the modern world, the North Korean People's Army. The 838,000 strong NKPA Is one of the worlds largest armies, with 4% of North Korea's total population currently serving on active service. COMBINED ARMS gives modern period gamers all the information needed to fight the armies of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, but it should be remembered that Central Europe is not the only area of potential East-West conflict, for in Korea today two hostile armies still face each other across a DMZ as the result of a conflict never formally ended. The North Korean People's Army (NKPA) is, as mentioned, one of the largest armies in the world today. It currently musters 10 Army Corps, each consisting of four infantry divisions with supporting elements of armor, engineers, and artillery. The basic organization is based on the Soviet Army of the 1950's, while the tactics are a an unusual mixture of the Soviet WWII massive artillery/armor assault, and the Chinese use of infantry infiltration. Equipment is a combination of Chinese and Russian items, with some items being in fact the Chinese model of the Russian item. The Corps listed below is based on those found on the DMZ. Other corps may not have all of their supporting assets assigned. The standard corps has: 4 Infantry Divisions 2 Infantry Brigades 1 Tank Regiment 2 AAA Gun Regiments 1 MRL Regiment 1 Engineer Regiment 1 ATGM Company The breakdown of each unit is as follows: INFANTRY DIVISION , each with DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS, with 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 3 INFANTRY REGIMENTS, each with; REGT HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 1 Recon Infantry Stand 1 Light Truck ENGINEER COMPANY 1 Command Engineer Stand 1 Flamethrower Engineer Stand 1 Medium Truck MRL BATTERY 2 BM-21 or BM-14 AT BATTERY 1 76.2mm M42 ATG 1 Gun Crew Stand (DS) 1 Medium Truck MORTAR BATTERY 1 120mm Mortar 1 Gun Crew Stand (DS) 1 Medium Truck AAA BATTERY 1 ZPU-4 1 Medium Truck 3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS, each with BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand and 1 AT Stand (82 or 107mm. RR) MACHINE GUN COMPANY 2 MMG Stands MORTAR COMPANY 2 82mm Mortar Stands (DS) 2 INFANTRY COMPANIES, each with 3 Infantry Stands 1 INFANTRY COMPANY, with 1 Command/Infantry Stand and 2 Command Stands MORTAR REGIMENT (120mm) REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 3 MORTAR BATTALIONS, each with BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Forward Observer Stand 2 Jeeps 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 3 BATTERIES, each with; 1 120mm Mortar 1 Gun Crew (DS) 1 Medium Truck ARTILLERY REGIMENT (122mm) REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 3 ARTILLERY BATTALIONS, each with BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 COP Stand 1 Jeeps 1 TOC Van 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 3 BATTERIES, each with; 1 M39 or D30 122mm Howitzer 1 Gun Crew (DS) 1 Medium Truck TANK BATTALION BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command T-55 Tank and 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 2 COMPANIES; each with 2 T-55 Tanks 1 COMPANY 1 Command T-55 Tank and 1 T-55 Tank AT BATTALION BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand and 1 Jeep 3 BATTERIES; each with 1 85mm D44 or 100mm. M44 ATG 1 Gun Crew (DS) 1 Medium Truck AAA BATTALION BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 1st BATTERY 1 ZPU-4 and 1 Medium Truck 2nd BATTERY 1 37mm M39 AA Gun 1 Gun Crew (DS) 1 Medium Truck 1 Medium Ammunition Truck 3rd BATTERY 1 57mm S-60 AA Gun 1 Gun Crew (DS) 1 Medium Truck 1 Medium Ammunition Truck ENGINEER BATTALION BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Engineer Flamethrower Stand 1 Medium Truck CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 2 Engineer Stands 1 Medium Truck MINE COMPANY 2 Engineer Stands 2 Medium Trucks ROADS COMPANY 2 Engineer Stands 2 Medium Trucks 1 Earthmover RECON COMPANY 3 Recon Infantry Stands 3 Light Trucks INFANTRY BRIGADE The Infantry Brigade has the same basic organization as the Infantry Division but lacks the Artillery Regiment and the Tank Battalion. CORPS ARTILLERY REGIMENT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 3 ARTILLERY BATTALIONS, each with BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 COP Stand 1 Jeeps 1 TOC Van 1 Medium Ammunition Truck 3 BATTERIES, each with; 1 M46 130mm. or M37 152mm gun 1 Gun Crew (DS) 1 Medium Truck CORPS MRL REGIMENT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 2 MRL BATTALIONS, each with BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 COP Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 3 BATTERIES each with 1 BM-21 1 MRL BATTALION BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 COP Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Van 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 3 BATTERIES, each with 1 BM-24 or BMD-20 CORPS TANK REGIMENT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command T-55 Tank 1 TOC Van RECON COMPANY 1 Command PT-76 Tank 1 PT-76 Tank 1 Recon PT-76 Tank 1 Light Truck ENGINEER COMPANY 1 Command Engineer Stand 1 Engineer Stand 1 Medium Truck AA BATTERY 1 ZSU-57 3 TANK BATTALIONS, each with BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command T-55 Tank 2 Medium Ammunition Trucks 2 COMPANIES each with 2 T-55 Tanks 1 COMPANY with 1 Command T-55 Tank and 1 T-55 Tank MOTOR RIFLE BATTALION BATTALION HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 BTR-40 1 Medium Ammunition Truck 2 COMPANIES; each with 2 Infantry Stands 2 BTR-60's 1 COMPANY with 1 Command Infantry Stand 1 Infantry Stand 2 BTR-60's 1 COMPANY with 2 82mm Mortar Stands (DS) 1 AT Stand (82 or 107mm RR) 3 Medium Trucks CORPS AAA REGIMENT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 TOC Stand 4 Medium Ammunition Trucks 4 BATTERIES, each with 1 S60 57mm A.A Gun 1 Gun Crew Stand (DS) 1 Medium Truck 4 BATTERIES, each with 1 M39 37mm AA Gun 1 Gun Crew Stand (DS) 1 Medium Truck CORPS ENGINEER REGIMENT REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 2 Engineer Flamethrower Stands 2 Medium Trucks ASSAULT BRIGADE BATTALION 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 4 K-61 Amphibians 2 PTS Amphibians 6 LPP Bridge Trucks 3 PMP Bridge Trucks CONSTRUCTION BATTALION 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 4 Earthmovers 6 Engineer Stands 6 Medium Trucks TECHNICAL SUPPORT BATTALION 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 1 Earthmover 6 Engineer Stands 6 Medium Trucks CORPS ATGM COMPANY 1 Command Stand 1 Jeep 3 Jeeps with AT-1 NOTES 1. The above organizations are based on Soviet equipment. The following substitutions may be made to include Chinese equipment: a. Regimental MRL Battery - T-63 107mm. MRL b. Tank Recon Company T-63 in pace of the PT-76 c. Motor Rifle Battalion K-63 APC in place of the BTR-60 2. The information used in the OB's is from the early 1980's, and it is reasonable to assume that the NKPA has been upgrading its equipment. The following substitutions may be made: a. Replace the regimental 76.2 ATG with either a 85mm ATG or AT-3 b. Replace the ZPU Stand with a ZU-23 AA gun and gun crew stand c. Add one SA-7 Stand per Company d. Replace T-55's in Corps Tank Regiment with T62's e. Replace Infantry AT RR with AT-3 f. Replace RTR-60's with BMP-l's g. The Corps ATIGM Company should have BRDM's with the AT-3 3. NPKA Companies, Batteries, and Battalions are numbered sequentially within their regiment and division. In an infantry regiment, the Infantry companies are numbered 1-9, while the mortar and machine companies are each numbered 1-3. The artillery batteries are numbered 1-9. The Infantry Battalions in each division are numbered 1-9 as well with 1-3 in the lst Regiment, 4-6 in the 2nd, and 79 in the 3rd. 4. Treat NKPA Infantry as Soviet, with the AT weapon being the RPG-7. 5. The following Chinese equipment is in service with the NPKA: MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHERS T-63 107mm x 12 VL RoF 2 2 shots ton 5"/5 MAIN BATTLE TANKS T-63 M 55/20A 3/1 Turret L 85 TG-0 ammo 9 APC's K-63 M 60/25A 1/1 AAMG-H [1] SOFT VEHICLES K-61 M 50/20A [3] Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Newsletter #3 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1990 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com