NATO Forces Spotlight: ANZAC Forces

ANZAC Design Notes

World War III: NATO Forces Design Notes
ANZAC Forces
with Wayne Turner

Back in 2018, we released Free Nations as our first multi-national book for Team Yankee. It added four more nations to the roster of forces with which to play. Free Nations started as an idea to add some of the forces of the smaller NATO nations but grew into something a little more when it was suggested we add the French. The project transformed from a loose idea to do some downloadable content, into a fully-fledged book with four Western nations (well, technically five if you choose to run your ANZACs as New Zealanders).

We have now further expanded this book into World War III: NATO Forces by expanding the forces and units available to the original four choices, and have also added a fifth nation, the Belgians.

So, what do you get?

Inside you will find five different forces from four NATO nations (Canada, France, Netherlands, and Belgium) and the closely allied ANZACs (a combined Australian and New Zealand force). It also includes three Scenarios featuring the Canadians, French and Dutch.

Click here to see NATO Forces Design Notes: Canadian Forces...

Click here to see NATO Forces Design Notes: French Forces...

Click here to see NATO Forces Design Notes: Dutch Forces...
Click here to see NATO Forces Design Notes: Belgian Forces...

ANZAC Design Notes

The ANZAC Brigade represented a combined Australian and New Zealand force fighting as part of the British II Corps in the Netherlands after their governments agreed to supply a force from units on exercise. The section starts with a background, and then follows the exploits of Major Harris’s Australian Mechanised Company.

The force is broken up into five formations; an Australian Leopard AS1 Armoured Squadron, an M113 Mechanised Company, a LAV Trials Cavalry Squadron, an M113 Cavalry Squadron, and a New Zealand Scorpion Armoured Squadron. The full-time professional ANZACs have good Courage, Skill and Assault (3+), average Morale, Counterattack, Remount, and Rally (4+), except where it is modified by equipment and special rules.

ANZAC Design Notes

The Leopard AS1 Armoured Squadron is built around an HQ with 1 or 2 Leopard AS1, 2 to 4 Leopard AS1 Armoured Troops, one of which can be taken as a M113 Mechanised Platoon instead. The formation can also take two M113 Cavalry Troops. One of the Leopard AS1 Armoured Troops can be replaced by an M1A1 Abrams Armoured Troop as the Australians look to trial a replacement for their Leopard AS1 tanks.

The Australian Leopard AS1 is identical to the West German Leopard 1A3 with the welded turret and even retains the MG3 machine-guns. This can be built from the new NATO Leopard 1 plastic kit. It is lightly armoured, relatively manoeuvrable, armed with the excellent 105mm L7 gun, and unlike the West German version uses the Brutal rule because of the Australian use of HESH ammunition.

As mentioned above, Australians were considering their next step after the Leopard AS1 and one option was the American M1A1 Abrams. The M1A1 is well-armoured (Front 19, Side 10, Top 2, with Chobham) and armed with a 120mm gun (Range 40”/100cm, ROF 2/2, AT 22, FP 2+, Advance Stabiliser, Laser Rangefinder).

ANZAC Design Notes

The M113 Mechanised Company is based around a HQ and 2 or 3 M113 Mechanised Platoons, one of which can be a Leopard AS1 Armoured Troop or M1A1 Abrams Armoured Troop instead, an M125 Mortar Platoon, up to two M113 Cavalry Troops or LAV Cavalry Troops, and up to two Milan Anti-tank Sections.

The M113 Mechanised Platoons contain 4 M60 with LAW anti-tank teams and 3 Carl Gustav teams, transported by 4 M113 (T-50 turret) APCs. The M60 and SLR battle rifles that make up the first team give them a ROF 3/2, AT 2, and FP 5+ (due to M203 grenade launchers). The LAW anti-tank gives them AT 12 against armoured targets. The Carl Gustav anti-tank teams have ROF 1/1, AT 17, FP 3+ for improved anti-tank defence. The M113 (T-50 turret) APC is a standard M113 mounting a T-50 armoured turret mounting a .50cal MG and a 7.62mm MG.

The formation's indirect fire support comes from the 81mm mortars of the M125s. These medium mortars can fire bombardments out to 56”/140cm with AT 1, FP 4+, and Smoke Bombardments. They are also additionally armed with a .50cal AA MG.

ANZAC Design Notes

The Mechanised Companies also have a Milan Anti-tank Section for added anti-tank capabilities with up to four Milan missile teams transported in M113 (T-50 turret) APCs. As supplies in theatre come through their allies Milan 2 is also available giving them anti-tank 24.

The LAV Trails Cavalry Squadron is another formation formed for combat testing, this time for the American LAV-25. A cavalry squadron contains an HQ of one or two LAV-25, two to three LAV Cavalry Troops, a Leopard AS1 or M1A1 Abrams Armoured Troop, a M125 Mortar Platoon, a Milan Anti-tank Section, and an M113 Cavalry Assault Platoon.

The LAV Cavalry Troop is equipped with 3 or 4 LAV-25 light armoured vehicles. These are lightly armoured (Front 1, Side 1, Top 0) and armed with the M242 25mm gun (Range 24”/60cm, ROF 3/3, AT 8, FP 5+, Anti-helicopter. They are Amphibious, are Scouts and have Spearhead, and are fitted with Thermal Imaging equipment.

ANZAC Design Notes

The M113 Cavalry Troop is the standard reconnaissance format of the Australian forces. It is organised as the above LAV formation but replaces the LAVs with M113 Cavalry Troops.

The M113 Cavalry Troops are equipped with M113 LRVs (Light Reconnaissance Vehicles) and M113 MRVs (Medium Reconnaissance Vehicles). This unit can be organised in a variety of ways, 3 to 4 M113 LRVs only, or 1 M113 MRV and 3 or 4 M113 LRVs, or 2 M113 MRVs and 2 or 3 M113 LRVs. The M113 LRV is the standard Australian M113 fitted with a T-50 turret armed with a .50 cal MG and a 7.62mm MG, while the M113 MRV is fitted with a Scorpion light tank turret armed with a 76mm gun and a 7.62mm MG. These units can use the Spearhead and Scout rules.

The M113 Cavalry Assault Troop is armed similarly to the M113 Mechanised Platoon, but with personnel from the Australian Armoured Corps trained as assault pioneers. The unit consists of four M60 teams with LAW anti-tank, five Carl Gustav anti-tank teams, and five M113s, but the unit can be taken as understrength.

ANZAC Design Notes

The final formation is the New Zealand Scorpion Armoured Squadron, representing part of the New Zealand armoured contribution to the conflict along with some of the mechanised infantry. This formation contains an HQ of two or three M113 (T50 turret) and two to four Scorpion Armoured Troops. One of the optional troops can be a M113 Mechanised Platoon instead.

The Scorpion Armoured Troops have two or four Scorpion light tanks. Though they are not full recon troops, the unit does have Spearhead. The Scorpion is light and fast, when not firing its main weapon. Their 76mm main gun has a hefty punch with anti-tank 14 and Firepower 2+.

ANZAC Design Notes

Support
ANZAC support consists of up to two Anti-tank Land Rover Section, each armed with Land Rover light trucks mounting 106mm recoilless rifles with range 24”/60cm, ROF 1/1, AT 17, FP 2+, using the Accurate, Brutal, HEAT, and Slow Firing rules.

ANZAC Design Notes

Air Defence is provided by the M113 Redeye SAM Section. The Redeye SAM missiles are fired from the top hatch of the M113, giving it a Range 48”/120cm, ROF 2, FP 5+, and Guided AA against air targets. The M113 mounts a .50 cal MG and a 7.62mm MG in a T-50 turret. The Australians also brought the Swedish RBS-70 SAM system which are also carried in the M113. The RBS-70 has a longer range (56”/140cm) and more destructive power (Firepower 4+).

Finally, as part of the British 2nd Corps they can call on British support in the form of Abbot Field Battery or M109 Field Battery, Traced Rapier SAM Section, up to two TOW Lynx HELARM Flights, and Harrier Close Support Flight. They can also take an Allied NATO Formation as part of the force.

 

Bonus Content
At the back of World War III: NATO Forces you will also find two pages on NATO Missile Upgrades. This section allows you to field West German, British, and American forces with the newer versions of anti-tank guided missiles (this will also be available as a PDF download). 

West Germans can take Milan 2 and HOT 2, the British can take Milan 2, and the Americans can take M47 Dragon 2 missiles.

The Milan 2 increases the missile’s anti-tank to 24.

The HOT 2 increases the missile’s anti-tank to 24

The M47 Dragon 2 increases the missile’s anti-tank to 21.

Like many of these upgrades, where a Unit has a choice, all Units in the Force must take the same type.

Scenarios
As well as the five forces, World War III: NATO Forces also includes three scenarios featuring Canadian, Dutch and French forces. These can be played with the suggested forces, or you can use the suggested points to field alternative forces in the scenarios. The scenarios can be run as a linked campaign, or as individual one-off games.

ANZAC Design Notes

Painting and Models

The final sections in each nation’s part of World War III: NATO Forces include painting and basing guides. This includes armour painting for Yellow Olive and NATO 3-colour, infantry painting guides for Australians, French, Canadians, Dutch, and Belgians, and aircraft colour guides. Basing guides for the teams of World War III: NATO Forces infantry forces.

After each nation section, there is a comprehensive guide to the models of World War III: NATO Forces, listing all the great new boxes and packs that will be coming out for the Canadians, French, Dutch, ANZACs, and Belgians.

It’s a great new book with plenty of forces to choose from, whether you a looking for a new NATO force to field or looking at adding a new formation to a current NATO force.

~Wayne

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