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NATO Forces Spotlight: Dutch Forces
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World War III: NATO Forces Design Notes
Dutch 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.
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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.
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In World War III: NATO Forces the Dutch forces have also been expanded. The Netherlands section consists of a background and the actions of Reijnders’s Tank Eskadron in WWIII. You can take four formations in a Dutch force as well as Dutch and West German support units. The ratings Dutch are an even 4+ across the board, except where it is modified by equipment and other special rules.
The Dutch can take Leopard 2A5, Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 Tank Eskadron (Tank Squadron), a YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Compagnie (Armoured Infantry Company), and a Verkennings Eskadron (Reconnaissance Squadron).
The Dutch can now take a Leopard 2A5 Tank Eskadron. This formation has a HQ of one Leopard 2A5, and 2 to 4 Leopard 2A5 Tank Peloton (Tank Platoon), each of 2 to 4 Leopard 2 tanks. The formation can also take a YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Peloton instead of one of the Tank Pelotons, a YPR-765 PRAT Antitank Peloton, an M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg, and a PRTL Pantserluchtdoel Peloton.
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The Leopard 2A5 had significantly more armour than the Leopard 2 (Front 22, Side 13, Top 2), but retains the same excellent 120mm gun (Range 40’/100cm, ROF 2/2, AT 22, FP 2+ with Advanced Stabiliser and Laser-rangefinder).
The Leopard 2 Tank Eskadron is organised identically to the Leopard 2A5 Tank Eskadron but with the Leopard 2 Tank Pelotons in the same positions as the Leopard 2A5 Tank Pelotons.
Like the West German version, the Dutch Leopard 2 is armed with a powerful 120mm gun. The Leopard 2, thanks to the Advanced Stabiliser has excellent fire-on-the-move capabilities, not losing its ROF for its main gun while moving up to 14”/35cm.
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The Leopard 1 Tank Eskadron is organised in a similar manner but with Leopard 1 tanks. The Dutch use the cast turret version with additional applique armour to bring it up to the same standard as the other Leopards in service with NATO. This kit can be built with the NATO Leopard 1 plastic kit.
The fourth formation available to the Dutch is the YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Compagnie. This has an HQ and 2 or 3 YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Pelotons, one of which can be taken as a Leopard 2 Tank Peloton or Leopard 1 Tank Peloton instead. The armoured infantry also have a YPR-765 PRAT Antitank Peloton, an M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg, and a PRTL Pantserluchtdoel Peloton, as well as an M106 120mm Mortier Peloton or the new 120mm Mortier Peloton.
Each YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Peloton has four GPMG teams with M72 LAW anti-tank, three Carl Gustav anti-tank teams, and two M47 Dragon missile teams transported in four YPR-765 infantry fighting vehicles. The GPMG teams with M72 LAW anti-tank have good firepower (ROF 3/2) and the LAWs give them anti-tank defence against lighter vehicles (AT 12). For heavier close-range armoured targets, they can call on the Carl Gustav with AT 17. At medium range, light to medium tanks can be handled by the Dragon missile teams (Range 8”/20cm - 28”/70cm, ROF 1, AT 18, FP 3+, with Guided, HEAT and Thermal Imaging). The Pantserinfanterie Peloton can now also upgrade their Dragon missiles to Dragon 2 missiles, giving them an improved anti-tank of 21.
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These teams are transported in the YPR-765 IFV. It is armed with a 25mm gun in an offset turret with a co-ax machine-gun. It has Armour of Front 3, Side 2, and Top 1.
Like the tanks, the armoured infantry can call on the YPR-765 PRAT with their powerful TOW missiles. The YPR-765 PRAT mounts the Emerson TOW Under Armor turret on the YPR-765 infantry fighting vehicle, giving the Dutch a similar weapon system to the US M901 ITV. It uses the Hammerhead rule and is fitted with Thermal Imaging for night fighting. The unit also included an option to field the YPR-765 PRAT vehicles with TOW-2 missiles giving them an improved Anti-tank of 23 (over the AT 21 of the iTOW).
For indirect fire support, they have M106 120mm mortar carriers or the new 120mm Mortier Peloton. The M106 120mm mortar carriers pack a good punch with artillery Range 64”/160cm, AT 3, FP 3+, and can fire Smoke Bombardments. The towed 120mm are the same as used by the French and are towed by a .50 cal MG armed version of the YPR-765. The 120mm mortar teams provide the same firepower as the mortar carriers but can be dug-in to strong defensive positions.
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The PRTL is the Dutch version of the West German Gepard AA tank fitted with locally manufactured Dutch radar. It packs the same punch as the Gepard and comes in units of three. As an attachment to the PRTL, you can also take a Stinger Luchtdoel Peloton (Stinger Air Defence Platoon) where you can get one Stinger team per PRTL AA tank. The Stinger missile also has good performance against air targets with Range 48”/160cm, ROF 3, FP 4+, and Guided AA.
Our final Dutch formation is the Verkennings Eskadron (Reconnaissance Squadron). These are organised in a similar fashion to the US Cavalry Troop with a mix of reconnaissance vehicles, tanks, and support weapons. A Verkennings Eskadron is based around 2 to 6 M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg and 1 to 3 Verkennings Tank Peloton, with a M106 Mortier Peloton and a M113 Tirailleur Peloton.
The core elements of the formation are the M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg (Reconnaissance Team), containing a pair of M113 C&V recon vehicles. These are based on the same vehicle as the Canadian Lynx, except the Dutch version mounts an Oerlikon-Bührle 25mm armed turret giving it good firepower for a small vehicle.
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To back these up, the formation contains its own Leopard 2 or Leopard 1 tanks, depending on the reconnaissance battalion. Each tank unit has a pair of tanks.
Like the Americans, the Verkennings Eskadron has its own M106 Mortier Peloton. These are armed with the US M106 107mm self-propelled mortar, in a unit of three.
The Verkennings Eskadron also has its own unit of infantry in the form of the M113 Tirailleur Peloton (Light Infantry Platoon). These are organised the same as the Pantserinfanterie but do not have M47 Dragons and are mounted in M113 APCs.
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Support
Dutch have long-barrelled M109 self-propelled howitzers as their artillery support in batteries of 3 or 6. The 155mm howitzer has an artillery Range of 96”/240cm, AT 4, FP 2+ and can fire Smoke Bombardments. An additional PRTL Pantserluchtdoel Peloton and an artillery observer are also available as support units.
The Dutch also have their own M270 MLRS multiple rocket systems providing long-range Salvo artillery supporting fire.
The Dutch have also added a tank-hunting helicopter to their arsenal in the form of the American AH-64 Apache. Armed with the powerful Hellfire missile (Range 16”/40cm – 64”/160cm, Anti-tank 25) very few enemy tanks can stand up to that sort of firepower. It is also armed with a 30mm chain gun and rockets. These can be taken instead of the West German PAH Anti-tank Helicopter Flights below.
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The Dutch also call on West German support units, representing units of 3. Panzerdivision and 1. Korps they were likely to fight alongside them. They can take a Roland Flarakpanzer Batterie, a LARS Raketenwerfer Batterie, up to two PAH Anti-tank Helicopter Flights, and a Tornado Strike Flight. They can also take an Allied NATO formation as part of their force.
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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.
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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.
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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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Last Updated On Thursday, September 28, 2023 by Ryan Smith
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