Wolverines!!

Wolverines!

Wolverines!!
With Livio Tonazzo

Team Yankee Militia Group is truly unique among NATO forces. Not only for the special rules that naturally distinguish them but also for all the Skill, Courage and Is Hit on values. In fact, all the nations that belong to the NATO deployment are generally very trained: difficult to hit and able to exploit orders well or even very well. As for the motivation, it is generally of an average value. The irregular nature of Team Yankee Militia Groups means that these optimal values cannot be applied. On the other hand, we are talking about civilians who voluntarily take up arms to defend their homes and their nation.

In my opinion, what is the greatest difference to take into consideration, especially for a NATO player who tends to suffer few losses, is the value of Is Hit On. In fact, it is equal to 3+, characterizing these units as Aggressive. The difference between Careful and Aggressive is really substantial. Although it may seem like a small thing, being hit on 3+ or 4+ goes far beyond the simple 16% that statistically differentiates the two values. In some situations, it can mean exponentially reducing the hits received (think of when a Careful unit is Concealed, Gone to Ground and the enemy is at long range), but in general in World War III: Team Yankee with values of very high firepower and many weapons forcing you to re-roll successful saves is important to avoid getting hit. Yankee Militia Group Teams, therefore, tend to be rather easy to hit and for this reason they must focus on using terrain and cover appropriately. Since they are infantry, they are particularly vulnerable to MGs if they are not entrenched, this is a factor to be taken into consideration and to be linked to the ranges of the weapons (which we will see later).

Militia Group

The skill value isn't particularly high either. Again the motivation is the very nature of these irregular units. Some members have some knowledge of modern warfare, but the majority are civilians who have only seen war on television. It follows therefore that the use of orders such as Blitz, Shoot & Scott and Dig-In are very difficult to apply. Having to get a value of 5+ means that only one order out of three will be successful. The advice in these cases is to use the orders as possible bonuses that may occur, but use the units on the field expecting you will fail them. Very often if the unit has remained stationary you can try a Shoot & Scott also because it has no particular drawback, if it goes well better, otherwise not bad. On the other hand, the blitz is different, which can sometimes be tempting but which I advise you to avoid. The value of 5+ is also confirmed in assault since troops with little or no training are likely not to withstand the physical and mental shock of hand-to-hand combat. The low value of Assault does not have much relevance because the Yankee Militia Group Teams should assault opponents only when they find themselves in a clear advantage, perhaps attacking the rear, leaving more delicate melee clashes to more specialized departments (someone spoke about Marines?). On the other hand, the value of Counterattack is better and equal to 4+. Instead, this is definitely an advantage because it helps to limit any flukes of secondary units of the opponent who however get a lucky result on the Counterattack. Everyone will have happened to attack a platoon of light vehicles such as Spandrels, perhaps reduced to a single operational vehicle, miss all the shots and be rejected by a 6 rolled on the counter-assault value followed by your 1 on the same roll. A value of 4+ should help in this regard, certainly more than a 5+.

As far as Courage is concerned, however, it is a cross between the enthusiasm of the volunteer troops and their natural tendency to dissolve when things take a turn for the worse. This bivalence is represented with a value of 4+ which seems fair after all. This is a fairly common value among NATO forces that might perhaps seem a bit generous. Furthermore, Yankee Militia Group Teams have a Rally rating of 3+ which makes them able to avoid being Pinned Down for a long time.                

Overall these are values in line with the specificity of this unit, to be able to use this unit successfully you must always keep them in mind.

Wolverines!

Equipment


Team Yankee Militia Group initially started with hunting and recreational firearms, but soon liberated police, National Guard, and also captured enemy weapons. These are therefore units that use a vast fleet of both American and Soviet-made weapons. The unit consists of 3 or 5 Assault Rifle teams with RPG18 and two bases armed with RPG-7. Furthermore, an M224 60mm mortar team can be added to increase the quality of fire thanks to a firepower of 4+.

Being an Assault Rifle team, they are particularly effective in short-range and moving fire (they have the same ROF when halted or moved), therefore they excel in the offensive rather than defensive phase. The 8" range limits its ability to garrison an objective while keeping the enemy at a distance, as MG Teams could do that with a 16" range and a 3/2 ROF. Similarly, if the unit is Pinned Down it can only count on a ROF of 1 instead of the ROF 3. RPG-14 and RPG-7 also have a rather limited range, 8" for the former and 12" for the latter. These weapons also have the Slow Firing rule but it doesn't matter much, they are very suitable for flanking/rearing opposing light or second-line units and putting them out of action. The armament is therefore suitable for the role that the Yankee Militia Group Teams have to play in the field. Strike in the rear, sneaking between second-line units. Striking hard where the enemy is most vulnerable.

Pickup Trucks

Transports


The Yankee Militia Group Teams are foot units, due to their nature as irregular troops they obviously do not have armoured vehicles available. However, they can move using civilian vehicles widely available in combat zones. Pickups are undoubtedly the most suitable vehicles. These are fast but robust vehicles, capable of tackling a good part of the most impervious terrains. Despite not having any type of armour, thanks to their size they can even hope to resist a few shots fired by the enemy. A Team Yankee Militia Group can be equipped with 4 Pickups for +1 point. This is an Unarmored Tank Team with Save 5+, so very vulnerable even to light fire. It also has an Is Hit on value of 3+ like the Yankee Militia Group Teams, so even in cover it risks being easily destroyed if subject to enemy fire. The movement values outside the Road Dash aren't incredible, but still suitable for the role it is meant to play. The Pickup has a Tactical Dash value of 10”, a Terrain Dash value of 12”, and a Cross-Country Dash value of 20”.

A Yankee Militia Group team embarked on a Pickup can move, reposition itself easily and penetrate the enemy lines if it moves on Cross-Country while it will be rather limited in the terrains also because the Cross value of the Pickup is rather mediocre ie 4+. Where the Pickup is really fast is on the Road Dash: if you find a road that also offers you some cover you can dart up to 48", almost from one side of the field to the other! Pickups are unarmored and also without offensive weapons, but can be equipped with a 7.62 mg for +1 point for the entire platoon. This weapon is Passenger Fired so it can only be fired when troops are embarked, be aware that this makes them vulnerable. Unlike other transport units, pickups have the Unit Transport rule like the transports in Flames of War. The Unit Leader of the transport unit must end the movement phase within 6" of the Unit Leader of the Team Yankee Militia Group, otherwise the Pickup unit must be Sent to the Rear. As a side note, pickups are one of Team Yankee's most distinctive transports, I don't think anyone will let them get away!!!

Wolverines!

Special Rule


Team Yankee Militia Group Teams are unique units and have a unique special rule: Resistance. This rule has many facets that we will see gradually.


First of all, the Yankee Militia Group Teams cannot be deployed in reserve but must always remain in the field, on the other hand, they do not count in the 60% of the points that can be deployed in the field if the mission provides for reserves. This is a nice advantage because it reduces the points of units that are not immediately usable: it is felt as a thing in missions with Delayed Reserve.

Although Team Yankee Militia Group cannot be fielded in reserve they are not fielded either. Instead, each turn in the Roll for Reserves part of the Starting Step, roll a die for each Militia Group. On a score of 5+ the Militia Group (and Pickup) is deployed in the enemy Deployment Area or in the No Man’s Land as if from Ambush. However, the Militia Group cannot move in the turn it is placed and cannot be placed within 8” of an Objective.

Wolverines!

Tactical use


Team Yankee Militia Groups are a very unique unit in World War III: Team Yankee. However, their use is not exactly unique, on the contrary, it mirrors in many respects that of many light units that excel in the possibility of infiltrating beyond the main enemy deployment, heavily threatening their rear. Artillery and anti-tank weapons are often particularly vulnerable to close-range attacks. An infantry unit can prove particularly lethal to them as it can render them harmless (bailed out) and then assault them to destroy them completely. Vehicles often fail to be so decisive.

The great advantage of Team Yankee Militia Group units is that they don't have to infiltrate enemy lines and can actually appear directly behind them. Deploying them is not particularly complicated given all the shelters that are usually found on the battlefields so there shouldn't be any problems getting them into the game. But be careful that a shrewd opponent could occupy any hiding places with light units, forcing you to make your units appear in rather distant positions. Furthermore, it should always be remembered that Team Yankee Militia Group units appear with a result of 5+ on a die roll, so they could also appear quite late and have little impact on the game. However, even in this case, they can have some role, forcing the opponent to take them into account and leaving some units to protect against partisan attacks.

Considering the very modest cost in points, deploying both of the two possible units is a good idea: it is a rather limited investment (a handful of points or a little more) compared to an important tactical advantage.

 

BELLA CIAO!

~ Livio Tonazzo