One, Two, Three. Four, I Love The Marine Corps!

One, Two, Three. Four, I Love The Marine Corps! with Mitchell Landrum Founded in 1775, The United States Marine Corps has always been the tip of the spear for American Forces. In the 20th century, they would distinguish themselves as some of the toughest warriors in the world. From the Battle of Belleau Wood to the shores of Okinawa, American Marines have always defended freedom and liberty. In the last 70 years they have won two world wars, and there will be no exception here! Whether they come from the sky in their rugged Huey transport helicopters or come from the sea in their massive AAVP7s, the US Marines will give the commies one hell of a fight.

In Team Yankee, the US 2nd Marine Division is engaged with Soviet and East German forces in Northern Germany, supporting the US III Corps. The Marines landed in Denmark, and rapidly advanced into Germany, assisting in the American counterattack. They are a lighter force than their army counterparts, and offer a more mobile force for engaging Soviet forces on the flanks.

In Game In the game, the Marines have 3 companies that they can field. I will take a look at each company at next year’s 64 point level, and will have a couple combined formations at the 100 point level. First off is the M60 Armored Company. The M60s that the Marines use represented as the M60A1 model, an older model without all the modern gadgets that the army’s M60s get. Although the gun on the M60 is lacking an advanced stabiliser or laser rangefinder, it is still the Rate of Fire 2 AT 20 gun that arms the M1 Abrams.

Unfortunately for the M60 though, its front armor of 15 can’t stop a 125mm round found on the T-64 and T-72, making careful movement and tactics imperative. However, the M60 comes in at 4 points a tank, less than a T-64. Although it is slower, has less armor, and a lower AT gun, the M60 is still a tough beast. Easily able to mitigate RPG fire from the front, the M60 can put some serious hurt on BMP and BTR mounted infantry. The large numbers of M60s that the Marines can field is scary, and will make any Soviet player plan carefully. Without further adieu, here is my 64 point list.

M60 Patton Tank HQ 8 Points x 2 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 1 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 2 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    HMMWV Scout Section 2 Points x 1 HMMWV - M2    x 1 HMMWV - MK19    x 1 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    Marine Rifle Platoon 10 Points x 4 M249 SAW with M72 LAW team    M224 60mm Motar team   x 2 AAVP7    LAV Platoon 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight 6 Points x 4 AV-8 Harrier

At 64 points, I feel that this is a very tough list to face, it also doesn’t break the bank. 10 M60s is a tough army, with lots of tanks capable of dealing heavy damage. At 64 points, there won’t be many other tank formations, so your primary threat will be BMP mounted missiles. The marine rifle platoon that is attached will be a tough force to shake, and will be able to hold down an objective while the tanks go to work. The HMMWVs offer light firepower, but are extraordinarily fragile. Use them carefully, their .50 cals can be deadly to infantry, and even lightly armored vehicles. The LAV platoon is personally one of my favorites. Besides the look of the LAVs, they fit nicely into this list. With a rate of fire 3 gun, they can put out 12 BMP killing shots as a platoon. They are also a scout platoon, allowing for you to spearhead in some missions. Their guns can also shoot at helicopters, giving some AA to your force. Finally, you have the Harriers. These planes function similarly to their British counterparts, dispersing submunitions on any unlucky vehicles below.

Overall this list can deal a lot of damage in a short amount of time, but might struggle with the larger BMP mounted lists. Their largest weakness is high quantities of ATGM, because at front armor 15, they are extremely vulnerable to the abundance of AT19 and AT21 options the Soviets have.  Next up is the 100 point list.

M60 Patton Tank HQ 8 Points x 2 M60 Patton   M60 Patton Tank Platoon 1 20 Points x 5 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 2 20 Points x 5 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 3 20 Points x 5 M60 Patton    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    Marine Rifle Platoon 9 Points x 9 M249 SAW with M72 LAW team    x 2 AAVP7    LAV Platoon 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    HMMWV SAM Platoon 2 Points x 2 HMMWV Stinger     M109 Field Artillery Battery 15 Points x 6 M190

Obviously this list is a little heavier, with 17 M60s, this list packs a serious punch with its armor.  In addition to the tanks, a full M109 battery and full rifle platoon can dish out massive amounts of damage to enemy infantry. The LAVs offer recon and light AT forces as mentioned earlier, and the HMMWV mounted stingers provide ample AA support for your force. This list struggles with the aforementioned BMP mounted missiles. At the 100 point level, you will face massive formations of BMP-2s, with AT21 missiles that are all but guaranteed to penetrate. This poses massive risks to this formation. Enemy AT threats must be eliminated as fast as possible, and care must be taken to mitigate return fire on your M60s.

Next up is the Marine Rifle Company. I foresee this list getting loads of action. The Marine Rifle Company offers larger platoons than their army counterparts, and better transport options as well. Marine infantry also have an abundance of attachments allowing them to flexibly fit any role.

Marine infantry come in two primary flavors, mechanised and airborne. The mechanised infantry come in the massive AAVP-7, the spiritual successor to the legendary LVT-4 of World War II, and literal successor of the hideous LVTP-5 (apparently Mitchell's sense of style is questionable, we love the LVTP-5 ~editor). A full Marine Rifle Platoon can be carried in two of these beasts, each with a seven passenger capacity. The other type is airborne. These brave infantry come in UH-1 Hueys, and are much more mobile than their mechanised counterparts. However, they have 4 helicopter transports, with a total capacity of 12 transport slots. This offers less room for attachments, but better mobility and more diverse transports. There is no points difference between the Hueys and AAVP-7s.

I feel like at the 64 points level, this company can be really tough. They can take large numbers of infantry that have the ability to dish out high volumes of fire and turn Soviet infantry to dust.

Rifle Company HQ 1 Points M16    Rifle Platoon 1 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 M47 Dragon Missile Team   x 2 SMAW Team    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    Rifle Platoon 2 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 M47 Dragon Missile Team    x 2 SMAW Team    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    Rifle Platoon 3 12 Points M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW (x 9)   M47 Dragon Missile Team (x 2)   SMAW Team (x 2)   M224 60mm Motar Team   AAVP7 (x 2)   M60 Patton Tank Platoon 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    LAV Platoon 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight 3 Points x 2 AV-8 Harrier

This list will deal serious hurt to any Soviet list. Three massive Marine Rifle Platoons with heavy support attachments will be a nightmare for any Soviet force to advance on. The TOWs and M60s will ensure swift devastation of and Soviet armor. The LAVs will provide essential recon and screening for your heavier forces, and can deal heavy casualties to enemy transports. The Harriers will fill the same role as mentioned before, cause devastation to clumps of enemy vehicles. I have also included an airmobile list.

Rifle Company HQ 1 Points M16    Rifle Platoon 1 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 M47 Dragon Missile Team    x 2 SMAW Team    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 4 UH-1 Huey    Rifle Platoon 2 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 M47 Dragon Missile Team    x 2 SMAW Team    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 4 UH-1 Huey    Rifle Platoon 3 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 M47 Dragon Missile Team    x 2 SMAW Team    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 4 UH-1 Huey    HMMWV Machine-Gun Platoon 4 Points x 6 HMMVW-M2    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    LAV Platoon 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    HMMWV SAM Platoon 2 Points x 2 HMMWV Stinger     AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter Platoon 7 Points x 2 AH-1 Cobra    AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight 6 Points x 4 AV-8 Harrier

So obviously the core of the list remains largely the same. However, being airmobile changes the dynamic of the force. With no tanks to provide cover, this list relies extensively on air assets. With a pair of cobras and four Harriers, you should be able to have some freedom in your air operations. Your first task will be to eliminate any hostile AA, but at 64 points I don’t see a massive threat from enemy AA. Your massive infantry platoons are highly mobile and can strike anywhere on the table at a moment’s notice, and your HMMWVs and LAVs are deadly to infantry. However, you have to make your shots count with this list. With only 4 land based weapons capable of defeating MBTs from the front, you need to be very careful with your deployment, taking care to eliminate enemy MBTs and AA as soon as possible. At 100 points I am going to take two formations, one airmobile and one land based.

Rifle Company HQ 1 Points M16    Rifle Platoon 1 10 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    Rifle Platoon 2 10 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    Rifle Platoon 3 10 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 20 Points x 5 M60 Patton    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    Rifle Company HQ 1 Points M16    Rifle Platoon 4 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 SMAW Team    x 4 UH-1 Huey    Rifle Platoon 5 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW   x 2 SMAW Team    x 4 UH-1 Huey    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    LAV Platoon 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    HMMWV SAM Platoon 2 Points x 2 HMMWV Stinger     Marine M109 8 Points x3 M109    AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight 6 Points x 4 AV-8 Harrier

This list has a lot of infantry (54 stands!). Delivered in a variety of methods, you will be parallel in numbers to Soviet infantry, and individual units are far superior. However, you will again be lacking high amounts of AT. The 5 M60s being brought in the first formation will be tough, but will require support from your TOWs. The marine infantry will be very tough in defense, and will be strong on the attack as well, but may have issues with heavy armor. A great run by the Harriers can turn the tide, but there’s always a chance you don’t get them, so you can’t rely on them. The HMMWVs will have to effectively cut down enemy tanks. With 8 AT21 shots per turn, a good amount of damage should be done to enemy tanks. You will need to keep you HMMWVs alive if you want to have any chance at destroying enemy tanks.

Finally, we have the LAV Recon Company. This formation’s maximum points cost is 22 points, so it will have to be combines with other formations (hence why it is the last one). At 64 Points I like this formation combined with a Marine Rifle Company, as it can offer a wide variety of options for flexibility at this points level.

LAV Company HQ 2 Points x 2 LAV-25  LAV Platoon 1 4 Points x 4 LAV-25  LAV Platoon 2 4 Points x 4 LAV-25  LAV Platoon 3 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    Rifle Company HQ 1 Points x 1 M16 team  Rifle Platoon 1 9 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 AAVP7    Rifle Platoon 2 9 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 AAVP7    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    HMMWV Machine-Gun Platoon 4 Points x 6 HMMWV -M2    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV Tow Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV SAM Platoon 2 Points x 2 HMMWV Stinger

This list is very strong firepower wise, but fairly fragile. With so many LAVs with a front armor of 1, and so many HMMWVs with an armor of 0, they can be knocked out by .50 cal fire quite easily. However, the 25mm guns on the LAVs are capable of defeating a BMP’s armor, which is extremely useful. The list also has a total of 6 TOWs to deal with enemy tanks, and 4 M60s are capable of dishing out high levels of punishment to enemy vehicles. I see no glaring weaknesses in this list, except for your list can be killed quite easily. However, your large numbers should be sufficient to keep you fighting through losses.

At 100 points, I will combine the LAV company with an M60 tank company, as I feel the tanks offer a better “anchor” at this level.

Rifle Company HQ 1 Points M16    Rifle Platoon 1 10 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7   Rifle Platoon 2 10 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    Rifle Platoon 3 10 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    M224 60mm Motar Team   x 2 AAVP7    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 20 Points x 5 M60 Patton    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    Rifle Company HQ 1 Points M16   Rifle Platoon 4 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 SMAW Team    x 4 UH-1 Huey    Rifle Platoon 5 12 Points x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW    x 2 SMAW Team    x 4 UH-1 Huey    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 1 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    HMMWV TOW Anti-Tank Squad 2 2 Points x 2 HMMWV - TOW    LAV Platoon 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    HMMWV SAM Platoon 2 Points x 2 HMMWV Stinger     Marine M109 8 Points x 3 M109    AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight 6 Points x 4 AV-8 Harrier

This list has a lot of infantry (54 stands!). Delivered in a variety of methods, you will be parallel in numbers to Soviet infantry, and individual units are far superior. However, you will again be lacking high amounts of AT. The 5 M60s being brought in the first formation will be tough, but will require support from your TOWs. The marine infantry will be very tough in defense, and will be strong on the attack as well, but may have issues with heavy armor. A great run by the Harriers can turn the tide, but there’s always a chance you don’t get them, so you can’t rely on them. The HMMWVs will have to effectively cut down enemy tanks. With 8 AT21 shots per turn, a good amount of damage should be done to enemy tanks. You will need to keep you HMMWVs alive if you want to have any chance at destroying enemy tanks.

Finally, we have the LAV Recon Company. This formation’s maximum points cost is 22 points, so it will have to be combines with other formations (hence why it is the last one). At 64 Points I like this formation combined with a Marine Rifle Company, as it can offer a wide variety of options for flexibility at this points level.

LAV Company HQ 2 Points x 2 LAV-25  LAV Platoon 1 4 Points x 4 LAV-25  LAV Platoon 2 4 Points x 4 LAV-25  LAV Platoon 3 4 Points x 4 LAV-25    LAV-AT Anti-Tank Section 6 Points x 4 LAV-AT  LAV-M Motar Section 2 Points x 2 LAV-M    Rifle Platoon 9 Points  x 9 M249 SAW Team with M72 LAW   x 2 AAVP7    M60 Patton Tank Company HQ 8 Points x 2 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 1 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 2 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    M60 Patton Tank Platoon 3 16 Points x 4 M60 Patton    HMMWV Scout Section 2 Points HMMWV-M2    HMMWV-MK19    HMMWV-TOW    HMMWV SAM Section 4 Points x 4 HMMWV- Stinger    AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight 6 Points x 4 AV-8 Harrier

This list is awesome in my opinion. With a full component of LAVs, and a loaded tank company, this list will be hard to crack. With 14 LAVs and 14 M60s, this list has serious heavy and light firepower. It still suffers from the fragility of past lists, but offers a high level of damage output. The Harriers can deal damage over a wide area to transports and tanks alike, but will be vulnerable to AA fire at this points level. The LAV-ATs will be able to sneakily destroy enemy tanks with their “Hammerhead” special rule, and will be able to quickly fade away into cover. With an abundance of recon, this list will be able to get up in the enemy’s face early, and will be able to dish out high amounts of damage early. This list has to act quickly, or will be withered  down and defeated by heavy forces. I feel that this is a very fun list that offers a different strategy than what many players are used to.

Thank you for reading, and remember, these lists are just my opinion, so I’m not responsible for any losses you may have! I hope you enjoyed it, Semper Fi! ~Mitchell