Building a Norwegian Starter Force with WWIII: Nordic Forces

Building a Norwegian Starter Force with WWIII: Nordic Forces By John Lee With the launch of WW3 Nordic, I thought I would look at how a new player, or someone on a budget, could get a force on the table that would be competitive, or at least hold its own for Norwegian forces.  For the new player, it opens the door to playing WW3 without needing to buy, assemble or paint too much and get into playing the game quicker.  There is an army deal for the Swedish forces but not for the rest of the forces in the release.

The Norwegians have two formations to choose from - Leopard 1 Tank Squadron and M113 Storm Squadron.  We will look at both formations to see how we can get a force on the table.  On the force diagram, the Norwegians have US Marine Corps allied support options, that can be part of your force without having to field a full allied formation which could make for an interesting force (especially if you already have a US Marine force saving you money!).  They are:

0-1 M60 Patton Tank Platoon 0-1 Marine Rifle Platoon 0-1 Marine M109 Artillery Battery 0-1 HMMWV SAM Platoon 0-1 AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter Platoon or AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter Platoon

They also have the option to field either the US Marine Corps AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight or Swedish AJ-37 Viggen Attack Group as part of the force diagram. First is the Leopard 1 Tank Squadron which is comprised of the following units: 1 Leopard 1 Squadron HQ 2-3 Leopard 1 Troop 0-1 M113 Storm Troop 0-1 NM142 Anti-Tank Troop 0-1 M106 107mm Mortar Troop Looking at the formation, let’s see what we can put on the table for 100pts whilst optimising what we buy:

Six units for the formation break.  14 Leopards to get in amongst your enemy’s flanks whilst NM142s and Apaches snipe from a distance.  Recon to get spearhead when needed and to be a distraction for your opponent.  Infantry platoon to hold an objective, Dual purpose artillery that can provide a template or direct fire option.  Protection from Helicopters and Planes. To buy this army you need only to purchase the following for $472:

2 x TNOBX01: NM135 or NM195 $104 1 x TNOBX02: NM142 Anti-tank Troop $52 1 x TNOBX03: Feltvogn Recon Troop $27 3 x TGBX14: Leopard 1 Panzer Zug $150 1 x TUBX24: M109 Field Artillery Battery $30 2 x TUBX21: Apache Helicopter Platoon $64 1 x TNO702: M113 Storm Troop $20 1 x WW3-08: WW3 Nordic Forces $25 TOTAL $472

We can change this up a bit by changing out the Apaches for AH-1 Cobras (TOW-2) and getting in a second Air Defence Battery, for an additional $52.   If we want a second infantry platoon, we could add in a full-strength US Marine Rifle Platoon (with one SMAW and two Dragons), AV-8 Harrier Attack Flight and second Air Defence Battery to replace the Apaches for an additional $120.

Onto the M113 Storm Squadron now, this formation is comprised of:

1 M113 Storm Squadron HQ 2-3 M113 Storm Troop 0-1 NM142 Anti-Tank Troop 0-1 Leopard 1 Tank Troop 0-1 M125 81mm Mortar Troop or M106 107mm Mortar Troop Looking at the formation, let’s see what we can put on the table for 100pts whilst optimising what we buy:

Six units for the formation break.  Two units of tanks including the heavier US Marine M60 Pattons, one artillery template, recon to provide spearhead and distraction for your opponent.  Heavy lifting supplied by the NM142s and Apaches with their AT23 and AT25 respectively.   To buy this army you need only to purchase the following for $499:

4 x TNOBX01: NM135 or NM195 $208 1 x TNOBX02: NM142 Anti-tank Troop $52 2 x TGBX09: M113 Panzermorsar Zug $60 1 x TUBX11: M60 Patton Tank Platoon $50 2 x TUBX21: Apache Helicopter Platoon $64 2 x TNO702: M113 Storm Troop $40 1 x WW3-08: WW3 Nordic Forces $25 TOTAL $499

To change this up a bit, we could remove the M60 Pattons and add in a full Swedish AJ-37 Viggen Attack Group and a second NM195 Air Defence Battery for an additional $106. Again we could remove the Apaches and replace them with AH-1 Cobras (TOW-2) and AV-8 Harriers to provide a Marine-only presence in your force for an additional $64.

There you have it – some options to ponder for getting started with the Norwegians and getting the best bang for your buck.  Enjoy! ~ John