Le Boom Boom and Le Zoom Zoom – Exciting New French for Team Yankee WWIII

By Tom Gall

With the new NATO Forces book comes a refresh of French forces for World War III: Team Yankee. At AdeptiCon during the spring of 2023, there were a few test models in the Battlefront booth for people to see, one was the Leclerc battle tank that sent a few hearts a flutter wondering what stats the new model might bring with it.

With LVO 2023, the winning force was an innovative French/American mashup. On the competitive scene, this turned a few heads, and knowing this new NATA book was coming. Casual and competitive players alike have been wondering what will the refresh bring for the French.

This article is going to deep dive into the French. We’ll look at units and explore some interesting new lists.

What’s new? / ce qui est nouveau?

Let’s first dive into new weapon systems that you’ll get to enjoy as a result of the new book. The first, the creme de la creme is the Leclerc main battle tank.

It’s the tank you want but the question is can you afford it? With a 22 frontal armor, Chobham armor, a 48” ranged main gun with AT23 that can fire 2 rounds on the move or stationary, advanced stabilizer, and thermal imaging, it’s more than drool-worthy. All this for the low low price of 36 points for 2, 55 points for 3, or if you’re feeling particularly saucy 74 points for 4. Skill 3+, courage 3+, remount 3+, assault 4+ counterattack 4+, and with a cross of 2+ it might only just make you forget that the morale is a 5+.

This is one of those moments where you wish there were some sort of command card system like Flames of War to give yourself either a lucky card, a formation commander capability, or something to try to keep these beauties around when invariably they end up in poor spirits.

Next is the VBL Patrouille D’Eclairage. It’s a plucky little beast built for recon duties. The VBL is a minimally armored car with either an APILAS or for a point an Eryx weapon system plus machine gun. Sadly, it’s a 16” range for either weapon system. But with Scout, Spearhead, Thermal Imaging, and Amphibious it’ll be able to get up into your opponent’s face pretty fast.

Another new recon car of sorts if the VBL Group de Antichar Milan. Another version of the VBL we just discussed but instead of the APILAS or Eryx you’ve got Milan and Millan 2s to choose from for armament. At 3 points for 3 with a Milan or 4 points for 3 with Milan 2, it sure seems like a bargain. Especially when you factor in it has Thermal Imaging.

But wait how rude of me, I’ve mentioned a couple of new vehicles but missed new weapon systems. Let’s talk about the Eryx and the Milan 2 both of which are sprinkled about the various French units for use.

First, the Eryx is a 16” range AT 24, FP4 powerhouse with no minimal range. Just what le doctor ordered, you may not kill’em but you’ll sure set them up for an assault if they are bailed out and that’s a great way to take care of pesky armor. Additionally, the Eryx has a tandem-warhead keyword for just a little extra “have at you” when it comes to ERA armor, which is to say, it ignores it.

Now before you get excited about using Eryx missile stands in assault, you can’t. They have a “No Assault” rating, so I guess pack an extra APILAS? Tactically speaking tho, you use these things to kill or bail out armor, and with just a 16″ range you want to have the rest of the platoon in assault range to finish the job because that 4+ FP will fail you.

Ah yes, the Milan 2. What’s the point you might ask? Same range, generally a point or two more to upgrade to it, Guided, HEAT, etc ah but AT 24. Additionally, it tends to have Thermal Imaging which normal Milan teams don’t have. That’s why you take it, you’ll really up your at-night threat.

Moving along, over the treetops to be exact, is the HOT2, an upgraded missile for the Gazelle helicopter. It strikes me as more lukewarm 2 instead of HOT2. The bump up in AT is just 1 pip to AT24 as compared to the normal HOT missile. The firepower and range are the same. The point cost is just 1 more for 2 Gazelles or 2 points for 4 Gazelles.

The French also pick up the Mistral Group SATCP a new AA system. It’s a decent addition as it brings a RoF 3 guided AA missile with a 56″ range to the French. At two stands for 3 points, or four stands for 6 points it seems a tad pricy until you notice that it has a FP4+.  For an infantry-based heavy weapon, that’s a welcome addition. I’ve generally found the Rolands and AMX-13 DCAs as not being quite enough.

Now the downside, you only gain access to this unit by taking a unit of Rolands. You can only have as many stands of Mistrals as you have Rolands, take 4 Rolands, you can have 4 Mistrals.

This unit would be an “auto” include were it stand alone as a support option or even included with some of the French formations. Linking it to Rolands relegates it to games that are high point values and you can devote the points to air defense.  If the connection to the Roland didn’t exist this new unit would be an “auto” include given the same RoF and FP as the Rolands as well as it being a few points cheaper. c’est la guerre.

The French also pick up the M270, the American MLRS. In Team Yankee MLRS counts as two weapons firing. As you’d expect they have a Salvo template, but just AT3, and FP5+ so not exactly effective against heavier armor. They do offer minelets for a meager +1 point which will be more effective when dealing with armor. Still, at Firepower 5+, you’ll be often disappointed when targeting gobs of infantry which is the whole point of taking this type of unit. Yes, it’s only 5 points for two guns (that fire as 4). Still, in a game where large amounts of Russians, East Germans, etc infantry will be faced, this unit won’t be useful save for pinning.

Another addition to consider is a unit of man-packed 120mm mortars! Available in three stands (6 points) or six stands (8 points) with VAB transports, it’s a nice price point. With a 64″ range, AT3, Smoke bombardment, and Firepower 3+, now we’re talking! This unit is an addition to the VAB D’Infantry formation and, frankly an auto-include in my book. They might not be AMX AUF1 with the autoloader but for the points, these will be handy! <Chef’s kiss>

While we’re thinking about VABs, another new vehicle is the VAB T20 transport. Same armor as a VAB with 2 all-around, same movement ranges, same cross 5+ (ick!), the difference is with the weapon system, just a simple 20mm gun that has an anti-helicopter rating. With a 3/2 RoF and a 5+ FP, I don’t see this being worth the 1-point upgrade cost to replace 2 VABs.

This concludes the rundown of new weapon systems. Weapons are one thing, how do you get to make use of them? That brings us to new formations and shake-ups in the existing formations.

What’s on the menu for Formations

New formations include the Leclerc Escadron Blindé and the VBL Escadron D’Eclairage. Some of the old formations received some very welcome rework.

In the VAB Section D’Infanterie, one can replace up to two VABs with VAB T20s. While the VAB T20 is fairly close statwise to the VAB, the 12.7 AA MG is traded in for a 20mm M693 which improves the AT to 6 and gains Antihelicopter, but loses the AAMG rating.

The VAB Infanterie also gains access to the Milan 2 and an Eryx team. The Eryx is taken in place of an LRAC team. For a 1-point replacement for an LRAC it’s a no-brainer.

Within the VAB companie are two new additions, the M120 Peloton de Mortier, and a VAB T20 section and … o what’s this? a Leclerc Peloton.

The AMX 10P Section De Chasseurs like the VAB Infanterie also gain access to the Milan 2 as well as the Eryx team. 

The Escadron De Cavalrie formation gains a bit of a rework. Prior to was mostly made up of AMX-10 RC Pelotons and it still is, but now you can add up to four Pelotons of VBL Patroulle d’Eclairage de Cavalry. Each Peloton is made up of three VBLs for 3 points. The VBL is a minimally armored card with either an APILAS or for a point an Eryx weapon system plus machine gun. Sadly 16” range for either weapon system but with Scout, Spearhead, Thermal Imaging, and Amphibious it’ll be able to get up into your face pretty fast.

If you tally up the Escadron De Cavalrie formation with the HQ, 2 units of minimal (3) AMX-10 PCs for a total of 6, plus 4 Pelotons of 3 VBLs, that’s a pretty interesting formation for 25 points total, up that by 4 points to get the Eyrx across the board.

Now let’s look at the new Escadron d’Eclairage. Another scout-heavy unit, made up of both kinds of VBL, the Apilas or the Eryx variant, up to nine patrols made up of two VBLs, however, three are mandatory. Additionally, a single VBL Groupe de anti char Milan is made up of three VBLs that are packing either Milans or Milan 2s. Another recon heavy unit in the mid-20 point range.

Last the Leclerc formation is fairly straightforward. Given the points cost you’ll probably only field the HQ and one Peloton of Leclercs, turning to other less expensive units to flesh things out.

Conclusion

The French received a number of great new options in this book. The book and a number of the units fall into the auto-buy category for me and will go a long way to augment my existing French force.

If you’re new to the French, just remember you get all the benefits of hit on 4, skill 3 and other great qualities save one, that morale on a 5 in most places is brutal. Take care of your force and they’ll fight well, take careless risks, and deplete your units and this game will go poorly.