List building with Finns in Team Yankee

By Tom Gall

With the new Nordic Forces book added to Team Yankee, let’s look at a number of list-building ideas focusing on the Finns. When I first got into Team Yankee I painted a good number of my tank and BMP assets in Finnish camo schemes as I figured it would only be a matter of time and there would be a book where I could make use of the hardware.

In this article, we’re going to build a number of formations using primarily the Finns and hopefully give you some ideas on how you might want to build your own forces. It is a little hard to write as there is an embargo for a few more weeks involving the points for the individual units but we’ll make due!

Tanks for the memories

Let’s all admit it, tanks are awesome and while there are a boatload of weapon systems that can kill a tank in TY, they still have their place. For example, those pesky Marder II formations that some like to field are pretty brittle when fired at by a main gun of a tank as they’re generally not HEAT rounds. Coupled with usually a 2+ firepower, that’s one way to dispatch that type of formation.

In the case of the Finns T-72FM1s, T-72FM2s and T-55Ms are our choices to work with. No matter the choice you’re looking at a hit on 4+ value. Additionally no matter the tank type, platoons are in groups of three tanks. The FM2 has the best frontal armor with a 17, the FM1 a 15, and the T-55M rounding it out at 13. FM2s also get ERA armor AND Thermal Imaging.

The downside of the Finn tank platoons is you can choose any platoon size you like as long as it’s three tanks, period.

 

For a minimal T-72FM2 formation, that’s the HQ and two platoons, which round out at 44 points total. That’s seven T-72-FM2s and when it comes to reinforcements for say a 100 pts game, you don’t have a nice one drop reinforcement roll but rather two or three. Not ideal still a good formation for the price and you have the ability to add to it.

If you take the same idea with a minimal T-72FM1 formation, again 2 platoons plus the HQ for a total of seven tanks, that’s 35 points in total. A little less armor, and no ERA but not a bad formation for the price plus you can fill it out of course.

If we now think in terms of the T-55M formation, the minimum is 16 points, for seven tanks, and like the other Finn tank formations, you have the ability to round it out with another tank platoon of any Finn tank type, BMP-1 or BTR-60 platoon, a carnation platoon, and a ZSU-57-2 platoon.

No matter the Finn tank formation, having up to 3 platoons of tanks for a total of 10 tanks, plus integral artillery, and an infantry platoon is fairly solid.

Boots in the snow

Let’s switch gears and think in terms of infantry, what might our options be? A minimal BMP-1 formation gives you two platoons of infantry plus the HQ. Of the infantry platoons one can be a BMP-1 or a BMP-2 platoon. You can add a 3rd infantry platoon but it must be a BMP-1. You can add in any one of the tank platoons, up to two units of man-packed mortars with one 81mm and one 120mm then an anti-tank platen and an ITO 78 anti-aircraft platoon.

The BMP-1 platoons require you to spend a point to add on the PstObj 82 missile, AT-19 seems essential. Likewise, you have the ability to replace a KK PKM MG team with an APILAS to get access to AT-21.

For a minimal formation, this gets you into the 9-to-18-point range depending on what you deem critical. Nine points is a no frills minimal platoon sizes, while 18 is full size, with the PstOhj 82 missiles and APILAS add-ons.

Thankfully with the BMP-2, the PstOhj 82M missile at AT-21 is not optional. For dealing with pesky Marder IIs and other armor I’d recommend having the BMP-2 platoon as your second platoon instead of another BMP-1 platoon. It’s worth it.

The other option is the BTR-60 Jääkäri company. There are no BMP options in this formation and the minimum is two BTR-60 platoons plus the HQ. Like the BMP-1 platoons, you can swap in an APILAS anti-tank team for 1 point. The minimum formation comes in at 11 points and can range up to 19 points if you go for both the larger sizes and the APILAS.

Between the two units, I think I’d recommend the BMP-based one as the BTR-60 formation doesn’t really offer advantages. Unlike comparable Russian BTR-60 units that have access to the AT-4 Spigot missile teams, the Finns rely on the 95 S 58-61 Anti-tank platoon, which has a shorter range, a slower tactical plus a 3+ cross check for infantry!

Movin’ and groovin’

In Team Yankee a stronger force can be achieved through the combination of friendly forces. Effectively blend a couple of nations together and build on the strength of both. This presents you with the choice of which nation would be your primary (and thus have access to their support options). Would you use the Finns as your primary nation and use their support options or potentially another nation?

Looking at Finnish support options for strike aircraft they get to make use of the Swedish Viggen attack group, an interesting group of 4 jets, with the usual hit on 4+, save on 5+ with a 3+ skill. While they have a great AT27 brutal Maverick missile, their salvo weapon a 135mm rocket launcher is One Shot weapon and only has an AT of 5!

If you compare this to British Harriers which many consider the gold standard of strike aircraft, given an AT of 8 salvo weapon with a 3+ firepower, and a 3+ availability, clearly the Finnish strike aircraft options aren’t quite as good even tho the Harriers don’t have a high AT missile.

If you compare this to French Mirages which also has salvo weapon, it has an AT of 8 with the same firepower but better the French isn’t a one-shot. The French don’t get an AT-27 missile otherwise the to-hit, skill, and save are all similar.

Why think about the French? That brings us to the other kinds of support besides Air, Artillery! French autoloaders with their +1 to hit are great to have along with skill 3 to range in.

The Finns bring Carnations to the table, but skill 3 instead of the Warpac skill 5. Importantly they are only a couple more points more expensive, that’s quite a good deal. The Hail BM-21s are available as well with a skill 3, hit on 4 which brings a good salvo option. What the Finns lack is the heavier Warpac artillery options like Hurricanes or Acacias. Clearly, there are some better artillery options elsewhere in NATO forces, however, Carnations can be good enough allowing you to spend points elsewhere.

Besides Air and Artillery, one other important part of the equation to have a good force is your AA assets. Here the Finns have access to the T-55 Marksman which at a 4+ firepower with radar makes for a wonderful dual-purpose platform against both targets in the air as well as on the ground. It’s hindered with a 4+ cross-check but that might not matter.

Additionally, the Finns have the ITO 78 AA Missile platoon which for a very cheap price is 2 stands of SA-7 Grails. They’re a 5+ firepower so not exactly top-of-the-line AA but combined with something else they’re reasonable. Last the ZSU-57-2 is also available as a selection, again also cheap AA but with manual tracking and limited range, not exactly a unit I strongly recommend.

Finnish support:

• three 2S1 Carnations
• Forward observer (BMP-1)
• three T-55 Marksman
• four Viggen Attack group

prices out to be 32 points. Now if we add in the T-72FM2 formation at 44 points, that’s a total of 76, a reasonable West German Marder 2 formation goes for about 30 points (upgraded guns, go max size, and add the Carl Gustovs).

But wait there’s more! There is a dotted line that adds some Swedish units as Finnish support! Do NOT miss this!

Access to the S-Tank, or the STRV 104 or PBV 302 infantry platoon is nice. The LVRBV 701 is a unit of three AA missile teams with a 56″ range and firepower of 4 with thermal imaging. Those would pair well with the T-55 marksman to amp up your AA. The HKP 9 Helicopters also deserve a serious look as they field the improved TOW missile with its AT-21 and 3+ firepower. These are hunter-killer-rated and also include thermal imaging.

Would you spend more to add in some Swedish support? The LVRBV 701 and the HKP 9 sure would tempt me!

Add it up

Hopefully, you see the possibilities of mixing Finnish formations with other NATO countries or blending a single formation from another NATO country into a Finnish force. Given a typical 100-point game, you have plenty of options to choose from.

I’m eager to try out a few experiments, Finns and Israelis. When do pre-orders start again?