Preview: Team Yankee WWIII Warsaw Pact is Back

28 thoughts on “Preview: Team Yankee WWIII Warsaw Pact is Back”

1. Another great review Howard. Your extensive experience playing East Germans and Czeck armies, combined with your meticulous collection of data from your many games adds credence to your assessment. This, coupled with your excitement over the updates let’s me know Battle Front hit the mark with the new book.

   1. John Thanks for the comments, you will probably see my existing EG or Czechs in the next few weeks!!!! Looking forward to the new units changing the game meta. HW

2. I’m excited for the new book, but concerned at the same time. T-55 spam has proven to be a rather hard thing to counter for many armies in our local meta, and forces a lot of people to play 2nd gen MBTs or infantry spam to counter it, leaving a lot of the cooler 3rd gen MBTs to the side. The older, cheaper T-55s will probably only exacerbate that.

   That said, the T-72B is going to make a nice addition to my Czech T-72M company as an assault tank, and the SU-22s look really tempting as a cheap way to bring down NATO super-heavies (if only I didn’t already have 6 SU-25s)! I’m excited to see how it all turns out

   1. Xander

      Thanks for the comments. So in the part of the US that I travel to the various Cons and Tournaments, it has been a long time since I ran across a T-55 SPAM list. That said I think you might see them back, especially with the Missile Tank Version of the T-55. Some people might think my 22-24 Czech T-72Ms in 2 formations might be considered spam. I agree with your comment on adding a T-72B unit or units to an existing Czech Army is going to be a nice addition. I think another area to exploit with the new book is the extra artillery support box that you get in the new Force. Good luck with the new Units.

      1. That’s pretty interesting! I guess we’ve been in a bit of an echo chamber with our gaming group. What kind of lists are more common at cons and tournaments? Do any of the super tanks and IFVs make it in? The missile T-55 has terrified me ever since it showed up in the Soviet book, and it’s probably going to hit my group in a big way since most of the T-55 players are Warsaw Pact.
         I also play 21 T-72s, but it hits different when you put down your 56 points of 21 hulls and face off against 31 tanks that cost 10 points less it total haha
         Looking forward to trying out the new kit! The ability to bring a divisional support Gophers, Gaskins, and Carnations is going to be useful, I’m really liking the extra flexibility in this book

         1. Xander

            Not sure if you have seen this article that I wrote for No Dice No Glory. Since 1988 I have been keeping the stats on my Team Yankee Tournament games. One of the topics I have in it is the types of Tanks and Air units that I have faced in 84 games. The tournament area that I play in is very heavy Nato weighted. Only 21% of the game had been played against Soviet or Warsaw Pact opponents. If you read my article I say it is 28%, but Iraqis should be considered Nato allies and that will be changed in the next update. This is one of the reasons that I predominantly play Soviets, Czechs, or East Germans. I will start working on a V3 Article, in Mid-April. I have a couple of Team Yankee Tournaments in the next few weeks. What the article shows is what you stated in your reply, your area is vastly different than in the area that I play in. Sounds like if I gamed in your area I might be using my Americans, Britts, or West Germans. https://nodicenoglory.com/2021/08/13/team-yankee-analytics-v2/

3. Thanks for a great top-level review, Howard. Reading it I find only one irritant – the absence of Army-level artillery provided by USSR to support PACT allies. The East Germans were fully integrated into Soviet armies and therefore could have doctrinal support from Army-level artillery brigades and Front-level artillery divisions, and Soviet units plus artillery were supposed to join armies notionally identified as Czech and Poles. Maybe next book.

   1. Thanks, Jim for the comments. What I really like in the new book is the extra Artillery Support box for each of the Warsaw Pact nations + the expanded Anti-Aircraft support options will allow for interesting new or updated lists. Plus the Black Box options and you are really better equipped to build better or more flexible lists for the Warsaw Pact.

   2. Sure, but why would you want to use Soviet artillery when all the Warsaw Pact options have a better skill rating?

      1. Bill

         Thanks for the question. When I played my East Germans. I have an East German BMP Btn as my core and a Soviet T-62M Btn as an allied formation to get the best of both worlds. The East German Artillery and the Soviet cheap AT-21 Tanks. I currently playing Czechs the same way, Czech T-72 Btn, and a Soviet BMP Btn. You will see an example of that in the new Warsaw III Pact review on the Czechs coming tomorrow at NDNG.

4. Howard great review, as usual! My main Warsaw Pact force are the East Germans and I am extremely excited to get RM-70s. I reached out to Phil Yates last year to please add them to the East Germans… and he did. I am also looking to upgrade my T72 force and this book is spot on for me. I can let my US Marines rest for awhile.

   1. Dan

      Thanks for the reply and glad you liked the article. I look forward to seeing your East Germans and hopefully playing against them.

5. Firt od all, this is a very good review, Thanks for this.

   Seriously!! One of the bad releases of the last few years. Compared to the Soviets or West Germany, there are clearly fewer new formations.
   The variety in the formations has not increased either (please compare this with the combination possibilities of the West Germans).

   The fact that the T55AM can no longer be played in three-man squads in the NVA and that the Mi-24 Hind Assault Landing Company has been dropped is a clear deterioration.

   The infantry still cannot do anything against the new NATO vehicles. Here the Soviets have at least got an option for their infantry.
   In the past I could at least defend myself against Marder2 with a three-man squad of T55AMs per infantry, but now I am no longer allowed to deploy them.

   To sum up:
   – No new options for the infantry
   – Loss of Mi-24 Hind Assault Landing Company
   – no three-man squads at T55AM2
   – no possibility to mix the three nations freely
   – Compared to the Soviets and West Germany, fewer new formations and thus significantly fewer combination options.

   From my point of view, there were many missed opportunities and too few improvements in list building.

   Even if the T72B and the new plane are nice.

6. Kay

   Thanks for the reply and comments.

   I get your comments on no new formations. But when all of the Warsaw Pact Armies are cooking cutter copies of the Soviets then you do not have a lot to work with. All of the major formation types are in the book that they had. That said I think BF missed an opportunity with the WWIII Soviet Book to add some of the typical support formations. EX: The Soviets and the Warsaw Pact had Anti Tank Companies, that had a BRDM HQ and 9 Spandrels. Also, they lack a Recon Battalion. And one of my long-time friends brought up the lack of the Polish and Soviet Naval Landing troops and the PT-76 for the Poles and Soviets.

   As for the loss of the M-24 Hind Assault company. I went back to my draft copy of the book and yes it does not show up on each country’s Force chart, but it is the support section of each country in the book and it is in the card sets.

   I get the comment of mixing the units freely, but the Soviets made sure to keep them separate from one another. I mix EG and Czech together via allied formations today. But that is probably not what you want to do.

   Several of the guys that I game with locally have also brought up the point of the 3 tank formation going away for the East Germans and now they need to add paint additional T-55s for their existing.
   armies.

   Thanks again for the comments. HW

   1. Can you give any hint about the point cost of the T55AM2?

      1. Can’t see it changing from Volksarmee T55AM2 PANZER KOMPANIE .
         10x T-55AM2 -16 POINTS
         9x T-55AM2 -14 POINTS
         8x T-55AM2 -12 POINTS
         7x T-55AM2 -10 POINTS
         6x T-55AM2 -8 POINTS
         5x T-55AM2 -6 POINTS

7. Thanks,

   that is bad, now you get round about the half number of T55AM2 for the points.
   1x comander, and three units with three tanks. Makes 10 Tanks for 7 Points in the old version und now 5x T-55AM2 for 6 POINTS.

   Have the Infantery the possibilety to upgrate the RPG-7 to RPG-7VR?

   In the past I play a mix of T55AM2, with BMP-1 mot schützen, suported by Shilka and artillery. A lot of smale units for ground control and flanking.

   At the moment I see no compair concept. If the T55AM2 cost more points and have to play in bigger units, you lose tanks for grund control and units for flanking.

   All the cool new stuff cost more points, if you want to play that you lose totaly the ground control. But If you want to play not a mass army there are better options then the NVA.

   You have any idee for a new concept?

   1. Kay

      Thanks again for the comments. Sorry on the VR. If it had been included I would have been jumping up for joy and mentioned it in my review. How about submitting a copy of your list and what you think a new one would look like and let us comment? Just cut and paste it out of Forces and into the discussion here

      1. 9. Panzer Division
         T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon
         17
         TV109
         East German
         T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon HQ
         TV109
         1
         1x T-55AM2
         1
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         BMP-1 Mot-Schützen Kompanie
         TV104
         6
         4x MPi KM team with RPG-18 anti-tank
         3x RPG-7 anti-tank team
         4x BMP-1 (TV105)
         6
         ZSU-23-4 Shilka Flak Zug
         TV120
         4
         4x ZSU-23-4 Shilka
         4

         T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon
         17
         TV109
         East German
         T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon HQ
         TV109
         1
         1x T-55AM2
         1
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         BMP-1 Mot-Schützen Kompanie
         TV104
         6
         4x MPi KM team with RPG-18 anti-tank
         3x RPG-7 anti-tank team
         4x BMP-1 (TV105)
         6
         ZSU-23-4 Shilka Flak Zug
         TV120
         4
         4x ZSU-23-4 Shilka
         4

         T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon
         17
         TV109
         East German
         T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon HQ
         TV109
         1
         1x T-55AM2
         1
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie
         TV110
         2
         3x T-55AM2
         2
         BMP-1 Mot-Schützen Kompanie
         TV104
         6
         4x MPi KM team with RPG-18 anti-tank
         3x RPG-7 anti-tank team
         4x BMP-1 (TV105)
         6
         ZSU-23-4 Shilka Flak Zug
         TV120
         4
         4x ZSU-23-4 Shilka
         4

         Support
         26
         East German
         BM-21 Hail Raketenwerfer Batterie
         TV117
         10
         6x BM-21 Hail
         10
         BMP-1 OP
         TV125
         1
         1x BMP-1 OP
         1
         MI-24 Hind Battle Helicopter Squadron
         TV123
         12
         4x Mi-24 Hind
         12
         Mi-24 Hind Assault Landing Company
         TV124
         3
         4x MPi KM team with RPG-18 anti-tank
         4x RPG-7 anti-tank team.
         3

         This is my basic list. Depending on the points, I sometimes play a T55 formation less, play with less or without Mi24 or with more artillery or larger infantry squads.

         The infantry occupy narrow positions and keep their heads down to restrict the enemy’s movement. The BMP-1s remain stationary and use the missiles. The T55s move forward to get into the flanks, if the enemy aligns with the T55s I often get into the flank with the missiles of the BMP-1s, if he does not align the T55s will eventually be in the flank.

         1. Kay Thanks for the list and conversation. I like it and I better understand your concerns now and we had players here that had lists like that. So in most of the tournaments that I attend and that I TO we are usually limited to 2 formations. 2nd since the US WWWIII Book with the Bradleys and again with the West Germans and the Marder-2s the combined effect of both books and the tournament restrictions, I hardly see BMP-1s anymore. The ones I do are usually part of an Iraqi lists or another person beside me that runs Czechs currently. Not sure if you have seen some of my other articles on NO Dice No Glory but I wrote an article earlier this year on the T-55 and I’m surprised I don’t see it in use that much anymore, and I think that is the answer to both the Marder and Bradley for close in fighting. I plan on using them again once the new book is in Forces. Especially the T-55 Missile tank as a black box option for my East Germans and Czechs.

            Here is the link to my T-55 article.
            https://nodicenoglory.com/2022/01/28/team-yankee-cold-war-warrior-revisited-the-t-55-tank/

            Also I have published 2 articles on the Who, What and Where I have run up against in 84 games of Team Yankee and will be updating this again after the Warsaw Pact articles are done. In 84 games, I have played against various T-55 flavors 6 times. That number really surprises me. But at the same time I only played against Soviet, Warsaw Pact and Iraqis 24 times or 28% of the time. My tournament travel area is vary heavy NATO. Also our local gaming groups are also pretty heavy NATO.

            https://nodicenoglory.com/2021/08/13/team-yankee-analytics-v2/

            Thanks again for the conversation. HW

            1. Hello,

               In the past I played very much according to the doctrine of the Warsaw Package. See the video from the German Tank Museum (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkb3Tb3ayk0). It is in German but Youtube offers subtitles.

               If the T55AM2 is now significantly expensive, this concept no longer works. With the T72B you could put on better equipped elite troops, but the other units do not fit and there are other books with which this is much better. Already the T55AM2 company of the Soviets is better suited here. At the same points no slow firering and access to the VR for the infantry. As you describe in your T55 article.

               Why I play so many BMP-1? It is the only infantry support I can take for the tanks. This is another missed opportunity in the new book, why can’t BMP-2 or BTR accompany the tanks? BTRs are useless against Marder2, here the BMP-1s are better positioned. This is an important point from the article on the current meta and also plays an important role locally in our country. BMP-2 are not fish nor fowl from my point of view, Besides I can’t play only BMP-2 but had to mix them with BMP-1. Here, too, the Soviet doctrine applies: many identical units so that the loss of individual units does not lead to the loss of the ability to perform a certain task. What is lacking in quality is compensated by quantity.

               I wonder where the new Warsaw Package book fits in? At the moment it seems that for each concept there is always another book that is better suited.

8. Okay, you can see that I’m not that enthusiastic about the book. At the moment I’m trying to detach myself from my personal disappointment and look at the information again as neutrally as possible.

   My question is, to what extent does this book enrich the game?
   What do I mean by enrich?
   1. is there a unit that can only be played here? For example, the Marder2 in West Germany or the T80 in the Soviets.
   2. is there a possibility for a special concept? For example, how the still current People’s Army can play T55AM2 as cheaply as no other.
   3. is there a possibility to assemble units in a special/unique way? Like with the West Germans the possibility to choose formations with a core unit of infantry and a core unit of tanks.

   Can you help me see this uniqueness or feature that adds to the overall game in the new book?

   Many thanks

   Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

   1. Kay Thanks for the reply and conversation and for making me think about a reply from a different point of view.

      Just to clarify, I have a zero relationship with BF other than I play their games. Being recently retired I now have the time to write cool articles about games that I like to play for NDNG and get to do reviews on new books from BF(Warsaw Pact, Bulge Americans, and West Germans).

      Okay, so let’s look at this from a person like you who has played East Germans and will play them again. If the T-72B and T-55 Missile tanks were not included in the book would I be excited about the new Warsaw Pact Book?

      Absolutely 100%

      Now looking back on it. I should have closed my review article more strongly like I’m going to do below. Here is my reason why to like the book.

      #1) I can now add an East German BMP-2 unit via a Black Box. I don’t need to play an East German BMP formation to get a BMP-2 Unit. I can build an East German T-72 or T-55 formation and have a BMP-2 unit in my force. ( I know, not in the formation, but that is how the East Germans organized their army.)

      #2) I can now have a 152mm artillery battery in my force, all of the other Warsaw Pact countries and the Syrians had access to 152mm artillery batteries. And if you play Soviets you might already have one ready to go. I do!!!!!!!!! but now with better skills.

      #3)RM-70, this is a biggie for me. Now I don’t need to worry about someone dropping an artillery template on my Hail Rocket launcher and need to do an unarmoured tank save. I think this is a mandatory buy for an East German Army. (And one of several reasons why I play Czechs today.)

      #4)Su-22, I think this is another biggie. I don’t use Air Units today in TY and have 2 boxes on pre-order. Like the RM-70 when you see the points for 4 of these, I think they will become a mandatory buy for most Warsaw Pact Armies. For the cost, you will force your opponents to keep their Anti-Aircraft units on the board. I think this helps change the game meta.

      #5) The anti-aircraft support option does not exist for the East Germans and allows the Poles and Czechs to buy another guided Anti-Aircraft unit without buying another formation.

      Okay, that is why I’m excited about the new Warsaw Book without the T-72B or the T-55 missile tank. So let’s add in the T-72B and T-55 Missile Tank.

      So I’m playing Czech T-72M Battalion today and will probably add a T-55 Missile tank unit to the force and use them for cheap AT-21 shots. My lists are all about the number of AT-21 shots I can have in my force. So if you play 2+ formations of T-55s today you can add in one of these for each of your formations and have a lot more AT-21 shots than you have today. I have 2 boxes of T-72Bs on Pre-Order and will build and paint them but will need to figure out how to use them and see if they are worth the points for them to fit into my legacy East Germans and Czechs. They do provide you with something to assault infantry and probably not take any losses.

      So that is my current thinking on why the book is pretty special and I hope to see more people play the Pact going forward.

      Thanks again, Howard West

   2. Kay Here is my 2nd reply, read this after you read my first reply. Here is one of my favorite East German lists for 100 points. I really like the mix, good East German skills to control the artillery, and cheap Soviet AT-21 tanks. Plus more BMP-21 Infantry + VR and Recon. I will probably start playing a Czech T-72 Core Formation, with an East German BMP Formation. That way I keep the good skills and better infantry via the East Germans than my Czechs have.

      9. Panzer Division
      BMP Mot-Schützen Bataillon44TV103East German
      BMP Mot-Schützen Bataillon HQTV1031
      1x MPi KM team
      1x BMP-1 (TV105) 1
      BMP-2 Mot-Schützen KompanieTV10620
      7x MPi KM team with RPG-18 anti-tank
      6x RPG-7 anti-tank team
      2x PKM LMG team
      9x BMP-2 (TV107) 18
      Add SA-14 Gremlin AA missile team & BMP-2 for +2 points.
      BMP-1 Mot-Schützen KompanieTV1048
      4x MPi KM team with RPG-18 anti-tank
      3x RPG-7 anti-tank team
      4x BMP-1 (TV105) 6
      Add AGS-17 grenade launcher team & BMP-1 for +1 point.
      Add SA-14 Gremlin AA missile team & BMP-1 for +1 point.
      BRDM-2 Aufklärungs ZugTV1191
      2x BRDM-2 1
      2S1 Carnation Artillerie BatterieTV1166
      3x 2S1 Carnation 6
      Spandrel Panzerabwehr ZugTV1152
      3x Spandrel 2
      ZSU-23-4 Shilka Flak ZugTV1204
      4x ZSU-23-4 Shilka 4
      SA-9 Gaskin Flak ZugTV1222
      4x SA-9 Gaskin 2

      Support9East German
      2S1 Carnation Artillerie BatterieTV1166
      3x 2S1 Carnation 6
      BMP-1 OPTV1251
      1x BMP-1 OP 1
      Spandrel Panzerabwehr ZugTV1152
      3x Spandrel 2

      T-62M Tank Battalion (Allied Formation)47TS135aSoviet
      T-62M Tank Battalion HQTS135a3
      1x T-62M 3
      T-62M Tank CompanyTS13610
      5x T-62M 10
      T-62M Tank CompanyTS13610
      5x T-62M 10
      BMP-2 Motor Rifle CompanyTS106a14
      4x AK-74 team with RPG-18 anti-tank
      3x RPG-7 anti-tank team
      4x BMP-2 (TS107) 8
      Add AGS-17 grenade launcher team & BMP-2 for +2 point.
      Add SA-14 Gremlin AA missile team & BMP-2 for +2 point.
      Replace all RPG-7 anti-tank teams with RPG-7VR anti-tank teams for +2 points.
      BMP-2 Recon PlatoonTS1116
      4x BMP-2 6
      ZSU-23-4 Shilka AA PlatoonTS1124
      4x ZSU-23-4 Shilka 4

      1. Hello, thank you very much for this answer.
         Sometimes it’s good to get a new perspective on things and that’s exactly the perspective you’ve just given me. After reading your last two texts I am looking forward to the book again.

         Now I still have a few questions. You write that the new SU-22 is very good. In order to overload the air defence, it would certainly make sense to also take Mi24s with us. Is the unit still 4x Mi24 or like the Soviets 6x Mi24?

         You always have the grenade launcher and the AA units in your infantry. For all these points you could also take a complete unit (tank or infantry). You also have Gaskin as another AA. In your article about the current meta you write that there are not so many air units. Why the AA in the infantry, if it shoots the whole unit loses Gone to Ground?

         Why do you always play the artillery in 3x units? Aren’t the 6x much more effective or are two 3x units so much better than one 6x unit?

         You have much more experience in the game especially with different opponents and lists. We are only a small local group of players and regularly need such input from outside as now from you.

         Once again, thank you very much for the discussion and especially your time.

         1. Kay Great Questions.

            Funny that you brought up the gremlin question. Last Saturday, my friend and I discussed the same point as we drove home from a tournament.

            This is just how I like to design lists. For BMP-2s I usually always buy them, because I look at the 2 points spent as just another cheap AT21 tank unit. Like I said usually, I’m trying a new list this weekend with my Czech T-72 BTN with a BMP-3 BTN and I used the gremlin points to pay for the BMP-3s point difference vs a BMP-2.

            You are correct I could pull them and filed a gopher or gaskin etc….

            Size of Artillery units, you are correct that I’m giving up the 6X unit. I have found that at least in my playing area and tournament circuit that the bigger units are hard to find places for you to hide the artillery. Also, I like having 2 units of Carnations when playing Soviets and East Germans, I park one of them near each objective that I might be defending. Again I look at the Carnations as another AT-21 Tank Unit. Over the years they have taken care of multiple opponents’ tank teams as they make a drive towards one of my objectives. In the new book, the Czechs will now have access to another Carnation as a support option. And that might be a tough choice vs buying the Czech Dana.

            SU-22 is a tough question. I think the effectiveness of air depends on how well you can prep the battlefield. Get rid of his antiair, smoke etc…. I plan on using my SU-22 as a fleet-in being concept. Meaning to force my opponent to keep his antiair units on the board from the beginning of the game when they defend. I might put them in my reserve when attacking or defending, I think saving them till the end of the game when your opponent makes a dash towards one of your objectives and drop the bomb on them. I think an AT-7 2+FP air unit can wreck any of your opponent’s heavy tank units. Or at least make them think about how to prevent it from wrecking the unit.

            Thanks hope this helps. HW

9. I’d like to expand on Howard’s comment…about Gremlins. The big threat to the panzerschwarm is salvo template from strike air – particularly French Mirages, UK Harriers and WG Tornadoes. Painful if they get through. The Gremlin stand serves no useful purpose moving around, so mostly I leave them dug in and AS SOON AS THEY ARE 6+” AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE UNIT they cannot affect the rest of the unit by shooting. (Still can affect pin). Even within 6″, when firing in the enemy turn they only affect GTG to enemy units that haven’t shot yet. Once the enemy turn ends, they reset to GTG (they can’t shoot again in your turn, and if enemy air are still around no need to move them. So you fire everything else first, only shooting the Gremlins when they could wipe out the enemy unit, or reduce it from 3 models to 2. This helps with the French particularly with their gunslingers. So think of them as an insurance policy, and your subscriber’s rebate is the extra BMP1/2/3 model.

10. For Kay…I am also disappointed that the historical 3-tank zug got deleted (along with 4-tank) for T55AM2/T55. But my response is a little different, having been exposed to the TWO-FORMATION META. My go-to core used to be 2 hybrid T55/T72 formations for 12 points for the tanks. Total 20 tanks. It appears that, using baseline T55s I can get 22 tanks for the same 24 points, but all T55s (mix of AM2 and baseline). Dropping some other stuff, and depending on how the organization works out, for 2 additional points it appears I can have 10 AT-21 shooters instead of my original 6, sacrificing armor and having 10 w/o lasers…a perfect combo for fire and movement. Have to see inside the force diagram to the formations to determine if it’s correct. Even with out the missiles it’s clear you can have 26 AP for 22 T55AM2, and that’s not shabby. Or 16 for 19 AP in one formation

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