Team Yankee: The Czechs and Poles Join the Attack
By NDNG_Dane, and Mitch Reed
The Warsaw Pact line up just added two more nations to The Polish, and the Czechoslovakian People’s army are ready to head west and reach the Rhine within a week next to their Soviet brethren.
While many may think that this release is a new paint job on old models, we can tell you it isn’t. Besides the three new units in these releases, they have things the dedicated red horde player will love.
What is New?
We love new toys, don’t we? The two new books only add three new models to the collection. Some of you may have wanted more new releases with these books, however, think about it another way, you can re-decal your current Warsaw Pact models to play either of these two new armies.
The OT-64 is a unique 8-wheeled transport for your Motor Rifle units and it has similar stats as the BTR-60, however, it can dash a bit faster than the Soviet built model.
The other new unit is the RM-70 Rocket Launcher, it has the same stats as the older BM-21 Hail. It’s considered a tank unit instead of getting the normal vehicle 5+ save. These are only available for the Czech lists.
The big addition is the DANA SP 152mm Artillery battery is the ground smashing unit every red force needs. What makes the DANA so good is the Autoloader special rule which gives you a +1 when you roll to hit when you bombard with a battery of these guns. The DANA also has a 2+ firepower rating however it is not the direct fire beast of previous self-propelled Soviet guns, with a AT rating of 14.
Other than these units, the Poles and Czechs use the T-72M and T-55M like what we saw in Volks-Armee when that was released. I will be honest here I am glad we are not see a ton of new models with each Warsaw Pact list that comes out. Let’s be frank, we are hitting a critical mass of the equipment used by the Soviet and their allies, and with the T-62 list coming out I think I have seen all of the forces I need to see. One thing modern armies are is standardized.
What I like about these new books is the makeup of the forces, they are different than other Eastern Bloc lists and the Pole’s and Czech’s have different values which makes them very interesting.
The Lists
First of all, you should find that the Polish book was written by a true genius [editor note: ah-hem! Mitch Reed was heavily involved in the construction of that book], but structure wise both forces look identical. Both nations have the standard tank and motor rifle lists.
They can field T-72M or T-55AM2 tank battalions with the infantry being mounted in either BMP’s or in wheeled transports which can be either BTR-60’s or OT-64’s. What I like here, which wasn’t an option in Volks-Armee is that you can now have easier access to BMP-2’s. You can have a platoon of them in the T-72M where the T-55AM2 unit can take either BMP-1 or wheeled infantry in support.
The BMP-2 is a good choice for supporting a tank formation. Offensively the BMP-2 is a lot more deadly with its Spandrel missile at the 30mm gun which is also useful against helicopters. The BMP-1 is popular for the BMP horde because of the cost, but I am only taking one infantry unit to support my tanks I am going with the BMP-2 if I have the points.
The Infantry in both these books is very similar to Volks-Armee, with the wheeled infantry being given the option to beef up by taking the Spigot missile teams in support.
What exactly are the differences between these two forces?
Well, the ratings are very different across the board, with the Poles having much better numbers in Courage/Rally/Counterattack for infantry. The bigger difference is in the tanks with the Poles having much better numbers in Courage, Remount, and Counterattack in both the T-72M and T-55AM2 battalions. You do pay for this with the Poles being more expensive in points cost.
When it comes to support, the big difference is that the Czechs can use the RM-70 rocket launcher, while the Poles only have the BM-21. Both nations can use the DANA and the rest of the support options are alike.
So what type of player would be interested in these lists? Well if you’re Polish [as is one of the authors] or of Czech/Slovak extraction, these lists are no-brainers. The real interest here is how popular Volks-Armee was when it first came out, it gave the Warsaw Pact player options; well these lists give you even more options. With the new universal rules coming out shortly, having really good hard-kill artillery like the DANA in your force.
I like the addition of these two nations, they add flavor to the game on the Communist side. I know some may think its the same old equipment under a different banner, but after to check these books out you will see that these two nations will be a lot of fun to play.
How do they Czechs have better skill? They are both skill 4+ no?
They are both the same, I confused the HQ with the platoon.
In the “real World” the NVA also deployed the RM-70. What they liked about it was the quicker reload facility not available with the Soviet Grad launchers.
I made a mistake in the numbers, I used the HQ for the Czech’s for the regular platoon. I fixed the article
Sorry about that
“With the new universal rules coming out shortly…”
Could you explain what this means?
He is referring to the upcoming change of all the systems to the FOW v.4 standard. FOW, Fate of a Nation, Vietnam, and Team Yankee will all play the same.
Ah. I was aware of that update, but thought it was scheduled for next year. So I was confused by “coming out shortly” and wondered if it meant the update was going to be much sooner than I expected.
How comes Poles and Czechs didn’t get a starter set or Dice & Tokens like for the Free Nations release? Also why would the Poles get the BWP-2 and not the T-55AM Merida? I thought Poland didn’t buy the BMP-2 until 88/89 where as the Merida prototypes were ’85 with production starting in’ 86? Why isn’t the PT-76 in there? I mean BF already make a model for it, would have been that difficult to include?
Nice article, but this release feels kinda like let down. I was really hoping for some more content.
As for the dice and tokens, I think I mentioned on FB about the DiceofWar.com.au Polish dice… 16mm dice are much nicer IMHO. As far as the T-55AM2 vice the AM Merida, I assume for ballance reasons they stuck with the T-55AM2 that we first saw in Volks-Armee. Same with the BWP, they can only have no many new models for a small release like this. As for the PT-76, we have not see this one yet in any of the WP armies up to now, so why would the Poles get them?
I did research for the Poles (and wrote the fluff) and using the current models with the stats in previous books for the Merida and BWP-2 seemed ok to me. I didn’t see a huge difference with the MERIDA FCS vice the one used on the AM2. I did mention that the Poles shouldn’t get the BMP-2 in this book, but its too good of a upgrade from the BMP-1 it would put them at a disadvantage.
Sorry you were disappointed in the release, but having the Poles in the game makes the game more diverse as opposed to not having them.
Make sense?
Interesting the Poles get better morale. From what I’ve read there were considerable questions how Polish units would perform especially as by mid-1980s you had considerable socio-political problems and increasing opposition to the Communists (Solidarity, martial law up to 1983). These problems were far more accentuated in Poland than the rest of the Warsaw Pact Bloc.
I wouldn’t have expected Polish units to get morale buffs as a result and maybe even get Reluctant troops in some instance.
Agreed on inclusion of BMP-2 in Polish lists as a bit “huh?”
Oh and isn’t it time for a Su-22 model? Polish Air Force had about 110 of these as a replacement for MiG-17 and the Czechoslovaks had about 50 from memory. Poland didn’t use the Su-25 but the Czechoslovaks obtained a regiment. Poles should have access to some MiG-17S (Lim-5) as these hadn’t been fully phased out of the ground attack role by the mid-1980s. East Germans also had some Su-22s and both Bulgaria and Hungary each had a squadron nominally for reconnaissance but they also retained ground attack capability. And of course Soviets used the Su-17 variant.
Neither are as survivable as a Su-25 but Su-22 offers precision strike and MiG-17/Lim-5 should be cheaper!
Article title should read “Czechs and Poles…”
Sorry, it just drives me crazy when something is attempted to be made plural with an apostrophe.
Typo, fixed
Hm, why did you let the infantry use PKM-teams as in the Soviet lists? All sources, and people I’ve talked to, say that the PKM was used as a squad support weapon. Seems like a waste of a cool opportunity for something different. Also, the polish army could have used the rpg-76 as a disposable at-weapon. It’s s just as plausible as the BWP-2. By the way, the polish Merida never used missiles , didn’t have the systems for it ?
I am really disappointed with this release too and the horrible stats for the Czechs. Why no Polish amphibious units? They gave it to the Americans! They lavish options and exotic units weapons on the NATO side (sgt york) and give nothing to the Pact. Ruined the only thing I was really looking forward too. Expect more endless blue on blue games.
Its my understanding that this was a side/hobby project that was never going to see the light of day until a few folks decide “Screw it lets do it” maybe that’s why the release isn’t as fleshed out as folks expect?
Something like that. I still think the forces in the new books are good.
FYI, I’m gonna take credit for the white Czech dice Dice of War is selling, I sent the guy the image and said put the communist crest on white dice. I think it’s beautiful, buy some for sure if youre gonna play the Czechs. I’m thinking I put the Czech logo on the Polish cards and pretend my Czech forces have the Polish stats. I still don’t get how they come out with Australians, give them dice and markers and all and yet the Czechs and Poles are an afterthought, crazy!