WIP: fantasy army vs. JGSDF

[shunwick]

I need make up few units more: ballistas, trebuchets, and wyverns. What game statistics do you recommend for first 2?

Go with the LOTR specs and adjust according to effect you want to achieve.

Wyverns could be little tricky. Guess I'll tick helicopter movement. It is said .50 caliber weapons can drop them with armor piercing rounds. So I guess I just copy Mi-24's DF value for that...? For AP value I think I could just use 72 of flamethrower tanks. I think I should make wyverns slower than regular helicopters. Any ideas how?

Yes. You are going where no scenario designer has gone before. This is why I am the only one stupid enough to try to help. I don't think there is any way to make helicopters slower. Have you tried giving them walking speed? You can adjust their range though.

I noticed something odd with flamethrower tanks: those have AT values at 0. When tanks were burned with molotov cocktails, shouldn't flamethrowers make some number as well? Works in tactical scale wargames too: Steel Panthers (the original at least) and Combat Mission 2.

The equipment database is what it is. It is based upon the operational assessment of the equipment in question. Not aware that flamethrower tanks were noted as an operational anti-tank option.

Other weird things I have noticed:
All helicopters have AA values at 0 like AA missiles wouldn't be available for them (does helos count as air units?)
PzKpfw III has better AP value than PzKpfw II, like 37 mm breech loaded cannon is better at anti-infantry work than pair of 20 mm autocannons. Really now?

The equipment database is what it is. It is based upon the operational assessment of the equipment in question. Do you see helicopters going up against Migs, Falcons, Eagles? AS for the PzKpfw III having a better AP value than PzKpfw II, if you don't like it, change it.

Best wishes,
Steve

[shunwick]

I made ballista with following data:
AT Value: 1
AP Value: 5
DF Value: 1
Kinetic anti-armor
Fixed
Shell weight: 32 ( = Roman talent)

Does that look right to you?

It is whatever works.

For Empire's side I have chosen legion (515 squads + 100 horse teams for supply purposes) as base scale and made variety with some auxiliary units. Of the 4 legions, 1st has most cavalry, 2nd is reinforced with light infantry (515 squads + 200 Foot Squad (Saber)), 3rd has 80 ballistas (overkill?) & horse teams to pull them, and 4th has 100 wyverns (overkill?) as separate airmobile unit. Unit size icons are brigade for legions and battalion for wyvern unit.

80 Ballistas sounds a lot. No idea how many wyverns are in a flight.

120 mm mortar Company

according to Wiki, the French have 8 per regiment so that is 8 in a company.

Huey platoon

As many as you need, nominally 2-4

Mechanized company

A mechanized company is made up of platoons. So, 2 x Infantry platoons + 1 x Tank platoon + 1 x Fire Support platoon.

AH-1 Cobra (Improved) platoon

As the Huey,

Components of tank battalion in company sized units

Platoon sized units in a company. EG. A armoured company would be 2 x tank platoons + 1 infantry platoon + 1 fire support platoon. A mechanized company would have 2-1 infantry to tanks. In practice, other units may be attached depending on the mission. If the company is in an isolated location and expected to be vulnerable to air attack then it would have a air defence platoon attached to it.

Generally speaking, and at the scale of the scenario, the company would be given all the equipment it needed to achieve its operational objective.

Also: what are these helos, and what is TOAW3 equivalent for them?

They look like MD - 500s. So, Hughes 500 Defender in TOAW terms.

1 question more: should I include support & porter squads for each legion, and how many?

Support squads are added to HQ units in order to introduce vulnerability into the formation. I do not know if you are using HQ units and so cannot advise.

If you are using horse teams then there would be no reason to use porter squads. But - it is up to you.

Best wishes,
Steve

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Support squads are added to HQ units in order to introduce vulnerability into the formation. I do not know if you are using HQ units and so cannot advise.

No dedicated HQ units for the Empire. I mean those be integral part of the legions.

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Support squads are added to HQ units in order to introduce vulnerability into the formation. I do not know if you are using HQ units and so cannot advise.

No dedicated HQ units for the Empire. I mean those be integral part of the legions.

No need to add support squads then.

Best wishes,
Steve

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

A mechanized company is made up of platoons. So, 2 x Infantry platoons + 1 x Tank platoon + 1 x Fire Support platoon.

I have assumed that at company level mechanized force wouldn't have tanks, at least not MBT ones. More questions then:
What is called infantry company where heaviest vehicle is 8-wheeled APC? How many APCs, and what else can be in such company? What unit icon should be used in TOAW3 for such?
What is fire support platoon, and what is it made of in mechanized or tank company?

[shunwick]

In modern parlance, there is very little difference in equipment types between "mechanized" and "armoured". As above, a mechanized company would be made up of 2 mechanized infantry platoons (that is 3 infantry squads in 3 APCs per platoon + a platoon of MBTs + a fire support platoon. The fire support platoon is is where the heavy weapons are. In this case, your mortars and possibly air defence. You are probably looking at 2 or 3 x 120mm mortars either trucked or self-propelled.

An armoured company is the same except it has 2 tank and 1`inf platoon + fire support.

Without MBTs, it will be motorized Infantry or mechanized infantry depending on the size of the gun and 3 inf platoons. If the APC has a gun larger than 20mm then it is reckoned to be mechanized. The designation is a bit wobbly however and AFAIK countries can name their forces anyway they like. I am not familiar with the exact terminology used by the JDSF.

As for what else can be in a platoon, it depends on the load out of the infantry. Could range from nothing to one or two MMGs and/or Stingers. My feeling is that knowing they face mass attacks by Medieval-type infantry, they would be reasonably well supplied with machine guns - MMGs and HMGs.

The best advice I can give you, is try to imagine what the orders are for the force and what equipment they would have been given to allow them the best chance to achieve their objective. Keep in mind that no force has everything it needs.

Mouse over the icons for tool tips regarding the name of the units. The cross symbol is infantry the oval symbol is armour.

Best wishes,
Steve

[Kuokkanen]

Wikipedia has article about mechanized infantry. If I have understood it correctly:
Motorized infantry = infantry squads + trucks
Mechanized infantry = infantry squads + APCs
Armoured (or heavy mechanized) infantry = infantry squads + IFVs

But in Russia motorized infantry has APCs and mechanized infantry has IFVs.

What comes to Japan, total count of APCs and IFVs seems to be well under 1000, less than they have main battle tanks. Hmm... Ok, how about this for light-weight JGSDF mechanized company:
2 APC platoons
LAV platoon (Komatsu)
MRAP platoon (MaxxPro imported from USA)

I think I can take LAV Recon for Komatsu. What should I choose for MaxxPro?

[edit]
What is Cougar WFSV under TOAW3's Reconnaissance Vehicles?

[shunwick]

What should I choose for MaxxPro?

I would probably go with the Wheeled MG APC and then improve its defence a tad. Or you might be able to find a something else you like better. You can always just rename an existing unit.

What is Cougar WFSV under TOAW3's Reconnaissance Vehicles?

No longer in service (removed from first line service at the end of the 90's . It was a Canadian armoured recon vehicle.

Best wishes,
Steve

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

The equipment database is what it is. It is based upon the operational assessment of the equipment in question. Do you see helicopters going up against Migs, Falcons, Eagles?

No, but I can see them defend themselves and their base of operations if attacked. I also see them going against other helicopters and subsonic aircrafts (and wyverns). Therefore I take AA Value: 7 from Avenger SPSAM and copy that to AH-1 Cobra (Improved).

I made two generic MRAP vehicles, one with HMG and other with AGL. I ticked Fair geometry, but otherwise those are near identical copies of wheeled APC. I ticked Reconnaissance and Transport too.

I have almost all the info I need to finalize JGSDF force. Now I just need to know what entrenchment % I need set for Italica...

[shunwick]

For entrenchment, start with a mid level and adjust from there. It depends on how quickly you want the JSDF to entrench. It can be controlled in the menu options as well. Like many things with scenario design, it all boils down to play test it and adjust as necessary.

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

In modern parlance, there is very little difference in equipment types between "mechanized" and "armoured". As above, a mechanized company would be made up of 2 mechanized infantry platoons (that is 3 infantry squads in 3 APCs per platoon + a platoon of MBTs + a fire support platoon. The fire support platoon is is where the heavy weapons are.

I digged my memory a bit, and I remember something from WWW novel of sorts. Novel in question has american tank company. If I remember it correctly, company consist of 10 Abrams and 7 Bradleys. 10 Abrams are divided into 2 platoons of 5 each. If I understand # of Bradleys right, it is platoon of 6 vehicles and 1 command vehicle. Company commander prefers ride her Abrams though. The Salvation War if you want check my reference.

And Wikipedia article about company says quite clearly that American mechanized infantry company is made of 3 rifle platoons and command element. 4 squads/platoon + 1 command squad = 13 squads & 13 APCs per company. I decided reinforce that with 4 MRAP vehicles and Recon Assault Squad.

[edit]
Wikipedia article about mortars in finnish language details composition of mortar platoon & company (in Finnish Defense Force). Platoon has 3 light mortars and AAMG, and company has 3-times that of heavy mortars. So 9 120 mm mortars, 3 HMGs, and 9 trucks.