The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an alliance founded in 1949, after the end of World War II, in order to prepare Western Europe against a possible Soviet attack.
In 1975, when the Cold War escalates to an open conflict and causes unrest in Europe, forces from the main member countries - the United States, France, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany - find themselves on the front line.
The military forces from each NATO member country follow their own guidelines, depending on their country of origin. From these guidelines stem strengths and weaknesses. However, as they all fight under NATO’s banner, you are free to create your army by mixing units from different nations in order to cater for their weaknesses and emphasize their strengths.
United States: Apart from the most recent Abrams, American tanks are neither the most heavily armored nor the fastest. With the best firing sights and on-board electronic systems, they are much more accurate and longer ranged than the majority of their allied or enemy equivalents. However, this advantage comes at a cost; American tanks are relatively expensive.
France: Forged during the incessant colonial wars in the 50s and the 60s, French combat doctrines favor light units which are easily targeted, but powerful and fast, giving priority to movement, ambush tactics and lightning attacks.
United Kingdom: British tanks are heavily armored, but very slow. Proper positioning before battle will enable to get the best out of them. In contrast, their infantry has extremely light and mobile troop transport and armored support vehicles.
Federal Republic of Germany: For a long time, Germany was equipped with former US Army vehicles. At the start of the 70’s, it made up for this discrepancy by equipping the German army with ultra-modern locally built vehicles. As for the Panzergrenadieren, they remain, like their Second World War predecessors, among the most heavily armed infantry units.
Sweden: Theoretically neutral, Cold War Sweden leans heavily towards NATO and considers the Warsaw Pact its only real threat. As a result, its armored divisions are capable of rapidly regrouping to strike the Pact’s airborne landings fast and with devastating effect. This mobility-centered approach relies on a strong and efficient air force to support and cover ground operations, to the detriment of scarce ground support troops.
Canada: Having to be rapidly deployed to Europe from North America, Canadian forces rely more on their robust infantry and anti-tank equipment than on their armored division, which is generally made up of older equipment than that its enemy and allied counterparts. More comfortable in a defensive rather than an offensive strategy, Canadian troops have a good infantry capability, thanks to their land and airborne transport, which is among the fastest transport in the game.
Norway: The main target in any Soviet offensive in Scandinavia, the Norwegian army - like the Canadian forces - deploys formidable infantry. Specialized in close combat, Norwegian troops are responsible for containing enemy advances and inflicting maximum damage to enemy troops, in order to give other NATO member states enough time to send reinforcements. They can also rely on a modern and flexible air force that was modernized at the beginning of the 80s with American aid.
Japan: The Japanese self-defense force (JSDF) is a self-defense force which is demonstrated by its philosophy, which favors limited and clinical counter-offensives over deep penetration. Comprised largely of Japanese hardware, the focus is more on equipping vehicles with extremely high-precision optics rather than heavy armor. In the ‘90s however, Japan brought itself up to date with MBTs (main battle tanks) and IFVs (infantry fighting vehicles) from its Western allies.
South Korea: In an official state of war since 1950, South Korea is a nation armed to the teeth. It has a solid infantry force, particularly marines, and relies more on extensive formations than on significant technical advantages to defeat its enemy in the north. South Korea only began developing a high-tech military industry in the mid ‘80s, producing “home-grown” vehicles to rival those of their American allies.
ANZAC (Australia and New-Zealand): The “Bad Boys of the Empire” no longer need prove their status as elite troops in the field of infantry combat. Specialists in counter-insurgency, they track, locate and destroy enemy infantry in melee combat, or use a plethora of anti-personnel devices from napalm to a range of modified vehicles to lend the infantry more firepower. Alas, their insularity and expertise in jungle warfare has resulted in a marked weakness in anti-tank combat.
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was established under the initiative of the Soviet Union in response to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and signed in 1955. It was mainly a military reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO. Dominated by the USSR and including most Eastern Europe countries, the Pact represents a formidable military force. Chiefly composed of Soviet, East German, Czechoslovak and Polish troops, Pact forces are always prepared to repel any provocative action from the Western imperialists.
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was established under the initiative of the Soviet Union in response to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and signed in 1955. It was mainly a military reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO. Dominated by the USSR and including most Eastern Europe countries, the Pact represents a formidable military force. Chiefly composed of Soviet, East German, Czechoslovak and Polish troops, Pact forces are always prepared to repel any provocative action from the Western imperialists.
Unlike NATO, the Warsaw Pact armies are highly standardized in both equipment and doctrine. However, a certain degree of autonomy is possible in each member’s armed forces. As a result, it's quite possible to build an army composed of units from various Pact countries!
Unlike NATO, the Warsaw Pact armies are highly standardized in both equipment and doctrine. However, a certain degree of autonomy is possible in each member’s armed forces. As a result, it's quite possible to build an army composed of units from various Pact countries!
USSR: The Soviet Union relies on large formations of heavy tanks supported by attack helicopters and heavy guns. While their tanks are equipped with inferior sights and have a shorter range than those of NATO forces, they are better armored and faster.
German Democratic Republic: East German troops fight almost exclusively with Soviet equipment; their infantry is relentlessly indoctrinated and trained, until they reach a high level of excellence. In charge of guarding most of the Iron Curtain, they consider reconnaissance and intelligence as paramount.
Poland: Polish troops are heirs to a long military tradition dating back to well before their integration into the Soviet bloc. While they do not have the latest equipment, they do line up impressive vehicles of their own and have fearsome specialist infantry troops.
Czechoslovakia: These troops have maintained greater independence from the USSR. They have their own troop transports, portable weaponry and national variants of Soviet vehicles. But their army really shines in the artillery area, with weapons that, while expensive, offer awesome accuracy and mobility.
China: The Sino-Soviet split forced the Chinese army to develop its own military industry which had previously depended on Soviet hardware. Oscillating between Western technology and local production, by the ‘90s the Chinese army was barely inferior to its Western and Soviet counterparts in many areas.
North Korea: The North Korean army still depends on its vast forces, one of the largest in the world, to compensate for the technological gap between its South Korean and American adversaries. However, it played on the rivalry between the Chinese and the Soviets and acquired substantial military resources from both camps to make up for most of its weaknesses. The North Korean army therefore comprises an extraordinary mix of vehicles straight out of WWII and modern prototypes from its communist neighbors.
