[USE ME] Alcovian Motor Rifle Troops

After my impromptu solo game using the USE ME system, I took some time today to write out some proper unit write-ups with points values to demonstrate, to those who may not be familiar, how USE ME looks on a stats level.

The system is intended to be incredibly generic and really simple, fitting into the tiniest little rule book you will ever see in official print - about the same dimensions as a typical miniatures blister pack. There are only three kinds of vehicles in USE ME and the ability to armor them or not. The weapons are expressed as a matter of broad categories. Interpreting specific equipment and vehicles often requires a bit of squinting to blur the particulars.

For the purposes of this first run, I decided that I would categorize armored vehicles thus - APCs would count as Light, medium tanks would be Heavy and anything in the category of an Abrams or Challenger would be Super Heavy. A bit of wiggling can be achieved here by the decision to classify a vehicle as armored or not. A URAL or UAZ is a Light vehicle but unarmored. The difference between a T-55 and a T-72 could be that a T-55 is a Heavy and a T-72 is an Armored Heavy. Vague differences to be sure, but this isn't a nuts and bolts game.

Listed below are some of the write-ups for the National Alcovian Army forces used in the scenario.

BTR-70 APC (Armored Light Vehicle) – 25pts

Elan: 3                   Move: 12”

Attack Type:          Vehicle Automatic Weapon (Autocannon)

Soldier (Infantry) – 10pts

Elan: 3                   Move: 4”

Attack Type:          Superior Rifle (AK)

SAW (Infantry) – 11pts

Elan: 3                   Move: 4”

Attack Type:          Heavy Weapon (RPK)

RPG Team (Infantry) – 24pts

Elan: 3                   Move: 4”

Attack Type:          Direct Support Weapon (RPG)

                               Superior Rifle (AK)

Captain Irengutz (Infantry Hero) – 20pts

Elan: 5                   Move: 4”

Attack Type:          Superior Rifle (AK)

                               Sidearm

What Miniatures to Use?

One of the things that made me decide to do this project in 20mm instead of my usual scale of 15mm was the availability of miniatures for the setting. 15mm has a good selection of miniatures up to the 80s but that is where the selection begins to thin out. Now, if I wanted to wait a few years, I'm sure 15mm would catch up to 20mm, but I don't want to wait.

It is clear that for this project, Liberation Miniatures through Rolf Hedges is the way to go. This line is full of Russian, Balkan and generic insurgents. This gives me a well-stocked pallet for the three main forces involved in the Alcovian Civil War. I have yet to get my hands on many of the codes but the figures I have seen all look nice and gives me a good idea of what to expect.

It should be obvious that the RUS codes are the starting point. Most of Alcovia's military forces on both sides of the conflict will be armed much like late 20th century Russians. For most of the troops, I'll likely go with a combination of "H" codes (M40 helmets). I can mix in a smattering of other code variants like the "B" (forage cap), "D" (fur cap), and "J' (leather jump cap) codes for variety. There are also some "V" (netted helmets) codes in the specialist figs that would be cool. I'll avoid berets and bush hats for regular army forces. The standard selection of Russian hardware will prevale here - AKs, RPKs, RPGs, etc.

For National Alcovian Army (NAA) elite Lifeguard units, I'll be going with the ultra-modern Russian figures. Because I like variety and that campaign look, I'll likely mix and match various headgear in the same unit. I will likely avoid the "S" codes as they are the newest Russian headgear and likely too modern, even for Alcovia's favored units.

Alcovian People's Army (APA) forces will likely use the same codes as the lesser NAA forces but with more variety mixed in to show that they will have been fighting with less support and tighter supply lines. The SER, CRO and EER codes could be mixed in for that added volunteer look. For these units, I can mix in a few odd weapons on the alternate codes to show that BYOG (bring your own gun) volunteer look.

For the Alcovian Liberation Front (ALF) is made up almost entirely of militias and militant activist cells as well as some hired guns. The Urban Terror Range (URB) is perfect being mostly fighters in civilian gear with a variety of equipment. These along with figures from the Multipurpose (MUL) range, armed with light kit, webbing and Russian style weapons, and perhaps even a smattering of figures from the PLO, Insurgent (INS/STS), Arab Militia (ARA) lines for added variety and to show the mutli-ethnicity of some of militias fighting (Iquenistan, etc).

Liberation has such a wide variety of figures that I am sure that I could even extend some of the variety by adding in figures from other AK-armed ranges like the African or even non-AK armed figures representing mercenaries and militias armed with black market weapons.

I do have some helmeted Russians that are wearing no tactical gear, carrying a bread bag sort of satchel that I am trying to figure out a use for. I had been considering using them as police, but even the poorest police in the world these days have tactical gear. I wonder if I could model web gear onto them?

Anyhow, this should give you an idea of where I'm going with the figures here.

Take care,

-Eli

Functional, Practical, Fictional

Back when I created Alcovia as a colonial era country for my VSF games, I never worried too much about making their equipment feasible. Later when I brought them forward to a 1930s interbellum nation, this became a bit more important, but at that time they were still a bit tongue in cheek and the general wackiness of that time allowed for much more flexibility. Still, I tried to maintain some sense of continuity and rationale behind their equipment and troops. If Alcovia had a relationship with Russian then that would reflect in its hardware and what equipment that came from elsewhere would not do so out of thin air.

Developing a modern conflict seems to require a bit more of an adherence to reality, even if Alcovia is a fictional country set in a world that is somehow stretched to allow for the insertion of additional countries, rivers, and mountains that were never there before. This is especially true, once again, of the hardware of the nation. After all, it is the hardware that defines a country in times of war as much as ideology or uniform.

When developing the modern arsenal of Alcovia, I initially wanted to gear them up with backwards technologies. This seemed right ta first, but the more I read about other small nations in Europe, including former Soviet states, the more I realized that I had sold my little country short. It seems that in modern days, just about every nation is developing its own homegrown weapons systems and variants of long-time standards. So, why should Alcovia not be the same?

Here is the tricky part though. In developing unique technologies and variations on real world hardware, I was running the risk of drifting into the realm of science fiction. Alcovia could have some of its own goodies, but they should still make sense. No giving Alcovia personal gyrocopters or T-72s with freakin' lasers. Anything I made that was not already in the catalog of the world market had better be believable.

The best way that I could figure out to do this would be to look at things that other countries had done and simply copy them or the themes behind them. Older weapon systems upgraded to or near to the standards of more modern equipment was one way. Another would be to equip vehicles with alternate weaponry than that which it was intended. Borrowing design philosophies from other nations was also a way to add a bit of spice to Alcovia's armaments.

As is demonstrated in my post about Alcovian tanks, Alcovia shows a desire to modernize, though it is having trouble. The ability to bring T-55s into the late 20th century is no great feat when you consider how commonplace laser and IR technologies are. Allowing Alcovian T-72s to have ERA is not far fetched when every nation seems to have figured it out. In some cases I placed limitations on these modernizations, such as the reliability of the T-55s and the fact that Alcovian APFSDS rounds use tungsten instead of Depleted uranium. Alcovia has access to industrial metals but it does not have nuclear power or the money to buy quantities of spent uranium.

As you read through the articles on vehicles and equipment, I hope this will help you understand the reasoning behind some of my choices. However, because this blog is as much a brainstorming place as it is a chronicle of a gaming project, I do welcome feedback and input.

Take care,

-Eli