The People's Liberation Army in Twilight 2000 - Some more FFT 3 OOBs

  

Taken from Wikipedia

 

Told you I'd be back. I know it's been a while and I have been busy, but I wanted to get at least one more blog entry in before the end of the year. So, I decided to write a little something up for the Chinese in Twilight: 2000, or at least as they were from 1995-1997 when the nuclear exchange made it all rather moot.

  What did I use for research? Well, for starters, I have a Command Decision Orbat I have printed out for Chinese Tank Divisions from the mid-1950s to 2000, so it was a good starting point, and it's the same scale to boot! Sadly, I cannot find a copy to link to online. Ugh!

  There was also this country study from GHQ that was rather helpful as well.

   I've also had some headcanon about the Chinese putting their new western equipment into "New Model Brigades" because well, it's hard integrating it into the PLA at large in the midst of a war that's turning the Chinese infrastructure into modern art.

   I also have the Osprey Elite book on the PLA that came out a few years ago I can mine for other ideas.

Taken from the Osprey Website

 

 Additionally, I made use of the MicroMark Army Lists from Wargames Vault.

So, with all that pieced together, let's see what we can come up with, eh?

The Chinese People's Liberation Army 1995-1997

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA) was an army in transition in August 1995. The Chinese were attempting to modernize their military with an eye to confronting their ever more hostile Soviet neighbor. The CPLA was simply not ready for the war it found itself confronted by, and like the Soviets during Barbarossa, survived because their opponent had underestimated their determination to resist and the space the Chinese had available to trade for time.

What aid that came from the west was appreciated, but was often a case of "too little, too late." The war expanded globally, and suddenly, most of China's weapon suppliers became embroiled in the conflict themselves. Most of the western weapons systems that reached China were man-portable systems, but enough AFV arrived in China in 1995-96 to equip some 20 "New Model Brigades" (More on that later).  Most of the equipment was American and was a mix of obsolete reserve stocks freed up by these nations' own rearmament programs in reaction to Soviet actions in China.

The Chinese soldier fought with what he had, and until the nukes fell, he fought well and in the same spirit as his ancestors did from 1937-1945. He was outgunned and supply was tenuous, but he also had a good idea of what surrender meant. But the bravery of the Chinese soldier ultimately meant little in the face of the mushroom clouds of 1997.

Quality: Average/Good (Fair for Militia and Reserve Formations)

Artillery Accuracy and Response: 3+ for both

Combat Formations

 Infantry Battalion:

Base:

• 1 MMG Stand
• 2 82mm Mortar Stands
• 1 RCL Stand (57mm or 75mm)

3 Infantry Companies:

• 3 Infantry Stands (2 with 60mm mortar, 1 with 57mm RCL or AT-3 Sagger or Milan (front line units only))

If part of an Armored Division, add trucks, 1 per stand

Tank Battalion:

Note: The PLA had two types of tank battalion in 1994, but had standardized on a Soviet-type tank battalion in 1992 and had been converting all tank battalions in the PLA since then. This process was one of the few army reforms that had been completed by the outbreak of war.

 Base:

• 1 recon Type-63 Light Tank or APC

3 Tank Companies:

• 3 MBT  (Type-59, Type 62, or T-34/85 in reserve formations for Infantry Divisions, for Armored Divisions, tanks range from Type 69s to Type 85s, with Type 59s being the most common.)

Mechanized Infantry Battalion:

Base:

• 2 82mm Mortar Stands or 2 YW-304 82mm SP Mortars
• 1 RCL Stand (57mm or 75mm) and 1 truck

3 Mech Infantry Companies:

•  3 Infantry Stands (with RPG-7, 1 stand has SA-7, 1 has 60mm Mortar) + 3 APC (YW-531)

Airborne Infantry Battalion:

Base:

• 2 MMG Stands
• 1 82mm Mortar Stand
• 1 B-10 82mm RCL Stand

 3 Airborne Infantry Companies:

• 3 paratroop infantry stands (All with RPG-2, 1 with 60mm mortar, 1 with B-10 or AT-3 ATGM)

Attachments

Armored Division Engineer Company (3 only)

• 3 Engineer Stands (1 with Flamethrower) and 3 Trucks

Armored Division Reconnaissance Battalion (1 only)

1 Tank Company:

• 3 recon Type 62 or Type 63 Light Tanks

1 Recon Company:

• 3 recon BTR-40 or APC, 3 recon infantry stands with RPG-7

Armored Regiment Recon Platoon (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions)

• 1 recon BTR-40 or APC, 2 recon motorcycle stands

Armored Regiment Anti-Tank Battery (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions)

• 3 75mm RCL or 3 B-10 82mm RCL + 3 Trucks

Infantry Regiment Anti-Tank Company (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions)

• 3 75mm RCL or B-10 82mm RCL or 3 AT-3 ATGM (Pack Horses for the RCLs)

Infantry Regiment Engineer Company (1 only 3 per Combat Battalions)

• 3 Engineer Stands and 3 Trucks

Infantry Division Recon Company (1 only)

• 2 stands of recon motorcycle infantry, 1 stand of recon horse cavalry (you read that right)

Infantry Division Engineer Company (3 only)

• 3 Engineer Stands and 3 Trucks

Infantry Division Flamethrower Company (1 only)

• 3 Engineer Stands with Flamethrowers

Airborne Regiment AAA Battery (1 only per 3 Airborne Battalions)

• 1 14.5mm HMG Stand

Airborne Regiment Anti-Tank Company (1 only per 3 Airborne Battalions)

• 3 B-10 82mm RCL stands, or 3 AT-3 Sagger Stands, or 3 Milan Stands, 3 Trucks

Airborne Regiment Engineer Company (1 only per 3 Airborne Battalions)

• 3 Engineer Stands, 3 Trucks

Airborne Division Reconnaissance Company (1 only)

• 3 recon infantry stands, 3 Trucks

Airborne Division Guard Company (1 only)

• 4 recon infantry stands, 4 trucks

Airborne Division Engineer Company (1 only)

• 3 Engineer Stands

Airborne Division AAA Battery (1 only)

• 1 ZPU-1 14.5mm Stand or 1 37mm Type 55

Division AAA Company (1 only) (this is for all Chinese non-airborne units)

• 4 ZPU -1 and 4 Trucks

Division AAA Battery (3 only) (this is for all Chinese non-airborne units)

• 1 37mm Type 55 AAA Gun or 1 57mm Type 59, 1 Truck

Division and Army-Level Guard Company (1 only) (this is for all Chinese non-airborne units)

• 3 recon Infantry Stands with RPG-2 and 3 Trucks (RPG-7 in Army-level units)

Regimental Engineer Platoon (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions) (this is for all Chinese non-airborne units)

• 3 Engineer Stands, 3 APC or Trucks, possibly one AVLB

Regimental AA Battery (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions) (this is for all Chinese non-airborne units)

• 1 12.7mm HMG Stand, 1 Truck

Army-Level Engineer Company (3 only)

• 3 engineer stands

Army-Level Reconnaissance Battalion (1 only)

3 Infantry Companies with:

Choose one of the following lines

• 3 recon infantry stands
• 3 recon infantry stands with 3 trucks
• 3 recon horse cavalry stands

1 Tank Company with:

• 3 recon Type 60 or 63 light tanks

Army-Level AAA Battalion (1 only)

Choose one of the following lines

• 2 ZPU-1 or ZPU-4 and 2 truck or horse limbers
• 5 37mm Type 55 or 57mm Type 59, 5 trucks or horse limbers

Army-Level Independent Tank Battalion (3 maximum)

3 Tank Companies with:

• 3 MBT or Light Tanks

Tanks in these battalions were either T-34/85, Type 59, or Type 62 Light Tanks. All tanks in the battalion must be the same type.

Front Level AAA Battery from Frontal AA Brigades or Division (max of 3)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 1 ZPU-1, ZPU-2 or ZPU-4, and 1 truck
• 1 85mm or 100mm Gun, and 1 truck
• 1 57mm Type 59 and 1 truck

Frontal Anti-Tank Regiment (1 only)

• 1 DShK AAA stand and either 1 truck or horse limber
• 2 57mm M43 or 76mm M42 AT guns, 2 trucks
• 4 85mm D-44 or 100mm M-1944 AT guns, 4 trucks

Front-Level Helicopter Group (1 only)

• 3 S-70 Blackhawks or Z-9
• 1 SA-342 with HOT ATGM

Artillery Support Groups

 Airborne Regiment Mortar Company (1 only per 3 Airborne Battalions)

• 2 82mm Mortar Stands

Airborne Division Mortar Battalion (1 only)

• 3 120mm Mortar Stands and 3 trucks

Armored Division Light Artillery Battalion (2 only)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 2 76mm M42 and 2 trucks
• 2 85mm D-44 and 2 trucks
• 2 100mm Type 86 and 2 trucks

Armored Division Heavy Artillery Battalion (1 only)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 2 122mm D-30 and 2 trucks, 1 FO van
• 2 122mm Type 54 SP and 1 FO van
• 2 152mm Type 83 SP and 1 FO van

Armored Division Mortar Battalion (1 only)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 2 120mm Mortars and 2 trucks, 1 FO van
• 2 160mm Mortars and 2 trucks, 1 FO van

Armored Regiment Mortar Battery (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions)

• 1 82mm Mortar and 1 Truck

Infantry Regiment Mortar Company (1 only per 3 Combat Battalions)

• 3 82mm Mortars and 3 pack horse stands

Infantry Division Rocket Battalion (1 only)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 3 Type 63 107mm MRL and 3 trucks, 1 FO van
• 3 Type 63 130mm MRL and 3 trucks, 1 FO van
• 3 Type 82 130mm MRL and 3 trucks, 1 FO van
• 3 Type 81 122mm MRL and 3 trucks, 1 FO van

Infantry Division Light Artillery Battalion (1 only)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 3 85mm D-44 and 3 trucks, 1 FO van
• 3 100mm Type 86 and 3 trucks, 1 FO van

Infantry Division Heavy Artillery Battalion (1 only)

• 2 122mm Type 54 and 2 trucks, 1 FO van

Infantry Division Mortar Battalion (1 only)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 2 120mm Mortars and 2 trucks, 1 FO van
• 2 160mm Mortars and 2 trucks, 1 FO van

Army-Level and Front-Level Light Artillery Battalion (up to 6 maximum)

• 2 122mm M-38s and 2 trucks, 1 FO stand

Army-Level Heavy Artillery Battalion (up to 3 maximum)

• 2 152mm Type 66 and 2 trucks, 1 FO stand

Army or Front Level Long-Range Artillery Battalion (up to 3 maximum) (-1 to availability roll)

Choose one of the following lines:

• 2 130mm Type 59 and 2 trucks, 1 FO stand
• 2 122mm M31 and 2 trucks, 1 FO stand
• 2 155mm WAC-21 and 2 trucks, 1 FO stand

Army-Level Rocket Battalion (up to 3 maximum) (-1 to availability roll)

• 3 130mm Type 82mm MRL, 1 FO van

Front-Level Heavy Artillery Battalion (up to 4 maximum)

• 3 152mm Type 83 and 3 trucks, 1 FO van

Front-Level Rocket Minelaying Battalion (1 maximum)

• 3 Type 74 284mm Minelayer MRL, 1 FO van

Front-Level Rocket Mineclearing Battalion (1 maximum)

• 2 Type 762 425mm Thermobaric MRLs, 1 FO van

Front-Level Rocket Battalion (1 maximum)

• 3 Type 83 273mm MRLs, 1 FO van

Changes Post-1995

The forces you see above would aptly cover the period of the initial Soviet invasion and the Chinese counterattack. As Western aid began to flow in, some changes happened throughout the Chinese military and certain changes took place that changed the PLA for the rest of the conflict.

1. All horse limbers are replaced by trucks - The West did one thing well in its support of China, and like the Soviets before, they provided the Chinese the ability to buy all the trucks they could afford. Every truck factory in the US was at one point, working three shifts to produce trucks going to China. As the Soviet air campaign intensified against Chinese industry during the winter of 1995-96, this dependence on Western trucks intensified.

2. Major reorganization of the Chinese anti-tank assets - Western ATGM flooded China in the winter of 1995-96, and those ATGM led to the failure of the 1996 Soviet offensive. Thus, replace RCLs and AT Guns in the Regimental, Divisional, Army, and Front-level AT units with HMMWV with ATGM. This ATGM may either be Chinese-made Sagger or Milan copies, or American-made Javelin, TOW-2, or Israeli Spike NLOS systems (the latter was exceedingly rare and were mounted in modified Chinese Type-59s (no more than 1 stand should be present in a game). Additionally, the Chinese SA-342s were modified to accept TOW-2. The RCLs and AT guns were transferred to Chinese militia units. Moreover, several RPG-7 manufacturers (Egypt and Israel) stepped in to sell additional RPG-7 copies to China to replace their mountains of RPG-2. In game terms, all front-line infantry units replace their RPG-2 with RPG-7. All other stands continue to use RPG-2.

3. US-supplied Fire Control equipment and ammunition - US advisers provided Tacfire fire control equipment to the Chinese at the Front and Army level. Remove the -1 from all Army-level and Front-level artillery battalions. Furthermore, the US offered limited stocks of 155mm FASCAM and ICM rounds (Chinese front-level 155mm units may fire 1 ICM or FASCAM mission per game).

4. Stinger MANPADS provided - the US also sold thousands of Stingers MANPADS to China, and every AAA unit at Regiment and above should have 1 Stinger-POST stand and 1 HMMWV.

 The "New Model" Brigades

In late 1995, China was eager to buy any weapons she could lay her hands on, and the West was willing to sell. The amount of capital being transferred was staggering, and one New York Times columnist said, "China's arms budget is set to 'Yes'." China received about half of the weapons it paid for, much of it being impounded in Western countries when their suppliers entered the war.

What became obvious to the Chinese, however, was that integrating these new systems, especially the high-tech systems such as MBTs and self-propelled howitzers was going to be problematic to accomplish during a war that was turning Chinese infrastructure into piles of rubble. China needed the high-tech weapons the West had to blunt the Soviets, but she didn't have the means to amalgamate them into the army at large. Worse, the average Chinese soldier didn't have the education or technical aptitude to handle the more technologically advanced Western equipment.

But the Chinese and their American advisers had an idea. What if the equipment was given to picked troops who could be trained on what to do with it and make the best use of it? And thus, the concept of the "New Model Brigades" was born. 

There was a plan for each Front to receive up to ten such brigades, for a total of 70, but only 20 were formed before the sources of Western equipment dried up.

The organizational model for the New Model Brigade was an updated version of the German Panzer Brigade of World War II, albeit with better organic reconnaissance and artillery assets. While there was an attempt to standardize the TOEs of these brigades, many of the brigades were understrength and did not conform to any official TOE charts.

Typically, the brigades consisted of one or two tank battalions, three mechanized infantry battalions, a recon battalion, and an artillery battalion.

But the performance of the New Model Brigades during the Chinese counterattack against the Soviet 1996 Spring Offensive, and subsequent fighting proved they had become some of the Chinese Army's best troops. Sadly, this worked against these units, as they garnered special attention from Soviet tactical nuclear weapons and suffered accordingly.

PLA New Model Brigade (1996-1997)

Quality: Good/Excellent

Artillery Accuracy and Response: 2+ for both

Combat Formations

Tank Battalion:

Note: The Chinese purchased several types of MBT. Most were older western MBTs from reserve stocks, that were then upgraded to Chinese standards with better fire control, powerplants, and in some cases, better guns. Among the types of MBT the Chinese purchased were:

• M1 PRC (based on the standard M1 Abrams with 105mm gun, the design replaced the AGT -1500 turbine powerplant with a German-made diesel powerplant) and upgraded ammunition. Armor was steel
• M60A4 Several hundred were purchased from US reserve stocks as the US increased M1A1 production to fill out USAR and NG units.
• M48A6 Older M48s from US and German reserve stocks with upgraded RISE powerplants (900hp), thermal imaging, reactive armor, basic stabilization, and laser rangefinders.
• Cadillac Gage Stingray
• LAV-75
• Leopard 1 (several hundred from German reserve stocks).
• OF-40s (100 were purchased)
• Centauro Wheeled Tank Destroyer used when MBT stocks were low, 150 delivered.
• EE-T1 Osorio – China single-handedly saved this MBT development project, ordering 1500 of the 105mm armed version. Some 600 were delivered and it was the most common MBT in the New Model Brigades.

Base:

• 1 recon APC or Light Armored Vehicle
• 1 M113 with 82mm Mortar stand
• 1 HMMWV with Stinger-POST stand

3 Tank Companies:

• 3 MBT

1 Mechanized Infantry Company:

•  3 M113 or VAB, 3 Infantry Stands, (1 with Milan or Javelin ATGM)

Mechanized Infantry Battalions reverse the ratio, with 3 mech infantry companies and 1 tank company.

Attachments

Brigade Reconnaissance Battalion

2 Light Recon Companies:

• 4 HMMWV with 2 Recon Infantry Stands
• 2 recon HMMWV Fire Support Vehicles
• 1 HMMWV with TOW-2

1 Heavy Recon Company:

• 2 recon LAV-75 or AMX-10RC
• 2 recon MPGS-90 or ERC-90

Artillery Support Groups

Artillery Battalion

• 3 M109A2 SP or G6, 1 FO in HMMWV

 

Stats for equipment not already in FFT 3 can be found here.

 

Well, that's it for now, We'll be back later with more Twilight: 2000 wargaming-related content soon!