Hello Commanders,

In the following I have laid out a scenario that I think would be plausible in a conflict between NATO and PACT. I have to say that I think a setting like this requires a very aggressive NATO so I don't know how realistic it is.

# THE SETTING

In this scenario NATO takes the idea that a good defense is a good offense and possibly takes it to extremes. NATO has survived the first few pushes from PACT and decides that if it wants to end this war quickly it needs to achieve a massive victory against PACT. This comes in the form of a **massive surprise offensive** to push into **Bulgaria** through the **Rhodope Mountains** with the ultimate goal of taking **Sofia, Bulgaria** (however, just being able to have NATO troops close to a PACT capital is acceptable enough). This would be done by going through the various river valleys within and around the mountains like the **Struma** and **Maritsa River Valley**.

https://preview.redd.it/ydtvun21gtnh1.jpg?width=5334&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65c86079c8e5c0b63d9eef68d0e349e3b32b64a8

The name of the scenario comes from a **NATO exercise** called **Exercise Checkmate II in 1961** which involved landing NATO troops around **Alexandroupolis** in Greece to simulate protecting the Dardanelles. In my scenario, the Thracian Plains to the west of Istanbul are way too congested with PACT divisions and the attack would be too obvious. NATO sees an opportunity to **go around these divisions** and go on a dead sprint for Sofia by **going through the mountains**.

[Along Struma River](https://preview.redd.it/h19pz4nigtnh1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=9484e907c3e86b788c8d96276f31fb62360698c0)

[Along Maritsa River](https://preview.redd.it/yswgpzrsgtnh1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=f553cdfee1712f3fe46aa4f550bcc640a2c4b3fb)

  


**This is not too far-fetched, in my opinion, as the Germans tried the same approach when invading Greece in 1941.**

https://preview.redd.it/tfb88c8xgtnh1.png?width=972&format=png&auto=webp&s=644768a28ced92a37c4b5e737dce536c535cce2f

# THE DIVISION, THE WORKAROUND, AND THE ADDITIONS

The 10th Mountain Division was reactivated in 1985. It was reactivated as a Light Infantry Division. I am making this division under the assumption that it **wouldn't be appropriate to apply the  Mountaineer trait to the 10th Mountain Division's troops despite the name**. This poses a problem because we already have a lot of Light U.S. Divisions so how could this be unique without that trait. Fortunately, during my research, I found a unit that was fully specialized as Mountaineers for the U.S. at this time. This is the **3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) of the Vermont National Guard**.

Another addition I am allowing this division to have is the inclusion of the **2nd Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division** as an attached force to this division. My idea is that NATO is not just trying to take the Rhodope Mountains but to quickly push as close as possible to the capital city of Bulgaria.

Of course, one brigade isn't going to push through by itself so I am also including **any Turkish and Greek allies** who would also be participating in the offensive.

# THE UNITS

I **don't** necessarily want to be **exhaustive in my list** so I will just write about how **I generally wanted the division to operate**.

***LOGISTICS TAB***

* This tab would be similar to other U.S. Light Infantry Divisions. It would have CUCV Supply Trucks, UH-1H Supply, and the usual Light Infantry Leader Units.
* One new Unit would be the **Hägglunds M973A1 Small Unit Support Vehicle (SUSV)**. These would be brought in from the Vermont National Guard. They are also amphibious.

https://preview.redd.it/cyj1lbm6htnh1.jpg?width=1776&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b321226f616fcd5216f1ccb904421270d51a8d6a

***INFANTRY TAB***

The 10th Mountain's contribution to the Infantry Tab would be:

* **Light Rifles (LAW)**, **Light Rifles (Dragon)** and **Light Rifles (AT4)**, and **Light Rifles Leader**. These would come in on HUMVEEs and UH-1H helicopters.
* MMG teams and HMG teams who would come in on CUCVs.

The 172nd's contribution would be:

* ***N.G. Mountaineers*** who would have the Mountaineer trait. These would come in on the SUSVs above, M998 HUMVEEs, and UH-1H helicopters. These would be for the Mountaintop insertions that the Mountaineers could do.
* ***N.G. Mountaineer HMG*** teams who would come in on M151 or UH-1H helicopters.

***Note: Technically, these units are National Guard so they should have the reservist trait but it would be strange that they are reservist but possess a skillset that is unique to the U.S. Army.***

* A few cards of **Fire-team (Law)** that can come in on HUMVEEs or M2 Bradley IFVs (2nd Armored's contribution)
* 1 card of **Fireteam Ldr.** in M2 Bradley or HUMVEE.
* TOWs and TOW 2s would be available in M151s and UH-1H helicopter.

***ARTILLERY TAB***

* For 10th Mountain's contribution it would be similar to 6th Infantry's Artillery tab.
* **M44T** 155mm Self-Propelled Guns - there would be 3 cards of these (Nearby Turkish Allies Contribution)

***TANK TAB***

2nd Armored's Contribution would be:

* **M1A1 Abrams**
* **M1A1 Abrams Ldr.**

**Note: I believe that 2nd Armored only had M1 Abrams but an offensive of this size and importance might prioritize them for an upgrade.**

* ***M48A5T1*****s** would be allowed access to by nearby Turkish allies

***RECON TAB***

* ***N.G Mountaineer Scouts*** **-** these units are tasked with scouting ahead of the N.G Mountaineers and would be brought in on HUMVEEs or UH-1H helicopters. They would have LAWs.

***ANTI-AIR TAB***

* The division could have access to Long Range Anti-Air but only through local Greek Allies otherwise I don't intend to include it.
* The 2nd Armored Division would bring 1 card of **self-propelled Chaparrals**.
* 10th Mountain would bring in the standard assortment of Anti-Air for Light Infantry such as M163 VADs and Stingers. The Stingers could be brought in by UH-1H helicopter or M151.

***HELI TAB***

* They would have Cobras and Hogs but I don't really intend for them to have Apaches.

***AIR TAB***

* I don't necessarily have anything special in mind for the Air Tab but I am intentionally leaving it open to allow for some freedom which I will explain in my next section.

# Closing Remarks

I've been purposefully open on some tabs (like the Recon and Air Tab) because I think too much power in one tab would mean the other tab would need to be a little underpowered to balance it out.

***Aggressive Recon Tab, But More Mediocre Air Tab***

***Rangers (Mountaineer)*** **-** Rangers do perform some Mountain Training and in this instance these would be full-sized squads who would recon ahead of the main force (kind of like Aero-Scouts). Unlike regular Rangers though, they would only carry M16A2s rather than Colt Commandos. However, to aid in their close-quarter fighting they would carry M67 recoilless rifles which were used by the Rangers before RAAWs was introduced.

This would mean that the Air Tab might be restricted to just F-16s or F4-E phantoms.

***Aggressive Air Tab, But More Passive Recon Tab***

The Air Tab in this instance would be made up of F-15's or the nearby U.S. Navy's F/A-18s in the Mediterranean but it's Recon Tab might only be made up of good but passive recon units like 9th Infantry Division (excluding the fast moving buggies).

# Ending

I think the 172nd Infantry Regiment is really cool and I would like for Eugen to include them somewhere one day. Please feel free to take this scenario and put your own spin on it or to put the 172nd in another scenario. I look forward to seeing them!

 

AN EARLY CHECKMATE: A Proposal for the U.S. 10 Mountain Division