HELLOBANANAPHONE wrote:Panzer Elite didn't really have any true tanks until you got to Panthers, so you could look for inspiration on how to create 15th Airborne from there. The Panzer IV Infantry Support Tank always functioned more like an assault howitzer than a tank.
PLA just have ZBD-03 Airborne IFV,ZBD-04 IFV and PLL-05 Self-Propelled Mortar-Howitzer.And I only know ZBD-03 can airdrop from the Y-8 or IL-76.It's too difficult to design 15th Airborne Crops.
My attempt at a Chinese Airborne army choice, modeled off the Panzer Elite tech model. It's just something I've thrown together really quickly, let me know if I've gotten anything wrong in my logic! I don't really know anything about PLA Airborne units or command structures, just going off of what our Chinese friends here have posted already. It's certainly messy as far as organization goes, but hopefully will end up playing significantly differently than the other factions. Also includes one doctrine that is probably quite unusual but may offer some interesting, unorthodox strategies. Please Comment!
Fast attack, with later support from main-line PLA Army/Marine forces once they've secured their hold. Veterancy gained as Panzer Elite (group veterancy), but is geared towards defense (much like Wehrmacht veterancy bonuses) owing to Airborne often being dropped in to situations where they need to hold territory without heavy support while being outnumbered.
Tier 0: Recon Infantry. Builder/Repair unit. 4-man squad, more effective in combat than PLA engineers, less effective at short range combat than U.S. combat engineers but more effective at long range. Have recon unit sight as British Recon squad (expanded sight range, sniper detection, mine detection when stationary). Can't construct defenses initially. Repair slower than engineers. Has wirecutters. Can get a minesweeper upgrade(?)
Global Upgrade: Sharpshooter Training (Gives all Recon squads a single QBU-88 designated marksman rifle, with Marksman Shot activated ability for 25 munitions.) Global Upgrade: First Aid Training (as U.S. ability)(?)
Tier 1: Airborne Assault Command 15th Airborne (4-man squad) Spotter Team (340 manpower, 2 man squad; 1 Sniper Rifle, 1 Assault Rifle. Cloaks in cover only.) Unit Research Unlock: SX-1 Airborne Assault Vehicle (This may not be powerful enough to require an unlock, depending on if it's open-topped letting people shoot out. If people can shoot out, it sounds a lot like the Bren Carrier, which should require unlock but not be *that* expensive to unlock)
Global Upgrade: Infantry Assault Package (Gives all 15th Airborne a single LMG and unlocks the same kind of grenades that Regulars use) Global Upgrade(?): Designated Strike (Allows Spotter Teams to call in light artillery barrages/light airstrikes, similar to the Wehrmacht Officer's "Mortar Barrage" ability for a hefty munitions cost).
Tier 2: Airborne Entrenchment Command 3-man HMG Team Mortar Halftrack (I thought someone mentioned some type of Mortar Halftrack unit previously for PLA, but I can't seem to find it) Unit Research Unlock: PF-98 Anti-Tank squad
Global Upgrade: Entrenchment Tactics (Unlocks Sandbags for 15th Airborne; Barbed Wire, Sandbags, Tank Traps, mines, etc. for Tier 0 Recon Infantry)
Tier 3 (Requires either Tier 1 or Tier 2): Mechanized Assault Command ZSL-92A ICV (can reinforce squads) Unit Research Unlock: ZBD-03 (Research unlock depends on whether ZBD-03 is as tough as ZBD-05, or if it can be harmed by small-arms fire. Difference between Puma/PE Armored car, for example) Unit Research Unlock: ZBD-04 or HJ-73 AT Missile upgrade for ZBD-03?
Global Upgrade: Advanced Repairs (similar to Panzer Elite advanced repairs, but costs less) Global Upgrade: Combined Arms Assault (Tier 0 Recon Infantry and Tier 1 15th Airborne squads gain the "Sprint" ability, which *only* increases speed, does not reduce received suppression).
Tier 4 (Requires Tier 1 or Tier 2): PLA Armor Command Type 62 Light Tank (85mm cannon, functions similar to a Tetrarch?) Unit Research Unlock: Type 96A Main Battle Tank
Global Upgrades?
Doctrines: Harassment Tactics focuses on outflanking and attacking the enemy's supply lines. Free Ability: (Needs a name. Costs 20 munitions, available to Tier 0 recon infantry and Tier 1 15th Airborne; slows movement of targeted squad by 25% for 15(?) seconds) Left Hand Side: Mobility Warfare Outflank (1 CP; 50 munitions): Reduces suppression on own infantry by 50% for 30 seconds. Overdrive (2 CP; 100 munitions): Increases speed on own vehicles by (whatever Blitzkrieg does) for 30 seconds. Aerial Insertion (2 or 3 CP; 50 fuel for infantry, 75 fuel for vehicles): Unlocks the Aerial Insertion ability for all infantry, SX-1, ZSL-92A, and ZBD-03. Transports the selected squad or vehicle to the designated location (this may be very difficult to implement).
Right Hand Side: Supply Disruption Resource Raid (1 CP): Unlocks the Resource Raid ability for Tier 0 Recon Infantry and Tier 1 15th Airborne. Renders the squad immobile while active, functions as Vampire Funkwagen Siphon Resources, but without the cloaking. Territory Denial (3 CP): All infantry decap 25% faster. (Some kind of relatively powerful off-map ability).
Possible Problems -No disposable anti-tank isn't anywhere in this list, and mines come late. -Tier 0 spam plus Machine Guns strategy early on may be too powerful, since the tier 0 units have sight range equivalent to Bikes, and more staying power, allowing for easier MG flips and an easier time protecting it. -Any kind of true armor comes very late, but it won't be as abusive as the PE Panther Battlegroup was if the ZTZ96A is priced like the Wehrmacht Panther. -No mobile anti-tank infantry. However, unless you went Airborne as USA in vCoH, this was something you probably got used to dealing with, and it looks like the list will have effective mobile light anti-tank immediately available in Tier 4, heavy stationary anti-tank available with upgrade in Tier 2, mobile medium anti-tank available with upgrade in Tier 3, and mobile heavy anti-tank available with upgrade in Tier 4.
For the Mortar Halftrack,I don't know PLA have any Mortar Halftrack.And the Airborne usually dropped from the plane,they should be a light force.So a light mortar such as PP93 60mm mortar is better. I don't think give the Airborne ZTZ-96A is good.That make the Airborne nearly invincible.
Upgrade: ERA Module of M2A3 Bradley Reason for the Ability: Make up the shortage of US factions that not having heavy armor. Up-armored version of M2A3 would protect against RPG-7 from all sides, and reach the protection level to T59D.
Ability: Reaper Drone AT Strafing Run Reason: To improve chances of mobile target destruction. Notes: Alternative [selectable in the "reward units" page] to the A10 Strafing Run with a focus on engaging armored opposition; could require the use of the “Designate Target” ability to engage targets or increase/ guarantee the likelihood of a missile connecting with its target.
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left." -- Bertrand Russell
Ability: HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) ability for Stryker MGS Reason: Like ATGM of Type 59, improve anti infantry/vehicle/building capacity. Require ammo for every round.
Unit: Mechanized Intantry Squad Place in Tech Tree: Total Mobilization Last Push ability Reason of the unit: Mechanized infantry squad are advanced intantry with PF89 ability (have a PF89 launcher on model too).
