good thread and good work Rae,
just a few comments I would like to add
Before the Steyr AUG, the Austrian Army used a locally produced variant of the FN-FAL called the Sturmgewehr 58 (StG 58). Wikipedia says that it was replaced in 1977 but some units used it up until 1985. I would assume that some would remain in armories and return to use in T2k.
The Austrian Armed Forces had a navy up until 2006. Well, more accurately a Naval Squadron of....2 patrol boats, 2 officers and 30 men. The patrol boats were used on the Danube River. Pirates of the Danube anyone???? Anyone know if the Naval Squadron could have escaped up the Danube to Germany?
Austrian Special Forces are called JagdKommando. From the Wikipedia description, it sounds like they are Ranger equivalent. The Austrian Ministry of the Interior operates a counter terrorism unit called Einsatzkommando Cobra.
M47 tanks apparently went out when Austria acquired the M60A1? It doesn't show any M47 in the Austrian Army inventory on the 1989 orbat. copy of just the Austrian Army and Air Force portion is below.
Steyr, Austria is apparently a major industrial center and in T2k is occupied by the Warsaw Pact. Steyr-Daimler-Puch and associated industries, Steyr Mannlicher (maker of Steyr AUG and other firearms), Steyr Truck, Steyr Tractor and Steyr Motors are based there. Possibly, the Soviets are still using the facilities to repair vehicles and equipment. Maybe a prototype ASCOD or two is in the local Soviet garrison motorpool. Or maybe some now dead Steyr Mannlicher employees were able to spirit away some leftover Advanced Combat Rifles left over from the US Army Advanced Combat Rifle trials.
I'm intrigued by the 70th ID, mainly because the US Vehicle Guide shows 2000 men and no AFVs, but Going Home shows the 70th ID with 2000 men and 6 AFVs. I am sure it was an oversight by GDW, but an interesting story could be created as to how the 70th ID aquired the 6 AFVs in the span of 2-3 months, as well as why the 70th ID left Austria and is in Ulm, Germany "no longer accepting orders".
War Drum made of human skin...morbid but cool in a game sense.
|