Foreign troop use

[James Langham]

A short article with examples of foreign auxiliaries.

As usual please feel free to comment.

[helbent4]

Originally Posted by James Langham

A short article with examples of foreign auxiliaries.

As usual please feel free to comment.

James,

Nice, although some excellent canon references are overlooked.

In Challenge #30: Canada 2000, pg 14 mentions that Soviet and Canadian troops regularly cooperate in industrial and economic endevours, and a battalion of Rocky Mountain Rangers and a Motor Rifle Regiment jointly garrison the city of Kamloops. At that point those Soviets may as well "patch over" to the CF as they clearly are no longer loyal to the Soviet union (like the 62nd MRD) or marauders.

With large numbers of Soviets cut off in BC, and American troops remaining behind for whatever reason after the US forces pulled out, recruiting foreign units wholesale into the CF is largely a given. Keeping the personnel of such units together makes sense from an organisational, linguistic and/or logistical standpoint, at least in the short term. It also it fits squarely into the history and tradition of the Canadian Army. Probably such units would be formed into something like the "Loyal Russian Rifles" or "Loyal American" regiments.

Tony

[raketenjagdpanzer]

First of all, James, these are very well done.

Second of all, would you be averse to me writing one?

I've always had an idea kicking around in my head I'd like to do.

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here?

[Abbott Shaull]

Interesting. I know if I understood what I have read about the 2nd Infantry Division and the 8th Army in general has several South Korean national attached to the various units to bring them up to strength. So it isn't really a new idea to the US....

[bobcat]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

Interesting. I know if I understood what I have read about the 2nd Infantry Division and the 8th Army in general has several South Korean national attached to the various units to bring them up to strength. So it isn't really a new idea to the US....

ah yes the KATUSA's. among some of the brightest troopers i have ever seen. and i swear they are better at shamming than a seasoned specialist. but when you get them to put their effort into something it gets done (often with surprising results).



(someone get me out of here)

[James Langham]

Originally Posted by bobcat

ah yes the KATUSA's. among some of the brightest troopers i have ever seen. and i swear they are better at shamming than a seasoned specialist. but when you get them to put their effort into something it gets done (often with surprising results).



(someone get me out of here)

The KATUSAs and the Commonwealth KATCOMs were the inspiration for the element on how CENTCOM auxilliery troops were used.

[James Langham]

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

First of all, James, these are very well done.

Second of all, would you be averse to me writing one?

I've always had an idea kicking around in my head I'd like to do.

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here?

Thanks.

Feel free - this is a group where everyone has always been free and welcome to add ideas.

A good question, the best answer is it doesn't but it's worth noting where it isn't adherant to avoid confusion.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here?

It doesn't. Good writing is always appreciated.
If it's not, a word or two indicating it's not is advisable though.

[Rainbow Six]

I like this a lot, particularly the part about the Dutch auxilliaries. I'd also love to see more detail on the 5/325th Kurdish Battalion.

Good job - thanks for sharing it.

[Mohoender]

Nice

About the dutch troops in french employ, I'm not convinced by the pump action shotgun as they have never been in much use among french troops. I would suggest MAT-49 instead or FN/browning auto-5 which were produced by the FN at Herstal (near Liege). For handguns I would equip them with stored Browning M1910 (7.65mm cartridge). For vehicles, you can have Belgium made Land Rover and french Hotchkiss Jeep. Armored would certainly be M3 APC and Panhard AML.

However, with time, these units should be receiving more modern weapons. As far as I know Liege-Herstal survived the war. In addition, the entire french arm industry has survived the war (as far as canon is concerned) and it should be in full production at the time of the "Dead Zone".

With the establishment of the Dead Zone and the annexation of Belgium, France has a strong siderurgy, enough iron and quite some coal. Coal mines in Belgium, France and Saarland have been closed by the mid-1990's (too expensive to exploit) but the twilight war would make them interesting again.

[James Langham]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Six

I like this a lot, particularly the part about the Dutch auxilliaries. I'd also love to see more detail on the 5/325th Kurdish Battalion.

Good job - thanks for sharing it.

Thanks - I will see what I can do with a full write up of Pegasus II and the Kurds when I have time.

[Webstral]

Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here?

As a writer who frequently goes off-reservation, I'll say that the best way to get a good reception is to make sure your work reflects thought. If you are adding to the established body of material, make sure your work fits. If you are writing something contrary to the established body of material, I strongly advise being certain that your work makes sense if you want a good reception. Thunder Empire contravenes the established body of material, if one uses the Mexican Army Order of Battle as a guide. Therefore, I have been obliged to go into some detail about how a whole host of challenges have been met such that a training brigade and a collection of desert municipalities survive into 2001 when so very many other American formations and municipalities with so much more going for them have not survived. In Twilight: 2000, weapons, fuel, food, etc. all come from someplace. Account for them and you should be fine.