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03-21-2016, 02:23 PM
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Australia in T2K (Long)
I can't remember who wrote this article or exactly were I first came across it (I think one of the 2300AD forums), but does anybody think that Australia could field land forces of this size in T2K?
The Australian Army Location (as of July 1, 2000) and approximate strengths of the major military units of the Australian Army. First, it contains an order of battle giving command structures, locations, and subordinate units. This is followed by a brief history and current status rundown of each of the major units listed, as of July 1, 2000. Referees are allowed considerable freedom in manipulating this data to suit the needs of their campaign. The order of battle includes units of other nations under Australian control. This includes the divisions from New Zealand and Jordan as well as the entire Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Strengths of units are given in overall personnel to the nearest five hundred or one hundred if under one thousand and current major weapon (tanks, assault guns, warships and combat aircraft) strength. Most of these units have additional numbers of heavy weapons, light armoured vehicles, soft-skinned vehicles, utility aircraft and small boats. They have also acquired non-issue equipment by various means. While the Australian Army officially maintains the original order of battles of most units they are now almost completely organised into ad hoc groups usually comprising the remnants of a brigade and attached supporting arms. ORDER OF BATTLE I Australian Corps (3rd Australian Expeditionary Force) Current Location: South West Iran 1st Australian Armoured Division 1st Infantry Brigade (Mechanised) 1st Armoured Regiment 8th Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 1st Combat Engineer Regiment (Mechanised), RAE 5th Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 7th Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 1st Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) 2nd Infantry Brigade (Mechanised) 4th Cavalry Regiment (Mechanised) 12th Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 6th Combat Engineer Regiment (Mechanised), RAE 1st Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 2nd Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 2nd Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) 6th Infantry Brigade (Mechanised) 5th Armoured Regiment 1st Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (Mechanised), RAE 8th Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 9th Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 6th Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) Divisional Troops 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance) 16th Air Defence Regiment, RAA 21st Support Engineer Regiment, RAE 1st Signal Regiment, RASigs 1st Aviation Regiment, AAAC 1st Military Intelligence Battalion 1st Military Police Battalion 1st Logistic Support Battalion 1st Medical Support Battalion 2nd Australian Armoured Division 1st Armoured Brigade 6th Armoured Regiment 7th Armoured Regiment 22nd Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 31st Combat Engineer Regiment (Mechanised), RAE 10th Battalion (Mechanised), RAR 22nd Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) 11th Infantry Brigade (Mechanised) 11th Light Horse (QMI) (Mechanised) 11th Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 11th Combat Engineer Regiment (Mechanised), RAE 31st Battalion (Mechanised), RQR 42nd Battalion (Mechanised), RQR 11th Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) 13th Infantry Brigade (Mechanised) 3rd Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 13th Combat Engineer Regiment (Mechanised), RAE 11th Battalion (Mechanised), RWAR 16th Battalion (Mechanised), RWAR 28th Battalion (Mechanised), RWAR 13th Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) Divisional Troops 10th Light Horse (Reconnaissance) 19th Air Defence Regiment, RAA 24th Engineer Support Regiment, RAE 4th Signal Regiment, RASigs 4th Aviation Regiment, AAAC 4th Military Intelligence Battalion 4th Military Police Battalion 4th Logistics Support Battalion 4th Medical Support Battalion The New Zealand Division 4th Infantry Brigade 16th Field Regiment, RNZA 2nd/1st Battalion, RNZIR 3rd (Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland) Battalion, RNZIR 7th (City of Wellington's Own and Hawke's Bay) Battalion, RNZIR 7th Infantry Brigade 1st Field Regiment, RNZA 1st Battalion, RNZIR 2nd (Canterbury and Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast) Battalion, RNZIR 4th (Otago and Southland) Battalion, RNZIR 1st Armoured Regiment Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles Squadron The Waikato Mounted Rifles Squadron The Otago Hussars Squadron 1st Squadron, New Zealand Scottish Jordanian 5th Armoured Division 40th Armoured Brigade 60th Armoured Brigade 1st Cavalry Brigade 1st Royal New South Wales Lancers (Reconnaissance) 15th Northern Rivers Lancers (Reconnaissance) 16th Hunter River Lancers (Reconnaissance) 21st Medium Regiment (Self-Propelled), RAA 6th Aviation Regiment, AAAC 21st Forward Support Battalion (Mechanised) The Special Air Service Regiment 152nd Signal Squadron, RASigs 1st Commando Company 4th Commando Company (Tank Attack) 1st Squadron, SAS Regiment 2nd Squadron, SAS Regiment 171st Aviation Squadron, AAAC II Australian Corps Current Location: Far North Queensland, Papua New Guinea and Eastern Indonesia 2nd Australian Division 5th Infantry Brigade 23rd Field Regiment, RAA 5th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 1st Battalion, RNSWR 3rd Battalion, RNSWR 4th Battalion, RNSWR 1st Battalion, RPIR 5th Forward Support Battalion 7th Infantry Brigade 5th Field Regiment, RAA 7th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 9th Battalion, RQR 25th Battalion, RQR 49th Battalion, RQR 4th Battalion, RPIR 7th Forward Support Battalion 8th Infantry Brigade 7th Field Regiment, RAA 8th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 2nd Battalion, RNSWR 17th Battalion, RNSWR 41st Battalion, RNSWR 3rd Battalion, RPIR 8th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops 2nd Light Horse (QMI) (Armoured) 14th Light Horse (QMI) (Reconnaissance) 17th Air Defence Regiment, RAA 22nd Support Engineer Regiment, RAE 8th Signal Regiment, RASigs 2nd Aviation Regiment, AAAC 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion 2nd Military Police Battalion 2nd Logistics Support Battalion 2nd Medical Support Battalion 4th Australian Division 16th Infantry Brigade 24th Field Regiment, RAA 16th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 19th Battalion, RNSWR 45th Battalion, RNSWR 53rd Battalion, RNSWR 6th Battalion, RPIR 16th Forward Support Battalion 17th Infantry Brigade 25th Field Regiment, RAA 17th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 15th Battalion, RQR 26th Battalion, RQR 47th Battalion, RQR 2nd Battalion, RPIR 17th Forward Support Battalion 18th Infantry Brigade 26th Field Regiment, RAA 18th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 30th Battalion, RNSWR 13th Battalion, RNSWR 56th Battalion, RNSWR 5th Battalion, RPIR 18th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops 12th Light Horse (Reconnaissance) 24th Light Horse (Armoured) 27th Air Defence Regiment, RAA 26th Engineer Support Regiment, RAE 6th Signal Regiment, RASigs 9th Aviation Regiment, AAAC 6th Military Intelligence Battalion 6th Military Police Battalion 6th Logistics Support Battalion 6th Medical Support Battalion 3rd Infantry Brigade (Airborne) 3rd Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) 4th Light Regiment (Airborne), RAA 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment (Airborne), RAE 3rd Battalion (Parachute), RAR 4th Battalion (Parachute), RAR 6th Battalion (Parachute), RAR 51st Battalion (RFSU), FNQR 5th Aviation Regiment, AAAC 3rd Forward Support Battalion (Airborne) 1st Commando Regiment 126th Signal Squadron, RASigs 2nd Commando Company 3rd Commando Company 6th Commando Company 3rd Squadron, SAS Regiment Special Forces Unit, PNGDF Northern Command Current Location: Northern and Western Australia. 3rd Australian Division 4th Infantry Brigade 2nd Field Regiment, RAA 4th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 5th Battalion, RVR 6th Battalion, RVR 8th/7th Battalion, RVR 4th Forward Support Battalion 9th Infantry Brigade 13th Field Regiment, RAA 9th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 10th Battalion, RSAR 27th Battalion, RSAR 12th/40th Battalion, RTR 9th Forward Support Battalion 10th Infantry Brigade 10th Field Regiment, RAA 10th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 38th Battalion, RVR 52nd Battalion, RVR 58th Battalion, RVR The Pilbara Regiment (RFSU) 10th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops 3rd South Australian Mounted Rifles (Reconnaissance) 17th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse (Armoured) 18th Air Defence Regiment, RAA 23rd Support Engineer Regiment, RAE 3rd Signal Regiment, RASigs 3rd Aviation Regiment, AAAC 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion 3rd Military Police Battalion 3rd Logistics Support Battalion 3rd Medical Support Battalion 5th Military District 7th Military District 2nd Cavalry Brigade 8th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance) 9th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance) 10th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance) 101st Field Regiment, RAA The North West Mobile Force (RFSU) 23rd Forward Support Battalion Australian Theatre Current Location: South Eastern Australia (NSW, Vic, Qld) III Australian Corps 3rd Australian Armoured Division 2nd Armoured Brigade 7th Australian Horse (Mechanised) 6th New South Wales Mounted Rifles (Mechanised) 21st Riverina Horse (Mechanised) 102nd Field Regiment, RAA 32nd Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 24th Forward Support Battalion 3rd Armoured Brigade 9th Light Horse (Mechanised) 18th Adelaide Lancers (Mechanised) 23rd Light Horse (Mechanised) 103rd Field Regiment, RAA 33rd Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 25th Forward Support Battalion 4th Armoured Brigade 8th Light Horse (Mechanised) 13th Light Horse (Mechanised) 20th Victorian Mounted Rifles (Mechanised) 104th Field Regiment, RAA 34th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 26th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops 5th Light Horse (QMI) (Reconnaissance) 27th Engineer Support Regiment, RAE 9th Signal Regiment, RASigs 7th Military Intelligence Battalion 7th Military Police Battalion 7th Logistics Support Battalion 7th Medical Support Battalion 1st Australian Division 12th Infantry Brigade 6th Field Regiment, RAA 12th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 29th Battalion, RVR 32nd Battalion, RVR 22nd/37th Battalion, RVR 12th Forward Support Battalion 14th Infantry Brigade 14th Field Regiment, RAA 14th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 21st Battalion, RVR 23rd Battalion, RVR 59th Battalion, RVR 14th Forward Support Battalion 15th Infantry Brigade 15th Field Regiment, RAA 15th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 43rd/48th Battalion, RSAR 44th Battalion, RWAR 50th Battalion, RTR 15th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops 4th Light Horse (Armoured) 19th Light Horse (Reconnaissance) 20th Air Defence Regiment, RAA 25th Engineer Support Regiment, RAE 5th Signal Regiment, RASigs 8th Aviation Regiment, AAAC 5th Military Intelligence Battalion 5th Military Police Battalion 5th Logistics Support Battalion 5th Medical Support Battalion 5th Australian Division 19th Infantry Brigade 28th Field Regiment, RAA 19th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE Queensland University Regiment (Infantry) Adelaide University Regiment (Infantry) Western Australia University Regiment (Infantry) 19th Forward Support Battalion 20th Infantry Brigade 29th Field Regiment, RAA 20th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 14th Battalion, RVR 57th Battalion, RVR 60th Battalion, RVR 20th Forward Support Battalion 21st Infantry Brigade 30th Field Regiment, RAA 35th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 18th Battalion, RNSWR 20th Battalion, RNSWR 55th Battalion, RNSWR 27th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops Sydney University Scouts (Reconnaissance) Monash University Regiment (Armoured) 28th Engineer Support Regiment, RAE 11th Signal Regiment, RASigs 8th Military Intelligence Battalion 8th Military Police Battalion 8th Logistics Support Battalion 8th Medical Support Battalion 6th Australian Division 22nd Infantry Brigade 32nd Field Regiment, RAA 36th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 33rd Battalion, RNSWR 35th Battalion, RNSWR 61st Battalion, RQR 28th Forward Support Battalion 23rd Infantry Brigade 33rd Field Regiment, RAA 37thCombat Engineer Regiment, RAE 24th Battalion, RVR 39th Battalion, RVR 46th Battalion, RVR 29th Forward Support Battalion 24th Infantry Brigade 34th Field Regiment, RAA 38th Combat Engineer Regiment, RAE 34th Battalion, RNSWR 36th Battalion, RNSWR 54th Battalion, RNSWR 30th Forward Support Battalion Divisional Troops Melbourne University Rifles (Reconnaissance) University of New South Wales Regiment (Armoured) 29th Engineer Support Regiment, RAE 12th Signal Regiment, RASigs 9th Military Intelligence Battalion 9th Military Police Battalion 9th Logistics Support Battalion 9th Medical Support Battalion 3rd Cavalry Brigade 27th Light Horse (Mounted) 28th Light Horse (Mounted) 29th Light Horse (Mounted) 1st Military District 2nd Military District 3rd Military District 7th Commando Regiment 5th Commando Company 7th Commando Company 8th Commando Company The Tactical Assault Group (SAS) 6th Military District Current Location: Tasmania The Tasmanian Defence Brigade 22nd Light Horse Regiment (Tasmanian Mounted Infantry) 26th Light Horse Regiment (Tasmanian Mounted Infantry) 12th Infantry Battalion (The Launceston Regiment) 40th Infantry Battalion (The Derwent Regiment) 50th Infantry Battalion (The Tasmanian Rangers) Abbreviations AAAC: Australian Army Aviation Corps FNQR: Far North Queensland Regiment PNGDF: Papua New Guinea Defence Force QMI: Queensland Mounted Infantry RAA: Royal Australian Artillery RAAC: Royal Australian Armoured Corps RAE: Royal Australian Corps of Engineers RAIC: Royal Australian Infantry Corps RAR: Royal Australian Regiment RASigs: Royal Australian Corps of Signals RFSU: Regional Force Surveillance Unit RNSWR: Royal New South Wales Regiment RNZA: Royal New Zealand Artillery RNZIR: Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment RPIR: Royal Pacific Islands Regiment RQR: Royal Queensland Regiment RSAR: Royal South Australia Regiment RTR: Royal Tasmania Regiment RVR: Royal Victoria Regiment RWAR: Royal Western Australia Regiment SAS: Special Air Service UNIT HISTORY AND CURRENT STATUS ARMOURED DIVISIONS 1st Australian Armoured Division A pre-war regular division known as the 1st Division with 1st Brigade (Mechanised) based in Darwin, NT, 2nd Brigade (Motorised) in Sydney, NSW and 6th Brigade (Motorised) in Brisbane, Qld. The full division was upgraded to armoured status and brought to a combat ready state during the defence build-up of 1995 and 1996. In early 1997 the division was deployed to the Middle East as the core component of the Australian contribution to the widening war between the West and the Soviet Union. The division came under the control of the US Central Command when it arrived at Saudi Arabian ports in February 1997. Attached to the US XVIII Airborne Corps the division was deployed to Iran, disembarking at the port of Abadan on May 3rd and deploying to combat straight off the boat. The division passed through the hard pressed US 82nd Airborne Division to drive the Soviet 104th Guards Air Assault Division out of its positions at Khorramshahr. Several Soviet counter attacks against the Khorramshahr/Abadan pocket were repelled after the 82nd Airborne was withdrawn. In concert with the US 24th Infantry Division (Mechanised) the division attacked northwards from early June towards Ahvaz as part of the US Congress mandated offensive. The attack stalled at the end of July when Soviet forces counterattacked. The division covered the withdrawal of the 24th Infantry from Ahvaz and was itself forced back to Khorramshahr. Tactical nuclear weapons were first used in late August and the division suffered heavy casualties from these weapons. After repelling a Soviet 7th Guards Army attack on October 6th the division launched limited counterattacks to tie down Soviet forces in support of Operation Pegasus II, the allied deep offensive. In late October the division began its drive on Ahvaz, overrunning the Soviet 261st Motorised Rifle Division and cutting off the badly mauled Soviet 24th Guards Motorised Rifle Division which was destroyed by the 24th Infantry. While the 24th Infantry took Ahvaz, the division leapfrogged northwards capturing Dezful. By the new year the two divisions had secured the entire Khuzestan Plain and linked up with the 82nd Airborne. On 26/1/98 the division linked up with the newly deployed 2nd Australian Armoured Division and the New Zealand Division to form I Australian Corps. Most of 1998 was spent in local security missions attempting to deal with the growing crisis caused by the GNE of late 1997. The Soviet 7th Guards Army launched another offensive in early August but this attack was repelled. In June 1999 the Soviets again launched an offensive but this faltered because of the collapse of their Iraqi allies leaving the Australians in control of the Khuzestan Plain. Subordination: I Australian Corps Current Location: Ahvaz, Iran Manpower: 5,000 Major Weapons: 46 Waler-120, 7 M1A2, 2 M1A1 2nd Australian Armoured Division The division headquarters was formed 18/11/95 at Holsworthy Barracks, NSW and took under command the pre-war reserve 11th Brigade based in Townsville, Qld and the 13th Brigade from Perth, WA. The newly formed 1st Armoured Brigade in Sydney, NSW, brought the division to full strength. Mobilised under the general mobilisation order after the first US troops crossed the East German border in December 1996, the division was brought to full strength and began intensive training for conversion to armoured levels. The division was deployed along with the headquarters of I Australian Corps to Saudi Arabia during June/July 1997 to reinforce US Central Command and the 1st Australian Armoured Division. The division was responsible for security of the vital Saudi Arabian ports and oil fields along the north west coast of the Persian Gulf. Deployed to Iran on the eve of 1998 the division linked up with the 1st Australian Armoured under I Australian Corps control. After defeating two separate Soviet attacks the division has remained as a security force for the Khuzestan Plain, vital for its agriculture. Subordination: I Australian Corps Current Location: Dezful/Shushtar, Iran Manpower: 5,500 Major Weapons: 48 Waler-AGV 3rd Australian Armoured Division The division was formed 26/1/96 at Victoria Barracks, Brisbane with three brigades, the 2nd Armoured based in Wagga Wagga, NSW, the 3rd Armoured based in Woodside, SA and the 4th Armoured based in Puckapunyal, VIC. The division was deployed to South Australia, where it took advantage of this state’s large military training areas and defence infrastructure to train and equip for mechanised combat. SA was hit the hardest by the GNE with eight nuclear warheads detonating within 24 hours on "Ash Sunday," November 2, 1997, causing considerable destruction and nuclear fallout. The GNE and subsequent chaos decimated 7th Division and it was almost destroyed during its attempts to bring order to SA. The division was pulled out as part of the general evacuation of Adelaide during the summer of 97/98 and was transferred to Puckapunyal, Vic for rest and refitting. Once it was ready for operations again, in late 1999, the division was used to cover the general evacuation from the interior of Australia. Since then the 7th Division has provided the primary covering force for the line of control through central NSW and south eastern Queensland. The divisions main role is long range fire sweeps into uncontrolled areas, assisting local governments and trying to wipe out marauder groups and challenges to Australian Theatre’s authority. Subordination: III Australian Corps Current Location: Central NSW Manpower: 14,000 Major Weapons: 98 Waler-AGV Jordanian 5th Armoured Division A pre-war crack regular Jordanian division stationed at the capital Amman. The division was deployed to Saudi Arabia under the command of the US Central Command in January 1999. Soon the division was rotated into the combat zone in Iran and came under control of I Australian Corps which it has since remained subordinate to. Brigadier HRH Prince Abdullah the oldest son of HRH King Hussein the Hashemite King of Jordan commands the division. Subordination: I Australian Corps Current Location: Basra. Iraq Manpower: 3,500 Major Weapons: 45 Khalid 2 INFANTRY DIVISIONS 1st Australian Division The division was formed as a reserve formation on 26/1/96 at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne with three brigades; the 14th based in Melbourne, Vic, the 15th based in Puckapunyal, Vic and the 16th with units across SA, WA and Tas. The division was mobilised on 1/1/97 and tasked with the security of southern and central WA including Perth, Kalgoorlie and the Pilbara. The division was severely damaged by the nuclear strikes on the Perth region and suffered heavy casualties trying to quell civil disturbance during the summer of 97/98. After the division’s positions in the west became untenable it was withdrawn to Victoria in late 1998. The division was brought up to full strength during a spell of rest and recovery at Puckapunyal Barracks, Vic. Australian Theatre then allocated the division the ‘fire brigade’ role for security in the 3rd Military District area. Subordination: III Australian Corps Current Location: Victoria Manpower: 16,000 Major Weapons: 14 Leopard 1 2nd Australian Division A pre-war reserve division with 5th Brigade based in Sydney, NSW, 7th Brigade in Brisbane, Qld and 8th Brigade in Newcastle, NSW. The division was upgraded to ready reserve status (about half full time personnel) and brought to a combat ready state during the defence build-up of 1995 and 1996. Mobilised in December 1996 as the US entered the war against the Soviet Union the division was deployed in security roles across North Eastern Australia. The division deployed its 7th Brigade to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in late 1997 to quell increasing urban and rural violence caused by the global destruction of the general nuclear exchange (GNE). When Indonesia attacked PNG in January 1998 the 7th Brigade held of the Indonesian 17th and 18th Airborne Brigades’ assault on Port Moresby. Reinforced by the rest of 2nd Division the Australian and PNG counterattack overrun the remaining Indonesian forces south of the highlands during operations in February. 2nd Division, reinforced by the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment then began a series of amphibious and airmobile strikes against the Indonesian cantonments across the northern shore of PNG. On the 3rd July 1998 the division captured Jayapura in West Papua (Irian Jaya) nominally Indonesian territory. Coming under II Australian Corps, the now veteran 2nd Division became the main force in the 1999 offensive into Eastern Indonesia. This offensive quickly captured the rest of West Papua, the Moluccan Islands and East Timor. The Australian forces meet little effective resistance as most of the Indonesian battle ready units, warships and combat aircraft had been destroyed the year before in Papua New Guinea. In fact many of the local communities greeted the Australians as liberators from Javanese control. 2nd Division spent the rest of 1999 and most of 2000 establishing II Corps authority across the newly occupied Indonesian territory. With the growing schism between II Corps commanding general MAJGEN Thurston and the Governor-General, Australian Theatre Commander and effective head of what is left of a central Australian government, GEN Walker, 2nd Division has declared its support to II Corps. The division is no longer responding to orders directly from Northern Command or Australian Theatre, it is only loyal to II Corps. Subordination: II Australian Corps Current Location: Ceram, Ambon, Morotai, Halmahera and Timor Manpower: 7,500 Major Weapons: 10 Leopard 1, 8 OH-58D 3rd Australian Division A pre-war reserve division the 3rd included the 4th and 12th Brigades in Melbourne, Vic and the 9th Brigade in Adelaide, SA. The division was called out on 20 December 1996 as the war in China and Germany escalated into global conflict. Deployed to the Northern Territory and North West WA the division became the primary security force of Northern Command. The GNE hardly effected the division, as all nuclear strikes on Australia were to the south of its operational area and prevailing monsoonal winds at this time were northerly. Also the low population of northern Australia meant the division was spared the heavy toll of the post GNE disease outbreaks and civil disruption. The division is still controlling the Northern Command enclaves at the vital resource extraction centres across North Western Australia. Subordination: Northern Command Current Location: North and North West Australia Manpower: 10,000 Major Weapons: 10 Leopard 1, 6 OH-58D 4th Australian Division The division was formed 26/1/96 at Victoria Barracks, Sydney with three brigades, the 16th based in Sydney, NSW, the 17th based in Brisbane, Qld and the 18th based in Newcastle, NSW. The division was filled with many ready reserve soldiers and recalled ex-servicemen, all with at least one years full time service, which enabled the division to come to a combat ready level reasonably quickly. The division took over security roles for the South Eastern corner of Australia during 1997 and was being prepared for service in the Middle East when the GNE caused considerable destruction. The division was able to avoid direct damage from the nuclear exchange but was heavily pressed in diaster relief and, at sometimes, quite brutal suppression of civil disorder. With the south east generally calm after the summer of 97/98 and with the 3rd Australian Armoured Division, 5th and 6th Australian Divisions deployed in the area, the 4th was moved by sea to PNG to reinforce II Australian Corps for the counteroffensive against the Indonesian forces. While 2nd Australian Division moved down the northern coast of PNG, 4th Division assaulted Indonesian forces on Manus Island and then prepared for the assault against Rabual. The two Australian brigades that landed at Rabual, not only faced the defending Indonesian brigade but the full fury of a volcanic eruption. The Rabual area was evacuated after 4th Division quickly offered diaster relief to the local population and most of the Indonesian forces that had surrendered after being caught between the ‘the frying-pan and the fire-place’. While 2nd Division moved into Eastern Indonesia in early 1999, 4th Division took up a rear area security task. This was no easy mission since it was responsible for the entire New Guinea Island; the world’s second largest island with the most rugged terrain in the world. 4th Division is still in control of New Guinea and is in fact the only effective authority in this region, something which II Corps exploits to the full. The division is no longer responding to orders directly from Northern Command or Australian Theatre; it is only loyal to II Corps. Subordination: II Australian Corps Current Location: Papua New Guinea, Irian Jaya, Far North Queensland Manpower: 10,000 Major Weapons: 4 OH-58D 5th Australian Division The division was formed on 25 April 1997 and was primarily made up of newly trained conscripts, though its 28th Brigade and some divisional elements comprised pre-war reserve training units. The division was tasked with security for the state of New South Wales and was intended to relieve the 3rd Australian Division in northern Australia, so that this formation could be deployed to the Middle East. The GNE and the Indonesian invasion of PNG ended these plans and the 5th Division has stayed on in NSW providing local security and disaster relief since its formation. The division was brought up to strength in early 1999 by comb-outs of surplus Navy and Air Force personnel. The division currently forms a border guard force across the ‘Newell Line’ in central NSW. Subordination: III Australian Corps Current Location: East NSW Manpower: 16,000 Major Weapons: 0 6th Australian Division The division was formed on 25 April, 1997 and was primarily made up of newly trained conscripts, with some divisional elements comprising pre-war reserve training units. The division was tasked with security for the state of Victoria and was intended to relieve the 2nd Australian Division in northern Australia and PNG, so that they could be deployed to the Middle East. The GNE and the subsequent Indonesian invasion of PNG ended these plans and the 6th Division was deployed to Queensland to secure the supply lines to II Corps in PNG. While the division was readied to deploy to PNG, the success of the Australian counter invasion meant it wasn’t required and since the required transport wasn’t available anyway the division stayed in South and Central Queensland. The division was forced to withdraw to the south east corner of Queensland due to increasing lawlessness and now forms a powerful guard force against any incursions into the controlled zone. Subordination: III Australian Corps Current Location: South East Queensland Manpower: 14,000 Major Weapons: 0 The New Zealand Division The ‘fireball’ division was formed on 10 February, 1997, comprising the 4th and 7th Brigades and was deployed to the Middle East as reinforcements to the 3rd Australian Expeditionary Force later in the year. All division elements had arrived in Saudi Arabian ports by October 1997. The division is made up of motorised and mechanised infantry, equipped with HMMWV and M113 vehicles, the divisional armoured regiment is a mix of Scorpion light tanks and M1s supplied by the US Army. The division has been under I Australian Corps since early 1998 and has partaken in all the battles for the Khuzestan Plain area of Iran. Subordination: I Australian Corps Current Location: Khorramshahr, Iran Manpower: 3,500 Major Weapons: 10 M1A1 MILITARY DISTRICTS 1st Military District A pre-war administrative command responsible for an area roughly aligned to the state of Queensland. Headquartered in Victoria Barracks, Brisbane the district took over all remaining civil authority as well as local naval and air forces in Queensland on 1/1/99. Given the regional security role several battalions of local infantry were raised across the district to provide local defence. These forces operated on a one month active/one month inactive rotation. Due to infrastructure damage and increasing lawlessness the districts area of authority has been reduced to an area south east of a line from the town of St. George to the coast at Bundaberg with a small enclave around Rockhampton and Gladstone. Subordination: Australian Theatre Current Location: South East Queensland Manpower: 10,000 Major Weapons: 6 Leopard 1 2nd Military District A pre-war administrative command responsible for an area roughly aligned to the state of New South Wales. Headquartered in Victoria Barracks, Sydney the district took over all remaining civil authority as well as local naval and air forces in NSW on 1/1/99. The district’s area of authority has been reduced to the area east of the Newell Highway in central NSW. Several inland cantonments are under military authority but beyond these areas and the periodic fire sweeps most of NSW is on its own. Subordination: Australian Theatre Current Location: East NSW Manpower: 45,000 Major Weapons: 0 3rd Military District A pre-war administrative command responsible for an area roughly aligned to the state of Victoria. Headquartered in Victoria Barracks, Melbourne the district took over all remaining civil authority as well as local naval and air forces in Victoria on 1/1/99. The district controls virtually all of the state of Victoria, except for a few isolated areas. Subordination: Australian Theatre Current Location: Victoria Manpower: 40,000 Major Weapons: 0 5th Military District A pre-war administrative command responsible for an area roughly aligned to the state of Western Australia. Headquartered in Irwin Barracks, Perth the district took over all remaining civil authority as well as local naval and air forces in Western Australia on 1/1/99. The 5th Military District has been reduced to the area between Perth and Albany in the south-west corner of WA. Also some cantonments in the north centred on the Pilbara are under the control of a brigade from the 3rd Australian Division. The district is under heavy pressure from the wild lawless elements operating out of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and is maintaining its area of control through particularly harsh martial law. Subordination: Northern Command Current Location: South West Western Australia Manpower: 6,000 Major Weapons: 0 6th Military District A pre-war administrative command responsible for an area aligned to the state of Tasmania. Headquartered at Battery Point, Hobart the district took over all remaining civil authority as well as local naval and air forces in Tasmania on 1/1/99. However after this date the district ceased responding to central authority on the Australian mainland. The district controls most of Tasmania on a collective basis with local civilian authorities and is intent on ignoring the rest of the world, beyond the odd mainland, Japanese and French trading vessel. Subordination: None Current Location: Tasmania Manpower: 5,000 Major Weapons: 0 SEPARATE BRIGADES AND REGIMENTS 1st Cavalry Brigade The brigade headquarters was formed 17/10/95 at Puckapunyal, Vic and took under command pre-war reserve armoured regiments from NSW and newly formed units. The brigade was structured and trained as an armoured reconnaissance formation on a TO&E very similar to a US Army Armoured Cavalry Regiment. Fully equipped with modern vehicles the brigade deployed to the Middle East with Headquarters I Australian Corps to act as its heavy reconnaissance and screening force. While I Corps secured Saudi ports the brigade was attached to 1st Australian Armoured Division in Iran. The brigade entered combat against Soviet mechanised forces in support of Pegasus II offensive. 1st Cavalry Brigade operated as far north as Kabir Kuh in support of 1st Armoured Division’s drive on Dezful. In 1998 the brigade patrolled the Iraqi border with frequent cross border operations to disrupt Iraqi logistic support of Soviet forces. The brigade suffered heavy casualties in the July 1999 Soviet offensive and it was temporary cut off by advancing Iraqi divisions. However remaining a fighting force behind Iraqi lines contributed to their collapse and the depleted brigade was able to link up with the rest of I Corps. After rest and refit the brigade has taken on a ‘fire brigade’ mission to reinforce threatened areas of the Khuzestan Plain. Subordination: I Australian Corps Current Location: Khuzestan Plain, Iran Manpower: 800 Major Weapons: 20 Waler-AGV 2nd Cavalry Brigade The brigade was formed 26/1/96 at Robertson Barracks, Darwin, NT as Northern Command’s reconnaissance formation. The 2nd Cavalry was never brought up to full mechanised scales with half of its squadron’s relaying on motorised transport. Subordination: Northern Command Current Location: Darwin, NT Manpower: 2,500, 1,000 cavalry Major Weapons: 14 Waler-AGV 3rd Cavalry Brigade The brigade was raised on 12/3/99 at Puckapunyal, Vic as a fully horse mounted formation. Subordination: III Australian Corps Current Location: Dubbo, NSW Manpower: 2,000 cavalry Major Weapons: 0 3rd Infantry Brigade (Airborne) A pre war regular brigade headquartered at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Qld. The 3rd Brigade was kept at a high state of readiness as Australia’s strategic reserve until April 1996 when it was deployed in a lightning strike against Bougainville separatists in PNG. The brigade combined with local forces and carried out a successful strike on the separatists and was able to re-open the contested Pangua copper mine. The brigade returned to Townsville, Qld in early 1997 and resumed its role as a regional ready reaction force. In response to the Indonesian invasion of PNG the brigade launched a successful airborne assault on Wewak, PNG. From this base the brigade was able to disrupt Indonesian lines of communication through the successful counterattack by PNG forces and the 2nd and 4th Divisions. During the successful counter invasion of eastern Indonesia in early 1999, the brigade was responsible for capturing East Timor. The brigade launched its second airborne assault on the town of Biablo from where it interdicted East and West Timor. Local counterattacks from Indonesian security forces were defeated by the brigade linking up with local anti Indonesian forces. The brigade was withdrawn to Cairns, Qld in October 1999 and replaced in East Timor by units of the 2nd Division. The brigade now serves as a reserve force for II Australian Corps and is no longer accepting orders from Northern Command or Australian Theatre. Subordination: II Australian Corps Current Location: Cairns, Queensland Manpower: 1,500 Major Weapons: 10 OH-58D The Special Air Service Regiment The regimental headquarters of the Australian SAS was deployed to the Middle East to take operational control over several special forces sub-units. Subordination: I Australian Corps Current Location: Dezful, Iran Manpower: 350 Major Weapons: 0 1st Commando Regiment Subordination: II Australian Corps Current Location: Port Moresby, PNG Manpower: 250 Major Weapons: 0 7th Commando Regiment Subordination: Australian Theatre Current Location: Sydney, NSW Manpower: 400 Major Weapons: 0 The Tactical Assault Group (SAS) Subordination: Australian Theatre Current Location: Melbourne, Vic Manpower: 200 Major Weapons: 0 The Tasmanian Defence Brigade Subordination: 6th Military District Current Location: Tasmania Manpower: 2,500, 1,000 cavalry Major Weapons: 0 
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#2
03-21-2016, 02:45 PM
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This has been discussed in previous threads, the general opinion was that Australia might field a brigade for New Guinea, maybe a battalion task force for Korea and very improbable that a BTF for the Middle East would be moved. With a WWIII scenario...my own opinion is that the Aussies would move to secure oil reserves as well as block any Indonesian moves towards the Land Done Under.
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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#3
03-21-2016, 03:02 PM
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#4
03-21-2016, 03:40 PM
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__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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#5
03-21-2016, 09:37 PM
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Completely and utterly insane. I mean maybe given 10 years of build-up, but forming multiple new armoured and infantry divisions essentially out of nothing? In the space of a couple of years? Where would all the equipment come from?
Australia's Regular Army, even today, is pretty modest in size but reasonably well equipped and extremely well trained. A major component of Australia's on-paper Army are reserve units that are just shells with a few companies actually operating in peacetime. Australia, particularly the Australia of the mid-1990s, might seem rich and it is big geographically, but the population was only about 18 million in 1995. There is no way that Australia would suddenly triple or quadruple the size of its army in the space of a couple of years and then send the bulk of it to the Middle East. Pure fantasy.
__________________
 "It is better to be feared than loved" - Nicolo Machiavelli
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#6
03-21-2016, 09:54 PM
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Major Equipment wise, yes, you're probably right ... unless it is produced locally, or can be produced locally, which was unlikely back then and probably close to impossible now without a major lead time. Manpower wise, no, you're probably wrong. With a population a quarter of what it is now (or less) Australia raised around 14 Division Equivalents in WW2, AIF and Militia. The issue then, as it would have been in TW: 2000 and would be here and now is in the Major Equipment area, mentioned above. At a guess, I'd say those Armoured Divisions would have, at best, been Mechanised (with wheeled APCs mainly, some tracked) with, maybe, one Indpendent Armoured Brigade (1-2 Tank Regiments [Battalions] and Mech Infantry). The Army in SWPAC would be almost entirely Leg Infantry and almost certainly Reserves, with probably a single Motorised Brigade (where relevant ... obviously not on small islands!) and in Oz itself, Leg Infantry with Motorised elements (also almost exclusively Reserves). Note: There would be enough motor transport in Corps and Army level units to Motorise most of the Leg Infantry (Reserve) Units most of the time, at the expense of some logistics support ... that's pretty much how things were, AIUI, back then and probably still are. The big problem would be with the Reserve units ... artillery would be in short supply, and probably any weapons heavier or more sophisticated than Mortars. Ammo production would be an issue as well (as it would be for all smaller armies). There used to be huge reserve stocks of everything from Rifles (millions of SMLEs till, AIUI, around the mid-70's or early 80s when they were all scrapped), MGs (Vickers HMGs, ditto scrapped), Tanks (Centurions, then Leopards, most of which were literally never used) and some Artillery ... but I don't believe that is the case any more. So it would take time to either purchase (against competing producer country army demands) or ramp up to produce locally for heavier weapons ... and I don't think either TW: 2000 timeline allows enough time. YMMV. (Oh, as for New Zealand, their numbers seem about right, maybe a bit less than they could manage ... but they have, AIUI, an even worse problem with 'Major Equipment') Phil McGregor
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#7
03-21-2016, 10:04 PM
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Agree with Targan. In the time available we'd be hard pressed to bring even existing units up to strength let alone create whole new Divisions from scratch!
Better to simply flesh out what exists, with much of the equipment drawn from obsolete stores (L1A1's, M60s, M113, etc). Only the regular units (most of 1st Division) and some parts of the reserve would have modern equipment (Leopard I, F88 Steyr AUG, MAG 58, Minimi, LAV-25).
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#8
03-21-2016, 10:06 PM
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The issue then, as it would have been in the TW: 2000 timeline(s) (and would still be, now) is in the area of 'Major Equipment' ... Forex, in WW2, early 1940, my Dad was (illegally, as it turned out) called up for service in a Militia Artillery Regiment. They had uniforms (late WW1 issue), no Rifles initially, except for a small cadre, and they did rifle evolutions with Broomsticks for a while. Worse, they didn't have a single piece of Artillery ... they 'trained' on painted outlines on the parade ground. When they eventually got some guns they didn't get 25 pdrs, they got something similar to 18/25 pdrs (18 pdr late WW1 tubes on a 25 pdr chassis ... but, as someone pointed out to me some time ago, they couldn't have been exactly that for a variety of technical reasons) just before his callup was actually found to have been illegal (reserved occupation at the time, small business owner) and he went back to civvie street. Later in the war one of my Uncles served with an Artillery unit in New Guinea, and they did have Australian produced air portable 25 pdrs (basically the standard gun on a lightened chassis, designed to be broken down for easy air transport) ... but that was probably at least 2 years later. And, believe me, if you read the history of the Militia/Citizen Military Forces, they were in worse condition in 1939 than they would have been in the Twilight (or present day) universe, yet they managed a huge buildup in 'a couple of years.' Phil
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#9
03-21-2016, 10:08 PM
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Phil
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#10
03-21-2016, 10:22 PM
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Yes, the older SMLE's etc are pretty much gone, but there's still a fair amount of L1A1's, etc floating about. With increased production from Lithgow Small Arms, a sizeable proportion of soldiers might be issued with F88's, but you'd still find plenty of the older weapons especially in support units. My own original reserve unit was only converted to the F88 in 1994 and still used the M60 until quite a bit later.
Given WWIII really kicks off in 1996, anything that goes bang is likely to have been retained, but since the vast majority of fighting takes place a very long way from Australia, it's unlikely there'd be a general call up of personnel so early on (unlike in WWI and WWII, Australia wasn't directly involved except in Korea where I believe we'd have put about a brigade). With Indonesia becoming a problem the regular troops in Korea are likely to have been recalled and replaced with reservists (my guess is 9 Brigade organised as a mech brigade, and reinforced by the Scorpion light tanks of New Zealand), and 1st Division sent into the tropics - the remainder of 2nd Division acting as a garrison for mainland Australia and reinforcements/training.
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#11
03-21-2016, 11:49 PM
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I have to agree, way too big, however before delving into my BAOR ORBAT I gave it a go with Australia & New Zealand. I will try to find the PDF file I made but here is the rough outline. (I de-linked all the Bns/Regts and started conscription into the Reserves soon after the beginning of the the Sino-Soviet War)
1st Div-Papua New Guinea - 3rd Bde - 6th Bde - 7th NZ Bde 2nd Div- Papua New Guinea - 5th Bde - 7th Bde - 8th Bde 3rd Div- Defence of Australia Far North Queensland Region - 11th Bde Darwin Region - 9th Bde Kimberley Region - 4th Bde Pilbara Regiion - 13th Bde Defence of New Zealand - 2nd NZ Bde - 3rd NZ Bde Korea - 1st Australian Mech Bde - ANZ contribution to reformed 28th (ANZUK) Inf Bde Middle East - 10th Australian Mech Div (Formed from volunteers for overseas service. Div had been requested by the U.S. in early 1997. Personnel were shipped out to The Sinai where they were equipped with U.S. AFVs etc) The PDF file is more detailed, I'll post when I find it. Louie
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#12
03-22-2016, 12:03 AM
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I'd have to totally agree. Britain which was one of the major powers in the Twilight War could only manage to field six divisions, plus a number of brigades and regiments after full mobilisation. Australia with about one third of the population of Britain and a considerably smaller arms industry has an army close to three times the size. The Australian Army does have a useful air mobility capability and its special forces component is quite large for the relative size of its army. But the modern Australian Army (2016) is not that much different in size to what it was in the 1990's, and is basically the equivalent of one US infantry division plus some regiments of various types. Add the reserves and you have another light infantry division which would likely be organised into a few light infantry brigades and the odd regiment. So two divisions plus some independent regiments after mobilisation at most So if we say that Australia introduces conscription to raise an army of that size, which incidentally the US, Britain and other Western countries never did in Twilight 2000, Australia might be able to raise an army as big as this. But arming and equipping it and then sending entire divisions overseas and supporting them? I don't think so.
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#13
03-22-2016, 02:26 AM
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I also can't see any form of conscription being brought in until Australia itself was under threat. Any attempt to do so before then would likely bring down the government at the very next election (if not sooner).
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#14
03-22-2016, 05:02 AM
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Only reason I can see to have an Aussie presence in the Middle East is to secure oil/refinery capacity. Would it have been a brigade, doubt it, more likely a battalion-sized task force, maybe a frigate or support ship and maybe a flight/squadon from RAAF, more than that, just don't see it possible.
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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#15
03-22-2016, 06:09 AM
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I know I was going out on limb but the backstory I concocted was based on some IRL past Australian Defence Policy. (Up until just after Suez, Australia planned on forming a "3rd AIF" to serve in the Middle East).
-between August & October 1995 Australia began making plans to slightly increase its force posture (de-linking of Bns/Regts was put in motion). Recruitment was still on a voluntary basis, however after a long debate, conscription into the Reserves was initiated (The Defence (Reserve Forces) Act 1995. Just as in 1943 the Act regulated the area where "National Service" personnel could serve, Australia and its Territories plus north to the equator, bounded by the 110th meridian to the West and the 159th meridian to the East.) - December 1995 28th (ANZUK) Inf Bde is reformed. U.S. & U.K. first approach Australia about providing a force for the ME (Oman had already asked the Brits for troops in late October) - March 1996 Australia announces that an "Australian Expeditionary Force" (I also toyed with the idea of naming it "Australian Intervention Force" to get he AIF initials, any thoughts ?) would be formed from Volunteers for overseas service. Plans are for a reinforced Bde Grp, and recruiting is opened to Regular Army and Reserves (both volunteer and National Service personnel). The response is so massive that plans are revised to make it Div sized and personnel flow is regulated. (What I did, for example, was to form a "3rd/1st BN, The Royal Australian Regt" and specified one Regular and three Reserve Bns to provide volunteers to it. I did this with all of the units in the AEF.) - June 1996 the first units begin to arrive at a newly opened U.S. training camp in the Sinai, Egypt. (Offered by the Egyptians after a massive dose of money and military aid). Ok how does it sound so far ?? Louie
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#16
03-22-2016, 06:41 AM
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There's just no way Australia would send troops to the middle east, certainly not in those numbers, and certainly not with a hostile Indonesia knocking on the door. MAY send a small training unit of perhaps 100 personnel, but that's about it.
As for oil, we have a bit of untapped reserves here ourselves. With the Soviets backing Iran, etc, and of course Indonesia and our Korean obligations, a third front is just plain unthinkable. We have approximately the same population as Greece, which has conscription, a much smaller land area, and an army of 90,000 on active duty (plus 180,000 extra recalled conscripts in time of war). Australia has 45,000 including reservists. In WWII, the military was rapidly expanded primarily because there was nothing left to stop the Japanese. The British which had been the main ally was tied down in Europe and Africa, and the US were nowhere to be seen. Virtually everyone we had sent to Africa and the middle east were hurriedly recalled after the fall of Singapore - the door was wide open and nobody else was around to close it. Those conscripted troops we did have were extremely poorly trained and very badly equipped. It's a miracle those thrown into the fire did as well as they did (I'm thinking the 39th Battalion and their role in stopping the Japanese in New Guinea). Come WWIII you can bet the lessons learnt from WWII would not be forgotten. Australia would not over extend itself again.
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#17
03-24-2016, 06:18 PM
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AUSTRALIAN ARMY 2016 Last edited by RN7; 03-27-2016 at 09:16 PM.
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#18
03-24-2016, 08:52 PM
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It's also worth noting those locations are the HQ elements. Reserve units as a whole are usually spread over areas hundreds of miles across with companies, even individual platoons located in separate towns.
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#19
03-24-2016, 09:11 PM
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So what we have hear is the basis of three divisions organisationally on full mobilisation in 2016; one infantry and two reserve light infantry divisions, although the light infantry divisions would be more or less truly light infantry.
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#20
03-24-2016, 10:01 PM
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Australia Reserve units are not in any shape or form close to combat ready. Yes, there are individuals who may be, but 95% of each unit needs a good 3 months (minimum) additional training.
Added to that most reserve units are staffed at only skeleton levels - the 41st for example (my original unit) could barely scrape together a company plus minimal support elements when it came to the annual exercise, and even then we were usually still operating with about 70-80% strength. To bring these units up to full manpower will take time, and then more time to train the reinforcements. Mobilisation speed is not exactly a priority in that sort of situation... What would happen is the unit as a whole would be called up to full time service, a process which would take a few days. The unit would then move to a dedicated training establishment such as the Infantry centre at Singleton just outside Newcastle in NSW. There they would absorb reinforcements and conduct intensive training for several months. Finally it's likely to be sent on a large scale exercise in terrain similar to that where they are expected to deploy, before at last being declared combat ready. Note that the training establishments do not currently have the facilities to cater for large scale mobilisation of troops with Singleton as an example really only capable of handling about two battalions at a time with a sizeable proportion of the troops housed in tents when not out on the range. The facilities that do exist beyond normal peace time requirements consist mostly of buildings from WWII and Vietnam (ie riddled with asbestos).
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#21
03-24-2016, 10:18 PM
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I think everyone is being far too pessimistic and conservative on what FULL mobilization of any country would look like. In the US Civil War, the Confederates essentially built a competent field army from scratch in six months. The US raised about 50 divisions in the first two years of WWII, and Russia was churning out a division in about 12 weeks in 1940-1941 and the Germans a division in roughly 8 weeks in 1944. In short, when you have to, you can churn out a division in just weeks; it may not be the best trained but all they really need to know is how to shoot and maneuver and men can be taught that in just weeks if need be.
If your just trying to get leg infantry, you can essentially build 12 divisions from 200K personnel in about 18 months easily as well as a good chunk of the vehicles to move them. That is from recruitment to a trained and functional division. A trained Airborne division takes about two years and a commando the same period of time. As for training facilities, well that's where the good old fashion tent comes in. After all, the training camps the US Marines established in New Zealand in WWII consisted of hundreds of tents. For Australia and New Zealand the limiting factor is equipment. A draft will get the manpower fairly quickly. In 1990, Australia had a population of 17 million. A mobilization and draft to provide say 250,000 recruits to raise 15-20 divisions would hardly make a dent in the overall population. Additionally, every army in 1990 had mountains of equipment just waiting for an emergency. The AUG is far from a complicated weapon and its largely plastic components can be churned out by injection molding very rapidly and in great quantities. Furthermore with a major war going on in their backyard, New Zealand and Australia would have started mobilizing in 1995 almost as soon as the Soviets crossed the border into China with over a year of time to get a few divisions operational before the war started in earnest. Same for the US, England, and the rest of Europe. In my take on the situation, you had almost a full corps of Australian and New Zealand troops in Europe, at least two divisions in each of the middle East and China. Another 2-3 divisions available to deploy into Indonesian and/or the Philippines, and at least another two to keep at home. Last edited by mpipes; 03-24-2016 at 10:26 PM.
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#22
03-24-2016, 10:25 PM
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And I would agree with what you said. But I did say the capability to raise three divisions does exist in theory organisationally on full mobilisation, not realistically. And I wouldn't expect that situation to change any time soon as Australia is just to remote for any potential major power to threaten its borders, excluding strategic nuclear weapons. Even Indonesia lacks the logistical resources to seriously invade and hold any Australian territory. And any move by the Indonesians would be detected and eliminated by the RAAF and RAN before it gets any where near the Australian mainland. For Australia to fully mobilise three divisions (and that's organisationally only), the Australian government would have to seriously plan to use Australian troops abroad in some expeditionary capacity and to take steps to logistically plan such a mobilisation in advance. Or some major threat to Australia and its regional interests would have to emerge.
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#23
03-24-2016, 11:58 PM
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Yes, it would likely take years to fully mobilise and have a reasonably high percentage of combat ready units.
As for equipment, we've probably got enough small arms (rifles and machineguns) to do the job already, even if many reinforcements would be armed with older equipment. Heavier weapons (40mm grenade launchers and up) are another matter. That was the case in the 41st anyway. Technically every officer and machinegunner (plus a few others) were supposed to be issued with a pistol as well as their main weapon, but the armouries of the whole battalion had a grand total of just 7 of them... I don't think they ever even saw the light of day. On the other hand BHQ armoury still contained at least one .55 Boys AT rifle, and my own Company armoury had two .303 Brens, along with three Martini Henry rifles left over from about 150 years before! The Brens might have seen service again if the shit really hit the fan, but the rifles? 
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#24
03-25-2016, 12:48 AM
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Also how do you arm an army that size? Australia now has only one small arms factory at Lithgow NSW, now owned by French company Thales Group.
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#25
03-25-2016, 01:47 AM
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Also.
If Australia brought in conscription to raise an army of 200,000 and also built a few small arms factories to produce enough rifles and ammunition (barely) to arm it, what about everything else such an army would need. The only divisions that Australia could raise would be light infantry divisions, and I emphasize the world light. Warfare in the Twilight War as it is today is a lot different to what it was in the Second World War. Highly mechanised and heavily armed armies and the threat from airpower. The casualty rates of Australian divisions would be horrendous. Where will they get the machineguns, grenade launchers, mortars, anti-tank missiles, and the munitions for them? What about armoured vehicles and artillery? The Americans might be able to supply some equipment, but their priorities will be on supporting US forces and there are many other US allies who will also be looking for support. Although Australia is a developed country its industrial focus is on mineral and energy extraction and refining, not engineering and precision industries or the mass production of transport equipment. Australia does not have the industrial capacity to arm and support an army of 200,000 troops by itself without a major investment and expansion of its arms and related industries. Also what about logistics. Even today with more capable military transport aircraft and sea logistics than existed 20 years ago, Australia could barely transport and support one brigade overseas.
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#26
03-25-2016, 02:48 AM
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Australia does have the capacity to equip a 200,000 strong army, however it's unlikely we could do it with modern equipment. WWII level technology, absolutely, Vietnam era, perhaps. The problem is more with the advances in armour and weaponry - we know how, but can only produce on a small scale (upgrading existing equipment such as the M1 for example). Large scale means going back to simpler processes.
Now that may be well and good for fighting a low tech opponent such as Indonesia, but add in the necessity of conscription and you can bet the population will be very upset - bad enough you take our sons, but to give them obsolete equipment too!? 
__________________
If it moves, shoot it, if not push it, if it still doesn't move, use explosives. Nothing happens in isolation - it's called "the butterfly effect" Mors ante pudorem
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#27
03-25-2016, 11:18 PM
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__________________
"It is better to be feared than loved" - Nicolo Machiavelli
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#28
03-26-2016, 12:18 AM
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#29
03-26-2016, 01:12 AM
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If I am reading it correctly the original posting had the Australia military that today is 12+ (counting the reserves) brigades at least on paper, and making it in to 11+ Divisions.
I am not (and have never had the privilege of even visiting) from Australia, but looking at this. Here is my thoughts on it. Going with the basic "history" that the game starts about five years after the first incident in 1995 (war between Russia and China). This gives us a hard time of no more than five years. Some of NATO gets involved in 1996-97 but not all (France stays neutral). Thanksgiving 1997 Nuclear balloon goes up. War goes on, with final push before you are on your own is in 2000. With that history What I see is that you really have about a year or two to build up. In 1995 I do not see any call up of reserves, maybe an increased footing for the active units. As we roll into 1996 and the war is looking more and more like it is going to happen I could see they taking a good look at what each country has, and needs. Maybe even increasing production a bit (not a lot as they are trying to stay out). Once war starts then yes I can see the production increasing. However as others have pointed out Australia does not have the production capability, and even if they started building it in 1996, I do not think it would be up and running by time the nukes went. Would the US, Germany, and/or England have the extra production capability to produce stuff for Australia at the same time they are ramping up themselves? I do not think so, there are lots of fluff about this American guard unit or that one still having their old tanks, if they had the production to sell extra they would have provided it to there units. So if we go with that Australia can not produce the heavy equipment needed, and there allies can not provide what is needed in the numbers needed then why raise the troops if you can not equip them. So summing up my thoughts, could Australia raise a 11+ Division army? Yes, if they wanted to. Could they do it in the time provided for in the game time line? Maybe, if they wanted only light infantry, No if they wanted the heavy troops listed in the post. As they could not equip them. I have seen people talk about how this or that was done in WWII, there are some big differences. Speaking for the US here in WWII most of the auto makers could make most of the military vehicles needed, today we have I believe one, say that again one manufacturer who can make tanks. Aircraft are not much better, were as WWII you could have lost of shops make them. Training, yes some of the training would be cut out, but it still takes longer to train a troop today then it did back then. Back in WWII even most of the "city" folk still has some understanding of firearms, to day some of them (I dare say a lot of them) have no clue other than what TV show them. Well I think I have gone on long enough so I will end it here.
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#30
03-26-2016, 01:52 AM
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This I think was touched upon here. http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.php?t=4627 Currently the US has only one tank factory in Lima, Ohio. I believe that America has not built a new tank from scratch since the mid-1990's. The Abram's are all now taken in and rebuilt or re-molded when needed. Some new parts are still produced and fitted but that is all that is being built at the moment.
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