FBU involvement in Africa

[Raellus]

I have French "advisors" in Kenya. I also have the French trading enough AFVs to the U.S. (for the 173rd BCT's light armored battalion which, along with the rest of the BCT, is deployed to Kenya) for a share of the fuel produced by the refineries around Mombasa. Frank Frey came up with the concept and I just added the details. He was cool with it.

[boogiedowndonovan]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I have French "advisors" in Kenya. I also have the French trading enough AFVs to the U.S. (for the 173rd BCT's light armored battalion which, along with the rest of the BCT, is deployed to Kenya) for a share of the fuel produced by the refineries around Mombasa. Frank Frey came up with the concept and I just added the details. He was cool with it.

sounds interesting, what do you have the light armored battalion equipped with? AMX-10RC?

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by boogiedowndonovan

sounds interesting, what do you have the light armored battalion equipped with? AMX-10RC?

I like the AMX-10RC but I went a different route*. Here's the pertinent section from my write-up. A much more complete write up can be found here: http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.p...ion+proud+lion

Originally Posted by Raellus

French Involvement

The French government wanted access to the fuel produced by the Kenyan refineries. They offered the American government French-made AFVs originally en route to its African client states in exchange for a share of the fuel produced in Kenya. The U.S., unable to adequately provide replacement vehicles for the 173rd BCT, accepted the offer. The shipment was diverted to Mombasa, arriving in early August, 2007. The 3/503 (motorized) henceforth began operations equipped with Panhard VBLs, VABs, and ERC 90 F4s.

(The 173rd BCT lost its organic vehicles [mostly HUMVEEs, FAVs, and a few LAV75A2 Ridgways] when a Soviet [or Italian] submarine sank the ship transporting them to Kenya.)

*The reason that I didn't choose the more powerful AMX-10RC is that there it currently has only 3 users (including France), none of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. The ERC 90 F4, on the other hand, has 4 African users so it seemed a more likely option.

[Cdnwolf]

I would imagine the French would have seize the oil rigs in the Gulf of St Lawrence and ones off Nova Scotia to help its fuel problems.

[Legbreaker]

They do that and they're starting an international incident nobody wants, even if they are basically "friends" with Quebec.
Definitely NOT an option to go seizing another countries property, especially when it's a loooong way from your own borders.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

I would imagine the French would have seize the oil rigs in the Gulf of St Lawrence and ones off Nova Scotia to help its fuel problems.

Too far, too hard and too risky (as Leg pointed out)

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Raellus

*The reason that I didn't choose the more powerful AMX-10RC is that there it currently has only 3 users (including France), none of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. The ERC 90 F4, on the other hand, has 4 African users so it seemed a more likely option.

I agree with your choice except that there were only 3 African users for the ERC-90 (Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon and Tchad/Nigeria is a recent addition, post-2000). Moreover, models might not be F4 but F1 and you could have some ERC-20 "Kriss" with them. The VAB could be the six wheeled versions but there are three more possibilities for the APC: Panhard VCR, the APC version of the ACMAT VLRA and the VBRG. By the way, I would add the VLRA to the list in 4 and 6 wheeled versions.

Surplus AML-90 could be sent as well.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

I agree with your choice except that there were only 3 African users for the ERC-90 (Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon and Tchad/Nigeria is a recent addition, post-2000). Moreover, models might not be F4 but F1 and you could have some ERC-20 "Kriss" with them. The VAB could be the six wheeled versions but there are three more possibilities for the APC: Panhard VCR, the APC version of the ACMAT VLRA and the VBRG. By the way, I would add the VLRA to the list in 4 and 6 wheeled versions.

Surplus AML-90 could be sent as well.

Thanks for the info and the suggestions. I like the idea of adding a couple of ERC-20 Kriss to the mix (if I go with the ERC-90). The AML-90 is also a good choice. IIRC, the main reason I didn't go with that is that it looked like production ended well before the Twilight War.

I must admit that I chose the VAB because I really like the way that it looks, especially the four-wheeled version. In my opinion, the Panhard VCR has got to be one of the ugliest wheeled APCs in the world.

As I was envisioning it, the VBLs would do reconaissance and possibly AT duty (armed with TOW IIs), the VALs would act as standard APCs and possibly mortar carriers, and the ERC-90s would provide direct fire support for the whole bunch.

I also envisioned a few trucks as being part of the shipment (but I kind of gave up on researching exactly which models).

On a side note, it would be an interesting, somewhat ironic, coincidence if the U.S. operated ERC-90s, since the Mexican army would presumably be using their own ERC-90s against U.S. forces in the American southwest.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Raellus

The AML-90 is also a good choice. IIRC, the main reason I didn't go with that is that it looked like production ended well before the Twilight War.

In fact, several hundreds had just been phased out by the French the last being taken out of service in the mid-1990's. Moreover, if production had ended for France, the production lines were maintained for exports until 2002 when the production definitely ceased. By the 1990's production is rated "as required".

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I also envisioned a few trucks as being part of the shipment (but I kind of gave up on researching exactly which models).

Outsdide of the ACMAT VLRA, trucks could be Berliet GB 8KT, Marmon-Simca and Hotchkiss Jeep. Still the VLRA is my favored choice because the vehicle is fun, because it has been engineered for Africa in the first place and because it can be used as a platform for various type of use (including anti-air and command).

Here is a link with numerous views of the VLRA. Also search for the UN African HMMWV, it is interesting and perfectly relevant to T2K.

http://www.google.fr/search?um=1&hl=...&aqi=&aql=&oq=

[Panther Al]

Originally Posted by Raellus

Thanks for the info and the suggestions. I like the idea of adding a couple of ERC-20 Kriss to the mix (if I go with the ERC-90). The AML-90 is also a good choice. IIRC, the main reason I didn't go with that is that it looked like production ended well before the Twilight War.

I must admit that I chose the VAB because I really like the way that it looks, especially the four-wheeled version. In my opinion, the Panhard VCR has got to be one of the ugliest wheeled APCs in the world.

As I was envisioning it, the VBLs would do reconaissance and possibly AT duty (armed with TOW IIs), the VALs would act as standard APCs and possibly mortar carriers, and the ERC-90s would provide direct fire support for the whole bunch.

I also envisioned a few trucks as being part of the shipment (but I kind of gave up on researching exactly which models).

On a side note, it would be an interesting, somewhat ironic, coincidence if the U.S. operated ERC-90s, since the Mexican army would presumably be using their own ERC-90s against U.S. forces in the American southwest.

I totally agree, the VAB is perhaps one of the better looking wheeled APC's out there, and I like how you have a commonality of parts for the vehicles by and large. Nice thing about the VAB, is it seems to have a variant for about every possible use, so it could fill the majority of roles needed.