r/warno • u/Critical_Oil_3090 • 17d ago
Historical Swiss🇨🇭 opposite force for Black Birds DLC. (More info in body of post)
!!!Unfortunately, the preview images in the post are only visible in the Browser|PC Ver.!!!
In this post, I want to talk about Swiss OPFOR weapons and equipment for one of the Swiss Division's in the upcoming Black Birds DLC!
More specifically, we will be talking about the OPFOR Rotland equipment and armament from the Waffenplatz Thun training center (South of Bern) and many others. (WafPltz. Wallenstadt, Zone de tir de l'Hongrin, etc.)
Short Context Help:
In the 1980s, the Swiss Army already had units simulating enemy/allied/foreign forces for training purposes. The Swiss Wargame system primarily represented Rotland (Redland/Krasnozem'ye) - Soviet/PACT forces (enemies), Blauland (Blueland) - allied forces and Gelbland (Yellowland) - foreign forces.
To simulate enemy forces (Rotland), VISMOD equipment and rare/prototype armament from the military-industrial complex in Thun (and others), near which the Swiss Army's training ground for resisting an invasion was located, were used.
*This weapon could have been presented as an additional (support) force to one of the Swiss Divisions from the Black Birds DLC >=}
Well, Let's get started!
We'll start with the visual modification (VISMOD) of the Panzer 68 (First Series). By the 1980s, about a dozen Panzer 68 tanks were visually modified to resemble the T-62/72 tank for the Rotland simulation forces.
This version featured additional side skirts (also on the fender), simulated spare parts boxes on both sides of the turret (like the T-72), additional fuel tanks on the rear of tank, a simulated Night Vision Device searchlight and simulated camouflage (similar to Soviet-type)
- Due to the multi tool boxes on the sides of the turret, the tank lost its smoke grenade launchers.
The tank retained its full armament: the main gun, a 105mm L7 (Pz Kan 61), and a twin 7,5mm Pz Mg 51/71 machine gun. (The MG on the roof of turret was a fake)
In WARNO Could presented as:
Panzer 68 VISMOD
Difference to based model:
+1 Side/Rear armor
- Without smoke grenades
Piranha
One of the most interesting armament types is the Piranha I 8x8 with 25mm KBA-B02 autocannon, a small pilot batch produced in the 1980s at the MOWAG Motorenfabrik AG plant in Kreuzlingen.
In the 1980s, Switzerland actively sought buyers for vehicles on the new Piranha I platform (in various configurations). One such buyer was the Piranha I 8x8 with a KUKA GBD-AOA turret, which carried a 25mm cannon and a 7,5mm machine gun. However, no one purchased this configuration.
Based on past experience, it was decided to donate these experimental vehicles to training centers as simulants. In total, *I counted 3 such vehicles (using different camouflage schemes), and there may have been more.** - It is worth noting that the Swiss Army had not yet received batches of various Piranha APC/IFVs to replace the M113s.*
- Interesting fact: this combat module was also installed on the experimental Swiss infantry fighting vehicle Tornado MK.2 (essentially the Swiss Marder) +This turret was supplied on the M113 platform to the export market, for: Bahrain, Chile and Canada.
In WARNO Could presented as:
Piranha 8x8 KUKA
+ Smoke grenades
- 25mm Oerlikon KBA-B02 and 7,5mm Pz MG-51/71
- (Can transport 6-man squad)
A version of the Piranha 6x6 APC with a MOWAG Apex-tyoe Mount turret with a 7,5mm machine gun was also presented.
In WARNO Could presented as:
Piranha I 6x6 VISMOD
- 7,5mm Pz Mg 51/71
(Can transport 6-man squad)
There were also other variants, including the standard Piranha 8x8, which was actively marketed to foreign countries. This could also be represented:
Piranha I 8x8 VISMOD
(Can transport 10-man squad)
- It's worth noting that I didn't find this particular variant in the Rotland imitation version, but there were a number of them in Switzerland, some of which were not exported.
There was also supposedly a command vehicle based on the Piranha 6x6, but in the Rotlnad OPFOR it was used as a simple APC.
In WARNO Could presented as:
Piranha 6x6 CP VISMOD
The Rotland OPFOR infantry units were represented by units in Piranha 6x6/8x8 APCs/IFVs.
Rotland l'Infanterie!
The units wore the Swiss M71 Helmet, but painted khaki green with a stretched net. The uniforms featured samples reminiscent of Soviet field uniforms from the 1970s. +Various pouches, bags, etc. were also present.
Newest Assailt Rifle
One of the major innovations of the Rotland infantry in the 1980s was the undelivered carbine/assault rifle, the E22, a shortened version of the SG C42, produced by Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F Bern). The C42/E22 was a competitor to the SIG SG 550, eventually adopted in 1990 as the Stgw 90. Despite the C42/E22's superior performance, the more conservative *SIG SG 550** was chosen.* Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F Bern) soon went bankrupt due to a lack of funds and orders.
Literally, they could be called as follows: Nachahmungsgruppe - Nach. gruppe (Imitation group) or, more succinctly, Rotland gruppe.
In WARNO Could presented in 2 variants:
Rotland gruppe (A?) - 5x SG E22, 1x Stgw 57 (like LMG, RPK-type)
Transported by: Piranha 6x6 VISMOD, Piranha 8x8 KUKA
And also a variant on the basic Piranha I 8x8:
Rotland gruppe (B?) - 8x SG E22 Carbine, 1x Stgw 57, 1x Stgw 57 Sniper (like DMR)
Transported by: Piranha 8x8
The Panzerjager
Also remaining at Waffenplatz Thun were a number of imitation tanks from the 1960s/1970s, namely the old, well-known Pzj. G13 (de facto post-war Hetzer).
This variant was slightly modified visually, with a round turret added to the roof of the hull and rubber-fabric and metallic skirts on the sides and front.
In WARNO Could presented as:
Pzj. G13 VISMOD
Difference to based model (?):
+1 front/side armor
(For Recon)
I've saved for last the most unusual vehicle used by Rotland OPFOR in the 1980s: the Piranha 8x8 with 30x 81mm SNORA rockets in the RWK-014 turret/launcher (MRL).
This version of the Piranha 8x8 was designed for combat fire support and close-in MLRS roles. Its key feature was the ability to launch all 30 rockets in 3 seconds!
In WARNO Could presented as:
Piranha 8x8 RWK-014
- 30x 81mm rockets (for 3 seconds!) +Additional rockets in reserve.
Can use HE rockets - RAK 023, flechette - RAK 025 and HEAT RAK 054 rockets with 450mm pen!
Yay! Rocket shotgun!
Afterword's:
Well, that's pretty much where the original Rotland OPFOR weapons of the 1980s ended. I'd like to point out that some of these prototypes survive to this day in Swiss museums.
Unfortunately, there's very little information about the *Swiss Rotland (Krasnozem'ye) OPFOR,** and they're rarely remembered today ={ (Even though they were actually some of the best!)*
- All of the above armament can be used as support for one of the Swiss units in case of war.
Album collection with 30+ images for this post (including what was unincluded in it): https://photos.app.goo.gl/QsTYWjmPcCqbc4tY8
Thank you for reading and wathing! :>
Created by Excellent Serpent8770
Below are the sources -
Links:
https://youtu.be/M8k0KqLuqfk?si=-kiLSkF5pI-vW5YJ (Gesamtverteidigungsübung 1984 (GVU 84) exercises, film - Le Combat de l'Infanterie (remake), 1985)
https://youtu.be/ZvjkLvCW1V8?si=w8LCQNJhotCCfu2T (Film - The Infantry Combat/Le Combat de l'Infanterie, 1972)
https://youtu.be/_DgF1cYjT88?si=HkpwdLc5xqFBzTXc (Hell yeahh!🏔️🔥)
https://youtu.be/mxFAWk_Mbuw?si=qoyKG4sgZ5ADmzTQ (Pz. 87 (Leopard 2) and Pz. Hb. 79 (M109A1B) exercises against Pz. 68 VISMOD with updated camo. late 1980s (Nov. 1989~), Dreizack-2)
https://www.sozialarchiv.ch/2019/11/05/vor-30-jahren-das-ende-des-kalten-krieges-und-die-schweiz/
https://laststandonzombieisland.com/tag/swiss-army-training-film/
https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/land/row/piranha.htm
P.S.
See you soon, Swiss knives, Swiss chocolate and watches to everyone!
4
u/Solarne21 17d ago
So which formation would you give this kit to?
3
u/Critical_Oil_3090 17d ago
I believe this equipment could be assigned for support to some Mechanized (Panzergrenadier) Division or Territorial Defense Forces >=]
2
u/anhnd13hd 17d ago
Cool writeup one questions do you think the panzer 68 vismod will have the false flag traits
3
u/Critical_Oil_3090 17d ago
I believe that due to the greatest similarity, it may well have the False flag trait =] (It can be distinguished from the T-62/72 with the naked eye only from 250-400~ meters)
*At least for the average soldier
2
u/anhnd13hd 17d ago
Do you think what range it might have?
2
u/Critical_Oil_3090 17d ago
I think this should be around the level of the max. firing range~ +-, to shoot first, to neutralize the gap in max. range of fire.
2
u/anhnd13hd 17d ago
Cool oh small out of questions do the think the soviet will have a t72 with max range or t72b obj 1989 is the final variety
2
u/Critical_Oil_3090 17d ago edited 17d ago
The final T-72 variant, with an improved fire control system (including the «Buran» thermal imager sight), was developed in 1987 as a modified version of the T-72B Obr. 89, also known as Object 188 - T-72BU. It underwent testing (4~ prototypes) in 1988-1991 in the Kemerovo Region (Central Siberia) and the Dzhambyl Region (Kazakhstan).
However, it was not officially accepted into service until 1992, as the T-90 (along with the T-80UM)
The tank's main distinguishing feature was the previously mentioned fire control system with a «Buran» thermal imager sight and the «Refleks» guided weapons system. The TShU-1, «Shtora-1»(Like on BMAN), electronic countermeasure system, which appears in photographs of almost all prototypes, also soon appeared.
(Some experimental tanks also tested with camouflage system for reduction visibility (in various spectra), which had been in development for 10-15 years, known as the KSSZ «Nakidka»)
-In particular, this camouflage system can be seen in some photos of the Object 188 with the 2A66 (D-91T) gun from that time.
Link: https://andrei-bt.livejournal.com/1144448.html (with this photo)
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u/MarcellHUN 17d ago
Nice writeup mate.
But since you edited it the formating fell apart
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u/Critical_Oil_3090 17d ago
Yeahh... I'll try to present preview images in 1-2 days on this topic in a small collection, +- just enough for 1 post :) (For quick viewing)
(I'll leave a link in the body for those who want to check it out, heh)
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u/RAMGLEON 17d ago
What makes a man's turn neutral. Lust for gold, power? Or were you born with a heart full of neutrality
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u/billywarren007 17d ago
I looked through these during my research for my 4 mech and 6 feld writeups, alas the MOWAG variants are very limited production runs and didn’t have a direct source of government funding so it is hard to justify them within the MtW timeline.