Atopian Land Forces
Atopian Land Forces
The ALF remains the largest of the military services, encompassing both the army and the Strategic Rocket Force (ASRF). It totals some 12 million men and women aged between 16 and 50. All of these are front-line combat troops, in theory. Many formations are less experienced, while others are battle-hardened. The brunt of the logistical nightmare represented by the Army Groups and Indpendent Commands is borne by the dedicated Logistics Corps. This frees the 12 million soldiers of the Land Forces for combat tasks, enabling the Atopian military to sieze control of any given situation very rapidly indeed.
On the large scale, ALF are broken down into four Army Groups (A-D) each of 1.5 million troops in three armies of 500,000. These four Groups are earmarked for aggressive and defensive operations both inside and outside the borders of Atopiana. Currently, Army Group A is deployed to Iragia in defence of Atopian trade agreements. Rumour has it that if fighting continues, Army Groups B and C will be mobilised and sent to Iragia, making the Iragian campaign the largest ever undertaken by the Atopian Military.
In addition to the four main Groups, there are the Independent Commands and the troops of Army Group Home. Group Home, or AGH, is tasked solely with the internal defence of Atopiana, and its five Armies are each assigned a geographical sector for deployment, training, and defence. The Independent Commands are those deployed in defence of Atopiana’s Stakhanograd colony in Laquatia, the soldiers of the Grand Line, the occupation force of Die Boerstaat; and the Atopian Strategic Rocket Force.
Taken altogether, the ALF is a formidable force which has a wealth of combat experience to draw on, and the equipment to deal with any potential situation. Following a long procurement process, its tank units are now entirely equipped with the T-95; all infantry units are transported in BMP-3 armoured infantry fighting vehicles; and soldiers are armed and armoured with the latest weapons and body armour. In addition, close air support in the form of attack helicopters is integral to a Division’s make-up, as are artillery and engineers. Airborne units have their own dedicated aircraft and support vehicles, while the ALC works hand-in-hand with ALF to ensure that every Atopian soldier receives enough rations and ammunition to keep fighting.
Army Group A:
First Army (500,000)
1st to 3rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
4th to 6th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
7th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
8th to 10th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Second Army (500,000)
11th to 13th Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
14th to 16th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
17th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
18th to 20th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Third Army (500,000)
21st to 23rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
24th to 26th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
27th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
28th to 30th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Army Group B:
Fourth Army (500,000)
31st to 33rd Divisions (Mechanised) – 150,000
34th to 36th Divisions (Armoured) – 150,000
37th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
38th to 40th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Fifth Army (500,000)
41st to 43rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
44th to 46th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
47th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
48th to 50th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Sixth Army (500,000)
51st to 53rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
54th to 56th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
57th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
58th to 60th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Army Group C:
Seventh Army (500,000)
61st to 63rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
64th to 66th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
67th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
68th to 70th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Eighth Army (500,000)
71st to 73rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
74th to 76th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
77th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
78th to 80th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Ninth Army (500,000)
81st to 83rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
84th to 86th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
87th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
88th to 90th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Army Group D:
Tenth Army (500,000)
91st to 93rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
94th to 96th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
97th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
98th to 100th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Eleventh Army (500,000)
101st to 103rd Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
104th to 106th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
107th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
108th to 110th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Twelfth Army (500,000)
111th to 113th Division (Mechanised) – 150,000
114th to 116th Division (Armoured) – 150,000
117th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
118th to 120th Division (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Army Group Home:
Northern Army (500,000)
First to Fourth Divisions (Mechanised) – 200,000
Fifth to Eighth Divisions (Armoured) – 200,000
Ninth Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
Tenth Division (Air Mobile) – 50,000
Southern Army (500,000)
Eleventh to Fourteenth Divisions (Mechanised) – 200,000
Fifteenth to Eighteenth Divisions (Armoured) – 200,000
Ninteenth Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
Twentieth Division (Air Mobile) – 50,000
Eastern Army (500,000)
Twenty-First to Twenty-Fourth Divisions (Mechanised) – 200,000
Twenty-Fifth to Twenty-Eighth Divisions (Armoured) – 200,000
Twenty-Ninth Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
Thirtieth Division (Air Mobile) – 50,000
Western Army (500,000)
Thirty-First to Thirty-Fourth Divisions (Mechanised) – 200,000
Thirty-Fifth to Thirty-Eighth Divisions (Armoured) – 200,000
Thirty-Ninth Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
Fourtieth Division (Air Mobile) – 50,000
Central Army (500,000)
Forty-First to Forty-Fourth Divisions (Mechanised) – 200,000
Forty-Fifth to Eighth Divisions (Armoured) – 200,000
Forty-Ninth Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
Fiftieth Division (Air Mobile) – 50,000
Independent Commands:
Grand Line (2.5 million)
Stakhanograd Defence Force (100,000)
Lightning Division (Mechanised) – 50,000
Thunder Division (Armoured) – 50,000
Die Boerstaat Occupation Force (500,000)
121st to 123rd Divisions (Mechanised) – 150,000
124th to 126th Divisions (Armoured) – 150,000
127th Division (Special Forces) – 50,000
128th to 130th Divisions (Paratroop and Air Mobile) – 150,000
Strategic Rocket Force (400,000) with static and mobile SS-27 Topol-M ICBMs.
Each Division is, in addition to its primary units, equipped with integral air defence units; engineering and repair units; reconnaissance and artillery units as well as attack helicopters. Taken as a whole, an Atopian Division is a combined arms force par excellence, providing its own air, medical, engineering, and fire support. Mechanised Divisions have integral tank units in support, while Armoured divisions have their own mechanised infantry. Such divisions, acting together as part of an Atopian Corps or Army, are an unstoppable force.
Each Division – Mechanised, Armoured, Special Forces, Paratroop and Air Mobile – is laid out in the same manner as its fellows. As a result, the example divisions shown below could come from any Army Group or Independent Command. The only exceptions within Land Command are the Grand Line units (devoid of vehicles heavier than electric jeeps) and those of the ASRF, which are discussed in detail elsewhere. Note that, when including its organic support elements, each Division is in fact around the size of a much larger three-division Corps element.
1st (Mechanised) Division:
1x Infantry Division (BMP-3)
1x Armoured Brigade (T-95)
1x Artillery Brigade (MSTA-S)
1x Engineering Brigade
1x Attack Helicopter Wing (Kamov/Hind-D)
1x Reconnaissance Brigade (BRDM)
1x Medical Battalion
1x Air Defence Brigade (Tunguska M)
4th (Armoured) Division:
1x Armoured Division (T-95/-80M)
1x Infantry Brigade (BMP-3)
1x Artillery Brigade (MSTA-S)
1x Engineering Brigade
1x Attack Helicopter Wing (Kamov/Hind-D)
1x Reconnaissance Brigade (BRDM)
1x Medical Battalion
1x Air Defence Brigade (Tunguska M)
7th (Special Forces) Division: CLASSIFIED
8th (Paratroop) Division:
1x Infantry Division
1x Armoured Brigade (PT-76, ASU-85)
1x Artillery Brigade (105mm)
1x Engineering Brigade
1x Attack Helicopter Wing (Kamov/Hind-D)
1x Pathfinder (Recon) Brigade
1x Medical Battalion
1x Air Defence Brigade (SAMs, AAA, etc)
9th (Air Mobile) Division:
1x Infantry Division (Mi-8, Hind-D)
1x Engineering Brigade (Hind-D, Mi-8)
3x Attack Helicopter Wings (Kamov)
1x Reconnaissance Helicopter Wing
1x Medical Battalion (Mi-8)
1x Air Defence Brigade (SAMs, AAA, etc)
Note that the extra attack helicopter wings in each Air Mobile Division replace the armour and artillery brigades present in most other divisions. This is to retain the speed and mobility of the Division whilst sacrificing none of the firepower. The 120 or so gunships that can be brought to bear by each Air Mobile Division is usually more than is needed, while air defence is taken care of by air-portable AAA and SAM units transported in Mi-8 utility helicopters. The engineering brigade acts as a shock assault infantry brigade in these divisions, as bridgelaying is unnecessary and repairs are carried out by the crews of the helicopters as well as the dedicated mechanics of the ALC.
In order to foster greater offensive spirit and boost morale, the Atopian Army utilises a regimental structure. Each Regiment is the size of a Brigade, and is thus seamlessly integrated into the larger Divisional structure of the ALF. For example, 1st Division’s three mechanised infantry brigades are the Black Banner Guard Regiment, the Petropavlovsk Regiment and the Phalanx Regiment. Divisional HQ personnel are made up of members of each regiment represented within the division, with overall command being held by the senior officer regardless of his parent regiment.
Strategic and tactical doctrine of the ALF places great stock in the continuous offensive, with mobility and flexibility being the watchwords. There is a famous standing order – first given in 1992 by Comrade-Commander-Elect Alex Chuganov – which has never been rescinded: “When in doubt – advance, advance, advance!” This command epitomises the ALF’s military thinking. Coupled with an often overwhelming advantage in numbers due to the vast size of the Atopian population (at the time of writing it stands at 1.62 billion people), the rapid and punching advance of an Atopian Army is rarely halted.
All ranks are trained to show initiative, and to seize opportunities which present themselves; with the result that an Atopian force will often react faster than its commanders can. Highly developed command, control and communications systems are in place as a matter of necessity, and Divisional HQs will often delegate responsibility to the company level.
Due to the high level of integration and support, each Atopian division – the building block of the ALF – is an organic, self-sustaining, intelligent and flexible war machine. Every piece of equipment is mobile, with artillery and air defence being able to keep up with the advance. Medical units, too, must move rapidly to enable successful casevac during contact with the enemy.
Such a doctrine is difficult to implement at the best of times, and it is only with the co-operation of the ALC that the ALF has been victorious so many times against enemies that were better equipped and – occassionally – more numerous.
