American and Russian units in the Middle East

[Scrapper_511]

So far, the scenarios I've created for myself (none are nearly polished enough to share here) have taken place in a European environment. I think I'm gonna tinker around with the desert maps and see how different open fields will be.

Out of curiousity, what American and Russian units would mostly likely have dueled it out in the Middle East during the 80's?

[Volcano]

Out of curiousity, what American and Russian units would mostly likely have dueled it out in the Middle East during the 80's?

If such a think happened it would probably be airborne formations from both sides, at least initially (like XVIII Airborne Corps for the US). It would anyone's guess what, if any, heavy forces would have been involved, but perhaps forces from CONUS and Russia (both sides had plenty of forces in reserve, so to speak such as III Corps and Baltic/Byelorussian Military Districts).

In other words, just make something up.

[Scrapper_511]

Okay, if I decide to write a oporder for such a scenario I will just refer to Harold Coyle's "Sword Point" for unit ideas.

Say, the desert would make a pretty neat Modern Campaigns theater. Please tell Mr. Tiller! (Middle East 67 not modern enough for me)

[Mogwa]

There would probably be US armor pre po at Diego Garcia that would be included in such scenarios.

Mog

[Ssnake]

It really depends on the strategic and operational context, and you have a pretty far reaching artistic license coverage for it. Just look at Kuwait 1990 - a Soviet client state rolls over the border of a woefully unprepared neighbor and then threatens a US ally. If the Iraqis would have moved on, you'd have T-55 and T-72 vs. US light infantry and Saudi-Arabian light armor, along with air strikes from a nearby carrier group or two.

Or you have tensions build up over a long time (Israel/Egypt, say?) where you'd then see a more or less symmetrical force.

Or you look at the real Operation Desert Storm with the massive overkill of several armored divisions with the latest and greatest Western equipment come over an assembly of somewhat dated Soviet equipment with predictable results.

Somewhere in this spectrum lies your answer.

[PincerDK]

Say, the desert would make a pretty neat Modern Campaigns theater. Please tell Mr. Tiller! (Middle East 67 not modern enough for me)

I think there's a 2005 mod for Middle East 67', same sides but different equipment.

[Volcano]

I think there's a 2005 mod for Middle East 67', same sides but different equipment.

Yes indeed. Scrapper check out the "Jihad '04" and "Peace for Galilee '82" mods, both of which can be found in the same pack at vmods.com (shameless plug). There is a pretty outrageous Stryker type brigade in one of the J04 variants (at that time, speculated as "ICVs"). You can play without that variant I think, but keep in mind the mod was made many years ago before anyone really knew what the Stryker or "Future Warrior" was. There are also 1970s variants with US and Russian intervention.