Foreign troop use

[James Langham]

A short article with examples of foreign auxiliaries.

As usual please feel free to comment.

[helbent4]

A short article with examples of foreign auxiliaries.

As usual please feel free to comment.

James,

Nice, although some excellent canon references are overlooked.

In Challenge #30: Canada 2000, pg 14 mentions that Soviet and Canadian troops regularly cooperate in industrial and economic endevours, and a battalion of Rocky Mountain Rangers and a Motor Rifle Regiment jointly garrison the city of Kamloops. At that point those Soviets may as well "patch over" to the CF as they clearly are no longer loyal to the Soviet union (like the 62nd MRD) or marauders.

With large numbers of Soviets cut off in BC, and American troops remaining behind for whatever reason after the US forces pulled out, recruiting foreign units wholesale into the CF is largely a given. Keeping the personnel of such units together makes sense from an organisational, linguistic and/or logistical standpoint, at least in the short term. It also it fits squarely into the history and tradition of the Canadian Army. Probably such units would be formed into something like the "Loyal Russian Rifles" or "Loyal American" regiments.

Tony

[raketenjagdpanzer]

First of all, James, these are very well done.

Second of all, would you be averse to me writing one

I've always had an idea kicking around in my head I'd like to do.

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here

[Abbott Shaull]

Interesting. I know if I understood what I have read about the 2nd Infantry Division and the 8th Army in general has several South Korean national attached to the various units to bring them up to strength. So it isn't really a new idea to the US....

[bobcat]

Interesting. I know if I understood what I have read about the 2nd Infantry Division and the 8th Army in general has several South Korean national attached to the various units to bring them up to strength. So it isn't really a new idea to the US....

ah yes the KATUSA's. among some of the brightest troopers i have ever seen. and i swear they are better at shamming than a seasoned specialist. but when you get them to put their effort into something it gets done (often with surprising results).



(someone get me out of here)

[James Langham]

Thanks

First of all, James, these are very well done.

Second of all, would you be averse to me writing one

I've always had an idea kicking around in my head I'd like to do.

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here

Thanks.

Feel free - this is a group where everyone has always been free and welcome to add ideas.

A good question, the best answer is it doesn't but it's worth noting where it isn't adherant to avoid confusion.

[James Langham]

KATUSAs

ah yes the KATUSA's. among some of the brightest troopers i have ever seen. and i swear they are better at shamming than a seasoned specialist. but when you get them to put their effort into something it gets done (often with surprising results).



(someone get me out of here)

The KATUSAs and the Commonwealth KATCOMs were the inspiration for the element on how CENTCOM auxilliery troops were used.

[Legbreaker]

Finally, how adherent to canon must it be to pass muster around here

It doesn't. Good writing is always appreciated.
If it's not, a word or two indicating it's not is advisable though.

[Rainbow Six]

I like this a lot, particularly the part about the Dutch auxilliaries. I'd also love to see more detail on the 5/325th Kurdish Battalion.

Good job - thanks for sharing it.

[Mohoender]

Nice

About the dutch troops in french employ, I'm not convinced by the pump action shotgun as they have never been in much use among french troops. I would suggest MAT-49 instead or FN/browning auto-5 which were produced by the FN at Herstal (near Liege). For handguns I would equip them with stored Browning M1910 (7.65mm cartridge). For vehicles, you can have Belgium made Land Rover and french Hotchkiss Jeep. Armored would certainly be M3 APC and Panhard AML.

However, with time, these units should be receiving more modern weapons. As far as I know Liege-Herstal survived the war. In addition, the entire french arm industry has survived the war (as far as canon is concerned) and it should be in full production at the time of the "Dead Zone".

With the establishment of the Dead Zone and the annexation of Belgium, France has a strong siderurgy, enough iron and quite some coal. Coal mines in Belgium, France and Saarland have been closed by the mid-1990's (too expensive to exploit) but the twilight war would make them interesting again.

[Canadian Army]

Spain

I notice you left out Spain. Spain has the Legi3n Espa+-ola, La Legi3n (Spanish Legi3n, , formerly Spanish Foreign Legion) and the Fuerzas Regulares Ind-genas ("Indigenous Regular Forces"), known simply as the Regulares (Regulars) in it's army. Here is what I came up with for both.

The Spanish Foreign Legion, formerly the Spanish Legion, is an elite unit; designated as General Reserve, of the Spanish Army. Founded as the Tercio de Extranjeros ("Foreigners Regiment"), it was originally intended as a Spanish equivalent of the French Foreign Legion, but in practice it recruited almost exclusively Spaniards and after 1987 it stopped accepting foreigners altogether and changed its name to the Spanish Legion. But, by start of the Twilight War the Spanish Army had again accepted foreigners from select nationalities. Included were: male and female native Spanish speakers, mostly from Central American and South American countries.

"Plus ultra" Brigade de la Lgion
The Plus Ultra Brigade, or Brigada Hispanoamericana, is a military contingent of mixed personnel from Spain (800 troops), the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua (about 1,700 troops), which was commissioned to support US troops in the Persian Gulf front during the Twilight War, with the brigade deploying in July 1996. The brigade's name is a reference to Plus Ultra, the national motto of Spain. All the battalions were equipped and transported by the U.S. military, and received some specific training in Canada prior to their arrival in the Gulf.
Units:

• Bandera de quartier gnral (Headquarters Battalion)
• VII Teniente Coronel Valenzuela Bandera, 3rd Juan de Austria Tercio (Light Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion)
• V Gonzalo Fern!ndez de C3rdoba Bandera, 2nd Duque de Alba Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• II Carlos I Bandera, 1st Gran Capit!n Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• II Bandera de artiller-a de la Lgion (Artillery Battalion)
• II Bandera log-stico de la Lgion (Logistics Battalion)

Rey Alfonso XIII Brigade de la Lgion
The Rey Alfonso XIII Brigade of the Legion was created in 1995 from operational units of the Spanish Legion, along with support units from the dissolved 23rd Brigade. It receives its name in tribute to the grandfather of H.M. King Juan Carlos I, who with his signature sanctioned the Royal Decree creating the Legion. The Brigade was the largest unit of the Legion, until the creation of the Plus ultra" Brigade. It is under the command of a General de brigada (Brigade General), in addition to its operational command, is responsible for development, maintenance and respect for traditions of the entire body of the Legion.
Units:

• Bandera de quartier gnral (Headquarters Battalion)
• VII Cristobal Colon Bandera, 3rd Juan de Austria Tercio (Armoured Battalion )
• X Millan Astray Bandera, 4th Alejandro Farnesio Tercio (Infantry Battalion )
• IV Cristo de Lepanto Bandera, 2nd Duque de Alba Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• I Casa de Borgo+-a Bandera, 1st Gran Capit!n Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• I Bandera de artiller-a de la Lgion (Artillery Battalion)
• I Bandera log-stico de la Lgion (Logistics Battalion)

Bandera de operaciones especiales de la legi3n, 4th Alejandro Farnesio Tercio
The BOEL, as they are known as, is the Spanish Legion "Special" unit. The battalion consists of about 500 men and is deployed as long range reconnaissance companies attached to the 1st Armoured Division Brunete, the 2nd Motorized Division Guzman El Bueno, the 3rd Mechanized Division Maestrazgo, the 4th Mountain Division Urgel, and the 5th Mountain Division Navarra

Regulares Ind-genas Infanter-a ligera Brigade
The Regulares Ind-genas is the name commonly used to designate the volunteer infantry and cavalry units of the Spanish Army recruited in Spanish Morocco. The Regulares were first raised in 1911 as a "batall3n ind-gena" of infantry. Their formation came at a time when Spain was expanding into the Moroccan hinterland from the long held coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. From 1914 to 1922 the Regulares were expanded in numbers to five "Grupos" (Groups) based respectively in Melilla, Tetuan, Ceuta, Alhucemas and Larache. While they remained predominantly infantry, recognition of Moroccan skills as horsemen led to the establishment of cavalry "tabores" (squadrons). With the independence of Morocco in 1956 the majority of the Moroccan personnel of the Regulares, numbering about 10,000, were transferred to the newly raised Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Spain however retained the historic enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta and as a result the Grupos of Tetuan, Melilla, Ceuta and Alhucemas remained in existence as part of the two garrisons, while the cavalry units were disbanded. As part of a wider reorganisation of the Spanish Army in 1996, the existing the Grupos of Tetuan, Melilla, Ceuta and Alhucemas were amalgamated into the new 52nd Regulares Light Infantry Regiment Melilla and the 54th Regulares Light Infantry Regiment Ceuta.
Units:

• Bandera de quartier gnral (Headquarters Battalion)
• Regimiento de Infanter-a Ligera Regulares de Melilla n.o 52 (52nd Regulars Light Infantry Regiment Melilla)
• Regimiento de Infanter-a Ligera Regulares de Ceuta n.o 54 (54th Regulars Light Infantry Regiment Ceuta)
• I Compa+--a log-stico de la Regulares Ind-genas Infanter-a ligera Brigade (Logistics Company)
• I Se+-ala la Compa+--a de la Regulares Ind-genas Infanter-a ligera Brigade (Signals Company)

[James Langham]

Spanish detail

I notice you left out Spain. Spain has the Legi3n Espa+-ola, La Legi3n (Spanish Legi3n, , formerly Spanish Foreign Legion) and the Fuerzas Regulares Ind-genas ("Indigenous Regular Forces"), known simply as the Regulares (Regulars) in it's army. Here is what I came up with for both.

The Spanish Foreign Legion, formerly the Spanish Legion, is an elite unit; designated as General Reserve, of the Spanish Army. Founded as the Tercio de Extranjeros ("Foreigners Regiment"), it was originally intended as a Spanish equivalent of the French Foreign Legion, but in practice it recruited almost exclusively Spaniards and after 1987 it stopped accepting foreigners altogether and changed its name to the Spanish Legion. But, by start of the Twilight War the Spanish Army had again accepted foreigners from select nationalities. Included were: male and female native Spanish speakers, mostly from Central American and South American countries.

"Plus ultra" Brigade de la Lgion
The Plus Ultra Brigade, or Brigada Hispanoamericana, is a military contingent of mixed personnel from Spain (800 troops), the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua (about 1,700 troops), which was commissioned to support US troops in the Persian Gulf front during the Twilight War, with the brigade deploying in July 1996. The brigade's name is a reference to Plus Ultra, the national motto of Spain. All the battalions were equipped and transported by the U.S. military, and received some specific training in Canada prior to their arrival in the Gulf.
Units:

• Bandera de quartier gnral (Headquarters Battalion)
• VII Teniente Coronel Valenzuela Bandera, 3rd Juan de Austria Tercio (Light Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion)
• V Gonzalo Fern!ndez de C3rdoba Bandera, 2nd Duque de Alba Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• II Carlos I Bandera, 1st Gran Capit!n Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• II Bandera de artiller-a de la Lgion (Artillery Battalion)
• II Bandera log-stico de la Lgion (Logistics Battalion)

Rey Alfonso XIII Brigade de la Lgion
The Rey Alfonso XIII Brigade of the Legion was created in 1995 from operational units of the Spanish Legion, along with support units from the dissolved 23rd Brigade. It receives its name in tribute to the grandfather of H.M. King Juan Carlos I, who with his signature sanctioned the Royal Decree creating the Legion. The Brigade was the largest unit of the Legion, until the creation of the Plus ultra" Brigade. It is under the command of a General de brigada (Brigade General), in addition to its operational command, is responsible for development, maintenance and respect for traditions of the entire body of the Legion.
Units:

• Bandera de quartier gnral (Headquarters Battalion)
• VII Cristobal Colon Bandera, 3rd Juan de Austria Tercio (Armoured Battalion )
• X Millan Astray Bandera, 4th Alejandro Farnesio Tercio (Infantry Battalion )
• IV Cristo de Lepanto Bandera, 2nd Duque de Alba Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• I Casa de Borgo+-a Bandera, 1st Gran Capit!n Tercio (Infantry Battalion)
• I Bandera de artiller-a de la Lgion (Artillery Battalion)
• I Bandera log-stico de la Lgion (Logistics Battalion)

Bandera de operaciones especiales de la legi3n, 4th Alejandro Farnesio Tercio
The BOEL, as they are known as, is the Spanish Legion "Special" unit. The battalion consists of about 500 men and is deployed as long range reconnaissance companies attached to the 1st Armoured Division Brunete, the 2nd Motorized Division Guzman El Bueno, the 3rd Mechanized Division Maestrazgo, the 4th Mountain Division Urgel, and the 5th Mountain Division Navarra

Regulares Ind-genas Infanter-a ligera Brigade
The Regulares Ind-genas is the name commonly used to designate the volunteer infantry and cavalry units of the Spanish Army recruited in Spanish Morocco. The Regulares were first raised in 1911 as a "batall3n ind-gena" of infantry. Their formation came at a time when Spain was expanding into the Moroccan hinterland from the long held coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. From 1914 to 1922 the Regulares were expanded in numbers to five "Grupos" (Groups) based respectively in Melilla, Tetuan, Ceuta, Alhucemas and Larache. While they remained predominantly infantry, recognition of Moroccan skills as horsemen led to the establishment of cavalry "tabores" (squadrons). With the independence of Morocco in 1956 the majority of the Moroccan personnel of the Regulares, numbering about 10,000, were transferred to the newly raised Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Spain however retained the historic enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta and as a result the Grupos of Tetuan, Melilla, Ceuta and Alhucemas remained in existence as part of the two garrisons, while the cavalry units were disbanded. As part of a wider reorganisation of the Spanish Army in 1996, the existing the Grupos of Tetuan, Melilla, Ceuta and Alhucemas were amalgamated into the new 52nd Regulares Light Infantry Regiment Melilla and the 54th Regulares Light Infantry Regiment Ceuta.
Units:

• Bandera de quartier gnral (Headquarters Battalion)
• Regimiento de Infanter-a Ligera Regulares de Melilla n.o 52 (52nd Regulars Light Infantry Regiment Melilla)
• Regimiento de Infanter-a Ligera Regulares de Ceuta n.o 54 (54th Regulars Light Infantry Regiment Ceuta)
• I Compa+--a log-stico de la Regulares Ind-genas Infanter-a ligera Brigade (Logistics Company)
• I Se+-ala la Compa+--a de la Regulares Ind-genas Infanter-a ligera Brigade (Signals Company)

Nice detail although I was under the impression the Spanish Foreign Legion did not accept foreigners any more!

[James Langham]

Nice

About the dutch troops in french employ, I'm not convinced by the pump action shotgun as they have never been in much use among french troops. I would suggest MAT-49 instead or FN/browning auto-5 which were produced by the FN at Herstal (near Liege). For handguns I would equip them with stored Browning M1910 (7.65mm cartridge). For vehicles, you can have Belgium made Land Rover and french Hotchkiss Jeep. Armored would certainly be M3 APC and Panhard AML.

However, with time, these units should be receiving more modern weapons. As far as I know Liege-Herstal survived the war. In addition, the entire french arm industry has survived the war (as far as canon is concerned) and it should be in full production at the time of the "Dead Zone".

With the establishment of the Dead Zone and the annexation of Belgium, France has a strong siderurgy, enough iron and quite some coal. Coal mines in Belgium, France and Saarland have been closed by the mid-1990's (too expensive to exploit) but the twilight war would make them interesting again.

Nice thoughts. I had gone with the pump-action as I wanted to emphasize the paramilitary nature. I didn't envision them with vehicles as they are intended as local forces (indeed their main strength is local knowledge). I may well add MAT49s and M1910s to the list (with a note that they fold down well for the resistance if captured - even with the magazine attached).

[James Langham]

Thanks

I like this a lot, particularly the part about the Dutch auxilliaries. I'd also love to see more detail on the 5/325th Kurdish Battalion.

Good job - thanks for sharing it.

Thanks - I will see what I can do with a full write up of Pegasus II and the Kurds when I have time.

[Canadian Army]

Nice detail although I was under the impression the Spanish Foreign Legion did not accept foreigners any more!

Through the course of the Legion's history Spaniards (including natives of the colony of Spanish Guinea) have made up the majority of its members, with foreigners accounting for 25 percent or less. After 1987 it stopped accepting foreigners altogether and changed its name to the Spanish Legion. But, in the 2000s, after the abandonment of conscription, the Spanish Army again accepted foreigners from select nationalities, mostly from Central American and South American states.