Purchase these Items

Products mentioned in this Article

 

 

Free Nations Spotlight

Free Nations Spotlight
Dutch Forces
with Wayne Turner
You can now take Dutch forces in Team Yankee as the third nation featured in Free Nations. The Netherlands section consists of background and the actions of Reijnders’s Tank Eskadron in WWIII. You can take four formations in a Dutch force as well as Dutch and West German support units. The ratings Dutch are an even 4+ across the board, except where modified by equipment and other special rules.

The Dutch can take both Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 Tank Eskadron (Tank Squadron), an YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Compagnie (Armoured Infantry Company), and a Verkennings Eskadron (Reconnaissance Squadron).

Free Nations Spotlight

Click here to see Part 1: Free Nations Spotlight: Canadian Forces...

Free Nations Spotlight
Free Nations Spotlight

Click here to see Part 2: Free Nations Spotlight: French Forces...

Free Nations Spotlight
Free Nations Spotlight Click here to see Part 4: Free Nations Spotlight: ANZAC Forces... Free Nations Spotlight

The Leopard 2 Tank Eskadron is built around an HQ of one Leopard 2, and 2 to 4 Leopard 2 Tank Peloton (Tank Platoon), each of 2 to 4 Leopard 2 tanks. The formation can also take an YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Peloton instead of one of the Tank Pelotons, an YPR-765 PRAT Antitank Peloton, a M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg, and a PRTL Pantserluchtdoel Peloton.

Like the West German versions the Dutch Leopard 2 is armed with a powerful 120mm gun (Range 40’/100cm, ROF 2/2, AT 22, FP 2+ with Advanced Stabiliser and Laser-rangefinder). The Leopard 2, thanks to the Advanced Stabiliser has excellent fire on the move capabilities, not losing its ROF for its main gun while moving up to 14”/35cm.

Free Nations Spotlight
Free Nations Spotlight

The YPR-765 PRAT mounts the Emerson TOW Under Armor turret on the YPR-765 infantry fighting vehicle, giving the Dutch a similar weapon system to the US M901 ITV. It uses the Hammerhead rule and is fitted with Thermal Imaging for night fighting.

The Leopard 1 Tank Eskadron is organised in a similar manner, but with Leopard 1 tanks. The Dutch use the cast turret version with additional applique armour to bring it up to the same standard as the other Leopards in service with NATO. This kit can be built with the new NATO Leopard 1 plastic kit.

The third formation available to the Dutch is the YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Compagnie. This has an HQ and 2 or 3 YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Pelotons, one of which can be taken as a Leopard 2 Tank Peloton or Leopard 1 Tank Peloton instead. The armoured infantry also have an YPR-765 PRAT Antitank Peloton, a M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg, and a PRTL Pantserluchtdoel Peloton, as well as M106 120mm Mortier Peloton.

Free Nations Spotlight

Each YPR-765 Pantserinfanterie Peloton has four GPMG teams with M72 LAW anti-tank, three Carl Gustav anti-tank teams, and two M47 Dragon missile teams transported in four YPR-765 infantry fighting vehicles. The GPMG teams with M72 LAW anti-tank good firepower and the LAWs give them anti-defence against lighter vehicles (AT 12). For heavier close-range armoured target they can call on the Carl Gustav with AT 17. At medium range, light to medium tanks can be handled by the Dragon missile teams (range 8”/20cm - 28”/70cm, ROF 1, AT 18, FP 3+, with Guided, HEAT and Thermal Imaging). 

These teams are transported in the YPR-765 IFV. It is armed with the 25mm gun in an offset turret with a co-ax machine-gun. It has Armour of Front 3, Side 2, and Top 1. Like the tanks, the armoured infantry can call on the YPR-765 PRAT with their powerful TOW missiles.

For indirect fire support they have M106 120mm mortar carriers. These pack a good punch with artillery range 64”/160cm, AT 3, FP 3+, and can fire Smoke Bombardments.

The PRTL is the Dutch version of the West German Gepard AA tank fitted with locally manufactured Dutch radar. It packs the same punch as the Gepard and comes in units of three. As an attachment to the PRTL you can also take a Stinger Luchtdoel Peloton (Stinger Air Defence Platoon) where you can get one Stinger team per PRTL AA tank. The Stinger missile also has good performance against air targets with range 48”/160cm, ROF 3, FP 4+, and Guided AA.

Free Nations Spotlight

Our final Dutch formation is the Verkennings Eskadron (Reconnaissance Squadron). These are organised in a similar fashion to the US Cavalry Troop with a mix of reconnaissance vehicles, tanks, and support weapons. A Verkennings Eskadron is based around 2 to 6 M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg and 1 to 3 Verkennings Tank Peloton, with a M106 Mortier Peloton and a M113 Tirailleur Peloton.

Free Nations Spotlight

The core elements of the formation are the M113 C&V Verkennings Ploeg (Reconnaissance Team), containing a pair of M113 C&V recon vehicles. These are based on the same vehicle as the Canadian Lynx, except the Dutch version mounts a Oerlikon-Bührle 25mm armed turret giving it good firepower for a small vehicle.

To back these up, the formation contains its own Leopard 2 or Leopard 1 tanks, depending on the reconnaissance battalion. Each tank unit has a pair of tanks.

Like the Americans, the Verkennings Eskadron has its own M106 Mortier Pelonton. These are armed with the US M106 107mm self-propelled mortar, in a unit of three.

Support
Dutch have long-barrelled M109 self-propelled howitzers as their artillery support in batteries of 3 or 6. The 155mm howitzer has an artillery range of 96”/240cm, AT 4, FP 2+ and can fire Smoke Bombardments. An additional PRTL Pantserluchtdoel Peloton and an artillery observer are also available as support units.

Free Nations Spotlight

The Dutch also call on West German support units, representing units of 3. Panzerdivision and 1. Korps they were likely to fight alongside them. They can take a Roland Flarakpanzer Batterie, a LARS Raketenwerfer Batterie up to two PAH Anti-tank Helicopter Flights, and a Tornado Strike Flight. They can also take an Allied NATO formation as part of their force.

Free Nations Spotlight

Click here to see Part 4: Free Nations Spotlight: ANZAC Forces...

Free Nations Spotlight


Last Updated On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 by Luke at Battlefront