Please keep in mind that everything is still very much [b][i]work in progress[/i][/b] and is subject to change. In case you were wondering: the integration and balancing of these units is done in close consultation with a leading South African military expert!
[b]Kings of the battlefield
[/b] First up: the almighty [b]TANK[/b], which in [b]Wargame: Red Dragon - Nation Pack: South Africa[/b] is brought to you in three distinct South African “families”:- [b]Olifant[/b] main battle tank. The tracked heavy-weight brawler of South Africa’s arsenal comes in a myriad of versions such as the [b]Mk1[/b] (including command variant), [b]Mk1A[/b] (1985), [b]Mk1B[/b] (1991), and [b]Mk1B Optimum[/b] (1994 prototype). The [b]Mk1[/b] can be considered a rough equivalent to the Israeli [i]Sh’ot Kal[/i] with a +1 FAV, but slower. With the [b]Mk1A[/b], the [b]Olifant[/b] reaches the 2275m range, with a slightly better motorization and accuracy/stab over its predecessor. The [b]Mk1B[/b] gets +2 FAV and a major motorization, accuracy and stab upgrade. The [b]Optimum[/b] is an up-armored [b]Mk1B[/b] with improved optics.
- [b]Loggim[/b] prototype. This tank is a 1994 prototype MBT, a planned but canceled South African “heavy.” It is close to a [i]USMC M1A1(HC) Abrams[/i], featuring the same FAV but lesser side and rear armor, but more accurate and with 23 AP.
- [b]Rooikat[/b] wheeled tanks. These rapid and cool-looking vehicles can be deployed in two variants: the [b]Rooikat 76 Mk1C[/b] (1989, including a recon variant) and the [b]Rooikat 105[/b] (1994 prototype). With 3 FAV, they are incredibly fast (120km/h) “glass-cannons.” The 76mm variant has 2100m, while the 105mm gets 2275m range. Their key feature is their high accuracy (65%) and almost full gun stabilization, making these wheeled tanks ideal for hit-and-run strikes.
Reconnaisance
[/b] Next up are the reconnaissance units. Aside from the ubiquitous recon Rover jeep, [b]RECON[/b] only fields two families of armored recon units:- [b]Eland 90[/b], both 1978 vehicles. The original [b]Eland 90[/b] is identical to the French [i]AML-90[/i]. The [b]Eland 90 ENTAC[/b] (prototype) is armed with two extra ENTAC anti-tank missiles, in the same way as the existing [i]Ferret ENTAC[/i] (see below).
- [b]Rooikat 76[/b]. This vehicle is the same as the wheeled tank variant (see above) but in a dedicated recon configuration.
Tank destroyers
[/b] The South Africans have two tank destroyer families:- [b]RCL Vehicles[/b], which include the ubiquitous [b]Rover 106[/b] (pre-1980), armed with a M40 recoilless rifle, and the [b]Ferret Mk2 106[/b] (1976). This latter unit is “jalopied”, meaning its turret is removed, and the operator stands in the now-empty turret ring. The [b]Ferret[/b] is equipped with an improved M40A1C.
- [b]ATGM Vehicles[/b], which begins with the already mentioned [b]Ferret ENTAC[/b] (1975), can also to be found with the [i]ANZAC[/i] forces in-game. This unit is followed by the [b]Ferret Mk2 MILAN[/b] (1980), another “jalopied” Ferret, but featuring a MILAN launcher this time around. The vastly more effective [b]Ratel ZT3-A1[/b] (1987) is also available. A non-transport [b]Ratel[/b] armed with a [b]ZT3A1 Swift[/b] ATGM. These guided missile launchers are 70% accurate, 20 AP and have a 2625m range. The [b]Ratel[/b] carries 12 of them, with 3 ready to fire.
[b]Indirect fire
[/b] There are quite a few artillery options, including:- [b]MRLS vehicles[/b]. There is a [b]Rover 107[/b] (1981). This one is only encountered in Airborne and Support decks, being a light MRLS based on a Chinese-made 16-tube Type 63 107mm rocket launcher bolted on a Rover jeep. In-game, it will come with an incendiary loadout. The [b]Valkiri[/b] (1981) is manufactured on a light Unimog chassis. This unit is the most widespread and standardized South African MRLS, with a classic HE and smoke loadout for its 24-tube 127mm rockets. Finally, we have the [b]Bateleur[/b] (1989) built on top of an armored Samil, carrying two 20-tube which can rain down devastating salvos of its 127mm cluster ammunition.
- [b]Mortar vehicles[/b] include the [b]Eland 60[/b] (1978) 60mm mortar carrier, identical to the French [i]AML-60[/i]. This vehicle evolved into the [b]Ratel 81[/b] (1985) and [b]Ratel 120[/b] (1994 prototype), which are respectively a 81mm and 120mm mortar carriers. All of these vehicles come equipped with HE and smoke rounds.
- [b]SPG vehicles[/b] include the venerable WW2 relic [b]Sexton[/b] (1944!) with its still decent 25-pdr gun. Nonetheless, this grandfather of self-propelled artillery is rather slow (as you would expect) and only belatedly replaced by the excellent 155mm [b]G6-45 Rhino[/b] (1987). This latter unit is a lightly armored but fast-wheeled SPG, being among the world’s most accurate artillery pieces by the end of the Cold War. In-game, it is a 40km ranged 155mm howitzer, with a round dispersion closer to a regular mortar.
[b]A little bit of anti-air
[/b] And last up, the South African anti-aircraft vehicles, pooled in two distinct families:- [b]AA cannon vehicles[/b] with the [b]Ystervark[/b] (1980) leading the way. This is a [b]Buffel[/b] light armored truck fielding an Oerlikon 20mm gun. This vehicle was succeeded by the [b]Bosvark[/b], an armored Samil truck with captured ZU-23-2 twin 23mm guns. Finally, the [b]Rooikat ZA-35[/b] (1992 prototype) is a variant of the wheeled tank with its turret removed and replaced by a radar-guided twin 35mm system. This means that SEAD can target this unit. In-game, the [b]Rooikat[/b] is roughly equivalent to a German [i]FlakPz. Gepard A1[/i] with the same ranges, faster and slightly more accurate for the [b]ZA-35[/b], but with a lower RoF.
- [b]SAM vehicles[/b]. The South Africans can field the [b]Cactus[/b] (1971), identical to the [i]Crotale[/i], which the [b]SADF[/b] received before the French, as well as the [b]Cactus SAHV[/b] (1992 prototype). The latter unit is a [b]Cactus[/b] used as a testbed for a new SAHV missile under development - in-game featured as an IR version. Replacing the R440 missiles, the [b]SAHV-IR[/b] missile provides slightly improved anti-helicopter range and accuracy, with its [i]Fire&Forget[/i] trait. Lastly, the [b]Rooikat ZA-HVM[/b] (1992 prototype) is a Rooikat with its turret replaced by a system firing [b]SAHV-3[/b] missiles. It retains the anti-helicopter and accuracy of the IR version and improves its anti-airplane range to 4200m range. Being radar-guided, it can be targeted by SEAD.
Nation Pack: South Africa in detail
[/b] In case you’ve missed it, we’ve already covered the combat arms historical context of this upcoming [b]Nation Pack[/b]:- We have put a spotlight on the all-important grunt: SADF [b]Infantry[/b]. Read all [b][url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/251060/view/3016823329556921166]about it here.[/url][/b]
- We also took a look at the SADF [b]Armor[/b] force, which you can [b][url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/251060/view/3048349794619388526]read more about here.[/url][/b]
- The flyboys claim all the glory in our SAAF [b]Air Force[/b] article, which [b][url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/251060/view/3070869061072083812]you can read here[/url][/b].
- Hugging the earth, SADF’s rotorcraft fleet get a special treatment in our [b]Helicopter[/b] showcase, which [b][url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/251060/Wargame_Red_Dragon/]you can read here.[/url][/b]
What will the South Africa Nation Pack bring?
[/b] [b]Wargame: Red Dragon - Nation Pack: South Africa[/b] will feature:- Close to 90 new SADF units, including 20 brand-new vehicle models, as well as many new variants. All feature new Afrikaans and South African-accented English voice-overs, [i]aie boet![/i]
- These include the ubiquitous [b]Casspir[/b] and [b]Ratel[/b] APCs (in numerous variants, from IFV, recon, command, mortar, and even SAM), the [b]Rooikat[/b] wheeled tank (including variants and prototypes), [b]Eland[/b] (license-produced French AML), [b]Cactus[/b] (French Crotale), the only tracked [b]Olifant[/b] MBT, many armed variants of locally made [b]SAMIL[/b] trucks ([b]Ystervark[/b] and [b]Bosvark[/b] SPAAG, [b]Valkiri[/b] and [b]Bateleur[/b] MLRS), to the iconic [b]G6 Renoster[/b] self-propelled howitzer.
- The Air Force includes old [b]Buccaneer[/], [b]Vampire[/b] and [b]Impala[/b] as close-air support, and several French [b]Mirage[/b] variants and the locally modified [b]Cheetah[/b] as fighter and multirole aircraft. Furthermore, you will find the [b]Atlas Carver[/b] prototype, the first full South African prototype plane design (which never left the drawing board).
- Helicopters include the French [b]Alouette III[/b], [b]Puma[/b], [b]Super Frelon[/b] and their locally produced versions and prototypes such as the [b]K-Car[/b], [b]Oryx[/b] and [b]XTP-1 Beta[/b]. You’ll also be able to deploy South Africa’s very own attack helicopter design, the badass-looking [b]Rooivalk[/b].
- Infantry will include [b]Bokkop[/b] regular riflemen, [b]Parabat[/b] paratroopers, [b]SASF[/b] special forces, and many more units such as militia, recon, MANPADS, engineers. You will find Portuguese-speaking Angolan [b]UNITA[/b] squads, as well as SADF’s own [b]32 Battalion[/b] (the Buffalos) as a veteran light infantry formation.
- SADF weaponry features imported or locally built [b]R1[/b] and [b]R4[/b] rifles, [b]SS-77[/b] and [b]Mini-SS[/b] MG, [b]LRAC[/b] and [b]APILAS[/b] LAW, but also the more original [b]HK-21[/b], [b]FT5[/b], [b]Inflict[/b] and, of course, the iconic [b]Y2 grenade-launcher[/b] and [b]NTW-20[/b].
[b]