"Hypothetical in Lebanon 1983" Topic

I'm building my Moderns around a hypothetical scenario set in Lebannon in 1983 after the Beirut bombing of the Marine Barracks. The US launches it's War on Terror in response. I have painted up a brigade of Soviet Airborne and Naval Infantry to support their Syrian Allies who ofcourse are supporting the terrorist elements in Lebanon. I have done a brigade of US Marines and the 82nd arirborne aling with a little supporting Lebanese troops. Currently wotking on a brigade of the french equivalent of the rapid deployment force as I have them become involved due to their embassy and barracks bombings. My thought is that in an effort to keep the situation from spreading, the US does not attack shipments of Soviet armor by sea to Syria or they were sent when things started going south but before all heck broke loose. After my French I want to do a Soviet Armored brigade. In such a scenario I am assuming that it is sent from the reserves around the Kiev area of the Soviet Union. My question is what type tank do you all believe would be the best in those areas and what would be the most likely to be sent?

T-62's mostly but I think possibly a contingent of T-72's(company to short batallion strength) might've been delivered for backup and to act as a shock element.

Do you think that they would have pulled anything better out of Europe to send as a special deployment? T64/T80?

I also figure BMP1 vs. BMP2s as the BMP2 would have only been in services 2-3 years. Thoughts?

Not sure, but imagine as noted above, T-62s and T-72s (I believe there's a specific export model for the latter).

Would probably need to land them via ship, before the USA intervened, since otherwise a naval blockade would probably be in place to prevent further Soviet resupply by sea.

They would probably stage in Syria and drive in.

I would have suggested T55's……..I don't think the Sovs would strip anything from the DDR in '83. Same for troops from USSR-Chinese border…..
T55's would be supported by spares and tech staff in Syria familiar with them and they have a proven Third World durability in harsh conditions and handling…….also the Sovs had a big pile of them to ship out!
Maybe BTR series apc's rather than BMP's for durability and availability….all the good stuff earmarked for Europe and other 1st line units?
Maybe some Warpac 'volunteer' formations ,Poles or Bulgarians for some more flavour!!?

What are the possibilities of airlifting Soviet armored reinforcements if the sea lanes are closed?

Lebanon is mountainous and not terribly suited for tanks. On the other hand the Soviets were quick to send Airborne units to Afghanistan, and those veterans would probably have been the first to ship out to the Middle East. Naval Infantry would probably also have been likely to be sent in as well.

You can land BMDs, and their other light assault guns (ASU-85s) via aircraft.

I know they landed the BMDs in Afghanistan, when they invaded there, and seized the airports. They may have flown in ASU-85s as well – I seem to recall seeing a pic or two of those, but can't recall for sure, since its been almost 35 years since that occurred.

Yep, naval infantry would have the BTR-60s, plus tank support.

I've got the paras and Naval Infantry. Looking for an excuse to field stonger armor units. I like the idea of a Bulgarian volunteer unit as they were the most politicaly reliable of the pact. Maybe a battalion of T-72, Brigade of T-62 and a brigade of T-55 with BTR-60's or BMP1s.

Irish and Mako my thoughts exactly.

Additional thoughts requested. US 24th Mech Infantry 1983. M60/M113 or M1/M2?

I would guess at M60/M113 ,Because-
'The US Army Europe border operations history at p221
states: "On 10 August 1983 Troop A of the 1st Squadron of the 11th
ACR unloaded 12 of the new Abrams M1 tanks and became the first
USAREUR cavalry unit to receive the new main battle tank. The 2d ACR
was scheduled to begin receiving M1s in 1984."'
By August 82 only 612 Abrams had been accepted for service in total……the M60 was still the MBT in Europe in '83.
24 Inf Div fielded lots of M113's to the desert in '91 Desert Storm too.

Perfect info thanks!

Note Syria has small numbers of T72 in 1982 during the Israel Peace In Galilee operation.

Hence T72 could be supported via Syria if need be.

Maybe I'll include a Libyan "volunteer" force.

Those guys were everywhere in the Eighties…….you could have a 'Red' foreign legion with the aforementioned Bulgarians and various eastern European elements-throw in Cubans (Moscows 'proxy' army of choice !) and Libyans too………'elite' formations like paratroops/commandos and maybe a volunteer armoured brigade made up of a battalion from each of the above…….lots of variety.

All great ideas!

Just ordered some of the figures for Bulgarians. Will do a reserve tank Regt. with attachments. T34/85s and SU-100s. Airsupport of Mig-17 and IL-28. Using the premese that front line stuff is kept at home.

Update: For the Soviets, I did a brigade in T-62 and a brigade in T-62, plus one battalion of T-64 for "real world" testing along with a battaion of BMP-1. I have now started the US 24th Mech. Infantry with M-60 & M113. The French are all done. Had taken a break from Moderns but am becoming interested in them again. Re-reading "The Root" for motivation.

Strategy and Tactics magazine put out a game called Central Command back in 1983ish. It has a great article about US and Soviet forces coming to blows in Iran. It has a very useful chart on equipment types and forces available for actions in the Mideast. It's still fairly easy to get on EBay and there is a free version on Scribe.
auction

You got the 24th Mech right. It was M60A3 and M113 based according to S&T.

Thanks Tgunner!