SADF’s Heavyweight Champion
[/b] [b]Wargame: Red Dragon - Nation Pack: South Africa[/b] will give you access to the SADF arsenal as it existed at the end of the [i]Border War[/i] and [i]Cold War[/i]. The conflict that raged on the frontiers of Southern Africa typically took place on relatively flat arid terrain: savannah and bushland. The vast distances and limited infrastructure influenced overall vehicle design. It led the SADF to focus on wheeled armored fighting vehicles over tracked equipment, emphasizing off-road mobility, long range, less maintenance and logistical support, while retaining firepower. There was, however, one undisputed heavyweight champion in the SADF vehicle pool which was still tracked: the [b]Olifant[/b] (Elephant) tank. Based on the venerable British Centurion, the locally improved [b]Olifant Mk1[/b] is quite similar to the Israeli Sh’ot Kal. This basic variant will be available in-game in either a regular tank or command version. Over time, the basic version was modified to the [b]Olifant Mk1A[/b], then the [b]Olifant Mk1B[/b], culminating in the prototype [b]Olifant Mk1B Optimum[/b] - all armed with a 105mm gun. The experience with Centurions and Olifants led to the first true indigenous design, codenamed [b]Loggim[/b]. One demonstrator was built of this design: a Leopard 2-like tank sporting a 120mm gun and heavy frontal armor. However, due to the end of the Cold War, the project was canceled.
[b]Hard-hitting, wheeled firepower
[/b] Please note that the following list doesn’t feature each and every variant; expect some surprises further down the line! The vast majority of SADF’s units are wheeled, with light armor but highly mobile and sporting a substantial amount of firepower. Some of the SADF’s equipment is instantly recognizable. One of these is the [b]Casspir[/b] APC. Infamous for patrolling South Africa’s townships during apartheid, this vehicle was originally designed for the [i]Border War[/i] and can be considered the first-ever MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle). The [b]Casspir[/b] features a unique (at the time) V-shaped hull, which made it especially resistant against mines and IEDs. The [b]Casspir[/b] APC will come fitted out in MG or [b]K-Car[/b] (20mm) variants. Another iconic vehicle is the [b]Buffel[/b] (Buffalo) light APC, which can be deployed in both transport and CV variants.
We will also feature the [b]Ratel[/b] series of IFVs. Lightly armored, the VAB-like Ratel comes in many shapes and forms: [b]Ratel 20[/b] (20mm autocannon), [b]Ratel 60[/b] (60mm breech mortar), and [b]Ratel 90[/b] (90mm main gun). The vehicle loses its transport function with the dedicated self-propelled mortar variant [b]Ratel 81[/b] and [b]Ratel 120[/b], while the in-game CV variant deploy as the [b]Ratel Command[/b] and the [b]Ratel ZT-3A1[/b] features an ATGM launcher.
One of the coolest looking SADF designs was the wheeled [b]Rooikat[/b] (African caracal) series. This 8x8 armored car is highly mobile on any kind of terrain, light but armed with a fully stabilized 76mm gun. The gun, a Denel GT4, was derived from the Italian OTO Melara 76. That’s right, dust off your favorite meme - this is indeed the gun used by the glorious Otomatic!
Not to worry: while deadly accurate, even on the move, the Denel GT4 doesn’t have the same RoF, nor can it engage flying targets. The Rooikat was developed into several local, export, and prototype variants, including the [b]Rooikat 105mm[/b] (with a 105mm gun), [b]Rooikat ZA HVM[/b] (SAM launcher), and the [b]Rooikat ZA-35[/b] (twin 35mm SPAAG).
[b]Other vehicles
[/b] Before developing its particular brand of wheeled armored vehicles, the SADF relied on various imported armored cars, which remained in service for a long time as either recon units or ATGM carriers. Several variants of the famed British [b]Ferret[/b] armored car were deployed, up-gunned with either a [b]M40A1[/b] recoilless rifle, [b]ENTAC[/b] or [b]MILAN[/b] missiles. Another example was the French AML, renamed as the [b]Eland[/b] with both a [b]60[/b] or [b]90[/b] variant, with the latter version featuring ENTAC missiles on top of its main gun. Another French vehicle is the [b]Cactus[/b] light SAM, which is basically a French Crotale.
SADF uses the ubiquitous British [b]Land Rover[/b] jeep in various roles: recon, TD, CV. Soft-skinned transport and logistic vehicles are all variants of domestic [b]SAMIL[/b] trucks. These South African trucks also see their chassis used for several self-propelled light support units, such as the [b]Ystervark[/b] (SPAAG), [b]Bateleur[/b] (MLRS), ...
This post wouldn’t be complete with another renowned South African vehicle, the [b]G6-45 Rhino[/b] 155mm self-propelled howitzer. Best to think of it as a non-prototype, lightly armored, but very mobile off-road French Caesar. Having entered service in 1987, the G6 was the first real SADF self-propelled artillery gun since the aging and battle-weary World War 2 [b]Sexton[/b] - the only other tracked vehicle in the SADF arsenal.
[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]Elan[/b] (license-produced French AML), Cactus (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], [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 that 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 will 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 also find Portuguese-speaking Angolan [b]UNITA[/b] squads, as well as SADF’s own [b]32 Battalion[/b] (the Buffalos), as 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].
