The Soviet Union (formally known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or USSR for short) is a REDFOR faction in ArmA: Cold War Assault and ARMA Reforger.
Background[]
The longtime geopolitical and military adversary of the United States at the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union was the leader of the (predominately Eastern) Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO).
ArmA: Cold War Assault[]
In ArmA: Cold War Assault, the Soviet military maintains a presence in the Malden islands chain on the mostly-deserted island of Kolgujev.[1] The Kolgujev garrison, designated as the 3rd Army, is commanded by General Aleksei Guba.[2]
In April 1985, at the height of its deployment, the 3rd Army consisted of a tank division, two squadrons of helicopter gunships (along with tactical airlift elements), as well as approximately one thousand ground troops.[3][4] The 3rd Army was also supported by an unknown sized force of Spetsnaz GRU operatives.[5][6]
ARMA Reforger[]
- SPIN-OFF: The following information stems from a spin-off expansion or third party Creator DLC and is considered to be non-canon in the main Armaverse timeline.
A Soviet expeditionary force has been deployed once more to the microstate of Everon in an attempt to forcibly wrest control of the geostrategic island from the Americans.[7][note 5]
History[]
Following the assumption of power by the new Premier of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev, in 1964, the country entered a new era of economic growth and prosperity.
However, this was also marred by various issues that chipped away at the nation's stability, with stagnation and amongst others, political infighting over various socioeconomic problems plaguing its progress. During this period, the Soviet Union always kept a close eye on the Republic of Nogova. Formerly a territory of the Russian state, relations between the two countries soured significantly following the overthrow of its pro-Communist regime in the wake of massive anti-Soviet demonstrations in 1974.[1][8][9]
Events of Resistance (1982)[]
| SPOILER ALERT | |||
|---|---|---|---|
NOTE: This section contains spoilers from ArmA: Cold War Assault's 'Resistance' campaign.   The invasion begins. At the "request" of the former Vice-Premier Ostrovsky of the Nogovan Communist party, Brezhnev orders the immediate deployment of Soviet forces to occupy the country under the pretence of maintaining law and order.[1][10] Officially, the mission of the Soviet force was to prevent the country from devolving into a "capitalist regime of corruption and unemployment".[10] In reality, the manoeuvre was a thinly-veiled attempt by the Soviet Union to establish control over the Republic of Nogova. This in turn, was an attempt to further assert its sovereignty over the nearby Malden islands chain.[1][11]
Led by Colonel Aleksei Guba[9], Soviet Army troops easily overrun and crush the Nogovan militia (who fiercely opposed the occupation) and took over all major city centres within the span of 24 hours.[11][12] This move did not go unnoticed by the United States and its allies however, who expressed "concern" and formally voiced protest at the Kremlin's unilateral decision. Such criticism was brushed off by the Soviet government and the occupation continued without respite.[13] Barely a day after the initial occupation, the Soviet Army was beginning to encounter fierce opposition from a growing insurgency calling themselves the Nogovan Partisans.[14][12] The fighters, led by their new leader, slowly drove back the Soviets with one victory after another.[1] Although greatly outnumbered by the Soviet troops, the Partisans, with the covert assistance of U.S. black ops[15], gradually thinned the Soviet garrison's numbers out. Within the span of two months, they were forced to retreat to their only remaining outpost on the island nation; the airport where they initially arrived.[1][16]   Nogovan insurgents gradually begin to turn the tide against the Guba's forces. With defeat seemingly inevitable, the Soviet commander, Guba, orders an immediate carpet bombing campaign of Nogova, reasoning that if victory for the Soviet Army could not be achieved, then Nogova itself would be razed to the ground. Bomber craft from the nearby garrison at Kolgujev were dispatched to reinforce Guba's position while the remainder of his troops began to pull out.[1][17][18] Before the bombing could begin however, the insurgent leader infiltrates the airport and successfully destroys the entire fleet with explosives.[19] Outraged, Guba refuses to accept defeat and orders that the leader and remaining guerillas that supported him to be chased down. The insurgent leader is eventually cornered and personally executed by Guba.[1][20] Unfortunately for the rest of the Soviet troops, they suddenly come under heavy fire from American gunships which destroy most of their remaining tanks and troops. Left with no alternative, the now-outnumbered Soviet forces surrender to the insurgents. Guba himself was not caught however, and managed to flee Nogova before the insurgents could capture him.[1][21] |
Events of Cold War Crisis (1985)[]
| SPOILER ALERT |
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NOTE: This section contains spoilers from ArmA: Cold War Assault's 'Cold War Crisis' campaign. Despite the setback on Nogova, Soviet forces continued to maintain a presence in the region through their stronghold on Kolgujev. At this point in time however, the Soviet government was facing internal dissent from members of the Communist Party itself along with many hardliners in the Committee for State Security (KGB). They refused to accept the new Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev, as their leader, and strongly opposed his "glasnost" and "perestroika" policies of opening up the Soviet Union to the West. These new policies also left many in the Soviet Army dissatisfied with the Kremlin's new policies, perceiving them to be a sign of weakness in the face of NATO's "imperialism". Guba, now ranked General, was at the forefront of these voices.[1][2][22] Secretly backed by his allies in the KGB[22], Guba received two covert shipments of nuclear-tipped SCUD missiles as he planned an invasion of the NATO-controlled islands of Everon and Malden. With the Soviet military's 3rd Army at his disposal, the rogue General launched a full-scale attack on Everon, destroying the NATO training camp based there and quickly occupying the rest of the island.[1][2][23] After Everon's fall, Guba proceeded to attack Malden itself[3], launching an amphibious assault and directly attacking the U.S. base.[5] The timely arrival of NATO reinforcements however, put a halt to his advance - if only for the time being.[1][24] The Soviet Politburo, now fully aware of Guba's treachery from his threats, immediately declared him to be a traitor and rogue operative to their counterparts in the West, and denied all responsibility for his actions.[25] They did not, or rather could not, act to stop him yet however, as the political situation at home was still too unstable for Gorbachev's faction to move.[26][27] To their luck, Guba was slowly being driven back by NATO forces. After several days of fierce battles, they were able to drive off his troops from Malden and not long after, from Everon as well.[26][28][29] Cornered at his only remaining base on Kolgujev, a desperate Guba announced his threat to destroy the entire group of islands with his nuclear SCUDs if NATO forces refused to leave immediately.[1][30] With the crisis now reaching dangerous levels and approaching a point of no return, the Soviet government was forced to act.[31] Gorbachev immediately ordered the mobilisation of the entire Soviet Armed Forces not just in preparation for potential hostilities from NATO, but also in order to put a stop to Guba once and for all and lastly, to reclaim the stolen nuclear warheads.[1][27] Fortunately for all sides (aside from Guba), a U.S. special forces team was successful in putting a stop to Guba's plans[32][33] by destroying both SCUDs just as they were preparing to launch.[34][35] Guba himself was cornered by the Americans and was captured as well.[1][36] |
Post-Cold War Crisis[]
| « | In an official statement, the Secretary of Defense revealed that a US training camp on the island had been attacked by a small group of lightly-armed terrorists, led by a disgraced former General of the Russian army. US military sources stated that the assault was a poorly-planned, publicity-seeking maneuver by an extremist organisation, which was easily resisted by American troops. There were no significant casualties. Moscow has termed the incident "highly regrettable", and the whereabouts of the terrorist leader remain unknown. Post-flashpoint radio news report
|
» |
With Guba apprehended by the Americans and possibly awaiting trial at the hands of NATO, the flashpoint on the Everon islands was finally at an end. Soviet troops all across Russia were ordered to stand down and resume normal duties. To avoid further unrest in their respective countries, both Gorbachev and his counterpart, Ronald Reagan, bilaterally came to an agreement to cover up the incident.[1][37]
The Kremlin expressed "regret" over the crisis[37], though Guba's identity was never revealed to the public.[1][38]
Equipment[]
ArmA: Cold War Assault[]
Soviet KLMK camouflage pattern (Cold War Assault)
As a technological peer to its Western adversaries, the Soviet Armed Forces is issued with the latest in Soviet-made weapons and equipment. Frontline infantry and Spetsnaz operatives alike are all issued with KLMK - the standard Soviet one-piece coveralls, featured in so-called "Berezka" two-tone pattern suited for the forested environments of the Malden islands chain.
Armoured vehicle crews on the other hand, wear distinctive all-black two-piece summer suits along with black gloves. Combat pilots are similarly issued their own unique outfits in the form of VKK-6M one-piece olive green suits.
The SSh-68 single-piece steel helmet is standard-issue headwear for all infantry units aside from officers, who prefer to don black-coloured berets. Armoured vehicle crews are given TSh-4M tanker helmets while pilots are equipped with ZSh-5A flight helmets. Lastly, Spetsnaz operatives eschew helmets altogether and only wear olive-coloured bandannas for headgear.
For optoelectronics, only specialist personnel, Spetsnaz operatives, vehicle crews and certain officers are granted access to night vision goggles.
ARMA Reforger[]
- The following information is of ambiguous canonicity.
The following information is of ambiguous canonicity.
Camouflage patterns used by Reforger-era Soviet forces:
- Khaki (top-left)
- KLMK (top-right)
- Berezka (bottom-left)
- TTsKO (bottom-right)
By the late 1980s, the standard-issue combat uniform of all Soviet infantry has now been replaced with the khaki-coloured M88 battle dress uniform, though scouts and support units still wear KLMK-camouflaged coveralls. Meanwhile, Spetsnaz operatives wear an unconventional mix of civilian clothing and Berezka-camouflaged military uniforms consisting of turtleneck sweaters and KZS blouses.
For head protection, the SSh-68 steel helmet still remains as standard-issue. Spetsnaz operatives do not wear combat helmets and exclusively don panamkas and the M88 field cap. Conventional troops may also wear the two hats, either for comfort in tropical environments or whenever they are out of combat.
Lifchik canvas chest rigs are universally worn by all frontline soldiers and Spetsnaz units, and are often customised with harnesses depending on the wearer's role within their squad. Conventional troops wear Lifchiks over their standard-issue 6B2 ballistic vests, while specialist infantry classes and squad leaders wear the newer 6B3 vest that has integrated pockets for storing gear (removing the need for a separate rig). On the other hand, Spetsnaz operatives and support units eschew ballistic-resistant vests altogether, and only wear their harnesses/Lifchik rigs which are often paired with a set of wool gloves.
Soviet helicopter crews specifically wear flight jackets camouflaged in the TTsKO pattern. They do not wear body armour and only don survival vests. Their standard-issue headgear also remains unchanged, with pilots and aircrews alike wearing the ZSh-5 flight helmet.
Arsenal[]
Armoury[]
|
Image |
Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Grenade Launcher | |
|
Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher | |
|
Assault Rifle | |
|
Carbine | |
|
Anti-Tank Missile Launcher | |
|
General-Purpose Machine Gun | |
|
Submachine Gun | |
|
Rocket Launcher | |
|
Submachine Gun | |
|
Sniper Rifle / Designated Marksman Rifle | |
|
Handgun |
Motor Pool[]
| Vehicle | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 BMP-1 |
Infantry Fighting Vehicle | - Amphibious - Can transport up to eight passengers |
 BMP-2 |
Infantry Fighting Vehicle | - Amphibious - Can transport up to six passengers |
 Boat |
Light Patrol Craft | - Can transport up to ten passengers |
 BRDM |
Armoured Scout Car | - Amphibious - Can transport up to three passengers |
 Ka-50 |
Heavy Attack Helicopter | - Cannot transport any passengers - Aircraft controls and weapons are simultaneously operated by the pilot |
 Mi-17 |
Transport Helicopter | - Can transport up to twelve passengers |
 Mi-24 |
Heavy Attack Helicopter | - Can transport up to eight passengers |
 SCUD |
Transporter Erector Launcher | - Ballistic missile launcher - Not designed to be usable outside of cutscenes |
 Shilka |
Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun | - Cannot transport any passengers |
 Sopwith F.1 Camel v2 |
Fighter Plane | - Can transport up to 2 passengers |
 Su-25 |
Ground Attack Craft | - Cannot transport any passengers |
 T-72 |
Medium Tank | - Cannot transport any passengers |
 T-80 |
Heavy Tank | - Cannot transport any passengers |
 UAZ |
Light Utility Vehicle | - Can transport up to three passengers |
 Ural |
Utility Truck | - Variable transportation capacity depending on variant - Has dedicated variants that can repair, rearm, or refuel vehicles and grounded aircraft |
Armoury[]
- The following information is of ambiguous canonicity.
|
Image |
Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Assault Rifle | |
|
Carbine | |
|
General-Purpose Machine Gun | |
|
Handgun | |
|
Rocket Launcher | |
|
Light Support Weapon Calibre: 5.45×39 mm | |
|
Sniper Rifle |
Motor Pool[]
- The following information is of ambiguous canonicity.
| Vehicle | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 BTR-70 |
Armoured Personnel Carrier | - Amphibious - Can transport up to 8 passengers - Has a Supply capacity of 230 |
 Mi-8MT |
Transport Helicopter | - Armed variant has machine guns mounted in the rear and front - Unarmed variant can transport up to 15 passengers - Armed variant can transport up to 14 passengers - Has a Supply capacity of 400 |
 UAZ-452A |
Ambulance | - Can transport up to 4 passengers - Can be used to heal nearby infantry - Has a Supply capacity of 160 |
 UAZ-469 |
Light Utility Vehicle | - Troop carrier variants can transport up to 4 passengers - Armed variants can only transport a single passenger - Has a variable Supply capacity depending on variant (120/180) |
 Ural-4320 |
Utility Truck | - Transport variants can carry up to 14 passengers - Has dedicated variants that can be used to repair, rearm, and refuel nearby ground vehicles - Has Arsenal and Construction variants that allows infantry to rearm and build defensive fortifications close by - Has a mobile Command vehicle variant - Has a variable Supply capacity depending on variant (350/400/450/550/600) |
Gallery[]
ArmA: Cold War Assault               ARMA Reforger           |
Trivia[]
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Notes[]
- ↑ Served as General Secretary of the Soviet Union during the Soviet occupation of Nogova (1982).
- ↑ Served as General Secretary of the Soviet Union during the Malden Islands Crisis (1985).
- ↑ Formerly ranked as Colonel during the events of Resistance (1982). Was later promoted to General and became the commanding officer of the 3rd Army during the events of Cold War Crisis (1985).
- ↑ One of Gen. Guba's subordinate commanders in the 3rd Army.
- ↑ ARMA Reforger's depiction of a conflict taking place between Soviet and U.S. expeditionary forces on Everon is non-canonical as per the official Armaverse Timeline.
References[]
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See also[]
- United States of America (BLUFOR counterpart, ArmA: CWA/ARMA Reforger)
- FIA (INDFOR counterpart, ArmA: CWA/ARMA Reforger)
- Russian Armed Forces (Successor, ArmA 2)
| Factions of ArmA: Cold War Assault | |
|---|---|
| BLUFOR | United States |
| REDFOR | Soviet Union |
| INDFOR | FIA |
| Factions - REDFOR (ArmA: Cold War Assault) | |
|---|---|
| Soviet Union | |
| Factions of ARMA Reforger | |
|---|---|
| BLUFOR | United States |
| REDFOR | Soviet Union |
| INDFOR | FIA |