BMP

The Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty or "BMP" for short, is a series of simple but reliable Infantry Fighting Vehicles produced by the Soviet Union, and notable for being the first type of its class. Its main gun changed over time, but a consistent trademark was an ATGM (at least, for IRL Soviet crews) in combination with a lighter vehicle weapon that could target vehicles and infantry. Throughout the Cold War, the Pact's shock armies were characterized by regiments of mechanized infantry following on the heels of the tank forces: a thought which put the fear of god into any Western trooper on the ground.

The vehicle combines the role of a light tank and APC, allowing it to transport troops, provide heavier fire support for assaulting infantry and engage enemy armour as needed.

In Team Yankee

BMP-1

BMP-1

The BMP comes in two different flavours for the motor-rifle company; the anti-armour BMP-1 and the autocannon toting BMP-2. Both have the traditional national profiles, with Soviet crews having superior discipline while EG crews are capable of performing orders with some reliability.

Against NATO's latest offerings, the BMP-1's Sagger missile AT19 is totally unable to penetrate. However, the BMP-1 distinguishes itself from the rest of the Soviet mechanized fleet by providing cheap, massed 3+ FP. While incapable of defeating tanks, its raw stats can comfortably destroy literally anything else with enough shots.

However Free Nations and Oil Wars have introduced more competitive lightly armored options: if your local meta loves their Leopard 1s and AMX-30s, the Sagger is more than capable of automatically penetrating, and you will only need to pass a 3+ test to kill or bail.

Ultimately, a solid anti-armour vehicle suited to probing weak points in the enemy line, flanking and engaging enemy soft-skins. Depending on your meta, the BMP-1 might be strictly better than the BMP-2 whose superior penetration has little benefit in a lightly-armoured meta.

BMP-1 Recon

The BMP-1 Recon platoon is an active recon unit that expands your deployment zone and packs the same armaments as its groundfighting counterpart.

While Soviet players would probably find the BMP-2 to be better for armed recon, BMP-1s allow you to bring light HEAT weapons to the field in small numbers. For one point per vehicle in a platoon of 2-4, you are paying NATO costs for recon without the scout ruling. In most cases, you will have the option to field even more BMP-2s through your motorized infantry. Complementing your autocannons with some 73mm cannon support, killing whatever is too dangerous to risk a remount.

East German, Polish and East German players will find that the BMP-1 is the total opposite of the BRDM-2: it costs twice the price but has the muscle to punch through light vehicles. This is a case where units are chosen by playstyle: neither is an amazing unit and both have their pros and cons but are a totally essential component of any list, competitive or casual.

BMP-1 OP (Observation Post)

The BMP-1 OP is dedicated artillery spotter available to all PACT forces and can only be purchased as an attachment to an artillery battery.

Equipped with a PKT machine gun, the BMP looks identical to a regular BMP-1 with the turret housing improved optics for observation instead of a cannon, with a machine gun for self-defence against infantry. In addition to improving calls for fire by one, you also get an additional unit leader which can designate targets for fire.

While it is highly recommended in all PACT artillery units but the Dana, it is absolutely essential for the Soviets if their list includes artillery. With 5+ skill, you WILL fail calls for fire when using your illiterate platoon commanders coordinate with the artillery. 4+ skill may not be 'good' in the slightest, but it is the only way for your artillery to have even a modicum of reliability.

You may purchase a BMP-1 OP for one point with any artillery battery.

(if you want to have a little diversity in your force you can always use the BTR-50 model from Fate of a Nation or NAM as a stand in. Wait ... a 2/2/1 amphibious APC armed only with a PKM? Battlefront, are you sure you didn't mean to use an actual BTR-50 for this card?)

BMP-2

BMP - 2

On the other hand, the BMP-2 pays a price premium for a more versatile kit. Toting an AT21 ATGM and a 3/2 ROF autocannon, it has a weapon for every situation. While autocannons may be poor choices to kill, they can force mass bails with many failed FP tests. They fare rather poorly against infantry as well, lacking the LAVs' ROF 3 on the move. Their autocannons do boast anti-helicopter though, so you could use them as part of your AA net if needed. Unique to the game, the BMP-2 provides a cheap source of mechanized, massed ATGM fire. As expected, these are best used in a defensive role to trade against enemy tanks. With NATO's firepower advantage, expect to take losses before firing a volley of missiles. A versatile unit capable of handling any situation, but expensive.

Looking at the armament, you might consider the BMP-2 a squishier, faster and cheap ATGM carrier: it may be expensive for a transport but holy shit, is it cheap for an ATGM carrier. Positioned on open ground in the greatly feared 'parking lot' formation, it is literally impossible for NATO units to trade effectively in a head-on engagement. The BMP-2 may be expensive, but its also the most cost-effective transport: unlike NATO transports which only carry ATGMs if the infantry are sacrificed to the Machine God, Soviet transports have free ATGMs capable of popping a Leopard 2 in numbers. A very dependable unit for your arsenal.

Like most 'light' vehicles, this unit is hard countered by heavy artillery like the 2S3 Akatsiya and the M109. Expect a parking lot to dish out horrendous damage, but also be vapourized if hit by 155mm artillery.

BMP-2 Recon

The BMP-2 Recon platoon is a unit unique to the Soviets in their battalions and can be taken in the Recon slot, alongside the BMP-1 and BRDM-2.

For 1.5 points per unit, you can purchase a platoon of BMP-2s with 2 or 4 vehicles. As with the BMP-1 Recon, you are paying a premium over the BRDM-2 for superior armaments. Spearhead is essential, and autocannons are weapons which excel at close range where they can punch through the side armour of some tanks like the Chieftain: you do NOT have HEAT, and your AT is enough to comfortably go through all light vehicles and have a chance of bailing tanks. However, a player wishing to get autocannons close in would probably just deploy a company of Motorstrelki in the expanded deployment zone and toss their BMP-2s into the fray.

A passable option for some players, but somewhat redundant in a Soviet list.

Warsaw Pact variants

Unlike Daddy Gorbachev's fighting men, Warsaw Pact nations do not get access to mass BMP-2s. Only one BMP-2 mounted infantry company may be purchased in a motor-rifle battalion. More importantly, tank battalions may NOT bring BMP-2 mounted infantry: they may only take BMP-1s, BTR-60s or OT-64s depending on the list.

4+ skill in the PACT nations synergizes with multiple small units of BMPs, blitzing into range and using their cannons or ATGMs against light armour. Polish and East German BMP mounted troops share the same cost as the Soviet list.

Nevertheless, the BMP-2 is an undercosted and deadly vehicle that punches FAR beyond its weight. Highly recommended, if you are playing a mechanized (BMP) infantry list. The cost discounts and stat buffs make these units even more dangerous than their Soviet counterparts...with the limit of only one company of them.

Otherwise, the BMP-1 is a vehicle that can go toe to toe with anything but the latest NATO main battle tanks. It might have a weak-ish missile and an outdated gun, but it's only a little more expensive than a BTR. Consider your list building needs before writing either unit off: PACT players do not have the chance to count on overpowered units to save their poor list building choices and really do have to know their units and roles inside out to play properly.

IRL

The BMP-1 was a revolution in armored warfare as it pioneered the Infantry Fighting Vehicle, combining the Armored Personnel Carrier with the light tank to create a vehicle that could not only safely carry troops under fire, but also use its own firepower to support them. Armed with a 73mm cannon, the BMP wasn't expected to take out enemy tanks on its own, but it was formidable enough to threaten enemy infantry and light vehicles. In particular, the BMP was designed specifically to be radiation-shielded so that in the event of a nuclear attack, Soviet infantry could still advance in hazardous conditions. Created in the 1960s, the BMP-1 was eventually succeeded by the BMP-2 in 1980, which replaced the 73mm cannon with a 30mm autocannon. The BMP seemingly has major flaw in the fact that the rear doors are the fuel tanks, but this is not exactly true. You see, the BMP has a main tank in the hull, the door tanks are used for road marches and long range non combat movement and are supposed to be cut off from fuel lines, drained and filled with sand before operations, for extra protection and fire safety, a standard practice in soviet vehicles and their limited spaces, yet not exactly mastered when used by someone who received them from abroad: there is a story of entire Egypt tank company abandoning their tanks during Six-Day War because they used internal tanks for the march instead of outer ones and were caught with their pants down when the actual fighting begun. The BMP-1 has terrible elevation meaning if anyone is high enough the vehicle can't shoot them. The BMP-2 uses a 30mm cannon to fix the elevation issues.

Oh and if the BMP looks a bit familiar to you Imperial Guard treadheads, yes, it was indeed the inspiration behind the Chimera (though the firing ports with pre-installed guns are obviously from "Bradley", although the BMP did have firing ports on the side for the riflemen being transported). And by "inspiration," we mean that (in true GW fashion) if there was a company that made 28mm BMP models you would be able to proxy them for Chimeras almost perfectly, as there really isn't any appreciable difference between the two vehicles.

East German Forces in Team Yankee
Tanks:	T-55 - T55AM2 - T-72M - T-72B
Transports:	BTR-60 - BMP-1 - BMP-2
Troops:	Mot-Schützen Kompanie - Hind Assault Landing Company
Artillery:	2S1 Carnation - BM-21 Hail - RM-70 - 2S3 Acacia
Anti-Aircraft:	ZSU 23-4 Shilka - SA-13 Gopher - SA9 Gaskin - SA-8 Gecko
Tank Hunters:	Spandrel
Recon:	BMP-1 OP - BRDM-2
Aircraft:	MI-24 Hind - SU-22 Fitter
Soviet Support:	SU-25 Frogfoot

Polish Forces in Team Yankee
Tanks:	T-55 - T55AM2 - T-72M - T-72B
Transports:	SKOT-2A - BMP-1 - BMP-2
Troops:	Zmotory Kompania - Hind Assault Landing Company
Artillery:	Dana SpGH - BM-21 Hail
Anti-Aircraft:	ZSU 23-4 Shilka - SA-13 Gopher -SA-8 Gecko
Tank Hunters:	Spandrel
Recon:	BMP-1 OP - BRDM-2
Aircraft:	MI-24 Hind - SU-22 Fitter
Soviet Support:	SU-25 Frogfoot

Czech Forces in Team Yankee
Tanks:	T-55 - T55AM2 - T-72M - T-72B
Transports:	OT-64 - BMP-1 - BMP-2
Troops:	Motostrelci
Artillery:	2S1 Carnation - Dana SpGH - RM-70
Anti-Aircraft:	ZSU 23-4 Shilka - SA-8 Gecko - SA9 Gaskin - SA-13 Gopher - M53/59 Praga
Tank Hunters:	Spandrel
Recon:	BMP-1 OP - BRDM-2
Aircraft:	MI-24 Hind - SU-25 Frogfoot - SU-22 Fitter

Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee
Tanks:	T-55 - T-62 - T-72M
Transports:	BTR-60 - OT-64 - AMX-10P - BMP-1
Troops:	Motor Rifle Company
Artillery:	2S1 Carnation - 2S3 Acacia - AMX Auf1 - BM-21 Hail
Anti-Aircraft:	ZSU 23-4 Shilka - SA-13 Gopher - SA9 Gaskin - SA-8 Gecko - Roland AA
Tank Hunters:	Spandrel - VCR/TH
Recon:	BRDM-2 - BTR-60 OP
Aircraft:	MI-24 Hind - Gazelle HOT
US Support:	A-10 Warthog - AV-8 Harrier