2S1 Carnation
"Mother like she belches shell;
Glorious it flies, and well,
As, with a hissing screaming squall,
A roaring furnace, giving all,
she sears a path for the infantry….”"
- – leksandr Tvardovskiy, from the poem “Vasily Tyorkin” 1943
The 2S1 Gvozdika or "Carnation" in English, is a self-propelled Howitzer, fielded by the Soviet army. Unlike traditional heavy artillery pieces, the 2S1 uses the hull of an APC as it's chassis (the MT-LB), affording it amphibious capabilities. It is also fully sealed and comes with an array of sophisticated optics, allowing it to operate in NBC or any other hazardous environment without risk to the crew. The vehicle is used by a variety of former-Soviet states and it's Communist allies.
The vehicle uses a 122mm howitzer as it's main gun, with a standard maximum range of 15.3 kilometers. It however, does not come with a turret-mounted or co-axial machine gun, making it vulnerable in close combat with infantry.
In Team Yankee
The 2S1 Gvozdika or Carnation is the quintessential Soviet artillery unit that serves as your all-in-one for killing and utility artillery.
Equipped with an AT4 FP 3+ template, a salvo of Gvozdika fire can damage soft-skinned vehicles, but does not spare units with top armour 1 like the Leopard 1 and the AMX-30. While the Acacia is preferable when killing dug-in infantry and the BM-21 is preferable for pinning them, the Gvozdika compromises on both aspects and fills up the middle ground. It won't perform as well as either one, but has the versatility to provide the type of support you need at this precise moment. The Gvozdika is the best option if you need something which fires smoke, with the alternative being heavy artillery pieces like the Acacia and Dana: units which are expensive and should be doing their darnest to kill the enemy, not smoke them to death.
The Gvozdika has 2 frontal armour and 1 above, enough to protect against pesky M113s and mortar based artillery. However, it is still an artillery unit and will die to anything designed to punch through thin armour such as autocannons and light calibre tank guns.
Interestingly, the Gvozdika is one of the only artillery pieces that can actually serve as an assault gun. Used in direct fire, the Gvozdika has slow-firing but can actually fire on the move! The direct fire range is piddly at 24", but has AT21 and FP2+ with HEAT and brutal: enough to ensure that if something is hit, it will (probably) die. While you won't be using this for the most part if you are playing a serious game, treat the Gvozdika as a light tank capable of firing artillery. Should the game ever come to a point where artillery is no longer relevant, Gvozdikas can enter the fray and provide a level of firepower that only tanks can match.
A Gvozdika battery can be taken with 3 or 6 guns at two points per vehicle by the East Germans, Soviets and Poles while the Czechs may purchase a battery of three for 5 points or a battery of six for 10 points.
IRL
While not as impressive as its western counterpart the M109 Paladin in its fire control systems, range and ammunition types, the PACT could easily outnumber NATO's artillery batteries. The 2S1 Carnation saw widespread adoption in the Soviet block, and even saw a few derivatives, such as the 2S34 Hosta which replaced the 122mm howitzer with a 120mm gun-mortar. While it is fully amphibious and comes with armor-piercing rounds, due to its thin skin it wasn't intended for direct combat unless absolutely necessary.
| Soviet Forces in Team Yankee | |
|---|---|
| Tanks: | T55AM2 - T-62M - T-64 - T-72 - T-80 - T-72B - T-64BV |
| Transports: | BTR-60 - BMP-1 - BMP-2 - BMP-3 -BMD-1 - BMD-2 - BTR-D |
| Troops: | Motor Rifle Company - Hind Assault Landing Company - Afghansty Air Assault Company - BMP Shock Motor Rifle Company - BMD Air Assault Company - Afghansty BMD Air Assault Platoon |
| Artillery: | 2S1 Carnation - 2S3 Acacia - BM-21 Hail - TOS-1 Buratino - BM-27 Uragan - 2S9 Nona - BM-37 82mm mortar platoon |
| Anti-Aircraft: | ZSU 23-4 Shilka - SA-13 Gopher - SA-9 Gaskin - SA-8 Gecko - 2S6 Tunguska - BTR-ZD |
| Tank Hunters: | Spandrel - Storm - BTR-RD - ASU-85 |
| Recon: | BMP-1 OP - BRDM-2 |
| Aircraft: | SU-22 Fitter - SU-25 Frogfoot - MI-24 Hind |
| 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 |