Part two - Whisky on the Rocks - Soviet order of battle

 

Soviet Order of Battle  

Invasion of Gotland 1981

Part two 

“Admiral Ivan Kapitanets stared at the map of the island of Gotland. Preoccupied with his primary concern; The naval spetsnaz operatives actions against the strike capability of the Swedish Airforce and the anti ship missile defences on Faro Island. He pondered, if the planned operation was only partially a success, would the remainder go to plan, and from past experience nothing ever goes to plan….” 

336th Independent Naval Guards Brigade 

The 336th consisted of four battalions, one heliborne air landing  and three battalions of Naval Infantry equipped with the amphibious BTR 60 armored personnel carriers, a tank battalion with two companies of PT-76 amphibious light tanks and a company of T-55 main battle tanks. Artillery support was provided by a battery of BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers, Nona and Gvozdika SP guns and a battery of anti-tank guided missiles, while air defense consisted of a platoon of ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft guns and a platoon of 9K31 Strela-1 surface-to-air missiles. Support units included support, reconnaissance, engineer, and NBC defense companies. 

336th Independent Naval Guards Brigade 

Order of Battle

877th Naval Infantry Battalion
878th Naval Infantry Battalion
879th Naval (Air Landing) Infantry Battalion
884th Naval Infantry Battalion
112th Tank Battalion 

887th Reconnaissance Battalion
1612th Artillery Battalion
1618th Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion
1615th Multi-Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion
1621st Anti-Tank Artillery Battalion

40 T-55, 26 PT-76, 96 BTR-80, 64 BTR-60, 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 24 2s9 Nona, 18 BM-21 Grad, 15 MT-LBT, 3 PRP-3 Forward Observor , 3 PU-12, 1 BTR-60PU, 7 R-145BM, 6 1V119, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 1 BTR-70KSh, 

Able Archer order of battle 336th Naval Guards Brigade 

Brigade HQ 

BTR 60 R-145BM command vehicle CO + radio + 5

BTR 80 ZS88 PSYOP vehicle PO + NKGB platoon, 

MTLB  ambulance OC + 2 medics 

Ural 4320 supply truck

561st "Maritime Recon” (Spetsnaz) battalion 

HQ coy 

CO+RO SA-7 team (2 figures), 4 figures medic, sniper, radio ops

I companies 

8 figures spetsnaz RPG and LMG

II company 

8 figures spetsnaz RPG and LMG 

Regiment HQ:

BTR 60 PU-12 command vehicle 

- regimental commander +3

- SA-7 team (2 figures)

Naval Infantry battalions

877th Naval infantry 

Battalion HQ Company:

- BTR-60/8 Regimental CO + radio, sniper, medic, SA-7 team (2 figures)

3 Companies:

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

Support Company:

BTR-60 9 figures with 120mm mortar, AT-4 and SPG-9

878th Naval infantry battalion 

Battalion HQ Company:

- BTR-60/8 Regimental CO + radio, sniper, medic, SA-7 team (2 figures)

3 Companies:

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

Support Company:

BTR-60 9 figures with 120mm mortar, AT-4 and SPG-9

879th Naval Air landing battalion 

Regimental CO + radio, sniper, medic, SA-7 team (2 figures)

3 Companies:

7 figures with RPG and LMG

7 figures with RPG and LMG

7 figures with RPG and LMG

Support Company:

9 figures with 120mm mortar, AT-4 and SPG-9

884th Naval infantry battalion 

Battalion HQ Company:

- BTR-60/8 Regimental CO + radio, sniper, medic, SA-7 team (2 figures)

3 Companies:

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

BTR-60 7 figures with RPG and LMG

Support Company:

BTR-60 9 figures with 120mm mortar, AT-4 and SPG-9

112th Tank Battalion 

BHQ 1 x T55 AD (DRZOD APS) BTR60 P

I Company 

3 x T55 AD (DRZOD APS) 

II company 

2 x PT76 

III Company

2 PT-76B

887th Reconnaissance battalion:

HQ company 1 x BDRM 2, 1x BTR 60 PU radio 

 I company

1 x BDRM 2

II company 

1 x PT-76B 

1612 Artillery battalion 

HQ 

Observor PRP-3 VAL

I Battery 

2 x 2S9 Nona 

II Battery 

1 x 2s1 Gvozdika 

Engineer Company:

PTS M 7 figures, rpg, lmg

BTR 50 UR67 (mine clearance rocket) 

1621st Anti tank battery 

BRDM-2 with AT-3

1618th AA Battery:

HQ coy BTR 60 PU 4 figs 

I battery SA-9 Gaskin 4 figs

II battery 1 x ZSU-23-4

1618th MLRS Battery:

HQ Gaz -66 IV19 radio command vehicle 

 2 x BM-21 Grad MLRS 4 crew

Tactical air support 

Observer BTR 60 R-975M1

71st red star landing brigade

The Ondatra class Soviet designation Project 1176 Akula LCT

(Landing craft, can carry two T-55, two APC or trucks or 50 infantry). 

Ropucha class LCM

Korolev, Minsk, Kaliningrad, Pyotr Morgunov, Georgy Pobedonosets

Baltic Fleet Naval Aviation  

689th Fighter Aviation Regiment SU27
4th Naval Attack Aviation Regiment SU24
125th Independent Helicopter Squadron Mi8 and Mi24
398th Transport Aviation Squadron Mi8

Cheers

Matt