Team Yankee (video Game)
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''Team Yankee'' is a
techno-thriller A techno-thriller or technothriller is a hybrid genre drawing from science fiction, thrillers, spy fiction, action, and war novels. They include a disproportionate amount (relative to other genres) of technical details on their subject matter ...
novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
written in 1987 by
Harold Coyle Harold William "H.W." Coyle (born February 16, 1952) is an American author of historical and speculative fiction and of war novels including '' Team Yankee'', a ''New York Times'' bestseller. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in ...
, then a major in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. Set during the
World War III World War III, also known as the Third World War, is a hypothetical future global conflict subsequent to World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). It is widely predicted that such a war would involve all of the great powers, ...
scenario outlined in Sir John Hackett's novel '' The Third World War: The Untold Story'', the novel follows the titular
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
armored
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
-sized team in combat against the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
after the
Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...
invades
Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
. While Hackett's book emphasizes strategy and world politics, Coyle's features the experiences of the tank crews and infantrymen fighting on the front lines. ''Team Yankee'' was Coyle's first novel, and its success made Coyle a prominent writer in the field of
military fiction Military fiction is a subgenre of science fiction or alternate history, focusing on military activities, such as war, battles, combat, fighting; or military life. Classes of military fiction Types of military fiction include: * War novels, ...
. The novel achieved best-selling status and inspired a series of
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
s, an
Origins Award The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the gaming industry. They are presented by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for games released in the preceding year. For example, t ...
-winning
board Board or Boards may refer to: Flat surface * Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat ** Plank (wood) ** Cutting board ** Sounding board, of a musical instrument * Cardboard (paper product) * Paperboard * Fiberboard ** Hardboard, a ...
wargame A normal wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for Recreational wargaming, recreation, to train military officers in the art of milit ...
, and a
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
. In 2015, it was adapted as a sister scenario for the ''
Flames of War ''Flames of War'' (abbreviated as ''FoW'') is a World War II tabletop miniatures wargame produced by the New Zealand company Battlefront Miniatures Ltd. The 1st Edition set of rules was published in 2002. ''Flames of War'' allows players to wa ...
'' wargame.


Plot

Over the summer of an unspecified year, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorate rapidly, particularly in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
. By August,
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
forces are mobilized and moved to the
Inner German border The inner German border ( or ''deutsch–deutsche Grenze''; initially also , zonal boundary) was the frontier between the East Germany, German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) and the West Germany, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, West ...
between
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
and
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
. Among the mobilized NATO forces is Team Yankee, an average U.S. Army armored team under First Battalion, 4th Armored Division. Captain Sean Bannon is the company commander, First Lieutenant Robert Uleski is the
executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer ...
, and First Sergeant Raymond Harrert is the
first sergeant First sergeant is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries. Singapore First sergeant is a Specialist (Singapore), specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First sergeants are the most senior of the junior spe ...
. Team Yankee is composed of First
Platoon A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...
(Lieutenant Murray Weiss), Second Platoon (Second Lieutenant McAllister), Third Platoon (Second Lieutenant Gerry Garger), and the Mech Platoon (Staff Sergeant Polgar). Each platoon has four
M1 Abrams The M1 Abrams () is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare, it is one of the heavies ...
tanks for a total of ten across the team, as well as five
M113 armored personnel carrier The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier (APC) that was developed and produced by the FMC Corporation. The M113 was sent to United States Army Europe in 1961 to replace the mechanized infantry's M59 armored personnel carrier, M59 A ...
s, two
M901 ITV The M901 ITV (improved TOW vehicle) is an American armored vehicle introduced into service in 1979, and designed to carry a dual M220 TOW launcher. It is based on the M113 armored personnel carrier chassis. The M901 ITV is no longer in service ...
TOW missile vehicles, an M113A4 AMEV, and an M88 recovery vehicle. The Mech Platoon is also equipped for
anti-tank warfare Anti-tank warfare refers to the military strategies, tactics, and weapon systems designed to counter and destroy enemy armored vehicles, particularly tanks. It originated during World War I following the first deployment of tanks in 1916, and ...
, armed with
M47 Dragon The M47 Dragon, known as the FGM-77 during development, is an American Shoulder-launched missile weapon, shoulder-fired, man-portable anti-tank guided missile system. It was phased out of U.S. military service in 2001, in favor of the newer FGM-1 ...
anti-tank missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a missile guidance, guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy armoured fighting vehicle, heavily armored military v ...
s and
M72 LAW The M72 LAW (light anti-tank weapon, also referred to as the light anti-armor weapon or LAW as well as LAWS: light anti-armor weapons system) is a portable one-shot unguided anti-tank weapon. In early 1963, the M72 LAW was adopted by the U.S. ...
rocket launcher A rocket launcher is a weapon that launches an unguided, rocket-propelled projectile. History The earliest rocket launchers documented in imperial China consisted of arrows modified by the attachment of a rocket motor to the shaft a few i ...
s. When deployed to Germany under
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
commander Colonel Brunn and Major Jordan, Team Yankee is attached to
Task Force A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many ...
3-78 Mechanized Infantry, led by Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds and composed of Team Yankee, mech-heavy (one tank, two mech platoons) Team Bravo, standard infantry C Company (Captain Craven), standard infantry D Company, and an
M981 FISTV The M981 FISTV (Fire Support Team Vehicle) is a United States Army armored vehicle designed to house an artillery observer team in mechanized units. It was based on the M901 Improved TOW Vehicle (ITV) – itself based on the ubiquitous M113 armo ...
-equipped
artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
team (Second Lieutenant Rodney Unger). On August 3, with the increasingly likely possibility of war, Bannon sends his wife Pat and their children to
Rhein-Main Air Base Rhein-Main Air Base was a United States Air Force air base near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was a Military Airlift Command (MAC) and United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) installation, occupying the south side of Frankfurt ...
to flee the country alongside other civilians, while also preparing to replace Garger for repeatedly troubling him. Suddenly, as Reynolds inspects TF 3-78's positions, the Soviets attack, and Team Bravo's company commander is killed. Team Yankee repels the attack, and Bannon notes Garger's competence in combat. That evening, Pat and her children arrive at Rhein-Main and narrowly board an American aircraft as the
Soviet Air Forces The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...
indiscriminately bomb fleeing civilians, while Bannon learns the staff are more enthusiastic about war than the soldiers who have actually seen combat. The next day, Team Yankee attacks Hill 214, but receives conflicting orders from Reynolds and Jordan to attack and halt respectively. Bannon's tank driver and Lt. McAllister, are killed, but Bannon and his surviving crew manage to destroy three
T-62 The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced in 1961. As a further development of the T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low profile and thick turret armour. In contra ...
tanks before destroying their crippled M1 Abrams to prevent its capture and commandeering Uleski's tank. C Company, intended to support them, never arrives, forcing the team to defend Hill 214 throughout the night. Bannon's loader, PFC Richard Kelp, assists Private McCauley and an anti-tank infantryman from the Mech Platoon into battle, but the gunner is killed, and Kelp and McCauley use his launcher to destroy a
T-72 The T-72 is a family of Soviet Union, Soviet main battle tanks that entered production in 1973. The T-72 was a development based on the T-64 using thought and design of the previous Object 167M. About 25,000 T-72 tanks have been built, and refu ...
targeting them, earning Kelp a
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...
. The members of Team Yankee fall asleep and wake up several hours after they were expected to withdraw, and Bannon charts a way to return to U.S. lines in daylight with minimal casualties where, to Bannon's fury, they find C Company, having apparently held there the entire time. Bannon reports to his superiors and Team Yankee is placed in reserve for reinforcing and recovery. Second Lt. Avery, an inexperienced Armor School classmate of Garger's, reports as McAllister's replacement, but finds himself isolated from his new comrades. On August 8, Team Yankee's brigade is ordered to follow up a
Bundeswehr The (, ''Federal Defence'') are the armed forces of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part consists of the four armed forces: Germ ...
counterattack into East Germany through the
Thuringian Forest The Thuringian Forest (''Thüringer Wald'' in German language, German ) is a mountain range in the southern parts of the Germany, German state of Thuringia, running northwest to southeast. Skirting from its southerly source in foothills to a gorg ...
towards
Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
and
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
to cut off the Soviet offensive against the
Northern Army Group The Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in western Germany. The Army Group headquarters was established on 1 November 1952 ...
, and Team Yankee is ordered to lead the attack. Bannon however expresses doubts to Reynolds that the rest of the battalion, particularly C Company, can carry out their role in supporting the armor teams. The attack is delayed when the enemy, a
Polish People's Army The Polish People's Army (, ; LWP) was the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East during the latter stages of the Second World War (1943–1945), and subsequently the armed forces of the Polish communist state (1945–1989 ...
T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of Soviet medium tanks introduced in the years following the Second World War. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945.Steven Zaloga, T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks 1944–2 ...
battalion, launches its attack first, but the team repels them and Avery gets his first kill, forcing the Polish battalion to retreat. TF 3-78 stops to consolidate its gains, but the Polish battalion returns to attack C Company, prompting TF 3-78, assisted by a German company and American artillery, to respond in force and crush the Polish battalion. The Mech Platoon advances to secure the nearest town, but is attacked by a member of the
Free German Youth The Free German Youth (; FDJ) is a youth movement in Germany. Formerly, it was the official youth wing of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The organization was meant for young adults, both male a ...
, who is killed after wounding a soldier. TF 3-78 sets up their headquarters in East Germany. Avery is wounded by a Soviet helicopter and his tank is damaged, but it is quickly salvaged as it is due back in combat the next day. Suddenly, the headquarters is attacked; several soldiers are wounded or killed, C Company is almost entirely wiped out, Reynolds is severely wounded, and Jordan is cut off from reaching the others. Bannon reorganizes TF 3-78 and leads a counterattack to repel the Soviets and rescue Jordan and the staff. TF 3-78, resuming activities under Jordan, coordinates an ambush against a Soviet battalion approaching their position and a town, using scout troops and area denial artillery munitions in a reverse slope defense to force them into Team Yankee's lines. By this point, NATO is running short on equipment and manpower, forcing major unit reorganizations to maintain the offensive, and Team Yankee is moved from TF 3-78 to TF 1-4 Armored, their original unit, to continue the advance to Leipzig and Berlin. Team Yankee is assigned a screening role to the main effort, and is ordered to conduct a
feint Feint, a French term that entered English via the discipline of swordsmanship and fencing, is a maneuver designed to distract or mislead. A feint is achieved by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, ...
attack against a bridge over the
Saale River The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale ( ) and Thuringian Saale (), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale ...
, but the speed of their attack and internal conflicts between the
Soviet Army The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army. After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...
and the
KGB The Committee for State Security (, ), abbreviated as KGB (, ; ) was the main security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991. It was the direct successor of preceding Soviet secret police agencies including the Cheka, Joint State Polit ...
allow the First Platoon to capture the bridge intact. The next day, Bannon learns the Soviet Union has launched a nuclear attack on
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
,
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, and that NATO has retaliated with a nuclear attack against
Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
,
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
. TF 1-4 is ordered to prepare for nuclear warfare,
CBRN defense Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense (CBRN defense) or Nuclear, biological, and chemical protection (NBC protection) is a class of protective measures taken in situations where chemical warfare, chemical, biological warfar ...
, and the effects of nuclear war, and Bannon braces for a nuclear exchange. Suddenly, news comes in that the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact are collapsing and a
ceasefire A ceasefire (also known as a truce), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...
has been ordered. The ceasefire ultimately holds, ending the devastating war after only two months. A
National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...
division relieves the 4th Armored Division, and Bannon returns to quarters to reconnect with Pat and their children.


Adaptations


Board games

* GDW Games published ''
Team Yankee ''Team Yankee'' is a techno-thriller novel written in 1987 by Harold Coyle, then a major in the United States Army. Set during the World War III scenario outlined in Sir John Hackett's novel '' The Third World War: The Untold Story'', the no ...
'' under license, authored by
Frank Chadwick Frank Chadwick is an American game designer and ''New York Times'' best selling author. He has designed hundreds of games, his most notable being the role-playing games '' En Garde!'', '' Space: 1889'' and '' Twilight 2000'', and the wargame s ...
and Marc W. Miller, as a part of their "First Battle" series of wargames that shared the same basic rules. In the March 1989 edition of ''
Games International ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 1 ...
'' (issue #3), Ellis Simpson reviewed the game and was not impressed, giving it a poor rating of only 1 out of 5 and called it "a turkey". * While not directly based on the novel, the game ''World at War: Eisenbach Gap'' by Mark H. Walker is based on events and units as laid out in the ''Team Yankee'' book and John Hackett's book ''The Third World War''.


Comic book

First Comics First Comics is an American comic book publisher that was active from 1983 to 1991 and then from 2011 to present (stylized as 1First Comics), known for titles like '' American Flagg!'', '' Grimjack'', ''Nexus'', ''Badger'', '' Dreadstar'', and '' ...
published a six-issue comic book series based on ''Team Yankee'', which was reissued as a graphic novel in 1989.
David Drake David A. Drake (September 24, 1945 – December 10, 2023) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran, he worked as a lawyer before becoming a writer in the military science fiction genre. Biography ...
wrote the strip.


Video game

In 1990, British
video game developer A video game developer is a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large business with em ...
Oxford Digital Enterprises developed ''
Team Yankee ''Team Yankee'' is a techno-thriller novel written in 1987 by Harold Coyle, then a major in the United States Army. Set during the World War III scenario outlined in Sir John Hackett's novel '' The Third World War: The Untold Story'', the no ...
'', a
computer wargame A computer wargame is a wargame played on a digital device. Descended from board wargaming, it simulates military conflict at the tactical, operational or strategic level. Computer wargames are both sold commercially for recreational use ...
published by
Empire Software Empire Interactive was a British video game developer and publisher based in London. Founded in 1987 by Ian Higgins and Simon Jeffrey, it was acquired by Silverstar Holdings in 2006 and collapsed in 2009. History Empire Interactive was found ...
for
Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers produced by Commodore International, Commodore from 1985 until the company's bankruptcy in 1994, with production by others afterward. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16-b ...
,
Atari ST Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...
,
MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few op ...
, and
Commodore CDTV The CDTV (from Commodore Dynamic Total Vision, later treated as a backronym for Compact Disc Television) is a home multimedia entertainment and video game console – convertible into a full-fledged personal computer by the addition of optional ...
, following a premise and plotline based on the novel. The game received two sequels, ''
Pacific Islands The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of several ...
'' in 1992 and '' War in the Gulf'' in 1993, both unrelated to ''Team Yankee''.


Tabletop game

In November 2015, the tabletop wargaming system ''
Flames of War ''Flames of War'' (abbreviated as ''FoW'') is a World War II tabletop miniatures wargame produced by the New Zealand company Battlefront Miniatures Ltd. The 1st Edition set of rules was published in 2002. ''Flames of War'' allows players to wa ...
'' released the miniature based table-top game ''Team Yankee'', inspired by both ''The Third World War'' and ''Team Yankee'' novels. It allows the player to build a Team Yankee, NATO, or Warsaw Pact force to play with. It also has missions based on those from the novel.


References

{{Reflist 1987 American novels Novels set during World War III Novels set in Germany American thriller novels American war novels Techno-thriller novels