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About us and high-level trip summary:

• Our entire itinerary consisted of: Tokyo (+ trip to Kawaguchiko), Hakone, Osaka (+ trips to Himeji and Nara), Kyoto (+ trip to Hiroshima), Kanazawa (+ trip to Shirakawa-go), and then Tokyo again for the final night in Kichijoji.
• Stayed at a total of 7 hotels and made good use of the luggage delivery service. Usually took 1 day, but sometimes 2, so plan ahead.
• We got the JR West All Area Pass, which let us go to Hiroshima, Himeji, and Kanazawa from Osaka/Kyoto (plus a few other small trips). Not only was this worth it for us in terms of monetary value, but the built-in flexibility came in clutch i.e taking the train at our leisure and feeling much less stress over seat reservations or waiting in line. I used this website to help me determine which pass to get: https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
• As mentioned earlier, we attended our close friends’ wedding in Tokyo, which took place at Meiji Jingu and Meiji Kinenkan. It was a truly special and once-in-a-lifetime event. Being photographed by the sightseers at Meiji Jingu was also an interesting experience!
• We went out on weekend nights and checked out the popular places in Shinjuku Nichome (i.e the gay village). While they were fun, you need to dig deeper to find the places that make Nichome stand out from other gaybourhoods around the world.
• Did not make a lot of food reservations because we read how easy it was to find good food around every corner. We found this to be largely true and ate well on our trip (including many konbini meals and bento boxes on the train), but we look forward to diving deeper into the culinary world on trip #2.
• One of my favourite phrases was: Nani ga oishii desu ka? It means ‘What is tasty here?’ and is like asking the restaurant for their recommendation. I never got a bad result with this question.
• The ryokan, onsen, and kaiseki from our 1 night stay in Hakone were all amazing. It was probably our favourite room and meal on the trip. We would certainly return to Hakone and stay 2 nights next time.
• Saw a geisha performance in Kanazawa that was geared towards visitors and it was so fun and fascinating. My partner got to play taiko drums with a geisha!
• The big tourist must-sees were nice, but I’ll fondly remember all the times we just wandered the streets, witnessing small slices of other people’s lives.
• Kichijoji ended up being our favourite area of Tokyo.
• I planned this trip meticulously, but many items still ended up falling through or needed to be re-arranged due to various reasons (fatigue, sickness, timing mistakes). I think you will need to make peace with this and be prepared to be flexible with your plans, outside of pre-booked reservations.

Detailed report:

Before the flight

• Picked up a Wise card, allowing us to withdraw cash without paying extra fees. The fees can really add up.
• Reserved a pocket wifi router for pick-up at Narita.
• Made reservations for popular activities, namely the Ghibli Museum and USJ Express Pass.
• Adjusted our bodies to the new timezone a few days before our flight using an app called Timeshifter.
• Installed the Japan Travel by NAVITIME app, which I preferred over Google Maps when it came to anything involving the shinkansen.
• Watched Perfect Days, a meditative film that follows a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. It got us even more excited for Japan, plus the washrooms featured in this film are real and inspired us to look out for them in real life!

Landing in Japan

• After passing through customs, we picked up the pocket wifi router we had reserved. There are multiple drop-off locations, so you can pick up at one location and drop off at another. We chose the plan that gave us unlimited data for 3 weeks and it was worth it.
• I wanted to get our IC cards, but the line at the JR ticket office was so long that we just opted to buy individual tickets to take the Keisei Access Express. If you are going to be staying near any major metro stations (Ueno, Tokyo, Shinjuku, a few others), you can go there for your tickets because the lines seem to be shorter and you’ll ideally be rested by then.
  • I got my IC card at Ueno Station. On the ground floor, at the JR travel centre, you can line up for the Suica. However, I really wanted the cute Pasmo Passport instead. It took some asking around, but we eventually found the ticket office in the metro station, which is underground and had no line at all. We showed our passports and picked up our Pasmo cards without issue. It’s cash only.
• I also purchased an eSIM from Airalo. It was my first time doing so and I found the process fairly straightforward. I only got 3 gigabytes of data, which was for situations where I might find myself separated from my partner (who held onto the pocket wifi). Ended the trip with over 1gb remaining.
• On our first night, we wandered and found some restaurants in the alleyways behind our train station; we ate delicious ramen for around ¥800. It’s true what they say about your first night being a write-off, however, so don’t expect to do much else.

A note about the trains and ticketing system

March 26 - 28: A gentle introduction to Japan.

• Itoya Ginza is a stationary lover’s paradise. Each of the ten floors is immacuately curated, filled with beautiful things to look at and use. If that wasn’t enough, a nature-inspired soundtrack plays the entire time to really put you in the mood. I picked up a Shupatto bag and liked it so much (great design and durability) that I went back and bought a few more as gifts.
• I found a place called the Okuno Building and it felt like a hidden gem for anyone who’s into art and architecture. Try to time your visit with when Room 306 is open: https://room306project.tokyo/about-en/
• Stepping outside of Tokyo Station, you feel small and the grandeur of Tokyo really hits you. Across the station in the building with the Beams store, there’s an observation deck that offers a gorgeous nighttime view of the area. There’s also a food hall with a great energy and vibe.
• About 10-15 minutes walk north of Akihabara station is an artisanal market tucked away beneath the train tracks. It was quiet and cute with a lot of interesting shops. Many handmade giftable items to be found: https://www.cntraveler.com/shops/tokyo/aki-oka-artisan
• I had a reservation for the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe in Akihabara - it was something I had wanted to do for a long time, though it felt underwhelming in the end. The food and drinks were photogenic, but forgettable. There are a number of cafes like these around and I imagine the gimmick is similar in each (at least, the ones run by Pasela Resorts). Still, no regrets!

• Most of the hotels we stayed at did not allow use of stairs except in emergencies. This was usually fine, but during one busy morning rush we waited a ludicrously long time to get down from the 4th floor! We became acquainted with a charming Japanese woman as a result of waiting for the elevator, so there was a silver lining.

March 29 - April 3: Unforgettable memories made over a weekend.

• To prepare for the wedding, we had a fitting at a kimono rental shop (Vasara) along with some friends. The men in the group wore hakamas, which are like trousers reserved for very formal occasions. Wearing a kimono and hakama was interesting - there’s a lot of tucking and wrapping under those robes, forcing you to stand straight while also having your organs squeezed in. But damn did we feel and look good in them, haha.
• The wedding itself was one of the most gorgeous and well-organized weddings I’ve ever been to and I’m still in a bit of awe. It began in the early morning with a Shinto ceremony at Meiji Jingu. The ritualistic garments worn by the bride and groom as well as the attendants were beautiful. After conducting the tea ceremony in a semi-private reception area, we gathered into a two-column procession and slowly walked to the main ceremonial site deeper within Meiji Jingu, led by a priest and two shrine maidens. Everything was solemn and immaculate. You can read about what these ceremonies are like online, but there were a lot of rituals, rules, and even audience participation e.g. standing, sitting, clapping, and drinking sake. Being photographed by hundreds of people while walking to and from the ceremonial site was also something I didn’t think I’d ever get to experience - I imagine this is what a celebrity feels like!
• The reception afterwards was at Meiji Kinenkan and followed a more familiar Western reception format, with an MC, music, multi-course meal, and live performances (including mochi pounding and spectacular Japanese Bollywood dancers) - but no dancing for the participants, haha. There was also an after-party at an Indian restaurant in Shibuya and it was a much more casual and colourful affair.

• Nichome - one could easily miss this entire neighbourhood during the day, but boy does it come alive at night. We visited most of the major bars: Eagle, Eagle Blue, Dragon Men, Arty Farty, etc. What immediately struck me about those places was how similar they felt to bars back home i.e Toronto. There were lots of foreigners and the vibe and music reminded me of our own bars. It’s still a fun time and you can meet other travellers if you put yourself out there.
• When I said that one needs to dig deeper to find what makes Nichome stand out from other gaybourhoods, I was referring to the hundreds of tiny bars in the basements and upper levels of the buildings all around Nichome. To really get something out of this experience though, you need to either: i) speak Japanese, or ii) be accompanied by someone who can speak Japanese. I was lucky to fall into the latter group and had a few nights of uproarious karaoke, bantering with drag queens, and intimate conversations with bar staff.

• teamLab Planets was mind-blowing and I highly recommend anyone go at least once. The less you know about it, the better. The area around teamLab Planets (which includes the famous Toyosu Market) was also pleasant to walk around. In fact, we had a picnic by the water with a clear view of the Tokyo skyline.
• I find malls in Asia to be on another level and the one we visited - Shibuya Parco - was no exception. There was a large terrace on the top floor with expansive views of the city and the basement housed an impressive food hall with a wide range of cuisines. The floors in-between had many unique offerings as well, even if only to window shop.
• We found one of the washrooms from the film Perfect Days, the one in Nabeshima Shoto Park. The exterior was incredibly designed, though the interiors were just fine. The park also houses a tranquil pond that was nice for a stroll around and the neighbourhood itself was enjoyable to walk through.
• Got my hair cut at a place called Assort Tokyo with English-speaking hair stylists - shout out to Yutsuki who gave me one of the best cuts I’ve ever had!
• Karaoke Manekineko is prevalent in Japan and we had the fortune of going to one with our Japanese friends. It was fun, affordable, and equipped with all our favourite songs (both Japanese and English). Indulge in the bottomless drink machines - their corn soup is a best seller and after trying it myself, I can see why!
• Seeing Mt. Fuji in person is an out-of-this-world experience - pictures don’t do it justice. However, the popular places we visited (Chureito Pagoda, northern shore of the lake) were extremely busy despite the lack of cherry blossoms e.g. the queue to access the observation deck at Chureito was 1 hour long. Getting around Kawaguchiko also wasn’t easy or cheap - the buses were packed and unpredictable and taking a taxi across town cost us a pretty penny. If I were to return, I’d get a private tour guide or just stick to the not-famous places and aim to be there in the early morning.

• We switched hotels from Asakusabashi to Shinjuku and it was worthwhile to do so. We valued being able to walk to and from the bars, especially at night after the trains close
• I made the mistake of thinking we could get tickets on the express/direct train to Kawaguchiko the day before - nope. You should book these early. We took the shinkansen to Otsuki and then from there took a local train the rest of the way.

April 3 - 7: Embracing the calm after Tokyo.

• I wish we stayed longer at our Hakone ryokan. Their kaiseki dinner and breakfast were exquisite. The private onsen consisted of two large basins for our exclusive use with a view of an illuminated bamboo grove. That said, I think you could choose any 3+ star ryokan in Hakone and have a stellar time. The town was calm and charming; it was especially haunting with the light rain and mist when we were there.
• We took a bus that went directly from our hotel all the way to Odawara, where we caught the shinkansen to Osaka. Unlike at home, where riding the bus feels like a chore, I felt that taking the various transport options in Japan was an experience unto itself - always something to see and admire outside the window.
• Osaka’s nightlife was vibrant, though we preferred Shinsekai over Dotonbori if only because the former was way less crowded. I also went out to Doyamacho (Osaka’s gay district) on my own, which seemed tiny in comparison to Nichome. I visited the newly opened Eagle Osaka and met a Canadian expat; it was fun to hear stories about being gay in Japan from people who’ve lived there for a long time.
• Sunset at Osaka Castle with all the sakura was magical. The crowds were minimal here. My favourite shot to take was a close-up of the flowers with the castle in the background.
• My partner was very keen on visiting USJ and getting the Express Pass - I’m glad we did that because we got to experience (almost) everything we wanted to. Super Nintendo World was the absolute gem of USJ: going there felt like going to another dimension.
• Right outside USJ is a large shopping and restaurant complex. There’s a place on the fourth floor called TAKOPA Takoyaki Park and what a joy it was - pick any of the restaurants here, order a combo meal, and let your taste buds soar.
• Himeji is an easy day trip from Osaka and the famous castle is a straight walk down from the station. It was very picturesque - definitely visit the gardens while you’re there.

• My partner started to feel unwell at this point of the trip, so we had to slow down our pace and also reshuffle a few itinerary items.

April 7 - 10: Sakura, temples, and museums.

• The sakura were now in full bloom and made for magnificent strolls around Kyoto’s famous districts, but like all other famous sites, they are best enjoyed early. We got up early for Philosopher’s Path and it was breathtaking and tranquil, just as we imagined it to be. It started to get crowded i.e noisier after 9am.
• The 10th floor of the Isetan building at Kyoto Station is a dedicated food hall, with one side being just ramen shops. Very yummy and very short lines!
• I read about how emotional the Hiroshima Peace Museum made people feel, but I still wasn’t prepared for the sheer gravity of it once we were there. I can only describe the experience as powerful and poignant. Certainly take your time to go through and read the cards on the exhibits. It was one of the rare places we visited that was both busy and quiet.
• Visit Okonomi-mura for delicious Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and good vibes. It’s another food hall, but one that feels much more down to earth and gritty.
• We happened to stumble upon a night market at Murayama Park in Kyoto. The cherry blossoms were at their peak; they looked especially splendid under the glow of the lanterns. There were food stalls aplenty and we ate to our heart’s content: grilled fish, fried yam rolls, bamboo on a stick, and barbequed meats. Several restaurants and tables were set up in the middle of the park so you could sit down for a meal and some drinks while partaking in hanami. People were in very good spirits and we ended up chatting to a young couple sat next to us, where we bonded over our shared love for Howl’s Moving Castle and all things Ghibli. I’ll remember this particular night very fondly.

• It’s possible to visit Nara on route from Osaka to Kyoto or vice versa. That’s what we did and we just stored our luggage at the station in Nara.
• It makes more sense to go to Hiroshima from Osaka - not only is it closer, but our JR West Pass did not include shinkansen travel between Osaka and Kyoto (even if we were riding on the same train going from Osaka to Hiroshima). We only did it this way because our original plans were changed due to my partner’s change in health status.

April 10 - 12: Winding down and enjoying small city life.

• Everyone comes here for Kenrokuen and... yeah, it’s an absolutely stunning garden, dressed in wide swathes of pink thanks to the pretty cherry blossoms. Having said that, we noticed other areas of the garden weren’t as lively because the plants had not yet flowered. I think coming here when you know certain flora will be in season will make for a more memorable experience.
• Right next to the gardens are the Kanazawa Castle Ruins, also home to some gorgeous blossom-lined paths. It was way less busy here, as if people didn’t realize they could walk another few minutes to this beautiful location.
• On the surface, Higashi Chaya looked similar to the historic districts in Kyoto. We primarily went there for the Geisha Evenings in Kanazawa performance held at Kaikaro Tea House and it ended up being one of our favourite highlights of the entire trip. Lady Baba is a fabulous host and storyteller; the two hours we spent here flew by, filled with laughter, music, and cultural learnings.
• Omicho Market feels a lot more like a real food market than Nishiki and smells like the sea. We enjoyed some huge oysters here and grilled scallop and octopus skewers.
• We dined at Gen-zae-mon on the recommendation of a local who worked at Kaikaro. It’s a cozy izakaya in downtown Kanazawa serving plenty of scrumptious regional specialties. Try asking the service staff for their recommendations if you’re overwhelmed by the menu options.
• Shirakawa-go was quaint, almost like being transported to a different era. The entire village is easily traversable by foot and it’s worthwhile to visit at least one of the historic houses that have been converted into a museum. If you can climb to the top of the observation deck, you’ll be rewarded with a serene lookout of the entire village. That said, I don’t think spring is the optimal season for Shirakawa-go to shine; I think any other season would colour it better, because it was still grey and barren when we went.

• I mistakenly thought we could get tickets for the highway express bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go last minute... nope. Thankfully, our JR West pass let us ride the shinkansen at no additional cost to Toyama, where we caught the bus there - and that bus was mostly empty. It only added about 30 minutes more to our travel time.

April 12 - 13: One more outing in Tokyo’s most desirable neighbourhood.

• I’m glad we stayed in Kichijoji for the last day of our visit. Walking the streets of this neighbourhood was exactly what we envisioned a peaceful Tokyo to be like and there was much to please the senses. It just felt like the whole package - picturesque, relaxed, easy to get lost in, and bustling to a degree that felt exciting without being overwhelming. The Internet claims that Kichijoji is the most desirable neighbourhood in Tokyo; I definitely believe that now.
• Ghibli Museum was delightful and I’m a big fan of the “no indoor photography” rule. The attention to detail was incredible. Treat yourself to a walk in Inokashira Park before or after your visit. It was late afternoon when we went and the park was filled with young families and students playing after-school sports. It just felt like a pinnacle “slice of life” moment.
• My very fashionable friend (the one who got married) said Kichijoji is her favourite place for consignment shopping and we saw plenty of those stores here. A bit deeper into the residential parts of Kichijoji is an artisanal market and cafe called Sippo: it was filled with one-of-a-kind goods at reasonable prices and everything was made in Japan. I know there are a lot of great shops in Tokyo, but this one stood out to us and we would certainly return on future trips.
• We hopped on an airport shuttle bus from Kichijoji Station to Haneda. No reservations, but the bus was only a quarter full. We gave ourselves three hours at Haneda and still felt like we ran out of time - lots of great shops for last minute gifts (including an Itoya outpost!) Take note that the higher rated restaurants are located outside of the security gates.

Welcome to The Fleet Facto®y!

• CCU = Cross-Chassis Upgrade. • Melt value = what you get if you decide to exchange your ship for store credits. • Upgrade value = this is the value you upgrade from if you decide to do that. • LTI = Lifetime insurance. • MI = Month insurance. • OC = Original Concept. • Prices include PayPal fees. PayPal invoice will be sent. • Buyer must be PayPal verified, I am since 2008. • I do not have a Discord account and I do not middleman! • HOW TO BUY: PM me what you would like to buy together with your PayPal email. I will then send you an invoice. Once the invoice has been paid the bought item will be gifted to your PayPal email. You will then receive a mail from RSI which contains a gift link. The link transfers the gift to your Hangar (RSI website, if you are logged in, or it will ask you to do so). • If you are interested - send me a PM. My down time is usually between 11 pm - 7 am UTC (CET) 

• Caesar's legion:

• hikes in search of epic waterfalls and trashy photo ops - I also have a National Parks annual pass, which means unlimited parking in most places
• hangs at the nude beach (don't worry, strictly platonic, though I can bring my camera if you want some photos... and I do like to take photos!)
• some long-overdue cycling adventures
• new photography skills; if you know your way around a mirrorless, let me know!
• sci-fi - I'm waiting for the new seasons of For All Mankind, Severance, and Star Trek: Discovery and Prodigy to be released
• gaming; I love JRPGs in particular and I'm currently playing my way through Chrono Cross while waiting for the next chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake to be released on Steam

• When it comes to neapolitan pizza we prefer the simplicity of the Cosacca.
  
• Neapolitan pizza in Naples is a amazing value. Pizza in general in Italy is a value.
  
• The average pizzeria in the Naples/Salerno area makes a more flavorful dough/crust than the average pizzeria in NYC. .
  
• Looking back, I could have eaten more pizza in Naples on Day 5 but it was a beautiful day to walk along Chiaia waterfront and take in the sunshine and views of Mt. Vesuvius.
  
• The last day of the trip was a Sunday. We tried to get to a few more spots after enjoying Bonci’s pizza but the lines were either excessively long or the places we tried to go to were closed. With a plane to catch, we had to be satisfied.
  

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele - (Naples) - Cosacca. We arrived early, grabbed a ticket, and were seated in the second round after a 20 minute wait. A super touristy spot that lived up to the hype. This pizza is very good. 50 Kalo (Naples) - Cosacca. Very good. One of my favorite Neapolitan pizzas Pizzeria Da Atillio (Naples) Pizza Pomod’oro- too much cheese. Pizza ended up soupy. 

Anima e Cornicone (Salerno) cosacca - Crust was good. Unfortunately, they subbed black pepper in place of a hard grated cheese and the pepper overpowered the tomato sauce. 

Piccolo Buco (Trevi) Roasted cherry tomato- recommended by Katie Parla as one of the better Neapolitan pizzas in Rome. Was one of our least favorite pizza’s on the trip. Excessive doming and unbalanced topping ratio all contributed to a subpar pizza. Emma (Regola)- Roman style Prosciutto pizza. Also ordered a focaccia with ham and buffalo mozzarella and were surprised at their interpretation of focaccia. Apparently a focaccia at a roman style pizzeria is a roman style pizza without sauce. We also ordered our only restaurant prepared pasta dish of the trip: cacio e pepe. Alice Pizza (Pantheon) Al taglio - Solid . Wouldn’t go out of my way for it, but decent al taglio. 

• 🇬🇧🇩🇪🇧🇪 MNAD 🪂
• A multinational coalition airborne division made up of UK's 5th Airborne Brigade, bringing Paras, Supacats, and Gurkhas fighting alongside German Falshirmjager with Kraka and Wiesels, backed up by Belgian para-commandos.
• 🇬🇧 4 Armoured Division
• A fully Chieftain armed division supported by some new FV432 variants, Mot Rifles in Saxons, and Terriers with Buccaneer aircraft.
• 🇳🇱 1e Division
• Leopard 1NL equipped mechanized division, with plenty of YPR-765 IFV's
• 🇳🇱 4e Division
• Netherlands' heavier division, armed with Leopard 2A4's.
• 🇧🇪 16th Mechanised Division
• Leopard 1(BE) and AIFV's
• 🇵🇱 20th Armoured Division
• T-72's and BMP-2's
• 🇵🇱 4th Mechanized Division
• T-55's with BMP-1/SKOT-2's
• 🇵🇱 6th Pomeranian Airborne Division 🪂
• a light but elite airborne division with nice helicopter support from Sokols
• 🟥 25ya Armoured Division
• a T-64/BMP-2 armoured division with new T-64 variants including T-64A, T-64B1 and T-64BV1
• 🇩🇪 9 Panzerdivision
• East Germany's own fully T-72 division with limited quantities of BMP-2

• 🇫🇷 6e Armoured Division
• AMX-10's up to the gills, and Legionnaires
• 🇫🇷 Division of the Rhine
• French reservist division with some interesting old equipment
• 🇨🇦 1 Canadian Division
• Leopard C1's backed up by light motorised infantry with some airborne commandos
• 🇩🇪 1. Gebirgsjägerdivision 🗻
• A mountain-mechanized division with a mix of special forces, Leo 2A1's, and Heimats in Marders
• 🇪🇸 1st 'Brunete' Armoured Division
• *AMX-30E's, M41 scout tanks, BMR-PP APC's, M113's, VEC 25mm/H90 90mm (alternatively, part of this division will be an attachment to the French Rhine division, as that is a very light division and this Spanish division was to support the Rhine area. This would make it a 4v4 DLC, likely sacrificing one Soviet division).
• 🟥 15th Guards Tank Division
• The first Soviet T-72 armoured division, with infantry mounted in BMP-1's
• 🟥 18th Guards Motor Rifle Division
• T-72 mechanized division with plentiful infantry in BMP-2's
• 🇨🇿 1st Tank Division
• Cz's main tank division, with T-72's, BVP-1/2's, and strong artillery
• 🇨🇿 2nd Motor Rifle Division
• Classic Pact motor rifle division with T-55, OT-64 wheeled transports, and possible some elite heliborne attachment
• 🇨🇿 16th Tank Division (reserve)
• Reservist division made from hidden upgraded T-55AM's and BVP-1's, but all staffed by mobilised infantry.

• 🇩🇰 Jutland Division
• Denmark's main fighting force, consisting of Leopard 1DK's, upgraded Centurion Mk5's and M113's
• 🇩🇰/🇬🇧 Jutland Battlegroup/1st Infantry Brigade
• The UK Mobile Force's Chieftains and Rifles in Saxons provide a Brigade's worth of support to the Jutland Battlegroup, with old Centurion Mk5's with 20-pounders, and M41DK light tanks
• 🇩🇪 6th PzGren
• A light mechanized but huge division (largest in NATO when mobilised) with a significant amount of Heimatschutzen, Marder infantry, and Leopard 1A2's
• 🇺🇸 9th Motorised Division
• *US's light technodivision, with interesting ATGM, Cobras, and other prototypes such as confiscated Stingray light tanks, supported by a NG roundout brigade with M60A3's and NG infantry M113's. I'd also like to see it get the M812A1 Roland, as there's nowhere else it could thematically show up. *
• 🟥 336th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade ⚓
• Soviet marine battlegroup with elite infantry, special T-55's with APS, and some Ka-29 attack helicopters.
• 🟥 94th Guards Motor Rifle Division
• Equipped with mostly T-64A and BTR-60's, it will be a nice medium power motor rifle division.
• 🟥 7th Guards Airborne Division 🪂
• (probably not, it's the same as 35ya)
• 🇵🇱/🇩🇪 7th Landing Division/29th Armoured Regiment ⚓
• Polish marines, with large squads transported in TOPAS-2's and other special forces and T-55's, backed up by the East German Panzermatrosen. (8 MSD, where 29-MSR came from, would be very similar to 4MSD and therefore isn't worth adding as it's own division).

• 🇬🇧🇳🇱 UK/NL LF ⚓
• Royal Marines are backed up by some Dutch marines to form a light but very elite infantry battlegroup.
• 🇬🇧🇮🇹🇨🇦🇱🇺 AMF(L)
• A coalition of British, Italian, Canadian, and Luxembourgish forces form a rapid reaction battlegroup. However, it is very light, and will probably be attached to some Norweigian division.
• 🇺🇸 2d Marine Division ⚓
• The primary marine force intended for Europe, it is a highly mechanized marine division with M60A1 RISE, AAVP-7A1's, LAV-25's, and SuperCobras
• 🇳🇴 6th Division
• Leopard 1's, M48's, and M24's
• 🟥 61st Naval Infantry Brigade ⚓
• A Soviet marine brigade with more impressive technology than the 336th, with BTR-80's, better T-55's, and significantly more Ka-29's and Yak-38's.
• 🟥 131st Motor Rifle Division (borrowed from Eukie)
• T-80/PT-76 equipped, with MT-LB borne Motostrelki
• 🇫🇮 Finland Division 1
• 🇫🇮 Finland Division 2

• 🇸🇪 13. Arméfördelningen
• Territorial defence division with STRV 102's (Centurion MkV's) and reservists
• 🇸🇪 13. Arméfördelningen
• The armoured division, with the funky STRV 103's and PBV 302 IFV's
• 🇸🇪 15. Arméfördelningen 🗻
• The mountain division, with elite mountaineers and the Bkan 1A SPG
• 🟥 1st Polar Manoeuvre Group (borrowed from Eukie)
• A light Motostreli/BMD-mounted Desantniki battlegroup with T-55 and a lot of AT options
• 🟥 116th Motor Rifle Division (borrowed from Eukie)
• A second rate motostrelki division with T-55 and PT-76

• 🇮🇹 'Ariete' Battlegroup
• Italy's armoured division, though only equipped with M60A1's and Leopard 1A2's. March to war may allow for modern Ariete MBT's and Centauro B1 cavalry tanks
• 🇮🇹 Forza di Intervento Rapido Territoriale
• A rapid reaction force made of Italian paratroopers, marines and motorised infantry. March to war may allow for A-129 Mangusta helicopters
• 🇮🇹 Territoriale Comando VII
• One of Italy's territorial defence commands, it is made up of many reservists backed up by unique Carabineri para-military police equipment, and significant old but heavy artillery such as the Long Tom and a single M270 MLRS.
• 🇵🇹 1a Brigada Mista Autonoma
• The Portuguese Independent Mixed Brigade, backed up by the Corpo de Tropas Para Quedistas Parachute Brigade, could form a Portuguese Battlegroup. M48A5, M47, M113, M24, AML-60, AML-90, etc.
• 🇪🇸 2nd 'Guzman el Bueno' Motorised Division
• M47/M48's, M41's, BMR's (Milan, APC, 81mm mortar), truck-borne infantry, VEC 25mm/H90 90mm
• 🇸🇮 Yugoslavia division 1
• 🇸🇮 Yugoslavia division 2
• 🇸🇮 Yugoslavia division 3
• 🇷🇴 4th ‘Tudor Vladimiescu’ Tank Division
• T-72, BMP-1, SU-100
• 🇷🇴 1st Motor Rifle Division
• TR-85, BTR-70, SU-100

• 🇦🇹 Austrian Panzergrenadierdivision
• M60A3, M60A1, 4K4FA IFV's, Kurassiers
• 🇨🇭 Mechanized Division 1
• fill out later
• 🇪🇸 4th 'Urgell' Mountain Division + Spanish Para Brigade
• 4th Mountain Division may not have enough equipment to form its own battlegroup. Hence I've attached the Spanish paras for some help.
• 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇮🇹🇨🇭 German/Austrian/Italian/Swiss Alpine division 🗻
• 🇷🇴🇨🇿 Mountain & Para & Czech MRD Battlegroup 🗻
• Romanian mountaineers were the elite of their military, but are too small to form their own battlegroup. Warsaw Pact can come together to form a battlegroup here.
• 🇵🇱 5 Podhalańska Brygada 🗻
• While for home defence, it was Poland's most elite home defence force and fits the Alpine/mountain theme of this DLC so feels like a good place to include them.
• 🟥 68th Separate Motor-Rifle Brigade 🗻
• The Soviet's only specialised mountain Brigade. Normally bordering China but uchrony moved to Europe. Features Gornostrelki (mountain infantry) in BMP-1 and GAZ-66 with Nona. Would need to be paired up with something else.
• 🟥 5th Independent Guards Army Corps
• Combined 120th Guards Motor Rifle Division (T-72's, BMP-2), plus the 5IGA's Air Assault Regiment (BMD's) for a powerful OMG breakthrough division, also equipped with Uragan's and Smerch's. (Not sure if this fits here, but I'm adding it here for now to help fill this DLC out on the Pact side.)

• 🇹🇷 3rd Mechanized Division
• Turkey's prime division, with M48A5's
• 🇹🇷 4th Infantry Division
• A mainline infantry division with M48A2's
• 🇬🇷 20th Armoured Division
• Armed with AMX-30, Leopard 1A3, AMX-10P, Leonidas APC
• 🇬🇷 2nd Mechanized Division
• M48/M47, M113's
• 🇪🇸 5th 'Navarra' Mountain Division + Marine Brigade*
• 5th Mountain Division was expected to support in Greece/Turkey, and could maybe see support from the Marines for extra strength?
• 🇧🇬 11th Tank Division
• T-72 & BMP-1
• 🇧🇬 XXth Motor Rifle Division + 37th Independent Air Assault Battalion
• T-55A, D-994 PSzH-IV APC, Paras in BMD-1
• 🟥 108th Motorised Rifle Division
• Veterans of Afghanistan and structured uniquely with 4 Motor Rifle Regiments and no tank regiments. It was equipped with T-62, a mix of BTR-80 and BMP-2D. T-62's and BTR's underwent numerous battlefield modifications including strapping rocket launchers and RPO's to them. The division also had an experimental artillery structure to combat the thick Afghan walls, with Akatsiya, D-30, BM-21, 2A36 Giatsint-B, and 2S4 Tyulpan heavy 240mm mortars.
• 🟥 103rd Guards Airborne Division
• Another Afghan division, this time staffed with VDV, though not really airborne but more mechanized. One of the last divisions sporting the ASU-85 (which is sadly lost in 1985), it is equipped with T-55AM's and BMP-2D's for a unique mix, especially alongside the shock-trait but non-airborne VDV.

• 🇺🇸 101st Airborne
• entirely heliborne, quite different. Like a UK 2nd Infantry Division but better helis
• 🇺🇸 42nd Infantry Division
• National Guard, M60A1/M60A3, maybe even M60A2 Starship, Duster AA
• 🇺🇸 3rd Infantry Division
• Though fitting neatly into SOUTHAG geographically, it isn't interesting enough to be part of that DLC. It would be a hybrid of 3rd Armoured and 8th Infantry. Imagine 8th Infantry AP slots, but 3rd Armoured equipment. Armed heavily with Bradley's, M1A1's, and Cobras, it would be a formiddable division, and possibly a good place for the Bradley BRAT with ERA to show up.
• 🇺🇸 US 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
• an M60A3 based REFORGER division

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