M48 In NATO in 1989 Part 1 US
M48A5 is coming soon tm. https://www.reddit.com/r/warno/comments/1hwndw0/southag_or_nemesis3_spoiler_m48a5_for_usmc/
M48A5 was a upgrade program replacing the 90mm M41/T139 gun with M68 used by more modern American tanks along with M60A1 RISE Hull PIP Update Kit. This upgrade was to provide cheap way to expand tank inventory due to high tank losses in the Yom Kippur War and to modernize reserve component tank fleet.
What it is not
These M48A5 are not crewed by regulars or Army Reserve formation since the only operational Regular Army formations that used M48A5 were 2nd Infantry Division's 72nd Armored Regiment two battalions. 8-40th the second Army Reserve Armored battalion was converted to M60A3 in 1987. 6-68th Armored battalion of 157th Infantry Brigade (Mech) the second Army Reserve Armored battalion was equipped with M60A1.
These M48A5 are not crewed by USMC with the only tank used by the Marines at this time were M60A1 and USMC never used M48A5
These M48A5 are American crewed M48s due to the MERDC camo and two m60s.
National Guard M48A5 use in 1989
The only National Guard units so far identified to use M48A5 were 50th Armored, 42th and 47th Infantry and 107th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
50th Armored Divisions
50th Armored was the second National Guard Armored Division. This tank division has six M48A5 battalion and four M113 Battalions.
50th Armored Logistical tab would be similar but have UH-1 Logistics and command helicopters.
50th Armored would have less Infantry slots with NG rifles mounted in M113s only
Artillery slots would be the same to 35th
50th Armored would have more tank slots then 35th Mechanized Infantry with M48A5 instead of M60 series tanks along with M150, M901 and M151 TOW.
Recon tab would be similar to 35th Mechanized Infantry since the Divisional Cavalry was organized similar with M48A5 ACAV.
Helicopter tab would have AH-1S
National Guard divisions seems to not have a organic Air Defense battalion so assets vary from Duster battalion to Chaparral/ Vulcan battalion.
Infantry Division
42nd and 47th Infantry Division were National Guard Infantry Divisions.
42th had 2 M48A5 battalion, 1 M60A3 battalion along with one mechanized battalion and 6 infantry battalions.
47th Infantry Division had one M48A5 battalion, one Mechanized Infantry Battalion and 8 infantry battalions.
42nd and 47th Infantry Division would have similar logistic tab to 35th Mechanized Infantry but have UH-1 Logistics and command helicopters.
42nd and 47th Infantry Division infantry slots would have limited mechanized NG Rifles with only a M113 battalion. The bunk of the infantry division were the Infantry Battalions. The Infantry battalions were either air-mobile in UH-1H or motorized in M35. The Infantry squads could either be NG Rifles or remaining with the older ROAD organization which were 11 man equipped with M16s along anti-tank options with M60s either in leadership, tripod mounted or weapon squads.
Artillery Slots with most of the heavy artillery cards being towed M101 and M114. Mortar are mostly dismounted. Each division has access to M110.
42nd and 47th Infantry Division would have limited tank slots due to 42th Infantry only have a M60A3 battalion along with two M48A5 battalions along with M150, M901 and M151 TOW.
Recon tab would be similar to 35th Mechanized Infantry tab since the Divisional Cavalry was organized similar with M48A5 ACAV.
Helicopter tab would have AH-1S
Air Defense tab would have NG Stinger and Redeye MANPAD organic along with dealer choice of NG assets.
Armored Cavalry Regiment
107th Armored Cavalry Regiment was the one of the two National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiments. These regiments used the pre-M3 Bradley Cavalry organization with each squadron have three troops having three platoons each having with 3 M113, 4 M48A5 or M48A3 and two M901 or M150 along with a howitzer Battery and a tank company. The M113 and the M901 of the two scout squad carry dismounts. The aviation squadron has AH-1S and OH-58A along with UH-1H and UH-1M. 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment the other National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiment was noted to have a air defense battery and a Combat Engineer Company.
Aviation assets attached to the divisions could either local assets or ANG assets which were F-4 or A-7.
The Warsaw Pact Nemesis could either be a mobilization tank division equipped with T-55 or story based enemy.
Work Cited
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvf5GsQDOf8
https://www.ong.ohio.gov/buckeye-guard/archives/1987-BG-V11N10-Oct-Nov.pdf
https://www.ong.ohio.gov/buckeye-guard/archives/1988-BG-V12N2-Summer.pdf