From GDW Eastern European Sourcebook and NATO Combat Vehicle Handbook.

Turkey

Recent History: EESB has Turkey getting into a squabble with Bulgaria in 1994 as a Bulgarian national tries to shoot the Turkish President. The Bulgarian in question died in police custody which sparks anti-Turkish riots in Bulgaria and creates much mutual bad feelings (which has in fact existed for centuries). The Turkish Army reinforces Thrace against an attack from Bulgaria, and in 1996 invades Bulgaria as part of the general European war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. In 1997 Turkey also invades Cyprus due to bad feelings between the native Greek and Turkish population of the island, and heavy handed police and army measures against Turkish rioters (Cyprus was supposed to have reunified in 1993). This provokes the Greeks who send forces to Cyprus and invade Thrace. The Turks respond heavily but have to pull forces out of Bulgaria to do so. This gives the Bulgaria some breathing space, and with Soviet help the Bulgarians stop the Turkish offensive and push into Thrace. The Soviets also begin to attack Turkish cities and transport hubs with nuclear weapons, which destroys Turkey’s industrial capacity. By 2000 the Turks have dug in after fighting the Greeks and Bulgarians to a standstill, and are tenaciously holding Cyprus, other Greek islands and Kurdistan against determined guerilla forces.

Government: The Turkish government (including the President) survived the war, but the military seems to be in control and the government is little more than a military dictatorship. However EESB also implies a rift between the President and his Council and the military, with the President and loyal forces controlling Istanbul and probably Thrace, and the military controlling the Asian Turkey. Since Ankara got nuked, Istanbul is now the seat of rule, although Ankara is still of some importance as it is a transport hub. Outside of Istanbul the military is in firm control (or marauders, guerillas etc), and the local military commanders are the real authority.

Population: Turkey’s population is 33 now million, down from 56 million before the war. (A bit high I think considering how others have also been affected). A third of the population lives in or around the major cities, but most is rural and lives off the land, and they generally distrust outsiders and the Turkish military, dependent upon how they treat the locals. Foreigners and Westerners are not liked, especially Greeks, Bulgarians and particularly Soviets, although Americans (British) will be tolerated if they prove their friendliness. Ankara was nuked, but the army has a military base in its outskirts which has attracted a lot of refugees. The largest city is Istanbul (5,390,000) which amazingly survived, while Izmir (1,000,000) also amazingly survived. Other cities are Adana (500,000), Gaziantep (390,000), Mersin (200,000) and Malatya (73,000). There are also over 400,000 Kurds in Turkey in T2K (A bit small considering their percentage of the Turkish population, unless the Turks did another “Armenian” cleansing job), and the city of Diyarbakir (168,000) serves at their capitol.

Industry & Economy: Turkey’s industrial capacity was largely destroyed by the Soviets, and most of what’s left is in the Istanbul area. Elsewhere it is at cottage levels or based on agriculture and fishing. All of Turkeys oil refineries, power stations (oil, coal, hydro), and most fuel supplies were destroyed in the war, and electrical power where it exists is now mainly from local generators. The Turkish road system which was never good is now a lot worse, and the only vehicles in use are owned by the Turkish military. The railways still exists, but only in Istanbul and between Istanbul and the military encampment outside of Ankara, and the line has to be patrolled to discourage locals from stealing the tracks.

Armed Forces:

The Turkish Army is very large (for T2K), but is in a bad way as its equipment (and manpower) has been gradually whittled away fighting against its neighbors. It’s still organised and equipped along NATO lines, but automatic weapons are becoming rarer, and many Turkish troops are now using older semi-automatic and bolt action rifles. Artillery and ammunition in particular is also in short supply.

The Turkish Army is fairly well equipped (prewar), using Leopard 1, M60A3/A4 and Stingray tanks, with M113 and YPR-75 APC’s. Turkish artillery includes M107 SP 175mm howitzers, 203mm, 155mm and 105mm towed howitzers, and jeeps with 106mm and 75mm recoilless rifles, and 120mm mortars and towed 40mm AA. They also seem to use a lot of captured Soviet tanks, and in the real world they also had M48 and M47 tanks, M110 and M109 SP howitzers, and plenty of SAM’s.

TURKISH FIRST ARMY

(NATO Combat Vehicle handbook has the First Army disbanded as it seems to have been chewed up fighting the Greeks, the Bulgarians, and from Soviet nukes, and surviving units were either scattered throughout the Eastern Balkans in small units or repatriated and absorbed into other Turkish formation). However EESB also places units in the Istanbul and Thrace region which must be remnants of the First Army as they are not included in the NATO Combat Vehicle Handbook Turkish ORBAT.

Presidential Division

This division is from the EESB. It has the majority of trucks in the Turkish Army in T2K, and also has five 155mm howitzers. This unit may function as a reserve/motor pool for other units. It is also stated that this unit is also controlled by the President and Council.

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Manpower: 3,500

Tanks: 5 (3x Stingray, 2x M60A3)

Artillery: 5 (5x 155mm towed howitzers)

II Division

This division is from the EESB. It is composed of the remnants of I and II Divisions and is based in Thrace, functioning as a holding force against either a Greek or Bulgarian attack. Like the Presidential Division, II Division is controlled by the President and the Council.

Location: Thrace, European Turkey

Manpower: 3,000

Tanks: 10 (5x T-72, 3x T-55, 2x Stingray)

TURKISH THIRD ARMY

II Corps

VI Division

This division is from the EESB. It is based in Gaziantep guarding against an attack from Syria.

Location: Gaziantep, Turkey

Manpower: 2,500

Troops: 27 (23x T-64, 4x T-72)

9^th Infantry Division

The 9^th spent the duration of the war guarding the frontier with Syria, where it remains to this day located in the city of Gaziantep.

Location: Gaziantep, Turkey

Manpower: 900

12^th Infantry Division

The 12^th’s war record is unknown. In 1997 it was sent to the area south Lake Van on internal administration and security duties. It has been badly damaged in action with Kurdish nationalists and has been forces back to the city of Mardin, which marks the limits of Turkish control in the region.

Location: Mardin, Turkey

Manpower: 790

29^th Infantry Division

This division was part of the Turkish invasion of the Greek island of Lesbos. After this it resurfaced in Urfa somewhere between June 1998 and January 1999. The 29^th provides the garrison for Urfa and many of its troops are local civilian conscripts (press ganged).

Location: Urfa, Turkey

Manpower: 2,000

51^st Infantry Division

This division serves as II Corps reserve in the city of Maras.

Location: Maras, Turkey

Manpower: 1,900.

VII Corps

35^th Reserve Infantry Division

This division was activated in late 1997 and serves as the garrison for Kars.

Location: Maras, Turkey

Manpower: 1,900

21^st Mountain Brigade

Before 1997 the war record of the 21^st is unknown. It was sent to south-eastern Turkey to suppress Kurdish insurgents. It is currently located in the city of Erzurum and is the limit of Turkish control in the area. The brigade has recently incorporated a number of local conscripts (press-ganged) and may be getting ready to attack the Kurds.

Location: Erzurum, Turkey

Manpower: 1,000

211^th Border Regiment

I have no information about this unit other than it being attached to the VII Corps and based somewhere in Central or Western Turkey.

V Corps

(V Corps is from the EESB, and although it’s not mentioned as being part of Third Army, EESB clearly has it in Eastern Turkey fighting the Kurds) V Corps is in cantonment near the Turkish-Kurdistan border, preventing an invasion from the East. There is no listing of its component divisions or brigades.

Location: Near Sivas, Turkey

Manpower: 7,000

Tanks: 15 (12x T-72, 3x T-80)

TURKISH 12^TH ARMY

I Corps

2^nd Infantry Division

This unit is known to have been part of the Turkish First Army before it was disbanded. It was damaged in the Bulgarian counteroffensive in 1997m and withdrawn to Istanbul. It was brought back up to strength with reserve troops and reassigned to I Corps and the Third Army. It is currently based around the city of Samsun on internal administration duties.

Location: Samsun, Turkey

Manpower: 800

4^th Infantry Division

This unit is known to have taken part in the invasion of the Greek island of Rhodes. It was withdrawn and reassigned to Karabuk on internal administration duties.

Location: Karabuk, Turkey

Manpower: 1,100

6^th Infantry Division

This division was part of the Turkish First Armies counteroffensive against the Bulgarians in 1997. It was badly damaged by the attendant Soviet nuclear strike and withdrawn to Istanbul. After rebuilding it was sent to Trazbon on internal administration duties, but so far has only made it as far as Sinope.

Location: Sinope, Turkey

Manpower: 1,400

1^st Armoured Brigade

Its war record is unknown but it is believed to have served with the First Army in Bulgaria in 1997. It was badly damaged by a Soviet tactical nuclear strike, and was withdrawn to Sinope for rest and refit.

Location: Sinope, Turkey

Manpower: 750

Tanks: 2 (unknown, I would have 2x Leopard 1)

59^th Artillery Brigade

I have no information about this unit other than it being attached to the I Corps and based somewhere in Central or Western Turkey.

IV Corps

8^th Infantry Division

The 8^th was one of the first Turkish units landed in Cyprus in 1996, were it took severe casualties. It was withdrawn back to Ankara for refit and then sent to the Bulgarian front in 1997. However it never got any further than Istanbul, where it was taken over by IV Corps for internal administration duties. It is now located at Adapazari.

Location: Adapazari, Turkey

Manpower: 1,800

23^rd Infantry Division

Its war record is unknown, bit it was assigned to IV Corps before July 1997. It has been based in Izmir since late 1998.

Location: Izmir, Turkey

Manpower: 960

33^rd Infantry Division

Its war record is unknown but it was assigned to IV Corps in July 1997 for internal administration duties. It is currently based in Zonguldak.

Location: Zonguldak, Turkey

Manpower: 1,400

66^th Mechanised Division

This division was part of the Istanbul garrison and was slightly damaged when the nuclear strike intended for Istanbul amazingly plunged into the Sea of Marmora. It is based it Istanbul but many of its troop are dispersed in the surrounding countryside in battalion sized cantonments.

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Manpower: 1,200

57^th Artillery Brigade

I have no information about this unit other than it being attached to the IV Corps and based somewhere in Central or Western Turkey.

IX Corps

3^rd Mechanised Division

Its war record is unknown but it is presently engaged in security and administration in the city of Nazilli.

Location: Nazilli, Turkey

Manpower: 1,200

1^st Reserve Armoured Division

Activated after the disasters of 1997-98, the 1^st is currently the garrison for the city of Balikesir and is the HQ guard for IX Corps.

Location: Balikesir

Manpower: 1,300

Tanks: 8 (unknown, I would have 5x M60A3/4, and 3 Leopard 1)

3^rd Armoured Brigade

This unit served with the First Army and was badly mauled during the Bulgarian counteroffensive in 1997. It is currently based in Bursa on administration duties.

Location: Bursa

Manpower: 300

Tanks: 1 (unknown, I would have 1 M60A3/A4)

21^st Mechanised Brigade

The 21^st was transferred to the occupied Greek island of Lesbos before the nuclear strikes to serve as a garrison, and is still there.

Location: Mitilini, Lesbos

Manpower: 1,200

58^th Artillery Brigade

I have no information about this unit other than it being attached to the IX Corps and based somewhere in Central or Western Turkey.

XII Corps

65^th Infantry Division

This unit’s war record is unknown but it it’s located in Konya on administration duties.

Location: Konya, Turkey

Manpower: 1,200

58^th Reserve Infantry Division

This unit was activated in late 1996 or early 1997 but its war record is unknown. It is based Tarsus on administration duties.

Location: Tarsus

Manpower: 1,800

12^th Provisional Infantry Division

This division was activated in 1997 and is a reserve force for XII Corps at Adana.

Location: Adana

Manpower: 1,600

2^nd Armoured Brigade

Its war record is unknown but it is based in Adana with the 12^th Provisional Division as a reserve for XII Corps.

Location: Adana

Manpower: 450

Tanks: 3 (unknown, I would have 3x M60A3/A4)

AEGEAN COMMAND

11^th Infantry Brigade

Originally part of the invasion force against the Greek island of Rhodes. The 11^th was sent to the city of Bodrum after the island was taken.

Location: Bodrum, Turkey

Manpower: 750

19^th Infantry Brigade

Originally part of the invasion force against the Greek island of Cos. It was severely damaged in the process and is currently based in small cantonments near Marmaris.

Location: Mamaris, Turkey

Manpower: 350

CYPRUS OCCUPATION FORCE

28^th Infantry Division

The 28^th along with the 39^th Division was part of the original Cyprus invasion force in early 1997, (or 1996) and has remained there fighting Greeks, Greek Cypriots and bandits.

Location: Nicosia, Cyprus

Manpower: 1,200

39^th Infantry Division

The 39^th along with the 28^th Division was part of the original Cyprus invasion force in 1997, and has remained there fighting Greeks, Greek Cypriots and bandits. It was recently reinforced by levees from the mainland.

Location: Kyrenia, Cyprus

Manpower: 1,200

ANKARA DEFENCE DISTRICT

IV Division

This division is from the EESB. It is in cantonment near the runs of Ankara, and EESB has it constituting the central military government of Turkey, and is thus watched closely by the President and Council.

Location: Ankara

Manpower: 5,000

1^st Airborne Brigade

The 1^st Airborne was kept in reserve for an air drop that never came, and is based around Ankara in dispersed cantonments.

Location: Ankara, Turkey

Manpower: 750

4^th Armored Brigade

The 4^th spent the war guarding Ankara and was severely damaged when the city was nuked. It is currently fighting marauders around Bala.

Location: Bala, Turkey

Manpower: 450

Tanks: 2 (unknown, I would have 2x M60A3/A4)

1^st Mechanised Brigade

This unit was part of Turkey’s strategic reserve and was outside Ankara when the city was nuked in late 1997. Its commander took control of the surviving military and civil activities in the area and is presently overseeing salvage operations in the ruins of Ankara

Location: Ankara, Turkey

Manpower: 800

IZMIR DEFENCE DISTRICT

1^st Marine Commando Brigade

This brigade was sent to Izmir after it engaged in a number of raids in the Greek islands. It is currently the reserve force for the Izmir district.

Location: Izmir, Turkey

Manpower: 800

6^th Armoured Brigade

Its war record is unknown but it is currently based in Izmir.

Location: Izmir, Turkey

Manpower: 600

Tanks: 1 (unknown, I would have 1x T-55)

14^th Mechanised Brigade

This brigade is currently overseeing salvage in the port of Izmir.

Location: Izmir

Manpower: 450

The Kurds

The Kurds do not have an official army, or an official country, but they are the largest and most actively anti-Turkish minority. However EESB has the Kurds creating a Kurdistan in 1999, seeing the current weakness of the Turks and the same weakness of the Soviet situation in the Caucasus. The Kurds are supposed to have rose up and driven the Turks and (Soviets??) out of their country. Given its remote and mountainous location the Turks were not that unhappy to loose it. Kurdistan is by a council of elders and religious leaders, and the Kurdish Army/Rebels constitute well armed, independent minded and fanatical locals who fight between themselves when nobody else is around. They have few vehicles or heavy artillery, but have light mortars and numerous hoards of Soviet small arms, RPG’s, and crew served weapons when needed.