Forged from the elite professional cadres of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, the Baltic Battalion (BALTBAT) represents the cutting edge of NATO’s eastern flank. Tasked with high-readiness defense and rapid response, this multinational force is designed to punch far above its weight class through the seamless integration of advanced European technology and fast-paced warfare.
In Broken Arrow, the Baltic Battalion functions as a highly agile, specialized force, similar to the Russian and US mechanized infantry specializations, but with a couple of surprises up its camo sleeves. It excels in mechanized infantry tactics by having a lot of versatile reserve, all-rounder, and specialized infantry units, as well as fast and highly capable transportation by land, sea, and air, giving it the necessary flexibility to work alongside several other US specializations to create some very unique and powerful decks.
While powerful on land and more than capable of holding its own in a firefight, it’s essential to pair the Baltic Battalion with the right specialization to make the most out of them. We are going to provide an overview of each of the six sections, explore some amazing combinations, and learn how to make the most out of its tactical capabilities on the battlefield.
If you wish to learn about each unit in detail, make sure to check our latest Dev Diary, where we dove into exquisite detail on all the new units.
The Baltic Battalion’s reconnaissance and light-strike capabilities feature a variety of high-mobility units capable of being airdropped or utilizing their blistering speed to bypass traditional frontlines. The Scimitar is a particular highlight, serving as the perfect tool for aggressive flanking maneuvers and providing the speed and firepower necessary to disrupt enemy supply lines and scout ahead of your main armored spearhead. The Baltic Battalion’s scout squads are great for ambushing both infantry and vehicles. To help them move fast around the battlefield, this specialization counts on the help of the Wolf WMIK, offering a rugged, fast-moving platform specifically designed to carry your recon squads deep into contested territory. If the fighting gets rough, you can always count on the Spartan IFV, which can be equipped to deal with almost any threat, man or armor, as long as it isn’t flying, before retreating to resupply and go back into the fight again.
The Baltic Battalion infantry is extremely versatile, featuring a wide range of options from all three countries, from low-cost reserve forces to hold the line, to elite special operations squads that lead the assault. The "meat and potatoes" of this force are the mechanized infantry squads from Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, equipped with rifles, grenade launchers, light machine guns, and anti-vehicle capabilities.
This section's strong point is the unparalleled versatility in supporting equipment, with dedicated anti-tank and anti-air squads featuring the Milan ER, Spike SR, and Javelins. To secure the skies, players can deploy Piorun or RBS 70 teams, with the lethal option to field two Grom units to quickly hunt down and silence enemy helicopters from up close. For infantry support, the battalion provides maximum flexibility, allowing you to field heavy-weapon squads equipped with two .50 cals, two grenade launchers, or one of each to adapt to any tactical situation.
The mobility of the Baltic Battalion is defined by its sheer variety of transport options, featuring a diverse motor pool of wheeled and tracked vehicles that prioritize rapid and safe troop insertion. Whether you prefer the rugged protection of a tracked CV-9035 and the classic M113, or the lightning-fast deployment of wheeled transports like the XA-180 or the IFV Vilkas, this specialization excels at shifting your forces across the battlefield exactly where they are needed.
While the focus of this mechanized force is on mobility and rapid deployment, the battalion is anchored by the introduction of the formidable Leopard 2A8 main battle tank. Though it may not hold the same "top-tier" status as behemoths like the Armata or M1A2 SEPv3, it is a highly capable and modernized platform that more than holds its own against most battlefield threats. The specialization also features the inclusion of the Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle, providing a compact, expendable, and lethal fire-support platform that can be airdropped directly into the fray.
You cannot move around the battlefield with decisiveness of action if you don’t have the skies overhead under wraps. The Baltic Battalion provides a formidable umbrella of air defense and long-range fire support, ensuring your ground forces remain protected and can focus on getting their job done. The specialization features two radar-guided anti-air systems in the form of the IRIS-T SLM and NASAMS, which provide critical medium-to-long-range coverage against sophisticated aerial threats. In case any of those fail, there’s always the faithful Unimog with a ZU-23-2 on its flatbed.
The battalion’s artillery section offers three distinct 155mm howitzer options for medium and long-range fire support, with the PzH-2000 standing out as the crown jewel of your support tab, featuring the highest rate of fire and capable of sending 60 shells down-range before needing to resupply.
The Baltic Battalion’s rotary-wing assets are designed with a primary focus on rapid troop insertion over direct aerial combat, providing the lift capacity needed to maintain a high-tempo battlefield presence and rescuing units from hairy situations. Featuring a fleet of Dauphin and UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, these transports offer essential mobility with integrated ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) suites, making them significantly harder for enemy air defenses to lock onto and shoot down. While their role is mainly logistical, they provide just enough ground support capability to suppress landing zones and ensure your infantry hits the ground safely, especially with the inclusion of the grenade launcher on the Black Hawk.
The air wing of the Baltic Battalion features just two units, with the C-27J Spartan serving as a vital logistical powerhouse. Deprived of any offensive equipment, the C-27’s goal is to airdrop units and supplies and work in conjunction with other airdroppable units from other specializations. In the skies, the L-39 Albatros is a budget option that’s better suited for helicopter hunting and ground attacks.
Now that we've covered the capabilities of each of the Baltic Battalion’s sections, let's explore how they can synergize with other specializations. Remember, each specialization determines the number of units you can bring to the battlefield. Fortunately, unlike the Russian and American Mechanized Infantry, the Baltic Battalion has requisition points available for both the Helicopters and Aircraft sections.
This synergy blends the Baltic Battalion's versatile infantry with the surgical lethality of Special Operations Forces. While the Volunteer Forces and Mehanizētie Kājinieki hold the line and bait enemy armor into ambushes, SOF units can slip behind enemy lines to provide critical reconnaissance. Apart from the Delta Force squad, all other infantry squads of the SOF can fit inside most of the fast troop transportation of the Baltic Battalion. The addition of high-tier special forces compensates for the Baltic's lack of organic laser designators, allowing their elite operators to paint targets for the Battalion’s heavy 155mm laser-guided artillery rounds. The addition of SOF airpower also means that the skies are now actively contested by your forces, which don’t have to exclusively rely on your missile-guided anti-air systems to keep them clear with the addition of the F-22 Raptor and F-35. Add to that the fact that the Baltic Battalion provides armored vehicles, tanks, SAM, and the long-range artillery that the SOF lacks and you have a very powerful and complete deck in your hands!
While the obvious choice for this would be the US Armored Brigade, their lack of air units makes us turn to the USMC. This combination forges a formidable combined-arms juggernaut that excels in both expeditionary speed and heavy staying power. The Baltic Battalion provides the essential radar-guided anti-air (IRIS-T and NASAMS) and long-range artillery that the USMC traditionally lacks, creating a protective umbrella for American armor to advance. In return, the USMC brings heavy Abrams tanks and specialized amphibious assets to the table, bolstering the Baltic's Leopard 2A8, Type-X, and Scimitar units. Together, they form a versatile front capable of rapid troop insertion via Baltic transports followed by a crushing armored breakthrough.
For players aiming to dominate through vertical envelopment, pairing the Baltic Battalion with Airborne Infantry offers unparalleled deployment flexibility. This doctrine allows you to utilize the Baltic’s airdroppable vehicles alongside Airborne paratroopers for high-tempo strikes anywhere on the map. While the Baltic air wing focuses on ECM-protected transportation and logistics via the C-27J Spartan, the Airborne Infantry provides the offensive teeth with superior fixed-wing strike craft and gunships. This pairing ensures that while your troops are quickly moved to the objective, the skies remain clear and the ground is thoroughly softened by coordinated aerial bombardments and close-air support.
The BALTBAT + Stryker synergy offers a unique tactical advantage for commanders who prioritize speed. This combination allows for fast and powerful road assaults by pairing the Stryker armored fighting vehicles with the Lithuanian IFV Vilkas, creating a high-speed mechanized column that can seize objectives before the enemy can deploy proper. While the Stryker Cavalry provides a specialized, mobile framework, the Baltic Battalion fills the critical gaps by offering a large choice of infantry and recon units that the Stryker specialization typically lacks. This pairing ensures that your rapid advance is supported by versatile scout squads and heavy-hitting mechanized infantry, making it an exceptionally well-rounded and agile force for dynamic battlefields.
This pairing is a dream for players who prefer to dominate the battlefield strictly from the ground without relying on complex fixed-wing air cycles. By combining the Armored Brigade’s heavy tanks with the Baltic’s specialized assets, you can maintain a massive artillery presence that suppresses the enemy while your armored spearhead advances. Since the Baltic Battalion offers high-utility transportation, you can utilize a minimum of logistical helicopters for fast resupply or for dropping infiltrators with laser designators deep behind enemy lines. These scouts can then paint targets for your howitzers, allowing you to dismantle enemy defenses with precision-guided strikes without ever needing to call in a single airstrike.
The Baltic Battalion is the definitive choice for the tactical commander who values mobility and versatility above superior firepower or raw numbers. The specialization offers a great toolkit that can be paired with other specs to create some devastating decks. Remember, Commander: the Baltic Battalion comes out on [Insert Date Here], and I’ll be waiting for you on the battlefield! Good luck out there!
