Getting a little closer

Got quite a bit done since my last post.  I finished the M113s, a Merkava Mk I, a M151 Mutt w/TOW and a few Infantry. 

The other 2 M113s are just like the first one with the exception of the cargo rack one vehicle #2.  The more I look at them the more I'm thinking that I will get a pack of the IDF armor decals from Bison to dress them up.  Its very hard to see the numbers of the 2 with cargo racks, so may just order a decal set and scrape those off.  Overall, really like the way they turned out.

Next up were the Infantry.  I chose the Elhiem 20mm IDF as they were the only metal figures in 20mm that I know of, are very nice and compatible with 1/72 plastic figures.  I bought enough figures to organize 2 Infantry Squads, each with a FN MAG, a Platoon Headquarters and the 3 figures that are mounted in the 113s.  I also purchased a box of Orion plastic 1/72 scale IDF mostly for the tank crewmen as I may need to add more dismounted AFV crews, depending on how good the PLA/PLO RPG gunners turn out to be.

The Merkava is the old ESCI 1/72 scale Mk I in an Italeri box but is a nice model.  It has the link and length tracks, which are a bit difficult to assemble, but nice when completed.  I added a little stowage and a tank crewmen from the Orion IDF to finish it up.  Planning to get one more of these before the convention.

Lastly is the Hobby Den 20mm scale M151 Mutt with TOW ATGM.  This is a resin model from The Hobby Den in the UK.  The model is made of resin with the TOW and mount being made of metal.  Very nice model and comes in 7 parts, the wheels, TOW and mount.  I added a couple WW2 British Paratroopers for the crew, again as I had these laying around with no particular job for them to do, so they were drafted into the IDF. 

All that is left to complete the IDF are approx 20 Infantrymen and the last Merkava, then I will start on the PLO.

The J&B 1/76 Scale M113

Next up are the M113s, three of them.  Again, just as with the Centurion, chose the J&B model because I already had the models sitting in my closet.  These are actually quite handy little models and with a little bit of work, come out very nice. 

 

 

 

Most of the pictures on the web show the IDF M113s with enough differences to set them apart, visually, from other armies and time periods.  To start with the IDF installed a storage rack or bin on the sides of the vehicle. 

 

 

 

From the pictures of them in the field during the 1982 war, they had just about anything in them; fuel cans, canvas, field packs, tools ect.  The J&B kit is an ACAV during the Vietnam War and as such, does not include these racks so I made them from some extra parts to a 1/35 scale Type 69-II Iraqi tank of all places.  I cut a small piece of styrene, bent up the ends, turned them on their side and attached it to the vehicle.  This formed the base of the rack, adding the face after the base had dried.  Next I got rid of the ACAV Turret and M60 LMGs and replaced the M2 with a 20mm Liberation 50Cal HMG. 

 

 

I Added stowage, a driver figure from Platoon 20 IDF range and an extra 20mm Elhiem IDF Infantryman in the open troop hatch.  The last bit was the exhaust, which runs off the top deck and down the right side of the vehicle.  I just cut a section of pewter tubing that was sitting in my spare parts box and voila, a new exhaust system. 

 

 

 

Overall, I am pleased with the final product and will start painting the second one in the next few days.

 

 

 

 

 

And now for something completely different

I decided to take a small detour by moving a little to the left of Desert Storm by way of Lebanon in 1982.  I started work on a small project for the upcoming MilCon in Austin, Texas this November.  Since I only have a couple of months to complete the project, it needed to be that way.  I'm planning on a small scenario pitting a Israeli Mech Infantry force against a slightly larger PLO force defending in prepared positions.  The first vehicle up is the Centurion Sho't.  I chose this tank because I already had an Airfix Centurion sitting in my closet, but was needing an upgrade.  By a strange bit of luck, Syrhobbs just happened to have the Liberation 20mm conversion kit in stock and at $4.85 was a no brainer.  This kit just consisted of the a new resin turret and a metal barrel so it would need a little more to make it ready for the 80s.  I added a few bits and pieces, fuel cans, bed rolls, storage boxes ect and after a couple of nights, it was ready to escort a Platoon of M113s into Beruit.  Now its not a completely accurate Centurion Sho't as used in Lebanon in 1982 as the Liberation kit converts to the Six Day War tank, but close enough for what I have planned.  Who knows, maybe there were still a few of models of my Centurion running around in 82.  Below are a few pictures I took during the process of completing this tank over the past couple nights.

Closer Look at the Desert Rats

Here is what I currently have and plan to build for the British force.  Most of the vehicles are from the fantastic 20mm Modern Range by Britannia with a few plastic models.  The foot troops are almost exclusively 20mm Liberation Brits from the 1990s range of which I have approximately a Platoon with a couple of Milan ATGM Teams.

2x Trumpeter Challenger I Mk 3 Tanks
3x Britannia Warrior IFVs
1x Britannia FV432
2x Britannia CVR(T) Scimitar
1x Liberation CVR(T) Striker
1x Airfix Landrover with soft top
1x Airfix Landrover with hard top
1x Airfix Bedford 4tonner
1x Airfix CVR(T) Scorpion

I added the wheeled vehicles because they were on sale, could not resist.  Might use them in a planned tabletop campaign at some point in the future.

Will try and post pictures of the entire bunch in the next few days, before I start building and painting.

Closer Look at the Iraqi Force

Here is what I ended up with for the Iraqi force:
From Britannia
3x T-62 Tanks
2x T-55 Tanks
2x BMP-1
1x ZIL-157 Heavy Truck

From S&S
1x UAZ-69 Jeep
1x Shilka ZSU-23/4 SP AAA
1x 23/2 AAA

Raventhorpe
1x K63 APC

1/72 Scale Plastics
1x ICM BTR-152 APC
3x Trumpeter 1/72 Scale T-55

Plus a mountain of Elhiem 20mm Modern Iraqi Infantry, including RPG teams, HMGs, Mortars and a Recoiless Rifle.

Assembling the Forces

Recently completed the last purchase that will complete the Iraqi force.  Most of the Infantry and crews are Elhiem's fantastic 20mm range with a few Liberation from RHM.  The vehicles are a mixture of Britannia, 1/72 scale plastics and a few S&S 20mm.  Will post details later.

The Last Scenario

With the end of the war closing in, the Queens Dragoons Guards conduct their last move to contact.  The 1 UK Armored Division REECE force is close to the final objective of Operation Granby with only a small Iraqi force in their way.  This scenario features a small armored REECE group consisting of a couple CVR(T)s (Scimitar and Scorpion), a Striker ATGM plus a Milan ATGM and LMG Team riding in a FV432.  The Iraqi force consists of a weak Infantry Platoon in BMP-1s and a couple T-55 tanks.  Both sides are moving towards one another during day light and neither side has any reinforcements or support.  The Brit victory condition is to destroy 3 or more Iraqi AFVs while losing no more than 1 of his own units, otherwise the Iraqi player wins.  Again another nice looking scenario that should be challenging for both sides. 

Second Scenario

The second scenario is the largest of the three in the pack/set.  This time the Desert Rats put in a set piece attack onto a defended and entrenched Iraqi force with a full strength Infantry Platoon supported by T55 tanks and a couple Anti-Aircraft Guns.  The initial British assualt is by a force similiar in composition to the previous scenario but reinforced halfway thru the game by a couple Challenger 1 Mk3 tanks.  To off set the awesome power presented by the arrival of the Challenger's the Iraqi player is also reinforced by a Platoon of T62s about the same time.  This scenario, like the previous one, features limited visibility caused by smoke from burning oil wells near the battlefield.  This time only range is effected not movement.  The result of 2D6 rolled by the Iraqi player each turn determines the actual visibility, note that if a 12 is rolled the Desert Rats receive a single Tornado GR1, hence the reason for the Iraqi AAA.  The aircraft gets two runs, one bombing and one strafing.  I may slightly modify this portion by adding an additional FV432 with a FAC team that will actually do the targeting.  Victory conditions during this scenario are difficult for the British player.  He must clear all the Iraqi entrenchments and destroy at least 4 tanks.  If he accomplishes this task but losses 3 or more units in the process (again vehicles or squads) the game is a draw.  Otherwise the Iraqi player wins.  Again another interesting scenario that looks like it will be challenging for either side.

The Scenarios

As previously stated, these scenarios are really nice.  They appear to be balanced, at least from just reading them and seem like that will make nice skirmish games.  Attainable victory conditions for both sides that are relastic or relative to the historical outcome of the actual engagement/battle.   At a basic level, the scenarios force both sides to do  better than their historical counterpart.   For example, in the first scenario a British Armored Infantry force in Warrior IFVs with 2 squads of Infantry, plus a LMG Team and a FV432 with a section of man-portable Milans conduct a movement to contact.  This force is supported by a CVR(T) Striker ATGM vehicle and a Lynx Helo w/TOWs.  The Desert Rats meet a slightly larger force of Iraqi Infantry in BMP-1s with LMGs, RPGs, and a SA7 Team supported by a couple of T55 tanks and a ZSU-23/4 Shilka SP AAG.   The battle takes place in daylight but its cloudy with a chance of rain, so visibility can be limited and can change.  If it rains ranges and movement are reduced and the arrival of air support only occurs when and if the rain stops.  The weather conditions are determined randomly by the Iraqi player with a die roll each turn.   The British objective is to destroy or force off the board, most of the Iraqi Armor/IFVs.  While the Iraqi objective is to avoid the Brits conditions or destroy 2 or more of their units (squads or vehicles).  If both achieve their victory conditions, its a draw.  Looks like a really fun scenario but appearances can be deceiving.  More on the other two scenarios later.

Reasoning

Just so happens that, by chance, I came across some really good resources for scenarios.  As Squad Leader by Avalon Hill was one of the first wargames that my brother and I played, I still find the scenarios as good material for translation into miniature games.  One night not too long ago I found a two part scenario pack that covered the First Gulf War published by Bill Wilder on ebay.  These packs covered just about every aspect of the war with all the partipants having at least one scenario devoted to them. Of the 24 total the Desert Rats featured in three of them.  The scenarios were large for 20mm so I modified them just a little to fit on a 4x8 board and not look to out of proportion.  This modification took the form of a reduction of the forces called for on the card but not so much as to unbalance them.  I will go into a little more detail on the scenarios later but suffice it to say they look very promising and should make for good miniature games.  I am deliberately using these scenario cards because of a reoccuring problem.  The ability or maybe the lack thereof or more directly, the loss of control.  Almost every game genre, era or period that we choose, always seems to grow beyond our ability to contain it.  See a cool model or figures and before you know another unit has been added.  The the end result being a game period, era or whatever label it has becomes unplayble due to its size.   I'm determined to build only the forces called for on the cards and nothing more.  Just enough stuff to play these scenarios and nothing more. This will please my patient and understanding wife but will be a chore to actually accomplish.

Desert Storm???

Just bear with me.  Desert Storm but from the British Army's perspective, no 73 Easting with 2nd ACR crushing the Iraqi RG or the Marine Corps driving straight over the Regular Army.  Its the same 4th and 7th Armored Brigades of WW2 Desert Rats fame but this time fighting with TOGS equipped Challenger tanks, Warrior IFVs, Milan ATGMs and TOW firing Lynx helicopters in the last large scale conventional war fought by a western army in the 20th Century.

Time for something new

Decided this weekend to start a new project.  I have had a long standing, on again off again, almost romance, or interest in the Western Desert of the Second World War but wanted to do something a little more up to date or modern this time, but not too modern.  My brother has always been my steadfast opponent in the many battles we have fought over the years.  Be they in the hot deserts of Wichita Falls or Burkburnett, be it in micro armor, 15 or 20mm, be they in Command Decision, Clash of Armor or NA44 but this will be quite a sell.  Desert Storm.