20mm Argentine troops for the Falklands

The Falklands campaign of 1982 has re-emerged at the club as another set of scenarios for all those Cold War British infantry in our collections.  With the Top Malo scenario in the Force on Force rule book, there is a ready made scenario just waiting for the table top.

As the Argentine forces were, with some variation, largely kitted out in what appears to be US kit of the 60's and 70's, very similar to several NATO armies of the 70's and 80's.  This means that the generic NATO infantry produced by Elhiem should fit the bill as one option and, if not, then they will be useful as troops for Denmark, Norway and West Germany.

I've painted them with Russian uniform as the base colour, heavily dry brushed green grey and then lightly dusted green grey with a little white.  Helmets are olive drab, boots and weapons are NATO black dry brushed basalt grey.

These are NATO NCOs with Uzi SMGs.  Front view.

Rear view.

A mix of riflemen with G3 and FAL - I ordered mixed packs so took pot luck as to what was included as I wanted to try these figures out.  Front view.

Rear view.

LAW armed troopers, with a single Carl Gustav.

GPMG gunners for fire support.  Front view.

Rear view.

In the run up to Christmas, my other half asked me what I wanted as a pressie, so I came up with a list of gear from R H Models (Liberation range).  The Yolasite lists several packs of Argentines, but unfortunately most are labelled as not yet available.  However, there are three packs of FN riflemen listed, each of 10 figures, including 3 suitable for NCOs (pointing poses).  These are really nice crisp castings, but the range is crying out for some heavy weapon support.

First up, figures wearing parkas, with canvas covered helmets and goggles.  Front view.

And the second pack, very similar, but no goggles.  Front view.

Rear view.

The last pack in soft winter caps with ear flaps, some folded up and some down covering the ears.  Front view.

Rear view.

Finally, from the RH Models multipurpose range is a medic and figure carrying a wounded comrade, both wearing baseball caps but looking close enough to the soft winter caps figures to blend in well.  Front view.

Rear view.

 

These figures should work well for Argentine troops for the Falklands, but I think they will also work well for Norwegian and Danish troops in a hypothetical Cold War scenario, which is handy as I plan to try out some of the scenarios in the "Red Star, White Lights" scenario book which was published recently.  They came as something of a relief to paint, after working on DPM for the last couple of months, because of the simplicity of the monochrome scheme.  So, the basis there for a couple of platoons, which I might consider bringing up to company strength at some point.  Support weapons are a little thin on the ground, unless RH Models complete their list.  I've seen suggestions that 106mm recoilless rifles from the Platoon 20 US Vietnam range would be suitable, as well as .50 cals and may be even mortar support and WW2 bazooka teams.  For NATO, I'll have to add some of the Elhiem generic NATO Milan teams.

 

Thanks for looking.



20mm Cold War British in 44 pattern helmets

More British infantry for the Cold War/Falklands in 20mm.  This time a platoon in the 44 pattern helmet from RH Models (Liberation).  I've painted these in DPM jackets with light denim trousers in German field grey, dry brushed green grey.  At the front is a 4 man platoon HQ with officer, NCO, 50mm mortar and runner, with an attached blowpipe team on the right.  Behind are three eight man sections with NCO, Sterling SMG, Carl Gustav and assistant, GPMG and assistant, plus two riflemen.  At the back are some optional extras, with two bren gunners rear left, three snipers rear centre and a GPMG team rear right.

The blowpipe air defence team.

Platoon HQ.

Additional bren gunners.

Additional GPMG team.

Snipers.

Great little figures, I love the look of steely determination on their faces.

Lovely figures to paint, lots of raised detail that responds well to dry brushing and ink washing.  I'm really happy with the end result and look forward to getting these on the table.  I'm thinking these can be used as infantry for the Falklands or TAs for the Cold War and I'm thinking of providing Saxons for transport (I have two already).  They might also find themselves patrolling the streets and countryside in my modern English Civil War campaign.

Thanks for looking.

20mm 20th Century UK Battlefield clutter

This week I have been mostly painting up some battlefield clutter from Sgts Mess, which I picked up just after New Year from their January sale.  These should all fit in well with most 20th Century British battlefields, but I have them in mind for my late 70's - early 80's British Civil War campaign.

First up, a WW1 war memorial, to be found in just about every British village, town and suburb in 1980.  I also picked up a packet or poppy wreaths which can be placed at the base of the memorial for winter scenarios set after November 11th.

Then one of a pair of telephone boxes.  These could be found on just about every street corner from the reign of George V until the rise of the mobile phone at the end of the 20th Century.  I well remember queuing to use one of these back in the 70's and 80's.

Next, an RAC (Royal Automobile Club) rescue box.  I never had to use one of these, but had a key to one with my car keys until about 5 years ago.  Much more reassuring to be able to use a mobile if you breakdown.

Some assorted sign boards.  The one on the left sticking out of an oil drum is going to have "HALT" on it for an army checkpoint.  The next is crying out for "DANGER MINES" or "MoD Property; Keep Out".  The third is a rural fingerboard direction sign, while the fourth will do as a village or town name board on the edge of built up areas.  I'm thinking of printing off game-specific names on labels to stick on and peel off after the game.

Wherever there are people living, they make waste.  Here a set of galvanised metal dustbins for outside houses or lining the street if its bin day.

A brick-built post box and a cast iron pillar box, when you wanted to get in touch before the days of texts and e-mails.

The collection so far, alongside a kneeling Platoon 20 figure for scale.

As above, with the addition of a couple of Blotz market stalls, also from Sgts Mess.

These should hopefully add a bit of colour and interest to my upcoming British civil war campaign, although they would be fine for any WW2 British settings such as Sealion.

As ever thanks for looking.

20mm Cold War Royal Marines Troop completed

I've just finished the first batch of Liberation Figures from RH Models that were part of my Christmas present this year.  Very impressed with these figures and a vast catalogue to choose from.

First up is the FalkparkBer pack, 8 figures in berets and parkas, all FN armed.  They are painted and based the same way as my previous Stonewall and Platoon 20 figures.

Front view.

Rear view.

Then FalkComA, 6 command figures in berets, mainly FN armed with one carrying a Stirling SMG.

Front view.

Rear view.

Then two views of FalkSniA, three figures carrying snipers rifles, I think the L42A1.

And last for now of the Liberation figures, MultmedB, one medic and one figure carrying a wounded comrade.  I've painted these to resemble the other marines uniforms, although they aren't portrayed wearing parkas, but are in shirt sleeves with the medic wearing a combat vest or smock - I've painted him to look like body armour.

Front view.

Rear view.

So, some really nice figures there.  If I expand these to a full company then I will probably use RH Models and Platoon 20, as they are modelled carrying FNs, whereas the Stonewall figures carry M16s.

So, almost a full troop ready for action.

In front is the platoon HQ section - I might try a head swop to put a beret head on one of the Liberation radio men in cap comforters in the future as there isn't a beret wearing radioman in the catalogue at present.  I'm also short a beret wearing 50mm mortar gunner, but can use a spare figure in helmet for this.  Behind the HQ are three 8 man sections, which can form either two 4 man fireteams or a 3 man gun group and 5 man rifle group.  Behind them are the various support teams. 

In support is (left to right) a two man Blowpipe team, 2 two man Milan teams with NCO and a two man sniper team.  Middle left are the two medics with casualty and on the right three individual sniper figures.  At the back are spare figures carrying M16s or FNs.

So, a reasonable sized and equipped force usable for Cold War scenarios from the 1970's and 80's, especially actions in Norway.  They are also suitable for Falklands scenarios, or any other cold weather settings.  I'm also thinking of trying out a campaign based around the "Winter of 79" or similar imagination what-if centred on the idea of political/civil unrest in the U.K. in the late 70's or 80's leading to open civil war.  Figures in berets would be perfect for establishment forces patrolling the streets in an attempt to show there isn't really a hot war on the cards, as well as for oppfors who wear whatever uniform options they can scavenge.  I suspect these marine would, at least in the early days of the campaign, represent highly trained establishment troops.

As ever, thanks for looking.

More 20mm Cold War Royal Marines

I'm still building up my Cold War British infantry force, this time using Platoon 20 figures.  I've tried out a different method for these, first painting them with a 50:50 mix of desert yellow and dark sand (a pale mustard colour), then adding splodges of NATO green and then brown and finally thin streaks of NATO black.  Weapons and boots are NATO black dry brushed basalt grey or NATO green.  'Tashes and hair are flat brown and skin flat flesh, gaiters are English uniform.  The whole lot was washed with Army Painter strong tone diluted 4:1 with flow enhancer and polyurethane varnished matt.

First up P-B7 marine heavy weapons, prone GPMG team, kneeling Carl Gustav and standing Blowpipe launcher.

P-B4 infantry heavy weapons, prone GPMG team, kneeling Carl Gustav firer and standing GPMG gunner.

P-B14 Two marine Milan ATGM teams.

P-B6 Royal Marines firing, 2 kneeling and two standing with FNs.

P-B3 fixed mount GPMG in sustained fire role.

P-B10 Special Boat Service team.

P-B6a Royal Marines advancing, two with FNs, one GPMG and a Sterling SMG.

A pair of P-B15 Wombats and crew.  I saw one of these at the Crisis Point wargame last year, owned by Richard Crawley, and thought they would make a great addition to my Cold War force.

These will add to my Royal Marine force for the Falklands and deployment to Norway in Cold War Gone Hot scenarios as well as U.K. urban meltdown scenarios.  Nice figures to paint and I'm quite pleased with the overall finish.

Thanks for looking.