Wargames Unit - 1980s British BG, Abbot Battery

The Abbot Battery provides indirect fire support to my Early 80s British Battlegroup.

For war gaming I have represented the Battery as 2 Abbots for the Guns, 1 FV432 for the Tac Party and 1 Stalwart ammunition carrier. The detail of the organisation this represents is in The 1980s British BG, Part 5 Royal Artillery post. 

The Tac Party will be grouped with one of the Sub Units in addition I'll probably deploy two other indirect fire controllers with the BG A Gazelle Air OP and the MFC from the Mortar platoon in a CVR(T).  All commanders were trained to call for fire but these calls would be picked up by the FOOs and MFCs for relaying to the guns and mortars.  The system was therefor highly flexible and allowed anyone with a radio to call for support.

Britannia FV432, Britannia crew, Scratch built Night Observation Device

The vehicle Call Sign for the Battery Commander was 10 with the FOOs being 11,12 and 13. As the FOOs had to sit on the supported sub unit radio net, the Battle Group radio net and the artillery regimental net they always had plenty of Antennas.  In addition they were equipped with ZB298 ground surveillance radar, this was later replaced by MSTAR this can be represented as a dismounted Radar for OP parties.

S&S Abbot, Crew Britannia, Stowage Goffy 

Once deployed the Gun troops would fall under the control of the regimental HQ attached to the Brigade HQ for movement and tasking.  in addition to the Abbots and Stalwart a ferret or FV432 command could be included to represent the command and Recce vehicles deployed with the Gun line.

Stalwart S&S, Crew Britania, Stowage Goffy

References

Review - Model 1/72, S&S Stalwart
Review - Model 1/72, Britannia FV432
Review - Model 1/72, S&S FV433 Abbot
Warpaint: v. 2: Colours and Markings of British Army Vehicles 1903-2003