Wargames Unit - British 1980s BG, Armoured Squadron, Cheiftain

I recently completed the fourth tank in my Chieftain Armoured Squadron for my early 1980s British Battle Group.  The Models are all from Britannia and use the provided crew figures.

There were a few different Squadron Orbats used by the British over the late Cold War period and at a scale of 1:3 a group of 4 tanks can be used to represent either.  The two being:

• 4 Troops of 3 and 2 HQ Tanks
• or 3 Troops of 4 and 2 HQ Tanks

I believe that 3 troops of 3 and a 3 tank HQ was also trialled but I am not sure if this was ever taken any further.  Either way at this scale 4 Vehicles seems an appropriate representation for 12-14 tanks either representing the 4 troops or the three troops and the HQ. Which was used seemed to be at the discretion of the unit Commanding Officer.

The Britannia vehicles come with the Turret baskets pre stowed with a variety of items, in order to provide variety within the unit I have removed this on a number of the vehicles and added covers to the baskets.

The principal stowage added includes Cam Nets, Cam Polls, Bin Bags, and lubricant cans which for various reasons were all common externally stowed items.  British vehicle Antenae were all fixed poles on a fairly solid mount so you don't get those rather racy tied back affairs you see on US and Canadian vehicles. Pennants, Rats Tails, Tennis balls and Cyalume sticks on the Antenae were all used as identification markers for command vehicles which as a fashion waxed in and out of vogue throughout the period.

I tend to use these Chieftains generically to represent any of the Marks of vehicle prior to the introduction of Stillbrew Armour from 1986 and TOGs in Chieftain from 1989.  They are painted and marked in line with the posts in the reference section.  My intent is to use this as a 1:2 Infantry battle group so I have just made the one Squadron.  It will be interesting to see how a formation this light in tanks fairs against a Soviet regiment

References:

ORBAT 1980s British Battle Group, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 7

Modelling - Stowing Cold War British Vehicles

Review - Model 1/72, Britannia Chieftain