Welcome to Cold War Gamer, a blog I am using to record my Cold War wargaming projects. These range from fictitious Cold War hot projects to historical conflicts that took place around the globe throughout the Cold War era, all modelled and gamed in 20mm. The blog includes links to various resources useful to the Cold War Gamer.

My current projects include: Central Front; British & Soviet. South African Border War; Angolans and South Africans. Soviet Afghan War; Soviets and Afghans

Friday 22 June 2012

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 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 7






5 comments:

  1. Just discovered this blog, and it looks great!
    What size of bases do you use under the tanks?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I get all my bases from east ridding miniatures http://shop.eastridingminiatures.co.uk/

      they do laser cut MDF bases in various sizes

      these are the MBT Base they fit all soviet tanks but not the latest western tanks

      MBT Base size is 100mm x 60mm, chieftain, T-72, T-80
      Large Tank is 120mm x 60mm
      APCs 90mm x 50mm - BMP, M113, FV432, Warrior

      I might do a post on it one day :)

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  2. looks very nice, I wonder how they'd fare against those soviet tanks as well

    ReplyDelete
  3. What colour did you use for the base Green?
    Ta
    Jon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The painting and decal guide is under the Review - Model 1/72, Britannia Chieftain link, the quick answer is Vallejo Russian Uniform 924.

      Delete