Modelling -Scratch Build, 20mm Milan Firing Posts

In 1981 Soviet tanks attacking a British Infantry Battalion in Germany would have been confronted by this, which would have scared me if I had been the British Gunner.  The Wombat was replaced by Milan as the principal Anti Armour weapon of the British armed forces in the early 80's having been fielded by the Germans and French in the lates 70's.  It saw service in the Falklands and both Gulf Wars before being replaced by Javalin in Mid 2005.

Milan is a SACLOS wire guided system with a range of 1850m.  It was updated with the MIRA thermal imaging system in the mid eighties (assumed, I have not been able to identify a date for the introduction of this upgrade),which provided the first thermal imager into most British infantry battalions.  Initially battalions deployed 12 firing posts, moving to 24 in the mid to late 80s. liberation Miniatures, S&S and Elhiem all currently do a milan system in 20mm. I however decided to scratch build mine using card stock and these pictures as a guide.

The key thing for me when approaching a task like this is that you can tell what it is when its done and it looks allright. So I am not really one for measuring anything although in this instance because I wanted 4 I did need to achieve some level of consistency.

I used missile tubes produced by liberation for their TOW system as the launch tubes although I could equally have used some plastic rod.  The remaining component were all cut from plasticard strips of different thickness and widths.

The three elements of the launcher were then constructed with the tripod being built onto a thin plasticard base to give it strength and ease attachment to the figure base later.  The launch unit consisting of the launch rail the flash guard and site unit were shaped and assembled and then attached to the tripods, Finally a representation of the MIRA thermal site was fashioned and the launch tubes added.

The figures were from a mix of sources SHQ SS, liberation legs and Britania crew commanders, with the various components being joined together with greenstuff webbing and based on 20mm wooden circular bases.

Bases were then covered in sand and the figures painted DPM in line with the tutorial referenced below.  Missile launchers were painted with Russian uniform, highlighted by introducing buff and then had a representation of the various stencilled markings on the launch tubes added in white and yellow.

Whilst the modelling is really quite crude with little small detail the painting and scale means that the representation is fairly effective even at close quarters.  As viewed on the table they do the job well.  In total I produced 4 acheiving a good degree of consistency primarily due to the use of cardstck and the creation of simple shapes.

As I write this Matt at Elhiem figures is putting a MIRA on his Millan and creating a British Crew set so less effort required in the future.  Having said that if you have not tried it scratchbuilding isn't that difficult and when you can add something thats not commercially available, builds a better army - so give it a go.  The key thing to remember is the brain is very good at filling in the missing detail.

References:

ORBAT - 1980's British BG, Part 7 The Infantry Battalion
Wargames Unit - 1980's British BG, Support Company
Painting - British Army, DPM
Encyclopedia of The Modern British Army,3rd Edition,Terry Gander

ORBAT - Soviet Air Assault Units Part 1, Overview and Lift Assets

The Soviet Army included a number of dedicated Air Assault battalions and Air Assault Brigades at Army and Front level and was capable of generating Air Assault assets from motor rifle units at divisional level with up-to 1 MRB being trained for this purpose in each division.

The Air Assault units were used in support of tactical and operational manoeuvre often in conjunction with Divisional and Army level forward detachments.  Missions were generally tactical in nature and conducted at company or battalion level within 50km of the forward line of own troops often as close as 15km in order to ensure artillery support and rapid link up. Tasks for Air Assault units included:

• seizing key terrain, dominating features, defiles, crossing points road junctions
• screening flanks
• strikes against artillery concentrations, nuclear weapons and head quarters
• blocking counter attacks
• ambush of movement in rear areas.

A total of 8 Air Assault Brigades were identified supporting the 4 Fronts in the Western TVD.  This fits an assumption that not only did each Front possess an Air Assault Brigade, but that each of the Tank Armies forming the Operational Manoeuvre Groups of each of the fronts were also given an Air Assault Brigade, the Combined Arms Armies each had an Air Assault Battalion.

Whilst airmobile brigades started being formed in the early 70s, the Air Assault units being to appear from the late 70s early 80s and were largely fully formed by 1990 in the Western TVD. They were another method available to Front and Army commanders of focusing combat power on the main effort and could be supported by a range of Air and Aviation lift and attack assets. The Air Assault Units were capable of insertion by Parachute, Helicopter or Tactical Air Landing but had no lift capability integral to the unit.

Aviation Capability

Significant lift and attack helicopter units were maintained at all levels from Division to Front and these in conjunction with the Front Air Army and Transport Aircraft from the VTA would support Air Assault operations.  Aviation units included:

• Divisional Fire Sp Squadrons of 4 Hoplite, 6 Hind and 6 Hip.
• Army Attack Helicopter Regiments of 2 Hind Squadrons of 20 Aircraft and 1 Hip Squadron of 20 Aircraft.
• Front Transport Helicopter Regiment of 2 Heavy Lift Squadrons of 12 Halo or Hook and 2 Medium lift Squadrons of 16 Hip,  A Front could have upto two such Regiments.

The Total Helicopters of each type available to a Front with 2 CAA and 1 TA and 1 Air Army comprising some 14 ground divisions was potentially:

• Halo/Hook 48
• Hip 214
• Hind 210
• Hoppolite 60

In addition Air Assault operations would be supported by the Fighter and Fighter Bomber Squadrons of the Fronts Air Army and Aircraft from the VTA (military transport aircraft) could be used to air land or parachute either armour or troops.  Air landing was probably the preferred option due to the reduced mounting time but required a suitable airport/field to be secured.  The Insertion of the Airborne and Air Assault elements in support of 40th Army during the invasion of Afghanistan demonstrated what could be achieved, though clearly in a far less hostile air environment.

I have found nothing that describes how Aviation assets were distributed or task organised between the echelons but could see that some of the policies associated with the distribution of Artillery Assets might apply.

• 2nd Echelon Armies Attack Helicopter Regiments and divisional fire support squadrons could initially be available to support 1st Echelon Armies within a front.  This would provide an additional Attack Helicopter Regiment to reinforce the main axis along with up to 14 Divisional Aviation Squadrons.
• If the Front in the 2nd operational echelon could contribute assets to the fronts in the first then an additional transport helicopter regiment, and 3 Attack Helicopter Regiments would be available.
• This would create significant lift capacity on the main axis of the first operational echelon

Whilst some sources point out that armed Mi-8t in the Army Attack Helicopter Regiments would not be used for troop lift it is clear from records of operations in Afghanistan that they were.  Other tasks placed on aviation assets include resupply of forward elements, obstacle creation and armed action in support of ground units, so whilst a considerable amount of aviation capability could potentially be gathered, it was not for the sole purpose of moving Air Assault Units.

References:

FM 100-2 Specialised Warfare and Rear Area Support, Chapter 3 Heliborn Operations
FM 100-3, Soviet Troop Organisation and Equipment
Reorganisation of Soviet Ground Forces, CIA 1983
Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army, Isbey, 1988
Soviet Bloc Elite Forces, Zaloga and Loop, Osprey 1985
Soviet Airborn Operations in Theatre of War, SASO, 1988
16va.be Web Site - Excellent resource for Soviet Air Force in GDR
Wargames Unit - Soviet VDV Regiment

Terrain - Making It Modern

Each period in History has a distinctive look and feel to the terrain, this tends to live in the representation of the man made features, buildings structures, roads tracks and the nature of things like cultivated land.  So wanting to game the Cold War on the central front I wanted to think about what would make the cold war game distinct from World War Two.

Some very common features of the Modern world that scream "today" are of course a little too modern certainly for the early 80s game, in this Category sits mobile phone masts and wind turbines.  Although these are probably good for the early nineties and certainly for any fanciful late 90s Games.

Another thing that says modern is the juxtaposition of the old with the new, histroical buildings and ruins can sit happily along side modern buildings, so all those churches castles and WW2 buildings, Medieval bridges and even Iron age huts can be put to good use.

Some of the Key things that say Modern to me are Roads and Road networks that include Motorways with central barriers embankments and big Blue Signs, bridge construction methods are also quite time specific. Car parks are distinctively modern weather multi storey or open tarmac and marked ground.

Another distinctive element is the 60's and 70's low rise and high rise flats Office blocks and public buildings which tend to be landscaped complexes.  Mixing a variety of buildings in close proximity with car parking fencing lighting roads and trees can achieve the required effect.

Some building functions say modern particularly when the function and building materials are looked at together. Supermarkets started in low numbers pre war but did not really start to take off in numbers until the 50's Tescos didn't start till the 60s so they are inherently a modern feature, originally housed in traditional large buildings they now occupy structures that exploit similar materials to light industrial buildings.

The industrial base of Europe has evolved significantly transitioning from heavy to light industry and services, these types of activity are associated with buildings of a particular look and feel, together with the clustering of these activities around the edge rather than in the centre of Built up areas.

then there are a whole range of services ranging from Power distribution with high voltage electricity pylons, through telephony with its distinctive telegraph poles to trafic control systems with lights at junctions water treatment plants and water towers to street lighting and petrol distribution.

In the country side the main impact of the modern age other than the ubiquitous services are the impact of modern structures within the Agricultural community and in this the most obvious item is the prefabricated metal barn.

In addition to it looking Modern it also has to represent some part of the world and for me thats the Central front in Germany North or South depending on which armies I am fighting with, the Germans have fairly distinctive housing, the signs are in German, they don't love the roundabout, they don't tend to enclose there fields or houses as much as we do, they have an awful lot of Fir trees and they do love rail ways.

So thats the recipe for the central front not being WW2 revisited:

• A Bunch of old buildings
• Petrol Stations
• Supermarkets
• Low rise, Flats, Offices and shops
• Light Industry
• Modern Barns
• Modern Services Power, Telephony, Water, Lighting

and a German Flavour created by:

• German Building style
• no hedges
• no roundabouts
• German signs
• Fir Trees

For this summers game I produced a number of terrain items from the list above which I will be covering over the next few months.


Terrain - Byzantium 20mm, German Buildings
Terrain - Modern Farm Buildings
Terrain - Modern Supermarket

Terrain - Hikki Trees, Pine Forests

Terrain - Camouflaged Hides 

Wargames Unit - Soviet Divisional Anti Tank Battalion

The composition of this battalion was one of the first posts I made on this blog and has received the most hits. I finished the unit at the start of this month in preparation for a game here we see one of the Sprut batteries about to come into action against a force of German Leopard 2s.

The Battalion is made up of three batteries and an HQ, 2 Batteries of 2A45 Spruts towed by MTLB and 1 Battery of BRDM 2 with AT5.  The HQ and the GW Battery command post field OPs with PSNR Radars and laser rangefinders. Justifying the Spruts is a little fun but they certainly look cool.

The MTLBs are by S&S, The Spruts are by Military wheels, crewed by converted Elhiem cold war  Soviets and the BTR 60 is by liberation. The OPs are scratch built on 40mm bases.

The GW battery uses S&S BRDM 2s although the AT5 carrying wagons have scratch built site units for the missile controller. 

The Divisional Anti Tank Battalion is the primary anti tank reserve of the MRD, Insane Tank action is what its for.  The counter attack by Leopard 2A4s of 123 and 124 Pz Battalion of 12 Pz Brigade into the flank of 18 Guards MRD at Wissenberg.

References:

Review - Models 1/72 Military Wheels 2A45 Sprut

Wargames Unit - Soviet MRR Anti Tank Reserve

Review - Models 1/72, S&S BRDM 2 + AT5

Orbat - Soviet Divisional Units, Part 1 Anti Tank Battalion

Review - Models 1/72, S&S GSP Ferry

The GSP ferry was first introduced into service in 1959 and used extensively by both the Soviets and a range of client states throughout the cold war.  The equipment was a key component of the Soviet river crossing machine, and was part of the assault river crossing capability held by the divisional engineer regiments, but generally attached out to regiments and forward detachments to aid in the rapid crossing of the many rivers that sat between them and the French border.  Capable of carrying a load of 50 tons it was  assembled from a pair of ferry vehicles and  could be ready for use in 3-5 minutes.

The Kit is very simple and consists of a single piece casting of the GSP in the water and the eight metal parts that make up the ramps., The main casting is well formed with some minor surface bubbles which I have left.  Getting the ramps to stick in the raised position is fun but Shaun tells me this has been addressed for the production versions.

I have painted mine Green, which might come as a bit of a surprise.  If I were doing it again I would represent some ropes on the deck The Trim Vein and maybe add the odd crew figure or two.  

I have two of Shauns PTS-M tracked amphibians which I use to represent the Assault crossing capability when on the move.  I am currently working up a visually appealing river crossing approach based on a number of water line representations of swimming vehicles the ferry, The PTS-Ms and some floating bridging I have yet to buy.

I believe the GSP Ferries are now released and available from S&S.

References:

Prime Portal GSP ferry walk around