Friday 27 November 2020

AAR "Downtown Basra Iraq 2006"

 This is a small scenario which myself and my eldest played recently using out current favourite ruleset "Fireteam Modern".

A 2 man covert British SF vehicle has been "dicked" and compromised by Iraqi insurgents at a crossroads in downtown Basra. Luckily a British regular section of 2 fireteams is near and assists.

Here's a shot of the very small table.


Some views around the table before showtime, the red covert vehicle the SF guys were in has caught fire




The game started with the SF out of the car and on activation the insurgents deploying to numbered points on the table.


Insurgents deploying


The British regulars managed to get a Fireteam on a rooftop to overwatch and the second Fireteam close assaulted a rapidly deployed insurgent group killing 2 and taking 2 prisoners, the SF pair engaged the closing insurgents causing casualties and numerous suppression points. Extracting off table with the 2 fireteams one of the SF guys was seriously wounded. The Insurgents had a group fall back off table due to a morale test and sustained 3 dead and 3 seriously wounded as well as loosing the 2 prisoners so a British victory by any measure.


As usual the rules performed brilliantly and I can't recommend them enough.
Dougie

Thursday 19 November 2020

20mm Argentine Oerlikon Twin 35mm AAA Part 1

Encountered by 2PARA at Goose Green the Oerlikon twin 35mm AAA posed a serious threat to ground troops as well as air assets. Rolf Hedges at Liberation mentioned that a 3D print of the gun was available at Butler's Printed Models, here's the link Oerlikon Twin 35mm
Here's a couple of photos of the weapon deployed in the Falklands



I've never tried a 3D printed model it was relatively cheap and it has the look although I'm not sure about the print lines, I know this is unavoidable so I'm going to see how it progresses. I'll be adding a little detailing, a crew and basing in in a similar fashion to the top photo with turf camo. The picture below is the BPM model as supplied. Dougie


20mm Argentine Rasit Radar System completed

 Thats the Rasit done

Dougie






Monday 16 November 2020

20mm Argentine Rasit Radar System Part 2

 Work progressing on the Rasit, the Radar dish has been primed and painted.



I've also finished the operator


In relation to the control box, I scratch made one from plasticard, an image was hard to find so I knocked this up


This was based around the photo in Part 1, however sods law being what it is I subsequently discovered the following picture,


This is different but I'm going to just stick with the one I've made, I've not had confirmation that the above pic is accurate, if any reader knows this to be true please confirm. So failing this info I've painted up my conjectural control box.


All that's left now is the basing.

Dougie




Sunday 15 November 2020

Markers for "Fireteam Modern" Rules

 Regulars will know that I'm a fan of "Fireteam Modern" rules by Rory Crabb, if you haven't checked out this system you need to, they're available from Wargames Vault.

Like a lot of systems they require the use of some markers during games, a set is included to print out with the rules


I printed these out and stuck them to some foam board just to try and as expected I didn't like the look of them on the table so I decided to make my one more scenic versions. Playing the rules it became apparent that 99% of the time I only used 5 of the markers, Activated, Overwatch, Down, Suppressed and Hidden.

I decided on the following plan for the markers all based on 15mm diameter mdf round bases from Warbases.

Activated - Rocks

Overwatch - Magazines or Ammunition boxes

Down - Large grass clump, Falklands Diddle Dee!

Suppressed - Blood

Hidden - Item under cams netting

Here's the result from left to right, Activated, Overwatch, Down, Suppressed and Hidden.


Dougie

Monday 2 November 2020

20mm Argentine Rasit Radar System Part 1

 The Rasit radar system was deployed by the Argentinians during the conflict, its quite an effective ground surveillance radar that can detect a walking man at 14 miles. The Argentinians deployed one on Longdon at the eastern end of the feature, "Fly Half" in Hugh Pike's orders. This could have been a dramatic force multiplier for the Argentinians but because they were under the impression that the British had a radar locating system and could rapidly call in artillery they decided to switch it off. 




There isn't one available that I could find so it was scratch building from plasticard and plastruct. The crewman will be a converted Liberation figure. The radar and crewman are separate and are going to be mounted on a couple of 2p pieces.

Some of the bits 😉


The Rasit assembled.



Next up is the Operator base and continue with the radar.

Dougie