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Thursday 3 January 2019

Mind the Gap - Cold War - Part 1

This action in a fictional location represents the type of operation conducted by the BAOR covering force elements in the early 1970s.  To the west of Hannover lies a series of steep wooded ridges with narrow gaps where roads and tracks run through. These ridges form good defensive positions.

The defence of one such gap has been allocated to Combat Team Charlie, centred upon C Company minus of the 1st Blankshires (BL). The combat team consists of two platoons, company HQ and a troop of Chieftain Tanks from the Loamshire Hussars (LH). In support is an anti-tank section (Wombats) and an 81mm mortar section from battalion support company. An FOO from W Bty 9 RHA is also attached to the combat team. Here is the deployment:

The road can be seen running through the gap in the wooded ridge. The tanks are deployed on the ridge, with the two infantry platoons astride the road amongst the farmland below the ridge.

On each flank is a Wombat armed APC:

The mortar section is deployed behind the ridge:
The FOO is located on the ridge near the tanks:
And the tanks themselves are in firing positions along the tree line:
The infantry are deployed forward to cover the crossroads east of the position:
 And are dug-in and have hand held anti-tank weapons:

The combat team commander is positioned behind the ridge in the grounds of a small chapel; although he will move forward once the enemy show them selves:

Just after noon signs of enemy activity are spotted in the shape of elements of soviet 302 Motor-Rifle Division recce vehicles:

PT-76 light tanks:
BRDM 1 scout cars:
BRDM, Swatter anti-tank vehicles:
And waiting further back a motor-rifle platoon in BTR-60 APCs:
The soviets begin to probe forward.........................

Part 2 to follow.








3 comments:

  1. Are these 1/100 or 1/87 scale vehicle? I have quite a few Roco (1/87) vehicles, but the range is rather limited, even with Roskopf stuff added.

    Thanks,

    Chris Johnson

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Chris,
      The vehicles are all 1/87 scale. The Brit APCs are by Roco (actually M113s), the tanks are metal and from 'World Tank Museum', although Roco do Chieftains in their range. The 'jeeps' are Austin Champs from Britains Lilliput range ( they also did trucks, APCs and tanks, but very pricey now) and the 1 ton rover is from 'Husky. The soviet kit is from the 1970/80s,from a firm called Plasticart. They can be found on Ebay at times.

      You could try Butlers Printed Models. They do 15mm and 20mm tanks, but if asked will do them in 1/87 scale as it is all 3D printing.

      I have spent years tracking down vehicles to go with my Roco minitanks!

      Delete
  2. Those Russkies will never get past the British Infantry Combat Group.... I will vouch for Butlers, too. Lots of Cold War kit available now: drop them a line if you want one resized to 1/87.

    ReplyDelete