Showing posts with label Period: Cold War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Period: Cold War. Show all posts

01 October, 2012

Top Malo

While I have you, today is the last day of my contest celebrating this blog's 300th post. It'd be nice if I could roll a die to determine the winner...

Anyway, here's one from the memory stick > a few weeks back I umpired a game of Force on Force, the Top Malo scenario from the main rulebook.


Cold War Warsaw Pact figures are standing in for the Argentines, but no one will hold it against me surely?

The British force has all-but encircled the house - they'll need to take command of the ridge to force the Argentines out

Encircling the house

The defenders are loaded for bear (so to speak!). Surely it can't be wise to put all of one eggs in such a tempting basket, and having neglected to post sentries they can't fault the fox for trying [too many mixed-metaphors, I plead Guilty as charged!]

Defenders loaded for bear

The British set up a GPMG near the woods and open fire, to some good effect

Opening fire

Their companions who take the ridgeline, have no such luck. They direct an awful lots of firepower into the house, but come off second best to return fire from the uncowed Argentines

Fire support team outgunned

Rupert & co. make to the ridgeline to minister to the fallen.

Command team behind cover

Meanwhile, the other element of the flanking force hare across open ground to take cover behind a small hill

Crossing open ground

The command team take cover as the rest of the fire support group continues to take a fearful punishment. The good news is that the house has started to creak and groan under the amount of hits it's taken

Firefight on the ridge

Indeed, the wrecked house is on fire! The Argentines must get out soon before they are overcome by the smoke

House on fire

The survivors on the ridgeline cut them first evacuation attempt off - gunning down five or more Argentines as they make their way out

Cutting them off

The entire house is ablaze now, but the second team makes it to safety

Escape

Despite taking the house, the British have taken serious casualties (1 KIA and 5 seriously wounded) while failing to capture or prevent the escape of the entire Argentine contingent.

01 September, 2011

Cold War Stays Hot

The second annual Guild Big Game was run a couple of weeks ago. A direct sequel to the last big game, unfortunately Real Life intervened and attendance wasn't as strong as last year (more Warsaw Pact players were able to turn up than NATO players - maybe global communism is proof against recession!). Nonetheless a monster Cold War bash in 20mm.

Here's some of the photos:


Soviet Hind wreaks havoc



Leopard IIs moving through urban area



Soviets crossing the river



German infantry prepares defence

Summary of Game

More Photos

Next year the Guild Big Game is back in Ireland for the African Warlords game. Better get my ducks in a row...

12 April, 2011

Cold War Gone Hot - Preview

While I'm waiting for the new rulebook and Road to Baghdad supplement to arrive I've noticed that Ambush Alley Games & Osprey will be releasing a Cold War Gone Hot companion book at the end of the year.

Piers has posted a few teaser pictures over on the AAG forum and the lead author Jim Roots has given a brief glimpse into what it's going to cover.


The book will have three main divisions:

1) The Cold War We Thought...this is a collection of essays, scenarios and stats for what we thought was going to happen. E.g., Fulda Gap, Soviet breakthroughs, etc.


2) The Cold War That Was...this is the same, only for what we know now. The declassification of documents on both side showed that the Soviet Union was a lot tougher on paper than in reality. Think, The Bear Went Over the Mountain applied to all theaters.


3) The Cold War of Hollywood. We all have our favorite movies and books...we're taking it one step further and writing scenarios in that vein.


The book will also have scenarios for all budgets. There will indeed be a few Piers "armor parks" scenarios, but there will be special ops, infantry slugfests and whatever other coolness we choose to throw in the book.

The Guild's Big Game this year will be another Cold War bash so there'll be plenty of more eye candy to tempt you before the release of the book, but I can't wait for this.

The book is available for pre-order over on Amazon...

10 April, 2011

French ad hoc Brigade

A small force of French to bolster the West Germans against the Warsaw Pact hordes


A French reinforced regiment of heavy armour and mechanised infantry

French Regiment

A tank squadron

Armour Squadron

Artillery Battery alongside CO

Artillery Battery alongside CO

HQ with Air Defence and FAO

HQ with Air Defence and FAO

Mortar Carriers behind FAC

Mortar Carriers behind FAC

Mechanised infantry company

Mechanised Infantry Company

Air Defence with Support coming through

Air Defence with Support coming through

Flight of Mirages

Flight of Mirages

Well-balanced, I shall have to come up with some scenario to get them into action - as the typical Cold war gone Hot setup doesn't include the French.

02 October, 2010

Soviet Paratroopers (VDV)

Veterans of The Guild's recent Big Game, Jez on the forum was getting rid of these at a pretty irresistable price. I reckon they'll see good service in our Afghan games - I'll have to pick up a Mi-8/17 to carry them into action


Each of the three squads has seven members - NCO with AK-74 (he's the guy pointing obviously!), 1 Dragunov, 1 RPG, 1 RPK and 3 AK-74s

1st Squad moves along a wall
VDV 1st Squad

2nd Squad takes up position
VDV 2nd Squad

3rd Squad exposed in open ground
VDV 3rd Squad

Platoon HQ consults it maps (I'm not sure what value the guy with the SA-7 is going to give in Afghanistan!)
VDV Command

The full platoon
VDV Platoon

I'm going to slightly retouch the bases for a more arid look and add some desert silfor tufts...

21 August, 2010

Russian Platoon ready for action

While The Guild's Big Game takes place, I'll have to content myself with this...

This Russian rifle platoon can perform duty in a Cold War what-if scenario versus my SAS forces as well, but I expect these will see duty in 1980s Afghanistan.


The 1st squad includes a light machine gun and a sharpshooter
1st Squad

The 2nd Squad is identical
2nd Squad

The Machine Gun Team
Machine Gun Team

An RPG team
RPG Team

A Sniper Team
Sniper Team

The Entire Platoon
Platoon

These are from Combat Miniatures Panshir Range

13 June, 2010

Warsaw Pact Division

Here's the opposing force for those West Germans - some kind of short campaign or linked scenarios on the North German Plain beckons.

Tank battalion, with two companies of T-55s, a company of T-72s, two batteries of Artillery (one RL BM and the other M1973), an AA ZSU-23-4 and a Recon platoon (in BMPs)

Warsaw Pact - '1' Tank Battalion

Another Tank battalion, along the same lines. This one however has an attached FAO and an ATGW Sagger. Behind them you can see the Divisional HQ along with the two SU-25 Frogfoots as close air support

Warsaw Pact - '2' Tank Battalion

A third Tank battlion, with attached Recon, an FAC and ATGW Sagger.

Warsaw Pact - '3' Tank Battalion

Motor Rifle Regiment (in BTRs)

Warsaw Pact - (BTR) Motor Rifle Regiment

Motor Rifle Regiment (in BMPs) with attached FAC and ATGW Sagger.

Warsaw Pact - (BMP) Motor Rifle Regiment

The entire Division

Warsaw Pact - Entire Division

A close-up of one of the Frogfoots

Warsaw Pact - Air Support

Divisional HQ, with attached company of Spetnaz (a Mi-8 may be required to get these guys into action)

Warsaw Pact - Division HQ with Spetnaz

Credit for the paint jobs should go to Phil at Firezone Studios & Nik (who I bought them off)

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