Faux Fulda - Close Air Support

 For the WWIII 1985 project in addition to Tanks, lots of tanks, I also need some Close Air Support (CAS).  I managed to have a somewhat productive painting streak  over the last week and was able to complete the below.  This rounds out the required NATO/Warsaw Pact flights based on the current Order of Battle I plan on using.  I'm sure the OB will change, but for now, I think I've completed the ground attack stuff.  

We'll start with the American units because, well, I'm biased.

First up, a single flight of the Premier 1980's Soviet Tank Killer.  And I would argue still the premier tank killer in 2025.  (just let that time span sink in, over 45 years of service).  The venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II, or as it is better known the Warthog.

Is that smoke rising from the town in the top right of the photo?  

Next up 3 flights of AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopters.  These had just entered service in 1985.  Gulf War I proved that their HellFire missiles were brutal, but in 1985 they were still untested.

And finally, 2 flights of the AH-1 Cobra attack Helicopter.  It would take several years to replace all of these with the Apache. 

That's it for the NATO ground attack support.

For the Soviet forces we have 3 flights of HIND attack Helicopters.

I know the Soviets had the SU-25 Frogfoot available in 1985, but for my Scenario (at least for now) they are deployed to other fronts.

That's it for now.  Take care.

So much lead, so little time.

Odds and Ends

 As I mentioned a couple of post ago I'm currently in the process of attempting to clean up the gaming room.  During that process I've discovered a large number of forgotten figures, and I actually managed to paint a few of them during my posting hiatus.

In no specific order, below are the results of that effort.  Will any of these actually ever make it to the gaming table?  Probably not, but at least they're painted now.

The below are from Games Workshop, as are many of those that follow.  This is from a box set they released way back when the Movies first came out.  Somewhere along the way I lost the bases, one shield and broke a sword - I guess that's what I get for not painting them in a timely fashion.

More figures from GW Lord of the Rings range that have been floating around for about 15 or so years.  Dwarven archers, not the preferred weapon I think of when I think Dwarf, but useful.

More GW figures, this time a collection of Familiars.  These were acquired probably close to 20 years ago, before the GW business model turned me off of Warhammer.  I do like the walking book and the scroll bearer.

The last of the GW figures, this time the 40K range.  A Chaos Space Marine of some sort.  I wouldn't be surprised if in the 5 or 6 'new' editions of the rules it isn't even a valid figure/troop type any more.  Did I mention I really hate their business model - especially if you're a slow painter.  By the time you finish painting the armor the units have all been replaced in the rules by something new.  But it seems to work for them.

Next a Reaper Miniatures (lead) Druid figure.

And a Reaper Miniatures Halfling Thief... I mean Rogue, we must be PC.

Behold!  The end of the post, a Beholder from WizKids. I could see this being used in Silver Bayonet or Stargrave games, or maybe even in D&D.

I woke up this morning to nice layer of white fluffy snow covering everything, but I hear Spring will start soon. Take care

So much lead, so little time.

Faux Fulda – The Soviet Hordes

 As a follow up to the last post I’d thought I’d touch on the Soviet Forces for the Faux Fulda project.  The Commie Hordes are in no way close to being completed, and may never be.  All of those damn Motorized Rifle Regiments need infantry painted, and I HATE painting 6mm infantry.  The Soviet forces will consist of 4 Divisions, 3 Motorized Rifle Regiments and 1 Tank Regiment plus an Independent Tank Battalion.

We’ll start with the 27^th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (MRD) simply because it’s the only one that I have (mostly) completed.

 

First up is the 243^th Guard Motorized Rifle Regiment (MRR).

The Regiment consist of 3 Motor Rifle Battalions made up of 9 Infantry Platoons in BTR-80 APCs and 1 missile team in an BTR-80, there is also a T-62 Tank Battalion of 3 companies of 3 platoons each, plus a recon element with a platoon of BRDM-2’s and a platoon of BMP-1’s as well as anti-air assets of 1 ZSU-23-4 antiaircraft gun and one SA-13 antiaircraft missile vehicle, and an Anti-tank missile battery consisting of 2 BRDM-2 AT-5.  The TOE also calls for a towed artillery battery, but in Fist Full of Tows 3 most artillery is off board - I haven't decided yet if I'll buy/paint it or not.

Next we have the 28th Tank Regiment.  The Regiment has 3 Battalions of 3 Companies with 2 platoons of T-80 Tanks in each Company, they also have a Motor Rifle Battalion equipped with BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles organized in 3 Companies of 3 Platoons.  The Regiment also has a Reconnaissance element consisting of BRDM-2 and BMP-2's plus an anti-aircraft element of ZSU-23-4's and SA-13 self propelled anti-aircraft missiles.

Next is the Divisional Independent Tank Battalion.  This consist of 3 Companies of 3 Platoons each, equipped with T-80 Tanks. At least this doesn't require me to paint any dismounted Infantry.

Next the 244th MRR. The Regiment consist of 3 Motor Rifle Battalions made up of 9 Infantry Platoons in BTR-80 APCs and 1 missile team in an APC, ( you will notice that there are no Infantry completed for this Regiment yet), there is also a T-62 Tank Battalion of 3 companies of 3 platoons each, plus a recon element with a platoon of BRDM-2’s and a platoon of BMP-1’s as well as anti-air assets of 1 ZSU-23-4 antiaircraft gun and one SA-13 antiaircraft missile vehicle, and an Anti-tank missile battery consisting of 2 BRDM-2 AT5. 

And finally, the 68th MRR.  This Regiment is equipped with T-80 Tanks and BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles.  The Regiment contains 3 BMP Motor Rifle Battalions consisting of 3 companies of 3 platoons each, There is also a T-80 Tank Battalion comprising 3 companies of 3 platoons each, it also has a recon element of 1 BRDM-2 and a Recon BMP-1, a anti-tank missile battery consisting of 2 BRDM-2 AT-5 stands and anti-aircraft of 1 ZSU-23-4 antiaircraft gun and one SA-13 antiaircraft missile vehicle.  Again, none of the Infantry has been completed yet for this Regiment either.

As you can see 2 of the MRR still need to have their infantry painted and then after that only 3 more Soviet Divisions and I'm done.  Orrrrrr, maybe I'll just scale back the scope a little, or a lot.

We had snow over the weekend and as I look out my office window the meadows are still covered in a nice layer of pristine white, but I've heard a rumor that Spring may actually arrive at some point.  Take care.

So much lead, so little time.

Maybe I am dead?

 Wow – it has been like, forever since the last post.  No lame excuses, I just haven’t felt like posting.  That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been busy.

 

After 3 or so years of actively trying to find a D&D group I’ve managed to find 2.  One is just down the road and very old school playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) which was the rule set when I was in college and in the Army.  The other is a couple of towns over and plays 5^th edition with the 2024 rules updates. It’s really interesting to see how the game has evolved.  And more importantly, both allow a chance to indulge in fantasy and get away from the real world for a while.  And let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy taking a sword and hacking up a monster now and then.

 

On the painting front I’ve been busy with micro armor for the Faux Fulda, WWIII project.  And I haven’t forgotten that I owe a post on the construction of the terrain boards.  I’ve also been trying to clean up/organize the gaming room – which is feeling like a lost cause.  But I have stumbled across some odds and ends that needed painting, more on that in a future post.

 

So, onto the photos.  Europe 1985ish, NATO and Soviet forces.

 

First up, a West German Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion.  I’ll be using the ‘Fist Full of Tows III’ rules, which has each stand representing a platoon.  The Battalion has  Two Heavy Recon Companies consisting of 2 Leopard 1A4 tank platoons and one  Luchs recon platoon each, one Light Recon Company consisting of 3 platoons of Luchs, and one Recon Infantry Company consisting of 3 platoons of Infantry mounted on Fuchs.

 

 

Next up, 3 Squadrons of the 11^th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Each Squadron consist of 3 Cavalry Troops each containing 2 M1 Tank Platoons and 3 M2 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle Stands, and 1 Tank Company consisting of 3 M1 Tank Platoons, and 1 self-propelled mortar platoon.  (These are the original M1’s with the same 105mm gun as the M-60 series tanks, it is 1985 after all)

And lastly for this post, a couple of U.S. Tank Battalions.  Each Battalion consist of 4 Companies each with three platoons of M60-A3 tanks, plus a battalion Scout Platoon in M-113 APCs and a self-propelled Mortar platoon.

That's it for now.  Who knows, I may not wait 4 months for the next post.

Take care.

So much lead, so little time.