Apparently I've Become a Vietnam War-Gamer

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Peter!

And I need to get a tiger.

V/R,
Jack

[JeffNNN]

Depends on what scale but Peter Pig do one  (a tiger that is) in their Nam range. Pack also includes a Bhuddist monk and the Cavalry Colonel from Apocalypse Now, though sadly not surfing.

Finally got round to looking at my Vietnam Firebases Osprey by Randy EM Foster. Didn't spot any references to recoiless rifles but there are some excellent diagrams of bases and emplacements, plus some scenario ideas. Randy is of course a pseudonym as the bio in the book will readily show.

In the past we've used the CWC rules for Nam games, with a few tweaks round tunnels, boobytraps and ambushes. Timecast do some good Nam stuff in both 10 and 15 mm scales, including bunkers and caches.

Something else I've used from the PP AK47 range is the TV crew. They wander the battlefield generally totally pissing off the US Commander by getting in the way. I also use a couple of them as "Intelligence weenies" who need to be escorted or rescued. Not sure if there is anything similar in any of the Pendraken ranges?

I like to put stories to some of the stuff I use. VC have a US 4.2" mortar (from someone's bits box of Battlefront WW2 stuff). It came from a supply sergeant who was sleeping with the local VC Commander's daughter.

If you want a scenario idea how about this. The Soviet 130mm guns outranged everything in US inventory except the 175mm so guns. So an incursion is launched into theDMZ to take out some in cave emplacements. But as this incursion cannot happen the US must bring back any damaged vehicles. Bodies can be explained away as North Vietnamese trickery but a set of dead M113s would be ideal to show that Swedish TV crew.

You know I don't think I've ever had so much trouble with autocorrect as this post. It's a CIA Plot I tell you *dons tinfoil hat*.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

  great ideas!

[JeffNNN]

great ideas!

Thank you for that comment. It comes from a draft article about Vietnam that I really ought to revise and finish. It's part of a very slow motion series called "Campaigns for scenario writers"  designed to give people ideas for the sort of historically based scenarios that suit the feel of a particular period or conflict. Several earlier ones have appeared in WI or Miniature Wargames under various different editors.

I try to look for things people might not think about doing. For example in 7YW opposed beach assaults by the British against French or Spanish defences were not uncommon. It was the subject of my MA dissertation so I did a fair bit of archival research.

Went all the way from Merseyside to National Archives to consult, among other things,  the AAR from Colonel Draper who commanded the successful attack on Manila in 1762. Nearly didn't get it as I had to wait for it to be brought from remote storage, in a salt mine within 20 miles of my home.

[bigjackmac]

All,

I absolutely hate going to Jimmi's webpage (Flashpoint Miniatures, from Down Under)!  Whenever I'm there I start looking around, and I don't really need anything, but I skip from page to page, pic to pic, thinking 'wow, that would be really cool on the table!'  And that's how I ended up with some Flashpoint Minis' 15mm US Tank Riders for the Vietnam War (amongst other things, but that's in a different post).


The whole group, 28 troops.  They come as individuals, I glued them to popsicle sticks.  I'm leaving them on the sticks so I can place and remove the troops from vehicles.  It looks like it will actually work.  There is a good mix of M-16s, M-60s, and M-79s, though no M-14s.  I gave them a quick olive drab paintjob and wash, and I'm pretty happy with them.

To see a bunch more photos, please check the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2016/09/flashpoint-miniatures-vietnam-15mm-us.html

Pretty cool, eh?  I really like them.  I suppose I need to buy some M-113s, and these guys can serve as Doggies, or even ARVN.  We are coming up on a long weekend, and I've got all kinds of plans for games, so stand by.

V/R,
Jack

[Techno]

 

Cheers - Phil

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Top idea, great work

[fred.]

Good stuff jack, definately a good idea to 'base' them in groups.

[bigjackmac]

Thanks guys.

On a side note, I've had some Pendraken WWII Russian tank riders lying around for quite some time.  Now that I've got this figured out, I figure I'll give them the same treatment.

V/R,
Jack

[JeffNNN]

All,

I absolutely hate going to Jimmi's webpage (Flashpoint Miniatures, from Down Under)!  Whenever I'm there I start looking around, and I don't really need anything, but I skip from page to page, pic to pic, thinking 'wow, that would be really cool on the table!'  And that's how I ended up with some Flashpoint Minis' 15mm US Tank Riders for the Vietnam War (amongst other things, but that's in a different post).


The whole group, 28 troops.  They come as individuals, I glued them to popsicle sticks.  I'm leaving them on the sticks so I can place and remove the troops from vehicles.  It looks like it will actually work.  There is a good mix of M-16s, M-60s, and M-79s, though no M-14s.  I gave them a quick olive drab paintjob and wash, and I'm pretty happy with them.

To see a bunch more photos, please check the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2016/09/flashpoint-miniatures-vietnam-15mm-us.html

Pretty cool, eh?  I really like them.  I suppose I need to buy some M-113s, and these guys can serve as Doggies, or even ARVN.  We are coming up on a long weekend, and I've got all kinds of plans for games, so stand by.

V/R,
Jack
That's an idea worth stealing. Came across several references to US troops preferring to ride on top of M113s because they saw mine risks as the real danger.

[bigjackmac]

Glad to be of service! 

V/R,
Jack

[bigjackmac]

All,

Continuing on my descent into Vietnam wargaming madness, I picked up some more minis from Flashpoint Miniatures 15mm range, the pack is called "ANZAC Task Force."  I have nothing against our Australian and New Zealand allies, but they're just not something I'm interested in wargaming, at least right now.  But I what I am interested in doing is some Vietnam special forces-type gaming, and so I wanted troops in bush hats, with light weapons, that could serve a multitude of roles, such as LRRPs, Rangers, Green Berets, SEALs, Marine Recon, MACV-SOG, covert Agency-types, Nungs, and Mike Force guys.  So, looking at Jimmi's web catalog, I spotted these guys and they looked right up my alley.


The whole pack, thirty guys done up in Tiger Stripe camo and on temperate, grassy bases.  There were actually 31 guys, but somehow I broke one of the troops (a grenadier) off at the ankles (my own carelessness I'm afraid)...

The troops are well proportioned, weapons look good, and there's an astounding number of different poses.  I will also report there is some real size variation between figures; this may be a turnoff to some, but I don't mind as 1) real life troops aren't all the same size, and 2) it will help when I want to have US troops (I'll use the big'uns) and indigenous troops in the same unit (I'll use the smaller ones).

There's one guy who is a bit miscast, hand raised but missing, guess he got caught with a booby trap.  Aside from that there were no issues, no real flash, lines are very clean and pronounced, making them very easy to paint up.  I'm very happy to have these in my collection, they're perfect for some games I want to do, and I can't wait to get them on the table.  Let's get to the poses.


First two up are two leader type poses, officers or NCOs.  Guy at left has binos in his left hand, right has no hat and the ubiquitous jungle towel around his neck.  Here you can see the guy on left has an SLR; they may be cast just a shade short of real life, but this doesn't bother me as I wanted all M-16s anyway, and simply painted black I think they work pretty well.

To see closeups of all the poses, please check the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2016/09/flashpoint-minis-15mm-anzac-task-force.html

Well, that's the new troops, whaddaya think?  I really like them and can't wait to play some games with them, but I'm not sure where I'll squeeze them in with all the other projects I have going on right now.  Not to mention I've got more troops I've finished and need to show you.  I'll be posting them in the next few days.

V/R,
Jack

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Nice work Jack

[petercooman]

Good job!

[Techno]

Nice work, Jack.

Cheers - Phil