With a little counter factual beefing up of Cypriot National Guard, this could be a decent game.
Does any publishers cover the "war" in terms of uniforms and kit?
Youtube video covers the Turks in olive green and M1 helmets (plus some Brit WW1 helms). CNG appear to have been in British helmet and khaki drill.
Does Osprey T34 TANK cover the ones used by CNG?
Can't remember if it does. They had M36 as well. Don't think there are many sources on this one.
https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/ripped-apart-volume-1-cyprus-crisis-1963-1974.php?sid=4fa344835657c1d1374b246d66ca1b1a (https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/ripped-apart-volume-1-cyprus-crisis-1963-1974.php?sid=4fa344835657c1d1374b246d66ca1b1a)
Coming in Spring 23
(https://www.helion.co.uk/images/books/i2/helion1001375.jpg)
New Vanguard 20 on T-34/85 has a brief mention, no plates. Old Vanguard #14 the T-34 has a colour plate, dark green overall with earth brown patches, and a .50" Browning AAHMG.
Full OOB/TOE are in the MicroMark collection
GK16M: Greek Cypriot National Guard, 1966-1974, Cyprus
GK17M: Greek Cypriot National Guard Corps Support, 1966-1974, Cyprus
T24M: Turkish Order of Battle, July-August 1974, Invasion of Cyprus
T25M: Turkish Airborne Brigade, 1970-1980, all theatres
T26M: Turkish Commando Brigade, 1970-1980, all theatres
T27M: Turkish Special Strike Force Landing Brigade, July 1974, Cyprus
T28M: Turkish 39th Infantry Division, July-August 1974, Cyprus
T29M: Turkish 28th Infantry Division, July-August 1974, Cyprus
T30M: Turkish 5th Armoured Brigade, July-August 1974, Cyprus
T31M: Turkish Cypriot forces, 1966-1974, Cyprus
I do have a few photos of Cypriot Greek kit:
Matador truck with quad .50" AA which were battalion AA vehicles:
(https://i.postimg.cc/gJP8ff3s/1974-aa-battalion.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)free image hosting (https://postimages.org/)
Infantry in DPM
(https://i.postimg.cc/MG0vjXj0/cytank-3.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
M-H Mk.IV armoured car
(https://i.postimg.cc/L5PX2XRZ/picture21.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
There are both Greek & Turkish NATO CWCII army lists - fast approaching the front of the publication roster, that both includes their respective Cypriot militias and also the Cypriot National Guard units.
We are probably c.6 weeks away from having these ready (what with Christmas in the midst of that).
There's a map sequestered in the Military Intelligence Museum archive, that was drawn by a British Intelligence Officer who mapped every beach and village on the island, noting loyalties too. His driver was tasked with wading out into the water and swimming on each trip, to see what the beach shelved like.
He unfortunately went missing shortly after, presumed offed by Greek Cypriot resistance.
His driver is one of the volunteers at the Museum, he refused to comment on the possible rumour he was a Turkish agent, but he did confirm it was on his day off, and if he had been on duty 'he would still be with us, and there would have been a lot less of them, and a lot less ammunition on Cyprus.'
First many thanks to my forum friends who took the trouble to both post info, reference works and these images above. Love the fifty AA quad in the old Matador.
Do I note a Browning on the T34? Not the usual mount.
Lots of leads to check out. But do feel some counter-factual beefing up of CNG will be required to at least give a game. Apart from Turkish M113s running into Cypriot T34s it was pretty onesided.
Thanks everyone !
Well you could always advance to the early 2000's and give en T80U... that would worry the Turkish M48's :D
Quote from: sultanbev on 07 December 2022, 09:23:40 PM(https://i.postimg.cc/MG0vjXj0/cytank-3.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
M-H Mk.IV armoured car
(https://i.postimg.cc/L5PX2XRZ/picture21.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Is that a White Armoured Car in the background or a BTR 40 maybe?
Vehicle in the distance looks to be a BTR-152, both the armoured cars are M-H IV
Correct! CNG had 45 BR152s in inventory plus 4 Daimler Dingos and 3 Landrover Shorlands
a BTR152 it is then :D
Quote from: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 12 December 2022, 12:01:31 PMWell you could always advance to the early 2000's and give en T80U... that would worry the Turkish M48's :D
Nah! Way TOO modern for me. A few cheap and cheerful T55s perhaps? Plus RPG7s and Sagger?
QuoteBut do feel some counter-factual beefing up of CNG will be required to at least give a game. Apart from Turkish M113s running into Cypriot T34s it was pretty onesided.
You could always add a Greek army intervention force, or even a UN-sponsered multi-national force tasked with kicking out the Turks completely. Looking at the 1973-74 Military Balance & Pivka's Armies of Europe today, the Greeks had:
1 armoured division: 6x 54x M48A2 tanks & 18 recce tanks in theory
3 infantry divisions+ 8 cadre ones@ 54 tanks & 5 recce tanks in theory
1 independent Tank Battn: AMX-30
1 independent Armoured Brigade: M48A2
10 cadre infantry brigades
1 commando Regiment
1 Para Regiment
Tanks are 320x M48A2 and 300x M47 and 30x AMX-30, with some M26 Pershings; M24 Chaffee, M41 Walker Bulldog, M8 & M20 Greyhounds for recce; APCS include M2 H/T, M3 H/T, M59 APC, M113 APC
Artillery includes M107, 25pdrs, 105mm M101, 155mm M114, 203mm M115, 40mm Bofors AA, 75mm AA, 90mmm AA, 12x HAWK SAM (and no doubt lots of other stuff that we'd have to look on SIPRI for)
Naval landing capacity = 8x LST, 5x Medium landing ships, 1x dock landing ship, 8x LCM (this is probably incorrect, a look at Janes or Conways would get better detail)
Mark
Hi Mark
First, thank you very much for all this data and potential OOB.
My own modest research uncovered that fact that the Greeks had 10,000 men (a full Division) on the island prior to 1967, so moving a Turkish invasion back in time is a serious option.
However, prompted by my son, I dug a little deeper into 1974 and focused on relatively small actions that would transfer to a table top.
Two scenarios have emerged:
1. The assault on Pentemille beach
The Turks approached in their WW2 LSTs. But had failed to reconnoiter the beach. The landing ships could not get close enought to disembark their load of 12 M47s, at the same time as the 20 M113s. Thelatter being fully amphibious plowed ahead without tank support. The ran into 5 T-34/85s. It was sometime before the M47s were landed. I can see a few anxious dice throws to decide when the M47s can come ashore.
2. The Turkish Airborne assault on Mia Millia
The objective appears to the airport. One company of elite Turkish paras.
However their chosen DZ was compromised by a Cypriot National Guard column. The result makes Arnhem look like a garden party (as opposed to Market Garden?). Of the 120 men who jumped, 93 became casualties. I am still researching the composition of the CNG force. Did it include armoured cars? Or is it a simple case of MMGs and mortars being rushed into action and dominating the killing ground? (A bit like WW1 on the Somme as the British assault troops fail to get to their objective as the Germans emerge from dugouts and manup the MMGs?). Again dice can roll to alleviate with an airstrike by the Turks to allow the paras to regroup, recover weapons and engage in the firefight. A hot DZ is never easy.
Action One could play very well in 6mm. The Cypriots also launched an MTB attack on the Turkish Task Force.(Remember Lyme Bay 1944?). Plenty of Cruel Sea and H&R models to play out this scenario.
Action Two with the small force of paras is ideal for 10mm.British WW2 infantry for CNG and US paras for the Turks.With the DZ compromised, and the objective out, the mission for the Turks - subject to air support-is a fighting withdrawl or a defensive position that they can "hold until relieved" and a troop of M47s come over the hill.
Comments very welcome.
Both sound good to me.
Yes, more work in progress. There was a bigger Turkish drop around Gonyeli that the BBC captured on camera.
Hopefully the book "Ripped Apart" that Nobby recommended will unpack the invasion with a a time line and decent maps.
What is emerging is a lot of small isolated actions. Dingo scout cars in fire fights with MG positions etc. All very attractive for a decent skirmish in 10mm.
The Cypriots were very good at deception against the Turks.
There is an incident where the Cypriot Greeks manage to impersonate their Turkish opposite numbers, and get the Turkish air-force to attack some of their own naval shipping, destroying one vessel and badly damaging another.
If I remember correctly you also have Greek paratroopers being jumped into Cyprus, as well as the Turks doing the same. That might create an interesting scenario - 2 opposing para-jumps one to attack a position and one to support the defenders.
Personally I think there is a lot of scope for small actions.
The Greek National Guard were using M3/M5 half-tracks and Marmot Herrington armoured cars, supported by Walker Bulldogs, out in the Greek islands (up until c.1989). So there might be an option for some poorer grade reinforcements from that direction as well.
Mark
The Turks did take a single Valentine AVLB to Cyprus, a fabuluous model of which is available in 3d resin in any scale you like.
https://battlefield3d.com/product/valentine-bridgelayer/
{Even in 10mm the bridge folds, just, although after it is painted it probably wouldn't}
A scenario where the the Greeks have blown a road culvert in rough ground and the Turks need to bridge the gap to get any vehicles across - infantry on foot can bypass, but the vehicles are stuck in the open, but need to get across to help the infantry clear the Greek defenders away... or something like that.
Quote from: Big Insect on 17 December 2022, 10:33:40 AMIf I remember correctly you also have Greek paratroopers being jumped into Cyprus, as well as the Turks doing the same. That might create an interesting scenario - 2 opposing para-jumps one to attack a position and one to support the defenders.
Personally I think there is a lot of scope for small actions.
Mark
That would be Operation Niki, you refer to Mark. 21 July 74. The Commando battalion did not jump- the plan was to airlift them to the airport. But CNG gunners were not informed and we had blue on blue. The battalion regrouped and fought on as the ELDYK.
As you rightly say- lots of small skermish type table sized actions.
Well, due to my son's chest of WW2 6mm, the first sortie will be in that scale.
Very impressed with my new copy of CWC2 delivered by Santa. The right format of rules and, eye candy to inspire a better paint job! Well done Mark and play tester team. And not forgetting Leon who saw the project through difficult times.
I am waiting for "Ripped Apart" with its maps and OOBs before translation to table top.
Currently painting up CNG and Turkish figures.(a mix of Magister Miltrum, Baccus, IM, H&R and Scotia G. The British WW2 helmets and khaki drill are neat looking.I upgraded small arms firepower with GPMGs.
Conscious of the Cypriot deficiency in modern armour and airpower I am making to counter-factual changes:
The National Guard have improved anti tank performance - Charlie Gs, 106RR and ATGMs-either Vigilant or A3 Sagger ATGM (xd6 decides what arms dealer supplies).
Same with AAA. A battery of Shilka and/or a battery of SAM 2.
I might beef up the T34s with acouple of SU-100s if xd6 allows!