Flames of War: The Great War - French Renault FT-17s

Battlefront released The Great War supplement for Flames of War back in 2014, but I only recently completed painting my two FT-17 tanks for my French "Polish Army in France" army.

The FT-17 was a French light tank with its armament within a fully rotating turret - many consider it the world's first modern tank.

With the upcoming new Great War book getting released in March, I'm hoping to complete the rest of my French "Polish Army in France" army soon....

Team Yankee - Yugoslavian Army T-55s

In the spirit of "Tanksgiving", I wanted to post my recently completed T-55s for Team Yankee.  There are thirty-one of them in number, including a model to act as a command model.  I previously shared my attempts to make a JNA (Yugoslavian) force for Team Yankee (using the rules for the East Germans).

The T-55 tanks are from Plastic Soldier Company.  In general I prefer Battlefront's plastic tank offerings, but back when I purchased these their plastic T-55s were not yet released.  I primed the tanks with Goblin Green from Army Painter, and used Army Painter Dark Tone which greatly muted the bright green.  The tracks were first primed with the green, then hit on the top and bottom with black primer.  This saved me a ton time by not having to hand-paint the tracks (except for weathering).  I then painted on the details before lightly drybrushing on dust and dirt using a light brown color.

I also completed some BTR-60s a few weeks back and now almost have a fairly good-sized force awaiting some infantry, which are in progress....

Team Yankee - Yugoslavian Army BTR-60s

I previously shared my attempts to make a JNA (Yugoslavian) force for Team Yankee (using the rules for the East Germans). I recently completed the 15 BTR-60s, including a model to act as a command model.

The BTR-60 transports are from Battlefront Miniatures. I primed them with Goblin Green from Army Painter, but primed the wheels black before gluing them on. Army Painter Dark Tone was used to mute the bright green. I painted on the details before lightly drybrushing on dust and dirt using a light brown color.

A force of BTR-60s in the JNA is ahistorical and I received a ton of information about this from nikolas93ts in a post on The Miniatures Page - his father had served in Yugoslavia and was knowledgeable about the subject:

Only two BTR-60PB were acquired by the JNA (for trial purposes) in 1967, and it was never adopted. A certain number of BTR-60PU was acquired with SA-9 Gaskin system as battery command vehicle.

Another vehicle, TAB-71 (a Romanian-made variant of BTR-60 with the petrol engine) was accepted for service in 1976, but exclusively for military and civil police forces. They were known as very unreliable vehicles for a myriad of reasons (including apparently low mileage per year and lack of purposely trained drivers) and MP vehicles were gradually cascaded down to federal and later republic police forces. While a total of 119 TAB-71 were brought, an operative number (including Soviet-made BTR-60PU) in the late 1980s was only around 60 vehicles. First JNA unit to receive them was the 282nd Military Police Battalion of Federal Secretariat for National Defense, which was also characteristic for having 20 vehicles in total, in the first and second company.  

Other seven MP battalions (in Belgrade, Nish, Skoplje, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Split and Sarajevo) included one TAB-71 company, each with 10 vehicles. There was also 99th Military Company, subordinated to Air Force and Air Defence HQ, with 3 vehicles in a single platoon. The rest went to police and Ministry of Interior forces. Army vehicles were gradually cascaded, and their role was taken by BOV M-86 armoured vehicle from 1986-1987. They were intended for mostly for internal and police tasks, like security, riot control etc.

Team Yankee - Yugoslavian Army T-55s and BTR-60s

My quest to make a JNA (Yugoslavian) force for Team Yankee (using the rules for the East Germans) is getting closer as I complete the T-55s and BTR-60s.  I need to add tank commanders to a few command models and the armor component will be complete.

The T-55 tanks are from Plastic Soldier Company and the BTR-60 transports are from Battlefront Miniatures.  I primed them with Goblin Green from Army Painter, but primed the wheels black before gluing them on.  The tracks for the T-55s were first primed with the green, then hit on the top and bottom with black primer.  I hit each model with Army Painter Dark Tone that greatly muted the bright green.  I painted on the details before lightly drybrushing on dust and dirt using a light brown color.

When complete, the force will include 31 T-55s and 15 BTR-60s, and I plan on adding a number of infantry units to the force as well.

Leaked Pictures of Upcoming Free Nations Releases for Team Yankee

A post at the Team Yankee forum over at No Dice, No Glory contains some leaked pictures showing the next releases for Team Yankee.  Free Nations will contain army lists for Canadian, French, Dutch, and Australian forces.

The French Starter Force Box "Durand's Devils" appears to contain three AMX-30 tanks and two Aerospatiale SA342 Gazelle helicopters.

The NATO Starter Force Box "NATO's First Line" appears to contain three Leopard 1 tanks and two PAH-1 BO-105P helicopters.

The best guess is that we will see these all released sometime in June or July.

Team Yankee - Russians vs. British (64 Points)

I played Team Yankee against Strom a few weekends ago.  He used his Russians and I played my British FV432 Mechanized Company, along with some Chieftans.  Strom's airpower went unchallenged and it was a war of attrition with both sides taking heavy losses.  A few hours in we were considering calling it a stalemate, but we decided to give it a few more turns.

In the end, Strom captured an objective with his Hind Air Assault Battalion for the win.  The previous few turns he had slowly winnowed down my forces with his airpower and artillery.  He pinned the infantry unit guarding the objective.  When I failed my unpin roll there was no way I could contest his capture of it.

Flames of War - 7th Armored Division

A year or two ago I painted some US Army miniatures for Flames of War.  I painted the infantry up as the 7th Armored Division, with the primary color patch on the left shoulder.  I painted them fairly quickly, just basecoating the main colors and then using the dipping method for highlighting.  The tanks are pre-painted Sherman tanks from Point of Contact.

US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopters

Over the Christmas holiday I completed two Battlefront Loach OH-6 Helicopters for my Vietnam US Army forces.  The Kilgore miniature is from the Peter Pig Vietnam line, and the other figure is holding a surfboard that I cut out from plasticard.

This completes my US Army forces and allows me to start working on my VC Local Forces.  I hope to complete them by the end of 2017.

Flames of War Vietnam - Fair Fight

Over the weekend Strom and I played a game of Flames of War Vietnam.  The last Navy SEAL scenario we played took longer to setup than the actual gameplay, so we wanted to try a regular, normal Fair Fight this time.  I took the Americans, running this Infantry Company at 1000 points:

• 35 Rifle Company HQ 
• 150 Rifle Platoon 
• 150 Rifle Platoon 
• 145 Aeroscout Platoon (25th) 
• 260 Field Artillery Battery 
• 260 Field Artillery Battery 

Strom took his NVA and Local Forces.  I placed one platoon on each of the two objectives... and waited. Except on the first turn, where I ventured out to interrogate some villagers.  I succeeded on both rolls, removing them from the play.  The first of many fortunate rolls on my behalf.  Then I waited.  My White Team was used to harass and pick off stray teams as he moved carefully under the heavy jungle canopy toward the Americans.  Eventually, through my heavy artillery strikes and precision targeting by the Loaches, I forced his Local Forces team to run and regroup (off table reserves).  

He took out one Loach and I kept the other back to save for later, better opportunities.  My platoons were still hanging tough, concealed and dug-in in the tall grass and jungle.  As he approached, he threw three units at one of my platoons. The MGs and M-16s lit the units up, despite being pinned.  The next turn I unpinned and let the NVA have it.  One more NVA team removed off the table (and later brought back on from reserves).

Strom regrouped and prepared for a second wave.  This time softening up the Americans with some artillery strikes of his own.  Between assault waves, the medic saved a few teams, which helped in the upcoming firefight. After having to pull back for a moment to address a fake-out by my other platoon (they double-timed it in a race toward his unsecured objective), Strom's units were in position.  His second wave included three units, but again was repulsed due to the MGs.  Pushing near twenty turns, Strom resigned and the game was over.  

Victory to the Americans!  I do have to admit that my rolling was a major factor in my win - it was good when I needed it to be. I made critical rolls to unpin.  I also rolled well on my infantry saves consistently over a number of turns, (where just one bad turn of failed saves could have made for a disaster).

We are looking forward to playing some more Vietnam games before we assemble our Team Yankee forces.

Flames of War Vietnam - Reliable Intel Mission

Yesterday after work I went over to Strom's house for some Vietnam-era Flames of War.  We played the Reliable Intel mission which simulates a US Navy SEAL squad deep behind enemy lines.  I played the SEALs and Strom played the VC.  The game was small - just 300 points per side.

We set our scenario on an island in the middle of the muddy Mekong delta.  The five objectives (red boxes) were placed around the island.  The extraction points (blue boxes) were the escape routes for the SEALs to end the game.  The VC started in the village (in white), while the SEALs (in black) were inserted near the first objective.  I choose to attack at night.

Strom put on some Creedence and we began....

The SEALs quickly secured the first objective.  The Patrol Boat engaged the VC, with little result for either side due to the darkness and distance of fire.  The SEALs moved quickly to the next objective while the VC moved up.  The SEALs were still searching to find the intelligence at the second objective when the VC emerged from the jungle.  A firefight ensued and the SEALs took heavy fire from multiple sides.  It was not the finest moment for the SEALs, who only caused a handful of casualties against the vastly more numerous VC.  The injured and surrounded SEALs tried to mount a defense, while the Patrol Boat raced to provide escape.  Finally unpinned, the SEALs boarded the Patrol Boat.  The VC fired on the Patrol Boat as they exited the battlefield via the extraction point.

The SEALs ended up gathering just one of the five objectives and only left the table with two teams remaining - both injured.  The Patrol Boat extracted the SEALs, allowing for a Major Defeat for the SEALs, (as opposed to a Stunning Defeat).  We stretched the rules to allow me to pickup the SEALs with the Patrol Boat away from the extraction point, which helped save me from the worst outcome.