Rapid Fire! / Able Archer - Iraqi Navy 1991 in 20mm - The Patrol Boats of the Khafji operation

On the night of 29th January 1991 the Iraqi navy tried one of its two daring and courageous sea raids of the war. For that the Iraqis used 17 'small Patrol Boats' from which infantry was landed in Saudi Arabian territory in order to support the attack of the III Corps at Khafji. I could never find any information about exactly what these PB's were. Recently I found these pictures in the web: 

They came under a Google search for the Iraqi Swari Patrol Boats and they were referring  to an abandoned Iraqi PB at Ras Al-Ard, Kuwait in 1991. I'm not sure that these kind of PB's were the ones on the 29th of January raid but as I have no more information I had a go at scratch building a couple of them. 

The P6 Torpedo Boat that goes along the two PB's on the first picture already had its article two years ago. If you want to visit it you can go to: 

http://jpwargamingplace.blogspot.com/2016/04/iraqi-p-6-torpedo-boat-kuwait-1991.html

The PB's are apparently indigenous designs but not even that I'm really sure. I used Blue Foam to get the basic shape of the boats and some card for the driver/troop compartment. The figures are Modern Esci figures, the ones holding a MG42. I used two of them as drivers with GreenStuff arms and four others as firers of the BPM ZU-23-2. The original pictures clearly shows the 14,5mm Soviet HMG instead but I didn't had them at hand. 

The boats were painted as close as I could to the photos of the real thing which includes a red triangle on the deck. So may be the raid was made by Republican Guard units? Never find any confirmation. Its just a thought. 

I made the troop compartment large enough for some six/eight figures each. 

The usual anchor chain was added as well a small Iraqi flag. 

The sea was made of a mixture of hot glue and and some ready to use plaster  I had around. 

This raid finished very badly for the Iraqis as the PB force was completely destroyed at sea by RAF Jaguars. Maybe due to the level of destruction this force suffered there aren't many details available about the 'Khafji Patrol Boat Raid' (as I call it...). 

Next: More France 1940. 

Fire&Fury ACW rules set - Gettysburg in 20mm, Lee´s HQ and Stuart's cavalry (part 41and last)

Here is the man itself arriving at Thompson House. Lee is a StreletsR figure as well as its aide, Lt.Col. Walter H. Taylor. 

Maj. Gen. J.E.B.Stuart can be seen riding at the front of Hampton's brigade. He will have to explain very well his delay to Lee. Stuart is a StreletsR while all the rest is Italeri. 

1st Virginia represents Fitzhugh Lee Brigade in their typical grey with black facings. The sabre figures are all the same pose which became slightly different by heating the right arm with the flame of a lighter.

This is the last post of this series. Still some Union and Confederate reserve artillery and cavalry to do but it will not be for now. Hope you have enjoyed it. 

Next: a return to the Middle East. 

Fire&Fury ACW rules set - Gettysburg in 20mm, 3rd Corps ANV, Anderson's Division (part 40)

Anderson's Division was composed of five Brigades from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississipi and Virginia and here is prepared to finish Sickles' salient on the second day of battle. 

Gen. Anderson is a figure from Italeri with a resin Airfix copy as Divisional standard bearer. 

Wilcox Brigade is made of mostly Italeri figures with the usual conversions and head swaps. 

The smallest Brigade in the ANV was Lang's Brigade. Figures from all brands including some metal  Irregular Miniatures. 

                           

The same for Wright Brigade of Georgians. 

Posey's Mississipians is another mix of brands. By these days figures started to get scarcer and some bases got only three poses and even a few figures are firing pistols...Mahone's Virginians had their picture erased inadvertently but they are very close to the picture above even sharing the same basing the only difference being that Mahone's has one more stand.  

                           

Divisional artillery mixes metal and plastic and also some infantry recruited to man the guns and suitably converted. 

Next: Lee's HQ and some cavalry to finish this Gettysburg series. 

Rapid Fire! - Able Archer rules, '2008' Portuguese Army in 20mm (part 7) - Companhia de Engenharia de Combate Pesada (CEngCombPes) of the BrigMec

In spite of being a Company and having 170 men, this company boast almost 70 vehicles of very different types like the eternal M-113, Bridging vehicles, Caterpillars of different shapes, CEV's, etc. And here the problem start as you have to choose from 30 different vehicles the 3 or 4 you should use for an RF!/Able Archer company sized unit . 

I included another M-113 and an extra company of infantry as these are most likely one of the types to see more combat. The M-113 is a BPM 1/72 model as we can now ask BPM to resize their model from 1/76th scale to 1/72nd scale. This scale is particularly useful in this unit as both M-60 based vehicles are 1/72nd scale also. 

The M-60 AVLB is based on the Esci vehicle with a scratch built bridge. 

Several different materials were used but more on that to the end of this post. 

The M728 CEV (Combat Engineer Vehicle) arrived to this company in 2000 giving a much better ability to perform many typical engineer tasks and also doing it under fire. 

The built up of this model was a bit complicated but the end result is quite gratifying. 

Finally, I used a 1/72nd Caterpillar toy I found in a gift shop. Cut some extras and glued others and it looks  a lot to the Cat 938GC used by the EngCombPes.

The M728 is based on the Esci M60, on this case on an extra Israeli Blazer version I had around. I just used the chassis and turret leaving aside the reactive armour and other details. 

The towing structure, here on the rest mode behind the turret, is made from the sprues of the model itself. Other details of the towing system are made of Evergreen plastic card. The turret Mg was replaced by a piece of needle with a commander from Preiser. The 165mm mortar is just a piece of the original gun based on its thickest part. The towing hook is cord with its ends made in plastic and GreenStuff. The M9 Dozer Blade was made from an extra hard foam that I've been unable to find any longer recently. This hard foam glues extremely well with superglue and is very helpful in modelling. 

As I use plenty of different materials I always let flow a bit of superglue in all glued parts. Like this you can have a sturdy model that can really be moved. In my case not throughout the table but throughout my shelves!

The origin of this M60 AVLB is another Esci Blazer. This time you don't need obviously to build the turret but you have to spend some time measuring the bridge size and its supports. 

Again the frontal bridge support is made of that extra hard foam I talked to you about and the bridge is just blue Roofmate (extruded polystyrene) available for the construction business. 

The armature around the Roofmate is made out of heavy duty card. A final touch before painting is to apply wood glue in all visible Roofmate as it can be eaten by the spray primer. 

The Caterpillar is a toy as you can see. I just took out some parts and made it slightly shorter in lenght and added an Esci US Modern figure with GreenStuff arms. 

More work on the M113 though. The M113 from the EngCombPes came from the Netherlands with some extra equipment and some changes to the original: the front plate is raised and helps to hold a number of fume launchers; instead of Brownings there were MG3 mounted in a home made ring and several tool boxes were attached to the structure. 

A picture of the real thing. 

Next: the last of the Gettysburg Divisions, Anderson Division, the Army of Northern Virginia. 

Fire&Fury ACW rules set - Gettysburg in 20mm, 3rd Corps ANV, Pender's Division (part 39)

General Pender's Division forms its battle line against Doubleday's Corps in the afternoon of the first day of battle. To the front Lane, Perrin an Scales' Brigades sprang the attack with both the Hagerstown road and the Chambersburg Pike forming an arrow pointed towards the enemy. To the back, as reserve, there is Thomas Brigade. 

Lane's Brigade is represented here by the 28th NC. All figures are charging and are taken from all possible brands. 

Thomas Brigade is here the 45th Georgia, again with a mix of brands this time in more relaxed poses. 

Perrin's South Carolinians have the 1st SC Rifles as its representative unit. Again many brands forms what is intended as a firing line. 

Scale's North Carolinians have the 13th NC as its representative unit with an all Italeri brigade. 

Maj.Gen.William Pender surveys the advance of its Division in the middle of the fire of the Divisional artillery. Pender's figure is the many times useful Revell officer. The artillery is Imex with the usual head swap. 

Next: A small break in the ACW for my latest build, the Companhia de Engenharia (Engineer Company) of the BrigMec. 

Fire&Fury ACW rules set - Gettysburg in 20mm, 3rd Corps ANV, Heth's Division (part 38)

On the 1st of July, Henry Heth's Confederate Division deploys along the Chambersburg Pike and around Herr's Tavern in order to advance on the dismounted cavalry of Buford. The division rested on the second day and was engaged again on the third. The result of two days fighting was the highest casualty rate of the A.N.V at Gettysburg with 50% casualties.  

On the left you can see the 3rd Corps commander Lt.Gen. Ambrose P. Hill in his distinctive red shirt. The figure is a conversion from somewhere I can't remember with the head from Revell. To the right Gen. Heth is another conversion using a Italeri body and an Imex head with the proper moustache. 

Archer's Brigade is moving to face the Iron Brigade. The figures are some of my oldest with plenty of head swaps. 

Pettigrew's Brigade of North Carolinians was the biggest of the A.N.V. The figures are from Revell, Italeri, Imex and Airfix. 

The usual mix for the artillery: mostly Revell figures but from different boxes including the Pioneer's. 

Brockenborough's Brigade includes some of the ACTA figures including the laying down ones. 

Davis is heading his men towards the Rail Road Cut were many will get trapped. 

Side view of Heth's Division. 

Next: Pender's Division, the Army of Northern Virginia. 

Fire&Fury ACW rules set - Gettysburg in 20mm, 2nd Corps ANV, Rode's Division (part 37)

Robert E. Rodes Division sweeps down from Culp's Hill on the 1st of July and prepares to battle Baxter's Brigade close to Shead's woods. The Divisional commander watches from the Mummasburg road and bypasses McLean's Farm. 

General Rodes is a figure from StreletsR and the flag bearer is a resin copy of an old and venerable Airfix figure. 

The presence of Corps commander is a bit blurry, exactly like his decisions late in the day on not assaulting Cemetery Hill, but Gen. Ewell is a recognizable Italeri officer with a Revell head. 

Daniel's (back) and Iverson's (front) Brigades. Many of the uniforms in this Division were painted all Cadet Grey as most of its regiments were from North Carolina. Most of the figures are Italeri.

Ramseur's Brigade is a mostly Imex and Revell Brigade. 

O'Neal's Brigade is again mostly Italeri. 

A mix of all brands for the Georgians of Dole's Brigade. 

The artillery has converted guns from Esci Napoleonics; the artillerymen are mostly converted Italeri cavalrymen; limbers are Evergreen (buckets included); horses came from all origins and riders are Airfix copies or metal Irregular Miniatures. 

Next: A.P. Hill's III Corps, the Army of Northern Virginia.