Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 13) - Reinforcements for the 11th ACR and some more aircraft

 

Some 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) elements advance in the middle of My Blue province when they are surprised by a low flight of some friendly aircraft, that could well have been some Migs... Well, this event was not registred in the unit´s history and its presented here first hand. 

Each squadron of the 11th ACR had three rifle squads (one per troop) transported in M-113 A1. I read that even these ones could also have the ACAV version but the regiment will end up with nine of these so three of the more plain A1 version looks OK. I´m not sure about placing a simple shield in front of the 12,5mm gun but I still couldn´t find a photo of them like this, the ACAV version being the more common. All models are quick build S-Model.

The figures are left-to-right, Skytrex and Airfix modern fighter pilots which suit the US cavalry tank helmet pretty well. 

Each troop also had a M-106 mortar carrier. I used again the S-Model for this conversion using a M-106 from Esci as a template. Bits of different types of plastic were used and even the mortar base came from a Revell 7YW Austrian artillery wheel. 

The crew is Esci and the M-16 rifles were cut until looking like a 107mm mortar shell. Later, the rifle part/shells were smoothed with a bit of  thick acrylic paint. 

As the mortar base was very brittle (old Revell style) I placed a jerrycan covering the damaged part. 

The floor of the M-106 (light sand part) was also raised so the figures and mortar could sit correctly. 

The Cadillac V-100, mostly used by the Military Police, are very old Corgi Juniors toys. The size is around 20mm as I have a number of Saudi V-150 in 1/87th scale that are smaller. 

The resin figures are surplus from the 3d printed PBR boat and the metal figure is Skytrex. 

The Huey Gunship is Revell. 

The Mohawk is the old Hasegawa model. One of these slow moving aircraft managed to put down a Mig-17 with its rockets, something that was kept as a secret up to 2007, as the army didn´t want USAF to know about this feat and force the Army to disarm its Mohawk as putting down Migs was a USAF exclusive. 

This A-4 Skyhawk F is the old Frog in Israeli colors. All these three aircraft got new star and stripes decals from the decals left-over box and all other symbols were hand painted. This one looks particularly bad as the symbold are painted on top of the grey primer as its (just by chance) the same color and painting style of another Skyhawk C from Altaya that I showed you before. 

Next: Guadalcanal models or a video on Bodrum, Gettysburg or Tarawa. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 11) - The Mobile Riverine Force

 

The Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) was created in 1967 to counter the VC activities in the Mekong river. These  boats were conversions from the LCM 6 and carried plenty of fire power and had bar armor to protect from the RPGs. The main boat type was the Armored Troop Carrier (ATC).

The MRF was divided into Assault Groups each with around 100 boats of different types capable of transporting one reinforced infantry battalion from the 9th infantry division. The headquarters of these groups was also on water and on board of large LSTs. 

One of the main types was the ATC H (for Helicopter) designed mainly for Medevac. 

Another famous type was the Monitor that would generally lead the column along the rivers. They were heavily armed with 40mm canons, Mk2 mortars and 50 caliber machine guns. Some had M10-8 flamethrowers "Zippo" later on. 

An usual finding in the Mekong was oil, the main reason why the USA... travelled so much around the world. Here this soldier carried as much oil as he could almost drowning on it. 

Of course this story is BS as the black pool is just a way to give some depth to the weapons bay were the Mk2 mortar sits.

Here is another one. The figures are torsos from Esci and the mortars are scratch built. 

The last type of boat is the ATC, the most numerous of all. It could carry up to 40 soldiers and was armed with 20mm canons and 50 caliber machine guns. 

If you don´t want to loose patience doing these things you can have some nice 3d prints already available. The problem for me was that most were from the UK or the US (time+ customs problems) or were files from continental Europe and I still don´t have a printer. 

But if you want to loose patience, this is how I did it. The hull was made from wood and its 21cm long (1,5 cm longer than my LCM 3 which was 1,8 meters shorter than the LCM 6).

The control towers were made in hard styrofoam (BlueBoard) and the gun towers are cut down hard rubber chair protections bought in Chinese shops.

Plenty of 3mm card was added for the bar armor, deck and machine covers and ramps. The most troublesome part was to carve horizontally dozens of lines with the X-acto on the side pieces of card in order to simulate the bar protections. The vertical bars are pieces of broom sticks. The life buoys are vinyl pieces. If you want to use Blueboard on your constructions don´t forget to varnish it with PVA glue or acrylic varnish before using your spray primer. 

Next:  more armor for Vietnam

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 10) - First battalions of Vietcong Local Force

 

The Vietcong was organized in two main forces for the wargames table, the Main force, generally the best equipped and that you can see in a previous post, and the Local Force, not as well equipped as it was made of local inhabitants that had to conceal their weapons all the time and dressed mostly in civilian clothes. I made the battalions of VC Local force with six figures per company and only with one mortar per battalion. The figures Orion and Esci (the guys in shorts and the ones with a soft hat with a peak and AK47). 

The left stand had a moon shaped piece of wood glued to the main round base in order to make the prone figure sit more comfortably. The figure with the AK47 and soft "Khmer Rouge" hat was transformed into the woven straw conical hat with the help of Milliput.

The mortars were scratchbuilt as I have very few left. The figures holding cargo in the Local Force Orion box were converted into mortar crews. 

Next: More Vietnam, probably Tango boats or M-113s. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 9) - A PBR and a few more US tanks

 

Just a short one for some new goodies. The PBR is a 3d resin print from Frontline Collection Store that you can get from Aliexpress, the M48A3 is MiniGeneral 3d PLA print and the Sheridan is Airfix. 

The PBR boat (of Apocalipse Now fame) is a beautiful, extremely detailed and well packed 3d resin printed model. Some parts are a bit fragile but a strong base around it solve most of those problems. A number of surplus guns and crew were left aside as they will be helpful somewhere else. 

Its not a cheap thing at around 30 euros but surely its a quality model.

The Sheridan tank got the 11th ACR markings as its the US unit I´m trying to make, it has virtually everything you need for ground US forces: the infantry; the M113 ACAV and other variants; the M48A3, the Sheridan and the M109 together with Huey support. 

The Airfix Sheridan is quite basic but with a number of additions it becomes a reasonable model. Years ago I converted a number of them for Kuweit 1991 with 82nd Airborne colors. The wire mesh at the front are 3d resin printed leftovers. 

This M48 is in fact the A2 variant with a lower engine. In order for it to look taller I used plenty of stowage on the engine deck. Apart from this an Airfix M2 Browning was drilled in the top cuppola of the turret. The 1st tank company of three M48s is done. 

Next: The Vietcong Local Force battalions

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 8) - The NVA infantry

The North Vietnamese infantry is one of the essentials together with the Vietcong for the war with the USA between 1963-75. Half of the figures are the new Orion NVA while the rest are old ESCI. A total of  three battalions of NVA, a full regiment, was added. 

These two B-11 107mm recoiless rifle were added to the Vietcong. The models started with very old barrels from the Ontos Anti Tank vehicle that Atlantic produced in the 70s. Then all other parts were made from scratch. The figures are ESCI and Orion.

Here you have the models before painting. The guns became bigger than they should as they departed from the old Atlantic parts which were made as toys and always big, particularly the vehicles. 

Each battalion has one more base than the VC and the 81mm mortars were scratchbuilt from EverGreen plastics. 

For the bases of the mortars I used small wheels. The figure in the middle lost its AK47 and received a mortar round. 

Next: a WW2 Japanese Aircraft carrier (finally, after many threats). 

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 7) - New pieces of terrain

 

Just a few more pieces of terrain and some civilians to give life to the table.

These two models came from China by Aliexpress. They are metal and intended for decoration. But at around 2 euros each and 1/72 scale they are just too good to be left behind.  A simple paint job and a base finished the lot. The "Vietnamese Buffalo" is in fact a metal Skytrex African animal and much skinier than the intended one. 

A swamp was made with some GW plants in the middle. 

From Temu came these bamboo sticks. I cut many of them in half and took the leaves from the bottom part. The left overs were spread on the base and painted in sandy colors to look like faded fallen material. 

Next: The NVA. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 6) - Nguyen Van Bay´s mount and a new paddy field

 

Nguyen Van Bay goes on the hunt for one more US aircraft over his beloved Vietnamese rice fields. He even carries a "Kill Box" under him (eh, eh). 

The model is Hasegawa and portrays Nguyen Van Bay´s Mig-17. This Mig-17, even if outdated by US standards, was a headache for the USAF as is was quite manouverable and very dangerous in close combat due to the three cannons it had (the initial batches of F-4 Phantom didn´t have any). It had no air to air missiles and was subsonic, but somehow the Mig-17s seems to have shot down 77 US aircraft (VPAF claim, with US sources saying a bit less) in exchange for 100 Mig-17 shot down. Not bad for an aircraft from the 50s. 

Nguyen Van Bay shot seven/eight US aircraft (five, according to US sources). He seem to have been an extraordinary figures showing incredible skills while flying his Mig-17, and shooting down his enemies from a distance of only 100 meters (A-4, F-4, F-8 and F-105, at least). He was taken out of service quite quickly, the NV governament didn´t want to loose him as he was important also to teach and inspire other pilots. 

The table needs to look as Vietnamese as possible. New terrain was added as this extra paddy field made of the usual plywood and BlueBoard walls

I´m making some risky curves and angles on these paddy fields as I want to include forest patches or villages close to them. I already received plenty of bamboo sticks, the next piece of terrain to be built. 

Next: The NVA infantry and more terrain or a Luftwaffe's video. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 5) - The Vietcong and some new terrain

 

After a first flood of US material and men, that would have conducted to an inevitable US victory in the Vietnam war (immediatly around 1961..), some Vietcong Orion and Esci figures arrive on the battlefield for balance. In fact a recent trip to the north and to one of the last model shops in the country, Bigcat, made me restart the Vietnam period as I found the three boxes of North Vietnamese that Orion produces, the Vietcong Main Force, the Comunist Force (in fact the Local Force) and the North Vietnamese army. The figures are beautifully sculpted and extremely varied. Coupled with the old Esci they make very interesting units. PSR review of these figures was not a good one as Orion sent them some 1st test figures filled with problems which conducted to a bad review. I was lucky as I must have found later produced figures that have all these problems solved with clean and detailed castings. 

My old Esci figures provided more or less some 50 figures while the other 50 are Orion. I made each battalion of the VC Main Force with three companies of six figures each with a command stand and an engineer stand. 

The mix of Esci and Orion gives plenty of variety. Two of the companies have LMG while another has the RPG. The old issue of some of the VC wearing the woven straw conical hat continues with the sources saying it was not used. But please, how can a VC force not use them if we could all see them clearly in Apocalipse Now? :)

The stereotyped black uniform was the most painted but a few blue grey and khaki jackets were also added as typical colors of the VC. 

The two 60mm mortars were scratchbuilt with one Orion figure and a converted Esci LMG firer each. The Regimental command stand has figures from all four boxes, three from Orion and one from Esci. 

The pieces of terrain were made from two different types of ground vegetation and plastic palm trees given to me by my friend Carlos Briz.

Next: more Vietnam or a video on more WW2 aircraft. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules - Vietnam in 20mm (part 4) - US infantry, new tanks, terrain and a straffing Mig

 

A combined US/ARVN force is caught crossing the paddy fields by a low flying Mig-21. Fortunately, for the allies this Mig model has no auto-cannon, only the Atoll AA missiles, if not many mothers would have received the visit of the priest and officers all carried in a olive green car... sorry, this is the consequency of watching too many times Saving Private Ryan. 

This is a four company battalion (post 1967)  of US infantry from Esci. Still missing are the HMGs, the 107mm mortar and the recoiless rifles. 

The 81mm mortars came from StreletsR and the crew are all conversions from Esci. The M-60 stand has figures with new heads as the Esci set had plenty of helmetless figures maybe inspired on the movie Apocalipse Now.

This is the 2nd M48A3 converted from a M48A2c , following the Altaya one. In fact I still have another four in the stash but all need some level of conversion as they are Israeli or German versions, missing the 90mm gun and the funny little cupola. Another problem is the fact the chassis of the M48 is one of the most time consuming of the Esci range  so this group of six will be slow to build.

 The cupola came from a PzI extra turret by Minairons and luckily I have a number of them for the other missing M48s. The figure is Atlantic. 

These Hasegawa M24 Chaffee were mostly used by the ARVN as shown here. They are painted in a two-tone of green but the mud spray ruined most of it. The figures are again Atlantic and aircraft pilots. 

The Mig-21 PF is one of the main and best  models of the North Vietnamese fighter squadrons credited with many USAF aircraft, even if both sides present conflicting numbers. This model is Altaya and was minutes from being silver sprayed as many of them were but a last minute find of North Vietnamese Mig-21PF in this kind of four tone camouflage saved me from extra trouble. Like this only the markings were repainted. 

This rice field was made from a base of plywood and small walls of BlueBoard. The water part was painted with two coats of gloss varnish. The result is OK and this type of paddy field will be made in larger numbers as most of the Vietnam scenarios needs them. 

Next: The Vietnamese VC.