Happy New Year

To those of the Cold War, service personnel from all sides, as well as the civilians who suffered.
25 years since it all began to end. So glad.
PEACE

The Cold War that hasn't ended

This week, the world was reminded of the paradox of the ongoing Korean War. Now while many want to fob off North Korea, take a moment to ponder some Cold facts.
Despite the Korean Peoples Armed Forces having Soviet era kit, that stuff can still do some damage.
Their artillery showed back in 2010 that it can still kill and maim and inflict damage.
The fact that they may have nuclear weapons puts a pause to consider that not only South Korea but Japan are also at risk.
Sony is a Japanese company, which Koreans don't have much time for.
Cancelling a movie seems to play into their hands, yet something must have really spooked them.

Belgian 16th Division 1988

Since I have returned to Canada, I have been slowly sorting out my Cold War figures, and will hopefully be posting some updated shots of my Belgians for the cold war.

4th Mechanized Brigade:
2 Leopard 1 tanks
4th Lancers: 2 Scimatar tanks
1eme Grenadiers: modeled with ESCI NATO armed with FNs and GPMG
5eme Linge: ESCI NATO armed with FNs and GPMP mounted in M113 when I can get them.
9eme Linge Anti-Tank (Milan system with truck)
Artillery support will come from NATO allies

Another Canadian TOW and more Cold War Canadians

I will be upgrading this page with a shot of my own M113 modelled with a TOW

Sorry for the side view, this is a PPCLI private about 1983

Lynx Command vehicle

Canadian M113s and tanks and artillery

 M113 TOW

 M113 Engineering viechle

Standing with the TOW

Churchill tank, which took part in the Dieppe raid August 19, 1942

Centurian tank, used after the war and before 1978

Coyote, /Grizzly APC. The coyotes had the turret from the scorpion tank while the grizzly had a turret with machine-guns

6pdr anti-tank gun

 17pdr anti-tank gun which my great cousin used when part of 2nd Anti-tank, Royal Canadian Artillery in the Normandy campaign.

These AFVs are part of the exhibits of The Military Museums in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

1. 
   

NATO: CMBG 1985

The German Leopard C1 battle tank replaced the British Centurion in
4 Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group was the Canadian army contingent to NATO defences during the Cold War. It was a reinforced infantry battalion with armor, artillery and air support. It was classified as a "light" division by the British due to its small size. However, Canadian army doctrine was to use what equipment that they had and to be as accurate with their fire as they could be.
 M113 with TOW as would have been seen in Germany.
I've blogged about this several times, but this entry will list the cards for the brigade.

Exercise Lionheart 84 Day 02

 The second video of this exercise, very interesting look at how the British and NATO would have sent troops into Europe if the Warsaw Pact had invaded West Germany. Of course, what they trained to do, the simply implemented when the Gulf War of 1990-91 broke out.

Warsaw Pact weapon support companies

 The weapon support I have given my Warsaw Pact troops. I've had to improvise with WW2 kit, but this wasn't far from the truth. The Russians were very much in the mindset of if it works, don't fix it, or throw it out.
As of 2018, the Soviet force now consists of a SAM section, a Grenade Launcher section, PKM MMG section, Anti tank missile sections.
I shall be posting photos of these by 2019
Presently, the WARSAW PACT units I have consist of the following support weapons:
SA-7 Grail AA Missile: a team of 3 soldiers with these and an officer
PKM LMG teams.
AT-3 Sagger missile teams:
AT-5 Spandrel missle teams:
Full weapons support teams are with the East Germans, Soviets, Poles and the Czechslovakians. They just need a lick of paint.

Cold War Anti-tank and support companies: NATO

I've modeled my Anti-tank and support companies from a variety of kits. All visuals are currently being updated from my own collection.



Later units are modeled as is with their own weapons. Previous postings have shown some of these units, but this one specifically deals with NATO support companies.
In the main, most of the support companies would have consisted of GPMGs and mortars, and some of these would have dated from the 1940s, as they were still in good operational condition.
With the exception of the British and French, all of the support companies in my NATO force are based off of WW2 American Airborne units, for the simple fact that I had them, and I didn't want to use them for my Bolt Action games.

2PPCLI action in Croatia

This is a skirmish game based on the Medak Pocket action in 1993. Thankfully, Canada and Croatia are now allies in NATO. However, the horrors of that war are still fresh in the minds of those who served there, and in my memory when I was a university student.

PPCLI M113 in UNPROFOR colors

The pictures above are from the Military Museums of Calgary. This excellent display is from their PPCLI gallery.

  The Croatians are modeled with East Germans since many Croatian units were using surplus East German kit. The Canadian should have sky blue helmets as part of their UNPROFOR uniform, but in this case, they are weraring their woodland kit.
Pictures of my figures to follow.

NATO Rece: Canadian Lynx

The Lynx recce viechle was used by the Dutch and Canadian Army during the Cold War.
Battlefront Miniatures make this kit as part of their Team Yankee series.  I got a set in 2018,

NATO Recce: Ferret Armoured Car for Commonwealth forces

The Ferret Armoured Car was a recce viechle used by the British, Canadian and various other Commonwealth

I have 2 Matchbox vehicles which I believe were based on the Ferret.
Pictures to follow as I update my older (pre 2020) posts

My Matchbox toy cars from a set I got around 1979.

Osprey Publishing - Modern African Wars (2)

Osprey Publishing - Modern African Wars (2)




The second of the African war texts. This once concerns Portugal's loss of their empire in Africa. As one of the proxy wars, Portugal had some backing from NATO while the Warsaw Pact asssisted the independence movements with a communist agenda.
I have begun painting up some gurrilleas and Portuguese for this conflict, pictures will follow

Osprey Publishing - Modern African Wars (1)

Osprey Publishing - Modern African Wars (1)




Another one of the Cold War proxy wars. Both NATO and Warsaw Pact sent equipment and to a lesser extent troops to help their own sides in this conflict. Eventually, it was a Commonwealth Peacekeeping force sent to oversee the ceasefire.
Eventually I will get around to some pictures of figures I have painted up from this book.

Osprey Publishing - Armies of the Vietnam War (2)

Osprey Publishing - Armies of the Vietnam War (2)




Another one of my finds while living in South Korea. The book mostly looks at the American and Vietnamese units, but does touch on some involvement of Thailand, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippine's. There was only one colour work of a South Korean soldier in the plates however. Osprey has since published a separate volume on the ANZAC forces.

Pictures of some of my figures to follow

Osprey Publishing - Inside the Soviet Army

Osprey Publishing - Inside the Soviet Army

This was another volume I pick up while I was teaching in South Korea back I 1997.
Slowly, I have painted up my Soviet troops from the colour plates in this book.



With the information inside this volume I was able to build 3 Soviet Divisions. Although, 2 of the division could be classified as either early Cold War due to their weapons, or second rate divisions. Then again, after the break up of the Soviet Union, this may have been an actual composition.
All figure shots below courtsey of my own collection made up of the old Airfix kit and Plastic Soldier Company Soviets.

Osprey Publishing - NATO Armies 1949–87

Osprey Publishing - NATO Armies 1949–87

This volume which I bought I  1997, used in conjunction with my Esci, Revell, Airfix and Matchbox figures to build up a multi-national force of NATO troops. The text plates were the inspiration for the figures.

So far I have all from my own collection box at I still have but need to take my own pictures



Britain 1 Division The British are based around the 5th Infantry Brigade, which was used in the Falklands, and British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). The support elements would include 3 Chieftan tanks

Belgium 1 Brigade:
Canada 1 Division

Denmark 1 Brigade,

France 1 Brigade (see French Foreign Legion post)

Greece 1 Brigade

Italy 1 Brigade

Netherlands 1 Division, mix of US, and German kit

Norway 1 Brigade  The Norweigans used a mix of old US and German kit.

West Germany: 4 Divisions, 

Turkey 1 Division, (not sure on the Grease gun smg, but would do in a pinch)

Osprey Publishing - T-34-85 Medium Tank 1944–94

Osprey Publishing - T-34-85 Medium Tank 1944–94

I bought this book as a Christmas present on my visit to Singapore in 2000.

It was very suprising that this tank continued to be held in storage by Warsaw Pact forces to be used when war were to have broken out during the Cold War. In 1/72, I believe I have about 4 with another 6 in 15mm. I use these to fill out my Warsaw Pact troops. Most of my kits are Fujimi.
Images will follow from my own collection.

Osprey Publishing - The 25-pounder Field Gun 1939–72

Osprey Publishing - The 25-pounder Field Gun 1939–72




Although the 25pdr was not in front line service by the mid Cold War period, it could have been pressed back into service.

It was just a good gun anyway. My grandfather was responsible for supplying the ammunition to the artillery and heard from a German prisoner once to ask how the Canadians have developed automatic artillery! It was just that Canadian gunners fired so fast!
The 25pdr was still being used by many countries which did not have more modern artillery into the 1980s
Pictures of my own guns to be posted

Osprey Publishing - Battle for the Falklands (1)

Osprey Publishing - Battle for the Falklands (1)




This is a pretty good balanced account of both sides ground forces in the conflict.

It gives a view to the British Army in combat and shows how their training for fighting the Warsaw Pact, paid off in fighting. The Falklands are similiar to Wales, so for some, it was like a live fire training exercise, except that the live fire was aimed to kill you.

Osprey Publishing - Warsaw Pact Ground Forces

I bought this volume in 1997 while teaching in South Korea
And the main part of my Warsaw Pact regular forces have been built from the information contained in this volume. I bought this volume while living in South Korea. The ESCI figures from below were inspired from this text. The armor for the Warsaw Pact I purchased from Old Glory minatures from their Command Decision range. My wife let me use her credit card before we got married to get them. Lovely women she is!


The following units I was able to build


East Germany: 1 Brigade  They have 1 Motor Rifles Regt, I airborne battn, an artillery battalion made up of older Soviet equipment. However, their tank regiment is made up of 3 T-72 from Old Glory minatures, 1 BRDM, 2 BDR 50
Poland: 1 Brigade. I have one Motorised Rifle Regiment and a Naval Infantry Battalion. with attached older Soviet equipment. Their tanks are a mix of  2 T-54, 1 PT-76 and Su-100. 1 BRDM, 2 BTR 50
Czechkoslovakia: 1 Brigade, 2 T-54, 1 T-34/85, 2 BTR 50
Hungary: 1 Brigade 2 T-55, 1 T-34/85, 2 BTR 50
Romania: 1 Brigade, 2 T-55, 1 T-34/85, 2 BTR 152
Bulgaria: 1 Brigade, 2 IS 2 Tanks,


Thus in a wargame situation, I'd be able to field one multi-national division, or drafting in WW2 Soviets and Germans, I could equip units with surplus equipment, up to a division each.

Osprey Publishing - The British Army in the 1980s

Osprey Publishing - The British Army in the 1980s

I bought this book in 1997 while teaching in South Korea

A good volume on the British Army at the tail end of the Cold War. I based most of my British Army on the information from this volume.
I'll also be posting some shots of the British troops I have painted

With this volume and my listing of plastic figures in previous posts, I have at least one division of British troops.
On a personal note, my father served with the 4th Battn (TA) in 1974 when they were on exercise in Canada.

Osprey Publishing - Soviet Bloc Elite Forces

Osprey Publishing - Soviet Bloc Elite Forces

My Warsaw Pact special forces units are made from the information in this volume. I bought this when I was in South Korea teaching English in 1998.


I was able to paint up a company of Polish Naval Infantry
A company of Soviet Naval Infantry
A regiment of Soviet Airborne
Now when I get a chance I will update this page with my own painted figures

Osprey Publishing - Tank War – Central Front NATO vs. Warsaw Pact

Osprey Publishing - Tank War – Central Front NATO vs. Warsaw Pact

This was a birthday present my wife bought for me back in 2002 before we got married.
I based most of my Cold War armor on the listings in this volume. I was lucky in getting it online and I've found that it's a bit of a collector'sitem now.
Initially I had an American force as well but I always felt the Americans always get the glory so my games consist of as little American involvement as possible.

I have used the information to build up tank forces for NATO:
Denmark
Norway
West Germany
Netherlands
Greece
Canada
British
Turkey
France
Belgium

Warsaw Pact
Soviets
Czechoslovakia
East Germany
Poland
Hungary
Bulgaria

Warsaw Pact: Bulgaria

My Bulgarian force consists of a Parachute company and a mountain infantry section supported by BTR 152 carriers, IS 2 tanks, and SU 100 sp guns as Bulgaria was low on getting modern equipment
The Bulgarian special forces were small, thus they will be used in conjunction with other nations.
For my Team Yankee games, this force will fight alongside a Czechslovakian, Hungarian group.

The Wild Geese (1978) Quotes

 This film while not a NATO/Warsaw Pact straight out conflict, does touch on the proxy wars fought in Africa.

NATO: Air support Harri

And for NATO these aircraft were a great asset as they were jump jets able to take off from any area without the use of runways. 

One of these is actually and Academy kit and the other is a toy car airplane 

New pictures to follow

Warsaw Pact: Air support

Thanks to www.juniorgeneral.org I can print off top down files to recreate some scenarios which could have happened in the late 1980s or 1990s. It saves money on buying plastic kits which don't hold up as well as laminated paper. However I am slowly building up a small section of support aircraft

Germans forced to to fight each other

 Federal Republic of Germany troops , West Germans

against

 Democratic Republic of Germany, East Germans

The interesting thing was, both Germanies never fought each other, but their equipment and uniforms were used by the ethnic factions in the Yugoslavian Civil wars of 1991-95.

I am in the process of upgrading the images of my own collection to this page.

Clash of Arms 1 Para vs VDV

If the Falklands War of 1982 did one thing, it was to prove to the world how tough The Parachute Regiment  was. They landed at Goose Green 700 strong, took out a 1500 man garrison, then Tabbed across East Falkland and still battled it out.

The VDV had proven its worth in the hills of Afganistan. It would have been very interesting to have seen how both would have fared on a European battlefield

Pictures of my own units to follow 2018/19/20

Clash of Arms, 4 CMBG vs Czech MTR

One of the scenarios I had from the board game FIREPOWER, (Avalon,1984)(www.boardgamegeek.com)


 was the 4CMBG holding a village against a Czech Motorized Rifle Regiment.
For the Canadian troops, I used a mixture of US Vietnam figures as Canadians with 2 Leopard 1As, 2 M113, 1 M113 TOW, 2 105mm guns and 2 M109s

The Czechs attacked with 3 T-72s, 2 T-54s 2 T55s 2 BTRs