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