It's the annual Cold War Commanders big gaming weekend this weekend, held for the first time at Richard P's own venue, The Unit in Stone, Staffordshire. I've been getting a few units ready for the event.
Last year I was asked to put together a recce battalion for a game. I liked that unit so it has now been stood up as a permanent formation:
The first company is 2 platoons of foot scouts and a Milan team, transported in a pair of Fuchs. I've used arrow headed bases for the vehicles to denote recce, a useful convention on a busy battlefield as well as pleasing to the eye.
Next company is 3 Luchs with a Leopard 1 in support.
The final heavy recon company consists of 4 Leopard 1. These will be classed as Recce Support. Apologies for the poor photos, the light conditions aren't that great. It was fun deploying the company in full though I can't see that happening too often. 3 HQs may be a bit of overkill but the intention was to help the battalion cover as much ground as possible.
For the last 10 years I have been using these Leopard 2s:
Most of our games have been set in 1985 though and I keep getting told that these are 2A5 and so not available for '85.
I decided that it was time to replace them so I now have a new battalion of Leopard 2A3 or A4.
I've taken the time to add Balkan Crosses to all of them though they are hardly visible on the gaming table. I know they're there though.
Finally for now and not for this game we have these:
I'd watched a Tank Chat on YouTube about the Scimitar 2 and seen an example on a recent visit to the Tank Museum so decided to have a bash making some. They are a simple conversion of a Striker hull filed down a bit with a Scimitar turret added - the real things are basically the same conversion with a Spartan hull mated to a Scimitar turret. In real life they've seen action in Afghanistan, are deployed as part of the NATO "tripwire" in the Baltic States and I believe that some are on the way to Ukraine. Not sure when my lads will see any action but they were a fun little conversion. I can't help wondering how their performance compares to the Ajax; not seen any reports of anyone developing tinnitus after riding around in one of these.
Next up shall be an AAR from The Unit. Looking forward to it now.
Excellent I have have a Bundeswehr recce battalion and it's interesting to see the way you have organised it as I have done 3 mixed companies with Leopard, Luchs and Fuchs TPZ in each company. Like the Scimitar 2 👍
ReplyDeleteCheers Mr P. I based the recce battalion on the Fire and Fury TOE. This formation is from the Heeresstrucktur 4 from 1980. I think your organisation is from Heeresstrucktur 3. F&F notes that some battalions continued with the old organisation for some time. So I think either force structure can be used for our era.
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