"Cold War Armies - Which Will You Collect First?" Topic

Given the announcement that Battlefront will be finally entering into the Cold War era, not to mention, "I Ain't Been Nuked Mum" and/or its more politically correct title becoming available soon, along with some other rules sets too, I suspect a lot of people will be once again drawn to the era, either in 1/100th, or other scales as well, as funds and space permit.

So, which army, or armies do you plan to collect first, and/or which have you fielded already?

1st Choice?

2nd Choice?

3rd Choice?

Others, if you are into lots of different nationalities and unit types (tank, mech. infantry, infantry, recon, etc.)?

Feel free to chime in with your preferred scale, or scales, and periods too, e.g. 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, etc., also.

1st choice: 1980's Sweden en masse. Will probably have to create som own armylists though, since Sweden seems unlikely for Fulda! ;) Hoping for QRF, Armies Army to come through in time for BFs release.

2nd choice: Soviet naval infantry. The T-55s and PT-76s seems like good opposition to my swedes and will be useful for any northern type brigades I create as well.

3rd choice: Soviet forward detachement. Awesome battlegroup with T-80s, shilkas, 2S1's, BMP-2s. Sweden beware.

1 1980s BAOR
2 1980s Soviet OMG
3 1980s Heer

all at 1:285

Hello Blue Pointer Shark (Mako) the 11th,
Third Brigade Australian Army 1980's. 48th Brigade GR British Army 1980's. Elements of the Tropic Lighting Division 1980's verses Musorian Armed Forces training enemy (Warsaw Pact), 1980's. All the people you would bump into on exercise in 15mm.

Then, three years ago changed jobs, moved houses, gave it all away.

Would like to rebuild in 10mm scale or smaller, one x infantry platoon with M113 section and possible RCL / milan detachment Australians.

Just needed to down size and the time to get that family / work / model balance again.

Regards Allan

20mm 1RS Scots Battlegroup, 33 (UK)Armd Bde both pre Challenger and Challenger (85-88). 432 with Wombat to allow for 70s and early 80s
Also in 6mm
Belgian and Bundeswehr reserve troops

Elements of 3SA could be a Regt and Independent Tank Bn of either 7,10, 12 and 47 Guards Tank Dives (All T-64) or a T-80 equipped ITB or T-80/BTR60 equipped MRR.

NVA T-72 equipped Tk Bn

Just finishing off the 1:300 stuff, most of the 20mm has been in action but a handful of T-64ERA and a Scud (For s 6 Airmobile Bde task!) to do.

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And the Gyros Teller account:

corporal-schmitt.blogspot.co.uk

Tally Ho!

That gives me Deep Joy Mr Nick!

It's such a large span of time which sub-era to choose.

Personally, I would prefer mid-Cold War: 60s and 70s. Leave the ceramic and kevlar armour behind.

My first choice would be to have some US infantry in M1 cloth covered helmets, early M16s and OG-107s preferably in 20 and 28mm and please don't tell me that Vietnam war US infantry will do…they won't. It was a different uniform and a different design worn in the jungle.

Then BAOR in '44 pattern helmets and '58 pattern webbing, DPM smocks and jackets over slim fitting lightweight trousers.

Bundeswehr as well, all kinds and backed up by FV432s, Chieftans, M-60s, Scorpion tanks, Leopard 1s, Gepards, M-113s, Hueys, Lynxes, Gazelles, Jaguars and F-4 Phantoms.

I'm excited by the forthcoming Armies Army stuff for something a bit different. So, Norway first then…. :-)

I already have US/NATO and WARPAC in 15mm. Looking to get some West German and expand my UK forces.

I need to round out my 10 mm 1982 forces for Cold War Commander. I have a US tank battalion (M60A1/A3s) and a mech battalion, plus most of a 2d one. I have enough BMPs, T-64s and T-72 to field a full regiment. Just need to add the regimental supports for a full 2 regiments.

East Germans with those cool helmets GO DDR!

Elheim have some lovely Cold War Infantry including in full IPE, Command and currently sculpting some nice NVA Inf all 20m,

Tally Ho!

Russians/ East Germans
Canada
US

1st: US Army 1975 -1985
2nd: Soviet army same timeframe
3rd: German Bundeswehr.

Damon.

Poles to fight the Russians and Wolverines to fight the Russians.

I buy 15mm soviets from pretty much every company out there to get as much variety as possible.

Been building up West Germans to fight them, since they double decently as Danes too.

1. BAOR
2. Soviet
Almost complete. Next on the list…
3. DDR & Belgians
4. Soviet airborne
5. West Germans
Plus I have more jets and helicopters than I need, but I like model aeroplanes!
All in 20mm using a modified version of FUBAR.

Russians.
Chinese.

The East is Red, Dragon vs Bear….

Already got GSFG in 20mm for 86, now onto 15mm once Khurasan reopens.

With you Uber, I want to do the 70's period, I'm hoping for 15mm, don't think 10mm do 70's Brits and don't want to go 6mm, so don't know if it will happen, fingers crossed.

Whoops! Forgot to mention all my stuff is late 70s.

I already have US and Soviet in micro armor. Working on West German and British.

I do have my old Roko HO scale stuff from the 60's and 70's that I could add Soviet too…. It is mostly US and West German. Lucky for me a couple of buddy's have this already.

1 Soviets
2 Americans
3 West Germans

For me:

NATO

1. West Germans – love those Leopards, Marders, and Jagdpanzers
2. Americans – nice looking, if somewhat antiquated armor (before the M1 and M2/M3)
3. BAOR – who doesn't love those Chieftains(?)

4. Danes – those defense scenarios for fending off amphibious and heli-borne attacks just look to be too intriguing not to consider (not to mention US Marine reinforcement, if it gets there on time)
5. Norwegians – just because we can't concede the northern flank
6. Canadians, Dutch, and Belgians? Might be doable, if I don't put insignia on the various armor used by many of these.

Soviets/Warsaw Pact

1. Soviets
2. East Germans
3. Polish, or perhaps Czechs, or a mix of both

Others

1. Swedes – also near the top of the list (especially of those not named), due to their Viggens, Drakens, and S-Tanks, not to mention all of those nice little missile boats to fend off amphibious invasions.

Definitely, tank-centric for me, but armored infantry too, supported by attack helos and jets, etc. US Armored Cav. troops. Perhaps some smaller foot infantry units, and/or home guard type forces with trucks, krakas, etc., like for the Danes and West Germans. At least a company or two of US Marines, and Soviet/Warpac Amphibious Motor Rifle troops too.

Scales – too many, I'm afraid, but I'm already part way down that path, so no need to look back now.

Started with 1/285th decades ago, but need to get them painted, for both land and air battles. Thankfully, at least some Cold War jets are finished.

1/100th for company-sized actions.

1/144th – 1/160th (10mm – 12mm) for company to battalion-level actions in larger scale, since I think they'll look spectacular in large numbers on the tabletop.

1/600th for air and missile boat actions.

1/1200th for missile boat actions, and amphibious landings.

1/2400th for larger naval battles.

I plan on doing some scenarios for each decade of the Cold War, from the 1950s – 1980s, since there was such a variety of kit.

Hmm, perhaps I should do a range of East Germans.

I would say so, right after that M114 is completed, with options for the .50 cal, and 20mm cannon armed variants.

;-)

Can't do US Armored Cav very successfully without 5 or 10 of those, for a troop or two of Americans.

Got quite a lot in different scales already so probably something Scandinavian or possibly VDV.

sabresquadron.com/index.html

Swedes v Soviets will be my "Coldest War" force. Need Geoff to crank out the S-Tank and PBv302s. Probably go with Khurasan's T55s, as I don't think the northern forces got T64/T80 or T72.

M1s kinda ruin the fun, IMO. Shoot accurately on the move at extreme ranges makes a mess of the Soviets.

Otherwise, Jordanians v Israel in 1967, and US v PAVN.

From what I've read, Cold War gone hot post 88 and NATO's tech curve (or more accurately the US') can man handle Soviet hordes fairly well.

Geoff – I imagine infantry with NVA helmets would do pretty well.

I could use a whole company of NVA, at 1:1 ratio provided there's at least one pack of prone figs with rifles, MGs, and RPGs available, and some casualties too.

Both are better than chits for representing gone to ground/under fire, and/or suffering losses for possible morale checks.

I wish more companies made casualty figures but from what I understand, they don't sell very well :/

Failing that, I'd settle for more figures that look like they are crouching, running, prone, throwing grenades etc.

I concur with your choices, and really like the prone, running while crouching to prevent being hit by gunfire, and throwing grenades poses as well.

I Ain't Been Nuked Mum" and/or its more politically correct title

Don't worry the real title ain't PC!

Already have in 20mm for pre 87

Polish
Russian
American
West german

Cheers
Matt

Geoff, you really should be making a Pbv 302 if you want to sell swedes. Not much use for unsupported tanks when every tank company has a mechanized platoon.

Wish I could afford 1/72nd scale, since the battle report pics like those above I've seen, look stunning.

I can't speak officially for Geoff on the Pbv 302, but do recall some discussions about that issue a while back, so suspect he/QRF are considering that, and hopefully we will see it, and the S-Tank, soon.

Yeah, I really hope so too! But the S-tank is more than a year in the making, and no movement on the 302 yet. But it sounds like Chas will be catching up on the list of things to do soon, so good news!

Mostly I'm scared that the s-tank will be released by itself and not sell, since you can't really game with it, and thereby dooming any future swedes.

Perhaps, though I'm not sure about their doctrine.

I've seen pics of the 302 just behind a group of S-Tanks, coming out of the woods, and seem to recall a pic of hatches opened up, with the troops firing out of them, while presumably the vehicles would be on the assault.

Not sure if that really works in the face of determined enemy resistance/armor, since I suspect that would then be suicidal, given the poor armor of most apcs/ifvs.

It might be better for them to dismount and proceed forward on foot on offense, and/or fight dismounted on defense.

The 302 reminds me of a cross between a M113 and the HS-30, e.g. large and boxy, but with flip-top hatches to permit firing from the open top while on the move. I also suspect that's why they fielded the submachinegun fairly late into the Cold War, to permit them to hose down their enemies, or at least to suppress them, while on the move, mounted on their vehicles.

I have in 28mm:

1980s – Soviet (BTR, BMP, T-55, BDRM and infantry)
1980s – West German (Marders, Leopard I and II and infantry)
1970s – Isreali (Cents, M-48, M-3, recon jeeps and infantry)
1970s – Egyptians (T-55, T-34, IS3, BTR 40, BTR 152 and infantry)

Gave my East Germans to a buddy who is painting up them to face his British.

I also have Mushas for the Soviets to shoot at, but they can be used in any period as they look pretty much the same as they did 30 years ago.

We use Cold War Gone Hot for Force on Force as rules.

If I was to do it, 10mm or 3mm and Swedes, Russians and Germans in that order.

Well, since I have to do both sides of any game, I'd first go with the Cat 1 WARPAC and US (1985); that'll give me both early M1s/Brads and M60s/M113s. Then add Germans and follow on WARPAC. Finally, the BAOR. All in BN or Regt size units.

Pretty much have everything except the BAOR in 6mm.

Would be interesting to move back to the 1950s-1960s period; whole different type of equipment, organization and tactics.

1. West German Bundeswehr
2. Soviet
3. NVA
4. Danes

That will allow me to play the Landjut campaign from Combined Arms.

After that, I'll be after US and British NATO forces, and Swedes. :)

first three hum?

1. American tank battalion
2. soviet first line tank regiment.
3. Desant battalion

4. british armor battalion
5. German battalion
6. French mixed Battalion (probably won't fight)
I like the mix of vehicles.

Mako11:
In 15mm: (c. 1980)
1) Soviet Motor Rifle Company plus BMP-1's and BTR-60's Supported by a platoon of T-55's, T-62's and T-72's. A company of T-64's and attached AT-5 ATGW BRDM's, SA-9's,2S1's, and assorted engineering kit.
2) Canadian Forces of two mech. Inf. ptns. with M-113's, two troops of Leopard 1A4's, a troop of Lynx CRV's, M-150's and mortars.
3) BAOR Forces of two mech. inf. ptns. in FV-432's, two troops of Chieftains, one troop of Scorpions, one troop of Scimitars, one ptn. of mech inf in Spartans, attached Swingfire and Striker detachments and some assorted engineering kit.
These forces are under construction now.
Cheers and good gaming.
Rod Robertson.

1980 BAOR 20mm

I would be tempted by late 1950's BAOR. I quite like the idea ofCenturions supported by Conquerers ….

I'd like to give Soviets a try along with either Germans or British (this is knowing full-well that I will end up with a US force as well)