"The War in Yugoslavia - Seldom gamed!" Topic

Manufacturers and designers have forgotten one of the most interesting theatres of WWII..Why is this?

Because it won't sell?

About all most gamers know about it was what was shown in Force 10 From Navaronne – a partisan war with no one to root for.

IMHO There are some conflicts that I feel need the terrain to be represented properly to give the true aspect if the conflict. Since I don't think I can properly on my game table I shy away from that conflict.

How is this different from the already-neglected "Nazis vs. Eastern European Partisans" scenario?

That is, how will you get gamers interested? I already have a tough time getting the folks I know to do something other than Normandy 1944. "Russian Front" is a big change of pace. Sad as it is, I don't think they'd be interested in the war in Yugoslavia.

I don't know but, personally for me, in a war were atrocities were common Yugoslavia seems particularly brutal.

I wouldn't buy anything.
Nothing but blood feuds being settled brutally, and with the "regulars" being recruited from the blood feud participants.
Not the least bit interesting for me.

YouTube link

Well worth watching

Books worth reading

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Well I have gamed the 1941 German invasion at least twice in 20mm and regularly play games based on the air battles of that period in 1/300th.

Fatman

link

We've played games of it, but picking out figures is very limited.

You can make do with Russian partisan types but you'd need ones with German weapons as well.

As far as brutality, this is true for all partisan warfare, though that hasn't stopped the hordes of SS goons trudging across our gaming tables.

Battlegroup Dispatches #1 had lists for it. I've often thought Yugoslavia would be a fun skirmish project, especially converting the partisans. But I'm lazy so it's never happened.

The invasion of Yugoslavia or the partisan war?

Done both. Partisans are well catered for, 1941 Yugoslavian Army, less so but standins are available.

You do of course need T34/85s painted in three colour camo plastered in balkan crosses as seen in Force 10 from Navarone. Or you could have Daniel Craig in an early pattern Denison as in 'Sword of Honour'.

SS fanboys also get to deploy that most charming of units, SS Handschar. Make sure you've painted up plenty of dead civilians.

Unfort most of the 28mm partisans are more geared towards the French or Soviet theatres we need some with the typical Yugoslavian side cap

Using the Battlegroup Dispatches List and Quar, mixing in Militia Quar, works very nicely. As pointed out before, I think it is the terrain outlay that puts many off -true for much 'mountainous' gaming.

Brutal certainly, but a fascinating and varied collection of factions. From SS to Yugoslav regulars, and Italians to bearded Chetniks who'll swop sides when they feel like it, and plenty of others. Somuas and other captured armor too.

I would do it if was anyone to play it against and if it was 20mm

Some 20mm figs by Stonewall Figures.

Anyone in the uk leicestershire willing to play

I am in Somerset, UK

The lack of Tigers?

I cant drive though

An excellent, and very readable account of this neck of the woods is "Wartime", by Milovan Djilas.

I've been gaming the German invasion in 15mm for about the last year. That's how long I've had Yugoslavian troops available for games. It's an interesting fight.
Our group uses Bolt Action rules for these games. At such a low level, the Yugoslavs manage rather well, from time to time.

A very long time ago I ran across a figure manufacturer who made 13thSS Handschar figures in true 25mm in a Charlotte, NC hobby store. That seems to have been the extent of those kind of figures.

It is sad because it is a fascinating conflict with Ustasha, regular Croat, SS troops of every description, Tito Partisans, Chetniks and various other groups like Slovene Dobranova thrown into the mix.

Pithead Miniatures make a pretty good Yugoslav range for 1941 in 10mm but I am not sure if they they have any plans to make partizans.

Yugoslav 1941 infantry,
Zb Machine gun,
81mm Brandt Mortar,
75mm Skoda M28 gun
Skoda 37mm A/T gun
100mm Skoda M14 How,
75mm Praga RN truck ,
Praga RT Truck,
M15 Mountain gun ,
FT17 light tank.
Renault R35,

pithead-miniatures.tk

This was a theatre of operations that was fairly popular in Squad Leader/ASL, so it should be better represented in miniatures.

Leaving aside the atrocities, this is part of the war where you get to field Germans, Italians, Bulgarians, Partisans, Chetniks and the Royal Yugoslav Army so there's plenty of variety and interest if you just want to game the battles.

And although heavily slanted in favour of the partisans, the movies 67 Days and Battle of Neretva will be a valuable source for scenario ideas.

I forget the name but I watched an old Yugoslav era war movie about the conflict, complete with the heroes all hip firing MG42's. Glorious stuff.

Not enough tanks.

Try this link: PDF link

people who know history would play it

ie: history people,not gamer people

I played it as part of tea spoon WW2..
Tea spoon – think bathtub 1/25 only much smaller..