"Earnest Will project - the reinforcements arrive" Topic

I had some time over the weekend to paint up some more US ships for my Operation Earnest Will/Tanker War project, so I thought you might like to see the progress.

The deployment shot: from left to right CF Adams class DDG, Spruance class DDG, Austin class LPD, Ticonderoga class CG, CF Adams class DDG

Not tremendously well focused, but here's the Austin class LPD. USS Trenton

Destroyers only made it into the Gulf when things were kicking off. Here's a Spruance class

And a pair of Charles F Adams class, used during Operation Praying Mantiss, still the US's biggest naval battle since WW2

Robocruiser: the deployment of the Ticonderoga class CG Vincennes was controversial, but in the 1980s these ships were awesome (and still one of my favourites!)

And the CG again

To be honest I think I have pretty much all I need for Earnest Will now, save for some more aircraft and some oil platforms.

Time to get some gaming in I think…

Nick

Where are your Iranian ships?

Don't worry Dragon – the US do have some opposition (some F4 Phantoms, Kaman class missile boats and a pair of Vosper Type 5 Alvand class frigates) but Photobucket's been down all evening so I can't post any pics.

Now that Photobucket's up again, here are some shots of the Iranian forces…

First up is a pair of F4s with Kaman class missile boats in the distance

And the pride of the fleet (though maybe not the most powerful), the Vosper Type 5 frigates Sabalan and Sahand. Sahand was sunk in battle against the US and Sabalan crippled

And finally a couple of Kamar class missile boats (basically Combattante II – quite handy and packing a decent punch). Joshan was also sunk during Operation Praying Mantis

I can never understand why the American deployment in the Gulf has been so overlooked by modern naval gamers. It has a decent number of engagements which are easily recreated due to their size, restrictive geography to keep table sizes reasonably small and plenty of 'clutter' to present a challenge.

I've played a few games now and lost a couple of US frigates in them – the fear of shooting down civilian airliners especially has meant that my opponent can sneak up and I have paid the price of holding fire. I don't mind this: it means that asymmetric conflicts such as the Tanker War are worth playing, even if on paper one side has overwhelming force.

Next game I think will be a straight fight based on Surface Action Group Charlie (USS Wainwright, USS Bagley and USS Simpson) against the Iranian Kaman class Joshan and a pair of F4s in April '88. I'll be sure to post an AAR.

Nick

Nicely done models, Nick. I notice that you've specified each Iranian ship by adding a tag on the base, but not for the American ships. Are you going to get them tagged? I myself am in a dilemma whether to specifiy each of my vessel as much as possible (so that I can add decals of the pennant number to the model and write the shipname onto the base, always a temptation to a modeller), or to let the models as generic as possible to suite more scenarios.

Thanks Chen,

My first US ships did have the same tags but I removed them so that one OH Perry class, for example, can be the Simpson in one game or the Samuel B Johnson, or any other vessel, in another. This way all I need for any of the Tanker War is a Ticonderoga class, a Belknap class, 2 OH Perrys, 2 Charles Adams, a Spruance class and an Austin class LPD I think for the US forces. Even less for the Iranians.

cheers,

Nick

Thanks for the reply, Nick.
BTW I'm curious if you'll make a tanker or two for the Tanker War. Merchant ships always makes a delightful sight in naval games.

Hi Chen – yep; got some tankers, freighters and civilian aircraft to mix things up a little