Update Part III

Well this is my last post for the month of August and I am very pleased with the results so far. I started painting the figures for this campaign at the beginning of the month and as of tonight the IDF have a painted Nagma Shot and 115 figures. There are two PLO groups of 33 figures total including two heavy weapons and a BTR152. Even the Syrians have a commando team of 20 figures. Add in six painted buildings and it was a productive month.

Mark also has made a great deal of progress in painting his IDF (sorry Mark that I also painted them up as well) and his buildings look great. To see more here is his blog.

On the down side we have not made a lot of progress adding club members to the madness, but we have not given up on that.

We will be starting off September doing our first face-to-face game of Rock the Casbah. Battle report and pictures to follow.

Thank you for reading my blog.

People's Front of Judea Part II

At long last the PFJ have received one of their armored vehicles. The BTR152 gives them an armored transport not seen in the other factions.

The SLA (South Lebanese Army) is rumored to have APCs or tanks as well but nothing has been seen of them. Plus the PFJ's RPGs and recoilless rifles will make short work of the Israeli proxies. Here is a picture in a village south of Sidon.



The big man looks over is latest gift from the north and he looks pleased.

Peter Pig's USMC Miniatures

To the members of the Northern Lancaster Wargamers, I am offering eight USMC M203 Grenadiers from Peter Pig's Modern line to a good home. This is a start for any member that would want to take part in the madness started by Mark and myself.

People's Front of Judea

I see from Mark's blog that the IDF cowers at the military might of the PFJ. Which reminds me, there is a bit of errata need to the Rock the Casbah supplement.

On page 17 under the PLO factions/militias the following needs to be added (at least for this project). People's Front of Judea - A radical anti-Western (Roman) group that is small (offically I believe five members) and appears to be against (hates) everybody in the PLO movement. Reference

The PFJ has one force trained and ready to do combat with a second force in training.

All one needs to do is look at our firepower to understand that the IDF is no threat to the PFJ.

A barely used BTR40, a gift from the Syrians.


A brand new (ok it has oil) BTR152 from our friends in the Soviet Union.

Crews Ready for Action

Here we have three crew members of this Nagma Shot waiting for their vehicle to be painted and ready for combat. The Nagma Shot is currently drying and waiting for a dry brushing. Crew base uniform color is Green Ochre.

All figures are from Peter Pig and bought through Brookhurst Hobbies.

A second PLO unit is now on the bench after the Nagma Shot.

Update Part II

We the troops are ready. I have a few IDF (95 painted with 16 waiting to be primed). They can be used a South Lebanon Army as well. Patch is to the right. Of the 16 troops waiting to be primed eight are command that I need to complete the platoon.

I also have a Syrian commando unit painted up. All I need now is a few vehicals for the Syrians to go after.

Below is my work bench. To the right is my VBCW 28mm figures that have taken a back seat to my Lebanon 1982 project. I may have some time to paint them up as I am waiting on the M113 and the Merkavas and Shots.

The Work Bench

The troop waiting for orders and a Nagma-Shot waiting to be primed.

A close up of based IDF troops.

I hope over the next two weeks to get in a couple of games of Rock the Casbah. I am sure Mark and I can cause a little destruction. I am also playing around with a linked campaign system and 3mm troops by PicoArmor for the Bekaa Valley.

Buildings

Gaming Lebanon 1982 allows for adobe structures all the way to current buildings. I have found a wide array of companies that make buildings suitable for the conflict. While I currently have buildings to build small villages and refugee camps I still need to acquire the buildings to do the city fight in Beirut.

JR Miniatures
http://02a7218.netsolstores.com/15mmmiddleeast.aspx

Amera Plastic Mouldings
http://www.amera.co.uk/product.php?range=m

Miniature World Maker
http://www.miniatureworldmaker.com.au/products/id-6428/productlist/

The Miniature Building Authority
http://www.miniaturebuildingauthority.com/products.asp?cat=15mm+Middle+Eastern+Series

Kerr & King
http://www.kerrandking.co.uk/

Crescent Root Studios
http://crescent-root.com/product/15mm/15mm_mideast_index.htm

Deimos Design Studios
http://deimosdesign.com/deimosdesign.com-16.aspx

Fieldworks
http://www.fieldworks.org.uk/15mm.htm

TimeCast
http://www.timecastmodels.co.uk/range_30/range_30.html

Building by Kerr & King

Update

We after eight days I have all of my IDF figures painted. That is 60 plus. Not bad as I was not planning on painting up an IDF. And than there is the issue of needing two more packs of IDF figures. Next up is pictures, a book list and buildings.

IDF Figures Part 3

When I started this project I did not think I was going to build any IDF units. Boy was I foolish. The miniatures that I bought were going to be for Lebanese militias and the South Lebanese Army. Then I remembered the Golani and I had no choice but to build a least a small unit. Now I run into a problem that few combatants in Lebanon ever have. Not enough assigned command figures.

An Israel platoon with three squads can have 12 command elements. Within the fire teams it is one corporal with three infantrymen. So I see another order going out to Peter Pig. Image is from Peter Pig's website.

Lebanese Militias

While researching the BTR40 (one of my favorite vehicles) I came upon a note that the PLO transferred at least one to the Movement of Independent Nasserists or al-Murabitoun. This West Beirut based Lebanese military and political movement is an excellent example of what is available for gamers playing in Lebanon in the 1980s. Their 3,000 uniformed militiamen were one of the more professional looking forces in Lebanon, even including branches of Armor, Infantry and Artillery with support elements.

In 1982 they had at least two Staghounds, and a BTR40. It is not inconceivable that they also had access to T34/85s and BTR152s. Early artillery included jeep-mounted recoilless rifles and gun-trucks fitted with AA autocannons. With the pull out of the PLO the al-Murabitoun acquired large amounts of material including APCs, tanks and artillery.

IDF Figures Part 2

First attempt at painting 15mm Peter Pig IDF figures. Primed it black and than dry brushed either Yellow Olive or Olive Grey. (the two groups were mixed up) Than dry brushed medium grey and painted helmets the same. Skin tone was with Medium Fleshtone. Boots Thamar Black (only non-Vallejo paint) Guns with Gunmetal Grey and equipment drybrush Deck Tan.

Completed are 8 with M16s, 7 with AKs and 1 with a Galil.

Started a new nine today. These include a sniper and two radios.

IDF Figures

I just started my first batch of IDF infantry. I forgot how much fun it is to be painting 15mm figures. The first batch is 16 Peter Pig figures with a mix of weapons (M16s, AK47s and Galil). Once they are completed I will post pictures and give the color list.