ColdWar '58: Soviet T-10M Heavy Tank Company II

Already having one T-10M heavy tank company I wasn't planning on raising another but a friend printed me off enough models for a second so in exchange for some cans of Guinness the Soviets now have 20 of the 52 ton beasts to overrun, sorry liberate, West Germany with...

Again the models are 3D sculpts from Daritus on Thingiverse, though this time the turrets were printed separately so I have glued a few on a slight angles ready to take on any Conquerors they come across!

ColdWar '58: Soviet Motor Rifle Company

Following on from the Recce elements added to my Soviet Cold War '58 force, we now have some infantry to hold the ground the T-55's and T-10's roll over! 

The company is made up of three platoons of two BTR-152's each, carrying an infantry section. The BTR's are Butler's Printed Models (again a bit rough and not completely happy with them though they have painted up ok) and the infantry Heroics & Ros painted Vallejo Khaki Grey (and yes I did paint the red shoulder boards on if you squint!)

I have a seventh BTR painted for the company HQ but ran out of figures for its infantry base so that will have to wait, but amongst a pile of 1/300th white metal I found a solitary BTR-152U command variant which I've based up as my Soviet CO element for games of Cold War Commander. Not sure of the manufacturer, I suspect it is Heroics but I could be wrong.

ColdWar '58: Soviet Tank Division Recce Battalion Elements

Following playing my first Cold War Commander game set in my Cold War '58 background, I was rather inspired to paint up some more of the miniatures sat languishing around, especially some Soviets to add to the T-55 and T-10 tank companies I had.

First up were some Recce elements starting with a platoon of PT-76's from Butlers Printed Models. Whilst the models are slightly rougher than the Resin Historical ones, as the Resin Historical don't have PT-76's in their range I was restricted in choice. 

I think I have got the unit composition wrong here as I was working off one of the MicroMark lists which states five PT-76's to a platoon in a recce company, whereas Bruce Rea-Taylor in his Modern Army Lists and Organisations for the 1950's and 60s' says platoons should have three. I'll pick up a sixth model at some time and go with Rea-Taylor as three to a platoon fits in with other Soviet organisational approach.

I also painted up a BTR-40 platoon with command vehicle with bases of infantry. The BTR's are Resin Historical who oddly only do the AA version not the basic model, though it was easy enough to remove the AA mount. 

The infantry are Heroics & Ros, which I painted Flames of War Yellow Green rather than the Khaki Grey the basic infantry were getting done as I think that gave a nice hint of the camp suits recce troops would most likely be wearing.

Cold War Commander: Assault at Langenberg!

After a recent weekend of Sharpe Practice shenanigans (reports to come) Andy suggested we tried out Pendraken's new edition of Cold War Commander, which I'd recently picked up, and give my Cold War '58 forces a blooding. We chose the Assault scenario from the rulebook and by way of a change had the Americans counter-attacking the Soviets, attempting to seize two important hills (at the top of the picture).

To resist the fascist capitalist aggressors the brave liberators had a platoon of five T-55's... (can you guess which side I was playing?)

And a Heavy Tank Platoon of three T-10M's (we decided to operate on a 1:1 vehicle scale not the 1:3 suggested in the rules as it makes no difference - the extra tanks in the platoons are the HQ vehicles and only issue orders in the game - they could well have been APC's or soft skin vehicle models if I had have had some to hand).

The Americans has a platoon of M103 Heavy Tanks (its HQ unit at the rear as the M103's moved forward).

And two platoons of five M48A3's each (the HQ unit of this platoon is out of shot as the US medium tanks were very keen to advance!). Andy kept his second platoon off table initially to use as Flank Deployment.

The T-10's took up position behind a small copse on the flank the US heavy tanks were advancing down...

Whilst the T-55's took up position on the Soviet left and waited the appearance of the M48's.

This did not take long and the T-55's opened fire on the advancing American medium tanks, their initial volley suppressing one M48.

Andy had split his platoon into two elements and pushed the other two tanks towards the centre.

Spotting an opportunity the T-10's decided to have a pop at these M48's but failed to hit them.

After a couple of failed attempts, which largely negated their value, the Flank Deployment M48 platoon arrived on the table.

The first M48 platoon moved up to engage the T-55's (apart from the suppressed tank which remained behind for this turn).

But it was the Soviet gunners who struck first suppressing two M48's attempting to hide in the small copse...

Another round of 100mm cannon fire subsequently destroyed the two US tanks!

Cold War Commander uses a similar system to Warmaster (and Black Powder) in that you can keep ordering a unit to do something (albeit it is harder to each time) and the gods of war(gaming) were with me as the T-55's accepted a third round of orders to fire at the enemy...

Allowing them to destroy an M48 in the other platoon and suppress another.

With the US advance down their right flank faltering as they came up against the accurate Soviet gunfire...

The M103's began to move forward down the American left...

Again a good run of dice on issuing orders saw the US heavy tanks storm down the table and get in behind the Soviet heavy tank platoon!

Unfortunately for Andy his next order was one too far and the M103's didn't fire into the exposed rear of the T-10's. The Soviet heavies took the opportunity of the American confusion to open fire on the M103's as they emerged through the trees and suppressed all three M103's.

However luck then deserted the Soviets as the T-10's next order failed with the American heavy tanks recovering but again failing to fire at the enemy.

Back on the US right Andy tried to sneak his second platoon of M48's around the flank of the T-55's...

The 100mm cannon barked again...

And another M48 brewed up with a second suppressed.

The gods of war(gaming) then decided to have a laugh at the Soviets expense as a follow up order was blundered (no doubt because I was using a Saracen as a Soviet CO model!)

And the T-55's began pulling back from their position!

Seeing this the survivors of the M48 platoon pushed forward in an attempt to rush the hill but the tankers were wary and only moved forward once claiming static affected their ability to hear the follow up order...

Meanwhile the Soviet right saw the clash of the titans as the heavy tanks began to get to grips with each other. M103 fire first suppressed a T-10...

Before destroying it!

However the return fire of the T-10M's 122m cannon suppressed one M103...

Before destroying it.

This was the end of turn 8 and as the Soviets had defended the objective but not broken the US battlegroup, it was a Minor Victory for them.

As this was our first game of Cold War Commander we had tried to run a fairly basic game and still managed to get confused (CO orders) and miss certain rules (Opportunity Fire? Whoops...). It must be said that the 2nd edition rulebook is not the huge improvement on the first I was hoping for, rather than re-write it in a more coherent fashion Pendraken have just added more text which doesn't always help understanding. Fortunately I'd watched some videos on YouTube which helped with the basics. 

Despite the problems with the rulebook, within it there appears to be a really good game, the battle was fun and I'm sure as we add more things to the game (the Recce rules look like they add something interesting) we'll get much more out of it. Pendraken have missed a trick here not re-writing the rulebook from scratch (keeping the rules as is, just laying out and explaining them better) and I'm sure this will put people off as it is a confusing read, however, as I said, there appears to be a great game hiding within and some perseverance, watching of YouTube and asking questions on the CWC forum should hopefully reveal it

ColdWar '58: British Armoured Recce Regiment Elements

Joining my ColdWar '58 British Armoured Regiment are some elements taken from the Division's Armoured Recce Regiment. All the models are 6mm from Heroic & Ros mounted on 25x20mm bases, which are 1/2 the size of the normal tank ones...  

First up a troop of Ferret Mk 2 armoured cars. Historically a troop could be equipped with WW2-vintage Daimlers or be a mix of Mk 1 & Mk 2 Ferrets but my thinking was that there would be a push to get more modern equipment into the frontline and who would want to drive around in an unarmed Mk1?

Next up is the Regiment's Assault Troop, four Saracens with a Ferret command. These will need infantry sections painting up, but I'm still pondering basing ideas for the moment.

And finally the Heavy Troop. Again these could be WW2-era AEC's which were still in service in 1958 but as the Saladin entered service in the same year, these first production models have been rushed to the front!

Whilst these Heroics & Ros models are showing their age a bit there wasn't a lot of choice and they do feel a gap. Next up the infantry's Saracens...

ColdWar '58: US M59 Mechanised Infantry Company

The advent of 3D sculpting and printing has led to the various 'rare' APC's being made available by enterprising sculptors - such as the M59 armoured personnel carrier, the US Army's frontline battle taxi from 1954 to 1961, which I needed several of for my ColdWar '58 project.

I was having trouble sourcing a model but David Manley came to the rescue finding this STL from Daritus on Thingiverse. Jim at Bristol Independent Gaming printed a bunch off for me.

As with the other US AFV's the models are painted basic olive drab with the I-94 Enterprise white star decals providing some relief from the green. Whilst quite basic (and not too dissimilar to the M113 that replaced it) I am really pleased with these boxy little models, just need to get on with the infantry to go with them...

ColdWar '58: US M48 Patton Tank Company

Backing up the US M103 heavy tank company in ColdWar '58 is this company of M48 Patton medium tanks, more ResinHistoricals 1/285th miniatures... :-)

As with the M103's they are basic US olive drab with I-94 Enterprises decals and hand painted company markings on the gun barrel.

I'd forgotten how quick and  fun painting up 6mm was - the only problem is it's quite addictive! :D

ColdWar '58: US M103 Heavy Tank Company

As previously stated, one of the attractions of late '50's cold war gaming are the heavy tanks and for the Americans that means the M103... In 1958 the US Army had consolidated some of its M103's in the 2nd Heavy Tank Battalion, 33rd Armoured Regiment, replacing its original M103's with M103A1's borrowed from the USMC the following year.

US organisation is a bit fluid at this time with initially a heavy tank company comprised of three tank platoons before switching to five tank platoons (along USMC lines) - with the Fort Benning training battalion having four tank platoons! To start I have gone with a company comprised of 5 three tank platoons plus two company command tanks which gives me the flexibility to switch to a 3 five tank platoon company if I want (that is the organisation of the medium M48 tanks!)

The models are 1/285th 3D prints from ResinHistoricals. I may be beginning to sound like an advert for them but they are great and just 60p a model. Like the British and Soviets, US tanks are over green but the I-94 Enterprises star decals and company markings on the barrels contrast nicely (not 100% sure about the company markings but some US Army units used barrel rings in Vietnam so I decided to go with that - and it helps you see the impressive length of the 120mm cannon).

ColdWar '58: British Armoured Squadron

The first opponent for my ColdWar '58 projects is this British Armoured Squadron based on the 7th Armoured in Germany at the time. Unlike the Soviets and Americans who pooled their heavy tanks in separate units, the British army mixed its Conquerors in with its Centurions, with four troops of Centurions and one of Conquerors to a Squadron. This should give some interesting tactical conundrums when faced with companies of T-10's!

The Centurion Mk 3's are 3D prints from ResinHistoricals and once again they have provided excellent models for an exceptional price point (indeed as a returning customer they gave me a 10% discount on more order so these are now down to a bargain 56p a tank!!).

Unfortunately ResinHistoricals don't list a Conqueror in their range but Butlers Printed Models do. I'd been happy with the 15mm models I'd bought from them but am less enamoured with the 6mm ones as their approach of printing up vertically off a flat bed (rather than at an angle with supports like ResinHistoricals) makes it hard to clean up around wheels and tracks. Also any striation appears rather obviously on top flat services though I adapted a technique Chris Kemp suggested for my 15mm Centurions to deal with it on the top of the Conquerors. The models aren't bad, it's just ResinHistoricals prints are better.