Persian Gulf Wars: Iraqi Armor

Whoa son, has it been a busy month.  I have a number of catch up posts, and will be starting with my progress on the Iran Iraq War project.  Totally intimidated by the sheer volume of Iraqi infantry I need to paint up, I admittedly took the coward's path and started with the vehicles.

This was partly due to the fact that I have several diecast models, already fully painted and ready to go... and partly due to the fact that I like the multipurpose nature of my chosen vehicles and paint scheme.  For the majority of these, I have kept with a sand and green paint pattern that shows up on vehicles used by a number of different nations.  Specifically, I want most of these to also be usable by my 20mm 1980's era Soviets for fighting in Afghanistan.

If I ever want to get the chance to throw these on the table in a Seek Out, Close With, and Destroy game, I need to get a move on.... here is the entire Iraqi armor force, plus 3 uparmored Soviet BMP-2s that I painted at the same time, in the same paint pattern.  The BMP-2s are from Liberation, they are great models, BUT, I regret purchasing them as they are really only appropriate for use in Afghanistan.  I should have bought 3 standard BMP-2s instead.  Still, they are a useful addition to my Soviet forces.  Though this kind of thinking might seem like heresy to some, its a great way for a gamer on a limited budget to get the most out of his dollar (or euro or yen...).  So my Falklands British fight my 80's Soviets which fight my Mujahideen... and these vehicles can show up in more than one theater.  Pragmatic, maybe.  Cheap, definitely.

For the base coat, I used a desert yellow designed for hobby use.  The problem is that it is indeed yellow, I should have more of a whitish-tan.  Some extra paint applied improved the look, but its probably still too yellow.  They turned out well enough for the likes of me.

This next image shows the diecast component, including 3 T-55s from Hobbymaster, painted for Iraqi service already.  I may decide to paint over the Iraqi markings to make them more general purpose.  Also included are 4 T-72s from Forces of Valor, also painted for Iraqi service.  I did repaint one, with tan and green, which helps tie the group into the rest of the vehicles, and also gives me a vehicle to nominate for command function.  These T-72 models are really for later wars against American led coalitions, but they should do fine here in the 1980's.  In the war against Iran, the T-72s were formidable tanks, and the Iranians had difficulty fighting them.

To complete the lot are 2 T-62s, from Combat Ready, and my armored transports, 3 BMP-1s.  These two groups are very useful, and can show up in a number of places as needed... I think that I will need another group of transports eventually.  Maybe something specific to the Iraqis.

Any of these vehicles could show up in Iranian hands too, as captures... effectively doubling my Iranian vehicle pool.  The most likely candidates would be the T-55s and BMP-1s, I think the T-72s would be the least likely to be employed as captures.

Whew!   One step closer to completion.  Thanks for viewing... and look for some quick follow up entries on my Soviets.

Persian Gulf Wars: Iranian Armor

OK, so I didn't intend to post again on my Iran Iraq War project so soon.  I am going to be very busy getting ready for our attendance at Cold Wars 2011 and finishing up the work on our next release, Man Among Men, a supplement for Seek Out Close With and Destroy detailing troops and equipment for gaming Rhodesia.  I took the time to inventory the vehicles I have for both my Iranian and Iraqi forces.  Now, for the Iraqis, there are "mass quantities" of vehicles available in 20mm, 1/72, and 1/76, especially the Soviet armor.  For the Iranians, things are a little scarcer.  In the later war, I will have an easy time working in some Soviet or PRC vehicles to support my Pasdaran.  My early war regulars, on the other hand, need Chieftains, M60A1s, and M113s.  The gripping hand:  those M60s.

Years ago, in a convention flea market, I bought some resin kits produced by Cromwell, the Combat Ready series.  Amongst some other stuff, I picked up 2 Chieftains and 2 Scorpions specifically to support my Falklands era Guards in the event they had to be deployed to Europe with the BAOR (my 80's era Soviets get frisky now and again).  I didn't think about it at the time, but I believe these Chieftains were meant to be P variants used by Iran, though I painted them up for British service.... and they have proved too useful at knocking out Soviet T-55s and BMPs for me to repaint them now!  Plus, I'm lazy.  These are excellent models, I'd recommend them to anyone, and I'd buy them again.  You might notice a few nice Combat Miniatures from FAA, painted up as Scots Guards.

What I have to work with for my Iranians is a little less swell.  I bought a large lot of 1/72 and 1/76 tanks off of ebay for a great price, sold the Leopard 1s and AMX-30s, plus the WWII stuff, and it still left me with a box of tracks, including a few Airfix Chieftains.  These are painted drab, and have seen some use.  I hate building model kits, so for now I can live with the less than perfect condition of these.  Painting will be difficult, they are not going to look great, but once they are in appropriate colors, with some details, they'll be ok.  I bought 3 diecast M113A1s, painted for Vietnam.  As "Booze Hound" in english is about the last thing I think I'd see on a post-revolution Iranian vehicle, they definitely need repainted.  I might keep them in a lighter drab green, but likely they will get a desert tan.  I bought Vietnam era vehicles as later M113s tend to have too many accessories.

OK, the problem children are the M60 Pattons.  Actually, in almost any scale other than micoarmor, obtaining M60 or M60A1 variants, without Blazer/ERA/etc is a real problem.  My good friend Doctor Merkury is having difficulty finding a M60 for use with his 28mm 1980's USMC (anyone have a suggestion for 1/48 1/50 1/56 let the good Doc know).  What I currently have to work with (from the same lot the Airfix Chieftains came with) are three Airfix toys in 1/72 scale, not models.  I believe they marketed these as simply Patton tanks, which of course, is somewhat vague.  Patton Tank covers quite a few things.  Here are the facts (see below), the turret doesn't look right for an M60A1 (maybe the initial M60 production), the gun looks like it might be 105mm (not like the 90mm for early M48s), and hull definitely looks like an M60 (see the straight sharp forward edge of the hull, not the M48 style curved hull).

They need some cleaning.  Based on the ebay prices, these are cheap to obtain in the UK and expensive in the US.  The paint on them is flaking off, I have to thoroughly clean them before applying some bonding spray paint... and I feel the headache of having to defend my use of them, BUT, show me where I can get the right ones.  I was hoping to see some of the M60A3 (no ERA) offered by Altaya IXO, thought I could repaint them and look ok, however, I have had no luck in finding anyone I could purchase any from.  Actually, they supposedly have a huge range of modern diecast, too bad....

Now, for some happy news to finish.  Probably like some of you out there, for me its not always the biggest or baddest toy in your army that you get the most excited about.  Sometimes, its just something that catches you the right way.  For me, for the Iranians, its a pair of 106mm RR armed jeeps I purchased from Liberation Miniatures.  They are not "armor" but its my blog.  Likely these poor fellows will eat it from small arms fire in every game, but I like the idea of very fast tank killers, even if they have no protection.  I should find some dirtbike models and make RPG-7 tank killer teams too, they would fit in perfectly with the way I like to game.  These jeeps won't see painting or assembly until well after Cold Wars.

There definitely will not be another Iran Iraq War update for some time, though I will try to keep up with other posts.  Later, I will go over the Iraqi vehicle inventory, and eventually show some completely finished platoons.  Thanks!