DUTCH - Mighty Antar in Action

Just a quick update with a couple of photos of one of the Dutch Antar Tank Transporter with a YPR-765 PRCO on board.

WEST GERMAN - Federal Navy's Amphibsches Transportbattailon

As is usually the case while looking for something else I stumbled across a couple of websites which show the West Germans using LARC-5 (LARC-V). It would appear that the West German Federal Navy's Amphibsches Transportbattailon 2 & 4 based in Emden received a total of 53 LARC-V in 1963 and 1964. This was apparently part of 200 in total that went into service.

http://www.panzerbaer.de/helper/bw_amphgrp-a.htm

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm?http&&&www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Engineer/USAREUR_6960th%20CLGp.htm

Now from what I can gather they were gradually phased out of service with the last ones being decommissioned in the late 80's early 90's. Now as the CWC Megagame is a great opportunity to get unusual units on the table, so I had some of the new Heroics & Ros LARC-5 models for my 'Dragonstrike' project but as other projects are taking priority at the moment I have decided to use four for my West Germans.

DUTCH - Mighty Antar

For the CWC game in September both myself and Mark Fry are using Dutch forces and over the last few weeks we have both been finding interesting bits of information on units of the Dutch army. As the game is set in 1985 which was the year the Dutch army started to go through major changes, this has meant that we can choose between older or newer formations. As you will see in future posts the Dutch tank forces will consist of everything from a Centurion Mk.V to a Leopard 2 which has made the Dutch a very interesting force to collect. 

One of the things we discovered was the Dutch used the Mighty Antar tank transporter so I have decided that instead of making a single base for my repair depot I am going to get a few vehicles together and commandeer a building on the table as my repair depot. So first up are two Mighty Antar Tank Transporters and a Ballast Truck (rear converted after seeing a photo).

Tank Transporter unit, all vehicle from H&R with a small conversion on the Ballast Truck

Close up of the Mighty Antar

Converted Ballast Truck

Side view, the Antars are based on 80mm x 20mm mdf bases

Another view of the whole unit. 

DUTCH - Bridging Equipment (Part Seven)

I have now completed to the two DAF Treadway Bridge units for my 1985 Dutch Army. These will be allocated to units as required as quite a lot of units in the Dutch Amy has access to them.

Both DAF Treadway Bridge units. Each unit consists of a Leyland DAF with Container with a towed bridge section and a 1T Land Rover with a towed bridge section. In my research I couldn't find any pictures of the bridge section being towed so originally planned to use trucks but fellow Cold War Commander Mark Fry suggested that the bridge sections probably weren't that heavy so could be towed by a smaller vehicle so I decided on a 1T Land Rover.

One unit with bridge sections in tow. Just got to make a couple of deployed versions.

Another view of the DAF Treadway Bridge unit.

Close up of Leyland DAF with Treadway Bridge.

Close up of 1T Land Rover with Treadway Bridge.

Thanks for looking :-)

Maps

Those players who have been involved since Arctic Strike know that I like to draw my own maps. This years is 50% complete but I thought I better post something to give players an idea of the area the tables will be covering as both NATO and WARPAC begin to formulate their plans.

Southern half of the table

Northern half of the table

Apologies for the quality but hopefully it will give you all an idea. If you click on the pictures you will get a slightly larger image. 

DUTCH - 58th Pantser Battalion

Another unit for my Dutch/West German Battlegroup. The 58th Pantser Battalion 'Regiment Huzaren Prins Oranje'. I had originally painted these up as West German but have since decided to make them into a Dutch unit so before September I will repaint the little flags on the front of each tank to the Dutch flag.

Next up some Dutch recce. Thanks for looking.

WEST GERMAN - 74th Panzer Battalion

As I am working on Dutch Forces for Deeside I have been researching the Cold War Dutch and found that the West German 3rd Panzer Division was attached to the 1st Netherlands Corps so I decided to add a few West German units to my Dutch.

First up is the 74th Panzer Battalion complete with their Leopard 2 MBT's from H&R.

DUTCH - Bridging Equipment (Part Six)

I have finished varnishing and basing the Dutch 105 Pontoon Co. and have also added an escort vehicle converted from a 3/4 Ton Land Rover.

105 Pontoon Co.

Land Rover Escort Vehicle with added blue and orange roof lights and a camo net and white front bumper.

The three DAF YGZ-2300 Bridging units ready for action.

Another view of the converted Escort Land Rover. I think the writing on the roof is supposed to read 'KONINKLIJKE MARECHAUSSEE'. There was no way I was going to paint that in a space 5mm x 1.5mm so settled for some white marks that represent the sign.

Good view showing the white front bumper.

Close up of converted truck fronts.

The rear of the Escort Land Rover showing camo net on roof.

A YPR-GWT. This will be part of my Medical Unit.

YPR-GWT with added flag and baggage from H&R (Armstrong)

I have a few more Medical Vehicles to do for show as part of the Medical Unit for the CWC Megagame.

As always thanks for looking.

DUTCH - Bridging Equipment (Part Five)

Quick update on the progress of my Dutch Bridging Equipment.

105 Pontoon Bridge Co.

The photo above shows the DAF YGZ 2300 Bridge Unit from 105 Pontoon Bridge Co. I decided I wanted my unit to look like this so went to work on converting three H&R Leyland Flatbed models to represent this unit. I am not sure the orange and white warning plates either side would still be there in wartime but in a fit of madness I decided to have a go at modelling the trucks to look like the one in the photo. I have detailed in a previous post the parts used to make this model so now it was on to the conversion.

Models undercoated before additional parts added and painting.

The three trucks painted and with the converted front section.

Close up showing the converted front section. This was done using thin plasticard and I am really pleased with the results. 

The trucks were undercoated white then a basecoat of US Dark Green. This is followed with a black wash then a drybrush of US Dark Green to bring the colour back. The model is then given a fine drybrush of a mix 50% US Dark Green 50% Iraqi Sand. 

Just need to gloss varnish then matt varnish and finish the bases.

Thanks for looking 

WEST GERMAN - 3 (GE) Reconnaissance Battalion

I am working on the NATO Covering Force minus the 2 (US) Armoured Division (Fwd) which Andy Hamilton is doing. The main force for this is the Dutch 41 Armoured Brigade but attached to this Brigade was also the Dutch 103 Reconnaissance Battalion and the 3 (GE) Reconnaissance Battalion. Each Company consists of a Fuchs TPZ, a Luchs and two Leopard 1 tanks. I just have three infantry bases to do to mount in the Fuchs TPZ's. HQ is a Fuchs TPZ and a M577. As we are using the Recce Support House Rules I decided to base my Recce Support on different bases. After a discussion with Leon at Minibits he sorted out some 40mm x 20mm MDF bases with a point at the front for me so all my Recce Support units will be based like this. Easy way to remember their unit type.