Laying out my Soviet forces
(click to embiggen)

To-day we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And to-morrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But to-day,
To-day we have naming of parts.

“Naming of the Parts” by Henry Reed

I’ve always liked this particular poem as it reminds me of my teens spent taking FN Fals apart until I could do it my sleep. I imagine I could still do it now. I doubt I would manage the Bren gun, but I always found it and the GPMG rather more difficult. Our platoon sergeant had a mania for making sure the pieces were in proper order and set out correctly. It is the sort of thing that proper platoon sergeants worthy of their salt.

In the spirit of laying out and setting out correctly, I have set out the figures I shall need for my first Force on Force scenario “From Afghanistan with Love” from the Cold War Gone Hot scenario book.

Soviet Forces

Bonegruppa

3 BMP-2

3 x Squads each consisting of

Rifle Team
2 Riflemen with AK-74
1 Grenadier with GP-25 UGL
1 Gunner with RPK

Gun Team
2 Riflemen with AK-741
Gunner with PKM
Gunner with RPG-7
The scenario is essentially a straight up attack/defence bash. NATO forces are in retreat and the remnants of a platoon have been bypassed in a small hamlet. The Soviet commander has realised that the hamlet lies on his line of supply and has sent a platoon of Motor Rifle Troops to clean them out.

The Bonegruppa refered to above is Soviet tactic that became popular in Afghanistan. The idea behind it was that the infantry would dismount from their vehicles and attack on foot, supported by gunfire. Typically the vehicles would be used as a flanking or blocking force, if my recollection of “The Bear goes over the Mountain” is correct.

Infuriatingly, I have discovered that as well as lacking the appropriate vehicles (S&S, I think), I am short two Soviet riflemen with grenade launchers. You can see their spots marked with “?” above. It must be said that I found laying out the troops needed for a scenario like this quite useful as it concentrates the mind wonderfully in a way that simply writing a list does not.

British forces

Unit 1
Leader with SLR
4 Riflemen with SLR
1 Gunner with 84mm Carl Gustav

Unit 2
Leader with SLR
5 Riflemen with SLR
1 Gunner with Bren Gun

Unit 3
Leader with SLR
4 Riflemen with SLR
1 Gunner with 84mm Carl Gustav
1 Gunner with GPMG

Unit 4
Spotter with SLR
Sniper with Lee Enfield

The Soviet figures are all Elheim sculpts from their beautiful Cold War range and the British troops are Liberation miniatures from their Falklands range. I’ve made some minor changes to the British figures with green stuff.

I’m not sure how this laying out business would work with larger forces, but it’s not without its charms.