Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: Viper4Dan on January 22, 2017, 08:33:59 PM
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Over the years I've been accused of purposely picking a period that nobody else (or very few people) seem to game, finding that there are, understandably, no figures designed specifically for it, then converting figures and creating rules to suite my fancy. “Guilty as charged, your Honor”. My scale of choice is 28mm, and my eccentric gaming includes Ancient Roman 4th century Syrian frontier skirmish games (“Roma Victa” rules), Greenland in WW2, Partisan warfare in Yugoslavia in WW2, Franco-Siam War of WW2, 1st French-Indochina War, the Vietnam War (but only the Australian and Thai areas of operation), modern Canadian Peacekeeping operations, modern African Warlord battles, and Back of Beyond 1920's skirmish (aka “Mongols with Mausers”). I won't bore you with a list of the more mainstream games.
A few years ago, I had the chance to travel in Thailand, and experience both the beauty and the seedy underbelly of an amazing country and culture. Then I got the big, (actually, a bug got me, but another story, another time). I watched a truck of Thahan Phran (literally meaning “hunter killers”) Thai Army Rangers drive by. That image inspired a whole new gaming possibility for me.The late, great scholar, Professor Desmond Ball refers to them in his book on the subject as “The Boys in Black”. They are small units of paramilitary light infantry of the Royal Thai Army (RTA) that are scattered along Thailand's borders to patrol the area and call in other police or RTA forces if they need support. They tend to be made up of small units (19-40) of young men who live in these remote areas, so they know the terrain, people, customs, language and local “bush news”. They have a very spotty history. Some units have become almost folk heroes, while others are as corrupt and abusive as those they defend against.
Along Thailand's borders with Burma/Myanmar, Laos & Cambodia, they patrol against foreign incursions by both national and ethnic rebel armies, smugglers, human traffickers, teak wood and elephant poachers, and drug dealers. This is an especially dangerous job in the far north in The Golden Triangle, where the Mekong River forms a border between Burma/Myanmar, Thailand and Laos.
And so, getting back to the point, I've chosen to start gaming a new period, in this mountainous, jungle-covered frontier area. It is wide open for scenarios and a variety of forces. The Thais have a dizzying variety Thahan Phran, Border Patrol Police (BPP), and Royal Thai Army (RTA) units to bring into play, as do the Royal Loas Army (RLA). The Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) has a variety of regular and light infantry units to bring into play. Since much of Myanmar, especially along the Thai border, the north and in The Golden Triangle, are controlled by ethnic rebel groups, most of the patrolling and skirmishing is carried out by the Light Infantry Divisions (Chay Myan Tat Ma or Ta Ma Kha). The ethnic rebel groups in Myanmar are too numerous to name, with the major groups ranging from armies of the few hundred of the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), to the 25,000 of the United Wa State Army (UWSA). Add into this a large number of smaller ethnic militias, criminal syndicates and drug warlords. At various times these groups are either allied to the government, fighting the government, allied to other ethnic rebel groups, fighting other ethnic rebel groups, or all the above. Just to make matters more interesting, add in to this mix the activities of Mekong River pirates and foreign mercenaries.
Let's face it, for skirmish gaming in exotic locales, this one is a winner. I plan to put together a scenario for the HotLead Convention in Stratford, Ontario Canada in March. Pics of my first units should be posted shortly.
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The first group of photos are of my Burmese ethnic rebel drug lord forces. They are based on the uniform of the United Wa State Army, but could equally represent any number of ethnic armies, local militias, or even light infantry from Laos or Cambodia. The figures are from Commando Miniatures, with the WW2 weapons swapped for AK's, and the red scarves added from greenstuff.
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Two sections of Burmese Drug Warlord light infantry.
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Command and light mortar support.
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First unit of Mekong pirates. Boats and Thahan Phran to be the next projects up.
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You just can't do anything normal, can you?
:D
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I plan to put together a scenario for the HotLead Convention in Stratford, Ontario Canada in March. Pics of my first units should be posted shortly.
Your games are great fun. Can't wait to see more of this!
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Your strange flights of fancy are always fun to see. Keep up the good work. :-*
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As a fellow gamer who likes to take the road less traveled in what I game, excellent!
I could see where this could be a lot of fun.
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Very cool.
Look forward to see what is next.
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Huh??
This topic ain't about wargaming in Norh Carolina??
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Research-triangle-north-carolina.png)
Yours looks almost as dangerous, & a LOT more interesting!!
& I've always admired “Roma Victa”, very well done, Sir!!
Valerik
"Sign of the Fiery Naga"
-Mister Moto Takes a Chance
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Some great ideas there- looking forward to seeing it develop.
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As the project progresses, I've completed the leader of my Mekong pirates, Pho King Mao. He's a Gripping Beast MoFo African Warlord figure. His first pirate ship is a converted speedboat, found at a local Good Will store. Besides the required Heavy Machine Gun mount, I've added a boarding ladder to allow his crew to clamber up the side of smaller cargo ships.
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The "Blue Dragon" of the Mekong!
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Indeed. What excellent choice. ;-)
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Looks like a lot of fun.
Reminds me a lot of the anime Black Lagoon, various miscreants causing trouble in South-East Asia. I thoroughly recommend it!
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I've completed my Mekong pirate gang "Flaming Dragon" for HotLead in March. Just have another boat to finish and they're good to go. Here they are doing what they do best, looting a poor, defenseless village!
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More pirates behaving badly!
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great looking game..looks like a lot of fun.
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Just a few more pieces completed. The Green Dragon is my second Mekong River pirate boat. It's based on the Burmese river pirate boat from Rambo 4, a converted PBR. The Thais still use these and the venerable Vietnam era Swiftboats, to patrol the Mekong today.
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The Thahan Phran (Rangers), aka "The Boys in Black" are a unique Thai light infantry tripwire force along its frontiers. Locals who know the terrain, people and culture of the area, are high on patriotism, but are low on pay, training, education, and in some cases discipline. Some units are almost local folk heroes, while others are barely better than the bandits and drug warlords they patrol against. They are a fascinating group. Each regiment wears its own regimental coloured neckerchief. I used the red, white and black of the 3601st Company because I liked the colours. The discerning reader will realize that this company is actually stationed at Ban Mae Sam Laep, on the Salween River, much further west of the Mekong. Deal with it!
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Thahan Phran command and "heavy" weapons.
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What would the Golden Triangle be without foreign intervention, either through the CIA, corporations, investors, governments, or cartels, not to mention corrupt government officials or military units. Throw in a little piracy, drug warlords, and ethnic militias, and you have a great opportunity to involve mercenaries of one type or another. Well trained and well paid, these boys are ready for most dirty jobs. Besides a .50 Barrett is quite the equalizer!
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The mercenary's means navigating the backwaters of the Mekong.
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Where is the rubber ducky from?
The mercenary's means navigating the backwaters of the Mekong.
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It's part of a pack of mismatched dollar store plastic combat gear. You know the packaging.....add one 28mm scale boat, one 1:48 scale tent, a 54mm soldier, and a 20mm jeep and sell it in a pack for the kiddies to play with. They won't notice the difference.
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lol. I have been hunting those locally but they are not currently available. Finished up buying Eureka's Nato frogmen set.
It's part of a pack of mismatched dollar store plastic combat gear. You know the packaging.....add one 28mm scale boat, one 1:48 scale tent, a 54mm soldier, and a 20mm jeep and sell it in a pack for the kiddies to play with. They won't notice the difference.
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Love your village set.
Well done.
May I ask where you got the PBR?
Been looking for one.
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Great character about your village. I love how busy it is.
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Marine0846, I think it's an old Cold War Miniatures boat, now long out of production. Old Glory also makes one.
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I am very impressed by what you are doing. Taking a period that,
I would guess, few have ever played, and producing great figures
and terrain. It makes me want to play this.
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Viper4Dan.
Thanks for the update on the PBR.
I will be purchasing the Old Glory one of these days.
It is the only one on the market at this time.
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What range's are you using to make your Mercs and rangers?
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Mercs are TAG. Rangers are TAG and some Old Glory. I think I may have a converted Warlord Games Marine in that bunch as well. A number have been modified or have weapons added.
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It's a shame you're running this Friday night, we likely won't get up in time to play from Toronto...
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I,can't wait to,see these in the Flesh. Amazing as always!
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Are the village buildings based on the Airfix kits?
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Yes, they are the old Airfix jungle outpost kit. I extended some of the porches, or put two together. All have the main building "jacked up" by putting about three rows of thin round plastic tubing (to look like horizontal rows of bamboo poles/trunks) under the base of the Airfix building walls. This makes them taller and a better fit for 25/28mm figures.