Ich hab so Heimweh nach dem Kurfürstendamm

[carlos marighela]

OK, I'll return to those later. Everyone hates MPs anyway.

Now for something exotic.

The 6941st Guard Battalion was a unit raised from German nationals to provide security at US installations in the city. As such all the barracks, McNair, Turner, Andrews etc along with US schools, PXs and married quarters were guarded by members of this semi-civilian unit. They were howver also organised to function as sort of bare bones light infantry battalion. Nothing in the way of heavy weapons but another source of defenders. The uniforms they wore were US cast-offs, so the old OG-107 uniform was still in evidence and the older Mitchell pattern helmet covers. I used the old Eureka US Army in MOPP gear as the basis for pretty basic conversions.

[carlos marighela]

Finally some armoured support.

Throughout the 1980s the US Berin Brigade maintained an overstrength company of M60 tanks. In 1984 these were the M60A3 variant. Possibly so as not to appear too warlike to the neighbours they stayed in OG throughout the period and were bulled for parades. I've kept the standard markings but not given the oiled up look used on parades.

Each of the three infantry battalions in the US Berlin Brigade had enough M113s to carry a company, so despite being otherwise organised as light infantry, it was an odd mixed organisation. M113A2s by this time.

[carlos marighela]

Yanks are pretty much complete. I'm contemplating adding an M109A2, as the US battery was the only artillery available to all of the Allied forces in West Berlin.

Still working on more terrain, there's another table's worth of stuff for the burbs as well as a fair selection of rubbled buildings.

Next up will be the Soviets and their East German chums.

And as I'm wont to do, a liitle bit more Hidegard Knef. Enjoy!

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Were the MPs from Australia?

Nice painting.

I thought that the British kept WOMBATs in Berlin (add joke to taste) due to short ranges and concerns about the guide wires catching on the scenery.

[carlos marighela]

Cheers. Fuck knows what happened with the MPs. Photos were loaded in exactly the same manner. Im actually quite proud of having made a stab at the tiny Berlin Brigade flash on their MP brassards.

Wombat vs Milan? They had both around this time it seems. In 1985 Princess Diana visited the Royal Hampshires in West Berlin. In addition to the hilarious footage showing Princess Dim attempting to drove an FV432, there's also at least one photo of her being shown a Milan. You can almost add your own caption. 'No maám', (you fucking thicko) the rockety thing comes out this way.'

[commissarmoody]

Very interesting, I'll have to look more into the 6941st Guard Battalion. Never heard of them before.

[carlos marighela]

https://6941st-gdbn.com/

It grew out of a labour unit, a few of which were spread across USAEUR. The British even had a sort of counterpart in Berlin, the 248 German Security Unit, which was part of the Royal Military Police. Again manned by German nationals.

https://www.248gsu.de/index.php/geschichte/unsere-geschichte/1960er-jahre

Lots of interesting bits and pieces about the forces in Berlin, pretty much unique organisations. Almost equally true of the Soviets, who had a unique mixed brigae of three tank and three motor rifle battalions and of course the East Germans, who in addition to the NVA's 1MSD also planned to use Grenztruppen, Volkspolizei and the good old Kampfgruppen der Arbeiterklasse in their assault.

[CapnJim]

Nice stuff, carlos.  Looking forward to the Soviets and NVA (mind you, not to be confused with the other NVA...).

[Cypher226]

lovely stuff.

[AKULA]

Love the additions (even the MPs... must be australian ?)

Those building backdrops really look the part as well

 

[carlos marighela]

Many thanks chaps. Will add some more when I get back to Australia.

[sir_shvantselot]

Ah I did not catch your specific setting date, I was just looking at the kit. As you say, a bit early for the RWF.

I am unsure if the Brits had the same plans as us Yanks but we intended to fight in the sewers if we survived the initial onslaught. That or put on civilian clothes and hide among the civilian population if it came to that. At least that was what us lower ranked enlisted grunts thought at McNair Barracks. I spent 4 months on exchange with the RWF but did not learn much about their battle plans in that time, focusing more on exchanging individual infantry skills and drinking beer.

My memory is not what it used to be and it was a long time ago but there was a saying we used to have, something like “Many thought we would only last 3 hours. We figured 3 days. We hoped to last three weeks which would delay enough troops long enough to help units in the West. If we could hold out 3 months we would have won the war.” Something like that.

Also… “Berlin… the worlds largest military POW camp”.

Thanks for sharing the amazing things you must have experienced.