Lebanon 1982 (updated 05/13)

[tomek917]

I've been wanting to do this project for a long time, so when the Mongrel miniatures finally became available again I ordered a bunch of miniatures.

These are the first four that I have painted. They are IDF paratroopers from the 1982 campaign in Lebanon.


These will eventually ride around in M113 Zeldas and be supported by one or two Merkavas. If only Sloppy Jalopy would start selling the Chieftain line again...  

As their opposition I have some PLO fighters and Syrian Commandos. Next on the painting table are PLO fighters, I'll probably finish them in a day or two! So stay tuned!

[Arlequín]

Nice work there! I have some of these in the lead pile too! 

[gamer Mac]

I have always been interested in wargaming around this area. Never got round to deciding on an actual time though.
Very nice work
Will watch this thread with interest.

[tomek917]

Thanks for the kind words!

Here's some more, PLO fighters this time, or terrorist depending on who you ask, but lets not get into that.

The palestinian head-scarf is really hard to paint, hopefully I'll be good at it after some 30 miniatures! 



Yes I know the one with the RPG is a complete rip-off of dsmiths miniature that can be found here http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=21528.0

Obviously he paints much better than me so I had to add something extra, and I got a pretty good sponsorship deal...

[Arlequín]

Excellent work again... you'd have thought that the RPG gunner could have got some good training shoes out of the deal though! 

[carlos marighela]

Very nice work.  You undersell yourself that's some really nice brushmanship, you've really brought those figures to life.

I used to know a Palestinian chap who grew up in the camps in Beirut and wrote a play about it, Empty Shells. An ex of mine appeared in its first production. That and reading Robert Fisk has always put me off wanting to game the topic but I'll acknowledge that it's a fascinating period and those are nice minis.

[tomek917]

Thanks guys!

Excellent work again... you'd have thought that the RPG gunner could have got some good training shoes out of the deal though! 

Theres actually one such miniature, with actual adidas on his feet, he's up next! 

I know the Lebanon war isn't a pretty conflict, but then again, what conflict is? When wargaming I try to have a strict "wargame-approach" to things, there are other forums for the other parts.

By the way, does anyone know of a good book on the lebanon war? I'll certainly check out that play!

[carlos marighela]

Start with Robert Fisk's 'Pity the Nation', it's a great read although a rather sobering one. Fisk was the Irish Times' Middle East correspondent and was based in Lebanon for much of the civil war, including the period of the Israeli intervention and the massacres conducted by their allies/ proxies in the Sabra and Shatila camps.

There is at least one fabulous bit of comedic relief though, the episode of the German neo-nazis who travelled to Lebanon, with a view to killing a few Israelis but copped it in the neck from the Phalangists. Double dose of irony if you know the origin of the Kataeb (Phalange) party.

[Emphatz]

Very nice, I really like the IDF figures, colours are spot on and so are the helmets. ( i also have these figures aswell, good to see a good painted example)

[Brummie]

Indeed some very well painted figs, although I myself have no quarrels with gaming any war (always best to be modest when it comes to wars and wargaming etc) I never really considered wargaming things like the six day war. Simply never came to mind!

Very nice stuff though.

[tomek917]

Thanks guys!

Well, here's a little update, painting has been slow for a few days. The weather has just been too good to sit inside and paint! 

Some more PLO, I was going to paint Syrians next but these miniatures are just too much fun to paint. I have experimented with some camo-patterns and I think I'm getting better with the head-scarfs!

[Atheling]

Really nice brushwork  .

Darrell.

[Agis]

...These will eventually ride around in M113 Zeldas and be supported by one or two Merkavas. ...

1st - very nice work, and a great coincidence, I just got more and more interested in the conflict...
 
Are there any 1/56 Zeldas or Merkava Is?

[tomek917]

Thanks!

Agis, yes there is. Sloppy Jalopy has the Zeldas in their Cold War range. Chieftain miniatures has the Merkavas. The Chieftain range is now owned by Sloppy but all the vehicles aren't released yet.

[Brummie]

The Camo is fantastic mate, I always found it one of the most difficult things to do (aside from Red) real uber job, and the headscarfs are definitely coming a long way too (another pain in the backside job!) very crisp and very clean.