20mm SADF Bush War

[Ash]

Under Fire minis just released a pack of '32 battalion' minis in 20mm; so added them to my little conversion platoon.

[juergen c. olk]

Very nice...sigh ..more things to buy/// (32 battalion w/Unimogs and recoiless rifles)

[Ash]

cheers Juergen.

Here's the whole lot, mainly older UnderFire Rhodesians/Zanla/Militia, WeeFriends & a few Elhiem; mixed bag of different heights:

Command


Three sections

[Splod]

Fantastic work mate! As I said over on TWF, I reckon they need some heavy weapons and maybe some wheels 

[juergen c. olk]

Those are Great...I;m behind on my Bush war painting...great inspiration. Picture is of a 32 batt. 6 vicker Mg. Gun truck..probably on a Bedford...but not sure.

[Ash]

Good picture, I remember that truck mentioned in a couple of books. I'll see if I can find the reference.

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

I can feel a Wild Geese range developing in my subconscious 

[FreakyFenton]

I can feel a Wild Geese range developing in my subconscious 

That'd be enough to make me collect yet forces for another conflict. There better be a good figure of Hardy Krüger along with it. 

[Splod]

I can feel a Wild Geese range developing in my subconscious 

Well... 20mm could do with some more love 

[Ash]

I can feel a Wild Geese range developing in my subconscious 

Funnily enough that how this and my little Rhodesian army project started; looking for minis to do the 'Wild Geese' in 20mm. I did paint up a test piece of a WW2 Brit Para Vickers team in DPM & bought a Dakota, then went hunting for suitable minis with FN/SLR and found the RLI figures from UnderFire; sort of went off at a tangent and the Wild Geese got replaced with what feels like the entire Rhodesian army (coolest camo & wierdest looking vehicles ever).

[Golgotha]

Absolutely adore your work - these may be of interest to you... https://www.elhiem.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6956331-VOTE047-Rhodesian-light-Infantry-PHASE-1.html

[italwars]

First couple of pages lost picture to Photobucket fiasco, pictures restart at bottom of page three.






Not done anything for a while, but have been slowly collecting bits whilst waiting for painting enthusiasm to return.

A few more recruits for ZANLA


Rhodesian ACR plus some more troopies


Cubans/FAPLA


EO/32bat

Hello sorry to have noticed just now and be so late in quoting your very interesting post..as I’m revamping my 20mm Bush War armies and project I was also interested in giving heavy support to both my early South Africans and Rhodesians ..those Elands or Panhards are a good choice as they equipped both armies..I would like to follow your track and buy just two armoured cars ..do you suggest me the same you did..that s two machines armed with guns..instead of the mg or the mortar version? Both for the South Africans and the Rhodesian? No problem about the camouflage colour as I’ll use them as basic force for both the armies ..thanks

[italwars]

Those are Great...I;m behind on my Bush war painting...great inspiration. Picture is of a 32 batt. 6 vicker Mg. Gun truck..probably on a Bedford...but not sure.

There is some scant info here about that very pict
http://www.saairforce.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2187&start=15&hilit=pathfinder
Anyway it probably refers to operation Savanah , Zulu Column, in 1975 (a B&W picture) not in 1987..from what i remember having read that special purpose truck , the only regular component of those early columns probing in Angola in support of UNITA, was manned by few SA paratroopers and with the few vintage weapons they had been given..the helmets is an evidence of their paratroop status as I think that nobody else used helmets in the field..

[Ash]

I think a couple of AML-90s / Elands would be a good choice, as you said, used by both the SADF & Rhodesian ACR.
For models the ACE 1/72 AML-90 is a good starting point, if you can find some (could do with the extra turret box, but fairly straight forward to scratch build) .
S&S models used to make a resin version of the 'Eland', and I believe it is being remolded, so hopefully it will have the correct turret.
http://www.model-miniature.com/  also do an AML-90, I think it's resin, so may not by 100% suitable for wargaming.

With regard to BMP1 & 2 in Angola, I'm not sure when they were supplied but I don't think they had BMP-2's until the 1990's. I did mine to go with a 20mm Executive Outcomes force (93-95)


Also had a go at some Bush Wars in 28mm inc some EO & fAPLA:     http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=65877.0


@ Golgotha: Thanks for the link.

[italwars]

I think a couple of AML-90s / Elands would be a good choice, as you said, used by both the SADF & Rhodesian ACR.
For models the ACE 1/72 AML-90 is a good starting point, if you can find some (could do with the extra turret box, but fairly straight forward to scratch build) .

Thanks for the suggestion Ash...in fact i'll opt for 3D printed Buttler Printed Models..they also do the very Eland Armoured Car
my query was above all about the version...from picts ecc..it seem that both South Africans and Rhodesians (even if the Rhodesian Armoured Corps saw little or no action) employed exclusivly the version equipped with the 90mm big gun...so as i ll field only a couple of models i want to be sure about what to choose and i prefer to ask to the experts ..two Eland 90 or one Eland 90 and one Eland 60 armed with MG?..any additional suggestions?
thanks in advance