Congo Mercenaries

[Ray Rivers]

Fantastic job.

What made you change to square bases... I kinda liked the round ones?

The basing reflects the training and organisation of the troops, these are based as WWII troops, each base represents a squad of about 10-12 men and they are on squares so they have a definite 'rear arc' for firing and spotting.
Modern troops are based in fire teams of 4 men and have 360 degrees arc of fire and vision so are on round bases.

Okay, sounds good.

Marvelous job... looking forward to Tarzan as well... 

[Gluteus Maximus]

I've got Crossfire, because I like to read new and unconventional rules systems, but never played it as I am not really into WWII etc 

Is it an easy conversion to late 20thC small wars? I assume it would be, but not being an expert on the period.......

I've always had a hankering to do the Rhodesian war, what with all those snazzy Greys Scouts, Selous Scouts, RLI etc 

[matakishi]

Crossfire recreates the challenges of a small unit infantry commander on a modern battlefield very well. The period doesn't affect the basic rules mechanics in the slightest. You may wish to vary the numbers of troop bases to reflect different orbats and perhaps, as I do, add a firing dice to modern troops from the developed world when they're facing an untrained enemy.

The essential heart of Crossfire is that you need to prioritise your actions and play as an infantry man, not a wargamer in order to 'get it'. Many don't and miss the point completely.

For my 1960 games I will be using the basic rules unchanged other than to have the platoon commander incorporated into an infantry stand and not as a separate figure.

[Bravo Six]

Paul, great work indeed. Your painting style gets better and better with each project.

Where are the trucks from? Britannia? What's the product code? Never seen trucks like that before.

-Todd

[matakishi]

The trucks are Corgi diecasts.

[meninobesta]

I'm really speechless! every one of or new projects is better than the previous! 

[Chuckaroobob]

Very nice indeed.

[Gluteus Maximus]

Crossfire recreates the challenges of a small unit infantry commander on a modern battlefield very well. The period doesn't affect the basic rules mechanics in the slightest. You may wish to vary the numbers of troop bases to reflect different orbats and perhaps, as I do, add a firing dice to modern troops from the developed world when they're facing an untrained enemy.

The essential heart of Crossfire is that you need to prioritise your actions and play as an infantry man, not a wargamer in order to 'get it'. Many don't and miss the point completely.

For my 1960 games I will be using the basic rules unchanged other than to have the platoon commander incorporated into an infantry stand and not as a separate figure.

Thanks very much. That is pretty much what I was hoping you might say :-)

It's precisely the fact that the rules attempt to make you think and act like an infantryman rather than a middle-aged, pot-bellied wargamer, that attracted me to them in the first place.

I have a load of the Peter Pig 15mm African stuff left over from an old club campaign and am considering re-basing & using them for the insurgents and buying some Rhodesians. The African bush should provide enough terrain to make the movement and firing mechanics work well. I've always wondered if they would work for 19thC "Darkest Africa" games, but having far more sets of rules than I could ever use, that's not really important.

The only sticking point may be the RLI's Alouette helicopters, as I don't know if there are any 15mm models and I'd have to try and write some rules for them. Oh, that and the fact that the Rhodesian camouflage is a bugger to paint  accurately

Anyway, I hope you will post a game report detailing how the rules work, as I'm sure there are plenty of others who are intrigued by this project.

[matakishi]

Just finishing off Tarzan at the moment and hoping to get some jungle scenery made by then end of the year. A few African buildings too, then, maybe, there'll be a game report (Oh yes, I bought 60 African fighters too, they'll take a while to complete but the Mercenaries can always fight some Mogadishu insurgents while they wait i suppose).

[cdr]

Very nice indeed Just one remark
Most vehicles in the Congo were american in origin (Reo M-35 Beaver eagle and Kaiser Jeep corporation M-606 delivered through  the Military Assistance Program So the Bedford trucks would be rare.

You could also a M8 Greyhound (the heaviest vehicle around) and  Ernesto Che Guevara with your African rebels

[matakishi]

Most vehicles in the Congo were american in origin (Reo M-35 Beaver eagle and Kaiser Jeep corporation M-606 delivered through  the Military Assistance Program So the Bedford trucks would be rare.

Indeed, as you can see there's only three of them in the whole country 

I'm afraid economics dictates that any trucks I buy for £17.00 each are going to see much service spanning many decades and theatres. These particular WWII D-Day Bedfords will see action in WWII Europe, Burma, North Africa and beyond as well as appearing in the Congo, Vietnam, Mogadishu, a zombie infested city near you and anywhere I deploy UNIT troops.

I spent a lot of time in the back of Bedfords, not unlike these and, as trucks go, they are my favourites.
Nobody should mistake my gaming wanderings as in any way being a historically accurate representation of peoples, places or incidents. 'Pulp in all things' is my motto, story overcomes history and good looks overcome reality every time as far as I'm concerned, the bottom line is these trucks look good

All that being said I will investigate these 'American trucks' of which you speak and, if they look good and are available in a ready painted form, I may well allow some of my less favoured troops to ride to battle in them. The good guys will still be riding in British Iron though, to ensure they win! 

[Gluteus Maximus]

I'm afraid economics dictates that any trucks I buy for £17.00 each are going to see much service spanning many decades and theatres.

I'm not surprised at that price - lovely though they are!

I spent a lot of time in the back of Bedfords, not unlike these and, as trucks go, they are my favourites

Me too! Started in RL's and finished in MK's You could do anything in the back of one of them. Cook and sleep on exercise, go on R&R with a dozen others to the Oktoberfest with a marquee in the back to save on hotel costs........ Oh, the fun we had

[gamer Mac]

"You had fun" I spent my time fixing the bloody things. Good on exercise we had Bunkbeds and an electric cooker in ours. Some other guys had televisions. But I suppose they also had plenty of room for the beer.

[cdr]

Pulp rules fine by me :
have your mercs going after the gold or uranium reserves (Union Miniere du Haut Katanga lost about 2 tons of gold in 1964) , or have a go against French speaking nr 6 commando (Bob Denard)to see who is the best merc in town or should that be in the jungle ?

[Gluteus Maximus]

"You had fun" I spent my time fixing the bloody things. Good on exercise we had Bunkbeds and an electric cooker in ours. Some other guys had televisions. But I suppose they also had plenty of room for the beer.

  Always room for that!