Syrian MiG 17

 Another Syrian aircraft off the desk. The MIG 17 is marked with pre 1962 Roundels, painted with AK interactive Real Colour aluminum and gun metal. 

Cheers

Matt

Wip Wednesday - armour and bits

 Working on a few different pieces at the moment.

First up some Britannia T55 for my Syrians 

Then some pilots and modern plastic border guards

Belgians and Panzer Lehr

Cheers

Matt 

Able Archer Arab Israeli Wars - Syrian Armed Forces

 Syrian Able Archer list 1963-1990

 

Israel and Syria have technically at war since 1948 with the purple line 1973 ceasefire has remained. The scope of these lists are from 1963 with the socialist Ba’ath party achieved total control of the state, up until the end of the Lebanese civil war in October 1990. Syria fought the Israelis in the 1948, 1967 six day war,  and 1973 Yom Kippur war. 1970 Black September Jordan civil war, 1970-82 Muslim Brotherhood civil war, 

My Syrian Armed Forces are based on order of battle for 1973 up until 1990, for the sake of completeness for other able archer players I have added a list at the bottom from 1956-1990 equipment also. 

Syrian Structure for Rapid Fire Able Archer

Corps and Divisional Assets

Battle Group Command assets

1x BTR50PU with command Group 

1 x BTR50PU with Artillery Observation group 

AA platoon ZSU 23-4 (shilka) 

2 x SA9b + BTR 40b 

Supply assets 

3 x Zil 157 or Ural 375 trucks 

Engineering assets 

Field Engineer battalion 

BHQ Gaz46

1-4 coys 

KMT- 54 mine clearing tank on a T54 chassis (Armoured and motorised division) 

Bridging battalion 

BHQ

1-4 coys

MTU12 T54/T55  bridge layer

Anti tank assets 

Towed

2x D44 85mm anti tank gun, gun tractor Zil-157 4 crew 

Anti tank missile coy 

2x BDRM 2 9P122 ATGM

Anti Air Assets 

Praga 53/59 

BDRM Battery 

BDRM recon 

2 x BDRM 2 SA9 Gaskin 

S75 Regiment 

Zil 157 Command truck 

FNR75 Fan Song radar trailer mounted 

6 x SA 2 S 75 Dvina guideline truck mounted. 

SA3 Gia S125 Neva missile battery 

Zil 157 command truck P15 radar 

Zil-157 missile truck 

SA 6 2K12 Kub Gainful (attached to Armoured brigade) 

Zil 157 command truck P 15 Radar  

2 x SA6

Sam 5 battery ( Syrian Territory defence)

55k6e radar command truck 

3 x Sam5 s200 Gammon missile (delivery 1983) 

SA8 battery 

2 x SA8 9K33 Oska Gecko (1982) (infantry division support) 

Armoured brigade battle group 

Brigade HQ 

Officer commander + 2 medic, 2 radio, defence pltn 2

1 x T-62A (T340/85 or T54 or T55) 

1 x BTR 152 K ambulance 

1 x BTR 152 S command radio 

Tank battalion 

HQ 1x T62 (OC) Officer commanding 

1st Coy 2 x T62

2nd Coy 2 x T62

3rd Coy 2 x T62 

Armoured Reconnaissance Company 

1x BDRM1 Officer, 3 infantry and 1 x RPG 

1x PT-76 

Mechanised 

Armour options six day war 

PIV twenty five operational in 67 war 

Jadgpanzer IV 48 six purchased, deployed on Golan heights in the six day war one knocked out

StuG III G forty one purchased (24 in defiladed positions on the Golan heights six day war)

T34-85

T-54

T-55

Armour options 74 war 

T-62

Artillery Assets (off table normally) 

Each Syrian artillery battalion has two batteries, artillery may use the ammunition types listed for the year of manufacture if you want to get into the weeds of ammunition types. A radio truck must be used for more than one battery. Doctrine for brigade and division is to concentrate fire so one mission can include all tubes of a battery’s available but not split fire on the table. Corps artillery is assigned by the corps Observor attached at battle group level. Assigned as required for scenario, some of the heavy artillery and missiles are not required for a tabletop, I do like deploy the Forward Artillery Officer and vehicles, plus the command radio vehicles present (which can make the targets). I also like to have missile batteries for scenarios for commando type raids. 

Dedicated Brigade Assets

HQ Gaz69 car - OC plus 2 

Gaz 69 car Forward artillery Observor plus 2 other ranks for FO team

BTR152S radio truck plus 3 Other Ranks

M43 120mm mortar (6 tubes per battery) 6 crew Gaz 66 truck

M56 160mm mortar (6 tubes per battery) 6 crew Gaz 66 truck (1956-85 normally infantry brigade)

HQ ACRV2 command vehicle

2S1 122mm self propelled Howitzer (6 tubes per battery)

 

Division Field Artillery Battalion 

HQ Gaz69 car - OC plus 2 

Gaz 69 car Forward artillery Observor plus 2 other ranks for FO team

BTR152S radio truck plus 3 Other Ranks

122mm Howitzer D20, Towed Ural 375 or Zil 131 - 6 tubes per battery

HQ ACRV2 command vehicle

152mm 2s3m Akatsiya Self propelled 6 tubes per battery 

HQ Gaz69 car - OC plus 2 

Gaz 69 car Forward artillery Observor plus 2 other ranks for FO team

BTR152S radio truck plus 3 Other Ranks

240mm M53 mortar towed Gaz 66, 6 crew, 6 tubes per battery 

Corps Artillery Assets

130mm M46 gun towed Zil-131, 6 crew 6 guns per battery

180mm S23 gun towed 

Bm-24

BM-27

Yom Kippur Syrian Order of Battle

Syrian Order of battle Yom Kippur

Organised along Soviet lines the highly motivated and well disciplined Syrians again prepared for war against Israel to take back the territory lost in the six day war. The Syrian front was the most crucial to the success of the operation against Israel. The Syrian operation was to recapture the Golan heights, reach the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. The first four days of the operation lead to the largest armour clash since ww2. The non flexible highly centralised command structure really affected the performance of the Syrian army with division commanders directly reporting to the president leading to a total breakdown by day three. Once momentum was lost and the Israelis stabilised then counterattacked, punching to within striking distance of Damascus before the ceasefire. 

9th with T-54/ 55 tanks. 

5th and 7th Divisions each had two infantry brigades, one mechanized brigade and one armored brigade, as well as an Artillery Group and Division units. 

9th Division did not have a mechanized brigade. 

•  Two armored divisions— the 1st and the 3rd, with T-62 tanks, each with two tank brigades, a mechanized brigade, an Artillery Group and Division units
• Two independent armored brigades— the 51st and the 47th, and an independent mechanized brigade— the 62nd • 1500 tanks • 1000 artillery gun barrels •
•  Seven commando and paratrooper battalions 
• Rifaat al-Assad Force— assigned to secure the regime that included two tank battalions and elite infantry forces 
• “FROG” SS rocket. launchers 
• Thirty-six SAM batteries, half of them SA-6 
• 30 SA4 anti aircraft batteries 

Air Force

178 MiG-21 fighter jets

SU 7

114 other fighter jets

forty-five helicopters Mi-8

Arab Israeli wars -Able Archer - Cold War Wargame Rules part 1.

Able Archer - Arab Israeli Wars 

The Arab Israeli wars loomed large on my TV as a kid, the Yom Kippur, the Iran Iraq war, then the Civil war in Lebanon, this sparked my lifelong interest in the Middle East wars. I have been using the Able Archer Rapid Fire rules for a the last ten years for the conflict starting originally with converted with plastic figs and now slowly switching over metal ranges. 

I was hoping for Ospreys ww3 rules were going to be published last year, but they held off due to the war in Ukraine. I thought I had better transfer my paper Able Archer Arab Israeli wars document to a digital location and share it along with my thoughts.

Able Archer is the Cold War fan version of the popular WW2 Rapid Fire second edition rules. All of these additional rules for Cold War gaming are of course optional for your rules. We generally fight on a 4.6m or 15.1ft (181 inches) long table at my house or at the club a 12ft table x 6ft, although the games can be played on a smaller table if required, it really depends upon the scenario. I prefer to play down the length of the table as the opportunity to fire the long ranges really comes into use with modern weapons, so ground and terrain becomes very important. 

Upcoming blog articles will cover the Cold War Arabian peninsula Army vehicle lists I use. These lists cover the Israeli, French, British, American, UN Peace keepers, plus all of the Arab armies from the suez crisis 1956 all the way up to 1991, which is my cut off for most of my armies including the Iran-Iraq war and the first Iraq war. 

I regulary play scenarios that are linked, a special forces strike to commence with,  then attack, counter attack games, the losses carry over to the next game. The changes I have made to the Able Archer European and Arabian peninsula rules reflect weather, MBT ranges, Air to Air combat and campaign system. The changes come from my experience serving in arid and desert areas during my military career.  

Weather rules

Weather has changes from Able Archer 2019 set and Rapid Fire :- these are optional rules

Wind storm - Dust being a major problem in the Sinai and the southern Arabian peninsula we often have line of sight blocked by dust storms. This can be settled at the beginning of a game with a five rolls. 

• Turn arrival - roll a D10 or D12  depending upon number of turns for the scenario. This is the turn the storm arrives. 
• GW direction dice,  roll the direction dice from the centre or a table edge this gives the wind direction on the table for dust. 
• Storm width - roll using a D6, the roll is the number of Dust sections. (East section is 4 inches)
• Wind strength - roll on a D6 +2 this is the movement per turn (unless stationary roll on GW direction Dice). The storm can blow off the table edge. 
• Duration - roll a D6 turn duration dice. This is the number of turns the dust storm remains on the table. 

You will need to make some dust markers, I used sofa stuffing that has been airbrushed in a khaki colour 4 inches long and two inches wide. 

Rain Storm

Rain storms were also a feature, particularly on the Golan heights ( Yom Kippur war heavy rain was experienced on the Golan for three days and in the six day war a heavy rain storm prevented an Egyptian counter attack on the eastern side of the Nile) they roll in from the coast and can often drop a large amount of rain in a short period particularly on the Golan heights during wet season. 

• Rain storm - Roll a D10 on a 8, 9 or 10 a rain storm and heavy downfall arrives. 
• Duration - Roll a D6 this is the length of the storm. 
• Turns arrival - D10-12 depending upon scenario length, the number is the arrival turn of the storm. 

The storm prevents any air cover arriving, halves effective observation distance except if vehicles are using ISS or TTS. Halves effectiveness of mortar fire less than 81mm size after the first turn of rain until the storm ends. Smoke generation impossible unless generated by white phosphorus artillery rounds. 

Main Battle tanks and vehicles.

Observation rules

The changing technology of image assistance equipment changes a lot over the 40 odd years covered from the 1950s to the late 80s. Each tank is listed with its options on the tank equipment card. 

Search lights (SL) - gives normal visibility up to medium range during the night, however enemy can also spot you. 

Illumination shell (IS) - illuminates a 12 inch area, normal target rules apply HE for dropping illumination shell. 

IR sights (IR) - grants enhanced observation during the night, however can be spotted by IR detection and IR users. 

Image intensive sight (IIS) -gives enhanced observation in daylight, dark or dust storms, but not through white phosphorus smoke or smoke generators.

Tank Thermal Sight (TTS) -  a temperature based system normal observation in all conditions day and night, +1 observation chance for hull down vehicles, cannot see through phosphorus smoke shell but can through smoke generators. Only available on Magach 7 and Merkava after 1981. 

Gun Values 

Each main battle tank or vehicle has a main armament, a secondary machine gun and possibly a mortar or smoke discharger also. Gun values are treated similarly to a rapid fire, however main difference is D10 chart for firing and of course the technology changes to sights, rounds and gun stabilizers. The gun values from 1 to 7 with 1 being the highest value. New antitank rounds also different from ww2 and are APCBC, APDS, APFSDS, APHE & HEAT. The respective army MBT chart and data card will list variants for each army and its dates it comes into use. 

Gun Modifiers 

• - 2 Extreme Range + 60 inches.
• - 1 long range 42-60 inches
• - 1 to hit vehicle in hull down position, full cover or rough ground (shrubs and rocky rough ground etc)
• - 1 moving target except Magach 7 and Merkava post 82. 
• - 1 firer moving except if gun stabilized
• -1 if moved firing ATGM
• - 1 APHE Armoured Piercing High explosive, SAPHC Semi Armoured piercing High  Explosive, APCR Armoured Piercing Composite Rigid  vs ERA or Blazer armour. 
• + 1 short range under 12 inches
• + 1 firing at rear
•  +1 recoilless rifle if spotting round fired previous turn (eg recoilless M40 rifle with rifle round)  
• +1 APDS Armoured Piercing discarding sabot. 
• +2 APFSDS Armoured Piercing Fin stabilised discarding sabot. 
• + 1 Elite crew
• - 1 poor crew

Armour 

Effectively the armour values are still rated from A to F, A being highest rating, Each vehicle has variants of additional armour that may be added. Main battle tanks fitted with Blazer or ERA armour upgrade receive better protection. All modifiers are listed in the main battle tank or the armoured vehicle in the lists.

Blazer spaced armour. A negative 1 on the D6 damage roll for vehicle, ground mounted anti-armour weapons, guided missile, and hand held anti tank weapons. 

ERA armour. A negative 1 on the D6 damage roll for vehicle, ground mounted anti-armour weapons, guided missile, and hand held anti tank weapons.  RPG can only cause heavy damage and disable a Tank, not destroy vehicle unless it is at point blank. 

Fuel 

A optional rule we use is fuel type as we tend to play linked games in a small campaign. Early in the wars petrol was common particularly in the Sherman’s, M48a1, M48a2 and the armored cars, then diesel motors then became more common by Yom Kippur. Petrol motor vehicles and tanks have a -1 value on the armour chart, later in the wars due to the problem of even a light hit by rpg or bazooka can lead to a catastrophic kill. 

Campaign effects 

When playing campaigns we like to record MBT losses, light damage return to action next game, heavy damage two games to repair, destroyed no recovery, however destroyed vehicles become Propaganda Victory point to opposing player. 

Aviation  

Major changes for aviation compared to normal Rapid Fire. The jet age was in full swing, and some prop aircraft were in use for artillery spotting and target acquisition plus ground attack role. Air superiority was a major factor however so was anti aircraft missiles. I am a big fan of jet aircraft and possibly have too much really for the games we play. I also enjoy commando type operations or reserves arriving via helicopter so to give that uncertainty I like to roll for their arrival and ability to be shot down or driven off.  

Air Sorties

The air war was mixed with results of local or sector control, and I like to have air superiority rolls for each turn therefore I use these rules five dice rolls commence at the beginning of each game. This includes helicopter support, helicopter assaults, spotter aircraft, ground support and fighters. You require four coloured D10 dice for this, or roll separately for each type.  

Types 

Prop driven Fighter.

Prop driven fighter bomber 

Jet Fighter 

Jet Fighter bomber 

Bomber

Spotter 

Helicopter attack ground support 

Transport helicopter 

Rules 

• Roll 1 - Scenario attacking side Roll a D 12 this is your number of sorties possible. Allocate your aircraft types and number of each type. Single or multiples of type may be taken ie two fighters,  three fighter bombers, three helicopters, four fighters etc. 
• Roll 2 - The Attacking side uses a D10 or D12 (depending upon scenario length) for each aircraft type in support. The Dice should designate a colour ie Red fighters, Blue ground support, white helicopter, green artillery spotter, black bomber or roll separately for each aircraft type. The attacking player then rolls the allocated D10s, each number corresponds to the turn the aircraft may be over the table to support the ground troops. Mark this down on a piece paper 
• Roll 3 - Defending player rolls a D10 only, this is your sorties available. Allocate your aircraft types and number of each type. Single or multiples of type may be taken ie two fighters,  three fighter bombers, three helicopters, four fighters etc. 
• Roll 4 -  The defending player then allocates aircraft type. Rolls D10 in corresponding colour, this is the turn arrival of air support. Mark on paper
• Roll 5 - Players compare notes, turns may occur were opposing aircraft meet, then follow these guidelines 

Air Superiority Guideline 

This is used when each side rolls the same arrival sortie. 

• Fighter vs Fighter - D10 roll highest wins if difference more than 8+ enemy fighter shot down, no more fighter sorties unless two fighters elected in Air support. 
• Fighter vs bomber - D 10 roll highest wins, on 6 plus by  bomber shot down, no more sorties from that aircraft type unless two elected. If failed the bomber may drop bombs on ground target. 
• Fighter vs Fighter bomber - D 10 roll highest wins, on 8 plus fighter or fighter bomber shot down, no more sorties from that aircraft type unless two are taken of that type Fighter bomber May drop bomb or fire rockets at ground target if it is successful in the combat. 
• Fighter bomber vs fighter bomber D 10 roll highest wins, on 8 plus fighter or fighter bomber shot down, no more sorties from that aircraft type unless two are taken of that type. Fighter bomber May drop bomb or fire rockets at ground target if it is successful in the combat. 
• Fighter/fighter bomber vs spotter - fighter rolls a D10, shoots down spotter on 7 plus, other result the spotter is driven off otherwise. The Fighter bomber May drop bomb or fire rockets at ground target if it is successful in shooting down the spotter. 
• Fighter/ fighter bomber  vs Helicopter - fighter vs helicopter, helicopter shot down on a 6+, if not shot down the helicopter is driven off. Fighter bomber May drop bomb or fire rockets at ground target if it is successful in the combat. 
• Ground attack Helicopter vs ground attack Helicopter shot down 6+ ,  if not shot down the losing helicopter is driven off. Helicopter may fire rockets or machine guns ground target if it is successful in the combat. 
• Ground attack Helicopter vs transport Helicopter shot down 5+ ,  if not shot down the losing helicopter is driven off. Helicopter may fire rockets or machine guns ground target if it is successful in the combat and has them. Transport helicopter may drop troops if not shot down. 

Aircraft Movement 

In a turn a aircraft arrives on the players table edge then must fly from that point to the target, we have limited prop aircraft and helicopters to speed, so they will be over the table for two turns in some cases to reach the point of entry to the target. Jet aircraft have full table entry and exit ability in one turn but must enter from your own lines to attack the target flying directly over the enemy anti air or ground fire which had the option to shoot down or drive off the air attack. 

Anti Aircraft fire 

The period seen a huge growth in anti aircraft ability for foot troops and an anti air umbrella. Four types of anti aircraft fire for the Arab Israeli Wargame rules. 

• Infantry Fire - Infantry battalion fire can use personal weapons on low flying ground attack aircraft, attack helicopter’s and transport helicopters. Roll a D10 on the roll of 9 aircraft driven off, on a D10 possible kill. 
• Heavy weapons on vehicles - roll a D10 on the roll of a 9 aircraft driven off, on a 10 possible kill. 
• Dedicated anti aircraft cannon systems ground or self propelled. Roll per Barrel a D10 on the roll of a 9 aircraft driven off, on a 10 possible kill.
• Missile system - roll a D10 on the roll of an 7 aircraft driven off, on a 9 or 10 possible kill. 

If a successful hit is scored on a D10, roll a D6 

1-3 no effect

4 light damage, if transport helicopter must put down within 12 inches of strike

5 heavy damage trailing smoke, if transport helicopter must put down within 8 of strike location. 

6 spectacular destruction of aircraft, if helicopter all lives lost. 

Modifiers to result of D6 

-1 using non dedicated anti aircraft weapons if target aircraft fast jet. 

-1 if firer is target of aircraft attack 

+ 1 if second missile fired at enemy aircraft that turn 

+ 2 if missile battery fired at enemy aircraft that turn (three missiles or more) 

Campaign effects 

When playing campaigns we like to record air losses, light damage return to action next game, heavy damage two games to repair, destroyed no recovery, but Propaganda Victory point to opposing player. 

Propaganda Victory points

The rise of media has also lead to propaganda victory’s, the news media sways public opinion which can lead to support for your cause,  cease fires or pressure from foreign nations or the UN. I have written some rules relating to propaganda victory points predominantly for campaign games but can be used in a regular game also to determine victory points. 

• + 2 points for a destroyed tank
• + 2 points for destroyed aircraft 
• + 1 point for each surrendered enemy company. 
• + 2 points enemy rocket battery 
• + 2 points for removing enemy commander 
• -1 destroyed buildings 
• -1 to damaged or destroyed ambulance 
• -2 destroyed or damaged hospital. 
• -2 refugee or civilian casualties. 

Conclusion 

Hopefully that has been of some interest, coming up are data cards and vehicles for each nation. 

Cheers

Matt

Arab-Israeli War project

As the 50th Anniversary is coming up in a bit over a year and a half,  I thought I had get my finger out and complete my Arab-Israeli war project over the next twelve months. I currently use Able Archer for my rules and have played a few games back in Australia with my collection, but Fred and I mostly played with armour rather than much infantry and air cover. Now I have decided to complete my Israelis over the next two months or so. I then basically need to build all of my Egyptians and Syrians, I predominantly have all of the figures purchased and all of the vehicles, plus most of the aircraft,  I just need to crack on and paint it all.

The Plan

I want to build decent sized battlegroups for both the north Golan heights and the south that can be used for the 67 war and the Yom Kippur war in 73. The Egyptian and Syrian infantry and armour could also be used for other middle eastern nations as subs. I will probably use Able Archer modern rules based loosely of Rapid fire.

Israeli Army

M60 A1 btn of 6 tanks

M48 a3 Btn 6 tanks 

AMX 13 recon coy 2 tanks 

M50 and M51 Sherman two coys of 4 tanks

M5 battalion 

M113 half battalion

AT coy jeeps armed 105mm recoilless

1 motorised battalion inf

1 armoured battalion inf

1 parachute battalion 

188th brigade Golan Heights

M48A3 battalion 4 tanks

Centurion Sho't Kal 105mm x 4

2 paratroop battalions

1 SF coy

artillery battery armoured 

jeeps and trucks

Air support

1 A4 Skyhawk

1 F4 phantom

1 Iai Kfir

2 huey choppers 

Egyptian Army

T-55 battalion 7 tanks

T-62 battalion 7 tanks

armoured recon battalion PT76

2 battalions armoured infantry BTR 152

1 battalion motorised inf trucks

1 commando battalion

Air Support 

MIG 21

MIG 17

Syrian Army

7th Inf division elements

T55 tank batn 9 tanks 

2 inf battalions in BTR 152

artillery battery

Republican Guard independent 70th Armored Brigade

T62 battalion 9 tanks

BMP 1 armoured Inf Regiment

Artillery battery

Anti Tank battery

Air Support

Mig 15

SU 22

so quite a build. I hope to get the Israelis completed this year I hope

cheers

Matt