Force on Force - books and videos

Force on Force

I’ve been shopping on books as they say, reading and watching videos..

Firstly Osprey apparently re-released some older titles, including Russia’s War in Afghanistan (1986).  It is clear from the text that this was written whilst the war was ongoing (Russia withdrew in February 1989) and information (as is probably the case with anything involving the modern Russian military) is somewhat patchy.   From a modelling viewpoint then enough to paint Russian troops.

The other Osprey to drop though my letter box this month is Russian Security and Paramilitary Forces since 1991.   I ordered this in advance of publication so it has only been out for a week or so, but it looks like a good one on a first glance through.   

 

The Book Depository had a  bit of a sale (around 30-35% off) Force on Force titles and I took the opportunity to get a couple more of the expansions:

Day of the Rangers – the cattle raid scenario in this is what I played at a convention that got me first interested in Force on Force as a set of rules, whilst the movie Black Hawk Down has long since been a favourite. 

The other was Enduring Freedom – The war in Afghanistan.

Of the others that leaves the following which are of little interest except possibly the Vietnam book, which having had the chance to look through and hear reviews on may be the weakest of the various books:

Ambush Valley - Vietnam –

Road to Bagdhad – Iraq 2003

Fallujah – Iraq 2004

Cold War gone Hot – Mid 1980’s Cold War

I've only had the books a couple of days but have already been through Day of the Rangers listing the scenarios and figures needed.   Often this comes down to a US Platoon of assorted composition but say 30-40 figures and lots and lots of Somalis, especially with the random Somali reinforcements rule.   I think this may be a somewhat longer term project than I first thought, probably to provide some variety on the painting desk.  

Which brings me to some videos I ended up watching....

Part 1 (of 3) sets the background to the French in Mali in 2013 and the "live action footage" starts at around 2 minute 30 seconds.  All three parts are worth watching I felt and some of the scenes like the Malian soldiers relaxing and then in combat bring home that there - in the African context - then mixed camouflage uniforms and equipment are very much the order of the day.   

And then this - Danish Soldiers fighting the Taliban...

Gutsy stuff to be running anywhere when there are bullets flying around, and the sound of the Squad Assault weapon opening up at 2 minutes in...   Not hard to see why the Germans regarded the rest of the squad as ammunition carriers for the MG42.  

Lastly, another book. £1 from our local Poundland (where everything is £1) - where the author brings home the reality of TOE lists which we gamers are so concerned with - he is charged with forming a platoon from scratch which never seems to be fully up to strength and gets the wanted and unwanted, never seems to have enough equipment to fully go round and ends up with some very grubby jobs..