Above and below shows one of the Brigade's M41 'Walker Bulldogs', sent as a reinforcement from Blue Beach (Playa Giron) to Red Beach (Playa Larga) late on the morning of 17th April 1961. The M41s, of which the Brigade had five, appear to have performed well, being used in the direct fire role as well as destroying several T34/85s.
More photographs of Brigadistas, this time defending a road crossing with light weapons and mortars:
I've now got enough little chaps to represent some aspect of the fighting, but the problem is, what do I use for the Fidelistas ? I need some 20mm plastics that are largely uniformed in US green, but with berets, for Castro regulars. I could also do with chaps in shirts to represent the militia, which provided a large part of Fidel's forces, but, again, with berets. Finally, some figures with M1 helmets will do for Castro police. All suggestions welcomed as to what plastics would best represent the side that won.
Ahhh, nothing says "plastic army men" like a Bulldog.
ReplyDeleteThe Cubans are a tricky one. either head swaps or conversions. Most berets I can think of are either modern with wrong weapons or paratroopers or just 1 pose in a whole box. For militia I might be tempted to start with some of the 8th army Scots in Balmorals, pretty easy to trim into a beret and wearing shirt sleeves. Otherwise I might look at the Pegasus ROK and trim helmets and field caps and either use a low heat soldering iron or putty to make berets. Did the Cubans have American or Russian weapons? I wonder if some Viet Cong could be used with the same sort of trim and add beret idea to get troops in short sleeves with Russian weapons?
Yes, the M41 and the 'Patton' with rotating coupla. Aaaah indeed. We of the Cold War generations.
DeleteThanks for the ideas on the Cuban government types - it is tricky. I dug out a few 8th Army Scots, but realised I'd have to give them trousers as well (as opposed to shorts). I'll have a look at the Pegasus types - I hadn't thought of them. At the time of BoP most weapons were US ones, but with quite a few Belgian FN SLRs. Now, of course, that opens up possibilities, but the problem there is that figures with SLRs tend to be in combat gear - i.e., have a 'baggy' look about them, rather than a trim 1950s Cuban look.
Splendid little set up there.Makes me think of warmer climes when a smattering of snow lies here in the Duchy this morning.
ReplyDeleteSorry I cannot give advice re what figures to use but I am sure others will...
Snow already? A good St. Andrew's Day present! It is beginning to shape up into another dam' cold winter methinks.
DeleteA good question Stephen. I would look at Imex ROK and US Army, as well as Revell US Marines.
ReplyDeleteBerets are fairly simple to fashion out of modelling putty so conversions are a piece of cake.
Thanks, Paul. I'm going to try Imex US Army, and I've already got some Imex ROK. 'Piece of cake' you say .... mmmm, perhaps.
DeleteI like the paint conversions you have done with these, they look great.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about the that campaign, but I assume Castro's army would have mainly Soviet weapons, so how about the ESCI VC with beret conversions or headswaps?
Then the same set with M1 headswaps from any number of of WW2 US sets for the Police. Either way, I look forward to seeing what you come up with, good luck.
Cheers, Ben. Actually, Soviet weapons were only beginning to arrive, and the Cuban government forces still looked as they had under Batista. The increasing flow of Soviet kit was one of the reasons why the Cuban exiles had to go when they did. Although the real difference was actually made by ex Fleet Air Arm Furies...
DeleteAh, then in that case I agree with Paul.
DeleteIt sounds like an interesting period to game, I'll have to investigate in the future.
Yes, it looks like IMEX. The interesting thing is that the BoP lasted only a few days and offers individual actions that would play well, I think. Also, there are different 'what if' elements that might be used, e.g., what if the Fidelista air force had been destroyed on the ground.
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