During a visit to our local retail centre I happened to go into a branch of Hawkin's Bazaar, a shop that sells a range of traditional toys. On the shelves I found some boxes of Green Army Men ... so I bought a couple.
This might seem like a rather odd purchase, but over recent months Tim Gow has been leading the development of a post-War version of FUNNY LITTLE WARS entitled – surprisingly enough – LITTLE COLD WARS. He has promised to run a session at the forthcoming Conference of Wargamers (COW2014), and I thought that I might try to put together my own small army to take along.
My original thought was to create a NATO-style army for Laurania, but after giving it some more thought I may well opt to paint them up to represent the army of AGGRESSOR, the OPFOR (opposing force) used by the US Army during the 1960s. The uniforms used by AGGRESSOR were American in style but Jungle Green, with Olive Drab webbing/Black leather belts and Black boots, combined with coloured collar tabs that indicated a unit's branch of service.
This might seem like a rather odd purchase, but over recent months Tim Gow has been leading the development of a post-War version of FUNNY LITTLE WARS entitled – surprisingly enough – LITTLE COLD WARS. He has promised to run a session at the forthcoming Conference of Wargamers (COW2014), and I thought that I might try to put together my own small army to take along.
My original thought was to create a NATO-style army for Laurania, but after giving it some more thought I may well opt to paint them up to represent the army of AGGRESSOR, the OPFOR (opposing force) used by the US Army during the 1960s. The uniforms used by AGGRESSOR were American in style but Jungle Green, with Olive Drab webbing/Black leather belts and Black boots, combined with coloured collar tabs that indicated a unit's branch of service.
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Never hurts to have a bag or2 of armymen on hand.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a simple yet attractive uniform. I once did some by spraying the figures with olive drab matte spraypaint and then just picking out faces and equipment. The effect was a bit like the old Crescent and Herald figures.
Actually Little Cold Wars is called 'Little Cold Wars'. It was partly inspired by bit is not related to FLW. I'd hate to upset the author and publisher of FLW by suggesting otherwise!
ReplyDeleteThe Army Men gig is starting to catch on, one way or another. The 'Little Cold Wars' came this close to distracting me from my main Army Men project 'Jono's World'. It will probably absorb some of the really underscale Army Men I have, but for now I think I should continue building up the Armies of Raesharn and Kiivar.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I'm finding LCW fascinating to follow.
Cheers,
Ion
Ross Mac,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds just the sort of look I want to achieve; simple, uncluttered, and effective.
All the best,
Bob
Tim Gow,
ReplyDeleteOops! My mistake! I offer my apologies to everyone involved in developing FUNNY LITTLE WARS.
I have changed the blog to read LITTLE COLD WARS and will use the correct title in future.
All the best,
Bob
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
ReplyDeleteI must admit that your 'Jono's World' blog entries have been part of the inspiration behind creating my own Army Men wargames army.
All the best,
Bob
I "fought" against the Agressor Army in Basic Officer's Course in 1958. On my day to command the unit an aggressor captive ws brought in for me to interrogate. He would speak only Esperanto! Though I knew French he would not answer. I had been without sleep for almost 36 hours so in exasperation I told the guard to "take him out and shoot him"! I received 10 demerits for "improper treatment of a prisoner of war"!
ReplyDeleteDick Bryant
Dick Bryant,
ReplyDeleteHaving watched the US Army films about Aggressor on YouTube, they did seem to take the whole thing very seriously ... which is no bad thing. Using Esperanto as the Aggressor 'language' was an act of genius, even if you found the whole thing more than a little exasperating.
(I think that in the circumstances, your reaction was quite reasonable. If he has been able to speak a little French or English, the threat might have been enough to make him talk. If not ... well it would not have been the first time that would have happened.)
All the best,
Bob
Thanks Bob.
ReplyDeleteTim Gow,
ReplyDeleteAlways pleased to correct my errors.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks for you comment in re Jono's World. I appreciate that. Work is continuing there, gradually.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
ReplyDeleteI am frequently amazed by the way you have been able to take unrelated bits and pieces, put them together, and end up with all sorts of useful kit. Truly inspiring.
All the best,
Bob