White Elephants - The 'War Elephants' of the United Nations

Regulars readers of this blog may have noticed that I've been using the UN Operations during the Congo Crisis in the early 60ies for many of my wargaming scenarios, as these were very offensive peace enforcement operations. For these wargames I painted regular plastic Army Men as generic UN-troops from the 60ies. For some of my wargames I've been improvising some vehicles, but eventually I wanted to add some prototypical vehicles to bring my UN-troops into battle and be able to provide some fire support as well. 

During WW2 Sweden designed an Armoured Personel Carrier based on a 4WD truck chassis; M/42 KP or KP Cars. This design was so successful that it was still in service Post War and it was brought to Congo by Swedish UN Forces. It was so successful that the UN even bought 15 of them to deploy with other UN units as well. In UN service they were nicknamed "White Elephants". They were later also deployed in other UN-missions. The last KP-cars were withdrawn from Swedish service in 2004.

During my Motorcycle tour to Sweden in 2024 I saw one of the KP-cars from Congo at the Swedish Tank Museum Arsenalen:

So a KP car would be a suitable vehicle for my miniature UN troops. At Thingiverse I found a free STL-file of a KP-car for 3D-printing:

It was designet to 28mm scale, but I resized it to roughly 1:35 scale to go along with my Army Men and 3D-printed it. -And some 5 hours later:

The bonnet didn't look so good due to the angle it was 3D-printed and the layerlines involved in this type of 3D-printing. Since I read a blogpost at Grid Based Wargaming where Peter used Gesso to add texture to some models, I've been curious to try out a similar method on 3D-printed models. It was soon clear that the Gesso was a little too thin for this purpose, so I used a more thicker variant from the craft store; Acrylic modelling paste.

Then it got some coats of auto body filler spray:

Then it was painted:

I then added some 'UN decals' which was simply just printed self-adhesive labels. From reference photos it looks like there were no norm of marking these vehicles, as they had a lot of different variations on their 'UN markings':

I also wanted to add a crew-member to operate the machineguns. Since I'd 3D-printed this APC to 1:35 scale, I was looking in an old box for old and odd bits and pieces from different old 1:35 projects. I found a useful 'upper body' which I altered the arms:

Now my miniature UN-troops can drive into battle in a periodic and prototypical vehicle which also will provide them with some firing support. One single vehicle is actually enough to carry 2 squads with 8 men each. 

Now it's just to find some (free) usable wargaming rules and make a scenario so I can put this APC into service. Stay tuned and please follow this blog if you aren't already.

Vengeful Trails - A Gatling Requiem

Since I played the Delta 6 rules by Adam L. Dobbyns earlier, I really wanted to try out the 'Hero section' in these rules with a 'hero going rouge' with a machine gun in a skirmish scenario and cinematic game. I know the rules says "1980's Hero", and therefore suggests some kind of (modern) 'Rambo Character'. I have no 'Rambo' figure, but when when I played and reviewed the Delta 6 rules, I got a feeling that these rules can be amended and used for several other periods as well. This made me think of a figure conversion I made as a 'Machine Gun Hero' last year; The Django looking Gatling armed Cowboy. I think the Delta 6 rules can be amended and played in an 'Old West' scenario. The Gatling will have the LMG stats. I will play the 19th century repeater rifles as the 'assault gun' as they are fast to reload. Other rifles will only score one hit on the roll of a 5. Pistols are Pistols according to the rules (a roll of a 5 can still score 2 hits as it can be 'fanning' the gun).

Preparing the game

I don't think the 'Hero' this game are carrying his Gatling gun on his hip all the time, so I found further inspiration from the Django movie to 3D-print a carrying case for it. This was printed just before the game, so due to time the settings were medium resolution and printed with a 'wood-looking' filament so it was 'ready made'. This 'wooden filament' was really challenging to print, clogging the nozzle and make the print look good. Won't buy it again (!)

Then the printed the coffin was blackwashed:

The Scenario

After a Shootout and killing an Army patrol of 5 in a shootout in 1884, the gang of 'Sinful Eight' was reduced to the 'Sinful Six', and wanted by the authorities alive or dead. They fled and hide in the small and remote frontier town of Dullstone, where they killed the Sheriff and kept the inhabitants under their 'domination'. Until the day 2 experienced Bounty Hunters who had teamed up for the large reward for the 'Sinfull Six', entered the town. After another Shootout the outlaws actually managed to take out the Bounty Hunters, but at the same time there was only 2 gang members back. They had to flee Dullstone as just the 2 of them couldn't keep terrorizing the population of Dullstone alone. They got even more wanted and the reward for them got higher after the last 'shootout'. So they're still chased by the law and Bounty Hunters alike. 

It's rumored that the 2 last gang members fled only a day of riding away from the Mexican border, where they broke into a house, killing the owner and kept his widow as a hostage. This way they could flee to mexico by horse if they were caught up by the law again.
- Until the day another stranger was passing by...

Forces:

• 2 remaining gang members from the original gang of 'Sinful Eight'. Both having a health of 6.
  
  
• 1 mysterious hero armed with a a Gatling gun with a health of 10.

Mission:

• Outlaws: To kill the mysterious Hero, or escape by their horses through the pass behind the building.
• Mysterious Hero: To kill the 2 last members of the outlaw gang and free the woman from captivity. 

AAR

Time:    20 minutes

Turns:   5

Result:  A victory for the Mysterious Hero

Since the Outlaws are unaware of our Mysterious Hero, I let the latter activate first; A stranger is slowly crossing the desert at foot dragging a coffin behind him. He can see a distant house ahead: 

When coming closer he uses his Army binoculars to better observe it. Are there any threats ahead? Then he recognize the horses and their saddles and immediately know they belong to members of the outlaw gang of the 'Sinful Eight'. There should be only 2 of them left now after the 'Dullstone Shootout':

He moves in a little closer, and slowly in the cover of some vegetation he opens his coffin and take out a Gatling gun:

Then he opened fire:

He shoots at the Outlaws' horses to cut off the Outlaws' retreat and escape possibilities. I don't let horses roll for a save when hit, and one off them drops dead:

The shooting alerts the outlaws in the building...

...and they rush to the window and door to return the fire:

As the Outlaws discover that they're taken under fire from a long distance, they understand that they'll need to get out of the house and get into more favorable firing positions if they'll manage to meet this threat. One of them gives covering fire...

...so the second one can run into cover and give flanking fire. Meanwhile the machine gunner has advanced further and is now in cover of a fallen tree. Both of the Outlaws are skilled shooters and scores hits on the mysterious machine gunner, but non of them are critical:

The mysterious Hero opens fire with his Gatling again, and take out one of the Outlaws with a 'headshot':

The last Outlaw fires another shot but misses. He's clearly outgunned by the massive fire from the Gatling gun. To continue to exchange fire will be useless and a 'deathtrap':

So the last Outlaw does the only reasonable thing he can; He makes a run for the last remaining horse to try to escape towards the Mexican border:

The mysterious machine gunner are more on the offensive now, and leaves his cover and moves towards the horse pen. He opens fire again...

...and takes out the last horse, and cut of the last Outlaw's retreat possibility:

The last Outlaw now understood that he could not escape this situation, and the only way was to take up the fight. He took cover behind the well and opened fire again. Unsuccessfully:

The machine gunner takes cover and returns fire...

...and successfully take out the last Outlaw with another 'headshot':

Our mysterious Hero silently wraps up his things and slowly continues ahead towards new 'adventures', leaving behind him a 'trail of death': 

Conclusion

Even if the Delta 6 rules clearly are made for more modern warfare in mind, I think amending them for a 19th century skirmish or a Old West shootout worked just fine. 

Even if the "1980's Hero" have more health and better close combat skills than 'regulars', he's still very vulnerable as it actually only takes a single unsaved 'headshot' to permanently take him out of action. Perhaps he should be allowed to roll 2 D6 for save rolls as well, keeping the best? - Or give him 'Johns' stats and let him 'Fade to Black'?

I had a good time and enjoyed the narrative and cinematic feeling of this game. Time will show when and where he appears next time, or if I actually get around to acquire a 54mm 'Rambo' figure...

Delta 6

I am a member in a Fb-group called 'Super Cheap Wargaming', which is right up my alley regarding my interest for wargaming on a budget. Earlier this year another member of the group and game designer, Adam L. Dobbyns uploaded some very easy rules called 'Call of Plastic'. At first glance I thought these rules looked just too simple to be interesting, but I was curious and tried them out for a small skirmish wargame. The game revealed some few shortcomings, which I noted in my wargame review. Shortly after I registered that Addam L. Dobbyn had posted a new but more advanced version of the rules addressing many of my initial 'Cons'. This version of the rules was named Delta 6. I liked the simple 'Call of Plastic' so much, so trying out 'Delta 6' was a no-brainer to me and my expectations were high. Besides, after posting a battle report and wargaming review of Call of Plastic where I hinted that there also was a more advanced version of the rules, it was clearly in the comment-section that many readers were looking forward to them. -So here they finally are by popular demand:

The rules

The rules was posted in the mentioned Fb-group, but was soon removed again, as the designer only publish them temporarily for a short time at a time. I was lucky to save a copy, and the designer suggest you copy them when published. Click on the icons for larger images. They can be saved and downloaded to your computer:

The scenario

The Delta 6 rules is designed to be a very easy and fast play scenario based wargame based on smaller units. It doesn't actually tell you how many soldiers you can activate each turn, but in Call of Plastic which this game derives from, you can activate only 3 soldier each side, each turn. -So I decided to play it that way. Since it only allowing to activate 3 individual soldiers each side each turn, rather than several larger units I think this calls for a skirmish scenario and game. 

It's tempting to use 'modern army men' as the Delta 6 very graphical rules suggests use of modern weapons, some (Kevlar-) protection and 'modern (movie-) Heroes'. I've decided to interp the rules to be basically about ranged combat with generic weapons of different types, close combat and savings, and use them for what ever period I like.

I would also like to something to compare theses rules with, so I've decided to replay the scenario I've used for the wargame reviews of Chain Reaction, One Hour Skirmish Wargames and Call of Plastic. So again I've placed this skirmish to the United Nations largest mission in both scale and operational scope during the Congo Crisis 1960-65, when UN troops 'peacekeeping' was more offensive 'peace enforcement' with force. 

Situation: 

To secure the main supply route (MSR) between the UN-bases in Kamina and Albertville, The United Nations temporary deploy several traffic control  posts (TCP) at critical points along the MSR a head of the convoys and other priority transports, to avoid and handle 'disruptions'. This service are conducted by the Military Police, and each TCP are usually manned by a single Military Police patrol with a few members.

Place:

A head of several planned supply convoys from Kamina to Albertville at the 29th of May 1961, several TCPs are established by UN Military Police along the route. One of these Military Police patrols are securing the junction between Manono and Kitotolo located in the self proclaimed state of Katanga.

Forces:

On the contrary to the 'Call of Plastic' rules, what kind of weapon each member is armed with has importance in Delta 6. The M1 Garand is a very accurate semi automatic rifle, so I'll just use the same stats as for the 'assault rifle'.

• UN:
• 1 MP Patrol/ Traffic Control Post of:

• 1st. Sgt. Hicks with SMG
• Sgt. Wayne with pistol 
• Cpl. Dreyer with M1 Garand rifle
• Cpl. Cord with SMG

• Katangese:
  
• A small squad of 5 Katangan Gendarms:
• Cpl. "Crazy Gali" armed with a rifle.
• 3 members armed with rifles and 1 private with a SMG.

Mission:

• Katangese: To interrupt the UN presence and possible capture some of that UN equipment or weapons. I think they'd really like that Jeep too.
• UN: To hold and secure the junction so the UN convoy don't get lost on the wrong way and ends up in areas controlled by Katangese forces.

AAR

Time:    40 minutes

Turns:   7

Result:  Katangan victory as the UN MP's were forced to withdraw after suffering heavy casualties

When arriving to the junction Sgt. Wayne suggest that they take a closer look at the courtyard across the junction, as if it's safe it can eventually be used as a hold-and-turn area for those UN convoys passing later, to hold some of the convoys back, a place to do maintenance on them or turn them if needed. 1. Sgt Hicks agrees. As they have plenty of time before the first convoy are expected, they decides to have a closer look at the courtyard. The buildings looks empty:

Meanwhile the UN MP's are unaware that Cpl. Gali from the local Katangan Gendarmerie detachment are leading a small patrol approaching the same courtyard from the opposite side:

Cpl. Gali needs to secure both buildings to control the courtyard and road cross, and orders one of his Gendarms up on the roof on the building they're hiding behind. Then he orders 2 others to advance to the well to give cover and and supporting fire to secure the further advancement to the furthermost building of the yard:

As the 2 Gendarms reach their cover behind the well...

...they are spottet by by the UN MP TCP, and 1st Sgt. Hicks order his men to seek cover and open fire against any potential threat:

Sgt. Wayne, Cpl. Cord and Cpl. Dreyer immediately takes action and moves into cover and opens fire. They hit one of the Gendarms in cover behind the well, but none of the hits are critical:

Both the Gendarms behind the well return fire along with the Gendarm on the rooftop. They do not hit any of those UN MPs, but provide covering fire for one Gendarm whose making a run for the furthermost building:

1st. Sgt. Hicks advances and takes cover with Cpl. Dreyer. He fires and makes another hit on one of those Gendarms behind the well:

Sgt. Wayne and Cpl. Cord advances from soft cover to hard cover behind a stone fence. Luckily they just made it in time, as the Gendarm running across the courtyard successfully entered and secured the furthermost building, where he again spotted Sgt. Wayne and Cpl. Cord behind that stone fence. The Gendarm opened fire, but missed:

The rooftop Gendarm opened fire against 1st Sgt. Hicks and Cpl. Dreyer, but misses.

Cpl. Gali sneaks upon the corner of the building, takes aim and fires...

...and hits Cpl. Cord with a long range unsaved 'headshot':

The Gendarm in the building fires upon Sgt. Wayne, but misses again:

Sgt. Wayne runs towards his friend to check him out, but it's nothing he can do. Only being armed with a pistol, he grabs Cpl. Cords SMG...

...and opens fire and scores another hit on one of the Gendarms in cover behind the well. This Gendarm is starting to run very low on health now:

The Gendarm in the building makes another try to take Sgt. Wayne out, but misses anothertime:

One who does not miss is Cpl. Gali, who must be a skilled marksman and scores another long range headshot...

...which again is unsaved and takes Sgt. Wayne out of combat:

All the Gendarms concentrates their fires against 1st Sgt. Hicks and Cpl. Dreyer, while Cpl. Gali sneaks behind the building to get into a better position for another 'headshot':

1st Sgt. Hicks and Cpl. Dreyer gets pinned and both sides exchanges fire for a couple of turns:

Even if he improved his position, Cpl. Gali does not hit:

The Katangan fire is overwhelming, and 1st Sgt. Hicks understand that they have no chance of taking and holding this junction...

The MPs are pinned to their position by the Katangan fire, and moving out of cover will be very risky. 1st Sgt. Hicks orders Cpl. Dreyer to make a run for their Jeep, which they seeks cover behind and return fire:

The Jeep provide some cover from the massive Katangan fire. They have been heavily outnumbered, so if the UN MPs are going to have a chance at all, they'll have to try to get out of this situation:

They embark and starts up their Jeep and heads back towards the UN lines again while receiving heavy Katangan fire:

The Katangans missed and 1st Sgt. Hicks and Cpl. Dreyer will head back to their own lines again to warn their UN HQ about the Katangan ambush at the junction between Manono and Kitotolo, and stop any UN Convoys to get there. This is now a job for the UN infantry troops:

Pros

• The rules are free.
• The graphic rules makes this very easy and quick to learn and play. 
• You can play this game with any toy soldiers or readily available army men regardless of period or if they have modern guns and Kevlar or not.
• Rules for a generic selection of infantry weapons.
• The rules have an own appendix for different cinematic Heroes. I guess their skills can be transferred to any heroes.
• 'Fade to black' rule which gives your hero a second chance to re-enter the game if he's suddenly taken out by a 'head shoot'.

Cons

• The rules doesn't mention the turn sequence. As Delta 6 derives from Call of Plastic, I've decided to play it like the players roll for initiative, and move up to 3 miniatures each time. A turn is when all miniatures have had an opportunity to move.
• The rules are not clear concerning if a soldier can move + move or move + fight. Here I chose to follow the example from Call for Plastic again, and playing move + move or move + fight.
• There are no negative modifiers for moving over or through difficult terrain. A soldier will move as fast through or over cover as he would in the open.
• The rules suggests that the RPG has longer effective firing range than a rifle and a sniper rifle, which is not the case IRL regarding direct fire. This is a skirmish game (with limited ranges) after all.
• Regarding the available weapons these rules are 'soldiers rules', man vs. man, so there are no rules for vehicles etc.

Conclusion

This is still a very basic game, but slightly more advanced than it's predecessor. I think this makes the rules more interesting, challenging and playable. For wargamers not familiar with 'Call of Plastic' it would be easier to play this game if things like turn sequence, how many soldiers to activate and what they can do when activated would be included in the rules. With the available selection of weapons I think these rules will work for 19th, 20th and 21st century skirmish wargames.

Despite being only 20 small and very graphic pages, it also has a 'Hero appendix' for more scenario based and cinematic games. -I think I'll have to come back to these rules again.