I'm not sure what started the idea back off. What matters is that something did. 'Back in the day' I had always fancied the HLBS 1/48 figures, but I had decided to stick to just 28mm scale as it would make scenery accumulating etc easier. Having accumualted (and sold off....) a reasonable number of 28mm figures, and seeing that Airfix were planning a schlew of 1/48 releases over the summer, I decided to go for 1/48 afterall (especially as I'd read that they fit quite nicely with most 28mm scenery, especially if you squint, and that they'd also go well with 1/43rd scale cars of which there are an abundance). Except that HLBS had stopped making the figures about 6 months before I made this decision. Not only that, but the shelves were bare! A few great folks on the LAF rallied round, and so I've managed to accumulate some figures to use - not all ones that I would have chosen, and some are duplicates, but it's going to force me to get creative... I've got a few 28mm figures for the setting too - mainly they are remenants from 'the last time', and a few figures from other projects which are usable. definitely not my focus, but every now and again there might a couple of them appearing as tests for camo-schemes and the like.
My original setting was going to be Urdovnya:
This Caucasian state became independent during breakup of
soviet block in 19991, although it retained pro-Russian pseudo-communist
government for 5 years before a peaceful revolution led to the introduction of
a democratic government in 1996. Following this, Urdovnya was wooed by both
NATO and the EU, which has led to an increasing westernisation which in turn
has led to a growing resentment in the ethnic Russian population in the north
of the country. In the summer of 2003 this boiled over into a series of riots and
general civil unrest, however it was quickly contained, and through a series of
measures to increase the representation of the Russian minority in the
Urdovnyan congress. Tension continued to build, until in 2006 the Russian
ethnic minority attempt to stage a coup to overthrow the existing government
and press for a merger with Russia. Within weeks of the campaign starting, a
rogue Russian General (Striorvich) sympathetic
to the cause and with hopes of reuniting Russia with its breakaway
satellite states had crossed the border, bringing the weight of his forces in
on the side of the rebels. The government forces, which had been holding their
own until that point started to break up under the external pressure, with a
changing emphasis to guerrilla actions on the part of the government and the
much more dramatic involvement of militia forces. External pressure eventually halted the Russian
supported rebel forces, before they could fully occupy the country, but as
things stand they hold the northern 1/3 of the country and rebel militia units and
‘technical advisors’ are still fighting in central Urdovnya (Caminsk region).
The governmental forces have not been left solely unsupported however, as a
flood of volunteer fighters and
mercenaries from across eastern Europe and the caucuses have rallied to their
cause, including veterans of the conflicts in Chechnya and south Ossetia. There
are rumours of NATO special forces teams being involved in an advisory
capacity, aiding the Governmental forces. As a side note, there has also been
an uprising in religious fundamentalism amongst the Islamic minority, which
whilst not pro-government (instead preferring to see the institution of an
Islamic state) are decidedly anti-russian (perhaps due to the realisation that
if Urdovnya is integrated into the Russian Federation, the possibility of being
able to set up an Islamic state becomes completely unattainable).
I even fleshed out some (28mm) figure lists as this was developped inbetween getting the idea and the support of the LAFers
Urdovnyan Regular army – Mix of TAG Russians and Mongrel
Soviets to give an older, more rag-tag feel to the army. (Regulars equipped
with soviet weapons and equipment, but have some NATO gear – EG a couple of
‘gifted’ M113 APCs). Cammo uniforms old ‘sun-blotch’ pattern and US
woodland. Wood sotcked AK-74’s + M16s
Urdovnyan Volunteer reserve – Not equipped to fight a
mainstream conflict, the Urdovnyan volunteer reserveforce is non the less a
paramilitary formation and has been drafted in to hold back the encroaching russianl
army. Mongrel Afghan army, Reserve
uniform. Also include Police militsia in a different uniform, supporting the
government forces.
Russian army – Mix of Red-star, TAG & Ratnik modern
Russians, mixed modern camo (see below – Black-stocked AK derivatives
Rebel ‘regulars ‘
militia – as Russians, Wod stoced AKs, red arm bands . Preference for
balaclavas, more military uniform elements than Urdovnyan militia
Urdovnyan militia – Red Star, TAG, Ratnik Chechen militia,
TAG militia with western weapons, Mongrel Congo mercs, WW2 soviet partisans, a
few Taliban for Muslim fighters , Maybe use some baker Co US special forces to
add to the rag-tag ‘east meets west’ feel of the militia?. White arm bands.
Lots of civllain gear mixed in
But i wasn't completely happy with it. Then I stumbled across the setting for the video game 'ARMA II' - Chernarus.
