Rebasing Micro-Armour Infantry and Heavy Weapon Groups

For years I lead a very active wargaming life playing microarmour. I remember purchasing my first vehicles from Heroics and Ros in the late 1970s for what worked out to about $0.25 CDN per vehicle.

Over time, I played many rule sets but I kept returning to the set that offered the perfect combination of complexity and playability, both for  World War 2 and the Modern Period. I refer to the WRG  Armour and Infantry 1925-1950 (June 1973) and Wargame Rules for Armoured Warfare 1950-1985 (June 1979). This 2^nd rule set replaced the earlier version of the rules which covered to 1975.

My introduction to the revised Modern rules was at a gaming convention held at St Mary's University in Halifax against a team from the Armoured Warfare School based at CFB Gagetown. They taught us civilians a lot that day.

WARGAMES RESEARCH GROUP - Rules Ancient and Modern and other periods in between, a website by Sue Laflin-Barker, provide pdf downloads to these and other out of print WRG rule sets.

My only complaint about these rules was the level they presented the infantry and heavy weapons units. I imagine they are what would be labeled as fire teams. My own interests tend towards a squad level unit, using markers for multiple hits.  In recent years I have tended towards Blitzkrieg Commander for WW2 and Cold War Commander for the modern period. For these rules I looked at rebasing the majority of my 600 infantry as squads on a 40mm x 20mm base and I am very happy with the results. 

WW2 Soviet Hvy MGs

WW2 Soviet AA Gunss

WW2 Soviet Mortars

WW2 Soviet Combat Engineers

WW2 Soviet Anti-Tank Rifle Teams

Soviet Air Power 1/285 Microarmour

I started to play modern micro armour late in the 1970s using the WRG Armour and Infantry rules 1950-1975, and later the revised 1950-1985 rules set. In spite of the size of my micro armour collection I neglected to build up the air wing. This changed earlier this year, when I noticed an ad offering a large collection of modern micro-armour for sale in the Ottawa Miniature Gamers Yahoo Group. I did not need the ground forces and the gentleman was willing to part with his Soviet Air Power.

Photo 1: MI-24 Hind D and two MiG 27 Frogger

I obtained four MI-24 Hind A, one MI-24 Hind D and two MiG 27 Frogger ground attack aircraft. The one problem was that the helicopters were missing the rotors. GHQ was very helpful in providing replacement parts and I received the brass etched rotors in just 10 days, along with a full colour catalogue and a time limited coupon for my next order.

Photo 2: four MI-24 Hind A

I drilled holes into the bodies of all the airframes in order to use some Games Workshop clear flying bases to hold the aircraft in the air. As usual the base terrain was be built up using Liquitex Natural Sand, and then will be painted with DeSerres Raw Sienna (Series 1 No 185) and flocked using Citadel Sand and Scorched Grass.