At long last, all that research, scenario-writing, model-making and terrain-building finally paid off last weekend as our Carringa Raid game took the prize for Best Demo Game at Warfare 2019! As regular readers will know, I only do demo games at shows for the celebrity status, adulation, free drugs and groupies, but where these are not forthcoming a nice trophy will do… 🙂
I’ll post the full scenario up later for others who want to play it, but here’s the report from Saturday’s game. We actually played the game twice (when I say ‘we’, it was mostly Paddy and Richard who did the playing, while I did a bit of umpiring and A LOT of talking to people), but my phone used up all its photo-storage on the Saturday afternoon, so I didn’t get any photos of the sunday game or the rest of the show! 🙁
Rules used are Battlefront: WWII, which needs very little modification for such a low-tech engagement, beyond using the specific unit cards, which can be downloaded from the Battlefront: WWII Unit Card Generator.
The Battle of Cassinga was one of three main elements of Operation REINDEER, which was the first major ‘external’ operation conducted by the South African Defence Force (SADF) with the intention of attacking the People’s Army of Namibia (PLAN), the military wing of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) in its ‘safe harbour’ base areas within Angola. The assault was initiated by devastating airstrikes that coincided with SWAPO-PLAN’s morning parade. This was then followed by the drop of a parachute battalion, which then performed a ground assault before being extracted by helicopters, but not before coming under attack from Cuban tanks and mechanised infantry. While a military success for the SADF and a disaster for SWAPO-PLAN, the battle provided anti-South African forces with a propaganda coup and remains an extremely controversial and contentious subject to this day… But it does make a very interesting wargame…
Above: The map for the historical South African assault plan. The scattered drop, caused by poor planning and mis-scaled maps, caused the drop to be far more scattered (this was reflected in both our games) and this plan was heavily modified ‘on the fly’. The scale for this map is 1 square = 1km = 2 feet of table. Note that I’d originally planned to do this on a 6′ x 8′ table and drew the map accordingly, but then realised I could fit all the action happily onto a 6′ x 6′ table, hence the overlaid grid.
Above: An overview of the battlefield at 0800hrs. As Commander Dim Hamaambo’s SWAPO-PLAN forces hold their morning parade in Cassinga, the sound of jet engines approaches…
Above: The initial air-strike, conducted by SAAF Canberra bombers carrying hundreds of 10lb ‘Alpha-Bombs’ (small, spherical anti-personnel bombs) lays waste to a 500m x 800m swathe of central Cassinga.
Above: The casualties on the parade square are horrific, with around 50% of the assembled revolutionary cadres being cut down in this cowardly attack!
Above: Further aerial death arrives in the form of SAAF Buccaneer fighter-bombers.
Above: One section of Buccaneers attacks the tented training camp outside Cassinga and again, inflicts massive casualties on SWAPO.
Above: A second section of Buccaneers attacks the anti-aircraft gun position on the western edge of Cassinga and succeeds in destroying some of the guns. Tragically for SWAPO, the anti-aircraft gunners were caught napping by this surprise attack.
Above: Not to be outdone, a section of Mirage III fighters dives down to strafe the parade square, adding to the carnage.
Above: With Cassinga burning, a large formation of C-130 Hercules and C-160 Transall transport aircraft, carrying Jan Breytenbach’s Composite Parachute Battalion, climb to drop altitude and disgorge paratroops on to six Drop Zones around the town.
Above: Due to an error of scale on their planning maps, some of the drops are catastrophically scattered, particularly on the eastern side of the town. Breytenbach, along with most of the Battalion Headquarters, Mortar Platoon and part of Bravo Company, lands either in or on the wrong side of the river.
Above: Alpha Company are probably the most scattered of all and one of its sections comes within a whisker of being lunch for a crocodile…
Above: Some of Alpha Company land right on top of SWAPO positions around Cassinga, with the Company HQ landing right next to the surviving anti-aircraft gun position!
Above: Yet more of Alpha Company land close to the Training Camp and are intermingled with 11 Independent Platoon. One section of 11 Platoon goes missing during the drop and is never found. This means that 11 Platoon is one-third understrength right from the outset.
Above: 9 Independent Platoon land relatively well-concentrated near their objective at the northern end of Cassinga, but initially struggle to organise themselves in the moments following the landing.
Above: At the top-left of the picture, Charlie Company lands concentrated and in good order. they quickly move to establish a blocking-line near the cemetery. Meanwhile, in Cassinga, Commander Hamaambo has survived the air attack and desperately tries to rally his troops. Some run to defensive positions, while others jump into vehicles and attempt to drive to the safety of the Cuban garrison, 10 miles away at Tetchamutete. However, the moving trucks become easy prey for prowling Buccaneers.
Above: At the southern end of town, Delta Company and the Anti-Tank Platoon land well, though alarmingly close to SWAPO positions. Wasting no time, the paratroops rally and launch an immediate charge on the SWAPO trenches.
Above: Quickly overwhelming the defenders, Delta Company and the Anti-Tank Platoon clear the trenches and push on to storm the SWAPO Engineer Company HQ at the southern end of the town. Some of the engineers attempt to escape by truck but are swiftly dealt with by the Anti-Tank Platoon’s RPGs. However, some of the engineers manage to hold out in a trench and bunker complex beyond the HQ building.
Above: On the western side of Cassinga, Alpha Company manages to destroy the remaining anti-aircraft gun, but comes under intense fire from the trenches and buildings beyond. Captain Swart, commanding Alpha Company, is cut down by SWAPO fire and his men take cover while their mortars lay down smoke-screens. The advance into town has temporarily stalled, though the rest of Alpha and Bravo Companies are finally starting to arrive following the scattered drop.
Above: On the northern edge of Cassinga, 9 Independent Platoon assaults a series of fortified brick buildings that are thought to be accommodation for Cuban advisors. However, the troops in residence are actually the ‘elite’ SWAPO Reconnaissance Company who, while a cut above the rest of SWAPO-PLAN, prove to be no match for the paratroopers and are quickly pushed back along the trench-line.
Above: Back at the southern end of Cassinga, the Anti-Tank Platoon has dealt with another truck attempting to break out of encirclement. Meanwhile, Delta Company has finally destroyed the SWAPO Engineer Company and stormed its fortifications, though not without loss, as a section of paratroops is killed while storming the bunker complex.
Above: With Dimo Hamaambo rallying the last of his surviving revolutionary cadres in the eastern trench-line, a Mirage swoops down to make a strafing-run along the trench-line. However, the South African pilot hasn’t noticed a DShK heavy machine gun lurking among the sandbags… By the time the pilot sees the tracer it’s too late and his aircraft is riddled with .50-calibre bullets. Trailing smoke and flame, the Mirage streaks over the town to explode in the bush beyond.
Above: Dismayed by mounting losses and the sight of the Mirage crashing into the bush, Breytenbach orders his airborne reserve, Echo Company to drop onto Charlie Company’s DZ, with the intention of reinforcing the stop-line on the eastern side of town and closing the fist around SWAPO. However, the addition of Echo Company to the force will now mean a third helicopter lift!
Above: Echo Company lands well and moves swiftly to take up positions near the cemetery and prevent any escape from Cassinga.
Above: The orbiting Cessna 185 Forward Air Control aircraft spots some SWAPO attempting to escape into the bush and calls in a Buccaneer strike. SNEB rockets shred the fleeing guerrillas and the survivors are soon rounded up by Echo Company.
Above: Dimo Hamaambo, with the last knot of SWAPO survivors, is still holding out in the trenches at the north-eastern corner of Cassinga. 9 Platoon has now cleared the northern villas and moves forward to assault an imposing bunker. Charlie Company also now move forward, crossing the open ground to support 9 Platoon’s attack. Alpha and Bravo Companies meanwhile, sweep through the town, clearing the buildings as they go.
Above: As is always the case with our games, anyone is free to join in the fun and a young chap by the name of Nathaniel joined us to take command of Charlie Company for a few turns. He had a challenging task ahead of him; assaulting SWAPO who were deeply dug-into a bunker. Paddy (Breytenbach) passed him three dice to roll, as Richard (Dimo) looked on, confident that his sandbag and log walls would protect him… “Oh no!” cried Natahnie
l, “I’ve rolled three zeroes!” 🙂
Above: Commander Dimo could only look on in despair as he rolled his customary ‘1’ and Breytenbach smugly scooped another SWAPO unit into the bag…
Above: With SWAPO finally neutralised, the first wave of Puma helicopters arrived to fly out the casualties, the PoWs and the two Independent Parachute Platoons. The rest of the battalion busied itself in searching the town for documents and heavy weapons, as well as with preparing a defence against the predicted Cuban counter-attack.
Above: The second lift arrived and Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Company Companies embarked, leaving only Delta and Echo Companies, plus the depleted Anti-Tank Platoon, Battalion Headquarters and Mortar Platoon. Before the helicopters have even lifted off, the sound of tank-engines is heard…
Above: The Anti-Tank Platoon, holding the former SWAPO Engineer HQ at the southern end of Cassinga, have laid an anti-tank minefield in a narrow strip of open ground, just where any vehicles coming up the road would have to go off-road to avoid a burning truck… A Cuban BRDM-2 armoured car and T-34 tank pass through without incident, though the second T-34 strikes a mine and blows up spectacularly!
Above: The mine-strike is quickly followed up with a full-scale ambush as the Cuban column is subjected to a volley of RPGs, though to little effect!
Above: Cuban Motor Rifles frantically bail out of their BTR-152 personnel carriers and rush forward to support the tanks. However, a Buccaneer appears and destroys a second T-34 with SNEB rockets! As 60mm mortar bombs land among the Cubans the Buccaneer returns for a second pass, but is driven off by concentrated anti-aircraft fire from vehicle machine guns and some hastily-deployed ZPU-2 anti-aircraft guns.
Above: Having circumvented the minefield, the survivng T-34 pushes forward, but comes under a heroically suicidal close-assault by the commander of Delta Company, accompanied by a section from the Anti-Tank Platoon and the Assault Pioneer Section! The Mortar Platoon screens their assault with smoke, but withering fire from the tank and it’s supporting BRDM crushes the valiant charge. However, their comrades are swift to take revenge, destroying the BRDM and a BTR with long-range RPG fire and driving off the T-34, which retreats back up the road in a state of some panic (somehw managing to traverse the minefield unscathed). A FAPLA (Angolan Armed Forces) Motor Rifle Company moves forward to deal with the South Africans…
Above: Meanwhile, on the eastern side of town, the Cuban Motor Rifle Company, supported by a truck-mounted FAPLA company, starts to clear the trenches and buildings in the south-eastern corner of Cassinga.
Above: However, as the Cubans push forward, a steady trickle of casualties is inflicted by the combined efforts of Echo Company and the Mortar Platoon and the Cubans make slow progress.
Above: The FAPLA Motor Rifle Company charges the dug-in survivors of Delta Company, but suffer a withering hail of defensive fire.
Above: Having suffered heavy losses, the FAPLA Motor Rifles pull back to cover. The T-34 has moved forward in cautious support, but somewhat unsurprisingly, can’t be persuaded to push forward. Seizing the opportunity, the survivors of Delta Company and the Anti-Tank Platoon make good their escape and withdraw back to Breytenbach’s HQ north of the parade square. However, they are forced to leave their wounded and the bodies of their comrades to the tender mercies of the Cubans.
Above: Similarly on the eastern side of Cassinga, mounting casualties among the Cuban Motor Rifles means that they too are reluctant to push forward, despite the threats of their political o
fficer! The sound of returning helicopters can now be heard…
Above: As the Pumas swoop in to land on the northern LZs there is a mad rush as the South Africans sprint for their ride out of Cassinga! The Cuban and FAPLA troops are too far away to intervene and can only watch in frustration as their prey escapes!
Despite the loss of a Mirage and a last-minute flurry of casualties (exacerbated by leaving them behind for the Communists to recover), the SADF amply completed their objective and extracted with more Victory Points than SWAPO (just…). However, there is the small matter of SWAPO’s automatic 500 VP Sympathetic Western Media Bonus to consider… 😉
My thanks to Paddy Green and Richard de Ferrars for being the prime-movers in running the game (twice!) over the weekend. Thanks also to Steve Uden for providing the ‘front of house’ all day Saturday and thanks to all those old friends and new who we met over the weekend.
Thanks especially to Phil Chang and Dave Thomas for their excellent company, leading an innocent Welsh boy like me astray on the Friday night…
For once I was absolutely truthful when I told my wife that I was ‘only drinking in Moderation’… 😉
It was great to finally meet so many people who I’ve only known through the wonder of the interweb, as well as a stack of friends both old and new! 🙂
As discussed 
Above: But what’s this? It looks as though their Cuban fraternal revolutionary comrades are conducting a fly-past in their honour! But hang on, those engines don’t look right for Illyushins… Four South African Canberra bombers in line abreast unload 300x 10lb ‘Alpha-Bombs’ onto the parade square. The spherical, football-sized bombs hit the ground, bounce once and then explode ten feet above the ground, saturating an area 500m x 800m with shrapnel.
Above: Close behind the Canberras come four Buccaneers, who release 1,000lb bombs onto the anti-aircraft positions and training camp. A pair of Mirage III fighters then strafe the survivors of the earlier attacks. Behind all of this comes a wave of C-130 Hercules and C-160 Transall transport aircraft, who start to disgorge paratroops all around the town.
Above: The parade suffers around 20% casualties in the initial bombing-run, while trucks and buildings burn. Comrade Dimo Hamaambo, the camp commandant, was fortunate enough to be in his house (the red-roofed building) at the time and managed to escape by the skin of his teeth! The shocked survivors are in various states of disorder. Meanwhile, the Training Unit has suffered around 40% casualties and the section of ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns has been knocked out. And yet the battle has only just begun…
Above: Commandant Rhys Breytenbach conducts the para-drop for Charlie Company, on the eastern side of the battlefield. Unlike the historical battle, most of the paras dropped fairly well-concentrated around their DZs. Two sections land in the ponds of the eastern valley and a lot of sections land Suppressed or Disordered (in game terms), but none are lost, which is a good start. [Note to self: Make them drop from a higher ‘altitude’ above the table next time… 🙂 ]
Above: A Mirage III adds to SWAPO’s misery by conducting a strafing-run through the carnage on the parade-square, causing a few more casualties. At the bottom-left of the photo, Breytenbach’s headquarters group, combined with Captain McQueen’s Bravo Company, has quickly rallied and is making a bee-line for the centre of the town. On their left, Captain Swart’s Alpha Company has landed more scattered; elements have managed to reach one of the AA positions, but is being badly shot up by the surviving ZPU-4 AA gun in the second AA position, as well as by the infantry and a 60mm mortar section of the SWAPO 1st Detachment in the trenches north of Comrade Dimo’s house.
Above: Back at Breytenbach’s DZ on the western side of the town, the battalion Mortar Platoon, along with Bravo Company’s mortar section, set up their weapons and prepare to conduct fire support. They are almost immediately in action as Charlie Company calls for support in interdicting some fleeing enemy troops on the eastern side of town, while Alpha Company calls for support in suppressing the ZPU-4, which has already eliminated one section of Paras.
Above: The SWAPO ZPU-4 AA section, along with the 1st Detachment, make a brave stand against the enraged South African Paras, but are finally overwhelmed by the combined efforts of the HQ, Alpha and Bravo Companies, aided by the Mortar Platoon. comrade Dimo escapes by the skin of his teeth, fleeing along with the parade survivors for the safety of the eastern trench-line.
Above: On the eastern side of town, Commandant Forbes’ Charlie Company has managed to extricate itself from the bog and sets up a stop-line around the walled cemetery on the eastern side of the town. Nevertheless, some SWAPO units from the 3rd Detachment manage to slip past their cordon, through a wide gap to the south-east.
Above: At the southern edge of the town, Captain Smitt’s sorely-understrength Delta Company manage to storm the SWAPO Engineer Company HQ thanks in no small part to effective supporting fire from Lieutenant Peters’ Anti-Tank Platoon. However, flanking fire from elements of the SWAPO 4th Detachment in the southwestern trenches (at the bottom-left of the photo), plus an 82mm B10 Recoilless Rifle section, cause them serious problems and one of the Delta Company sections falls victim to SWAPO fire during the assault. To make matters worse, the SWAPO Engineer Company quickly manages to rally in the trenches beyond the HQ buildings, while the 4th Detachment is soon reinforced by the rest of their unit, who have somehow managed to survive the parade (and the subsequent strafing by a Mirage and rocketing by a Buccaneer) unscathed!
Above: At the northern edge of town, Lieutenant Witt’s 9 Independent Platoon has managed to discomfit the ‘elite’ SWAPO Reconnaissance Company by directing a large volume of suppressive fire onto their accommodation buildings. One of the SWAPO sections flees and falls back to the safety of the second building. The Recce Company Commander is made of sterner stuff and holds his ground, though is similarly forced to fall back when the South Africans assault the house. Witt’s men move forward, though soon find themselves under effective fire from the second house.
Above: In the northwestern corner of the battlefield, Lieutenant Botha’s 9 Independent Platoon has no such trouble and quickly overwhelms the hapless SWAPO Training Unit with a bayonet-charge on their tented encampment. A couple of SWAPO sections attempt to flee but are ruthlessly cut down and Botha’s men move on to join the assault on the town.
Above: The SWAPO Recce Company, having been forced out of its comfy accommodation, now largely panics and flees eastward, unaware of Charlie Company’s presence there. However, one determined section holds out in the orange house and delays Witt’s 9 Platoon long enough for the rest of their company to escape.
Above: In the south, Delta Company attempt to maintain the tempo of the advance by attacking the SWAPO Engineer Company in the trenches. However, the Engineers have recovered their wits, while Delta Company no longer has the support of the Anti-Tank Platoon, which has been left behind at the main road. Flanking fire from the bunker first disorders one of the Para sections and further fire from the trenches finishes them off. Nevertheless, the Company Commander and a section of Assault Pioneers reach the trenches and engage in close combat with the SWAPO Engineer HQ Section, but fail to deliver the killer-blow and the SWAPO Engineer commander falls back once again. Emboldened, the SWAPO Engineers prepare to mount a counter-attack on the severely-weakened Delta Company, which is now reduced to 50% strength! The South African Anti-Tank Platoon moves forward to assist, but they have their own problems, being still under fire from the 82mm B10 and 4th Detachment’s 60mm mortar.
Above: Charlie Company moves forward, across the open ground, from the cemetery to the outer trenches on the eastern side of Cassinga. There they engage in a firefight with the survivors of the SWAPO 2nd and 3rd Detachments, who have rallied around Comrade Dimo in the main trench-line. However, this also means that SWAPO elements are now slipping away on either side of Charlie Company’s line.
Above: Called in by the Forward Air Controller in the orbiting Cessna 185A, a Buccaneer returns to perform a rocket-strike on surviving SWAPO positions. However, previously unseen 12.7mm DShK heavy machine guns open up and throw off the pilot’s aim.
Above: The South African mortars are directed to switch their fire onto the heavy machine guns.
Above: Hot on the heels of fleeing SWAPO units, Breytenbach’s HQ arrives along with Bravo Company on the bloody parade square. One heroic SWAPO 4th Detachment section has volunteered to stay behind to cover 4th Detachment’s withdrawal (they are now slipping away to the south, around the rear of Delta Company and the anti-Tank Platoon) and these glorious Heroes of the Revolution successfully fight off a close assault by the enemy before coming within a whisker of killing Breytenbach himself! However, the rest of Bravo Company has now finished clearing the previous trench-line and soon swamps the lone SWAPO section with fire, before finishing them off with a close assault.
As mentioned in recent posts, I’ve spent the last few months building terrain-boards, painting troops and sticking together aeroplanes for my forthcoming demo game at 
After much deliberation regarding building materials, I decided to use high-density 2′ square polystyrene boards: 9x 25mm-thick boards to form the base and 9x 12mm-thick boards, which would form a top-surface into which the trenches, rivers and gullies would be cut before sticking on to the base-boards. The upper boards were then stuck onto the base-boards using PVA glue:
Once the boards were stuck down, I used Polyfilla to smooth the western river-valley and the boggy eastern valley. I then used a sanding-block to finish off the Polyfilla, to smooth off the sharp and ragged edges of knife-cuts and to carve the course of the main road.
To add detail to the trenches, I cut about a hundred matchsticks in half and pushed them into the polystyrene every inch or so along the trench-walls, to give the impression of reinforcing posts. I then topped the trench-edges with a load of pre-made resin sandbag strips by a company called 
I then slapped some more PVA glue on the boards (carefully avoiding the sandbags and the bits I wanted to leave smooth as rivers and ponds) and spread some sand to give the surface texture. I used builders’ sharp sand instead of the fine ‘play sand’ I use for model-basing. Once the sand was dry I sprayed the two valleys, the drainage-ditch and the trenches with dark earth spray-paint, to give them a deeper, darker soil colour, a dark base-colour for the water areas and some shadows in the trenches and bunkers.
The river was then painted in using ‘Teak’ coloured Wilko’s acrylic varnish. From looking at the area on Google Earth I could see that the eastern valley is dotted with numerous ponds and soggy patches, so these were also added using varnish. I also added a trickle of varnish to the drainage ditch. Three very thick coats of varnish seemed to do the trick for the water-features and gave a very nice, glossy finish.
The next phase of painting was to pick the roads and footpaths out in a lighter shade of cream and finally the whole board was treated to a light dry-brush of white (avoiding the sandbags and water-features). Now to get the flock out…
For the flock and undergrowth I decided to use the excellent 
For the ‘Bush’ terrain that covers most of the table, I again painted the areas with PVA and then sprinkled on some Woodland Scenics ‘Underbrush’ in Olive Green. That was then followed up with coarse-grade Burnt Grass flock.
I decided to leave the designated helicopter Landing Zones as bare earth, but flocked the other open areas with dappled flock in ‘Earth’ shade.
Concurrently to building the terrain boards I was also making trees from plastic Woodland Scenics tree armatures. Unlike all the other trees I’ve made lately, these are not based. Instead I take sewing needles and heat the ‘eye’ end of the needle for around ten seconds in a candle-flame. The hot needle is then pushed up the trunk and easily melts its way into the plastic to a depth of about 10mm before setting hard (and/or your thumb if you’re not careful and/or wearing good gloves!). These then can be simply stabbed into polystyrene terrain-pieces; they look a lot better than based trees and don’t damage the boards at all.
I need a walled cemetery for the eastern side of the battlefield, so decided to make a generic cemetery that could be used pretty much anywhere from Angola to Normandy. The walls and gates are from 
While I’ve already got some grass & wood ‘hootches’ that are useable for Angola, I need some solid brick buildings, so bought these from Peter Pig. A quick google for Angolan houses suggested some appropriate colour-schemes.
I need some anti-aircraft gun positions, so thought that these Vietnam artillery positions from 
I also need a small tented camp, so this single-piece resin camp model by Peter Pig fitted the bill. I’ve added the flagpole and SWAPO flag. I’ve also made two more stand-alone flagpoles, flying the SWAPO and Angolan flags, to be stabbed into the terrain-board in front of the town parade square, as well as some road-signs for a bit of extra detail.
I’ve already covered the aircraft in my previous posts 
While I’ve got all the SWAPO-PLAN, FAPLA and Cuban infantry I need from Peter Pig, I still needed a few more South Africans, so painted these up a few weeks ago. They’re Peter Pig Israelis, which are perfect for 1980s South African Paras, but slightly wrong for the 1970s, in that the rifles should be the FN FAL R2 and not the R5 (Galil copy) and the helmets should be British pattern in bare green steel, rather than the cloth-covered plastic helmet of the 1980s. However, there aren’t really any suitable figures, so 1980s South Africans will have to do.
This week I actually managed to get down to club (the 
Above: The village of Ediva sits a few kilometres south of Cahama, alongside the main Cahama to Xangongo road and is presently occupied by a Motor Rifle Company of FAPLA’s 3rd Brigade. They have an attached forward observer with a battery of ZIS-3 76mm guns in Direct Support; these guns have been instrumental in halting previous attempts by South African units to cross the river and attack Ediva from the west.
Above: On the north side of Ediva, a mixed AA Battery consisting of an SA-8 ‘Gecko’ and ZU-23-2 twin 23mm guns scans the skies for South African aircraft.
Above: But here comes trouble… The SADF assault on Ediva is being conducted by Task Force X-Ray’s ‘Combat Group 1’. This group consists of a company of mechanised infantry in Ratel 20 infantry fighting vehicles, an armoured car squadron equipped with Ratel 90 fire support vehicles, an AA group equipped with Ystervark SP 20mm guns, an 81mm mortar group equipped with Ratel 81, a battery of G2 140mm guns (WW2-vintage British 5.5″ guns) and a Buffel armoured recovery vehicle. The mech infantry and armoured cars have been mixed as three ‘Fighting Elements’, each consisting of a mech infantry platoon and an armoured car troop.
Above: As FAPLA troops lurk unseen among the hedgerows and houses of Ediva, Fighting Element ‘Alpha’, led by the troop of Ratel 90s, advances cautiously up the main road. SADF infantry dismount from their Ratel 20s just as the first 76mm shells start to land around them.
Above: 1km to the east, Fighting Element ‘Charlie’ advances along a dirt road running roughly parallel to the main riverside road. However, the leading Ratel 90 is ambushed by FAPLA infantry armed with RPG-7s and immediately bursts into flames.
Above: The rest of Fighting Element ‘Charlie’ returns fire and a BTR-152 is destroyed while attempting to flee. However, the RPG-toting FAPLA infantry slip away into the bush.
Above: In the centre, Fighting Element ‘Bravo’ has been ‘bundu-bashing’ across country to reach Ediva and emerges from the bush right in front of a very startled BTR! Both sides exchange fire at point-blank range around the corner of a hedge and by some miracle the Ratels are all suppressed, while the BTR escapes unscathed! The driver slams the BTR into reverse and withdraws as fast as he can toward the village. However, he doesn’t make it… The Ratel 90 crews recover their wits and 90mm HEAT rounds slam into the BTR.
Above: Although the FAPLA troops are hard-pressed by the SADF, help is on the way from 3rd Brigade at Cahama. The 3rd Brigade’s T-54 Tank Company, accompanied by an SA-9 ‘Gaskin’ SAM system, appears on the main road.
Above: A second BTR-152 Motor Rifle Company, plus battalion headquarters and 76mm artillery observer, arrives on the eastern back-road.
Above: As the leading T-54 appears on the road ahead of them, Alpha’s Ratel 90s open up with a furious barrage of 90mm fire, all to no effect as the T-54’s thick armour shrugs it off! The T-54 halts and takes aim, easily destroying one of the Ratels. The Ratels open fire for a second time, though this time score an effective hit and the T-54 starts to burn.
Above: As their Ratels duel with the T-54s on the main road, Alpha’s infantry weathers FAPLA artillery and uses the cover of the hedgerows to approach Ediva.
Above: On the eastern road, Charlie’s surviving Ratel 90 spots the approaching column of BTR-152s, but is forced to defend itself against a bold (though doomed) attack by an isolated FAPLA infantry section.
Above: This gives the FAPLA column time to dismount from their BTRs before the Ratel turns its attention back to them and picks off the (now empty) lead vehicle. The FAPLA infantry move up through the bush, determined to make the Ratel taste RPG…
Above: However, in the centre things are turning against FAPLA as Bravo, with the assistance of a section from Charlie, assaults and overruns FAPLA infantry dug-in among the hedgerows.
Above: Supporting fire from a BTR in Ediva does little to slow the South African advance and the appearance of a Ratel 90 forces the BTR to withdraw back into the village.
Above: The SADF headquarters group prepares to move forward with the Buffel (on the right) to recover the SA-8 once it has been captured.
Above: With casualties rapidly escalating, FAPLA start to pull back.
Above: Although inflicting significant losses on FAPLA, the SADF’s cautious attack has allowed the SA-8 to slip away through the bush, back to the relative safety of Cahama.
Above: The mainstay of the SAAF’s fast jet fleet at the start of the Border War was the Dassault Mirage III, of which South African had been a very early customer during the 1960s, having bought 15x Mirage IIICZ and 3x Mirage IIIBZ trainers. This was followed up in the late 1960s with a further purchase of 16x Mirage IIIEZ, 3x Mirage IIIDZ trainers and 4x Mirage IIIRZ reconnaissance aircraft.
Models of the Mirage III are readily available in 1/100th, with Heller and Tamiya both having produced plastic kits. However, this one is a die-cast model by Italeri-Fabbri – originally painted in Israeli markings, I’ve repainted it as a SAAF machine.
Above: The arrival of the MiG-23ML ‘Flogger’ in Angola in the late 1980s came as a very nasty surprise to the SAAF, who had become rather used to getting their own way against the more typical MiG-17s and -21s. The MiG-23ML was a considerably more capable aircraft than the older MiGs and Sukhois and also had the edge over the SAAF’s Mirage types. Although marked as Angolan Air Force (FAPA-DAA), they were routinely flown by experienced Cuban pilots, as well as some Soviet and East German advisors, making them an extremely dangerous prospect for the SAAf to take on.
Above: The Cessna 185A was used by the SAAF as an unarmed air observation post and liaison aircraft during the Border War. They were eventually supplemented and largely replaced in the front line by the Aermacchi AM-3 Bosbok, which was an Italian-built and upgraded Cessna 185, having a much more powerful engine (and longer nose) and the capability to attach guns, bombs and rocket-pods for counter-insurgency work and target-marking.
Above: This is how the model looks when it arrives from Shapeways. It’s a single-piece 3D-printed model and very nicely produced. I need to turn it from a tricycle-under
carriage configuration into a tail-dragger:
Above: Then bend the ends of the wire at a 45-degree angle and superglue on the wheels:
Above: Snip off the existing undercarriage, sand smooth and then drill holes for the new undercarriage just forward of the wing-strut roots. Also drill a hole under the tail for the tail-wheel:
Above: Cut the brass wire struts to length and superglue ’em in the ‘oles. Also add a small piece of bent brass wire to form the tail-wheel strut:
Above: Job jobbed! 🙂
As 
Above: The British Army advances onto the field. It must perform a river-crossing under artillery fire, before deploying to assault the main Rebel position. The British generals are by Foundry, with staff officers by Perry.
Above: A battalion of the Hessian Grenadier Brigade approaches the ford. Perry Miniatures from my collection.
Above: The British 1st Grenadier Battalion (Foundry) and the 17th Light Dragoons (Perry) have crossed the river and deploy into line. The Grenadiers open their files in order to reduce the effects of enemy fire. All from my collection.
Above: Hessian Jaegers run forward in skirmish order to oppose the Rebel skirmishers. Perry Miniatures from my collection.
Above: The Hessian Jaegers and Rebel Militia start to take long-range pot-shots at each other across the fence-line.
Above: On the far flank, the British Guards Brigade and the 23rd Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers), resplendent in their Prince of Wales’ Feathers, engage the Rebel skirmish-line. The British are from my collection and the Rebels are from Jase’s – all Perry Miniatures.
Above: The Rebel army waits to receive the hated oppressor. The infantry at this end of the line are by Perry, while the general, the Militia skirmishers and the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons are by Foundry. All from my collection.
Above: A pair of Rebel regiments wait in reserve. These are Foundry figures and I seem to remember that these were among the first I painted.
Above: The main Rebel line. In the foreground the German Continental Regiment (Perry) guards the flank of an artillery battery (Foundry, as is the general) and beyond them another brigade of Continentals (Foundry, from Jase’s collection) supports a thick line of skirmishers (Perry, also Jase’s).
Above: The right flank of the main Rebel line. Two regiments of Continentals (Perry) flank a battery of artillery (Foundry). In the distance a British brigade has pushed back the Rebel skirmishers and has crossed the fence to close with the Rebel line.
Above: Another view of Jase’s troops on the Rebel left (mostly Foundry).
Above: As British artillery deploys in support and a huge column of British infantry follows up, the Hessian Grenadiers cross the river and deploy into line. All from my collection – the Hessians are Perry Miniatures and the rest are Foundry. The Hessian general is a SYW Prussian figure by Front Rank.
Above: As the Hessians complete their deployment into line, the British 1st Light Battalion (Foundry), with a company of the green-coated Queen’s Rangers in support (Perry), moves forward in open order.
Above: On the British right flank, the Guards get stuck into the Rebels!
Above: Sadly the last picture. As the British line infantry starts to form a second line at the ford, the Elite Corps storms the fence-line. The Hessian Jaegers have charged the Rebel Militia skirmishers, while in the foreground the 17th Light Dragoons move forward to charge the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons. The British Grenadiers and Light Infantry meanwhile, have closed ranks before initiating their own charge, in concert with a battalion of Hessians on their right.
Some things never change…
With the slow production of Leopard 2 variants during the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Bundeswehr had an urgent need to upgrade their existing stock of Leopard 1s; particularly the large numbers of elderly 1A1 variants still in service. This major upgrade included a new advanced fire-control system developed from that of the Leopard 2, incorporating thermal sights, a laser-rangefinder and the capability to fire APFSDS ammunition. Internally the ammunition storage was all moved into the turret-rear and the gun mantlet was adapted to allow a possible future upgrade to a 120mm gun (though this later option was never adopted).
The first Leopard 2 tanks were delivered to 9th Panzer Brigade (3rd Panzer Division) in late 1979 and represented a quantum-leap in capability when compared to the Leopard 1 or M48. The new tank had a 120mm gun, a gun-stabiliser fitted as standard, an advanced ballistic computer, a laser-rangefinder, considerably better armour protection than the Leopard 1 and yet had mobility equal to that of the sprightly Leopard 1, despite the 50% increase in weight over the Leopard 1.
OK, it’s not a tank, but it is listed on Max’s chart above and was replaced by M48 and Leopard 1 tanks in the same units, so is worth mentioning here. The Kanonenjagdpanzer 4-5 was a self-propelled 90mm anti-tank gun employed in the Jagdpanzer Companies of Heimatchütz Brigades and the Jagdpanzer Platoons of Heimatchütz Battalions.