News and Views – Modern Spearhead

More of a wargamer’s notebook than anything else this issue. As many of you will know my personal economic circumstances have forced me to sell a large part of my 1/300th collection for which there has been a great response – many thanks for all the support in these trying times.

I do intend to keep my Modern Spearhead collection and use unsold models as a core to rebuild armies in the future, with purchases more linked to organisations. I did manage to pick up a modem Dutch army at Ceasefire for £35 which at a stroke has given me almost two Mechanised Brigades in Spearhead; I finally have some YPR-765’s, as made by Skytrex.

This article originally appeared in the SOTCW’s Journal No.41 (September 2001), and Journals 42 & 43 as noted below.

I must commend Tim Kohler from the Wakefield wargames club for his outdoor 1/35th tank battle at Ceasefire, very visual and great fun – real grass no less!

GHQ YPR-765 Dutch IFV

A trip to Waddington air show near Lincoln at the end of June proved useful; I managed to pick up some unusual aircraft kits. The guys at British Aerospace have actually made resin 1/72nd kits of the TSR-2, only £30(!) but I only found out after spending up for the day. I managed to speak to a Luftwaffe Tornado pilot and it was confirmed that the MW-1 Strebo did come into service, and indeed are still around, stored in a bunker somewhere. He said they are a pig to fly with, which can be imagined, given the size of the containers under the fuselage. In MSH I suggest these be treated as double length CBU (i.e. ICM with 12″ beaten zone) or a single length minefield (6″ beaten zone); but reduce the Tornado DEF by 1 whilst carrying it.

Society member Graham Thompson contacted me to remind me that Skywarrior/Skyraider make various drones, which can be used alongside a suitably converted lorry.

Phil Gray has informed me that one of the authors of Modem Spearhead is a member of the SOTCW, so we look forward to hear if he has any views on my comments. Several members have spoken of their interest in this column, and several have considered giving the rules a try.

In the future I shall provide Army and Front level assets for the Soviets in Northern Germany, and plan to look at the Dutch forces tasked to reinforce German 1st Panzer Corps in Northern Germany as well. Phil Shaw claims to have detailed TOE on East German forces which we would all like to see in print – any chance Phil?

If any members have used Modern Spearhead recently please write in and describe your battle and any feedback you would like to give.

Journal 42 (Christmas 2001)

Little to report this issue, other than I still have all my modem micro-armour, and I still haven’t got a modern Spearhead game in recently. My curiosity keeps straying to Operation Vanguard, the British defence in 1961 of Kuwait against an expected Iraq invasion, and how it might come out in a Spearhead campaign. More on this in the future, as I have now have compiled some accurate details of the air forces involved.

In the future I shall attempt to provide the Dutch reinforcements for the West German Corps in 1984. I have also written up some current Chinese lists, which members may be interested in seeing. The 1961 Iraq-Kuwait details will be prepared as a separate article. As ever comments and contributions are welcome.

Journal 43 (March 2002)

During the 1980s the Germans in north-west Germany were expected to be reinforced by forces from the Netherlands in the event of a Soviet invasion of West Germany, although in reality there was some doubt about the ability of the Dutch units to mobilise in time. In my continuing series of 1984 NORTHAG units, I have compiled an order of battle for the Dutch 1st Corps (this TO&E is presented separately in the TO&E section of the website – Ed).

Mark continued his series of articles in the SOTCW’s Journal 44 (July 2002) and we have reproduced it here in Amendments & Suggestions.