Syrian Support (for ’73 not now!)

I wanted to put together some support for the infantry. Mortars in the GHQ Heavy Weapons pack are fine (though only three of them!) and I’d assumed the ATGWs were Saggers (AT-3s) but I think they’re actually Spandrels (AT-7s?). Now for the Syrians I need the Suitcase Sagger. Which GHQ don’t do. Mainforce don’t do. But H&R do. Now I’ve used these for my Soviets but mixing them with GHQ just highlights the difference in size.

Anyway, here are the mortars. Only after I’d finished painting them did I realise I’ve got the crews facing the wrong way! Can’t be bothered changing them now:

I’ve gone for 20×20 for my support weapons with one team on each rather than 40x20mm and two teams as for my Cold War stuff.

Now, on to the Saggers. The Heroics and Ros are to the left. My version is to the right.

With the Heroics and Ros the Sagger itself gets lost in the sand and the figures, while fine, are quite small.

For my version I started with the Spandrel from the Heavy Weapons pack from GHQ. Cut of the tube section and used the box as the base for the Sagger. I then had the missiles etc. from an H&R Allouette and chose a suitably sized ‘bomb’, filed one side at the back so it would sit with the nose raised and stuck it to the box. The lying down Spandrel guy had the tripod cut off and the stand looks enough like the Sagger control I’ve seen in some pics. The other crewman is a GHQ radio operator. The radio on his back is a little big but not too bad.

I think it looks better from above as well compared to the H&R one.

And this is the Spandrel that got butchered!

Overall I’m quite pleased. I shall await feedback from various sources, possibly telling me it’s wrong, before I start mass production! And I’ll need to get a few more radio operators as well!

Painting these I did little different. White undercoat, Sepia wash, Violet Brown for uniform, leaving the wash showing for belts etc., Flat Earth kit, Pale Sand drybrush. Mortars and sagger left in Russian Green (all Vallejo).

I have four BTR-152s based and ready to go for them to ride in!

More to follow…