15mm Afghanistan Comparison and Opinions

For those that are interested in wargaming post-WW2 Afghanistan in 15mm there are/were a few options:

Flashpoint:  As far as I know, this lesser known manufacturer offers a single pack of figures that includes AKs, RPDs and RPGs. The sculpts are very nice and most are advancing and firing. From what I recall, they are all in pakul wool caps as opposed to turbans. 

Flytrap: I don't think they are still being produced and I am not sure why because they were very nice. Equipped in with AKs, RPDs (?), Enfields and RPGs and dressed in a nice mix of apparel including pakuls, turbans, fringed clothing, etc. very nice, realistic poses. They also used to offer civilians (village elders, etc). A shame they aren't more available. 

Irregular: Solid if a bit dated range. Poses are a little stiff. There are some nice HMGs too. 

Old Glory/Command Decision: Slightly two-dimensional sculpts with shallow sculpting details. I don't dislike them. Lots of AKs for their rank and file. They offer an infantry pack (AKs) and a support pack that includes RPGs (nice), mortars (nice) and commanders pointing (also nice). Old Glory also offer crew for heavy weapons and "riders" for tanks or the backs of pickups. 

Khurasan: I like this range quite a bit. Dynamic poses, nice mix of weapons. Offer some interesting sculpts for characters. Very nice. My Krapistan regulars are also from Khurasan (Syrian regulars from Yom Kippur range).

Eureka: A newcomer to the genre, these are very nice sculpts and include snipers. Excellent sculpting. I recently purchased some but haven't painted any.

Old Glory UK: offer a baggage train on mules (I own but haven't paintedl, fighters with AKs and RPGs on dirt bikes (my Martyr-Cycles) and heavy weapons and command figures. These fellas are bigger and bulkier than the other ranges with the exception of CP Miniatures. 

Checkpoint/ CP Miniatures: Nice, cartoonish sculpts. I think the sculptor is "Wiff Waff" and sculpted the first Eureka range before they were replaced with the current range. These guys are big and bulky! They mix well with OG UK stuff and not much else. My Bashi Bazouks figures are CP with some OG UK. 

How do these different manufacturers mix with each other? Overall, pretty good. I mix Flashpoint, FlyTrap, Irregular, OG, and Khurasan without issue. I plan to mix Eureka in with the above once I get some painted. CP and OG UK are best to keep away from the rest although once painted, on separate bases they are fine. Here are some pictures of some of these ranges. I will try to add more pictures to this post if I can. 

Left to Right: Flashpoint, FlyTrap, Khurasan, Irregular, Eureka

Left to right: Eureka, Flaspoint, Old Glory, Irregular 

 

Hunting for Black Gold in the Kersplat Basin

It's been a while since I visited Krapistan, my fictional 3rd world paradise used for my AK-47 Republic games. I decided it's been too long and for the next time we get together, I invited Alex to join me in writing another chapter for lovably dysfunctional Krapistan. Not sure when we will game this one, but here are the scenario details:

We last saw the fundamentalist Al Kebab movement doing battle with the government-backed Nawab in Kaput province. Al Kebab was bloodied but victorious. 

Due to global conflict and blockades, fuel has been getting scarce and valuable in Krapistan. Rumors of fuel caches hidden throughout the Kersplat Basin by the previous regime have reached both the central Krapistani government and also Al Kebab. Abu Kebab sees the fuel as vital to sustain the warmachines of his movement and also the grills to ensure his skewers of meat are properly cooked.

The Krapistani government has sent some regulars under Turan Aabdar to assist the local warlord Dagarwal Baaqi's Kersplatti militia in an effort to secure the rumored fuel caches before Al Kebab's black-clad followers find it first. The residents of Kersplat have heard whispers that Turan Aabdar is a vegetarian and are blasphemous to the ears of Abu Kebab.

The scenario will feature a table with rough road running along the center of the basin (game table), several abandoned villages and palm groves are scattered along the road. Rugged mountains and hills are placed near the edges of the table. Six random tokens will then be placed within six inches of the road, roughly half of these will be fuel caches and the other half are dummies. Once a unit comes in contact with a marker, it takes the remainder of the turn to "search and secure". If a unit can remove a cache back to their edge of the table, they receive 30 victory points, mere possession as the end of the game is 10 points per cache. Caches can be driven off the table in vehicles. Each side has one "spy" that allows them to view the true nature of a marker before the beginning of the game.

Because I am lazy, the orders of battle will be eerily similar to the previous battle of Mirhadan even though this battle is being fought in an entirely different province!

Al Kebab

Bashi Bazouks (hardened militia): BRDM, 5 infantry, 1 RPG, 1 HMG

Martyr Cycles (clan militia, move as trucks): 3 mounted infantry, 2 mounted RPGs

Battlegroup Hamal (clan militia): BMP, truck, 5 infantry, 1 commander (Abu Kebab), 2 RPG

Battlegroup Samaka (clan militia): BMP, truck, 5 infantry, 1 mortar, 1 HMG, 1 RPG

Battlegroup Farkah (clan militia): 6 infantry, 1 RPG

Dagarwal Baaqi

Krapistani Regulars: (regulars) 7 infantry, 1 RPG, 2 BTRs

Clan Khan (militia): tank, truck, 6 infantry, 1 mortar, 1 RPG

Clana Abdul (militia): tank, truck, 6 infantry, 1 mortar, 1 RPG

Clan Babak (militia): 8 infantry, 2 RPG, 1 commander (Dagarwal Baaqi)