Hind and Seek – Rules for the Soviet-Afghan War

[madman]

BTW does anyone know what the loadout on Su-24s used during the Soviet Afghan war was? I have a couple of GHQ Su-24s and wish to model them as used. The minis come with air to ground missiles but I can make up bombs, racks etc. if that was what was typically carried. Thank you.

[NKL Aerotom]

Stephen I assume the SU-24s would be using rocket pods and general purpose bombs, I couldn’t see ATGMs used unless for a very specific mission (bunker/cave busting or suchlike?) I’m no expert on SU-24 armament in the Soviet-Afghan war though 😀

Tom Jensen - http://ostfrontpublishing.com/

[madman]

My thinking is they were used for high altitude attacks and not close and dirty. Hence bombs only and not rockets. I see Su-25s and possibly MiG-23/27s used in close assaults with rockets. Yes, I assume ASMs (not ATGMs) might be carried for caves or bunker work but that would be rare (I have yet to read anything about precision guided weapons employment in Afghanistan). Thank you.

[irishserb]

I recently watched a Russian documentary (sorry, I don’t remember the title) that stated the Su24 was used for some low level and precision strikes in Afghanistan.  My impression was that they were probably working out the bugs of the beast and the various weapons systems, and refining methodology.  Most of the video showed it dropping free fall bombs from a safe height.

They also mentioned using the Su17 from safe altitude, and that the Mig 27 performed poorly and was eventually withdrawn.

 

[madman]

Thank you very much Brian. So maybe one with ASMs and the other iron bombs. The CinC Su-17s I have are from back in the day and painted already so whatever they have they will retain. I have a pair of MiG 23s and 27s still NIP and could make them as wanted. I think I will just use the already done ones for now.

Quite a few minis from back in the day are in what we now call imaginations markings. Sorta like real world camo but with spurious or purposely incorrect markings so they could be used elsewhere. I liked the East German tricoloured diamond as a marking back then (must have been easy to paint) and matched it with a scheme of overall dark sea grey with the addition of 1/3 dark earth and 1/3 dark green on the uppers only. I will have to resurrect it for more planes. I have it on MiGs, Dakotas, P-61s, Soviet and US helos, and on. That “banana republic” had many sources of supply over the years. I did make a couple distinct countries with differing schemes but again neither followed any real world examples except by chance.

[madman]

I pulled the text of the rules into Word so I could work with them but didn’t make notes on just what I have modified.

The rules are hex based. Hexes are about 50 meters across and for game purposes I am using 2″ hexes.

The strength points system is quite different but in a nutshell. Many players complained about the assets and their cost. They stated they would never buy assets as the forces they could deploy for the same cost far outweighed their benefit. I love them, and the period feel they give, so kept them in the game but modified them thus;
Each side gets one automatic randomly drawn asset. After that is drawn and known by that side the player assigns their strength between known and unknown assets and forces.
Picked assets cost 25 points and are chosen after the initial asset is drawn. It is noted and if the same player picks the same asset as a random one they may either pick again or retain both for twice the effect if applicable.
Randomly drawn assets cost 10 points

Initiative is defined.

Units can be grouped for actions.

Units can be interrupted before or during their actions. It is not automatic and interrupting units expend their action(s) for the turn doing the interrupt.

weapons ranges, now all lethal ranges are 2/3 suppression range in order to make determination easier. Originally almost all were.

All units are considered “going prone” and get the benefits unless they are moving quickly in the open.

That is as far as I have gotten for now. I would like to add the following but have to test and review what I have done so far first.

Leaders and their effects.
Activations, although given interruptions that may be as far as I want to go.

Very possible
variable die type a la Force on Force to reflect different troop qualities.
Pre game patrol phase from Chain of Command.

[Author]

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