Year of the Butterfly. 4: 1951

The random year for my next battle is 1951.

1951 gives me a number of options. The obvious one is Korea, for which I can put together a reasonable Anglo/American force from my Second World War models in 3mm or 6mm. Unfortunately I have absolutely nothing useful for the North Korean or Chines forces.

Another possibility is French Indo-China, but I have little that is useful for either side, or any suitable terrain.

Either of these wars in extremis could be played using my Memoir ‘44 boards and top-down counters from the internet.

However, in 1951 military coups and insurrections seemed to be breaking out all over South America, so I have decided to put together a “What if?” skirmish using the vintage Airfix toys that I stocked up on, mainly from eBay, when I retired six years ago.

I know that I have some Sherman and Patton tanks in the loft, and I believe a couple of Centurions. I can supplement them with 25pr guns, DUKWs and I think an SP gun. All of these could have been supplied to the armies of minor nations after the war. The infantry will be recruited from the classic “Infantry Combat Group”, possibly mixed with some series 1 German infantry.

With these toys the rules must needs be “old school” too. Possibly Lionel Tarr, Charles Grant, Don Featherstone or Terry Wise.

Perhaps the causus belli could be a president who refused to accept the result of a lost election and raised the rabble against the new incumbent. A bit far-fetched I know, but it could happen.

So it’s off to the loft for the toys and to the shed for the paints, and we shall see what transpires.