ASAD-BABIL "LION OF BABYLON" IRAQI ARMY FEB 1991

[Mithras]

Incidentally, I don't blame that on WARPAC suppliers. I think this was a matter of complete corruption in Baghdad, and the tendency of dictators to like armies that "look pretty" but don't really have a stomach for fighting (Mengitsu in Ethiopia being another example.)

[Estnische]

Well, Herman. You will have to hide some gold bars somewhere inside for Mithras to try to find...

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/histor ... -gold.html

An April Fool's joke, but very Kelly's Heroes.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/11564412264 ... ZoQAvD_BwE

[Mithras]

Hah! Well, I mean... given the Type 69 is built of aluminum, I suppose it's a good way to smelt that gold...

[HERMAN BIX]

Well, Herman. You will have to hide some gold bars somewhere inside for Mithras to try to find...

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/histor ... -gold.html

An April Fool's joke, but very Kelly's Heroes.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/11564412264 ... ZoQAvD_BwE

Yeah thats a great yarn. I could certainly make some form of stolen booty & get it on or in the model, let me ponder that..........

[Meter rat]

You definitely don’t want a Tiger then?
Super research, and historical notes. The problem with this site is there are so many different “modern tanks” it makes my head spin with ideas, I know I will never be able to achieve.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Mithras and Bix: I will be watching this build, for I have one in the stash, too. Did I get this right, Herman: the track recoil can be changed by four degrees? Is this HengLong 7.1 or 7.0? Egad: a big stash of tanks means a lot to learn. Poor me.

[HERMAN BIX]

Mithras and Bix: I will be watching this build, for I have one in the stash, too. Did I get this right, Herman: the track recoil can be changed by four degrees? Is this HengLong 7.1 or 7.0? Egad: a big stash of tanks means a lot to learn. Poor me.

By 4 levels Herr Proff. Its a V7 (Not a 7.1) so does not support servos, but still does a lot of good things.
Zero track recoil thru to what we all know & hate as the "Normal" level .
I have switched the BB unit off by the transmitter too, just to remove the gear whining .
Mr Mithras can turn it back on with a press of 2 buttons which is clear and easy in the instructions that come with it.
The 7.1 has an auto-loader feature that positions the barrel for the auto-reloading carousel after each shot then back to battery, but thats not available on the 7 unfortunately.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thank you, Herman. Because I run my tanks little and sometimes even just start them up to hear the sounds, I have until recently favored the Taigen V3 and Clark MFUs. Yet I have really enjoyed the newer 7.0 and 7.1 HengLong MFUs. I have read the instructions, but have not yet done much with the flexibility of these electronics, except to especially enjoy the lower speed setting. Because the HengLong sounds are better for our contemporary tanks, I look forward to using those especially.

[Mithras]

You definitely don’t want a Tiger then?
Super research, and historical notes. The problem with this site is there are so many different “modern tanks” it makes my head spin with ideas, I know I will never be able to achieve.

Hah!

So, here's the thing. I've wargamed for years (yes, I've said that too much here), and my first true "army" was a Viking Division force. I inherited the tanks, having never painted any of them, and they were exceptionally well painted (and in some cases, scratchbuilt or heavily modified) by a wargamer who essentially didn't have room for them and wanted them to go to a place that they'd be used. At the time, the older guys who were introducing me to the hobby wanted more German players, and specifically SS Players, and so the person who knew of the situation said, "here, these guys are SS, but no atrocities, so... you can feel a little better about it";).

Anyhow, that army contained all kinds of things, in addition to infantry: Pumas, Panthers, Tigers, King Tigers, and Sturm Tigers. I got so very, very tired of pushing Tigers over the years. I've seen them, I've crawled on them, and while I do have a love for them, they are, to me, so much less interesting than some of the other German vehicles produced. Now, the King TIger or a Sturmtiger? Those are vehicles I'd definitely prefer. Not because they are particularly powerful, but because they're unusual, and you don't see them as much (well, maybe King Tigers are more common now, but Sturmtigers are still rare in the wild as far as miniatures games go.) Consider also that I've written sourcebooks for wargames about the "Minor Allies," the Hungarians, the Italians, and the Japanese, and you would be correct to suspect that I like tanks that are ugly and not well loved.

I can kill a Sherman any day with a Tiger. But to do it with a Type 97 Shinhoto, now -that- is a feat!;)

[Mithras]

I just keep finding ideas.
Love the rear accoutrements on this one. The red fuel drum and 125mm ammo crate in place of the missing one.

https://picryl.com/media/american-servi ... ?zoom=true

Still trying to think of ideas for unusual stowage, but I absolutely do not object to it, and will be happy to upgrade our agreement together should you like;) As for markings, somewhere I've got a decent set of images for the Saladin Division's Asad Babils. The only non Republican Guard division to get T-72s, I believe. And somewhat colorful. Different colors for one of the fuel drums, that sort of thing. I know I've got them somewhere. If nothing else, I can try to photograph some of the tanks I've painted. They might have the appropriate elements as a different reference.