Some Questions

[Benjamin]

I just got back into T2K after a long hiatus, and after reviewing the books I have a few questions.

First, in the Soviet Vehicle Guide (V1) it says that information about the Soviet Army was gained when Maj-Gen. I.M. Kotiev surrendered to the Germans in August of 2000. My question is...who is this guy and how important was his surrender?

Second, I've heard that Frank Frey has written up some material concerning American forces in east Africa. Where can I get a hold of what he has written? Was it officially published or just forum posts?

Finally, I want to do minis as we role-play. Right now I have a bunch of Forces of Valor 1/72 scale vehicles and a few figures. Does anyone else who does minis have any suggestions as where to get a larger variety of vehicles and men? And also where can I get pre-made buildings?

Thank you,
Benjamin

[chico20854]

I just got back into T2K after a long hiatus, and after reviewing the books I have a few questions.

First, in the Soviet Vehicle Guide (V1) it says that information about the Soviet Army was gained when Maj-Gen. I.M. Kotiev surrendered to the Germans in August of 2000. My question is...who is this guy and how important was his surrender?

I think his name was generated more or less randomly as a bit of detail to add color to the work. I can't find any specific reference to him in any other work. Some ideas, though:

1) the 94th Cavalry Division, according to Going Home, defected en masse to NATO in the period between Escape from Kalisz and Going Home. He could have been the commander of that unit.
2) During that same timeframe, the following HQ's disintegrated:
1st Southwestern Front
2nd Southwestern Front
2nd Western Front
1st Guards Tank Army
4th Guards Tank Army
3rd Shock Army
8th Guards Army
20th Guards Army
He could have been the commander of any of these units, and could have been a staff officer of any of the Front HQ's. (If he was a staff officer it might explain why he was in possession of detailed information about the entire Red Army, as it happened to be). He could have also been from any of the multitude of units that disintegrated or mutinied.
3) Possessing details about units far from Poland, he could have come from the remnants of the Soviet High Command around the ruins of Moscow and areas under central control. Maybe he stole a working aircraft and fled? (High command did have some reserves of such high-value items available, such as the Scud missile and bio warhead from Bear's Den and the resources devoted to recovering the Barrikada in Boomer.) Why? Maybe he'd had enough of the war, maybe he had a son that was in a POW camp in Germany that would be released if he came over, maybe he got caught with the Minister of War's 22-year old daughter, maybe he'd crossed the KGB...

In any case, by August 2000 his surrender probably didn't mean much. Both NATO and the Pact's armies were rapidly disintegrating. With a limited campaigning season and the carnage in Central Poland, by August 2000 it was unlikely that the Pact would be mounting any other operations for the year, so even if he did have valuable intelligence, such as detailed plans for a Pact-wide offensive, to give the Germans it wouldn't effect the outcome. He didn't bring any major force over to NATO with him - if he was the commander of the 94th Cav he brought 800 cavalrymen with him, unlikely to change the course of the war.

Second, I've heard that Frank Frey has written up some material concerning American forces in east Africa. Where can I get a hold of what he has written? Was it officially published or just forum posts?

It was published in an old forum, I believe it was the predecessor of this forum's predecessor (this group's grandforum!). Check the archives of that group on Antenna's web site (http://www.ludd.ltu.se/users/antenna/index.htm). It was called something like Lions of Africa, and featured the 187th Abn Bde, a Seawolf-class SSN and a couple of old US Destroyers.

Finally, I want to do minis as we role-play. Right now I have a bunch of Forces of Valor 1/72 scale vehicles and a few figures. Does anyone else who does minis have any suggestions as where to get a larger variety of vehicles and men? And also where can I get pre-made buildings?

Thank you,
Benjamin

Beyond the forces of valor series, there are some other die-cast 1/72 scale vehicles. I believe Dragon is another brand. Still, there are limited options in new die-cast vehicles. For pre-made buildings, your best bet is probably HO-scale (1/87th) model railroad scenery. It's not quite right, but for a Friday night its probably ok.

[smokewolf]

You might try Battlefield Evolution miniatures. Prepainted and fairly decent. Not sure of the size ratio though. http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/series.php?qsSeries=47


For terrain -

http://www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk/aiproducts.htm

http://www.amera.co.uk/product.php?range=s

http://www.miniaturescenery.com/index.asp

http://www.worldworksgames.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7

[weswood]

This online store has some prepainted/die cast/plastic models. I've picked up a BTR-80 die cast and a plastic BTR-60.

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cat.htm


Here's a site that doesn't sell 1/72 soldiers, but they have good pictures of what's available, although modern soldiers are sometimes hard to find.

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Index.aspx

And this guy usually has the newest releases:

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/AlwaysModel__W0QQ_armrsZ1

[Fusilier]

Here it is (maybe)... I think this is a piece of it when I cut and pasted from the post in the old old forum. I may have more, but my oldest stuff is pretty unorganized.

The 173rd was actually reconstituted in 1995 as an additional strategic asset. It was to consist of two battalions of regulars, a battalion of National Guard, and battalion of Army Reserves. Two of the battalions were to be airmobile and the other two were regular airborne.

Parts of the 173rd were deployed to Kenya in early 1997. The initial Task Force consisted of the following
173rd HQ and Spt Bn
1st/503rd Parachute Inf
2nd/503rd Parachute Inf
Co. N/75th Inf(Ranger)

The Reserve and National Guard battalions never made it so the newly raised 555th Parachute Infantry Bn was sent in its stead. The 3/325th and other NATO units who had been expelled from Italy later joined them. The 173rd has seen action against marauding bands of "Technicals" from Somalia and Sudan.

Christian marauder group from Uganda that calls itself "God's Will.
Al Seifidin (Sword of the Faithful): Islamic fundamentalists.
Black Sails: A pirate/slaver band that operates out of Zanzibar. Their main opposition is the JTF that operates out of Mombassa.

There is a private aviation outfit operating out of Nairobi. They're called Aerotek International; they fly A-26's and A-1 Skyraiders.

Brigade HQ was located in Nairobi. A US Navy/Coast Guard JTF operated out of Mombassa. There was also an MP Company as well as an artillery battalion. The vehicles were mostly various flavors of Hummers and Cadillac-Gage vehicles.

It should be noted that 3/325th is actually one of the battalions of the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade. It is "forward deployed" in Italy. The SETAF airborne battalion, 3-325th Airborne was reflagged 1-508th Airborne on 15 Feb 96. The 4-325th Airborne battalion, an organic element of 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division was reflagged 3-325th Airborne on 16 May 96.