Team Yankee Syrian escalation league 2020

Hello again, after quite a long wait I’m here to catch you all up on my progress with my Syrians for Team Yankee!

Firstly, our league was interrupted (as quite a few many were) by the COVID-19 global pandemic, as such only a single session was completed before the league was put on hold, that combined with things in the world (and with work!) just in general being crazy has meant that not much progress has been made since then, so I’m just here to post some building pictures and catch you all up on my revised list for 55 points!

My original 55 point list went up against a French AMX-30 list and won a decisive victory at 7-2, unfortunately I didn’t manage to get any photo’s of the game as I’m not really a fan of taking photo’s of my own unpainted models (it’s the little things that count when you’re building garbage), but in general I lacked alacrity in moving my forces up the table and paid dearly in models, however in general units managed to avoid getting wiped out (with the exception of a unit of T-62’s dashing for an objective and my SA-8 Osa’s which were badly deployed).

In general I learned a few important lessons and confirmed a couple of theories:

1. Speed is key, I’ll never be able to compete at long range against technologically superior foes, and simply trying to almost cost me the game
2. Check ranges of enemy MBT’s before the deployment phase, the 40” range is not to be underestimated when deploying soft units such as SA-8 Osa’s
3. ZSU-23-4 Shilkas are a great unit for fighting enemy APC’s off of an objective, most APC’s having armour values averaging less than 2 means that 16-24 shots of AT 6 FP 5+ fire can do wonders
4. NATO aircraft and artillery are able to place awfully powerful templates with ease, so everything must be done to avoid that
5. Having skill 5+ artillery is simply a poor experience, so an OP would make the points invested into them far better spent
6. Su-25’s simply do not have the weight of fire necessary to make their points worthwhile in short games
7. The extra point for bazooka skirts on the T-55 is simply not worth it as my own infantry will be tying up most of the enemy light anti tank infantry

With the removal of the Su-25’s and the T-55’s bazooka skirts freeing up 8 points, I’ve placed 2 points firmly into acquiring some BRDM’s to give much needed spearhead to my units along with a BTR-60 based observer to act as force multipliers for my other units, as well as being able to add an SA-7 Strela with their BMP to the BMP platoon plus an entirely new combat support platoon in the form of a BTR platoon, bringing along 5 extra armoured vehicles to add weight to any pushes, as well as an extra long-range anti-tank option to hopefully keep the majority of enemy tanks at bay as my main force moves up the field (not to mention far more useful in infantry assaults).

Now onto some of the building updates.

I’ve collected and assembled most of the new 55-point list (with the exception of the BRDM’s which are still to arrive in the mail), most of my original 55-point list has also been assembled and primed although I’ve yet to nail down my exactly colour schemes as a test model is next on my to-do list, here are some shots of the assembly progress.

Luckily some warm soapy water and a toothbrush can make quick work of the paintjob ruining nuisance.