Modern - DOTR - Eight Souls On Board - Background and setting up.

After looking around the model shop I picked up a couple of MH-60 Blackhawks in 1/100th scale from Italeri.  Diecast lower fuselage and plastic body and uppers.  This meant it was relatively straightforward to carve out the windows and doors to turn two of these models into MH-60 for a Blackhawk down based scenario.

The DOTR book from Ambush Alley Games has a range of scenarios and I fancied trying out my new models on the Super Six One rescue mission which in the book is title "Eight Souls On Board", which is a reference to the crew of Super 61.

I didn't replicate the actual crash but made a generic objective or terrain piece up using one the helicopters.

I did some reading and couldn't quite match the scenario as written with events recorded and depicted in the film "Blackhawk Down".  Film events I could ignore as you have to put up with a lot of hollywood, however there were still some things that I fancied tinkering with.

Super Six Eight is the CSAR helicopter.  The scenario has 15 guys in the Helo fast roping in.  As far as I can tell this is a bit overboard as in reality the ground element arrived at about the same time.  The narrative of the battle (plus the film :) ) indicates a smaller CSAR team based around the two PJs and the CCT with some Delta support (not sure it needs five) and a Ranger security element.  Add to this Lt DiTomasso's team plus a Little bird which dropped to pick up Sgt Busch and it is a lot and would probably overwhelm the defenders (unless the VPs are amended)

So I have changed the scenario (which my opponent doesn't know yet and he won't read this until later :)  )

I am changing it to have:

• Super Six One on the table with Sgt Busch defending.
• CSAR Bird will be 2 x PJ, 1 x CCT, 4 x Delta Operators and a Single Ranger team without the M60 addition to Fast Rope in as the game progresses. I don't fancy letting everyone disembark in one turn.  In real life Super Six Eight is also hit by RPG fire as it dropped off its team, so I fancy dropping that in on my opponent as well ;)
• Ranger 1 will be a Ranger fire team from one edge of the board which will be Lt DiTomasso's team plus a M60.
• Ranger 2 will be a second Ranger fire team from the same edge but not closer than 12" or something along those lines to the other unit.  This team will arrive after Ranger 1 but not too sure how long after.

For the CSAR team I didn't have any "correct" figures so used a couple of USMC with headswaps as stand ins.  They will do as a first attempt :)

Simple swap using a WW2 Fallschirmjager helmet from Peter Pig Range 8.  I then used a small drill to make an indentation in the top of the helmets (on visible on the PJs)

And then added goggles and knee pads using greenstuff.  Painted them in "Coffee Stain" or DCU camo and painted the web gear and boots in VJ Black Grey.

The USMC Medic set is pressed into service as the medics.  I haven't done the CCT yet though

Last up is to base Super Six Eight as a fast rope bird.

Need to make the base a little bit bigger as it doesn't take much to make it tip over.

Terrain is my standard AA terrain set