"Mother Russia Rain Down, Down, Down!"

I have been in an 80s mood lately. Especially after picking up Eureka's 1980s US in MOPP Gear (not on their site yet). I had been hoping they would release them to go against my Soviets, seen here. Eureka did not disappoint, with yet more amazing work by Kosta Heristanidis. These US in MOPP were released just in time for Historicon. Now my Soviets have something to fight other than zombies.

I really wanted to use these minis for a post-nuclear/chemical/biological setting...as grim and gruesome as that is. I began to look into some WWIII trigger ideas starting around the early 80s and came across some ideas from asking around on the TMP Modern "What If" message board and reading some of the other topics. Besides the massive NATO training exercises called Exercise Reforger (Return Forces to Germany), I came across this little lesser known trigger:

Able Archer '83

What if this had set off WWIII? It is an interesting what if, is around the right time that fits the miniatures, and it is a good wargaming scenario design basis for anything from full scale global nuclear war down to limited tactical nuclear exchange followed by conventional warfare. With this in mind, I got busy painting up the rest of the Soviets I had to finish and starting on my US.


Here are the Reds. You'll just have to forgive the amateurish artistic license I took with the photo editing. I couldn't resist the grainy film setting to help add some period style to the otherwise crappy pics I ended up with.

Command HQ.

Fire Team 1.

Fire Team 2.

Cover!

For inspiration, I have been listening to Sisters of Mercy's "Dominion/Mother Russia".

"Mother Russia...Mother Russia...Mother Russia rain down, down down..."