Air War Angola Reading

This is the latest addition to my reading list for the Air War Angola project, adding to the other books in the Helion Publishing Africa at War series. I'm going to dig into these over the half term holidays which should give me some ideas for a potential Wings Above Angola set of rules. 

Wings Above Angola

Now that Corsairs and Cavaliers is off to the printers and if (big if!) it turns out to be well received by the players, I'm considering an adaptation of Flames Above the Falklands for the Border War. This is very sketchy at the moment but I have some initial ideas, which can be worked up into something once I've done some research, as I'm not exactly clued up on the Angolan conflict. I set out some thoughts this time last year for this but, as usual, haven't done anything since:

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.com/2023/05/rabbit-holes.html

Angola Air War Additions

 

I have a couple of the later volumes in the Helion Publishing War of Intervention in Angola series, which are excellent, but not this one which covers the late 70"S and early 80's. These are really good reference sources, both for the detailed text and the full colour profiles, which are really handy when painting aircraft and vehicles. Good stocking filler!

Air War Angola Assets

 

Another potential Wings at War project for next year, or whenever I get round to it, is a version of Flames Above the Falklands adapted for the Border War between South Africa and Angola in the 1980's. For this I would need some ground targets and AAA sites, so I've ordered a load of Soviet and South African vehicles from the Oddzial Ozmy 3mm range. As the retailer in the UK is shutting up shop, I wanted to grab these before they become unavailable, assuming no other supplier picks up the range. No T-55's unfortunately but just about everything else was available, so that covers what I need and gives me some Soviet kit to use for other things. I was also thinking of trying out Hind Commander for Angola, so I'm well supplied with ground units for both potential projects.

Wings at War 2024

Something new, or...

..time to dust this one off?

..or perhaps do this?

I'm off work at the moment with severe hearing loss, which pretty is unpleasant but also quite tedious, as I'm suffering from fatigue due to lack of sleep. It's given me some time to think about next year's projects, one of which will be a Wings at War thing, to add to the unfinished ones I already have, no doubt. At the moment, this is a toss up between Wings over Suez or Thud Ridge, with a possible third option being a 'do it yourself' Wings Above Angola adaptation of Flames Above the Falklands. The recent addition of the F101 Voodoo to the Tumbling Dice range is pushing me towards Vietnam, however, for which I've already done some preliminary sketching and the obligatory purchasing of lead. Whichever I choose it will be good to have a new project on the schedule.

Air War Angola

 

I've had a change of plan for the next air wargaming project, which means that my Bag the Hun Arctic Eagles scenario writing project will now be mothballed, at least for the moment. Instead, I'm going to have a go at wargaming the Border War between Angola and South Africa, using the Wings at War core mechanics and Tumbling Dice 1/600th scale models, I've now assembled all of the aircraft models required and have ordered sets of markings from Flight Deck Decals, so it's just a matter of painting the aircraft, starting with the Cuban / Angolan forces. No rush yet but I'm hoping to get this project started in the next two or three months. 

Rabbit Holes

 

This is the latest rabbit hole that I've fallen into, the Border War between South Africa and Angola in the late 1970's and 1980's, in this instance the air conflict using the Wings at War hex less rules system. This popped up out of nowhere, as usual, but was inspired by five key factors:

1. I have an as yet unused but very splendid Deep Cut Studios '6 x 4' neoprene desert air wargaming mat, which is spot on for the terrain!
2. I have some leftover 1/600th scale Tumbling Dice Canberra, Mirage III, C-47, MiG-23, MiG-21, Mi-8 and SU-22 models from other projects that are ideal for the SAAF and FAPA/DAA.
3. I read a really interesting digital book (Helion Publishing's SAAF's Border War) a while back, which gave me the idea of using the Wings at War Flames Above the Falklands rules.
4. The conflict offers the chance to have some well-matched air-to-air dogfights as well as ground attack, parabat drops, helo medevac and so on, which should be very cool.
5. There are some great camouflage patterns to paint and Flight Deck have the decals!

I have no real need of any more models, apart from some Mirage F1's, which is why I have just ordered a whole load more (as usual), including some Buccaneers! What I do need to do is more background reading up, so I have ordered hard copies of the two books above to begin my research. I'm not going to make this a big project or even start it any time soon, more something to do in a week of holiday, but I think it will be fun.