Red Dawn 1980-1989 SAMPLE

Whilst you may use any scale models from 6mm up to 28mm if you have worlds largest wargames table, it is designed to be played with 6mm or 1:285th scale models.

An additional set of rules is included (free) for 10mm/12mm models after Plastic Soldier Company bought out their excellent range of models. Also suitable for 15mm.

If using 20mm models, I recommend doubling all distances.

 Using 1:285th or 10mm/12mm scale models a typical meeting engagement would be 3-4,000 points per side, that will equate to around 10-20 tanks plus another 10+ infantry units (squads) and associated transports, air defence weapons, recce etc.  In total about a battalion sized battlegroup

 All of the rule sets I have written have a few things in common. They must be fast to allow a fairly large game to be played within 3 hours. They must be fun. This is a game not a military simulation, compromises will be made where ever necessary to ensure that it remains fun and fast. Lastly it has to at least ‘feel’ reasonable, I like to get a flavour of the period I am covering.

 I have played WW3 games where largely speaking if you can see the target you can hit it, and if you can hit it you can kill it. I personally do not think in the heat of battle it is that easy to hit and kill a main battle tank. That is of course only my opinion, I have never been in the military and WW3 never happened so to some degree all WW3 rule sets are based on someone's opinion, but it is the basis of these rules, you will find even the hardest tank can be killed, though not necessarily easily, and even the least armoured tank has some chance of surviving long enough to achieve something.

 I have provided army lists for the major armies defending or threatening Western Europe, I have split the period into 3 time periods, effectively the beginning of the 1980’s, the end and of course the middle.