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15mm Modern Middle Eastern Range
This range provides miniatures for the conflicts raging (or simmering) in the Middle East, that term being expanded a bit to include North Africa and Afghanistan. Other than the Israelis, whose vehicles are shown on this page, the vehicles can be selected from other store pages, such as the Modern Russian or Modern US Army store pages.
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VEHICLES AND HEAVY WEAPONS SYSTEMS
Throughout the Middle East (and well beyond), there are certain vehicles, light and ad hoc by Western standards, that are essential to warfare. These include pickup trucks, which provide mobility to small groups of men, to machine guns and even to light anti-aircraft systems which are used for direct fire heavy weapons support. Western militaries refer to these militarized pickups as "Technicals." Most often these vehicles are not even repainted in military colours. The most common heavy weapons mount for them is the Soviet (now Russian) ZSU-23-2 double barreled autocannon designed for anti-aircraft support but used in vast numbers in low intensity conflicts for direct fire.
Another vehicle heavily used for troop transport, supply and, again, carriage of the ZSU-23-2 is the GAZ-66 Soviet medium truck. This old warhorse (which can be found in civilian use as well) is incredibly resilient -- the Russian Army may use a more modern truck now, but there is still a vast fleet of these old trucks across the globe, a testament to its rugged design.
We are offering the Technical (pickup truck) separate, and this includes several different machine guns, a pair of irregular gunners to fit the different receivers of the MGs, and a pair of irregulars hitching a ride in the pickup body. We are also offering the GAZ-66 separate, and this includes both the wood railing for open-air troop or supply transport, and a canvas cover. (The GAZ is not resin, but is 100% pewter.) We also have two sets of the ZSU-23-2, one with irregular crew and one with crew that have helmets and uniforms, which can be used as Soviets/Russians or as allied or satellite nations, such as the Syrian Government Forces. The ZSU sets also include an I-Bar frame that is added to the pickup body to mount the ZSU into a Technical's pickup body. (This would not be used in the GAZ, which has enough room in its cargo body not to need it.) Finally, we have deals which offer the ZSU and the vehicle it's mounted in together, at a slightly reduced price.
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MODERN TURKISH ARMY
A Turkish infantry squad with their most modern weapons and equipment, as seen in the Syrian intervention. The basic rifle is the MPT. The pack has 1 squad leader with MPT with thermal optic, 2 team leaders with MPT and M72, 2 machine gunners with MG-3 and pistol, 2 assistant machine gunners with MPT and M72 LAW, 1 grenadier with MPT with T40 underbarrel grenade launcher, and 1 grenadier with slung MPT and Milkor MGL. One team is sculpted bounding, the other team on overwatch. Each team has a MGer, an assistant MGer, a grenadier and a team leader.
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HEZBOLLAH AND SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FORCES
Hezbollah proved itself in 2006 to be Israel's most militarily capable enemy, fighting with ingenuity, skill, and a serious attitude toward war. They have retained their tough reputation in their intervention in the Syrian Civil War on the side of the government forces. They often had a professional appearance in 2006, wearing a round helmet which is a development of the Israeli helmet, and sometimes using Western rifles as well -- when this was the case, usually ex-Israeli M16 rebuilds.
Syrian Government Forces in the Civil War which began in 2011 have transitional uniforms, some in the old style Soviet satellite uniform, others in more modern gear, often in the same unit. The same can be said of their helmets, many being recent purchases of "fritz" type helmets, but thousands of old Soviet steel helmets remain in use. Russian weapons remain almost universal with their forces. Note that many of the Hezbollah units in service in Syria have adopted Syrian uniform so that Hezbollah can retain plausible deniability regarding its intervention.
The differences in depiction have been reproduced here, although there is some overlap in appearance. The "Hezbollah Fighters" set depicts troops dressed and equipped in a style distinct to that militant group, the "Syrian Government set" reflecting applicable differences, and the "Syrian Forces or Hezbollah Fighters Set 2" set has weapons and outfit that can be used by either -- they are wearing skull caps or fatigue hats, which are extremely widespread in both forces. Note that some of the models in the Middle Eastern Irregulars range (also available on this page) could easily be used with either force -- a look at war photography from 2006 or the Syrian Civil War, respectively, would help determine which can be used.
Chechens fighting the Russians or in ISIS can also be represented with the "Syrian Forces or Hezbollah Fighters Set 2."
Please note that the use of the term "Hezbollah" in a money transfer automatically causes a payment hold with PayPal, so in the PayPal coding the sets will refer to Hezbollah as "P.O.G.," short for "Party of God." Also "Syrian" seems to set off alarm bells as well, so these will be referred to simply as "Government Forces" in the PayPal embed. Sorry about any confusion.
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ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE
Unquestionably the most powerful military force in the Middle East, the IDF has recently fought a brief, sharp war with Hezbollah and frequently conducts military operations in the West Bank and Gaza. These models are suitable starting in the mid-90s, upon the adoption of the very baggy mitznefet helmet cover, which is intended to break up the regular curvature of the helmet. It is very commonly worn but not all soldiers use it all the time, so some models have been made without it.
Each figurine is provided with an optional backpack. The troops often leave their packs in the APC but they can often be seen wearing them -- in Lebanon in 2006 they were frequently worn.
The Tavor has been used since the mid 2000s and has been increasingly widely adopted, but the M16 (usually very heavily rebuilt, often to resemble the US M4 version) is still in frequent use, and before about 2007 was the predominant weapon. The heavy weapons set includes four poses with the Negev and one pose each with the Shipon and B-300 rocketlauncher. The Israeli army is heavily mechanised and the infantry receives much of its heavier weapons support from vehicles.
Many Merkava 4 have steel balls haning from chains in the firetrap caused by the turret overhang in the rear. This is called "Sampson's Hair" and its purpose is the prematurely detonate incoming ATGMs. That is provided as a pewter part -- it is a squared off U shape that may be added to the underside of the turret rear. The most current version of the Zelda, the M113 variant which remains the most widespread Israeli APC, has been designed and is moving through the production process.
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AFGHAN IRREGULAR WARRIORS (MUJAHIDEEN, TALIBAN, ETC)
Extremely tough and determined opponents, the warlike Afghans have been involved in many wars from the 70s up to the present day, against each other, the central government in Kabul, and most famously, against foreign forces -- the Russians and later the Western forces led by the United States.
There are two basic fighter sets -- with AKs or with SMLEs. The SMLE continues to be used to the present day, and Western soldiers in Afghanistan reported that these remain a considerable menace, with their long range and considerable accuracy. Squad support weapons are available as well.
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MIDDLE EASTERN IRREGULARS
These models are suitable for a broad range of irregulars in the Middle East, including the Iraqi insurgents during the mid-late 2000s and the potent IS movement that has taken over large areas of Syria and Iraq. Some irregulars use US weapons, such as the Free Syrian Army (limited quantities) and IS, which has captured a significant cache of US weapons from the Iraqi Army. As Russian weapons haven't changed in appearance for decades, these models could be used in many past conflicts as well.
The spare pack of rockets for the RPG-29 in the heavy weapons set would be worn by a figure carrying an infantry rifle, as an assistant rocketeer. These rockets are huge and so the weapon really needs to be used in a team of at least two for anything other than static defence).
For the Chechens fighting in ISIS, use the set "Syrian Forces or Hezbollah Fighters Set 2" as it has a good mix of figures, all of which are in fatigue hat or wool cap.
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KURDISH PESHMERGA
These models represent the irregulars and, increasingly, semi-regular forces of highly-regarded Kurdish fighters. Peshmerga means "he who confronts death" and that name is increasingly apt in the intense fighting occuring in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq, and, especially, the rise of ISIS in post-occupation Iraq and Syria. These models are meant to portray the better equipped standing forces on the Peshmerga.
Most Peshmerga use Russian weapons but stocks of western rifles have been provided to them as well, and we have made sets for each.
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