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15mm Yom Kippur War 1973
This range represents the infantry and vehicles used in the climactic Yom Kippur War of 1973, in which Egypt and Syria, having lost territory to Israel after a masterful surprise attack in 1967, planned and launched a surprise attack of their own. The war featured new weapons, such as the T-62 tank, as well as new ways to fight, such as the Malyutka anti-tank guided missile (called the "Sagger" by the West) and the Shilka AAA vehicle. These weapons, used by the Arab armies with a newfound skill and determination, would extract a terrible toll on the Israeli fighting forces, but in the end Israeli elan and tactical finesse would carry the day.
Every effort has been made to represent the soldiers and weapons systems as they appeared in what was one of the greatest wars to be fought since World War II. Egyptian assault infantry are in their distinctive assault jerkins, and the Israelis have their colourful Blindicid bazookas and anti-tank grenades for the squad heavy-barreled FN FALs.
Many of these models may also be used in the Six-Day War of 1967, a sweep to victory for Israel which was a precursor to the great war in 1973.
Infantry sculpted by Mike Broadbent.
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THE ISRAELIS
These models represent the Israeli infantry and armoured forces in the war. Infantry is being released first and armour will soon follow.
Israeli Notes
As the IDF was caught by surprise by the attack, strength of units hurriedly put in the field was often quite a bit lower than the "official" TO&E; would provide. To represent this, rather than putting three rifle sections (squads) and a weapons section per platoon on the table for gaming, it might be more realistic to use two rifle sections and a weapons section.
You can field this with two of our rifle packs, one Uzi pack and one section weapons and command pack. Each rifle section would be seven men with FN FAL, one with the FN FAL(HB) with rifle grenades, and one or two men with Uzis as leaders. The weapons section would be made up of the FN MAG (LMG), the light mortarman, the Blindicid (bazooka) team and an Uzi man or two as leaders. The Platoon command could be the two men with Uzis in the section weapons and command set, and the radio operator. We have a Platoon Deal available for this but of course you can organise your figures as you see fit.
The company was supposed to be three platoons. To support the company was a weapons platoon that was supposed to field two American HMGs and two medium mortars. That would be two of our Company Weapons packs. Officially the HMG was supposed to be the big American M2 .50 machine gun, but it's clear from images of the war that the .30 MG was also very commonly used -- possibly even more so than the .50 -- so the Company Weapons pack comes with inserts allowing you to use either machine gun.
As always Israeli tank forces dominated the action, but overreliance on them made the tanks vulnerable to ATGM attack, especially early in the war, before proper countermeasures were determined. The main tank used was the Centurion, heavily modified with a 105mm gun, US continental engine with a different engine deck. This modified tank was called the Sho't Kal. There were two variants used in the Yom Kippur war -- the Mark 3, and the Mark 5, which was identical to the Mark 3 except for the loader's periscope being moved further forward, and the removal of the ammo loading hatch as the rear of the turret (which was usually covered by a stowage basket anyway, rendering it useless). Both versions were heavily used and identical in performance.
The M51 still fought prominently in the Yom Kippur War. It continued to excel as a long range sniper, and destroyed many tanks with its powerful main armament. Of course, the tank would be obliterated if struck first.
The majority of Israeli APCs continued to be upgraded M3 halftracks in this war, but there were some "Zelda" modified M113s in service, and this exact variant remained in Israel service long after 1973.
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| Code | Contents | Price (US$) | Order/Progress |
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| SHOT-KAL-MK3 | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Sho't Kal Mk 3 Tank (early gunner's sight, ammo hatch on rear of turret) (resin and pewter model) | $15.99 |
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| SHOT-KAL-MK5 | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Sho't Kal Mk 5 Tank (same as MK3 but with different position of loader's periscope, as shown in image, and no rear turret ammo hatch) (resin and pewter model) | $15.99 |
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| SHOT-KAL-ADDONS | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Sho't Kal Add On Set (crewmen and stowage, including replacement bins with stuff in them, enough for two+ tanks (pewter) | $4.99 |
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| M51Sherman | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli M51 Upgraded Sherman Tank (pewter model) | $11.99 |
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| ZELDA | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Zelda (modified M113) (resin and pewter model) | $10.99 |
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| YKW-ISRAELI-RIFLES | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Troops with Assault Rifles (x7 in seven poses with FN FAL assault rifles) | $4.99 |
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| YKW-ISRAELI-UZIS | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Troops with Uzis (x5 in five poses, can be used as paratroopers, leaders, gun crews, etc.) | $3.59 |
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| YKW-ISRAELI-SECTION-COMMAND-AND-WEAPONS | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Section Command and Weapons (x9 -- two commanders with Uzis, one radio operator, FN MAG gunner, light mortarman, Blindicid bazooka team, and two riflemen with heavy-barrel FN FAL with rifle grenades) | $6.49 |
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| YKW-ISRAELI-PLATOON-DEAL | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Understrength Platoon Deal (two rifle packs, one Uzi pack, and one section command and weapons pack) | $18.99 |
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| YKW-ISRAELI-COMPANY-WEAPONS | 15mm Yom Kippur War Israeli Company-Level Heavy Weapons (one medium mortar team and one HMG team with inserts for either .50 or .30 machine guns) | $4.29 |
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THE ARAB ARMIES
These models represent the main enemies of Israel - Egypt and Syria. (They may also be used to represent the Iraqis who briefly and ineffectively intervened when Israel crossed the border into Syria.) All kits of Soviet-provided tanks have optional pieces for empty fuel drum brackets or the rear-mounted fuel drums.
Syrian Notes
A Syrian infantry squad was composed of ten men, eight men with AKM (including the squad leader), one with an RPG-7, and one with an RPD or RPK -- still largely RPDs in 1973. Therefore using two packs of Syrian infantry and one pack of command and weapons, you may build two squads of infantry.
Syrians very commonly wore the Soviet helmet in the dark olive, and khaki uniforms, as depicted here. However, a variety of camouflage uniforms were also worn, one example being demonstrated on the heavy machine gun team in the "Syrian Company Weapons" set.
Syrian armoured forces used both the T-62 and the more common T-55, in platoons of three vehicles and companies of 10. The most common Syrian APC was the BTR-152, but the BMP-1 saw its introduction in this war, and the BTR-60 was not at all uncommon.
Egyptian Notes
Egyptian infantry squads were composed the same as Syrian -- eight men with AKMs (including the squad leader, who may have had a Port Said SMG instead of the AKM), one with an RPG-7, and one with an RPD. So, as mentioned above, two packs of rifles and one pack of command and weapons will yield two squads. The third squad in the platoon was organised like the first two, but added the platoon officer, who could have an AKM or a Port Said SMG.
Infantry in the main assault wave (five divisions) of the successful Egyptian attack across the Suez Canal, Operation Badr, wore an assault jerkin, which was a yellowy leather colour. Generally the infantry wore a very light sand uniiform and the helmet cover was the same colour but usually had brown splotches on it. The rear echelon infantry who were brought up later would not wear the assault jerkin -- these can be fielded using the Syrian codes in the Egyptian colours. Egyptian vehicles were similar to the Syrians, except their APCs were most often BTR50s, Wadids, BTR-152s or BMP-1s.
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| Code | Contents | Price (US$) | Order/Progress |
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| YKW-EGYPTIAN-RIFLES | 15mm Yom Kippur War Egyptian Assault Troops with Assault Rifles (x7 in seven poses with AKM assault rifles) | $4.99 |
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| YKW-EGYPTIAN-WEAPONS-COMMAND | 15mm Yom Kippur War Egyptian Assault Troops with Squad Weapons and Command (x8 in eight poses - two commanders with AKM assault rifles, two commanders with Port Said SMG, two anti-tank specialists with RPG-7 and AKM, and two machine gunners with RPD) | $5.69 |
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| YKW-EGYPTIAN-COMPANY-WEAPONS | 15mm Yom Kippur War Egyptian Assault Troops Company-Level Weapons (one mortar team, one HMG team, and two different Malyutka (Suitcase Sagger) teams) | $7.99 |
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| YKW-SYRIAN-RIFLES | 15mm Yom Kippur War Syrian Troops with Assault Rifles (x7 in seven poses with AKM assault rifles) | $4.99 |
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| YKW-SYRIAN-WEAPONS-COMMAND | 15mm Yom Kippur War Syrian Squad Weapons and Command (x6 in six poses - two commanders with AKM assault rifles, two anti-tank specialists with RPG-7 and AKM, and two machine gunners with RPD) | $4.29 |
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| YKW-SYRIAN-COMPANY-WEAPONS | 15mm Yom Kippur War Syrian Company-Level Weapons (one mortar team, one HMG team, and two different Malyutka (Suitcase Sagger) teams) | $7.99 |
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| T62 | 15mm T-62 tank (one kit) | $12.99 |
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| T62-PLATOON | 15mm T-62 tank platoon (three kits) | $36.99 |
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| T55 | 15mm T-55 tank (one kit, with options for early vehicle, or later vehicle with loader's cupola and turret mounted HMG, now with pewter track lengths) | $12.99 |
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| T55-PLATOON | 15mm T-55 tank platoon (three kits, each with options for early vehicle, or later vehicle with loader's cupola and turret mounted HMG, now with pewter track lengths) | $36.99 |
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| SHILKA | 15mm Soviet-supplied Shilka quad 20mm AA tank (mixed resin and pewter) | $13.99 |
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| BTR60 | 15mm BTR-60 1960s-80s eight wheeled APC | $10.99 |
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| BMP-1 | BMP-1 Infantry Combat Vehicle (resin and pewter model) | $9.99 |
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