Main Battle Tanks
APCs & IFVs
Reconnaissance Vehicles
Engineering Vehicles
Artillery, Tracked and Towed
Miscellaneous
Aircraft
Belgian Mech Brigade
For Platoon-Scale GamingLeopard 1
Belgium was one of the first users of the Leopard I outside of West Germany. This is the standard GHQ Leopard 1A1. It probably shouldn't have the IR searchlight in Belgian service.
.AIFV-B-12.7
This is the Belgian version of the M-765, known as the AIFV-B in Belgian service and the YPR-765 in Dutch service. Each Belgian mech platoon had two AIFV-B-12.7 and two AIFV-B-25. This conversion is the AIFV-B-12.7. The hull is the GHQ YPR.
AIFV-B-MIL
Belgium also mounted Milan launchers on AIFVs in removable mounts.
M113A1-B
Belgium produced about 525 M113s domestically during the 1980s, including about 12 variants.
Here are a pair of GHQ M113s with CinC HMGs and accessories from the GHQ M3 halftrack detail set
M113A1-B-Mil
One Belgian variant was the M113A1-B-Mil, which featured a pair of roof hatches side-by-side instead of the single commanders cupola more commonly seen. It mounted an M2HB .50 cal HMG on the left and a Milan missile on the right.
This is another version of the M113A2-B, this one with a single 12.7mm HMG.
M113 w/25mm Cannon
This is one of the many M113 variations proposed but never built. It mounts the 25mm KBL cannon in an external turret as seen on the Dutch M113C&R. It is done here in Belgian colors.
Note: AIFV-Bs and several variants (AIFV-B-12.7 and AIFV-B-Mil) have been made but not yet painted.
Scotia M59
Belgium was one of the last users of this M113 forbearer in Europe (they also survived in Turkish service into the 1990s). A fine model from Scotia.
Belgian Spartan and Sultan
Belgium used the UK's CVR(T) line of vehicles for their reconnaissance units. This is a pair GHQ Spartan APCs with a Sultan command vehicle.
Belgian CVR(T) Scorpion
76mm gun turret version of the CVR(T) family. This model is from CinC.
Leopard ARV
During the 1970s and 1980s, Belgium used the Leopard ARV as its primary recovery vehicle for its armored units. These models are from Heroics & Ros, I believe.
M108
Belgium was the last user of the M108 on the central front. While I believe this model (by H&R?) is mean to represent the early version of the M109 with the short 155mm howitzer, it does just fine as the M108, which was identical but with a 105mm howitzer. The decal on the site (which was made a bit off center) is from the Goblintooth Enterprises Hostile Aircraft line.
Gepard
Belgium bought the dual-35mm Gepard SPAA system from West Germany. I believe these models are H&R.
Sultan
Belgium was a large user of the various members of the British CVR(T) familiy, including a version of the Sultan command vehicle. The Belgian version has a side mounted radio aerial and additional stowage (? could be a generator) on top. This is a converted Heroics & Ros Sultan.
Jagdpanzer Kanone
Belgium used the German-made Jagdpanzer Kanone into the early 1990s. These are GHQ models; I suspect I should have trimmed off the IR spotlight, as I believe the Belgian versions had low-light night vision.
F-16
Model by Viking Forge, armaments from GHQ and CinC. Decals are from I-94 Enterprises.
Model by Viking Forge, armaments from GHQ and CinC. Decals are from I-94 Enterprises.
T-33
US training aircraft also used for light ground attack duty. No idea of the maker.
The same aircraft, with holes drilled for flight stands
Belgian Mech Brigade
For Platoon-Scale GamingI've completed a full brigade (with several minor exceptions) and some Divisional/Corps level assets for a 1980's Belgian Mech Brigade.
Mech
Battalion
There are three companies, each with 2 AIFV-B-25 stands and 2
AIFV-B-12.7 stands. The infantry component is 3 infantry stands
and a weapons stand. There is a Sultan and command stand as
battalion headquarters, plus a mortar section with 1 M106 SP 4.2"
mortar. The recon section is 1 Scimitar and 1 Scorpion.
Like all platoon scale TO&Es, there are some compromises.
Each mech company consists of 3 platoons of 2 AIFV-B-12.7 and 2
AIFV-B-25 each, while there are at least one more of each at HQ level,
plus I believe 2 more AIFV-B-12.7 as company mortar vehicles.
There are also only 3 Milans per company and, I believe, 2 81mm
mortars. I've consolidated these in the weapons platoon.
Also, the battalion recon section is actually a mix of Scorpions,
Scimitars, and Spartans with recon teams, but not enough total vehicles
to warrant three stands.
Brigade
Support Assets
The brigade has several support
units attached. There is a 155mm M109 battalion (3 M109 models in
the back right) plus a unit either described as an anti-tank company or
an anti-tank battalion. Whatever the description, it contains 3
Jagdpanzer Kanone and 3 M113-B-MIL (in real life it has 12 Kanones and
9 Milans vehicles). The 3 Gepards represent the brigades slice of
divisional anti-aircraft assets.
Engineering
Assets
The brigade also has a company of engiineers, mounted here in M113s,
and a company of one of the divisional or corps battalions in Man 5 Ton
trucks. I don't know if these are correct; the Belgians used
them, but they also used about 10 other kinds of medium and heavy
trucks. Other engineering assets include Leopard ARVs (which for
some reason I didn't include in the shot) and bull dozers, which I
don't have.
Storing
Individual Units
I store the Belgian units in a series of three acrylic boxes from The
Container Store. They are not cheap, at about $5 apiece, but they
are good quality and come in a variety of useful sizes. I cut up
magnetic sheeting, available for about $6 for 3 big sheets from Home
Depot (its used to cover heat/cooling registers not in use), spray
Elmer's Spray Glue the white side, and stick it in place with the
magnetic side up. The who process takes about 1 minute, but it
does take a good day to dry. The units are based on steel bases
from Wargame Accessories, which are fairly cheap and come in a variety
of sizes. The infantry are on 1/2" by 3/4" steel bases, the
artillery is on 1" by 1" bases, and the vehicles are on whatever makes
sense for them.(generally 1/2" by 3/4" or 1" by 1/2"). Individual
weapons, command, recond, and FO units are usually 1 or 2 figures
instead of 3 in a full platoon and mounted on a 1/2" by 1/2" stand.This photo shows a box with the engineer companies, a corps-level 203mm howitzer battalion, and the brigade's tank battalion (minus its Sultan, which apparently isn't where it should be in the box, and the two recon vehicles, which I don't have).
This is the first mech battalion, along with the brigade assets. There is a third box with another mech battalion, plus a reserve unit in M113s. Actually, there is no infantry for the reserve units, just vehicles to substitute for the AIFVs.
