2 paramilitaries operating with a Ratel-60 APC So the idea of some kind of mercenary game a la the Wild Geese or the Dogs of War has been kicking around my fevered gainer's brain for a while. I'd known about the AK47 Republic rules and Peter Pig's line of 15 mm miniatures for them. They're very nice but I'm just partial to 20 mm scale. What can I say, it's a personal hang up. Later, I came across listings for Liberation Miniatures range of 20 mm modern figures that had all the figures I could want, but I didn't know what they looked like or anyone who had them. I found a couple of sites on the web that had enough images to make me want to take the plunge. I also have a friend who wanted some AMX-13 tanks. Try and find this vehicle in 20 mm, I defy you. Well, Liberation has them (and they're very nice I might add). So with a quick swipe of the magic plastic card I had a bunch of figures and I could let my imagination run wild coming up with scenarios. And it came up with.... Kizange! This small country had been the only African colony of Luxembourg until they forgot about it after World War II. Newly liberated and flush with ambition, the country set its sights on endless squabbling and vicious infighting that would keep the country in a state of chronic turmoil. Unlike the ambitions of many other similar nations, the Kizagelese were able to claim almost complete success in their post-colonial development strategy. Let's meet some of the locals: The Raving Panthers: The Panthers are a rebel militia group who have their base of power in the jungle-covered mountains of eastern Kizange. The figures are armed with a mix of Ml's and Lee Enfields with a few RPG2's. The figures have a nice mix of clothing and kit that produces a good impression of an irregular unit. The poses are natural and the sculpting of the heads and faces very good for 20 mm. I couldn't resist giving three of the figures bright red high-top sneakers. Why? Because I think they would like bright red high top sneakers. Don't you? The People's Popular Militia: The PPM is an underground rebel group who operate in Kizange's capital city, Guillaume. These figures are armed with MAS 36 rifles (or maybe carbines) and RPG7's for those hard to reach spots. The pride of the PPM is a squad of fighters from the Guillaume United F.C. who always go into battle in their team jerseys. So what if their uniforms are a highly visible red, yellow and green - it's a matter of pride, man. These figures are basically the same ones as used for the Raving Panthers with different weapons.  The Gendarmes National: The Gendarmes are a highly trained unit that acts as the bodyguard for Kizange's dictator Nigel Mbutange. They are mostly there to protect him from the ambitions of the Kizangelese army and the scheming General Juju Botangi. The GN wear dark blue fatigues with black webbing, snazy red berets, and are armed with AK47's. The poses give a nice "don't screw with us" vibe when a bunch of figures are grouped together. If the GN's have any trouble with "resisting arrest" they can call on the services of their paddy wagon, a V 150 armored car with a 20 mm cannon in the turret. The V 150 is a resin and white metal kit that goes together in a snap and is very nicely detailed. The Thunderbolt Force: The Thunderbolt force is a unit of white paramilitaries who use their military experience and Aryan good looks to protect the interests of white landowners in Kizange. The figures are actually from the range of Australians for the Vietnam War. They are armed with M16's and supported by M60's. They are shown here with a trusty Land Rover, which is just the thing for those weekend BBQ's with the bushmen. The body of the Land Rover is a one-piece resin casting with white metal wheels. The Liberation Miniatures line also has a selection of drivers, crew and weapons that can be added to the vehicle. And then, of course, there are the tourists: The Flaming Geese: The Geese are a large professional mercenary unit that pride themselves on weapons proficiency and matching uniforms. I used the Rhodesian Selous Scout figures for this unit. Those guys are total ass-kickers, so don't make fun of their little shorts. They are equipped with light kit and FN rifles, backed up with GPMG's in support. There is also a weapons squad with 2 RPG7's and a 50 mm mortar. The poses are really good, especially the crouching figure that has "savvy bush tracker" written all over him. Los Hermanos Cubanos: These strapping hombres are a Cuban counter-insurgency group. They are armed with the ubiquitous AK-47 and backed up with an RPk light machine gun and an RPG7. These figures are also available with helmets, but how can you resist the Castro hat? I mean honestly! Apparently, I also couldn't resist giving them beards and mustaches because I thought it made them look muy macho!  The Hogs of War: These guys are the best - a small mercenary unit second to none. If you want your dirty deeds done dirt cheap, look elsewhere. If your dirty deeds absolutely, positively have to be done overnight, then pull out your checkbook, sonny, and don't forget to tip. The figures are for the South African 32 Recce Battalion where apparently there was no such thing as too much firepower for one small unit. They have AK-47's, RPk LMG's, RPD LMG's and M79 grenade launchers, so don't leave them off the Christmas card list. In summary, I am very taken with the Liberation Miniatures line. The poses are natural and varied, increasing the visual appeal of units. The weapons are very well sculpted and quite recognizable from type to type. All the LMG figures that I have are virile manly men firing from the hip- no pussy-footing around with loaders and bipods and whatnot. Some might criticize this, but I like it. The vehicles are really great with good attention to detail. One of the best aspects of the vehicles is the simplicity of the kits- often no more than 5 or 6 pieces. I know that this project will continue to grow and I am already buying kits for aircraft, helicopters and ships to flesh out the world of Kizange and give flavor to more scenarios. If the post-World War II period holds any interest for you, I highly recommend this line of 20 mm figures. For a listing, see http://www.webspawner.com/users/libmins/. Back to MWAN # 121 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2003 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com