GHQ models used for training purposes in the military

[GHQ]

We have regularly been sending shipments of our models to many different military bases and units for many years. Occasionally we see them in use in the field when we see newsclips on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and FOX. Many times there are comments included when the orders are placed like this one that we just received from SGM Yee:

Your products are used to train our soldiers in the complex environments they will encounter in the Middle East. I've been using your products for over 20 years to train our soldiers. I want you to know that your products have helped to prepare them and have already saved lives!

We wanted to take a moment to show all of you that the same miniatures that all of you use are being used in such an important manner. Does anyone else have any stories/comments about how they use, or have used, GHQ miniatures for training purposes in the military? The efficency of the minatures for training? The cost-effectiveness of them for training?

Thank you for your support,
GHQ

[smprgumbi]

I first saw a GHQ minature in the back of mt CO's vehicle in Thailand a few years back. He had a few LAV-25's and a random collection of light soviet style aggressor vehicles and often used them in terrain models. Once I got home, I scoured the internet trying to find anything like what he had. My interests were completely selfish at the time, i just wanted some more LAV memorabilia! But it wasn't until about a 2 years ago that i finally found GHQ, and i've been a loya customer ever since. I started out with buying a complete LAR company, the worst part was convincing my wife why a 25 year old man was buying what she saw as children's toys. The arguement that won her over was that I could use these in training. I still had only selfish intentions at the time, until I showed my new LAR company to a few friends and was bobmarded by questions about where i got these things from. I began to realize the possibilities and bought alot of the common soviet vehicles that an LAR battalion would be matched against. As my unit began our spin up for our latest adventure in Iraq, I started collecting everything we might be tasked to work with, including tanks, amtracks, and LOTS of logistic vehicles. I brought my collection to Mojave Viper, the Marine Corps pre deployment training, and their use in terrain models was incredible. I will definatly be bringing my "toys" with me the next time I deploy. Thanks for a great product!

Brandon Wright
SGT USMC

[dnichols]

I was stationed with the 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley in the late 80s and saw GHQ products twice.

The training center there had hundreds of vehicles that were used for Bn and Bde level wargame training exercises. It was an excellent staff training tool. I have participated in computer run exercises like this and the large exercises with micro armor and I preferred those done with the micro armor. Computer icons simply didn't help you visualize what was happening where the micro armor with 3D terrain did.

Then as a mortar platoon leader I used micro armor models to help train movement formations and movement into a firing position to my platoon. The models made great training aids.

Daryl Nichols
Major, US Army Retired

[Thomaso827]

I first found GHQ at the Checker Flag Hobby Shop outside of Ft Hood, TX in '74. After that, I discovered several of the junior officers I worked with had small elements of gaming figures that they used to demonstrate maneuvers as much as for their own entertainment on weekends. I went to Korea in '76 and introduced others to wargaming with micro armor, even though not at any sort of official level. I just felt that it was the best form of training I could get short of the real thing. Back at Ft Hood and serving in the 6th Air Cav Brigade, we occasionally used 6mm (dont recall for sure they were GHQ) OH-58 miniatures to run through some of our NOE maneuvers between the pilots and the enlisted scouts. I was also intereviewed about that time for possible reenlistment to an MI unit, and the CO used GHQ moderns for threat recognition as part of the interview. After I became a chaplain assistant in '78, I used my micro armor collection to train my junior assistants when I couldnt take them to the field. Shortly before I retired from Ft Monmouth, NJ in 1995, I traded off most of my GHQ collection to one of the instructors at the Military Acadamy Prep School for his use in teaching military history. I've recently started collecting again (WW2 and Vietnam to start), and have been looking into working with a local ROTC group to look at gaming in history.

Tom Oxley
SFC, US Army (Retired)

[zaevor2000]

I bought my first microarmor in 1978 in Houston as a freshman in high school (King Tiger & Jagdpanther-still have 3 of the King Tigers and all 5 JgPanthers). We gamed with micro armor throughout high school with others in JRTOC. M60a1/M113s vs. T62/BMPs

I enlisted in Nov 83 as a 19D Cav Scout. I took my micro armor with me when I was was at Ft Knox and then when I was stationed in E Trp, 2/2 ACR in 85-88.

As a Cav Scout in the 2nd ACR on the Border, the minis were invaluable in helping us scouts to identify all the different vehicles. Much, much better than the playing card recognition card decks they handed out. Being able to see all the different vehicles from all different angles gave us a much better ability to ID vehicles than the other platoons. The fact that we could use them when playing GDW's excellent Assualt/Boots & Saddles series made it where we could have our cake and eat it to. The minis are great when used on 3D terrain boards for teaching tactics such as bounding overwatch and optimal placement in terrain to create kill zones.

I have really enjoyed your minis for many years. I've had some for over 30 yrs and I'll probably still have them another 30! Great, great detail. I have really enjoyed my minis over the years. Thank you very much.

Frank

[Ben]

Some time ago I saw GHQ models in use with the British Army. They were used on a terrain board at BATUS.

I painted some minis during my army time but my comrades regarded them as to small. The ones among them with interest in models/miniatures were mostly interested in 1/35 stuff.

Kind regards from Germany,
Ben

[Theodore]

While we were waiting to deploy to Saudi in August of 1990 I took some of my vehicles and made an identification chart. Being able to see friendly and enemy tanks in 3-d made a big impression on a bunch of paratroopers heading to the sandbox. The mimiatures really give a sense of scale to compare vehicle sizes, something you don't get with line drawings in FMs or on playing cards.

[opsctr]

We use a large assortment of GHQ's micro armor during our TDG's and Convoy Training simulations for the Army and Marine Corps.

The picture below is from a Marine CPX (command post exercise) prior to the Unit's deployment to Iraq.



Computer simulations do not provide the interaction necessary to simulate real combat stress where a well planned war game with live interaction in very realistic situations any commander will encounter can closely duplicate what a commander encounters in the field.

A miniature simulation also provides all participants with an over-view of the entire battlefield, which is not normally possible during most training exercises.



The photo above illustrates some of the advantages of a table top CPX. Here you see the staff discussing the outcome with several of the inter-actors who provided the "friction" of combat, which may not always come from the enemy...

OpsCtr

[DAK]

I first came in contact with GHQ when I was with the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany in the early 80's, when there was still a wall between East and West Germany. The whole upper floor was the war room which contained a large terrian table which was used for training. GHQ models were used and from that time on I have been hooked.

[SFCDODGE65]

My first experience with GHQ micro armor was as a private. I was SD to the sim center at FT Hood in 1985. We had a good portion of the Fulda Gap and all of NTC and west FT Hood in terrain models. We used the old 1st Cav gym and ran everything from company level CPXs to Division EGGS. I was the OPFOR and controlled a large number of Russian forces. We used "Fire Command" rules which were developed by the GS-12 who ran the center. I still have those rules. Eventually, computers have replaced miniatures at most centers, but I last used my personal micro armor as a PSG in Kuwait back in 1998 during a rotation there. It was a good way to go over the mission with the platoon leader, myself, and the squad and section leaders prior to execution. They work well for sand tables and map rehearsals. Now that I am retired, I mostly play WWII and Napoleonic games with GHQ, but I will not forget the valuable asset they were when I was active duty.

[Panzerleader71]

I'm not, personally, a military man (unless you do count a brief stint in my local Reserve Reg't), but my first encounter with Micro Armour Scale was, more-or-less a military exercise type situation. Many years back The Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont held a yearly wargaming convention (started out as military, and branched to civilians) at which the big game of the Con was a yearly Moderns game between Virginia Military Institute and RMC. Hugh game, interesting from a civilaian point of view picking up things from those guys (and gals ) who are actually trained military thinkers.

[DrBig]

Sienna college had an ROTC program featuring an artillery school back in 1980. They had a giant 3D/electronic artillery table that used GHQ minis for the forces they were calling artillery on. I'm sure it is way obsolete today. Back then you had funky binos with markings, paper maps, protractors, etc. "left 20, FFE!" Now they probably point a laser beam.

Remember the young Lt. calling in arty on his own men & Sgt. Barnes coming over & clobbering him on the head in Platoon. Map & protractor/compass in hand...in the rain

[DrBig]

Biggest lesson was: after arty gets done blowin' away your enemy, give them a call back with a pat on the back...maybe with some embellished details so the crew will come to like 'servicing you' in the future

[Dog Smack]

Ft Rucker uses GHQ miniatures in its NVG lab. There is a table about 4 feet by 4 feet with terrain ranging from a beach and rising to a fairly high hill. The terrain is varied with contours as well as trees. There are various vehicles spread out on the terrain board. The cool part is there is a curved bar that juts out of one of the sides of the board and curves over the top. Along the bar are small red LED lights that can be individually lit. The lights represent various amount of moon illumination and angle. When looked through NVGs the LEDs cast shadows across the board and make it very difficult to spot some of the vehicles. It also shows how light will cast shadows in places that in daylight one would not expect to see a shadow.

Steve-o

[Dog Smack]

ERRRRR!!!!!!!!!!