Introduction
The following introduction is provided by Tankograd:
The General Defence Plan of I (BR) Corps towards the end of the Cold War envisaged deploying the 1st and 4th (BR) Armoured Divisions on the forward edge of defence and keeping the 3rd (BR) Armoured Division with its three brigades (4th, 6th and 33rd Armoured Brigades) back as a reserve. Against this background, the British manoeuvre Iron Hammer, as the last of NATO’s Autumn Forge manoeuvre series in Germany, took place in the autumn of 1988. The total number of troops participating in Iron Hammer 88 was approximately 25,300, including 1,600 Territorial Army soldiers from the United Kingdom, who were in the field with 275 main battle tanks, 2,000 tracked vehicles, 4,000 wheeled vehicles and 75 helicopters. For field testing, FV4030/4 Challenger 1 Mk 2 tanks of one squadron of the 17th/21st Lancers were each fitted with auxiliary fuel drums at the rear of the tank hull. For the first time at the divisional level, the new mechanised infantry fighting vehicle, the FV510 ISV Warrior, also deployed.
This publication shows the military vehicles of the participating units in dramatic exercise photographs partially in severe winter weather conditions.
Review
This offering from Tankograd is a soft back offering of 64 semi-gloss pages protected by a full gloss card cover that protects the contents unless abused, and also present the title in a visually appealing style. This particular release is authored by Walter Bohm, and covers the British army on exercise and very unusually covers just British forces, and so we are about to find out if the British army on exercise is as appealing as NATO more broadly on exercise is. This exercise that took place in 1988 in Germany brings together a number of vehicles used by the British army whose time has come to an end. The likes of Challenger I and even the Warrior is in the process of or has left service in the British army. This title at a glance, shows you what the British army used to be able to put into the field to help protect Europe against what was the Warsaw pact.
Conclusion
It is my belief that this offering covering the British army on exercise will appeal to many of the members here, and some of you reading this I am thinking of at this moment, as you bemoan the draining of you wallet yet again!!!. Due to the wide range of vehicles covered it should appeal to a wide range of modellers, and will enable you to realistically depict British assets in the field in Germany and the environment in which they were intended to fight. Another great title from Tankograd from Tankograd that is well worth the cost.