I have just finished reading Team Yankee, ( for the fourth or fifth time) and Ive always had the urge to build vehicles from within the story but up to date versions.

Anyone else had the same ideas?

Would it be of interest to actually have a TEAM YANKEE 2009/10 CAMPAIGN?

This is just an idea so far but who knows what might happen.

Des

Hi Des, I've read it a few times myself, that and Clancy's Red Storm Rising, GREAT reads ! If there is any interest shown I'd be tempted to enlist. It would give me an excuse to re-read it again for ideas. Tom

I'd be in for a "modernized" TEAM YANKEE project. I've got a few bradleys and a a couple abrams as well as helis too. Have to read the book again (about the 6 or 7 time ... I love that book)

Desmond,
I haven't built a model in a few years, and I don't think I would even venture a try at some of today’s newer model kits. I am from the old school where you used staples to hold together the vinyl tracks that Tamiya supplied with their kits. However, having said that, if you are able to get a Team Yankee campaign started I will definitely follow the progress of the builds involved.
I am not certain if you would want to limit entry into this campaign to single vehicles or if dioramas depicting a specific scenario as described in the novel would be allowed as well. If you are going to include modern combined arms teams, obviously vehicles from the Gulf War as well as those used in OIF can be included. You might also consider allowing those who build vehicles from the former Soviet Union to show their modeling abilities by entering into this campaign as well. Soviet vehicles did play a major part in the novel, and American troops had to combat them several times in the last few decades.
Even if one limited themselves to building a strictly faithful version of the vehicles mentioned in the novel, there are so many new kits available now the possibilities are almost limitless. At that time, M151's were still being used ( Lt. Col. Reynolds pulled up to the team in his “jeep”), so that can give modelers an opportunity to build these vehicles as well. I have read the reviews of the newer Academy kits on this site and I think that any of those as well as the Tamiya kits would be adequate for a starting point to model that specific vehicle as described in the novel. Unfortunately, the M998 that would have been assigned to the team as a general purpose utility vehicle is extremely difficult to find, but I am sure that there are a lot of those around in the unbuilt "stashes" of many modelers. There are so many possibilities to this potential campaign ranging from a faithful rendition to the vehicles described in the novel to a modern combined arms team of today's Army that it should prove to be an interesting campaign for modelers interested in a variety of vehicles to showcase their build skills. Hope that you can get enough people involved to get this campaign rolling. All the best.

Hi All,

I was thinking of maybe a campaign just called Team Yankee.

Participants could build vehicles depicted in the book, Soviet or US, as long as they were in a European Theatre and schemed around a fictional armed conflict between US and Soviet forces in Germany as depicted in the book. (I keep using that phrase)

Entries could be from the actual time era of the book or brought up to date. For example, Capt Bannon had a 105mm Abrams in the book. An entrant could depict that or M1A1/2 for an up to date scenario. Likewise with the other vehicles in the story. T62s or T72s could be built or T80s T90s. I'm sure you get the picture.

Stand alone models, vignettes or small dioramas would be most welcome depicting scenes (no not again) in the book. Scales from 1/72 to 1/35.

What is important is that the conflict was in Europe so entries would have to reflect that. (There are other books by Harold Coyle that could be depicted in the desert.... Sword Point) (maybe a later campaign)

If this generates enough interest then maybe we could get something rolling.

Thanks for the imput guys. Very much appreciated.

Des

I could be up for a Team Yankee campaign, I was a Cold War warrior when I was in the Army and still remember the old school vehicles in Harold Coyle's book. Bring it on!

Ive just been reading it again. there are so many different scenes in my head I think I may need a couple of pain killers.

Hopefully somemore interest will follow.

Des

I think I may have to do a Tamiya M1A2 as a modern day '66'

Des

If we were to do it as a campaign that would depict vehicles, figures etc from the era or a modernised version (all welcome) would it be better to simply call it Team YANKEE, then or now, as opposed to 2009/10 which would seem to imply 80's vehicles, figures would be inappropriate?

Des

I think it is a great idea, count me in.
Mike
AMPSWI

I think a Soviet T-72A would fit in here !

I'm in if thats Ok

Cheers

Paul

Desmond,
“Team Yankee Then or Now” seems to be a good idea for the campaign title. This way all M1 variants, M2 variants, and the other currently employed versions of the vehicles showcased in the novel could built.
Additionally, “then and now” allows for the inclusion of vehicles that have been phased out of active service. When I mentioned the Gulf war and OIF, I did so, so that it would be possible to incorporate the improved versions of the vehicles that have been added to the Army inventory since 1987, when the novel was published.
There are so many different possibilities for modeling figures and vehicles depicting a European scene (1980-present day) that any combination of them would make for an excellent build.
Hopefully, the subject of Sword Point, will remain a fictional conflict as was the Third World War in the novel. Good luck with the campaign, this almost makes me want to start building again, as it seems to have generated some interest already and I will definitely follow this thread as it progresses.

Harold Coyle had been a company commander (B Co.) in my battalion in Germany a long time before I got there. Our battalion commander at the time had been the A Co. commander with Coyle. Our Bn Cdr didn't like the guy and had nothing good to say about him, but to be fair, our Bn Cdr is one of the few humans on this planet that I still hate. He was that much of a butthead. (I see my old Bn Cdr write letters to the Armor magazine as a retired LTC; it gives me some satisfaction to know that I can still someday outrank him).

The Team Yankee make up is identical to our battalion's configuation at the time. It's mission was similar to ours as well. I loved the book, but I hated that the 2nd platoon leader kept dying. I was the 2nd platoon leader at the time.

2Lt Avery was certainly thrown in at the deep end and met his demise on the wrong end of a Mi24D.

With your battalion's make up being identical to the Team YANKEE, your input would be invaluable.

Des

Your enthusiasm about this book made me buy it!
It should arrive any day now and who knows what will happen??
I'm not much of an modern armor fan, but I did build it in my earlier modelling days. One of those was an MLRS and I kind off liked this vehicle.
Does it appear in the book too?

The MLRS isn't depicted in the book but I'm sure in a modern day conflict in Europe they would have proved a perfect platform to launch the many fire missions that are called for throughout.

We used to have a warhead which contained AT mines. Could be fired out to a range of 39km. They were belly attack mines which had a programable self destruct time that was imputted before launch. Going a little off topic here so safe to say they could be used.

Des

I'm sure you'll enjoy the book too Ron.

If this Campaign gets underway with enough interest it will be great to see the vehicles in 3D as opposed to imagining the scenes in our heads.

Des

If we get this thing going anyone have any preferences for a start date?

For that matter any ideas for the duration of the campaign, start date, banner?

Imput gratefully recieved.

Des

I'd have to re-read the book again. I last read the book in the early nineties, before I even got married. I've also not been in the battalion for 19 years this month (I left the battalion on 23 Dec 90). The memory is not as good as it once was. I know I still have the book though. I hope I know where it is.

Looks like Capt. Bannon will be getting Dragon's M1A2 SEP as his new '66'

At least on my behalf anyway as I've just ordered one

Des

Anyone else had any ideas on what they'd like to do should this campaign get enough interest?

Des

Well my M1A2 SEP turned up and it looks like a superb kit. It doesn't look like there is sufficient interest for a campaign so I will probably start building it and hopefully get some pics up during the build.

Hopefully everyone had a good Christmas and is looking forward to the New Year.

Des

I loved the book!
Great read.
I also finished Gen.Hackett's 3rd World War, while I was at it...
Both books complement each other very well.

As for the campaign, it is not for me.
I have so much lying around that I want to finish first, that that will keep me busy for the rest of NEXT year... Maybe even beyond...

Finished the book today

So is this idea a goer ?
There are so many possibities here

How about a start in Qtr 2 2010 ?

Cheers

Paul

Hi Paul,

I'm still up for the campaign. Just need to add some more names to the list for potential participants.

I've got my Dragon M1A2 SEP for Capt. Bannon's "66"

Hopefully some more people will show an interest and we can get something going.

Des