1/16 scale "LRRP" Vignette [Groundwork/Figure critique welcome!]

'What set of figures are these?  Verlinden?'
Yeah
http://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Scale_Figures/VER00002124/product.php
http://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Scale_Figures/VER00002165/product.php
not where I got them, but these ^ are the kits

ajlafleche, I think I understand what you're saying, would this be what you were thinking of?

‘Id then add in some grasses to match what's on he top of the taller base.’ -this I agree with you on 100%, I was going to put in a lot of static grass on the top of the hill to try and cover up what I consider a poor resin attempt. However I was thinking that the base could be a recently dried up river bed and I was going to try (reason for the sharp drop off) and have root systems coming out of the size. I could also ‘kill off’ some of the grass on the top of the hill as it can no longer get the water it once could. Then I was thinking of sparsely placing little clumpings of the same grass in the dry river bed in the deeper areas, almost as if they were clinging on to the last remaining bits of water

And stikpusher, thank you so much for all your help with this build!! You've helped me out very much!

Mission load always depends on what you are planning to do, how long you plan to be gone, and what type of terrain/environment you will be operating in. An overnight ambush patrol outside the wire will carry a different load than a raiding patrol on a three day hump  in the mountains. Cold/Wet weather requires different existance (more and bulky) gear than warm/dry. I can speak from experience that LRS usually does not plan for a "short endurance" patrol- due to the specialized nature they plan to be out awhile.

What set of figures are these?  Verlinden?  

You will need to extend the base for the guy in back to the edge of the base in either direction. As provided, it works okay for a stand alone piece, but in the setting you're putting together, it needs more. For the lower area, I'd build up the ground work to mostly envelop the kit base using Celkluclay or your favorite ground work material. I'd then add in some grasses to match what's on he top of the taller base. The pink foam is a bit too small for the two Verlinden bases as posed. I'd replace it with a 5X7 wooden plaque from Micahel's or AC Moore and give myself more space to work with. I'd probably replace the taller base with a home made berm.

Thanks a lot for the LRS mission breakdowns and the comparison between now and Vietnam days. I guess what I had in mind for these two was more of a Vietnam style "LRRP" or more of a modern Direct Action mission like uhh... like probing the far off/outward areas of a firebase for security/setting up a surveillance "ambush" in a valley kind of idea...

Something that might only take a good two/three days hike out and back with expected minimal resistance. But I think what mpkev31b was talking about- they would be packed more in the sense of a LRS because they don’t know if their if their short endurance mission could change. If they become cut off for a period of time/ambushed themselves etc.

I guess what I want to know is, what type of objective would a short endurance mission have and are they really loaded up right? Like...
Are they packed... at least heavy enough for a few days to set up some kind of electronic monitoring devices a few clicks away from a firebase and come back I guess is what I’m asking.

Sorry my lack of military tactics and understanding is definitely showing.

Yes, they are packed too light for a LRS/LRRP mission. On the move, they carry evreything for many days worth of field existance. Between commo, existance/environmental, surveillence items, etc,it is a LOT! Large rucks plus a lot more is the standard. I cant speak for Afghanistan and the LRS units mentioned. Wasn't with them or there. But my personal experience in LRS is lots of gear to be humped. The main difference in between the late Cold War/GWOT LRS and the old Vietnam era LRRP is tasking. The LRRP had more direct action type taskings on occasion such as prisoner snatch and ambushes. The four primary LRS missions are: Target accquisition, Recon and Survellence, Battle Damage Assesment, and Combat Search and Rescue. 

Your guys look more the type out on a short endurance mission due to lack of equipment load.

Oh, I was under the impression they were packing too light. In the past did LRRP/LRS missions carry less equipment(weaponry/ammunition)/more essentials(extra food/water/bedroll etc) vs a direct action strike which would carry more expendable equipment(ammo/weaponry)/essentials (water/rucksack with food/sleeping equipment)?

I’m just trying to get a better grasp of the differences in priority... also I noticed that a LRRP was the name for a long patrol in the Vietnam era, but it looked as if since then it is referred to simply as Long Range Surveillance- is this due to the lack of a “patrol” mindset?... or simply a renaming of similar actions...
I’m under the impression it’s due to more specialization/categories of different types of deep action behind enemy lines like direct action vs special reconnaissance and all the different subcategories that web off from there...

Just curious, the reason I model things like this is partly to learn more about the events I attempt to portray.

stikpusher wrote:

These figures are equipped more for short duration direct action type ops rather than the LRRP/LRS mission.

 

 

it really does not matter when i was in afghanistand the 173rd lrrp and lrrs guys carried a full load. US army soldiers traind for long period contact no matter what MOS or mission your on because you do not know what will happen or how long you will be out. so camel backs rucks and fulle MOLLE gear are used . so your figgies are correct. 

Thanks for the heads up; I crammed a lot of gear on them so I wasn't sure. But that's the kinda thing I wanted to know.

These figures are equipped more for short duration direct action type ops rather than the LRRP/LRS mission.