Finally Getting Somewhere - New Minis

Over the last year or so, Crisis in Alcovia has taken a back burner to other projects. After abandoning the 20mm angle, I have been waiting for certain ranges of miniatures to start to mature, mainly Eureka's modern Russians.

Not only have I acquired some of these finally, I have also received a number of QRF Cold War era Russians that should make for a fine contract between acovian forces loyal to the crown and with newer equipment and rebel forces that are made up from units with older equipment (one of their main gripes).

I figures these, along with some converted Peter Pig militia types should make for the basics of infantry elements for the Alcovian Civil War. I have added some Khurasan Miniatures Somali militia types to these. They are a bit differently scaled but will work as militia elements on their own. They are really nice and will be painted as ethnic Iqenis.

Last, but definitely not the least, are some of Khurasan's new T-90 tanks. While a lot more recent than the hardware, I had planned to use in the Alcovian conflict, these will represent secret weapons of the crown, issued to elite bodyguard regiments.

I have also picked up some VBLs from IrishSerb. These are great little resin kits and while they are French, they do not look out of place next to Russian hardware. Alcovia purchased a bunch from France's export market. I picked these because nobody makes an Otokar Cobra or any of the other newer Eastern "jeeps".

I'll post more pics as I get things painted. 

-Eli

Alcovia Receives Bongolesian Dignataries

Karina Lotsacrop, representative of the University of Alcovia, Department of Human Studies speaks with the head of the Bongolesian security detail, JaJa Binku.

Today, at a discrete air field in western Alcovia, a military transport plane was received by a small group of civilian and government authorities. After a brief discussion between cultural attaches and the Bongolesian security detail, the diplomatic team was lead to a water motorcade where they were sped off to an undisclosed location, presumably to meet with King Ullo Chubakov, who had recently returned to seclusion after numerous threats were made on his person.

Early details indicate that Ambassador W'astsit T'uyoo an his staff are settling in nicely to their diplomatic quarters and are being treated to the highest level of Alcovian hospitality. This evening's welcome dinner is reported to include a meal of Alcovian wild boar and eels.

Alcovia to Host African Diplomats

Head of the Bongolesian delegation, W'atsit T'uyoo

Surprising developments in Alcovia.

After years of resistance to foreign intercession in the ongoing civil war, the Alcovian office of Internal Affairs has accepted an offer from the African nation of Bongolesia and will receive a diplomatic envoy with the intentions of allowing them to sit in on talks between National and rebel leaders. 

Bongolesia, often criticized as the playground of a tyrant and a center for corruption and bush politics, seems an unlikely candidate for peace mediation. However, considering the Alcovian King's mistrust of European politics and desire to keep both Russia and the united States out of his country's affairs, a small, independent nation seated an ocean away may not be as odd a choice as it might seem. 

The office of Internal Affairs released this quite from the initial communication sent by Bongolesia, 

"Bongolesian Foreign Affairs Experat and Tip-Top Diplomat, W'atsit T'uyoo and his staff are ready to make haste to Alcovia, to show our friends that we can help and when we help, EVERYBODY can get some...We come in peace and look forward to doing our bestest on the world stage of international feel goods..."

Very positive and energetic words from the characteristically bombastic nation.

Internal Cold War - The Silent Crisis in Alcovia

3/4/2014

 

 

While scenes such as this have become more common since the cease fire was declared a little over two years ago, one must remind oneself that Alcovia is STILL a nation at war.

Peaceful as it may seem, the conflict that ravaged this once quiet Balkan nation still simmers under a last enmity that is maintained across no firmly entrenched lines of demarcation. Neither The Crown or the self-appointed Alcovian People's Army (APA) have made any declaration of a further peace and as time passes, each side of this conflict seems to get ever more committed to their respective mission.

 

 

While cleanup and reconstruction continue throughout the nation, pockets of armed forces both officially sanctioned and militia alike maintain positions, take possession of supplies and material. Shots still ring out in the night as armed gunmen patrol neighborhoods and patrols of soldiers weed out their rivals' insurgent forces. Add to this the continued and growing unrest among the ethnic Iqeni population in the East who are under ever increasing scrutiny coupled with bigotry and abuse by Alcovian nationals who, now unfettered from royal decree have little to keep them from acting on their agendas of sovereignty and racial purity.

 

 

This has signaled a call to arms for Iqenis who have no choice but to defend themselves. This in turn has drawn the attention of the government of Iqenistan, east across the Borka river and UN officials. Continued reports of crimes targeting ethnic Iqeni citizens in Alcovia continue to make their way across the Borka and into the hand of the UN who, to this date, have still been granted only the most basic access to Alcovian soil. One claim of mass graves found in the northeastern marshes was discounted as the bog mummified remains of earlier conflicts between Alcovia nd its Iqeni neighbors. While the report was accepted, based on photographic evidence, by UN inspectors, Iqenis still remain skeptical, fearing collusion or fraud.

 

 

 

A recent interview with Alcovia's Minsiter of Internal Affairs revealed that the king has grown concerned over recent events in the Ukraine. Russians interference in the sovereignty of that nation only serves to reinforce the king's fears that outside involvement in Alcovian affairs would be detrimental to the kingdom's continued independence. Russia had already voiced concerns over Alcovian instability in the first years of the civil war, even being complicit in backing an attempted breakaway by Alcovia's northern most region, Slavikova. While that break away was quelled and no direct Russian involvement was proven, Russian did maintain its position of maintaining stability in the region. Most recently, this concern for stability was expressed by an increase in credit for military exports to Alcovia from Russian arms industries.

 

 

 

For now, the world's eyes are off of Alcovia as the crisis in the Ukraine grows ever more intense. Hope holds that after two years of relative peace, the Wolf of the Balkans will, once more, slumber...