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Each Iranian division included a reconnaissance regiment equipped with a company of British-made, Alvis FV.101 Scorpion light tanks – a total of 250 of which were acquired in the late 1970s. All of these were originally painted in light olive green overall. Scorpions proved reasonably effective during the first two years of the war, when some of more-skilled Iranian commanders used them to flank Iraqi armoured formations. One of the Iranian units equipped with Scorpions distinguished itself during the early fighting in the Ilam area, where it managed to temporarily stop the advance of the Iraqi 2nd Infantry Division. (Artwork by Peter Penev)