Latest US for WW2

Due to a slight diversion, I hadn't managed to take any pictures of my latest units. These are inspired by the latest Rapid fire book for the Battle of the Bulge. I'm still not happy with the webbing colour, so it may change.

First off, a reece unit as involved at Foy Notre Dame, I've only painted the figures, the vehicles are from my existing collection. I used the Revell WW2 American Infantry for the bulk of the figures, with only the 60mm mortars and figures added from the Esci US Soldier set. The organisation is quite different from the original version in the RF suppliment so I need more M8's (The ones shown are fron Frontline). Typically I have more MG armed jeeps left over from the old organisation (these are Carama jeeps plus SHQ crews)


Next was an Engineer battalion, the figures this time are mainly the Esci US Soldier set,plus additional bazooka teams from their WW2 French Soldier set. I now need to change over a couple of 6x4 trucks to Tipper trucks, plus a boat trailer and they'll be done.

With Desaix in the Desert v0.2

I've just uploaded a copy of the latest draft of the rules onto esnips at link. I'll be playing another test game again on Thursday

If this link works OK then I'll share some more rules, etc this way.

Will

Latest aquisitions

Although I'm heavily involved with DIY, I managed to send off an order to Harfields for some figures, prompted by receiving the latest catalogue with some 2nd hand bits I "need". So what did I get/plan to do with them?

• 2 sets of Airfix ACW Artillery (without limbers) - I just need some more guns and crews for some Fire & Fury scenarios
• 1 x HaT Alexander's Light Infantry - I've got a bit bored with my lack of archers and confusing my opponent by using staff slingers in the mix.
• 1 x HaT French Field Forge - 3 models, so I'll just one for my French, I haven't decided exactly what to do with the others but probably one will be done for use in the SYW.
• 1 x HaT French Wurst Wagon - One to be used as is, and the others for "flying artillery"
• 1/2 x HaT German Artillery - a couple of 77mm guns for use with my Volksgrenadiers for the Bulge Rapid Fire game
• 4 x Orion Cossack Cavalry - the critical purchase for use with my Renaissance/Deluge armies, wither directly as cossacks, or various balkan light cavalry. I think that a couple of figures are suitable for Pancerni to add to my Poles and others are suitable for Polish commanders. Based on this I'm going to need for of these excellent figures.
• 1 x Strelets Guides of Napoleon - one of those short lived units, the Eclaireursof the Imperial Guard only fought in 1813/4
• Strelets-R Turkish Seljukes Cavalry - More bits to mix in with my Mameluke/Ottoman army.

Will

I missed my anniversary!

Suddenly realised that it's been over a year since I started blogging. The annivarsary should have been on the 15th January and I obviously should have painted a special unit to celebrate. Oh well, at least it wasn't my wedding anniversary that I missed.

Back to the DIY and perhaps a bit of painting if I'm lucky

Will

Virtual stop

Well it's been quite a week with virtually nothing done wargaming wise as the kitchen is being refitted. I'm half way through pinning the parthian horse archers. This involves driving a ordinary pin up through the base of the horse, straight through the body of the horse and then into the rider. If I aim correctly I can drive the pin through the centre of the saddle.

Why pinning? I use it whenever there is inadequate support for the horse, which is usually when less than three legs are on the ground. In this case the gluable plastic flexes so much that I'm sure the paint will flake quickly, especially on singly mounted figures. With the harder plast used by Italeri, Zvesda and previously Hat I've not had to bother much in recent years. I used to be a constant necessity with my old Airfix figures. The upside of the soft plastic is that pinned right through the horse is easy and hence the abity to fix the rider on the same pin. I was having problems welding the riders in place with a hot pin so this technique has worked out OK.

I have also started assembling the Pegasus log buildings, and it's become apparent that they are far too large for my normal 20mm gaming, so I'm trying to decide the best means of disposal at minimal loss.

Back to the DIY now

Will

Vapanartak 2008 (4)

Finally from Vapa, some pictures of the North Hull groups game, full of nice ideas for my western desert stuff and the big game

Vapanartak 2008 (3)

Another quick escape to the bar saw me meeting up with some of the guys from the Society of Gentlemen Wargamers who are involved in this years big game "Battleaxe". Note the 7th armoured shirts for the "Allied" players, hopefully we'll get something for the Axis.

front row left to right:James, Tony D, Goldie
Middle row left to right: Steve, David P, Will (myself), Tim.
Back row: Dave T. Terry.

Just missing Simon who took the picture

Vaparnartak 2008 (2)

Vapa was good on the purchasing front as well, during the periods I managed to slip away I acquired:

• Hat Prussian Dragoons on the B&B;
• Italeri M20 Greyhound for my US Reece Battalion for RF and to see how well it fits in with my Frontline M8 Greyhounds;
• Various Reiver Italian command and gunner packs for the big game;
• A couple of Italeri Saharianas the excuse is that they are for the big game the reality is they look cool!
• Italeri Russian Zis-3 AT Gun with crew, more for the WW2 crew, the guns will be used for some more modern conflicts;
• A Panzer III from the B&B, hopefully Matchbox so it fits my others;
• a couple of Matchbox M-40 GMC because I need an M12 for one of the RF Bulge scenarios and the standard battery is two SPGs. I need to decide whether to try a conversion with some sherman parts or just to use the M40 instead;
• One Pegasus Russian two story log house and two packs each with two Izbas;
• From Ready-to-roll one Camionetta Desertica light truck (I need more but that's all Colin had and two Fiat Dovunque truck - 20mm AA portees;

It was great being able to move around and get to almost all the traders without problems. The venue is excellent and the only problem was a pinch point near the SHQ stand. The only downside was that there was nobody selling any plastic figures, so I'll be putting in an order to Andy Harfield shortly.

Will

Vapanartak 2008 (1)

It was a long day yesterday, all the way to York and back leaving home at 7am and returned at 6pm. It was my first visit to the current racecourse venue and I was very impressed. The last time I visited was in the dim and distant past when it was held in the confines of the Merchant Venturers Hall in York.

I was involved with the Lance and Longbow Society and playing the demonstration game. This time it was Vikings v's Picts played to WHAB rules, which I hadn't played before, but part of the warhammer suite of rules so they became familiar as we played. Below the obligatory tea break and discussions.

The Vikings (myself) had to get their pillage from the left to the right side of the board, presumably back to our ships, while the picts on the far side of the table tried to prevent this and recover their stolen goods.
The crunch point, the wagons coming from the right had to keepto the road, which involved passing the junction next to the ford. Above pictish cavalry have just attacked the viking archers who had not yet got into position to cover the crossing/junction. They didn't shoot well enough and were only saved by a counterattack from a viking unit just off to the left. In the centre the pictish skirmishers are crossing the river to attack the wagon train (they nearly succeeded but a couple of beserkers saw them and caused major damage. Further to the right the picts are starting to move on the viking left. The beserks are a vicious single shot weapon in WHAB, once they make their attack they die.

Overall a hard fought game with a marginal victory for the Vikings.