Russian Command Wagon

Just in time I've completed my entry to the SOGGy "Paint your wagon" charity auction it's a Gypsy Caravan by Blotz. It took quite a bit of effort to complete and I'm not convinced that MDF is the right material for this scale vehicles.

The command team is a collection of various figures that I had to hand, amuse yourself by identifying the sources.

T8 Reconnaissance Vehicles

After completing the Plastic Soldier Company Stuarts I was sure that I'd be able to use some of the spare components, but I wanted something American. The T8 Reconnaissance vehicle was the obvious solution, but it was only used for trials. However I discovered that units were advised the could make the conversion using the M49 ring mount. and some saw service as a limited standard.

The underside was filled in with plastic card and at the rear I added a pair of access doors to break up the flat surface. the ring mounts came from the Airfix/Heller GMC, but to experiment I tried making the canvas cover on one, and the sandbags on the other from some old blu-tac. To ensure it was firmly fixed it was covered in some cheap superglue and it is pretty solid.

The crewmen obviously had to be the leftovers from the Plastic Soldier Company's Half track

Folgore rebased

Continuing to catch up on plan I got diverted into rebasing my Italian Paratroops. Typically I had been looking to see if I had any spare heavy weapons for my winter Italians and these were falling off their bases. I had experimented a while ago with using tile grout., which was now crumbling. I also took the opportunity to add a flame thrower and radio from the Waterloo Italian support set to complete the battalion for the latest Rapid Fire organisation. For these figures I used Blu-tact to convert the putties into baggy trousers, hardening it off with PVA.

DAK transport

Getting back into the swing of things now. Just finished off the Ready-to-Roll Horch and Stower cars that I bought at York

At the back is an extra Airfix Panzer IV that I had to build to make up the numbers for the new Rapid Fire Medenine scenario.

Just for JP I have left the bases on - seriously it wasn't worth the bother as they weren't too large or thick and desert terrain is fairly consistent

A slight change of pace!

Off to have a pacemaker fitted, so there might be a slight gap in posting. Hopefully not as it's only a day case involving local anaesthetic, and I don't think painting figures counts as strenuous activity, which I have to stop for a week afterwards.

At least I'll have plenty to read as both Wargames Illustrated and Miniature Wargames have just arrived, excellent timing!

----------------
UPDATE

Now home again from hospital and ordered to take it easy for a few days, no driving for a week, still apart from discomfort everything went fine

Thanks to all you bloggers for your kind wishes.

Will

German Winter Infantry #2

Another Rapid Fire German winter battalion completed, this time they represent a better prepared unit, almost all with the reversible jacket. The figures are mostly the Caesar German winter infantry, reasonable sculpts for the most part, but with horrible chunky bases. Mixed in are a number of Italeri Elites and some Armourfast figures.

The AT support is only a 37mm Pak36, manned by HaT figures and this will need upgrading if used for mid/late war game. Note I have already made some provision by including a Panzerschreck. At the back are four command figures from Odemars German Commanders.

Some WW2 bits

A selection of bits bought at York.

A Jeep for my British Motor Battalion and a pair of 37mm guns for my US forces by S-Models. I need the AT guns to downgrade my US57mm for the Operation Husky game this summer. Both models are quite fiddly and I'm not sure how robust they will be for wargaming use. The short M3 105mm howitzer was from Empress (ex AB model) and is one of those bits needed to complete my US force.

At the back are a couple of Chenilette UE for my French that came with the 37mm AT guns I'm using for my Winter Germans. A nice robust quick build model from S-Model, just a shame that they don't make a model with the tracked trailer.

German Winter Infantry #1

A rather bedraggled unit for my first battalion of German winter infantry, Intended to depict some Stalingrad defenders or other troops ill-prepared for winter fighting.


The majority of the figures are the Strelets German Army in Stalingrad, plus some Zvezda German MMGs and Mortars in greatcoats, HaT greatcoated German gunners, a few Italeri German elite infantry and a single Revell Afrika Korps figure.

A couple of close-ups

Zvezda MMG, S Model 37mm AT gun with Hat crew


A Zvezda 81mm Mortar (you get two poses in the set) and an Ace 75mm Infantry gun


Apologies for the groundwork as it was all I could find, somewhere I have a couple of old "white" sheets.

Panzers in the snow

First items completed this month are some German armour, these are left over Italeri Panzer IIIs and a S-Model Panzer II. They are painted as normal then heavily drybrushed white to look like worn whitewash. I couldn't decide whether to add the decals with the tank numbers, but decided to omit them for now.


I'm drawing my inspiration from "Fat Wally's" eastern front in 15mm (link)

Another distraction

Some more oddments just completed - this figure in particular keeps hiding in dark coners

Dracula is from the Lucky Toys Vlad Tepes set and a few more US infantry needed for the Reccy teams for the Tank Destroyer companies.

Thanks to Pryzmek on Benno's Forum for the inspiration

On the workbench - February 2015

It's Freezing February as I get started on my Axis winter forces, I'm hoping to make substantial progress on the following items this month

• A couple of German battalions
• An Italian battalion
• a Hungarian battalion
• Plus some supporting vehicles
• and also finished off the 28mm Saxon Thegns (but I need to find a better silver as the new Humbrol enamel version is too sticky)
  

However, I didn't manage to get any of the Woodlands scenic snow flock, so these might get delayed and then there are some bits bought at York that I'd like to work on

• US 105mm M3 Howitzer
• a pair of US 37mm AT guns to replace my 57mm for the bit game
• a Jeep for my British Motor battalion
• The pair of German 37mm Pak36s with the Chenillete UE as they are needed for the German battalions above

That feels like plenty to do

Vapnartak 2015

This year for once it was an easy drive across the Peninnes, and Vapnartak was a great show as always

Our game for the Lance & Longbow society was Hexham 1464 using Lion Rampant, where the participants played Yorkists and had to beat the clock and defeat the Lancastrians in under an hour of playing time. In three out of four occasions they succeeded, but when I took on the mantle of Lancastrians in the Persona of the Duke of Somerset I managed to hold out long enough and send Montagu (the Yorkist commander) scurrying to the rear, but what would you expect from a Somerset cuckoo who when to Lancaster University!

The opposing forces, the Lancastrians are positioned on the hill, outnumbered by the Yorkists

Some of the action


The neighbouring game with John Paul Jones attacking Leith, a "what-If"



The ever popular zombies

Dux Brittanium game - it was nice to meet up with Lardie Rich again as he attempted and failed to visit a show incognito


WW1 with combat around the Suez Canal, now that caught my interest as I've probably got most of what's needed for a smaller version of the game.


No prizes for identifying this battle, the kids were having great fun

Not much action, but some inspiration for preparing some winter terrain/basing.

The booty

Finally I had a pile of figures and vehicles for sale and I managed to raise £63-60 for the Army Benevolent Fund, so thanks to everyone who bought something.

British Motor Battalion - North Africa 1942

Having completed the Infantry and the Portees, I also repainted the remaining vehicles required to make up a complete Rapid Fire Motor Battalion. The Carriers are a complete rework as they had been part of my NW Europe forces until now. They particularly showed their age when several fell apart when cleaning off the old paintwork and needed a bit of TLC. Crews were added in most cases. The Arm of Service number number was a particular isue as the Middle East Command used its own numbering system so I was desperately searching for red 60 decals, First Alan from the Guild came to my aid and then Steve from Baggage Train created a complete set.

Spot the incorrect vehicle - the Tilly need to be replaced by another Jeep!

I also repainted the transport for the MG company. but this needed an AOS of red 51 so it was no problem. On the right a reworked Crusader from Dennis, with no markings as I've still to decide how to mark up most of my desert armour.