29/08/2021

Pony Wars Saturday

Had a great day out on Saturday at our first whole day event run by Beacon Gaming Club at Elton Community Centre. Our game was a Pony Wars campaign game with Simon's terrain and figures.

The Preacher and his flock decide to leave Outpost Arrow escorted by the cavalry
Troops head out of Fort Laramie
Ambush!! The local Cheyenne snip atthe column missing the Cavalry escort but hitting the civilians
Oophs! the raiding froce discovered two troops of cavalry at a watering hole 3:1 advantage no contest!
Don't they look vulnerable!
Caught one early with a good move,
Close up of the impact, all over now!
but after that they were repulsed and my other units suffered a similar fate - US cavalry are tough to beat especially the way my dice were rolling for melee.
I decided to reurn my main force to our village only to find three troops of US cavalry in occupation
I tried an outflanking manouvre, but although I managed to catch one US troop and decimate it the rest wiped out most of my force
So as Doctor and the Medics say - "Going on up to the spirits in the sky"

27/08/2021

SYW Rot und Blau Wurtzberg Regiments

Apologies due to the distraction of my new 3D resin printer and understanding its software I have been remiss in posting my two new units for the Seven Years War, Rot (or Roth) and Blau Wurtzberg.
Rot Wurtzberg was particularly distinguished by its defence of the chuch at Leuthen, until ousted by the Prussian Guard.
The figures are a mix of the old Revell and the new Strelets Austrians

23/08/2021

My new toy

An Elegoo Saturn 3D Resin printer arived today
Only just finished setting it up and installing the software, so it will still be a while before I start testing some output.

19/08/2021

Restocking the stash

With the latest releases from Strelets available I thought it was time to restock the stash with these
Here is a list and my current plan
  • Mars 72123 German paras tropical (RR&M) x 0.5 - heavy weapons for my German FJ
  • Pegasus Mission Indians - Oxen for my Spanish limbers and the monks
  • Strelets 176 Japanese Type 38 75mm Field Gun - start of my Japanese force for Battlegroup
  • Strelets 238 British Cavalry x 2 - enough to finish Palme's brigade and adda couple of French cavalry units
  • Strelets 239 French Royal Horse Grenadiers - missed these from the last order
  • Strelets 243 British Artillery - The next piece of the jigsaw for the WSS, though I'll probably use some Zvezda GNW bits as well
  • Strelets 244 French Artillery - as above
  • Strelets 254 French Dragoons in skirmish - will wait till Strelets release their mounted counterparts
  • Strelets 275 - Nap. Austrian Uhlans - a gap in my Nap collection + the nice civilians
  • Strelets 276 - Nap. Russian Hussars in reserve
  • Strelets 277 - Nap. French Guard Chasseurs
  • Strelets 292 - WWI French Field Kitchen - every army should have one
  • Strelets M081 - WWII Afrika Korps desert patrol x 0.5 - I just like the figures
  • Strelets M114 WWII Japanese Troops in Tropical Uniform - start of my Japanese force for Battlegroup
  • Strelets M115 Japanese Army in defense - start of my Japanese force for Battlegroup
  • Strelets M121 Imperial Japanese Army Heavy Weapons Team - start of my Japanese force for Battlegroup
  • Strelets M151 - WWII Moroccan Goumiers - A cool unit for WW2

10/08/2021

North Vietnamese Army (NVA)

For my new NVA figures from Orion wanted the uniform to look distinctivly different from the US and ARVN, so I tried a suggestion to use Vallejo Games Colour Camouflage Green. I'm quite impressed and I now need to consider whether to repaint the uniforms on my older NVA or strip the paint and start again or even sell them and start again with some new figures.

07/08/2021

On the workbench - August 2020

Reasonably progress back in July, but now I have to do some dog sitting for my daughter that will eat into my time, so I'm hoping to work on
  • SYW Rot & Blau Wurtzberg Infantry, one unit of each
  • A platoon of NVA for Nam
  • the Redbox musketeers of the King of France and guards of Cardinal Richleau both mounted and on foot
  • a SU-1-22 (a 76mm gun on the back of a Gaz AAA) if I can cobble together the gunshield

05/08/2021

A nice surprise

I've been think of getting a 3D resin printer and a friend Simon R had just bought one and is producing some lovely 20mm models. After I expressed an insterst Simon sent me some "miscasts". For miscasts, these are more than adequate for my needs.
At the back is a Marder I still on it's supports
Above and below, a Marder III compared to the PSC 38(t) hull
An AutoUnion/Horsch heavy car compared to the PSC version
I'm certainly now sold on the idea, I will see if any other friends want to join in, that will certainly restrain my meglomania if I go it alone.

03/08/2021

First War of Spanish Succession game

Thanks to Owain who took pictures at Beacon Gaming Club last Thursday
British infantry wasting time in a village (verty slow movement)
I was surprised by how much non-British cavalry I already had to assist my pair of British units
Stalwart British infantry
and again
Gendarmes of the Maison du Roi provided the only cavalry success for the French, backed up by Bavarian cuirassiers
British infantry ready to get into action
Bavarian cavalry formed up for action
Yours truely in action checking the rules!
Nice to get the figures on the table and to give the latest draft of the rules a play through

02/08/2021

Something old, something new, something reworked, something blue

My last bits for July. A sdkfz 253 for Seelow 1945; The last PSC truck parts assembled into something recognisable; a pair of sdkfz 250/1 repainted for early; and a Gaz truck of uncertain origin repurposed as a Civilian Ford AAA truck.

01/08/2021

Yet more German heavy cars

This time the early war versions.
Left and right at the front are my conversion into a Mercedes version and the S&S radio car version.
As I mention in an earlier post the Mercedes conversion is not worth the effort involved. Too much cuttting and filing to fit.