FoW, SDS (61/65) and Warhammer projects progression

I have completed a few more parts to the many projects I have in the works.

First up is a Flames of War early war Panzer IIC platoon. I really dragged my feet on doing these because I was not enthused about them. Thier stats are not that great - Rof 3, AT 5, FP 5, but they are a required combat platoon for the Czech tank company that I have. I have been having trouble with the big tanks of EW, Char B, T34, etc. and could not see how these little guys would help. My air support was not making it through the AA fire. Well they can't help on the monsters but they are a good light vehicle/infantry killer so they can be good for holding an objective.

These are 28mm tents that I have been molding for my Song of Guns and Shakos/'61-'65 games. I found a really old resin tent and just made a mold with 3D Gel and Plaster of Paris from the craft store. The molds only lasted three pours each so I will need to find a better molding compound for my next project. Once dry I will paint them to seal and protect them but they will be fragile.

On the table now is another unit of archers for WHFB, and some French ATGs. I am considering a Hungarian Assault gun company for a FOW 1750 challenge pyramid we are going to start at the shop. Just what I need, another project in the mix. We will see...

FOW WWII Early War game

It has been some time since I last posted. My new venture http://www.huzzahhobbies.com/ has been keeping me very busy. I did manage to get a few hours this last Sunday to get a game in. I am a fan of the early war period of World War Two and with the new release of Blitzkrieg from Battlefront I have been working on a French force to go against my Germans that I did some time ago. We only got in a half a dozen turns before I had to give up the table to a customer so they could get a game in. We called it a German minor victory because they had destroyed one platoon with none of theirs destroyed. The Stukas showed up almost every turn but did not always hit. My French unit is a DLM so can not take AA. Need to look at the other lists!

It was a fun game and who knows what could have happend.

New European terrain

I acquired some new terrain for my FOW1918/FOW WWII games. I am not sure of the manufacture(s) but I like the sizing and look of the buildings. They should do nicely as a French/Belgian village in 1914 and in 1940.

The bridge and stone walls in the above picture are from JR Miniatures. They make some very nice products and I have number of their destroyed buildings.

Here some 1914 German Uhlans move down the empty main street. The villagers have fled or are in hiding. Notice the cart on the left loaded up but left.

The buildings came painted (not very well) so I touched them up a little.

I have pulled the 1914 German Infantry out (I was going to send them out to be painted but...) and will start working on them. I will try to keep the interruptions to a minimum so that I can finally get a 1914 game in in 2010. ;-)

More German EW Cavalry

I just finished a half troop of Peter Pig German Uhlans. This finishes off the German cav from the lot I bought last year. This gives me enough mounted bases to table a Squadron for EW/MW. I really like teh Peter Pig figures. I just wish they had a command pack like the British.
I need to scratch/kit bash one or two HMG wagons to go with them and then I need dismounted. I will probably do another German Artillery section next and then maybe move to some LW Canadians but we will see.

Back in the WW1 saddle!

Well I am finally back at my WW1 life long project. I just finished a half troop of Peter Pig German Dragoons. They were from the huge collection I obtain last year. I stripped them and repainted. I really like them but I wish they had a command pack and a few more poses.

Next are a few pics of some recent ebay purchases. The first is an FT-17 TSF from an unknown manufacture. I have it assembled and base coat painted. I plan on making an extension on the skid for the antenna wire and it has a hole for the antenna. I think it will make a great little model.

Next are some Iron Brigade Miniatures also from ebay.

This is a very cool truck. It should go nicely with the Minifig ones I have (pic).

This is a Mk 1 tank. I am really excited about this model. Should make a nice piece.

It looks to be about the same size as the Peter Pig Mk IV model.

Last is an Austin A/C. I have it pictured with my QRF modified model. I will keep this for my Russian army. It may be some time!

Still on the job hunt but the ebay business is keeping my head above water.

I have one more half troop of PP German Uhlans on the workbench along with a number of GW items heading for ebay. Then on to the TSF and Mk 1. Hope to get some gaming in with my mates next weekend.

Nery and German Uhlans Cavalry Command

I just finished reading Nery, 1914 - The adventure of the German 4th Cavalry Division on the 31st August and the 1st September by Major A.F. Becke. It is a detailed look at a cavalry vs cavalry action. There is also a nice website on the action - www.chakoten.dk/nery_100914_2.html

The GWSH yahoo group has a nice scenario on the action also. I have created a FOW1918 version and will post it in the files section once I have play tested it.

This book along with the delay in receiving my German infantry from the painter, more on that in another post, I have decided to use the remaining German cavalry figures I have from the big purchase to create a Squadron to game with. I only had a few Minifigs Uhlans so I decided to use them as the Squadron Command.

I had to strip them of there original paint job. The horses are not Minifigs but I am not sure what manufacture they are.

While I was working on the Uhlans I also did two more command stands. One is for the artillery and the other will be for the Cavalry HMG teams.

I am now working on another 7.7cm gun section, the German Horse artillery batteries had four guns and I will need a full battery for the Nery scenario. I am also working on the remaining Peter Pig German cavalry I have left. They need major stripping and cleaning. Four stands of Dragoons and four stands of Uhlans. I plan on mixing them in with the Minifigs stands i have already completed to make two full troops.

1914 British Life Guards

With a snow storm that dumped over 24" of snow I had a little time to do some painting. This is a troop of British Life Guards. The figures are a mix of Minifigs and the updated version from GFI titled British Lifeguard Troopers. The GFI figures come with larger horses than the old Minifigs. They come with lances but I removed them because my research into the Life Guards did not have them as lancers. Not like the Germans, only Lancer units carried lances. Only one squadron was sent to France in August 1914 as part of a composite Regiment. They saw action at Mons, the Marne and Ypres. The rest of the Regiment arrived in October 1914. With the completion of this troop and the half troop of Peter Pig figures, very little will be needed to complete a Squadron. I plan on finishing the second half of the Peter Pig figure squadron (still need to order the figs), create a Squadron HQ and paint up some packsaddlrey horses (QRF makes some nice figs) for the Cavalry machine gun section.

The other items completed are two artillery limbers. I still need one more for the half battery and plan on ordering it with the next GFI order.

Again the pictures are not that great. I suspect I need a new camera.

Reference:

http://1914-1918.net/lifeguards.htm

More progress on the EW project.

I am getting more and more excited about gaming 1914. I really feel this is where the rules and game will shine. I have started to collect scenarios and modify them to FOW1918. I am concentrating on the BEF retreat at the moment since they are ready for the game table.

Above are a few objectives I created for the 1914 games. Very generic but would be fine in an open field or abandoned village.

This is a half troop of German Hussars (Minifig). I modeled the officer after a picture I found of the Totenkopf Hussars. I also did their penants in black. Not sure if it is 100% accurate but I think they look cool. Sorry the pictures are not that great, they look much better in person.

Now if I could just get my Germans back from the painter!

Next up are a full troop of British Guard Cavalry (Minifig). I just stripped them of their previous paint job and should be to work on them soon. Another batch of German Cav (Peter Pig) are in the stripping soak tub at the moment.

Flee market time!

I am posting a few extras I have For Sale. All are of an average to low paint level but good enough to game with. If interested let me know, prices are negotiable. Shipping will by via USPS.

Irregular Miniatures EW French gun crew, 14 figures $7.00
Minifig LW German Infantry, 11 stands (30 figures) $15.00

Peter Pig HMG teams, 12 figures, $6.00

Peter Pig British EW HQ stands, 8 figures with tables and acc. $5.00

Minifig crews, Peter Pig 18pdrs, 3 guns and crews $10.00

Irregular Miniatures EW British gun crews, 12 figs, $6.00

German Limbers

Artillery limbers are not something that we get excited about. They are only on the table for a short time if at all but they represent an important piece of the game, especially in EW.


I was never really happy with how my LW limbers turned out. I did them with one pair of horses on a medium base. It just looked insufficient in the way it did not match up with the gun base and was not strong enough looking.


Actual limbers had six horses as pictured above.


I considered making custom bases. Long enough to hold all six horses and the gun would have been really cool but instead I went with what I had to save money and time. I mounted them on a large base which had room for four horses. It matches up with the gun base and looks strong enough. I need to create a mounted command team so the unit can have mounted and dismounted pieces.

EW British Cavalry

I just finished touching up and rebasing some Peter Pig EW cavalry mounted and dismounted.
Most were from the collection I purchased but I had to order a mounted command pack and used an artillery crew and some Minifig horses for the dismounted stand.
It is only a half a troop so I would like to finish it off sometime in the future. I have a full troops worth of the Minifig Guard Cav figures that I will rebase sometime soon.

The Peter Pig figures are very nice and paint up easily. I wish the paint job was better on these but will do.

There is a really nice article on the British cav on the Renegade Miniatures site - http://renegademiniatures.com/article16.htm

I am really looking forward to gaming the EW period, if I could just get my Germans back from the painter.

Christmas gifts

I received two wonderful books on French uniforms by Andre' Jouineau for Christmas.

The FRENCH ARMY - VOLUME 1: 1914 (Histoire & Collections: Officers and Soldiers) and
FRENCH ARMY - VOLUME 12: 1918 (Officers and Soldiers). They are loaded with color plates of all the uniforms of the French. The detail on the markings like rank is fantastic. It covers all aspects, dress uniform, field and even barracks along with Quartermaster, aviation, etc.

If this does not inspire you to build a French army then nothing will. I pulled out my French lead and started planning what to do and what was needed. It is almost to good because you start making plans that can note be completed in a life time. At least as fast as I paint.

I highly recommend these!

More EW figures done.

Since I sent my EW German company out to be painted I have been working on some smaller units for my EW armies. I can usually only get a few minutes every few days at the painting table so it goes slowly.

This is a British Artillery section. The figures were already painted (fair) so I just did some touch up and re based them. I did not mount the guns allowing the unit to have 4.5" How (pictured above - QRF model) or 18pdrs (pictured below - Peter Pig). Crew are Peter Pig.

I did the same thing with the German Artillery section. I repainted the figures completely with these. This is with the 7.7cm Field gun (Peter Pig)

This is with the 10.5 How (Peter Pig). Crew are also Peter Pig.

This last pic is of German Cavalry dismounted. They were just touched up, dipped and re based. They are Peter Pig figures.

I am currently removing some French Colonial Zouaves (Blue Horizon Miniature figures) from there original bases, touching them up, dipping and re basing but more on them in another post.

1914 German Infantry - The repaint begins

I have started on the EW German infantry that I obtained recently. I was hoping that they would be as easy as the EW British but after review I will be doing a complete repaint.

I did the CO, 2IC and the HMG Section as a sample to see what I was getting into. It is not to much, though the little detail of the red piping and such will slow me down.

The platoons are huge, 17 bases each. So this part of the project will take longer than I had hoped but better to do them right the first time.

I am fighting the urge to follow my gaming mates and do a DBA RRR army. I will eventually do a French one based on The Three Musketeers but for now it is back to the 1914 Germans.