Final outcomes

The inevitable happened to this armoured car causing the first blockage to the road, the following SU 152 was also destroyed right on the end of the bridge. This left the battle in a shoot out between Tigers and T34's, the Tigers were already limping and the Soviets eventually cleared all real opposition to the town. The T34's then covered the bridge and waited for engineering support to clear a way through. Meanwhile the artillery outside the town, which had been inactive all through, braced itself for a final stand. The Waffen SS company in the Dingly Dell of Death fell to the revenge of the T34's and retreated with a HMG manned by a lone gunner. Some surviving troops from the second company also fell back towards the town.

The Red Army could be said to have had a difficult victory. Assuming no further resistance could be fielded soon. Soviet losses were great but this is not a problem for the huge Red Army. High Command was happy with Comrade Peelerski's attack and he was spared the gulag on this occasion. The German's lost yet more tanks they can ill afford and a number of very brave troops. Iron crosses were won by the crew of the Panther and many of the infantry were decorated for their efforts but this battle only served to slow the tide of iron rolling in from the East.

The Dingly Dell of Death!

The German's and Soviets both entered each side of the wood and fought a fierce firefight through the trees, the Red Army took massive losses but stood firm through a couple of morale tests even after loosing their Political Commisar. They fought on despite no one being there to remind them that an NKVD firing squad awaited anyone thinking of surrender. The last few remnants eventually melted away depite support arriving from the T34's that had retreated back up the road after and exchange with the Tigers outside the town. German losses in the wood were minimal at this point but the other company had rather blindly jumped into their transport and tried to cross the road under the bombardment of the T34's to joint with their brothers in defence in the wood in the hope they would be better placed to attack the Soviet armour with infantry crewed anti-tank weapons. Few survived and the truck was now blocking the road forcing the Tigers to chase the T34's cross country. Meanwhile the Marder III was on it's way to the wood to support the infantry, vicorious against the Red Army infantry but now at the mercy of the T34's.

Not so quiet on the Eastern Front (Part 3)

Upon crossing the first Soviet rifle company made for a nearby wood, the Germans now aware of what was happening at the bridge bagen to move out on foot from the farm to take a defensive position in the wood. The T34's roll on down the road, unaware of the Tigers waiting at the end of it.

Not so quiet on the Eastern Front (Part 2)

The Red Army made good progress initially, sending the first infantry company over the bridge, followed by the T34's. The Command and Heavy Company (not trusting the bridge at first) went for the ford crossing. Disaster struck early on for the Red Army as a Panther hiding in some woods managed to destroy one of the heavy SU 152's right in the crossing point blocking it for anything else. The Soviet tanks gave a good fight and the Panther sustained some damage but had a number of lucky escapes from the Soviets who were clearly phased by trying to ford a river and fire at the same time. Infantry continued to cross the bridge unchallenged. The German Tigers began to roll out of their nests in the town and took up a defence at the end of the road along with a HMG unit. The other two Waffen SS companies held defensive positions in a wood and a farm at each side of the road into the town. During the mid part of the opperation there was only gradual movement as the remaining Soviet Heavy company and T34's began their crossing of the bridge.

Not so quiet on the Eastern Front (Part1)

Here is an update from last night's battle. Peeler popped over and I set up a Rapid Fire game. The basic scenario was that one side had to cross a river at two possible points to occupy a town at the other end of the table. The opposing side simply had to cause as much hassle to the other as possible until the town could be reinforced. We chose Soviets as the attacking force and Germans as the defenders.

The forces were made up as:

Germans:

2 x Companies of Waffen SS each with transport

2 x HMG teams

A reduced tank company of Tiger I's (2 tanks) with a supporting Marder III

A forward detachment of 1 Panther tank

1 x 75mm gun (crewed by locals in German service)

Soviets:

Command - 1 x T34 & Armoured car as supporting recon

1 x Infantry Battalion (3 Companies of Rifle Infantry) plus 1 HMG and 1 Medium Mortar

Infantry Battlion Command = Lend Lease Jeep, Officers and Political Commisars

1 x Medium Armoured Company (2 x T32)

1 x Heavy Armoured Company (2 x SU 152)

It was envisaged that the Red army would quickly storm over the crossing points of the bridge and the ford and that the relatively green Waffen SS who were commanded by Von Waudby would make a fighting retreat into the town where they would use their infantry anti-tank weapons to stop the Soviet armour from progressing through the town and ever closer towards Berlin!

... all did not go to plan!

Rapid Development of Rapid Fire

Today I have been setting out the wargames boards to make sure they don't collapse! I've never put such a large gaming space togther but it works fantastically well! The Soviets are nearly all done but the Germans need a lot of painting still, I will be painting like crazy this week to get everything ready. May need another day off at this rate. Plastic figures have really come into their own now with the new harder plastic Italeri and Waterloo figures, even with the price increase they are still only £6 for a Rapid Fire battalion, in metal that would be more like £40. I like the poses in the plastic ranges and they look a lot more realistic. My vehicles are all either quick build kits or resin castings. As much time saved glueing stuff the better!

Pudsey report

A fantastic day was had at the Pudsey show last week. A good turn out from the Yorkshire Coast Wargamers and a great couple of Zulu Wars battles put on using DbColonial rules and figures with thanks to Alex and Peeler!

I bought a load of resin vehicles from Under the Bed, some of which I'm disappointed in as they are crumbling and snapping before I've even painted them, grrr. You get pigs and gems in this range but at the price of them they are ok. I will stick to Ready to Roll and Millicast in the future when I feel the need for a resin AFV in 1/72 scale. Also got some figures from Ceasar in 1/72 plastic, the new US GI's and some German's I think, they went straight into giftwrap when I got them home so I can't remember now. Damn this time of year!

Pudsey was my favourite show this year! Looking forward to the next one.

Airfix German's finally here!

German 1/32's out now! These came into the shop this week. Now I can start some big battles! Hope to have the Afrika Corps out soon too!

Close up of the Panther

Not sure I've got the camo quite right?

More Russian armour

One of the SPG's I got from Rich, Panther in the back ground. These are both Italeri 'Quick Build' kits (I think)

Russians for Rapid Fire

This is a Pegasus 'Quick Build' T34. One of two you get in the box for £7.99. At £4 a tank I can make up a whole battalion quite reasonably. They do still have fiddly bits and the second tank I made I lost patience with these and just left them off and it still looks good.

Making up for the past!

I seem to be collecting quite a pile of 1/32's now! As a child I never had a complete box of Airfix, only bits and pieces of sets I had given. I think I may be over-compensating now. The only set I'm not keen on are the US Infantry, poorly armed and not much variety. Some odd poses in the US paratroops too. I think I'll mostly be painting the Brits and Gerries.

Modern Warfare

I'm a big fan of the series 'Generation Kill' and saw these in the shop this week. Well, bought them I should say. The first sets of Ceasar figures I bought where two sets of WWII Germans (late war) and they were very rubbery, too rubbery to bother to paint but I took a chance on these and they have stiffened them up thankfully. The castings are excellent, though the militia has a few figures I won't use - big breasted women in skimpy dresses (where do you see them in Muslim countries?) and child soldiers (not comfortable with these either.) There are many modern vehicles available pre-made and the shop had Humvees, Bradleys and a great looking T64. Skirmish games comming up!

Rapid Fire Update

Managed to re-equip my paint desk with much needed basing paint today at the Leeds waragmes show, so here is the first base of Valliant 20mm German Infantry done. They are alongside a Tiger I aquired from Richard, these are the new Italeri fast build kits and are very good! I also picked up a German supply wagon with horses from Skyrex just to pad out the battalion supply equipment. Hopefully I should have all the Germans done soon.

There was a lot of interesting stuff at the show despite being even smaller yet again this year. For a WWII fan there was lots to poke about in at the trade stalls. There was a Rapid Fire game which was a modern Arab/Israeli battle in 15mm. I didn't get any pics since it didn't seem to be progressing much and there was a lot of tank traffic jams it seemed.

I liked the figures that Grubby Tanks had and I'm keen to get some Russians togther, that may be this year's Christmas present to myself? There was a trader selling ready painted Rapid Fire units which was also tempting, if I'd had £200 I'd have snapped em up.

More from the BMC Iwo Jima set

BMC also do equally inexpensive sets for D-Day but these figures are much more of a toy style. I'd definately recommend the Iwo Jima set for the price. I think mine are likely going to end up a Nephew's Christmas present one day.

BMC Japanese and Marines

I bought a bag of both Japanese and US Marines by BMC at a Toy Solider show a couple of years ago. I think it was about £8 for the whole back and there was about 40 figures in total plus a model of the flag raising on Iwo Jima. I wanted to see just how cheap you could put a skirmish togther. I painted them in a 'Toy' style and the Japanese are all finished. They are made from a strong plastic that is very easy to paint. Some really good poses in there too.

ACW

I have tons more still to paint. Painted them in a traditional gloss finish. The Timpo Union troops are inexpensive and look great. The Rebels here are mostly Imex, with a few Call to Arms. This project started when I painted one I had from my childhood (the one with the brown base) it turned out pretty good so I bought some more and carried on.

New Airfix releases

So far we have British Infantry, Commandos, Paratroops and 8th Army and the American GI's.

No Germans yet but by the speed that these have been comming out lately I think they will be here by Christmas.

Favourite box art so far is the British Infantry!

Collectors items

Had a few ebay wins a while back. The Modern Russians are very rare, unfortunately they are quite under scale. They are definately 1/35.

A bit of background..

I must have been about six or seven years old. I had a collection of odd's and ends of Airfix, Timpo and the like and a few painted Britains plastics (more on them later). One evening a lady came to the house, no idea who she was and no one remembers to this day. She had with her a box and said that her son didn't want these things anymore and so she brought them round for me. My parents decided I had been good enough to have the things there and then. Upon opening I found it was full of more Airfix, Timpo and various other makes, it doubled my collection there and then and was one of the best presents I ever received. From then on there was no turning back!

Panzers East!

These tanks are 21st Centuty Toys. Won them on ebay last Christmas. Figures are old Airfix, again rescued from ebay and painted.

These are all Italeri figures. I gave them a Forces of Valour jeep, felt sorry for them that the gerries have so much in the way of transport and armour and they had nothing.. a bit like America did. If anyone wants to get me a T34 for Christmas I would be very happy!

For the Motherland!

Old and new! Old airfix Russians with the new Italeri figures. I have the 75mm gun too but need to finish painting the crew for it. These figures go very well togther. Sadly there is no hint from Airfix as yet as to whether they will be releasing the Russians. I still have a pile of old ones from ebay wins so will use these. I painted these as usual but gave them a black wash before dry brushing with buff as normal. It makes them look much more filthy. My 8th Army didn't get this treatment as they wouldn't really have had a muddy look from the desert.

Germany pushes East..

These are old Airfix figures I won on ebay. The Opel Blitz is a 21st Cen Toys model. I now have the new k-resin British Commandos so these may find a new home soon.

Italeri 1/32 British Light Cavalry

Did these a while ago. Not really a Napoleonics fan but they were so good I couldn't resist. I do have the French Dragoons too but they weren't turning out that great so have been put on a back burner. These are meant to be in a more traditional toy soldier style and gloss varnished.

Airfix 1/32 8th Army

Painted up my first box of the new k-resin 1/32 scale 8th Army from Airfix. Old moulds - new figures! This is the best thing to happen to my wargames career in a long time! The figures are perfect as they are easy to paint and anatomically correct with decent poses. At £5.70 a box they are cheap too! 14 figures to a box, with 4 boxes I easily have a Rapid Fire battalion! I dug out some Timpo machine gunners, radio opperators and Monty himself to complement them. Will post pictures of the whole lot when they are done.

I've been painting these up very quickly by just doing the basic colours and then a bit of dry brushing with a buff colour to bring out detail and give them that embattled look. It seems to work and I can put out 14 men on the table painted in an afternoon. I use Games Workshop Skull White undercoat spray and this saves a huge amount of time as well as being a really good matt finish to take the colours. I finish them off with a humbrol spray matt varnish, which seems to be just right without making them brittle. The k-resin they are made from should hold the paint for a long time without chipping or cracking as long as they arn't handled too roughly.

More to follow...