25mm SA-34 Portee

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I've now almost finished all the models I bought in the Battlefront early war sale. Here are a couple more: two 25mm SA-34 Portees for a French Escadron de Fusiliers Portees. 

These are fine models that paint up beautifully. Although the picture is not a particularly good one, there's some nice layering on the crew's uniforms and helmets, and you can see that the brown patches that form part of the vehicles' camouflage has come out quite well too.

Right, back to the sci-fi figures now... 

A13 MkIV Cruisers from Zvezda

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I've wanted some A13s for use with the Operation Compass scenario book for some time, but have never wanted to spend the money on metal or resin models. I've got A13s for France 1940, and they ably substituted during the booklet's playtesting.

Late last year, however, Russian manufacturer Zvezda released plastic A13s that were available at just £1.95 a model...and I couldn't resist and immediately bought a squadron from PSC.

Let's start with the downside:

  • the model released is the A13 used in France (no extra trackguard etc).
  • they are rather erroneously called Crusaders on the box, but then even I keep a special spreadsheet detailing all the different early war British tanks, so I'm quite forgiving of their mistake 
  • the models are pretty basic. A six-part snap together kit (for God's sake remember to put the tracks on the bottom of the hull before you put the top on!) with minimal detail and a very thin, snap-py looking gun.

However, the upside easily outweighs the above: ten tanks for under £20 that paint up very adequately for use on the tabletop. An absolute bargain, and I don't think they look too bad. Let me know what you think...

A bit blurred, but here's the Squadron HQ tank

A bit blurred, but here's the Squadron HQ tank

And here's No 1 Troop

And here's No 1 Troop

You can see them all in the British Desert War gallery (click here or use the navbar, above).

Here's an actual picture from the western desert. You can see that there's no divisional ID number on the front mudguard, and that there's an the 'added on' track guard along the sides...but otherwise it looks about the same. Camo scheme seems right, although I'm intrigued by the track guard colouring. Also love the tattoos on the bloke on the turret's forearms, and the pith helmets on the front deck!

Morris CS9 Armoured Cars

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Keen to clear the painting table ready for my next major project (WW2 US Paras modelled on Band of Brothers' Easy Company), I've just finished a couple of British Morris CS9 armoured cars for the desert.

Nice little models these, from Battlefront, and with some nice detailing on the hull and crew figure. They will represent vehicles from 11th Hussars for Operation Compass.

Peter Pig Soviet "Dancing Group"

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One of my purchases at Warfare this year was Peter Pig's new 'Soviet Dancing Group': eight figures, two with accordions, two with balalaikas, and four doing the stereotypical Russian male dancing thing.

Now those of you who have read my previous post about the Gebirgsjaeger heavy mortars, and the unlikelihood that I will ever get them on the table (minimum range 76"!), must now be concluding that I have finally flipped my lid and decided not to paint anything that I will actually use ever again. I mean, when will I ever need to field musicians and dancing soldiers?

Well I'll tell you when: every time I field any Soviet MMGs.

You see, under IABSMv2, MMG teams were almost always crewed by three men; but under IABSMv3, they are almost always crewed by five men. It's a better fit with the durability of MMG teams, but does cause pain for those of us who have all their MMG teams crewed by three figures not five.

Well not any more!

Now my Soviet MMG teams will appear with their existing three crew members, but each will be accompanied by a couple of music-playing/dancing soldiers. Representation of correct crew numbers problem solved!

Here they are: both as a group and so you can see the (nicely sculpted) figures:

Gebirgsjaeger Heavy Mortars

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I think I'm going to need a bigger table.

With a minimum range of 76", I shall need to put my new unit of German Gebirgsjaeger (mountain troops) Heavy Mortars somewhere out in the garden in order to be able to actually use them in a game!

So why did I bother to buy and paint them up?

Don't know: except for the fact that they are some of the really good Gebirgsjaeger figures from Battlefront - those of you who have read my review of the range (click here) will know that for some reason the Battlefront 15mm Gebirgsjaeger range is neatly divided into two halves: one half being some of the nicest 15mm figures I have ever seen, the other half being one of the worst!

Well, of course I do know why I bothered: it's because they're on the list.

Yes, of course the main reason I have got them is because the IABSM army lists for late war Gebirgsjaeger say that they have heavy mortars as support at Battalion and Regimental level...I've just chosen to ignore the comment that follows stating that they should always be considered as off-table and be actually represented by an FOO unit!

Maybe one day I will get a chance to field them...once the extension is finished!

Here they are:

German Kettenkrad

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I've been a little worried that my Gebirgsjaeger (German Mountain Troops) won't be able to move their equipment around properly, especially in harsh terrain or weather conditions.

Problem solved, however, with eight Kettenkrad (motorcycle tractors) painted up as crewed by Gebirgsjaeger.

I must confess to feeling a touch of pride here as, at time of ordering, Battlefront only provided crews in either the standard infantry helmet or the Fallschirmjaeger helmet, not the cap that most of my existing Gebirgsjaeger wear, so I bought some cap-wearing spare heads from Peter Pig and did head-swaps on half. Not exactly the apex of conversion skills, but more than I usually manage!

WW2 Figure Reviews Reloaded

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Just a quick note to say that I have finished reloading the six or so WW2 15mm figure reviews into the IABSM Figure Reviews section of the website.

Click here to go there.

The reviews on there at the moment are:

  • Gaming Models AB40 and Morris CS9
  • Battlefront's Cossacks
  • Zvezda's BA-10 armoured cars
  • Battlefront's Gebirgsjaeger
  • Eureka's Australians
  • Some of MMModels WW2 vehicles

I'll write more when the website is fully reloaded!

SdKfz 7/2 medium-weight AA half-tracks from Battlefront: Part II

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On 1st September I posted pictures of the two SdKfz 7/2 German half-tracks that I had painted up in panzer grey for the early war period. Here are the other two 7/2s from the same order, but this time painted up for the mid- and later-war periods in dunkelgelb with camo.

Nice models these: easy to put together, for a change, and satisfyingly chunky.

T-20 Komsomoleyts

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Another quick bit of painting finished, again loot from the Battlefront early war 3-for-2 sale. This time it's a pair of Soviet T-20 Komsomoleyts tractors.

I only bought one pack of two, as I haven't actually got a specific purpose in mind for them. I suppose they will do as very light artillery tractors or, as they come with two men sitting on the back, as the extra two men needed for my MMG teams, originally based with three crew as per IABSMv2, but now needing five crew as per IABSMv3.

They are quite nice little models, but I don't like the fact that the crew are in old-style "Fireman Sam" helmets rather than the round ones worn by all my other Soviets.

Oh, by the way, for those who didn't know, komsomoleyts literally means "young communists", but I'm not sure why they are nicknamed that.

Panhard-Schneider PT-16

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Over the weekend I managed to finish the first of the models bought in the recent Battlefront 'early war 3-for-2' sale: four Panhard-Schneider PT-16 armoured cars for my 1940 French army.

Nice models that go together and paint up well, and should be ideal for a game I'm planning involving two reconnaissance forces bumping up against each other.

Beyond a joke!

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Now those of you who visit this website regularly will know that I am quite a fan of Battlefront figures. I might not play Flames of War, preferring IABSM, but I do buy the figures...lots of them.

Sometimes, however, Battlefront do something which drives me potty...something that is 'beyond a joke'.

Today's 'beyond a joke' is the new Gebirgsjaeger anti-tank rifle team of two figures: one rifleman and one chap carrying what I think is a PzB 38 or 39 anti-tank rifle. The team retails for about £1.50, but I got three of them in the recent 3-for-2 sale which, to be fair, was a very good thing, with a delivery arriving within three days of my order.

From the sublime...

I have previously commented that Battlefront's Gebirgsjaeger are a mixed bunch. Some of them are some of the best figures I have ever seen, and paint up beautifully, but some of them are ghastly shop-dummy manikins that I really only kept to make up the right numbers.

 The initial release didn't contain any man-portable anti-tank weapons (no 'schreks, no ATRs) so I was chuffed to bits when I saw that anti-tank rifle teams were finally available.

 

My joy was short lived. Why, I hear you ask? Well I will let a picture say a thousand words. Here are the two figures from the Battlefront Gebirgsjaeger anti-tank rifle team pack: 

...to the ridiculous!

You may notice that they are a slightly different size to each other.

Slightly?

Slightly?

The bloke with the ATR is so short his colleague can see over his flipping head! I mean, was this some kind of joke? Give the shortest man in the unit the biggest gun? It honestly looks like two figures from different ranges or manufacturers, not two figures designed to be fielded together mounted on the same base! What a pile of steaming poop!

I can understand the team being shorter than previous releases (new sculptor etc) but just the new figure? Didn't anyone at Battlefront notice that the two chaps didn't really match each other?

Come on, Battlefront: get your act together!

SdKfz 7/2 medium-weight AA half-tracks from Battlefront

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Originally posted 1st September 2014

Next up are some early war German SdKfz 7/2 medium-weight AA half-tracks from Battlefront. Now I was dreading putting these together, as I always have a difficult time with Battlefront guns: to fiddly for my patience! I am, however, please to say that these went together very easily.

I used GW Granite paint with an Agrax Earthshade wash, and I think they turned out very well. Recommended, and I have two more to paint up for late war.

Allied Diamond T Artillery Tractor from MMModels

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Originally posted 1st September 2014

Some more painting finished. 

First up are the Allied Diamond T artillery tractors. These are great big trucks that were used to pull the M1 155mm howitzers of the US medium batteries, and are a more typical alternative to the M5 High Speed Tractors that are included in the FOW boxed set.

These models are from MMModels: a range that varies in quality to say the least. I am pleased to state that the Diamond Ts are very nice models that go together well, and paint up nicely. Recommended for anyone needing a really big truck, or who wants to field the more correct tow for a WW2 M1 artillery battery.

I've painted up four of the monsters. Here's a close-up of one:

Some MMModels' Vehicles

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Originally posted 26th July 2014

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the 'tail' part of an army as well as its 'teeth'. Well, a couple of months ago I updated the manufacturers' directory with MMModels, a group of wargamers who make their own models where none are available and offer them to the public on an on-demand basis, whose catalogue includes lots of lovely 'tail'. Here's a quick review of the first models off the production line:

First up were some British vehicles all based on the Austin Tilley chassis. They are a staff car, a utility vehicle and a truck. All three are lovely little vehicles with plenty of detail that paint up nicely. Recommended. You can see all three in my entry in the painting challenge (as well as everything else mentioned below) but here's the Austin Tilley truck, with a Soviet infantryman (what I had handy!) for scale:

Next were some more British vehicles, this time based on the Scammell heavy tractor chassis. They are the Scammell Artillery Tractor and the Scammell Heavy Recovery vehicle. These were not quite so pleasing. Maybe it is me, but I couldn't get the back wheels to sit properly, and I think the front wheels look a bit Heath-Robinson and weedy too. There were also quite a few bubbles in the resin. Still, it's good to have some proper heavy artillery tractors, and the recovery vehicle looks okay too. Here's Ivan, again, with each:

Now onto the Germans. Only thing I've painted so far are some Opel Blitz buses. Very nice models that, again, paint up nicely. I really liked these, and will use them for very late war eastern front games, either as scenery or asersatz troop carriers. The picture below is a little misleading: the buses are actually quite a nice size.

Finally there are some Peugeot trucks. I'm afraid I didn't like these very much at all. There were also quite a lot of bubbles in the resin. Anyway, they paint up okay, but aren't a patch on the trucks available from other manufacturers. On the other hand, they are quite cheap: £4 each unpainted.

So a mixed review so far for MMModels. Lots of unique models not available anywhere else, good pricing, but variable quality (all would look fine on the tabletop though).