Vyazma or Bust! Redux

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Originally posted 15th November 2011

The next scenario pack updated for IABSM3 is "Vyazma or Bust". 

Set in Russia in the autumn of 1941, Vyazma or Bust  contains over a dozen scenarios that may be played individually, or for greater enjoyment as part of a linked campaign: 126 pages of high quality wargaming. 

Later War Germans

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Originally posted 13th November 2011

I've started posting pictures of my later war Germans. I hate painting camouflage, and prefer playing the early war period, so have avoided any figures like these before...but I got tempted by the Plastic Soldier Company Panzer IVHs (pictured below) at £15 for five tanks. 

Painting the pea dot camo was a bit of a pain, but I'm fairly happy with the results. Now to work out how to do the earlier stripey patterns!

The Defence of Calais Redux

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Originally posted 2nd November 2011

Following the recent release of IABSM v3, I am working my way through the seven scenario packs I have written for the game, updating them in line with the changes to the rules and terminology used. Note that the scenarios are all easily usable with IABSM v1, v2 or v3 (or indeed with any company level WW2 rules): I just want to make sure that they are as easy to use as possible.

First  to be completed is The Defence of Calais: 14 scenarios centred around the BEF's ill-fated defence of Calais, France, 1940.

Zvezda Katyushas

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Originally posted 30th August 2011

There's been a lot of talk recently on whether the plastic figures available from companies such as the Plastic Soldier company or Zvezda are any good. Well, I thought I would try out some of the Zvezda Katyusha rocket launchers to see what I thought. Here is a picture of four Katyushas: three of them are plastic models from Zvezda, one of them is Battlefront.

For a model that is going to be on the tabletop less than almost never, the Zvezda plastics are easily adequate. They snapped together in seconds (by the third model, I was building and gluing the kit together in under 15 minutes!) and paint up very nicely as well. Do be a little careful when dry-brushing as the thin plastic does not seem as durable as metal, but I got through without anything breaking.

The best thing? The price! I got all three plastic kits, including postage and packing, for under a tenner! I shall certainly be investigating their other stuff: especially for "tail" equipment such as trucks.

NB  The infantry figures in the photo above are either Battlefront or Old Glory. The Zvezda kits come without any crew.

TFL Gamesday: Tobruk

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Originally posted 16th June 2011

The TFL Games Day 2011 took place on Sunday 12th June, with the action being a re-fight of the Commonwealth break-in to Tobruk in January 1941.  Seven games were fought during the day. In the morning, the Commonwealth troops broke through the Italian perimeter. A lunchtime interlude saw the Matildas of 7TRT attempting to suppress the main Italian gun line. Finally, the Commonwealth troops fanned out, with three games charting their progress inside the perimeter.

Full reports of the day's play, plus tons of photos!

French 47mm Anti-Tank Guns

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Originally posted 1st May 2011

As those of you who have seen my collection know, most of my WW2 figures are Battlefront. I like their slightly cartoon-y style, and find they take the paint very easily. As I also very much enjoy playing the early war period of WW2, I was therefore chuffed to bits when Battlefront re-visited the period: I looked forward to filling all the gaps in my German, French and BEF armies, and to adding Poles.

My first purchase were some French 47mm anti-tank guns...and this is where the horror starts. Quelle disappointment! Although the guns are lovely (and build easily) the crews are horrible, simply horrible! I was so moved I even posted on TMP about how bad they were, and was relieved to find that many other people feel the same way. Most advised me to keep the guns and crew them with Old Glory or Peter Pig.

Well, I was going to do that, then couldn't be bothered to go through all the hassle of ordering etc when I wanted to paint them now! So I kept the BF block-monster crews and did the best I could. Here they are:

Italian Fusilieri

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Originally posted 29th April 2011

So I put the bank holiday weekend to good use by finishing another platoon of Italian Fusilieri for the forthcoming TFL Western Desert Games Day. I have now painted literally scores of Battlefront Italians now, and am always pleased how they turn out. 

For those interested, although I have used a variety of dark and light yellows on my Italians, this platoon is painted using GW Tausept Ochre washed with GW Devlan Mud and then highlighted with GW Desert Yellow. All equipment is also base coated, washed and highlighted; as is flesh. Means you paint each soldier twice, but I like the effect.