AAR: Let's Get The Bastards!

/

Originally posted 27th August 2012

More from the extremely talented Sergeant Perry: this time it's five different battle reports featuring the same scenario from the Welsh Guards scenario pack played at the same convention.

Just count those Churchills:  I think they needed a bigger table!

AAR: Action at Galmanche

/

Originally posted 26th August 2012

"Sergeant Perry" is a long time contributor to the TFL Yahoo Group. He plays IABSM in 20mm with a stunningly beautiful collection of figures, vehicles and scenery.

His After Action Reports are always very picture heavy. Here are three featuring the same scenario from the IABSM v3 rulebook: Action at Galmanche.

Gebirgsjaeger MMG Teams

/

Originally posted 19th August 2012

More Gebirgsjaeger: this time the MMG platoon. I'm very disappointed. The casts from Battlefront were very poor, especially on the chaps actually firing the machine guns. If you look closely, you can actually see that one of them is missing half his head!

Well, Rob, you may say, why didn't you just get them to send you some more: they're very good at that sort of thing. 

Well, I'd reply, they're very good at that sort of thing because they have plenty of bleedin' practice! If they had the quality control to start off with, then I wouldn't need to bother! I love BF stuff, on the whole, but sometimes they do themselves no favours.

No, the bad casts can stay up here for all to see: I'm bound to buy the three MMGs I need for theSchwerer Zug anyway so, assuming they are of respectable quality, they will be the ones I eventually use on the tabletop. Pity it's only Battlefront who do Gebirgsjaeger in 15mm. For now! Plastic tank anyone?

More Gebirgsjaeger from Battlefront

/

Originally posted 26th June 2012

More Gebirgsjaeger from Battlefront. Some of my initial enthusiasm has worn off, but I still think they are very finely sculpted figures. I'm almost sure two sculptors did the range: most of the figures are amazing, but there are a few that are more blobby mannequins!

First off, I'm loving this Big Man. Full of character and paints up really well.

Next, here's the first infantry zug completed. I particularly like the standing LMG team, far left in the middle squad as you look at the picture:


Note that I've changed the way I base my infantry. Rather than singles on 5p pieces, I've used doubles on 2p pieces, with a five-2p-piece movement tray allowing even quicker deployment. The 2p coins do come out of the movement tray for casualty and in-cover deployment.

And finally, here's a group shot just to let you see some more of the sculpts:

Right: on to the mortars now!

Gebirgsjaeger from Battlefront

/

Originally posted 9th June 2012

Even if I am now buying all my tanks and other vehicles as plastics from the likes of PSC and Zvezda, I still have a soft spot for the Battlefront infantry. Some of it is far from perfect (British Paras!) but some of the ranges are exceptional...including the relatively new Gebirgsjaeger.

I've only just started painting them up, but here are the infantry guns and an FOO:

Zvezda SdKfz 251 Half-tracks

/

Originally posted 4th June 2012

Buying all the vehicles you need for an armoured infantry company is always a painful experience, whatever nationality you're collecting. My late war Germans need half-tracks, but the thought of buying four per platoon caused my wallet severe palpitations!

Step forward Zvezda! They do a lovely little SdKfz 251/1 that I managed to pick up at only £2.99 a go. With P&P, my nine models cost only £30: a bargain considering what purchasing them from other manufacturers would have cost me.

The models snap together easily in about five minutes...once you have the knack of it. You need to take care you don't bend the front axles when popping on the wheels, and the curious thread-through, over-and-under body construction took me a bit of time to figure out.

So, how do they look? well, judge for yourselves:

PS  I know these are the Ausf. B so technically early war...but who's going to notice once they're on the tabletop!

PSC British Shermans

/

Originally posted 20th May 2012

As those who read this website regularly know, I have recently really got in to buying my WW2 tanks in plastic from either the Plastic Soldier Company or Zvezda. 

It means that I can afford to buy tanks by the squadron as opposed to the platoon with, in my opinion, no loss of quality either.

Here's my latest set of paint jobs:  a good part of a late war British armoured squadron armed with Shermans and Fireflys. Again, I can only say how easy they were to put together (once you get the knack of it) and how beautifully they paint up.

Are plastic tanks the way forward? Well, all I can say is that Battlefront have just released plastic Panthers. Better late than never, eh?

AAR: Three from Scandinavia

/

Originally posted 4th May 2012

We have a flourishing community of Scandinavian Lardies: renown for their good humour; extraordinary combinations of hair style and beards; and wonderful After Action Reports.

Here are three  After Action Reports, all from the Miniatyrmannen (The Miniatures Man) blog: two from various Cons, and one from a club game.

A Tale of Wooden Crosses describes how a German reconnaissance force succeeded in its aim of finding the enemy...

The game put on at Incognicon 2012 was based on the Nice One, Kirill! scenario from the TFL Summer Special 2007:

Finally, a good looking Winter War game set back in 1939: