AAR: A Canadian VC

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Originally posted 4th August 2014

A real first on today's update: an AAR in German!

Those of you who don't speak German need not worry: the report, or spielberichte, is in two parts. First up are some words which Google and I have translated for you and, secondly, there's a great cartoon strip version which is in German...but you can always look at the pictures!

 

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).


AAR: WTHHYBB x 3 from NYC

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Originally posted 19th July 2014

I found a new source of IABSM After Action Reports today: a blog by a member of the Metropolitan Wargamers of Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York City, aptly named Brooklyn Wargaming.

Kimber has recently discovered IABSM, and has written a review here. 

He has also posted a couple of short After Action Reports from the Where The Hell Have You Been, Boys?scenario pack.

#1:  Find the Guns

#2: Holding the Pointe

#4: South of Vierville

Type 41 75mm infantry/mountain guns

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Originally posted 13th July 2014

One of the good thing about Battlefront extending its range to the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts of 1938/9 is that it's a great opportunity to fill in the gaps in my Japanese WW2 army.

Here's one example: I finally have the Type 41 75mm infantry/mountain guns that form part of the brigade assets of a Japanese infantry regiment. Nice models.

King Tigers!

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Originally posted 21st June 2014

I've had problems painting late war German tanks ever since I first started on them. How do you get that camouflage looking right without using an airbrush?

Of course, the simple answer would have been to get an airbrush...but I haven't, but have finally worked out how to do it. The answer? A sponge!

The Battlefront 15mm Konigstigers below were painted with a base coat of dull yellow, then stripes of sponge applied green and brown paint. Pop a brown wash over the top and there you are. And where did I get the sponge from? Well Battlefront put loads in all their boxes as part of the packing!

New WW2 Figure Manufacturer Added: MMModels

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Originally posted 20th June 2014

I like to try and keep the list of WW2 15mm figure manufacturers as up to date as possible, so it's annoying to have missed MMModels.co.uk off it for so long.

They produce a nice selection of "tail" models (staff cars, vans, buses, tank transporters, landing craft etc) to order. I haven't got any myself at the moment, so can't really comment on the quality, but they certainly look good from the photos. I am about to put together an order which should keep them busy for a little while, and will report back once I have them in my hands.

TFL Games Day: Operation Market Larden 2

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Originally posted 15th June 2014

I was lucky enough to be able to make Operation Market Larden 2 this weekend: a day of Lardy wargaming organised by the Wyvern Wargamers.

This was an excellent day's gaming at which I played Chain of Command for the first time in the morning (my apologies to my opponents for the slightly flukey at-the-last-moment victory!) and Mike Whitaker's brilliant rendition of the Bloody Omaha scenario from the Where The Hell Have You Been, Boys? D-Day scenario pack in the afternoon.

There will be a proper AAR posted shortly but, for the moment, here is a sample shot of the afternoon game.