Bridging a Crossing into Germany Winter 1944

The Royal Engineers begin to build a bridge to cross a smaller section of the Rhine

The Germans are desperate to hold back the British invading the Fatherland.

The game came from an idea of a scenario that I read in Wargames Illustrated.

The Germans throw whatever they can to drive back the Royal Engineers and Paras.

Axis and Allies first edition

My parents bought me this game when we travelled to America in the summer of 1988. I believe we bought it at a Toys R Us in Bangor, Maine. It was one of the best things I ever got! I have spent hours playing this alone, and with my friends. Now that Ian can read a bit more English, its getting even better that I have a new opponent.

Battle of Mareth Line 19 March 1943

So I set up this battle around Sunday, but have been so busy with training and additional training that I was only able to begin the attacks yesterday.  Ian is now doing his turn with his Afrika Korps.

My initial turn hit his forward defences. The Anglo-Indian units were able to take two bunkers.
More to come

Ian's counter attack put paid to the regiments holding the forward trenches

My next attack goes in

Ian's mortars begin to zero in on my attack

The Australians 9th Division await to pounce

The battlefield is wreathed in smoke from wrecked tanks

At last note, Ian had taken out all my tanks and artillery. It's now a plain infantry fight with grenades. The glue is on the table to rebase figures which snapped off.

Killer Tanks The Cromwell

Some more video goodness about tanks, this one, about the British Cromwell.
So far I have 2 Cromwell Mk IV of the 5th Royal Horse Artillery of the 7th Armoured Division

Top 10 Reasons Hitler Was An Idiot — TopTenzNet

 Interesting view of how he lost the war

British 8th Army

This is my 8th Army for the North African and Italian campaigns.
Most of my figures are from Airfix, ESCI, and Revell.
Slowly, I am getting these sorted for games.

At the same time, I'm slowly piecing together the Regiments, Brigades and Divisions of the desert campaign.

8th Army was made up of XIII Corps XXX Corps which in turn:
  7th Armored Division
Australian 6th Infantry Division                          South African 1st Infantry Division
Indian 4th Division (see blog post)                  22nd Guards Brigade: I have the infantry done up.
2nd New Zealand Division (see separate post)

Pictures of kit to follow

Afrika Korps March 1941-May 1943

This is the Afrika Korps force I have been able to build. I will also use the kit in my Italian campaigns.
My research so far has found that the organization of the DAK was from the 15th Panzer Division and the 21st Panzer Division.

My figures come from Airfix, ESCI. These I will be painting up over time.
The tanks, anti-tank guns will be painted for the most part as they would have been in any other theatre, thus saving myself having to buy units just for the Desert campaign.

I have a fair amount of early war tanks, guns and transports which will make up the majority of kit. Pictures to follow

The initial units of this Korps
15th Panzer Division:
33rd Recce Battalion
115th MMR: 2 battalions.
Additional kit to be added will be Antitank guns, and transport.

OperationMarket Garden: 6th Airborne division digs in

The division digs in on some of the rare high ground in Holland.

This was a game which eventually took on massive proportions. Ian and I kept playing and adding to the field. The inital idea I had was for 6th Airborne Division to drop in and hold the green area as their drop zone while establishing themselves in the hills above the town. 

Eventually after about a week of playing, the area to the front of my position was a junk yard of Ian's German units. He used his armor and infantry well to push off the Para's and establish himself firmly on the high ground. I was able to get my parcels in from Japan, which meant that the Airborne artillery was here, but I couldn't find it in time before Ian over ran the drop zones.

British and Canadian Armor 1939-45

I had some time today while on stand by to take some shots of all of my British and Canadian Armor.

I tried to show my Recce, main tank and artillery units.

My Comet and Shermans, and Fireflys!

More indept looks at my collection as time goes on.

Advance into Germany May 1945

Later winter, 1945. Elements of 30 corps advance into the Rhineland 

Royal Artillery fire has destroyed parts of the town but the defenders hold the town.

 King's Royal Rifle Corps mounted in their M3 Half-tracks advance behind an armoured advance

German fire takes out the tanks but allows the infantry to swarm in. 

Italian Campaign can begin

 First Italian campaign table set up in the first place we lived in, Dartmouth.

 Smokey Smith VC. I met Mr. Smith on Korean Veterans tour I. 1998. I saw him asked for a picture which is why the look on his face is puzzled as I was wearing his uniform! However my rank on my band uniform is of a Drummer Sargent

Ian and I Duke it out. 

My Commonwealth armor

I took out my Commonwealth kits and for the most part, many of them are in good shape. They may need a bit of refurbishment, but nothing too drastic.
I have enough to do North Africa, Italian, North West Europe and Asia.
Things should be good. More to follow

My German armor is still in pretty good shape

I had forgotten how many kits I had built, or were nearly completed.
I have at least 6 Hanamogs, 4 of which will need some restoration, but many are ready to hit the table.
My two Panther tanks are fit, all except their exhast pipes having broken off. I found a few 10mm ones as well.

I have a large amount of Elephant tank destroyers. There are several Tigers, but all of them need some major refurbishment.
The happy find was about 6 Stug Tank destroyers, so I can go to town on many small Bolt Action games. I should invest in a copy of Tank War from the publishers of Bolt Action. More to follow.

 My King Tiger and JagTiger 

 The majority of my German collection, 95% is ready for the table

WOW MY COLLECTION IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!

I unpacked most of my kit today into my new house, and by golly, the amount is HUGE! I forgot just how big it is. It will take me some time to base them, paint those that need it, fix any which need some touch ups, but, I have the rest of my life, so no worries. Pictures to follow.

Revell Comet tank and British Paratroopers

Another set which is picked up is a combination set Revell put out.

Both of these kits I have been able to construct and paint after two years.

The Comet has been painted as an 11th Armoured Division Fife and Forfar Yeomanry tank. Update 3/23/2019: I have an additional Comet, so the 11th will have a full regiment.

The Paras have been painted as 156 Para Battn.

Revell Panzergrenadier

While clearing out my stuff in storage, I was able to pick up some additional equipment my father had been able to acquire for me, over the last ten years. One of the items was a box of Revell Panzergrenadiers.

Pictures to follow of the box, and figures.

York Redoubt Artillery battery

The Royal Canadian Artillery garrisioned York Redout during 1939-45. 

My kids and I next to the command bunker, which you used to be able to enter but was closed off.

Emi insisted we get a shot with the Canadian flag as well.

Found my tank and artillery books

I've found two of my source books on tanks and artillery. When I was previously in Canada in 2003, I had been able to list how many of each type of weapon I had in 1/72. Now that my collection has increased, I will have to update it. But housing comes first.

More Recce elements or Heavy weapon jeeps

On my travels in my home city of Halifax, I found a set Dragon Armored jeeps. The set contains two jeeps with weapon choices of twin bazookas, a .50 cal or .30 cal jeep. Pictures to follow.

Operation Varsity: Canadian Second Division Maximum Attrition SS Division

A German defensive position with a lock house ready to flood the countryside

Canadian armor and troops cautiously advance to contact.

79th Armored Division units prepare to take Canadian troops across a canal

which are then blasted apart by German Anti-Tank weapons.

Followed by a German artillery barrage.

A Tiger makes short work of Canadian tanks

the shock of explosions shakes to observers camera

with more Canadian equipment brewing up, the battlefield is chocked in smoke.

Once again, the Canadian advance is foiled.

I played another game on June 7 with similar results. I have figured out what I need to do. Same as what happened in some of my previous battles. Don't bring in my heavy stuff until turn two. Allow the Germans to take out my light kit, then hit them hard with armor and infantry.

Operation Varsity: German Paratrooper units

One of what may be my final purchases I got today. I picked up a box of Valiant German Paratroopers for World War Two. These I shall be painting up as some of the last defenders in the west, facing the Canadians and British.
Pictures to follow

Operation Varsity: 9th Canadian Brigade attack Bolt Action Hold Until Relieved

The Canadian highlanders get transported across the Rhine to capture a German position

Canadian Third Division begins attack across the Rhine

The sector the Canadians are attacking lacks heavy support.

the local defenses are held by some Luftwaffen personnel.

One recce element with a Hertzer Tank destroyer.

These are pinned by a prelimary bombardment.

The Highlanders hit the positions hard, clearing the bunker and trenches.

The Germans are slowly taken out

finally the Germans give up. A successful Canadian action.

Operation Varsity: 51st Highland Division attack

The 51st Highland Division with elements of the 79th Armored Division begin their attack.

The German positons are a blockhouse and a section of trenches.

The Highland Division has the unfortunate situation of attacking a well dug in and supported German position.

German armor waits in the trees astride the autobhan.

The Autobahn intersection holds a Panzer regiment.

The Germans wait for the Highlanders attack.

The German Whirlwind takes out the Duwk but is in turn taken out by a Middlesex mortar.

Highlanders take cover behind a blazing Buffalo.

Highlanders take the forward trenches

however, the Germans counter attack.

The bunker is a hard nut to crack, sporting a Panzer hull with a gun turret.

The Germans retake some trenches

the Buffalo is imobilised, while a 1st Air Landing RA gun attempts to provide fire support

taking out the German armored car.

and a Hanamog.

with the Buffalo unable to bring over more troops, the British assault fails

Germans move forward to capture the unlucky Highlanders.