An Axis and allies Christmas

This year I had to work the holiday but I had a good round of Axis and Allies with Ian, and despite being beaten twice, its great now to have a challenging opponent

a little blurry but you get the drift

thats better

Burma's, 1945

Ian wants to do a battle with his Japanese ancestors. He's set up a defensive position thinking our collection for the Japanese is faster than it is. However his lines may contract and we're still not sure if I will be the attack or defender, so this will be a work for the new year
And this battle is going to get played at some point

Churchill Tanks, combat and engineering

Another addition from my buddy I trade kit with. So some Engineer kit to work on.

A good friend of mine from work, was so bored that she built the Churchill bridge tank for me. Now I got the kit in 2019 but it was built in the summer of 2020 during the Covid pandemic by my fellow coworker who was also laid off and was so bored she wanted to build some kits. She didn't want to keep them but wanted to build tanks as she had previously built airplanes.

Most of the Churchill tanks I have are set up for the Italian campaign. However I will press them into service with my British units

Canadians at Carpiquet Aerodrome 1944

A mix of British and Canadian armour let's see how well this force will do against the SS. I don't think I need to get anymore British or Canadian armor!

This was a mega smash up! The Canadians decided to try and take a hill to dominate the airport but the SS had figured out how to keep the Canadians from reaching their objectives. 

Ian was focused on taking out a lot of my carriers. He left .y Artillery alone but I was still unable to take and hold the hill 

Wermacht 15th Division

This Division is pictured as having winter kit and there is also troops in regular kit.
They will be used in the Italian campaign

North Africa 8th Army attacks Afrika Korps 1942

An as yet named battle   the Commonwealth troops take on the Germans over an Oasis.

One of the desert battles I got to do on the table this summer. 

The Germans are attempting to defend an Oasis, lots of barbed wire and mines

Nothing like making any cover stick out like a dogs bollocks, but in the desert, what can you do?

one of the few stone area

Panzer IIIs knocked out

and most of the British armour is not faring much better!

Ok, so I couldn't help it, Universal carriers variants and 25pdr variants

I saw that Plastic Soldier Company  had several kits that were saying buy me.
So I ordered a 25pdr with CMP tow
A Universal carrier variants set, 7 vehicles in that and a Sexton set.

I've been doing a lot of overtime and will be doing some more so I wanted to treat myself.
No just to tackle the kits I got this spring

So, one of the positions I get to work at my new job allows me to build kits while on duty as I'm alone in a checkpoint for 12 hours. And rather than fall asleep, I kept myself busy.

25pdr guns, 18/25pdr pheasants with CMP pattern trucks

Sextons, I have been wanting this for a VERY long time.

the carriers, lots of em

Round 1 of painting with the spray can. Several trucks, half-tracks, universal carriers, artillery

British tanks the comet

Comet tank was one of the British tanks which utilized a 77 mm gun and was one of the late War issue tanks which was unable to prove its combat in the second world war but was able to serve into the Korean conflict alongside the Centurion tank

 the comets in this picture consists of one tank attached to the 11th Armored Division while the other two I am going to have for a post-war British division which can be used for manything from 1950 up to 1970 and possibly into the 80s as a reservist /  ta division

The Estonian war of independence 1918 to 1920

Within wargamers Illustrated issue 381 July 2019 there was an article consisting of the Estonian war of independence of which I have an interest in considering what if my former co-workers was in Estonian citizen the campaign should be relatively easy to work as I have first world war figures which can be used for either signed my Russian Force can be used with first world second world war Russians minus the fact that they're wearing helmets.

I have First World War Russians which I've been trying to build up, paint up and base. This is one of my ongoing projects which as of this update (2024) is 5 years after posting. 

The Chaco War 1932-35, South America

This war was fought between Paraguay and Bolivia over control of the Chaco region nestled between Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.
Bolivian troops are able to use First World War Germans while the Paraguayan army are equipped by the Americans. However the Bolivians have British early war tanks.
.

Normandy, June 9, 1944. British and Canadian attack on bridge

The British and Canadian units were extremely aggressive in their attack. The Germans were kept on the defensive the whole game.

the Luftwaffen Feldjagers were kept out and were eventually taken out by the 53rd Welsh Division 

3rd Anti-tank, Royal Canadian Artillery took out the Luftwaffe support tank.

7th and 8th Brigades Canadian 3rd Division advanced and hit the Germans hard

the Falsjagers had little chance to fight back

the Anti aircraft guns were another objective which was destroyed 

the Germans were using the farm as their outpost but were kept trying to stop the rush to the bridge 

the objective for both sides, British and Canadian units were to capture the bridge intact, the Germans needed it to counterattack, but with the might of the combined attack, the Germans withdrew 

Anglo-Iraq War 1941

Ah, a quirky theater and campaign uses early War and First War kit against Commonwealth forces.
Gurkhas and Sikhs as well as British troops.

Iraqi troops
Early war and first war tanks
Muslim fighters not all are badly armed 
First World War 18lb battery
Possibly some Vichy French types ie, French Foreign Legion uniforms

D-Day 80. 1944-2024

Today would be the night the Airborne forces began the liberation of France.
Tomorrow June 6, is when it all kicked off.
I shall be doing up several battles this summer about this campaign.
My Grandfather got over there in July.
He came back, my great uncle on my father's side of the family didnt and is buried over there.

CMP Artilley tractor, Canadian War Museum

25pdr gun

WASP carrier

Sherman marked as 4th Canadian Armoured division

25pdr gun with muzzle break

Canadian Infantry officer

Sherman

CMP truck

Motor pool is backed up with repairs and construction

So, after my acquisition of kits from my friend Peter, I'm going to have to conceive of a plan to build up the kits I have.
So far, I have been able to:
1. Build a T-34/85, needs to be painted,
2. Build a Czech/German tank, needs to be painted
3. Mount an early war German force The tanks and SP guns will alternate between the 21st Panzer division in Normandy 1944, Operation Babarossa 1941, and Battle of France, 1940.
4. Mount a German force in winter gear which I may have as an Estonian SS Division. They need paint.
5. Mount an insurgent force for the 1990-2018 time frame (see my other blog Know Your Enemy)
6. Mount an insurgent force for 1950-80 time frame (see my other blog Know Your Enemy.)
7. Began constructing several Commonwealth trucks, a CMP and a Scammel tank transporter.(still working on those kits, the CMP is from a Polish company and too many fiddly bits) I've gotten the CMP truck done by August, just need to build the trailer.
8. Built a PSC Universal carrier and a Half track.
9. Built a Vickers light tank, with a 15mm and coaxial mg. This I have put into my Malaya and Singapore force.
10. Built a 2pdr anti tank gun for the British
11. Built a PaK 40 Anti tank gun with rubber tires from my spare bits
12. Built a PaK 40 anti tank gun with wheels for horse drawn use, wheels came from the infantry support gun I got back in Japan.
13. began work on a Renault FT. 17 with a 37mm gun. As of July 2019, I have gotten this nearly finished, just need to add the trench crossing bit and its tracks plus a coat of paint.

14. Got a German truck and PaK 40 built from a local collector.
15. Still working on a Char B tank,

16. An American truck added to one of my British or Canadian units which I got from a local collector.
17. Built a short based Landrover, painted but not yet decal (see Know your Enemy)
18. Added a 105mm gun and a Landrover (see know your Enemy)
19. 5.5 inch gun with tractor built, August  2019
20. Jeep, and truck built August 2019
21. Priest Kangaroo built August 2019
22. Bedford truck built for Cold War
23. There was another half track built M3
24. German HQ half track built
25. German Assault gun 90% complete.

My collection shall be complete for now.

I was able to collect a large amount of kits this winter but I shall have to try and not buy any more for the next 2 years. I have to curb my spending.
However I have a large amount of kits to build, I believe 100, so I shall have to be content with what I have.
This blog will have updates, please check back to see me chip away at my pile.
I'm going to try and take a count of my WW2 kits, stayed tuned.

now thats a collection!

Canadian War Museum large artifacts display, September, 2022

A Very British Civil War: Free for all for the Church.

A small English hamlet is in a right mess. A Church of England cathedral is being held by a group from the Anglican League. As the church us built on a hill, and has a well armed garrison of Artillery, mortars and Vickers Mgs. The local lord has been pushed out by a Communist Farm workers collective. Mosley's British Union of Facisits with the support of a Royalist brigade will attempt to clear the area of the Anglican church who do not support the legitimacy of the King Edward, the Socialist who want to bring the Red terror to the shores of Britain.

Royalist army, made of regiments of the British army which stayed loyal to King Edward, also known as Royalist 

British Union of Fascists led by Mosley, supplied by Germany and Italy to destabilize British in an event of  global war 

the Anglican League, those who support a monarchy following the faith, their choice would be George

Lord Laughton, whose manor farm has been over run by

The Socialist Union of Darm workers, supported by the Soviet Union 

more Socialist members from France

and the Soviet Union 

To add some order to the chaos, I have given order dice for each faction on the table.

White Anglicans 

Black Facists

Blue Royalist 

Red Socialist 

Yellow Lord Laughton

On the first turn, the Anglicans opened fire on all their enemies. They succeeded in taking out a Facists armor car, and pushed out from their defences. The socialist troops were kept back along a fence line. The Royalists took few casualties.

The Facists pushed back an Anglican probe into the village while the Royalists began an assault on the church. The Socialist troops were pinned down from tank fire in the farm from the Royalist group but were able to capture a gun, and push some troops out. Lord Laughton is still waiting to see how badly the Socialists will do as his main goal is to retake his farm.

Should be interesting to see about round 2.

Airfix Chirchill Bridgelayer and Scammel tank transporter

More assault choices for Dday. One of the kits I got in trade today.
There was also a Scammel Tank transporter which I am also building.

 My idea is to construct an Engineering brigade for Bridging operations. An article in Minature Wargames November,  2001 contains an article by RH Miles  which used a scenario about bridging.
In the scenario, the Royal Engineers are supported by a Para Battalion against a German force consisting of Panzergrenadier, Panzerjagers and a Panzer Battalion
All of these bits I now have. I just have to build up the engineering vehicles
And as of March 2020 I'm still working on the Scammel let alone the other tanks

And a friend of mine built up the Churchill for me as she was so bored during the Covid pandemic