Tiger in 15mm

 Another Plastic Soldier Company kit i got this today. I plan on doing up 2 as early and the rest as late war to take on my Russians.

For my Afrika Korps, I can field a platoon of 2. For my infant Eastern front force, I'll build up 2 in late war fashion.

If I build up a late war force, I can use also some kits for my Middle East forces from both Soviet and German, with a smattering of British and American 

A friend of mine is selling his 15mm kits in order to buy 1/72

So for my Tigers im getting 4 more!

And infantry!

Just needs some paint

Plastic Soldier Company Cromwell in 15mm

 One of my Christmas presents to myself was to get some new kits. This is one to compliment my Battlefront Minatures set.

So I've built 1 as a close support tank, the rest i built with the 6pdr. Once I have my days off, I'll paunt and check my 15mm British force.

With my Battlefront Minatures set, I now have 

1 HQ of 2 Cromwells and 2 Close support (95mm)

1 squadron of 3 Cromwells 1 Firefly

1 squadron of 3 Cromwells 1 Firefly

1 M10 squadron

2 batteries of 25pdr (8 guns)

The Polish-Soviet War 1919-1920.

 It's strange how history seems to repeat itself in certain parts of the world. Currently as of 2024, Ukraine and Russia are fighting over the survival. 

100 years before, the Ukranians were fighting with the Poles against the Russians.

Wargames Illustrated February 2019 has this conflict listed.

I have suitable figures just need to get them on the table again

Polish Army

Polish troops were wearing Imperial German Army gear, having served in that Army. 

The 6th Ukranian Division was kitted out by the British. 

Even French uniforms were worn.

The Soviets are in Russian First war uniforms. So I'll drop in what I got.

Across The Great Divide Bridging in WW2

 Alrighty.  This post could date all the way back to 2001!

Wargames Minatures issue November 2001 had this article showing game ideas for using engineers to build a bridge at a contested crossing.

Now when I was in Japan around 2002, I fought this game in a Cold War/Balkans conflict using NATO troops to put across a crossing taken out by a Serbian force.

The game which i can fight in 1/72 with my Airfix bridge 

Minature Wargames November 2001

British or Canadian 

Royal Engineers/Royal Canadian Engineers 

14 Sappers, 2 NCOs, 1 Officer, 

1 Light truck

1 medium truck

1 Pontoon carrier

1 crane

Infantry support

Paras, Royal Marines or regular infantry

1. 4 bren sections (via Battlefront stats)

1x 2" mortar

2. 4 bren sections with 2" mortar

3. HQ section 

Mortar section: 2x 3" mortars

Mmg section: 2 Vickers guns

3 Sherman tanks

4.  4 Bren sections with little mortar

5.  4 Bren sections with little mortar

Anti-tank platoon: 2x 6pdr guns

Light artillery 2x 75mm pack howitzer

WOW 

Ok so the Germans

1. 3 xMG42 sections 1 Panzerfaust

2. 3xMG42 sections, 1 Panzerfaust, 80mm section

3. Hq section with 80mm mortar section 

4. 1 Puma, 2 Wespe, 1x Puma, 3x Panzer IV, 1 PaK 75, 

5. 2x 251 with 6 MG 42 teams

So sometime, I'll get this game on the table.

Battle fatigue in minatures?!

 An interesting article in the Wargames Illustrated issue of February 2020, concerned gamming with war weary warriors. In reality, the psychological effects of combat are finally being understood with PTSD. 

Putting this into a game context shows how morale can affect a units performance. Sure most rules have some sort of mechanism to note this, but a formation being, inexperienced or veteran can both face the same issue. 

For example, if a formation has been say fighting a campaign, and has suffered severe casualties, or prolonged exposure to sustained artillery will be none too keen to continue to stay in the line or obey orders. 

Just another kink in the cogs of gamming to consider.

The Greek Civil War 1943-49

 Another way to use my WW 2 collection in an interesting way. From Wargames Illustrated  June 2019, came some ideas.

One of those terrible conflicts which came out of Ww2 and into the early Cold War.

The Royal Hellenic Army is modeled in British uniforms .

The "rebels" can be a mix of Afrika Korps and either Korean War communist troops.

Pictures to follow 

The Poles at Monte Cassino

 This scenario is from Wargames Illustrated November 2018

Polish units are modeled with British equipped and dressed figures

The German defenders are Paratroopers.

Ill use my FOW cards

Almost 25,000 views

 Im happy to see that this blog has as many hits on it as there are.

A North African attack by the Afrika Korps

 

The massed Anti-tank battery

The guns begin firing on any tanks to their front

Panzergrenadiers marching out

The 51st Highland Division holds its position 

The British armour trying not to be sitting ducks

The Italian Rams: Areite

 I've also gotten the Italian set.

The sands of North Africa will be fought over again. The Ariete division  will have 1 tank squadron, 1 Self propelled gun platoon and an artillery battery.

They have been built (as of September 2024) need some paint and a bit more of a battle on a small table space.

Also some pictures might be good too.

Afrika Korps 15th Panzer Division

 

So during my leave in Fredericton, the hotel I stayed at messed up my 2 nights that I booked, so I canceled one night,  which gave me enough funds to stop by a local game store and low and behold what I found!

My North Africa collection is complete unless I want to add infantry for the Germans

So far I have 

1x Panzer IV Long

1x Panzer III (Uparmoured) Long 5cm

 

So units I can build

8th Panzer Regiment 

HQ Panzer III x 1 short 5cm 

Panzer III 1x Short 5cm, 2x Long 5cm

Panzer III 3x Uparmoured Long 5cm

Panzer IV HQ x 1 Long 7.5cm

Panzer IV 2x short 7.5cm, 2x Long 7.5cm

33rd Anti-tank Battalion 

5cm Tank-hunter platoon 

3x 5cm guns

8.8cm Heavy AA platoon

2x 8.8cm AA gun

33rd Motorized Artillery Regiment 

10.5cm Artillery Battery

4x10.5cm howitzer 

Total so far 118 points to begin my 15th Panzer Division 

Gosh darn I did good!

Additionally I have other Anti-tank guns ready back in Nova Scotia which I'll work into this force. 

These tanks will also find themselves in some  Middle Eastern conflicts between Syria and Jordan

I've also gotten the Afrika Korps Book. I'll use my 1/72 figures for infantry.

I've been able to get all of the German kits built. 

And added to the force is a Tiger 1 Platoon of 2 tanks.

Plus 7 Panzer IV so I'll see if they are more suited to taking on my Soviets.

New Brunswick Rangers

 

One of my Universal Carriers I have done up with the Vickers MMG mounted on top.

Waffen-SS Divisions 1939-1945

 

Have you ever have one of those days when you wake up and have this feeling that you want to go to a book store and find some new things to read?

As part of my employment as a full time reservist this summer, I'm eligible for days off. So I used one of them today to go up to Fredericton and get some books.

This gem I found on the discount shelf. And wow, it contains all the information I need to fill out my Waffen-SS divisions in minatire.

So far I have built elements of the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 10th and 12th. These constitute my main German force in my Normandy, Holland and North-west Germany regions of my force which the Canadians had to battle through.

Band of Brothers The Pacific

 

This double collection of both series I was able to pick up in Fredericton, New Brunswick on one of my days off from work with the cadets this summer.

I don't have a DVD player with me but I do have back home. So I'll watch when I get back.

I showed my Dad most of the Band of Brothers series. I'm hoping to show him more during November 11th 

With the Old Breed

 E.B. Sledge was part of the 1st Marine Division. 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment.

His story also was used as part of the production of Spielberg and Hanks The Pacific. 

Sledge suffered greatly from PTSD after the war and eventually was able to find his sanity and humanity again. And as I said before, I'm not usually interested in American military history but my connection to having lived in Japan for 16 years drew me to the book after seeing the series.

Helmet for my Pillow

 Robert Leckie's work on his time as a Marine in the Pacific campaign.

Not I'm not usually a fan of the American experience however, his book was used to produce the HBO mini series produced by Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks The Pacific.

Leckie suffered a bout of PTSD from the harsh realities of the war against the Japanese. I also picked up a DVD copy of the series today as well.

I finished this book. A good read. Well written for its time, it still gives a glimpse at the horrors of war.

Seaforth Highlanders Universal carrier groups

 For my new North Africa force, I've built these units

No the Stuart's didn't fall over, the tracks are still wet. Anti-tank platoon of 6pdrs. 2 have muzle breaks

Recce carrier patrol

Mortar platoon

Vickers MMG group. 

Not sure if I can get them painted before September 

El Alamein

 I have finally begun my 15mm North African collection.

So far I now have

Royal Scots Greys:  1 Grant HQ: 3 Grant's  1 sqd: 3 Grant's.

8th Hussars:  5x Honey M3 ( potentially 10 more)

4th County of London Yeomanry: Crusaders

Seaforth Highlanders: Universal Carriers and 6pdr Anti-tank platoon

Potentially 10 Valentines 5 as 2pdr and 5 Mk1

I'll begin build my Afrika Korps force over the summer or fall.

Fun fun

Panzergrenadiers

 5x 4 figures 

Panzerschreck team could be 1 so could an SMG 

MG teams 

3x SdKfz 251

I got all the gear

Spring 2024

Now that the spring is coming I'm hoping to get started on some games in my garage. I have some smaller scenarios in mind. 

Western Germany April 1945

 A British Recce section advances to contact with a German Stug section

7.5cm Armoured Cannon

 7.5cm  gun mounted in a SdKfz 251. When I get the chance I will get a second one to make a platoon.

It's a fire support weapon for the Panzergrenadiers 

8cm Armoured Mortar

 2 SdKfz 251s that fire mortars. Once I get some extras I build them

PUMA

 One of the more interesting armor cars my Dad got when he started my collection was the Puma.

A 50mm gun armed afv with MG. A platoon would be 2 but I just have one unless I can find another

Grenadier company HQ and platoon

 Right. So our HQ is made up of 2 SMG teams, so 6 figures. Officer types and SMG armed.

I have a few done up but I shall look over them and see what needs to be redone

Grenadiers are 5x 4 figures making 20 figures 

Smg team, rifle with MG and Panzerfaust or Panzerschreck can also be taken

FOW German Scout platoon

 Scout units can  be basic Rifles between 9-15 figures.

Or they could be armed with Assault Rifles and Panzerfausts

Sweet.

So now I have something for my prone figures.

Flames of War Version 4 Late War German Unit cards

 Right. So my Germans.

Same arguement i put forth for my British, CanadianForces

The Germans have some more flavor.

So I can choose to field a Panzergrenadier company, or a Grenadier company 

What's the difference 

SdKfz 251, which is the transport 

Germans get MMGs the MG 42, mortars, 7.5cm infantry guns, 7.5 Pak40 Anti-tank 

Flames of War British Unit cards Late War

 So these cards are for FOW 1944-45. Battlefront Minatures put these cards out for their Version 4 of the rules.

So, how then can my 1/72 collection fit in.

Well actually...

For example, a Motor Company HQ an officer with 2 Rifle teams.

The Motor company itself

2-3 Motor platoons

1-3 Universal carrier patrols 3 carriers per patrol. These can either be as reccee, or can transport 2 teams each.

1 Vickers MMG (optional) 2-4 guns

1 3-inch Motar section (optional) 2 tubes

2 6pdr Motor AT platoon (optional) 2-6 guns for 1 platoon

Hmmm, meaning that say I have a box of 50 figures, 

4 MG teams Bren gunner with a Sten gunner and 2 rifleman. Total 16 figures 

1 PIAT team 2 figures

1 2-inch Motor 2 figures.

So if my calculations are correct, I could field  2 platoons.

Support options 

Vickers MMG: up to 4 teams but could be just 2

Mortars x 2. 

Now let's say put of that box I build a Motor platoon and the rest as a Rifle company

Rifle Company HQ 2 Rifle teams total 6 figures

5 Rifle/MG teams 20 figures

1 PIAT, 1 2-inch Motor

Support the same as a Motor platoon.

So. Usually a figures box gives 50 figures. Meaning that depending on the manufacturer, I'll have to see about distribution of PIATs and Brens

Valiant Minatures definitely had enough of what I would need.

Revell Sets, a bit of a stretch

The old Esci/Italeri, probobly

For transportation, I could thrown in M3 Half-tracks, Universal carriers or Kangaroos. 

I've run a game using these and it went well. I just have to take a look at how to organize what I have based with the cards. Fun fun.

For Mother Russia, Soviet troops for The Great Patriotic War

 Back in the 1980s, I was collecting nearly every plastic soldier kit to build my wargame collection.

My collection at one point consisted of Esci, Revell.

Overtime, I have downsized, and traded bits of this force, but after many years, I'm finally getting back to painting these troops up.

D-Day Scenario 3: Villiers-Bocage

 

 ignoring the large figures The Germa s take position in the town

the Panthers painted up, .Ore to follow