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.

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

FOW cards sure do makes playing easier

 I had the Canadian 4th Armoured Division take on the Recce Battalion of the 12th SS 

And while the SS chewed through the Canadians, it made it much quicker to run a game.

I have another game set up but haven't played yet.

German SdKfz 251/C

 Some more Hanamogs for my Panzergrenadier 

One of the biggest issues I have had is transports for my Germans. I now have a further transport section.

I'm looking forward to getting these together.

I've got all 3 built, 1 as an HQ, 2 as troop transport and I pimped the hell out of one just to see how it would look.

They just need some paint. So my Germans should be more stronger by Christmas 2023

German Stug III Ausf G Assault Gun

 I had one on its own, now I will have 1 squad for my Panzer force

At present, I now have 4 Stug III ready. I just need to finish painting 2 of them and adding the side skirts to one of them. So by Christmas 2023, I'll have a Stug III company ready for the table.

So I have a HQ without side skirts, and 3 with.

I plan to organize a Stug III company with an Infantry section 

Panther Ausf A Zimmert

 For my Panzer force I've added an additional squad of Panthers. 

I have built them, now need paint.

So my SS Panzer force now has a Panther company of 4 Panthers. 1 HQ, 3 in a squad.

Stuart

Stuart in Canadian War Museum collection 

An early Valetine

 Now while the Stuart's were outclassed as a main tank, they more than suited for Recce work in the desert and North West Europe. They continued to be used as combat tanks in Burma against the Japanese.

My own collection I currently have 4 which I can field as a Recce patrol for one of my divisions, using the FOW cards.

Panzer 1

part of the Canadian War Museum collection 

 

The tank the Germans started off with.

And interesting to note, Battlefront Minatures is releasing a plastic kit of the Panzer II in May, 2023. It should be interesting to see when I can build a few of those kits.

Tempe Gorge, Greece 1941 Bolt Action

German Paras

German heavy weapons

 German 12th army advances towards an ANZAC force.

Though the ANZAC force has no heavy machine gun position or any vehicles they are defending a blown bridge and a hilly area.

The Germans have air and Artillery support 

Carpiquet airfield assault June 1944

 This is an action I am planning on putting together. I haven't played a Canadian action for a few months. Also gets a chance to showcase some of my new German kit.

The Canadian 8th Brigade initially faced stiff resistance to their advances,  some over eager German panzerjagers charged forward too soon and were taken out. The german mortars and nebelwefers attempted to keep them back, but the infantry in Universal carriers nad half tracks charged through ignoring the Panzergrenadiers who attempted to retake their bunkers. The Canadians and British can now use the airport.

Flames of War Battle in the Sands

 This is a replay of the same action as last week, but uses the Flames of War rules

Recce elements taking cover next to the Panzer jager battery 

The Panzer III section falls to the Grants

And the recent Squadron rushes ahead to the objective however they will be checked by the Italian recce squad 

So the after action report was that the universal carrier section was knocked down to just one carrier, but held on until infantry came in. While the Italians could have tried to contest the objective, the Germans had already lost control of the village. This one goes to the British.

Stug III, self propelled Artillery

 As I am want to do, I like to pick up kits which I have never owned here and there. Last week, this was one I got.

My HQ

Now, as I am now doing research on how to use this in my games, it appears that Assault guns were a way to make Anti-tank guns mobile, thus the weapons were used as almost a go for destroying weapons, vehicles, buildings or bunkers.

a knocked out Stug III in the Canadian War Museum

I believe this was taken out by a 6pdr Anti-tank gun

Neat. So now this will be added as support to one of my boxes of infantry. And, when playing as the Germans I shall have to adjust my tactics.

Update i have gotten 3 additional Stug III so I shall be fielding squadrons shortly  once built and painted 

As a FOW force, I have 1 as a HQ

And 3 as a platoon.

I have yet to run a game of Stug supported infantry. Should be interesting 

Winter 1944-45 Allied offensive: 11th Armoured Division and 1st Airborne vs 2nd SS

 

the church tower has been a favorite spot for MG 42 and Panzercrecht teams

 the Comets and Firefly all go up and shortly after the Stuart also brews up

 the Airborne 75mm gun battery is  doing its best to give fire support 

the Cromwells are punching above their weight by taking out several Jagpanthers

a Panther Squadron takes cover to snipe at the British tanks

 the Brummbar is providing critical fire support 

while the King Tigers are smashing the British armor

a line of German mg 42 teams are holding back the Airborne 

and the Airborne are engaged in a firefight with the Mg 42 teams

Eventually after about 2 months, the British were able to push forward to take the church and the Ridge. As such, the Germans withdrew to their next line of defense. An allied victory 

53rd Welsh Division takes on 9th SS past Caen July 1944

covering both sides, I'm wearing my Luftwaffen Field cap and my British Army Desert DPM

the battlefield, some town in Normandy

one of the objectives is the church. Right off the bat, the British open fire on the church tower taking out the sniper

Cromwells, Churchills, and Comets begin to advance

a solo Dailmer advances up the road

British HQ

German forces consist of a 9th Waffen SS group 

while the unit is small, its powerful with very heavy tanks.

Thoughts on factions for A Very British Civil War

I recently bought the film, The King's Speech and got to thinking that the factions I am going to field are going to be interesting.
First The Royalists: these are troops with the title Royal in their name. However, the Artillery may fracture.
British Union of Facists: Mosley's troops, who as the new British prime minister will have his Blackshirt support with an Expeditionary force from German and Italy.
The Albertists: Monarchy support for Prince Albert, I am going to have a large Canadian 8Australian support there.
The Anglican League: Chirch of England supporters who will support a monarch who truly represents the best I interests of the church.
The Scottish Army: Scottish Regiments who have deserted the British army and have sworn to support a government which will give Scotland her independence or a special form in a revised union.
Tje Socialists: Social and Communist inspired units,
I'm going to be fielding a game shortly on the subject

The Anglican League and the Albertists faction are holding on to a town.

Albertists from Alberta!

Albertists assault the Italian provided armoured cars, destroying them with grenades

German Expeditanry Force attempt to take the church

BUF with German and Italian supplied weapons

Royalist and British Union of Facists

The Royalists and BUF kept up an aggressive attack on the town but were badly beaten by the Anglicans and Albertists. Despite lacking heavy weapons, they used what they had and grenades to take out the Facists tanks. Seeing as to the damage inflicted, the Facists fell back.

The uprising continues!