Australian 21st Brigade New Guinea 1942

 The 21st Brigade of the Australian Imperial Force was part of the 7th Division.

I've modeled 2 of the battalions in 1/72

2/14th

2/16th Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia 

Now the 16th I've chosen because I have a connection to. 

While i was teaching in Japan, my supervisor has served in the Battalion as an M60 GPMG gunner. He'd risen to the rank of Sgt by the time he got out. Hence why he was such a good supervisor.

It's also one of the few Australian Scottish units. The command section  has a piper.

I will post pictures of these units once I return to Nova Scotia in the summer of 2023.

And this group is joining my painting que.

Anhilation Afrika Korps vs 8th Army, North Africa 1942

Ian and i continue on our Bolt Action journey. He's taken to reading the rule book which means 1. he doesnt accuse me of being sneaky, 2. hes finding stuff to hit me hard with 3. Actually understanding how to resolve casualties.

The first action we are working on is a desert campaign. Just a flat table, with a small hill.
Masonry enough in the startled the access player that was in Lost His nerve and fell back in a complete Retreat that was after the 8th Army with Australian an Indian support Advance taking the high grounds which was the only High Ground on the entire Battlefield and which completely demoralized the axis player

The Great War : Gheluvelt October 31, 1914

ok, Ive missed out on the centenial years to fight various actions, but there are a few projects I have had in mind over the years.
In order to field sufficient kit, I shall have to draft in various Commonwealth units and French to make a coordinated attack on German positions.
Gheluvelt was four miles south east of Ypres.
The battle between the British and Germans consists of 2 battalions attacking 8 German ones! Plucky I should say.

The scenario is covered in Miniature Wargames November 2001 issue.
The British have 52 figures for the Worcester Regiment 2nd Battalion
With 2 Vickers

The South Wales Borderers consists of 31 figures with 1 Vickers

The Germans consists of 300 figures! However I shall either have to draft in some of my WW2 infantry minus the smgs

The objective of the British is to hold a
Chateaux and a sunken road for 4 turns.

So during the Covid 19 Crisis of 2020, my son and I have begun the battle

 the station next to the Chateaux. Initially the British were in the position but fell back when confronted by 7 German battalions.

the sunken road was the ultimate objective of both sides

the support Battalion reacted well, but kept falling back to their initial positions 

Brigade HQ in the far. The Royal Artillery remained here until just before the end of the battle.

observation balloon shows the situation.

this was where the British lost the battle. The Germans rushed forward and flanked the line. Despite the Royal Artillery firing on the spot, it failed to clear out the Germans.

the initial British position resulted in falling back to the sunken road, they never again were able to push back into the Chateaux 

New Guinea campaign

I have just bought the Bolt Action Campaign New Guinea book.

As my son is half Japanese, he is interested in fighting the campaign as the Japanese.
As with all of my gamming, I will be doing Commonwealth forces

ANZAC Division and Indian Division assault Tunisia, 1943 Bolt Action Scenario

Playing Scenario 10, the ANZAC Division and Indian Division assault Tunisia. This was the first game with some of the new kits I got for Christmas.
The Australian and New Zealand Armor consists of a Sherman each, a Stuart each, the New Zealand's M5 Half track and a Universal Carrier. As well a few Australian recce Stuart's were being used as carriers for Vickers MG groups.

the first wave. The Sikhs advanced to the forward German positions and pinned down some Germans but they were checked by the wire and were cut down.

the second wave consisted of the ANZAC force, supporting an Australian Battalion. The Germans

were holding a position with Paratroopers, supported by elements of the Afrika Korps. The initial allied artillery bombardment knocked out a Tiger tank and a Panzer III. Only one squad of paratroopers were taken out. 

the ANZAC charged forward and cleared out the German right flank. However this stirred up a hornets nest of retaliation. The Germans blasted the first wave of Gurkhas and the remaining Sikhs. The ANZAC force hit their flank.

counter attacking, the Germans counter charged after having taken out the armor and headed straight for the third line of allied troops. The Maori Battalion rushed forward and cleared the area capturing a German half-track. The intention was for the ANZACs to hit the German left as my son had shifted all his armor support to the German right. His move straight at the final ANZAC force halted the attack. With all their transport gone, the remaining units surrendered. 

On a points basis, this was a tie. Ian had succeeded in taking out my force, however I had taken out most of his armor and a quarter of his infantry. 

The next scenarios will include part of the 8th army. More tanks, more guns!

Bolt Action Scenarios in North Africa and Mediterranean

2nd New Zealand Division, Middle East 1941-45

For my North African and Italian campaign, I have painted up my ESCI Commonwealth Infantry as 2nd New Zealand Division.
So far I have painted up the 18th Battalion. I will also include the Maori Battalion

My soldiers and armor order arrived. Happy to say I really liked the Stuart tank kit. Not only could I build a Stuart tank for the Kiwis but also I could build a Kangaroo Stuart!
I need to get cracking on painting them, as well as a Sherman

Australian 9th Division

This is a major revision of this blog posting as I'd like to add my own information and pictures.

The division I have modeled with

26 Brigade: 2/23 Victoria Battalion, 4 Vickers MMG, 2 81mm mortars, 

20th Brigade, 2/15th Queensland, 6/13th New South Wales Battalion, 2/48th South Australia Battalion 

24th Brigade: 2/25th Queensland Battalion, 2/28th Western Australia Battalion, 2/32nd Victoria Battalion 

Osprey Publishing - Bolt Action: Armies of Great Britain

Osprey Publishing - Bolt Action: Armies of Great Britain



Finally, I have my hands on what the British, Canadians, Australian, New Zealand, South African and Indian troops as well as other Commonwealth forces used in WW2.



I shall now be able to accurately field units for this conflict.

Royal Artillery, Royal Canadian Artillery, Royal Australian Artillery, Royal New Zealand Artillery, Royal Indian Artillery guns WW2

 (plasticsoldierreview.com)

The mainstay of Commonwealth Artillery during World War Two was the 25pdr gun which was both an anti-tank gun, as well as general fire support.







 The 6pdr gun also gave good service as a fire support weapon. I have one of these back in storage in Canada, but will see about getting some more for my Bolt Action armies.