Jeeps anyone?

My collection of Jeeps, stands at about 15 at the moment.

These have come from several different company. Most are armed while a few I have as either tows or transports

Australian Commando Raid on Japanese camp, New Guinea, 1942

Ian suggested we also play a Japanese game. So I shall hit him with an Australian Commando raid. Details to follow

Two Osprey Books for the price of one!

Recently I visited the bookstore, Chapters in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. I was able to find two steals in their discount history section.
Both books by Chris McNab are Hitler's Elite: The SS and The German Army 1935-45. Both books if bought from Osprey would have cost me close to 100.00 Cdn with shipping. But they were 15.00 each!
So I now have some more reference books on the German forces for Bolt Action games.

good reads

Airborne and Commando raid on a German 88 battery

Having suffered a defeat by loosing a battery of artillery, the British high command have devised a counter attack by a Commando force comprised of a fast motorised force made up of jeeps, armoured cars, potentially half-tracks.
This is a way to take stock of the amount of jeeps, armoured cars and half tracks.

The German defenders are made up of an ad hoc unit of the Luftwaffen Field Division remenents of the 16th Feld Division. The area is an 88mm battery which is being used in the anti-aircraft role with some supporting anti-tank guns as additional defense.

The Commonwealth force is comprised of an Airborne Brigade, a Commando Brigade, with jeeps, trucks and half tracks from various units.

the early morning light shows the anti-aircraft guns which are the objectives of the British raiding force

the Royal Marines begin their attack but a confusion of orders kept the from rushing forward

as the morning mist lifted, the 88mm guns were taken out by the airborne, but the commandos lost their momentum when halted by a quad 20mm gun firing in the ground support.

the Airborne were able to take out two guns and their ammunition. But with the Luftwaffen regrouping and knocking out the transports and fire support Jeeps, the raid fails as half of the Anti-aircraft guns were saved by the trucks of the Luftwaffen. And one good Whebelwind.

A German recce attack on a British 5.5 artillery position

Ian has asked if we can play a Bolt Action game on his school holiday which just so happens to be on one of my days off. I've been toying with and idea I saw in the main rule book of heavy artillery not normally on the table top. So I thought it would be interesting for a Commonwealth heavy artillery battery being attacked by a German unit.
Since such an attack would have to be done by a highly mobile unit, I have decided to use only German armoured units which would be fast, namely their armoured cars. Thus all the units being used will be armoured cars, with  half track mounted panzergrenadiers.

The Royal Artillery battery will consist of three 5.5 inch guns with Matador tractors. Their defence force will consist of an infantry brigade with half tracks but no tanks. There will be a mortar and an MMG

The German objective will be to destroy the guns and their trucks with additional points scored for taking out the ammunition supply.

Obvisouly the British objective will be to stop the attack.

The SS recce and assault force, no tanks were used, only half tracks and armoured cars

Ian wore my Luftwaffen Feldjager cap while I sported my RA beret.

The RA position. I could only find 2 of the 5.5 inch guns but had 3 Matador trucks. I had two brigades of infantry who were in the woods, but had not dug in as they had arrived in position during dusk. The position was dangerously exposed, as the artillery were moved forward to begin a new offensive. 

The SS had sent a recce battalion forward and had found the Royal Artillery. They then began to take out the guns and their trucks. Eventually, all the British vehicles were destroyed. The supporting infantry to the battery also suffered casualties but they withdrew. The SS then also withdrew having accomplished their objective of destroying the guns of the RA battery.

Artillery for Mother Russia

Years ago, about 2000-2002, I had picked up a large amount of Soviet kit for the period 1939-65. When I got married in 2003, I packed this all up and shipped it back to Nova Scotia, in anticipation of our new life in Canada. Several issues happened.
First the Japanese and Canadian Postal systems did their best to smash apart my Soviet kit, in the belief that I must have been smuggling stuff, or maybe they just had an issue with me sending about 20 boxes of 1/72 kits home. Maybe they felt they were missing out on duties.
I do remember the Japanese customs guys opening one of my boxes on the day of my departure and they were ohhhh and ahhhh on my stuff to which I was asking please could I have it back as I wanted to catch my flight!

Which brings me to my issue now in 2018. I have finally begun to repair the damage done on my kit in 2003. My artillery.

I remember that I had  one 76mm gun, a 122mm gun, a 57mm anti-tank gun.
This is what I've been able to do so far.
The 122mm gun has been rebuilt! It just needs a crew.
The 76mm gun is being rebuilt.
The 57mm gun has a carriage, and a gun shield, but I can't find the actual gun!
I also have several tank gun barrells which I may improvise some guns with.

At present, my Soviet force for Bolt Action is built for anything from 1942 on with a heavy influence for campaigns from 1944-45.

The units can also be used for the Cold War as the Soviets kept a lot of their armour to keep up with the amount of conventional equipment in their arms race with NATO.

2nd and 3rd Canadian divisions attempt to hold off an SS counter attack after Falaise

The Canadians begin to send their units in to stem a night attack by the SS

The Germans, using the darkness to eliminate the air cover the Allies can provide. 

The Germans were eventually able to drive off the Canadians.