Afrika Korps

 

The Ballantines series came out over 50 years ago. This particular copy was published in 1968.

My Dad collected about 2 dozen volumes of the series and over the years I have looked at but never really read most of them.

Their style is very reminiscent of the contemporary Osprey publishing MAA series which began about the same time. 

So over the next little while, I shall be looking at these and seeing how I can adapt the information to my Wargames 

Operation Bagration

 Happy 2025! Over the holidays I had a HUGE increase in my 15mm collection thanks to a fellow collector who via trade and cash, I got around 100 vehicles, plus their spare bits which may mean I can scratch build more.

My Soviet force now contains:

14 IS-2 tanks! So 2 tanks per company i have 5 giving 1 company 3 so that I have 1 HQ.

11 T-34/85 a HQ company and 3 companies of 3.

A T-34/76 HQ

5 SU-100 as 1 company

2 ISU-52 SP guns as 1 company

2 IS-122mm SP battery

2 76mm gun battery a half battery 

2 57mm Anti-tank battery a half battery 

4 122mm battery a full battery 

A Guards Rocket mortar truck. 

A BA-64 company of 5cars 

A company of Valentine tanks ( drafted in from 8th Army 5x 6pdr armed

12c trucks 

A KV-1 tank

 infantry are getting based and painted 

Tiger led Panzergrenadier

 

Tiger and Panzer IV with Panzergrenadiers in 251s and trucks

And a Grenadier force. So i now have Germans to take on Brits or Russians 

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.

So currently my Afrika Korps has 2 platoons of Tiger 1. That's 4 Tigers to take on the 8th Army

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.