Thursday 31 December 2015

Boxing Day game

Well here it is our first game in Spain

A simple attack-defense game with a Carlist column trying to force its way across the table towards a Republican held town (off table). The Republican commander has decided to hold a defense line at a river north of the town, there is one solid bridge and an ancient ford which passes a Roman ruin. The commander has limited resources - a company of militia (green but eager) supported by a single mortar with a trained crew and an armoured car.

The Carlist had an infantry company and a cavalry platoon supported by a motorised column with an armoured car, an armoured truck and a towed 37mm AT gun

Basic table and my new wargames room

View from the republican side - very basic and simplistic terrain :) 

Roman ruin - fish tank items :)

Simple bridge (veneer) over river (Tiny Terrain piece as reviewed in the last Journal)

I commanded the Nationalists, Alex & Chris took the Republic. 
I decided to use both roads, my motorised column would use the good road and bridge, supported by an additional infantry platoon. Whilst my cavalry plus the rest of my infantry would use the old track and ford.

Nationalist Cavalry advance onto the table

My armoured column advances towards the bridge

Where a miliciana platoon awaits 

Supported by the company HQ

My cavalry reach the ford and are promptly cut down by concealed militia, the survivors dismount and take cover along the banks.

My carlists move forward to try and force the ford


At the bridge a superb (lucky) first mortar round damages the armoured car, stalling my advance

I deploy my AT gun and bring up my reserve platoon

The armoured truck trys to drive across the bridge into the teeth of the miliciana fire supported by the armoured cars MG. 
I gave the chances of rifle/LMG fire of damaging the truck to 10% - Chris rolled 04 on his percentile dice :( The truck was halted in the middle of the bridge and it`s crew forced to bail out and attack on foot.


The mortar continues to deal the Carlist mortal blows - a direct hit on the stranded armoured car, knocking it out for good.

The thorn in the Carlist side


The Republican armoured car moves forward to finish any possibility of Carlist advance across the bridge.


Meanwhile at the ford, my Carlist company are cut to pieces trying to cross under fire and eventually dig in on the north bank to await help - game over 

Valiant defenders of the Republic

The game ran over ten turns, pretty one-sided really, but the Republicans were very lucky.

Monday 14 December 2015

Aufklärungs Pioneer Platoon

Aufklärungs Pioneer Platoon


KFZ15 car with trailer
The car is a stowed up and repainted di-cast, the trailer is totally scratch-built
Crew - SHQ & S&S



10-man pioneer platoon
 L-R = Revell, Elhiem, Esci, unknown
 L-R = Elhiem, Revell, Airfix, Revell
Revell

German late-war recce platoon

I`ve had very productive weekend and continue progress towards re-vamping my German late-war recce.

1st platoon of 2nd Aufklarungs Fusilier Kompanie (mot)

Transport
2 x very old Hasawaga Swimwagons, repaired, re-painted and crewed (SHQ, Italeri & S&S), plus another from Minimi (completed ages ago) 



12 recce infantry
 L-R = SHQ, Battlefield, SHQ
 Added extra SHQ (front), Battlefield (right)
 L-R = FAA, Battlefield, unknown, IT Miniatures
AB & Battlefield LMG team


Thursday 10 December 2015

German Motorcycle Recce Platoon

I continue to upgrade my late-war German Aufklaerungs Abteilung (recce battalion)

This will be the 2nd platoon of  the 2nd (motorised) grenadier company. 

Transport - motorcycles & combinations
Mostly Italeri, but there is one by Zvesda too, the sharp eyed among you will note there is a spare combination, this belongs to 10-Kradshultzen Battalion for Tunisia (I was one short with that orbat)



Solo cycles (all Italeri) with mixed riders

12-man platoon
A mix of SHQ & FAA plus odd`n ends (Underfire, IT Miniatures & AB)




Mexican adobe building

Mexican abobe building by Ian Clinie @ Shellhole Scenics

Nice large piece, with removable roof. 
The cacti are moulded onto the base as is the pile of logs on the roof




Saturday 5 December 2015

Birthday painting - SCW

Miniairons PzI 
Painted to represent a Nationalist or Condor legion Vehicle



Miniairons Ford AA painted up as a Republican Ambulance


Birthday painting - French prototype SP AT gun

Had a bit of spare time today so finished off a few models.

Laffly W15 TCC 47mm Portee
This vehicle was only produced right towards the end of the Battle for France in 1940 with only 60 or so units being made. This model by Any Scale Models, is the early version with the fully armoured rear, most just had the 47mm mounted on an open rear.