New Panzer Paint Job

Initially I had painted my Panzer IVDs in Panzer gray. As my army developed I decided I really preferred the desert paint scheme to that used in early war Europe. So as my army developed these guys looked more and more out of place. Anyway I had the time to do something about this this weekend so repainted (sort of).

According to Battle Front German panzer shipped to Africa with Panzer Gray paint jobs were covered with mud and dust so they would blend with their surroundings. Unit markings were left clear.


Here is my interpretation of this approach(I also added decals to the Panzers).

I also snaped a shot of the with the company CO who was done in desert colors from the start but now has his decals. The shot was taken while both were drying from a final coat of sealer

Napoleonic Infantry and Dragoons

Got a chance to finish a number of projects over the weekend so here they are.

Unit of French infantry in field uniforms. They carry the flag of the 2nd regiment picked because it was the easiest to cut out. The 2nd regiment was formed in 1776 as part of the reforms instituted at that time standardizing all regiments to the same 2 battalion set up. The 2nd and 4th Battalions of the 1st Picardie regiment were taken and reformed as the 2nd Provenance Regiment. Regional title were abandon with the French Revolution.

The next is another French unit this one dressed for bad weather in great coats. I have to say I am very pleased with how the came out.

This is a close up of the unit commander who is wearing his great coat open (silly officer). I also like the drummer hunched over and carrying his drum over his shoulder.

Here we have the Irish Legion made up of Irish exiles and deserters form the British army and Navy. I do not yet have their colors but I hope to find some one who makes them in the near future.

This is a close up of the Unit Commander standard bearer and a Sapper with his ax and bushy beard. Behind him are the unit musicians a drummer and a a fifer. Fifers are the forgotten musicians of war gaming so when I saw this one (from Front Rank) I had to have him.

I also have completed six stands of dragoons enough for two three stand units or one larger one (our group normally has cavalry at 4 stands)

Finally my dragoon officer.

Also I have completed my French army commander. I am very pleased with how this came out.

The cloak is based off one I own not a historical example. Still I think the Green mantle and black (faded slightly gray) cloak looks good and is something that might reasonably have existed.

This top down shot is for the basing fans out there

Escalation League Free French Big push

Another game night at Adler hobby. AJ showed up and since I had played him last time Chris got to go against him. Looked like a fun game, AJ managed to win because Chris drove his Matildas into 'woods' and bogged bot tanks. AJ jumped on him like with an infantry assault and that end the "Waltzing" for the night.

This is a picture I took of Chris basting his way through AJ's defenses early in the game while Gordon was talking to the Reporter who is doing a piece on Adler Hobby.

Once Gordon was done working on PR he set up his Italian positional force and I prepared my French Foreign Legion/Free French force. You may remember last time I tried to attack this force I got creamed!

As you can se Gordon had formidable front line

This time I got a preliminary bombardment that killed several of Gordon's infantry and I had some armor, Granted half my armor was Australian Universal Carriers but this is what happens when your government surrenders.

Smoke covered one of Gordon's AT bunkers and my French 75s the other plus and MG. I deployed my guns up front to as to have direct shots. The Boys rifles on the carriers Killed a second MG Bunker.

Unfortunately my troops and tanks were crammed into a narrow area by the tank traps Gordon had set up on the flanks.

The next turn my universal carriers got bogged down on the train traks and my mortars failed to smoke. One of my Tanks was destroyed crossing the mine field then the other two bogged down!

Gordon opened up with every thing he had and one more tank and both Universal carriers got it!

Turn three had gaped the barb wire and my infantry was advancing But then Gordon's tanks started to arrive! They look lovely don't they...

I was in a difficult spot but I thought I might be be able to get out. My tank got one hit on Gordon's tanks but Gordon made his save. Like wise with my artillery bombardment French 75s suck at bombarding tanks but hey its what I had!

My infantry did drive Gordon From his forward trench line but took a lot of shots from the MG Heavy Italian tanks being cut down below half.
This was my high water mark and a moral victory

Gordon got his second Tank Platoon the next turn...

And I congratulated him on a game well played.

Here is an image of my French H39 Tanks this was their first battle folks and they really had a tough time of it

8.8 Flak 36

The 8.8 may be the most famous artillery piece in history. Certainly it was regarded as something of a wonder weapon by the allies. There is an old joke that every allied soldier believed every German tank to be a tiger. Well it could also be argued they believed every gun firing at them was an 8.8.

I already had one 8.8 painted so when Chris told me he wanted to play a game using his Matilda force I figured it was time to paint up the second. Here is the result along with some flame marks to decorate the tanks they kill.

Black Powder January 2012

Sunday I headed up to Hollis NH to play a Black Powder battle from the 1813 campaign of the Napoleonic wars. The game was run presented and GMed by Richard Claydon of Boston Trained Band.

I was with the French/Wurttemburge army defending the city of Wartemberg. I commanded the light Cavalry in the Center AJ had the French infantry on my left and Chris command the Wurttemburge Infantry to my right.

AJ did an admirable job first holding the river line and then breaking the Prussian infantry assaulting Wartemberg. He aggressively hit Prussian Columns that were still in March and generally made life miserable for this opponent (who's name I sadly cannot remember).

Chris got chewed up badly on the right but one gallant battalion held in side the village for the entire game fighting Gordon's seemingly unlimited Prussiands. At this stage AJ, Chris and I realy thought things were over... Chris's last battalion really won the battle by just holding on until Gordon's troops broke.

The first 5 turn of the battle were slow for me (not boring just slow) With no troops moving on the center I was waiting for something to break. Chris's troubles had me send one cavalry regiment to the right were they made several slashing attacks hurting Gordon's Prussians. Gordon did send one Leib Regiment into he center but AJ and I crushed it between my unengaged Cavalry and his infantry.

Honestly I thought I was making the quick charge to provide enough time for the Army to pull back but the Prussians were at last cut up tot he point that they could not advance further so the French and their allies lived to fight another day.

Thanks Rich for letting us all play with your Lead and for running a great game.

3 Trolls Battle at Sidi Bou Zid

This was a great weekend of gaming for me Two games in Two days!

I was able to participate in a Flames of War battle at 3 Trolls on Saturday morning. This battle was based on an encounter near Sidi Bou Zid in Tunisia. Basically a German Panzer brigade ran right into a US Armored brigade... in the ensuing clash the US Armor came off the worse but the Germans did not get to Kaserien Pass which helped troops holding positions there (though not much!)

Sine I have pushed a lot of German armor lately I opted to play Americans. Dick and I did better then historic American but not by much.

The Germans came straight at us and a long range fire fight ensued. I got the drop on Warren's Panzer IIIs after they double but though I bailed 3 of the 4 I did not kill any. My two Sherman Platoons were holing their own again Warren's two Panzer III platoons I until Curtis' Panzer IVs started sniping at me. Dick mean time lost all the armor on his Flank and only knocked out a few tanks. At this point the results were Obvious so we called the game as German Victory.

Big Push

Last Nights mission was called the Big Push basically battle fronts set piece

battle where both sides star off dug in and the attacker has to crack the front lines.

I was running my German Mittlere Panzerkompanie and Chris had his Polish infantry (using the Australian list from Hell Fire and back). Both armies were 1250 points. My force had a platoon of 3 Panzer IVDs and a platoon of 5 Panzer IICs backed by a battery of 10.5cm artillery pieces I would have loved to bring my Pioneers for this one but that would have meant loosing my panzer IIs or my artillery and both were key to my plan. My HQ was a Panzer IVD as well.

Chris had 4 18/25 pounders that he deployed forward and two platoons of infantry in trenches. He also had tow 47mm Gun pits deployed forward of his main force off board Chriss had 4 2lbs portees and two Matildas.

I deployed my tanks to the right hand side of the board and my Artilry on the high ground.

Preliminary bombardment Killed one of the Polish Guns and three infantry stands not great but not bad. I was glad to get the gun at least.

Turn one my Panzer trundled forward under cover of smoke and shots from the Panzer IV's killed on of the Bunkers. Chris tried to bombard my artillery ranged in but failed to hit.

Turn two I again used smoke and my Panzer IVs took out the other bunker. Chris hit my artery but I made the gun save but failed to unpin for turn 3 so no smoke.

Turn 3 my Panzer II's successfully negotiated the min field and MG fire form them and the Panzer IVs managed to pin Chris's two remaining guns My assault went in losing on tank to defensive fire but I kill Chris's artillery. The Panzer IVs crossed the mine field using Storm-trooper (something I usually forget to use) Chris did not get any reinforcements.

Turn 4 My panzers and Artillery pinned one of Chris's Infantry platoon but my Panzer IIs failed motivation to continue their assault. They killed three stands and lost one tank. Again Chris did not get reinforcements! Chris used the trenches to move his men in to defend the objective I was after.

Turn 5 Again I Pinned Chris's infantry and this time the assault by the Panzer IIs was success full killing the battered platoon (only two stands left) and then "breaking through" to assault the CIC who was killed. Chris again did not get any reinforcements and was unable to pin his infantry giving me the win as we went to turn 6.

This was a great game for me. I had a plan in mind and was able to execute it. I was lucky as Chris did not get his Matildas or is Portees onto the board. Still I used smoke successfully (something I have not done well in the past) and remembers to use Storm trooper (something I struggle to do). Chris did not get good mileage out of his Minefields. After the game I suggested to him that is position would have been stronger if he had placed his Artillery behind his infantry where I would have a hard time assaulting them.