wargaming

SCW Update

2011-10-31T23:42:00.002Z

Here's a small selection of what I have been working on recently.

La Legion, Irregular miniatures with a Frontline CV 35. The bases still needed doing when I took this and the standard bearer needs a flag.

Irregular miniatures Regulares artillerists.

Irregular miniatures Nationalist infantry in gorillo cap. These are the same figures as I used for La Legion. However to differentiate, I omitted the detail from these guys caps. This is so that on the table, the Legion figures have a little something that separates them from the peninsular infantry.

Nationalist Panzer 1. This is a Britannia model I bought from Grubby tanks a few Salutes ago. Originally I made the terribly faux-pas of painting it grey, I repainted it this colour scheme las month and I'm much happier with it.

The Panzer as I originally painted it.

Also in this group is an old Hat FT-17 (they seen quite hard to come-by these days). I have cut off the tail, as I have seen pictures of FT-17's in the University City of Madrid being driven to the front without tails. However I have also lost the top of the turret, so I'll need to fashion one before this model is complete.

New Period

2011-05-22T21:10:00.001+01:00

Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, my new career in marketing leaves little time in the evenings (or none on a busy week) for frivolous things like making models and painting miniatures. However I have managed to get a few bits finished. The modern Africa bits are still going, I've got a Ferret and AML 90 half done, as are the moderns and SCW. I've also been repainting some of my GZG scifi miniatures, but lately, after re-watching Band of Brothers and seeing the new Airfix resin buildings, I have gotten back into WW2. I say back into, I did start collecting a few tanks and plastic miniatures a while back, but it didn't amount to much. I think the SCW overtook it. So anyway, I'm in the middle of building up a force for Too Fat Lardies TW&T (nice name). I've got most of a platoon of Brits done, and nearly as many Germans. The infantry figures are all from Platoon 20 and the tanks are mainly armourfast, but also there's a Raventhorpe Churchill tank, an Airfix SDKFZ 222 and a couple of armoured cars from Hinchcliff. Unfortunately, I had to take these photo's indoors and resorted o using the camera's flash. As such the miniatures look much more shiny than in real life and the tanks look much darker, which is a shame. But, finally, it is some new images and it is a new post!

Stripping

2011-04-05T00:09:00.001+01:00

The title and label of this post will probably make most of you think this evening was much more exciting than it really was. Yesterday afternoon I soaked an AML 90 armoured car, I bought recently from ebay (apologies if you were bidding on it as well), in Dettol. According to the instructions I found, you mix the Dettol with water, drop in the item that you wish to strip and leave overnight. Then you scoop the miniature out, give it a bit of a scrub in some warm, soapy water and hey-presto it's ready to go...
...Or not.
I now have a claggy, black toothbrush (not that it was going to use it for my teeth again mind), a ruined washing up bowl, a kitchen that smells like a hospital and a 20mm AML 90 that is still covered in oily black paint. Oh and my hands are covered as well.
But initially I was impressed, after a day, the milky dettol substance had flecks of black floating round the jar and when I hooked the miniature out, a lot of the paint had come off. I think the issue is one of 2 things.
Firstly the model was bought in black primer, ready to paint. But by the look of things it has in fact been painted and sprayed over with black. So there are at least 3 coats of paint on there, no wonder it's proving a pig to get off.
Secondly, while writing, I spotted this entry on the Lead adventure forums. It seems, from other peoples experience, that black is a bigger problem to strip than other colours and that most people on here recommend leaving the miniature in Dettol for a week or more and by then the paint is much easier to remove. So as of tonight, the AML is back in the Dettol, letting it work its magic. I'm going to leave it now till the weekend and try again then, hopefully I will have a more positive experience.

Zanla

2011-03-22T23:01:00.001Z

Not exactly new, I painted these at the same time as my first batch of RLI, but I stumbled across these pics still on my laptop today. The figures are Liberation Miniatures modern Africans, the RPG carrying figure is by Platoon 20. They are painted in a fairly generic way as I wanted to be able to use them for both Zanla, Zipra and other modern African insurgents.

Rhodesian Light Infantry

2011-02-22T13:48:00.001Z

Well there's been a bit of a painting drought recently, but over the weekend I finally got a bit of downtime and was able to paint up another stick of RLI. so for you enjoyment and to prove I'm still active here are some pics

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm still standing...

2010-12-08T22:35:00.000Z

...and still painting, only I've had a tremendously busy 2/3 months. That and the weather hasn't been conducive to taking photos. So don't worry I have every plan to update the blog soon, though it probably wont be till the christmas break.
In the meantime stay safe and remember, don't eat the yellow snow.
E

2010-08-25T21:42:00.001+01:00

Republican dismounted cavalry

A couple of Spanish nuns.

Moorish infantry in Chibbala

Bum and Irregular Legion infantry, rebased from plasticard.

My new Minis

2010-08-23T18:14:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera for our last game and I was only able to grab a grainy shot of the objective once we had stopped playing. So I decided, today being nicer weather, I would take some photos of my new mini's.

Liberation (RH Models) Rhodesian infantry in shorts with a bren gunner, a paint conversion from a South African infantryman.

The same group but with the Bren gunner close up to show the uniform.

2 Infantry sticks, the figures in helmets are Combat Miniatures (now sold by stonewall miniatures) Israeli infantry for the Yom Kippur war. They have weapons and equipment very similar to that used in Rhodesia, so work well together. I have seen pictures of Rhodesian soldiers wearing Israeli/British style para helmets, I'm not sure if this means they were paratroopers or not.

This fellow comes from the mixed Berets and bareheaded pack, again Liberation Miniatures. I have read somewhere that the only soldiers who didn't wear a hat or helmet of some kind and were allowed to grow beards where the Rhodesian Trackers Regiment. So there you go he's a tracker.

Trackers moving through a swamp.

These guys I painted up as RSAS (Rhodesian SAS obviously). I think they are great minis and look fantastic when painted up. I can't wait to get these guys stuck in a jam.

RSAS jumping out of a trusty Alouette 3. I have painted this in Rhodesian colours. I didn't feel like making the diffuser for the exhaust, so it's not strictly accurate, but I prefer it this way. The model is made by Heller and I was lucky enough to find a few models for sale here in the UK. It does in fact come with clear plastic for the windows but I'm not very good at making them and I don't think they look that realistic anyhow. It is painted in Revell acrylic blue grau and brushed with Dayler Rowney gloss acrylic medium.

Police Action Rhodesia

2010-08-20T23:09:00.000+01:00

Just had a game with my stalwart opponent Matt. We were trying out the free rules Fireforceand the scenario was based on one I saw on the warseer forum. Basically a small force of regional police investigating a nearby village where there are reports of "terrorist" activity.

Matt had a command stick of 4 men, two 5 man sticks (each with a FN Mag) all listed as Trained. Waiting off table was an Alouette 3 containing a 4 man stick of Veteran infantry. I had 3 squads of rebels, one 6 man with AK's and G3's, one 4 man with 1 RPG and one 4 man with an old russian LMG. I also had the local force commander acting on his own. The rebels all started of hidden with 8 counters on the table, 4 representing the rebels, 2 dummies and 2 represented groups of fleeing civilians. I hadn't told Matt there were any civilians in the scenario so it was fun to see him move in to engage a group that were running up the edge of the table, trying to escape.

However sound use of overwatch and strategic fields of fire meant Matt was able to hold off 2 rebel squads and make his way to the village without taking any casualties. He then interrogated the fleeing civilians who revealed the position of my final squad hiding in the village. Unfortunately a prior engagement of Matt's called time on our session before the skirmish had reached it's climax (and 1 turn before Matt was planning to call in the Alouette).

In all we were both happy with the way the rules worked, a bit of referencing now and then being the only thing that slowed us down. We'll definitely use them again and hopefully my Liberation RLI will be done in time.

Some More Moderns

2010-07-06T07:34:00.000+01:00

A mixture of Britannia and Liberation modern Brits.

Some Britannia PMCs

And finally a BMP, but who's side is it on?

Vietnamese

2010-07-06T00:10:00.000+01:00

I saw some of these at Salute when I had spent my money so I ordered them at the end of the month.

NVA with a local force VC spotter

CIDG mercenaries, I actually bought these years and years ago but never painted them

ARVN, after some lengthy and helpful discussion with the guys at the Vietgaming yahoo group I decided to ignore their advice and paint them up in duckhunter. It's not strictly accurate but I think it looks way cooler.

70's Commonwealth Inf.

2010-07-05T23:56:00.000+01:00

These are the Britannia and Platoon 20 vietnam era Aussies I bought at Salute 2010. I'll be using them as generic British and commonwealth troops for my post colonial campaigns in the future. Here they are humping through the thick jungle regions of Libatia accompanied by an Alvis Saracen APC.

Who would not want one of these?

2010-05-16T08:38:00.000+01:00

http://www.atouchoftensai.com/club/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=27

I certainly would!

2010-05-11T20:11:00.000+01:00

New Yahoo Group

2010-05-09T15:40:00.000+01:00

I have started a new yahoo group, Between the Wars. If, like me, you are interested in SCW, Back of Beyond, late colonial or more unusual topics, like Very British Civil War then please join up. I aim to create a friendly forum with plenty of discussion, information and regular updates.

          Subscribe to 20sto30s
            Powered by uk.groups.yahoo.com

More Spanish Done and more on the way...

2010-05-04T18:04:00.000+01:00

The Flanderkin Sargeant's last post ( http://flanderkin.blogspot.com/2010/04/trial-game.html ) got me inspired with the SCW again. Most of these figures have been painted months but I never got round to finishing the bases. The cavalry are still so.

Nearly all of the figures are my favourite, irregular mini's.

Spanish Republican cavalry. Not sure how effective cavalry was by the SCW. I know the Brits finally gave it up (not without a fight) in the First World War. I think these will be more useful on the gaming table as mounted infantry.

Republican Infantry.

Republican Artillery. The gun is a French 75mm. This could easily be used to represent the fascists, i guess I would just paint them to look a bit more uniformed.

Civillians being guided (or led away) by their local Guardia Civil.

Moorish maxim gun.

Nationalist infantry.

My nationalist battery. Equipped with old German Krupp 7.7s.

Nationalist Cavalry approaching a group of farmers.

Carlist Infantry.

More Carlist infantry. Most of them are irregular but mixed in are 3 plastics (the front 3). They are Strelets WW1 Russians with their helmets carved off and putty berets sculpted on.

Update

2010-05-03T23:59:00.000+01:00

So Salute has been and gone, another year flies by. Got some good purchases this year, I always say to myself I should by some equipment, paints or scenery. But again I came away with only miniatures. I have been rather busy at the moment with coursework but I have managed some painting. 1 Britannia BMP1, a squad of 20mm Vietnam Aussies (painted up to be generic commonwealth troops for the 60's/70's) and I've finished off some old Irregular SCW infantry. I'll take some photos and put them up when I get some time...

Few more Libatians

2010-04-22T00:12:00.000+01:00

Another guerilla leader, a sniper and some more Government troops converted from Valiant US army.

Insurgents

2010-04-22T00:05:00.000+01:00

IDF

2010-04-21T23:58:00.000+01:00

Some Evil Zionists to fight against the brave liberators. Or is that some brave liberators to fight against the evil oppressors??

I lost the tracks to this guy so I used some leftovers and sunk the wheels into a mixture of PVA & sand.

Syrian Commandos

2010-04-21T23:50:00.000+01:00

A few Syrian commandos. The first 2 pics are combat miniatures, from Stonewall and the last is a paint conversion of an Orion modern Russian.

I look forward to getting these guys in a jam...

Goodbye to a Friend

2010-04-18T22:02:00.000+01:00

RIP Tatu Gould 2006-2010

Forever will you stalk the gardens of Orchard Cottage.

You will be missed

Snake Eater

2010-04-13T19:52:00.000+01:00

This guy is an old Platoon 20 Green Beret. While painting him up he started to resemble one of my favourite game characters. So I went the whole hog and painted him up as Big Boss from MGS3 Snake Eater.

I'm quite proud of him, now all I need are some genome soldiers or a renegade Russian battalion...

Modern Yugoslavia

2010-04-04T14:44:00.000+01:00

Just some more images I found on my hard drive of my Republic Sprska Infantry and paramilitaries. Check out http://www.saunalahti.fi/ejuhola/7.62/welcometohell/index.html this is the AAR that got me into the Yugoslav wars.

Modern Africa Battle

2010-04-04T13:28:00.001+01:00

Have posted the first battle of the Libatia campaign on my other blog.

http://libatiawars.blogspot.com/

1978 The Government Offensive Begins

2010-04-02T21:23:00.000+01:00

Here is a battle report of a game my cousin Matt and I played on Good Friday, testing out our new rules and my new terrain boards and Africa wars miniatures.

Good Friday 1978, Libatian Government forces are scouting Loseko village in the forest about 30 miles east of the capital, Jedda. Reports say that Marxist Islamist rebels are holding out in the village and planning to launch an attack on food aid convoys destined for Libasamal in the North. The government forces consist of 1 squad of regular government troops deployed in a Saracen APC, with a regular crew. Supporting the main unit are 2, 4 man, squads of elite mercenaries, ex-SAS and FFL etc riding in SUVs. The exact size of the rebel force is unknown.

Due to the rushed nature of this operation, no artillery or air support was made available. The only off table support being a government O-1 birddog.

The Government forces leapfrog through the long grass to the right of the main road, enemy positions can be seen lining the hillside.

The first rebel unit to appear was this old T34/85. It was classed as old weapons and contained a poorly trained crew. Throughout the battle this tank scored no hits, though it was weak the T34 acted as more of a psychological weapon, also the Government forces only had 1 trooper armed with an anti-tank weapon which meant the location of the T34 dictated the approach of the government forces.

"A squad" of mercenaries dismount and prepare to scale the hill overlooking enemy positions.

The Saracen backtracks out of range of the T34. In the foreground the government infantry squad becomes pinned in the long grass after some inaccurate fire from the T34s main gun.

A Squad takes up overwatch positions.

The Government commander successfully calls in the O-1. It streaks over the enemy positions but is only able to successfully spot 1 sniper hiding out in the tree line behind the hills.

The rebel sniper, shortly before being taken out by mercenary squad A.

This tree line would soon become known as the "death copse". Here Matt reveals another squad of rebel infantry. But rather than fight from there he retreats them into the large square house in the village.

Squad B remounts in their land rover and charges toward the death copse in order to engage the rebels at close range.

With the T34 safely out of sight the Saracen flanks around to the left and smashes through one of the rebels barricades.

Matt retreats one of his squads, since none of his infantry carried anti-armour weapons, his only chance to take out the saracen was with his T34.

Heres an overview of the action. Squad A had lost half its number and was pinned behind the hill on the far right.

With the T34 gunning for the Saracen the Government troops send 3 ineffective rockets toward its rear.

The rebel leader and his squad are revealed hiding out in the elevated hut.

Then the rebel leaders squad open up on the approaching Mercenary squad and takes them all out from overwatch.

After taking out 1 rebel squad and forcing another to flee the saracen rounds the corner to approach the village.

Endgame. The Government troops had sneaked around the edge of the village to avoid the 2 rebel squads hiding it out in the buildings. And with a fluke shot they took out the rebel leader sitting in his hut.

A good first game I thought, some of the rules were re-written as we went along and we had to debate the overwatch rules for a bit due to some excessive firepower on the part of the rebel leaders squad. The lack of anti-tank weapons was down to me not having any figures more than being scenario specific, which was a bit of a drag. We have also considered the idea of Anti-Tank weapons being a limited commodity represented by card chits, shared amongst the squads, rather than just being represented by figures on the table.

Now to type up the rules alterations and get them printed up. I'm not sure Mat will have the patience for me losing our rules and having to start again, again...

Some More Moderns

2010-03-06T23:09:00.001Z

Some point in the last year I got swept up the the cold-wargaming movement. It might have been something to do with the 1984 game at Salute '08 or maybe the new Army of the Rhine figures from Britannia, I'm not sure exactly. Either way, the ESCI warsaw pact troops and Orion modern Russians that were bought to be painted up as middle eastern militaries ended up being painted as warsaw pact and modern russians and the Revel Modern British for the Gulf War ended up in woodland DPM. Not that it's a bad thing. So I'd better put up some pics I guess.

First off my Revel Modern British, which I painted up as IFOR troops for my Yugoslav wars range.

ESCI Spetsnaz. These I bought painted from Ebay, I touched them up, added some detail and gave them a "wash".

My Spetsnaz Hero, again a paint conversion from the infinitely useful Orion chechen rebels set.

ESCI and Orion painted up a Soviet Motor Rifles. I'm pleased with the paint jobs (especially the jackets) but not so with the glossy varnish...

And lastly Liberation ultra-modern Russians and an Orion officer.

Spanish Artillery

2010-03-02T22:43:00.000Z

Some of my SCW Artillery and my scratch built paddle-steamer. The steamer is made from Bass-wood and plasticard with a few details stuck on. The gun is made of 2 widths of styrene tubing inside one another.

I like the moustache on the LMG armed Legionnaire, make me think more of Mexico than Spain...

Fascist Artillery in the shape of WW1 vintage German field guns.

Republican Artillery in suitably motley dress, manning an (unless I'm very much mistaken) Ordinance Quick-firer 13 lb. What I like about the SCW is that whatever guns you've got lying around, if they're the right vintage, there's a very good chance they were used. Both Republicans and Nationalists had guns from France, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Great Britain and so on. Again all figures (and guns) here are Irregular.

Modern US Sniper

2010-02-28T16:32:00.000Z

I thought I might need some US agents to be going deep cover in my imaginary African conflict zone, Libatia. So I painted up this Ceaser US desert infantry sniper. It was my first real attempt at painting ACU camo (my first attempt was 3 years ago when my painting wasn't all that great). All in all I'm rather pleased, the colours are all about right and in the flesh, on the table it really looks rather realistic.

Modern Africa

2010-02-28T16:12:00.001Z

As promised here are some of the modern africa figures that I have painted. The Army troops I painted about 18 months ago but the militia only about 2 months ago. They are all liberation miniatures except the militia leader who is a paint conversion of an Orion Chechen rebel. If I remember the government troops are painted up to be Nigerian Army.

I was inspired to get into modern Africa after playing the fantastic Farcry 2.

Dastardly Dervishers

2010-02-28T14:34:00.001Z

These guys are a mixture of old ESCI muslim warriors and waterloo 1815 Dervish army. I thought I had a few more Hadendowa than this...but I guess once I've mixed in a few riflemen it will bulk out the platoons a bit. I'm especially fond of the mounted Emirs in the Waterloo 1815 set, but again too many of them, you get 4 in the set, so thats 1 for each 8 men!

More Colonials

2010-02-28T14:02:00.001Z

Just to prove I hadn't given up the blog, or worse... I spent the morning photographing the troops I have painted since my last post (July). As I promised here are some of the figures I painted. Most of these were actually painted last summer but I haven't photographed them until now. Unfortunately while photographing these figures I noticed how few of them where in fact properly based.

Jacklex colonial artillery with my Naval Brigade, actually Revell ACW Confederates.

SHQ Royal Marines from their Boxer Rebellion range. I have painted them as Zulu war era Rifles.

Strellets Indian Cavalry some new ones and some old re-based.

Jacklex Egyptian Lancers. I think these are supposed to be in Khaki for the Omdurman Campaign but I have painted them in the old uniform so they can fight against my Brits for Tel el Kebir.

Egyptian Infantry from Waterloo 1815. These are great figures but unfortunately you don't get enough to make a full S&TF platoon, but you do get a disproportionate amount of command figures.

Some Sudanese Infantry from the same set. These are nice figure but again you only get 3 poses and not many of each.

Samurai Armour

2010-02-28T09:58:00.001Z

Went to the V&A week before last. they have a great section on Japan with some fantastic armour. I took these but neglected to make a note of when, where and who so unfortunately I have no information on them, sorry. But they're good inspiring pic's all the same.

New stuff coming soon...

2010-01-14T22:04:00.000Z

I can't believe I haven't posted since July! Admittedly after that things went a bit quiet on the painting front. Both inspiration and time dried up with hasty abandon, what with yours' truly starting his third semester at art college and having plenty of work to do. However worry not you young bloggers for there is more on the way.

SCW artillery, cavalry& infantry, Napoleonic infantry, a colonial paddle-steamer, modern Africans and much more. I'll just have to wait till the light gets good and take some more photos...

Till then watch this space

2009-07-28T12:01:00.000+01:00

1st Gurkha Brigade

2009-07-17T11:38:00.000+01:00

In the order I placed this week I got 1 squad (8 figs) of New Anglican Confederation Gurkhas just to see how I got on with them. They are fantastic troops and I'm going to use them as a stand alone unit in my upcoming British force. I painted them based on a concept for the new F.I.S.T (Future Integrated Technology Soldier) program being developed by the British army.

A concept for a FIST equiped infantryman of the future. For more info visit the website I took this image from http://www.army-technology.com/projects/fist/ .

Here are some of the painted up Gurkhas.

And lastly myBritish MBT (name to follow...) which I brought from Old Crow. Old Crow make some fantastic models, they aren't too far fetched and they are made of the best quality resin I think I've encountered in this hobby. My only complaint is that their vehicles are very big, this tank especially looks like it should be about the size of a modern day Scimitar tank but is infact quite large and maybe a little too tall.

Pan African Union Infantry

2009-07-17T10:48:00.000+01:00

Or in our universe 'Zanzibarland Republic' Infantry. These are some of the original figures I bought all those years ago finally painted up. I spent a couple of days mulling over how to paint them and what style. I wanted them to be 'near future' but not too over the top, I wanted them gritty and realistic and I wanted to be able to visualise them marching across our TV screens in the year 2040. In the end I settled for a futuristic version of the Portuguese uniforms warn in the African colonial wars of 1961-74. I imagine these are what the troops were originally modelled on seeing as how many of their uniform features are the same, especially the 'casquette-bigeard' type cap with neck piece which I chose to paint green.

Here the notorious Afrikaans mercenary Major Pattison poses for a shot with a Zanzibarland infantryman.

Sniper and anti-vehicle support trooper. Note how the sniper is wearing ther green variation of the Zanzibarland standard infantry fatigues.

An infantry squad posing with their commander. Though their clothing and kit may look dated their weapons and equipment are more than up to the task. One of RofZ main backers is the Peoples Liberation Army and they are roumered to recieve covert funding from a number of other states.

New GZG

2009-07-17T10:43:00.000+01:00

Or should that be not so new. Spent a day with my cousin painting up some of the Ground Zero Games stargrunt figures we bought at Salute. That is Salute 05. Don't know why we never painted them sooner, just never got round to it i suppose. Bt their done now and I'm so pleased with the result that at the start of the week I ordered some more. And next week when the guys at GZG are back from their Hol's I'll probably place another. They are truly great figures and they look fantastic when painted up. The range of troops availible is great and they are so versatile and with their scale at True 25mm they can easily be mixed in with some of the larger 1/72 kits and troops on the market.

2009-04-16T23:45:00.000+01:00

Been away for a while, but I'm finally back after some mamoth painting of all the miniatures I got a Salute. Here are some pictures of a wargame I played today using my new Yugoslav wars figures (being a mixture of Liberation Miniatures, ESCI warsaw pact, Orion Modern Russians and Ceaser Miniatures modern urba resistors).

The aim of the game was for the VRS (Bosnian Serb Army) player to keep the main highway clear in order for reinforcements to be brought up to the frontline. However Bosnian Militia and paramilitaries have set up roadblocks along the highway and are gathering in strength in the town.

The VRS first objective is to clear the roadblock in order too get supplies and troops to the front.

Secondly they must establish the strength of the Bosnian units in the area and if possible route them out from the town in order to negate the threat to military traffic.

In turn 1 the VRS troops leapfrog toward the nearest buildings, taking it in turn to cover each others advance.

Bosnian reserves emerge from the woods to take the advancing Serbs.

Bosnian militia in the town get ready to ambush the approaching VRS squad...

...But the Serbs send in their former JNA T-55 to clear the streets with it's cannon.

A shell lands amongst the defenders rendering most of them casualties.

The sniper in the towerblock avoided being hit but was taken out by the combined fire of the approaching VRS infantry.

The second VRS squad comes under fire from the Bosnian reserves hiding in the woods, a firefight breaks out in which the VRS officer is killed.

The tank trundles down the streets hoping to cut off the retreat of the Bosnian reserves.

But a well aimed RPG finds its' way to the poorly defended rear of the tank.

The tank crew flee to join up with the VRS troops bogged down in the town when another RPG explodes in their midst killing both tank crew.

Here is an overview of the action. After this was taken there was only 1 more turn in which both forces exchanged ineffective long range fire before the VRS troops decided to call it a day and ordered a general retreat back down the way they came.

2009-03-17T09:52:00.001Z

It's fast coming up to that Salute time of year again. As such I thought I ought to paint up all of the models I had lying around from last year before I go out buying more. So Here they are my collection of H&R, GHQ and Irregular Minis Micro armor moderns.

Here some GHQ insurgents plus an Irregular technical cab defend a small compound in the face of coalition forces.

Here's a closeup of the American M1A1s & M113s advancing supported by British infantry.

Here in the town the Insurgents use their captured artillery to shell the coalitions advancing forces.

The view of the town(currently unfinished).

A closeup of the gums and supporting troops.

The British HQ in foreground.

A British Mortar platoon covers the advance of the US Armored column.

A Few Moderns

2008-12-16T11:18:00.000Z

Here's some pics that have been sitting on my pc for ages. I took the last 2 on my phone.

A British patrol gets ambushed. Figures by Revell and Ceaser miniatures.

An "In-Game" shot, showing my hidden units. Their locations were noted on a secret map and they were only revealed when they opened fire or when a British unit passed close enough by them. It was a good game with the British wiping out 75% of the insurgents but also losing 2 landrovers a few men and the town minaret got destroyed.

Some JB models m113acav's. Lightly converted to be used as multi-purpose APCs.

Egyptians and Russians

2008-12-16T11:05:00.000Z

Waterloo 1815 Egyptian Army Infantry with a Hat Anzac officer.

A little larger than most 1/72 but nice figures.

Strelets Cossack infantry and some Grenadiers. These figures are actually from their Crimean war range, so they're a little too early really but they look the part and are great figures.

They'd also be good for any "Great Game" scenarios across central Asia or maybe a Russian invasion of India (Flashman and the charge scenario?).

The "Natives"

2008-12-16T10:57:00.000Z

Waterloo 1815 Dervish infantry, mix nicely with some of the figs from the old ESCI set, now renamed Arab Infantry from Italeri.
A Ghazi cavalry rider from Jacklex.

Hat Bedouin and Italeri Arab warrior with a French ww1 infantry rifle.

Redbox Afghans and ESCI Muslim Warriors.

Some more Redbox Afghans.

Indian Army and Naval Brigade Artillery

2008-12-16T10:46:00.000Z

My Indian Army pics. Made up of very old Esci Indian figures with an Injured strellets British Infantryman painted up as an Indian soldier. The NCO is by Jacklex reproduced by Spencer Smith Miniatures.

Strelets Bengal Lancers, come with too few actual lances for my liking but still very good figures full of character.

My Naval (or American) artillery unit, armed with an Airfix RHA quickfirer. The figures are converted from an Atlantic Goldrush set.

German Colonial Army

2008-11-28T21:37:00.000Z

The German Army of East Africa, as seen gracing western Libatia in our campaigns. The privates are HAT Anzacs and the officer is the esci British standard bearer minus flag.

Colonial French

2008-11-28T17:45:00.000Z

Colonial British

2008-11-28T17:26:00.000Z

Finally getting round to taking some pics of my colonial Armies. Heres a sample of some of my British.

These are made up of old esci (now reissued by Italeri) Strellets and a Waterloo 1815 Egyptian army officer.

This is a commander from the Anglo-Egyptian Army set from Waterloo 1815, painted up after I watched the Four Feathers (2003) starring an excellent Heath Ledger.

New Pics

2008-11-28T15:01:00.000Z

Just uploaded some pice from my phone so thought I'd better put them up here.

The first is a Colonial heliograph team made fron strelets colonial british infantry and the heliograph is made from a ww2 german morter stand.

The other is of the Italian CVT drafted in to help the nationalists in spain.

More soldiers join the rebellion

2008-09-12T22:26:00.000+01:00

Republican regular cavalry charge the Falangists

Civil Guard search the farmhouse

communist militia and Guardia civil man the barracades protecting the entrance to the town

half completed Requettes infantry (converted from strelets ww1 russians) lead a Nationalist column

Asaltos defend a cottage

Colonial Marines

2008-09-12T22:15:00.000+01:00

the initial line up

a close up

these are the first of my colonial marines on the production line so to speak. Not complete yet, this is just taster. More to follow...

Conclusion

2008-08-26T22:44:00.000+01:00

The Nationalists flee leaving the Republic in control of the field and thus a small victory. But what was the cost...

Nearly an entire squad of militia dead or injured and those who survived aren't nearly enough to make up a fresh squad. Most of those who died did so without even firing a shot.

And on the Nationalist side only 3 Legionnaires, though 1 of those was the squad leader, along with 3/4 of the Nationalist cavalry who fell in the first charge. I'm sure things would have turned out differently had they not taken the full brunt of the Republicans volley in their first turn. Perhaps if they'd charged the Republican Regulars themselves thing might have been very different, tied them up while the Legionnaires took the militia in hand to hand?

Turn 3

2008-08-26T22:27:00.000+01:00

The Militia holding the objective take significant casualties and fail their guts test, but not before causing the Nationalists force moral to drop a bit too.

The Asaltos' gun takes aim over the now deserted objective and lets another shell fly into the Legionnaires below.

The shell crashes through the trees and comes to land right in the middle of the squad. This time it's a little more effective killing 2 men one of who is the squad leader. This causes another drop on the force morale and also forces the Legionnaires to take a guts test, which they pass thanks in part to their commander's close proximity...

...only to come under heavy fire from the Rep.Infantry unit which has emerged from cover having seen off the cavalry threat.

The Republicans let off a massed, though in retrospect highly ineffective volley, which takes down another Legionnaire, but that is just enough to cause them to fail their guts test. The Nationalist infantry squad breaks and flees off toward their table edge.

Turn 2

2008-08-26T22:09:00.000+01:00

Again the Militia force moved first running round the cover of the hill to take the objective, however in doing so they take heavy fire from the Legionnaires and lose a couple of their number.

In response the Asalto gun up on the hill opens fire into the woods landing on target but only wounding 1 Legionnaire.

The shell explodes among their ranks, causing the Legionnaire to take a guts test which they easily pass.

The remainder of the Nationalist Cav. retreats at full pelt from the fighting while the Rep.Inf slowly creeps toward the action.

Turn 1

2008-08-26T21:53:00.000+01:00

The Republican Militia got to move first setting up the mountain gun on the hill overlooking the objective, while moving the infantry around through the cover of the orchard to close in on the bunker.

This was followed by the Legionnaires taking up position in the cover of the central woods. Meanwhile the Republican Regulars remained in position and went into overwatch in order to protect the flank against attack from the Nationalist cavalry.

The Cavalry moved last skirting around the woods and past the RepInf in an attempt to take the Mountain gun being set up on the hillside. They caught the Republicans rifle fire head-on however and all but 1 fell in the volley.

SCW Skirmish

2008-08-26T21:43:00.000+01:00

Here I played out a skirmish to try out the rules I'm designing. I used some of my newly painted 1/72 Spanish Civil War figures I got on holiday. Here's an overview of the battle with the Nationalist Legionaries setting up in the North and the Republicans from the South. The objective is the small bunker in the middle, each turn you hold this the opponent loses 1 force moral point.

2008-08-22T19:00:00.000+01:00

Afghan Police man a checkpoint on the outskirts of Kabul