WW2 88 Painting

Well another weekend away from the office/dining room. Garden all tidy and manicured to within an inch of its life. With all the jobs around the dome I once again had a bit of time to paint.

The question was, what to paint? I don’t have a clear project at the moment just an ever increasing list of wouldn’t it be good to……. projects

One such area is WW2. I have tried many times to get more into this era and have small collection in 10mm, 28mm and now 20mm. They have all come about because I liked what I saw. Originally I collected 28mm Homeguard for a game I planned and played many years back, inspired by the Dads Army series, so a little light hearted but not mocking. I then saw a game about DDay and thought that would be fun to do so started to collect 10/12mm, still am! Lastly I started to watch Little Wars TV (LW TV). I like what they do, and one area I particularly liked was their reenactment of a Band of Brothers action called Foy. Highly recommend giving their channel on You Tube a chance. Anyway I started the era in 20mm to take up less room. I know I have buildings in 28mm but it’s my logic!

I started by picking up figures to represent the forces as per the scenario on LW TV. Then I lost heart as once again I was unsure as to which way to go with regarding rules. Still not decided, Bolt Action, Rapid Fire, Disposable Heroes, USSR, Peter Pig PBI or Chain of Command to mention a few. Anyway being uncertain meant that the figures were condemned to the “to be painted pile”. While still undecided regarding the rules, I did start to paint something this weekend. An 88 from Britannia Miniatures.

I must admit that WW2 is not an area I know a great deal about so if I have painted something wrong or I have the wrong style figures then I am sorry but while I would like to know what I got wrong and why, I probably will not lose any sleep, as I am happy with the outcome.

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If anyone can suggest a set of playable(in an evening) rules that they feel would be good for refighting Foy, including those already mentioned (have not played any of them or even read them all) please drop me a line.

I did start some medievals as well but hope to finish them over the next few evenings.

Pegasus Bridge 1940 Part 3 – Legionary Show, Exeter

I may be a little biased but my local show Legionary is a great show. I do not think any one thing makes it great but what I do think helps is:

Trader Variety – too many other shows have multiple traders selling similar items. This is not too much of an issue at large shows but at small shows it is annoying. While this can be good for a buyer i.e. bartering, the rest of us wish an alternative supplier attended. I guess the trader is not too happy either as his profit margin gets hit.

Good games – good coverage of eras with good quality figures and terrain. New games appear every year, not just same games rehashed.

Good Parking – Not many shows where you can unload your game from the car at the table! For visitors plenty of level, free parking and only a 45 min walk from a park and ride.

Helpers – loads of people on hand to help and the start and end of the show.

Food – Fantastic canteen facilities run separately and professionally  Great hot and cold food served nearly all day at great prices.

 

The Game.

As usual, living only 5 minutes drive away I was there on time and with the help of Steve, Laurie  and Nathan the game was set up and we broke for a well deserved breakfast.

The format we normally have at shows were we have put a game on  is a bit of wargaming and a bit of shopping while trying to keep an eye on the bring and buy, with at least one of us at the table to answer any questions.

The scenario was based on the Pegasus bridge raid of 44 in reverse, with Homeguard units holding key bridges from invading Fallschirmjager who once they have captured the bridges have to hold them against British reinforcements while holding out for German reinforcements.

The Germans landed and luckily the homeguard were on the ball, and first thing they did was race to the bridge control room and raise the bridge. There was a vicious exchange of fire and the homeguard started to receive a few casualties. They held on for a few more turns before having to retire.

The British reinforcements started to arrive but almost immediately so did the German ones. This caused a panic in the British as the first lot  of Germans appeared on the same table end as the British having made good time from Exmouth beach, while others appeared at the other end having traveled from Dawlish. The only thing stopping them linking up was the bridge still be up! A group of Germans tried to board the boat and cross the canal. A yes/no/maybe dice was rolled and unfortunately Jerry could not start the boat. No worries, as a unit in rubber boats came up  the canal and storming the control room they managed to lower the bridge.

The British reinforcements made slow progress though the town as Pz IIs were now arriving. The British Matilda even had to contemplate with a 5th columnist Policeman attempting to destroy it with a sticky bomb. He was soon dispatched with a burst of MG fire.

The game was eventually declared a Minor British victory as the Germans were either being pushed back or lacked reinforcements being unable to grab anymore ground. That said though, they had managed to hold on to the beaches!

A big thank you to Steve for the canal and Laurie for a last minute painting effort for the dinghies and lorry passengers. Cheers GUYS.

Many people stopped and chatted and a few were surprised that the bridges we based this game on were used to practice the Pegasus raid  and that they were only a mile from the show.

 

Everything else was from my own collection.

Buildings – Charlie Foxtrot, Sarissa or Homemade.

Trees and Hedges – Homemade. see blog elsewhere.

Figures – Mainly Foundry with a few Artizan, Blacktree and Warlord.

Vehicles – Tamiya, Frog, Stronghold, Blitzkrieg, Blacktree and homemade (Beaverette MKIV).

Rules – House rules. They need a little refining so may be uploaded soon.

 

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

 

Legionary 2016 – Pegasus 1940 Part 2

Legionary 2016 is now only a week away (30th April 2016). Therefore I have started to pack away my game, ready for the show.

Here are a last few pictures before the show.

Legionary 2016 – Pegasus 1940 Part 1

With my local show on a few months away it was time to reveal to the boys what I intend to put on for them to play.

The show is only a mile a mile away as the crow flies and to get to it I have to cross a couple, a River bridge and a Canal bridge.

Here is a picture of the canal swing bridge and in the background is a bascule type bridge (I cross this coming back from the show). The reason I am interested in them is that in 1944 the swing bridge and the river bridge where used in training for the Pegasus Bridge assault.

This got me thinking and as a lot of people have done a Pegasus bridge based wargame scenario I started to think about Operation Seelowe (Sea-lion) and the possible importance these bridges may have played if the Germans had come ashore on the Devon coastline. In fact we have two large flat beaches (Dawlish Warren and Exmouth) with a few miles. Both are either side of the estuary and for the forces to link up they would need the bridges.

Below are a few shots of the planned game so far. Still plenty to do as well as a set of display rules to write.

Infantry -Home guard are Foundry with Heavy  Support Weapons ( Northover Projector, Spigot Mortar, Smith Gun) and Beaverette from Stronghold Miniature. I have also scratch built a Standard Mk III Beaverbug version. Regular infantry are Warlord. Germans are mostly Foundry with a few Blacktree with some additional heavy weapons from Artizan Designs.

Vehicles – Vickers, Matilda and Panzer 38T tanks(all metal) old Blitzkrieg Miniature now Warlord, I think. Panzer II are old Frog Fumen kits. Kubelwagon is Corgi, Opels and Styre? Unknown.

Buildings – Mainly Charlie Foxtrot and Sarissa with some unknown and some scratch built. River Bridge is a Hovel.

Tree and Hedges  – Scratch built

Boat – Scratch built

More pictures will follow as items get completed.

British 2 LBR

For the last few weeks since our monthly game I have been working on nothing else than buildings for my up coming game at Legionary 16. To have a break in some way I got out a couple of figures set I will probably need for the game. These were 2 different makes of 2lbr guns from Crusader and BEF Miniatures, now Warlord games (I have had these a while). These will be used to enable the British to defend the bridges in the game from possible German Invaders!

I think both are nice sets in their own rights but the size difference of the makers is noticeable in the gun if not the crew. If fact I mixed up the crews to get a better look to the vignettes.

British 2lbr (1)

British 2lbr (4)

British 2lbr (3)

British 2lbr (2)

 

Random War of the Roses Army Generator

Fed up with balanced games or knowing exactly what you are going to command because you have priced it up to the last point. If so then accept the challenge and throw caution to the wind.

As promised, I have developed a way to generate random armies for you to command or defeat.

While aimed at my rules AYBS recently published on this blog, please feel free to amend the cards to represent any other era or rules you like.

I have done versions for Peninsula War , ECW and AWI eras. I am currently working on versions for ACW and WW2.

Hope you enjoy them.

WOTR Random army generator