Tanks-a-Lot

Inching along ...

2012-03-03T05:58:00.000-08:00

My painting 'plans' have been put awry, I have been away on a training course for a week - so not much progress on the paratroops. I did manage to get to the local Toy&Train collectors fair before I went away and picked up some more buildings.

I think I now have a enough buildings for my Home Guard town, I would like a gasometer though. I have to make two more coastal modules for the gaming table, then I'll try laying out the town.

British Paratroopers on the go ...

2012-01-28T06:32:00.000-08:00

British Paratroopers - HQ and heavy weapons get prepared for painting

These are a mixture of Italeri british commandos/infantry/paratroopers. The commandos/infantry have either had their helmet remodelled or heads swapped from 'odd pose' paratroopers.

A box of goodies ...

2012-01-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

My friend and regular wargames opponent, turned up for a game evening with a box of stuff he'd cleared out of his attic, amongst the goodies were some useful kits and a nice house.

Also there were some part made SuperQuick card kits houses and some un-made Metcalfe card kits.

Some more new buildings ..

2012-01-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

I hoovered up these madeup card buildings (I think they arell Metcalfe ones) off the stalls at my local Toy&Train collectors fair on Sunday; these will go towards my home guard town - still need a few more shops.

On the workbench at the moment are some additions to for my British Paratroopers - HQ company and heavy weapons company.

Across the fields to safety ...

2011-12-10T05:40:00.000-08:00

A small game to try out the Hit the Dirt ruleset ..

Scenario: Resistance to get two downed key air personnel to safe house in nearby town.

---oXo---

At german HQ, local patrol is starting on its rounds ...

The resistance on the move ...

Hurry up chaps ! ..

Resistance duck down behind a hedge to avoid detection by a motorbike & sidecar ...

The german patrol works its way to the high ground ...

They see nothing, resistance fighters are well hidden ...

Resistance fighter fires on the sentry at the german HQ ...

More resistance close in and firing hots up

The resistance knockout an armoured car and also the motorbike & sidecar ...

The fighting continues by the german HQ ..

The sound of the gunfire has drawn the patrol back as well as second patrol that was out nearer the town; the resistance fall back ...

Airmen and their escort move across the fields now the german patrol has been distracted ...

They arrive at the safe house - Here we are chaps; get inside quick ...

---oXo---

A nice little game and we found the Hit the Dirt ruleset suited us better - (as it is for 1:1 scale small actions).

Some more work to do: scenics - some better roads; troops - probably add extra british paratroopers and more germans before we have another game.

Some additional buildings and vehicles ..

2011-12-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

Some items picked up at a locall Toy&Train fair today; more buildings - and a couple of vehicles for home guard use.

Resistance Fighters

2011-11-27T05:35:00.000-08:00

Resistance fighters are now ready for action (all from Caeser) ...

Attack on supply depot ...

2011-11-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

Getting it together, having enough painted troops for a trial game using Rapid Fire rules

An overview of the setup, target is German supply depot in middle of table. British commandos enter along railway line at front of table; British paratroopers as the back of the table in the middle ..

---oXo---

All is quiet at the supply depot ...

Meanwhile at German HQ in the nearby village they are preparing to send out patrols (they have received vague intel on a possible paratroop landing)

The paratroops assemble (not quite where they should have been dropped) ..

The commandos move up the railway line ...

Recce patrol asks if they have seen anything at the supply depot ...

As the recce patrol move off to check down the road, the commandos open fire ..

Meanwhile the paratroops approach the railway line ....

Commandos attack the supply depot ...

The paratroops ccross the railway line to attack the German local HQ ....

Exchange of fire near the local HQ ...

The commandos fall back after taking heavy casualties ( the paratroopers also fall back ...)

---oxo---

Game over - British troops retire back towards their lines ...

Nice little game, we found the Rapid Fire rules not quite suitable for the small numbers on each side. Will try another ruleset which are more 1:1 skirmish based - which is closer to the sort of games we'll be playing.

Downed british aircrew ..

2011-11-20T05:14:00.000-08:00

A couple of british aircrew from CP models...

Any idea where we are Algy ??

British Paratroops

2011-11-19T03:39:00.000-08:00

Italeri British Paratroops; farmhouse is an oddment I got cheap at a Toy&Train fair touched up and based; cows are from Irregular Miniatures 25mm range.

British Commandos

2011-11-05T04:15:00.000-07:00

A section of commandos, used Italeri British Commandos for these plus some converted Italeri British Paratroopers to get different poses.

Some Civilians finished

2011-10-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

A selection of civilians, mostly Dapol, with some Caesar...

Next up some British Commandos

Watchtower and Gatehouse

2011-10-23T04:44:00.000-07:00

Another item finished to add to the scenics ...

Home Guard ...

2011-10-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

Kindly donated to me some home guard figures, seen here checking out the railway line

The figures are about the same size as Valiant ones, so I'll be able to add more to make up the platoon

I've also started collecting up some second hand cardboard buildings (Metcalfe/Superquick) to combine with my existing buildings to form their home town.

Germans prepare to unload ....(Railway Scenics - more bits)

2011-10-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Finished a loading bay (small platform), river bridge section and a signal box. Signal box is a card model I got second hand for £1.25, needed a bit of repainting, touchup plus basing.
Germans prepare to unload ....

A quick update

2011-10-02T06:18:00.000-07:00

Have made some progress on opposition for the finished germans, have been getting stuff ready to paint
- based some civilians (mix of Caesar and Dapol)
- in the middle of basing some resistance fighters (Caeser)
- have de-sprued some Italeri british paratroops

plenty to do ....

Railway scenic sections finished ..

2011-08-28T04:06:00.000-07:00

Finished the railway scenic sections, diagonal across the table setup shown here, with small supply train ..

Scenic Railway sections - construction finished

2011-08-20T04:13:00.000-07:00

Finished more railway sections enough to go lengthways across the table, including a roadway crossing ...

and diagonally, with a section with a turnout which can be used to connect to a siding or act as a junction.

I have enough sections to represent the possible uses on the gaming table, For sabotage attempts and general use as scenic elements. I will finish off all the sections at the same time with scenic material.

Flaktastic ...

2011-08-13T03:53:00.000-07:00

A nice selection of Flak guns,

Quad 20mm on a half-track (Blitz 1/72 Sd.Kfz 7/1 2cm Quad AA & Trailer)
Horch and 2cm Flak 38 (from Hobby Master)
Steyr (made by Blitz), plus quad 20mm (made from Italeri gun set)

A closer look at the quad on the half track..

and the other quad ...

The crew for the single 20mm flak was made form some spare figs I had. I made the crews for the quads by converting a mix of a seated Dapol railway passenger and some Caeser partisans, using heads and arms from Valiant germans.

Stug. IIIs

2011-08-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of Armorfast Stug IIIs finished ...

Scenic work in progress ...

2011-08-08T04:03:00.000-07:00

Some trial railways sections for the gaming table. The first set is to go across the table. I had to start with a bridge over my river sections (still needs rest of bridge to be built) and plus a couple more pieces. I used starndard hornby track sections, on form board with a 3mm mdf base; the track has been ballasted on a self adhesive underlay. They look fine, so more to make to go lengthways on the table - then they'll all be painted and scenics added in one go.

Some buildings picked up at Exeter Toy&Train fair yesterday - a plastic kit provenance unknown and two resin buildings from the Scenix railway accessory range.

German Infantry

2011-07-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working my way through my initial lot of German Infantry, organised along the lines of Rapid Fire. Here they are ...

[figs are a Mix of Valiant/Italeri, house is from Hornby Skaledlae range]

Pak40

2011-07-14T02:38:00.000-07:00

Pak40 and Opel Blitz lorry made from Airfix kit, crew are converted Italeri Arika Koprs figs ..

On the move at last ..

2011-07-13T04:23:00.000-07:00

A collection of recce items finished, motorbikes, amoured cards and a section of infantry ...

Next up more infantry being made ready for painting and a Pak40.

Painting begins ....

2011-07-09T03:23:00.000-07:00

Aha ! things have arrived on the painting table, a section of infantry (mostly Italeri with a couple of Valiant) and some recce bits and bobs (armoured car and k'wagon from Airfix)

While waiting for the primer to dry, I tried out a basing scheme for vehicles, some cardboard with doll's house grass on top, plus a bit of brown painted dabbed on. Seen here with an armoured car ..

Activity ?

2011-06-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

A small burst of activity on this project has followed the purchase of the new vehicles, I've now based all the german and british infantry, they're now sitting patiently waiting in their boxes to be painted.

The Puma and the lorries from the last post, have been repainted and weathered ...

A couple of new additions...

2011-06-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

This project is still running in the background, I'm keeping an eye open for suitable bits and bobs. Recently I picked up a die-cast Puma armoured car, and today at the local Toy & Train fair three rather nice lorries.

Of trains and things ...

2011-02-27T06:26:00.000-08:00

Trying to lay down some ideas for the future, as I have a smallish gaming table - large tank battles are not too feasible; so I was thinking of alternatives:

- commando raids, coastal or by parachute

- resistance attacks

- platoon size battles

To provide some targets and also to give some more scenic items, I thought some railway items would be useful; so recently scoured the local Toy & Train fair for some cheap track and some continental rolling stock. A passenger or troup train or even generals train ..

Or alternatively a couple of wagons for a goods train ..

I'll also being looking for some other goods vans and flat wagons for a little variety. The track will be based and the rolling stock repainted as needed.

A quick tour of the defences ...

2010-12-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

The two resin castings of an emplacement and pill box given to me by a friend, now painted (amazing what you can get done when you're stuck in the house due to the snow)

Hanomags finished

2010-12-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Really nice Amourfast kits which were nice amd easy to assemble - given a quick paint job to match the rest of my german forces.

A couple of Churchill tanks

2010-12-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

A couple of Churchill tanks to use for infantry support, got these at a local Toy & Train collectors fair today. They are diecast/plastic from the last 'buy and collect' series you could buy from newsagents.

Something to stick together ...

2010-11-27T06:59:00.000-08:00

Two packs of Amourfast Hanomags, two per box; some glueing and painting to do ...

Fill up the tank please ...

2010-10-09T04:21:00.000-07:00

German supply depot, making use of the oil drum and crates resin castings I was given.

Some Scenic Accessories

2010-10-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

Newly arrived to add to my slowly building collection of scenics for WWII, a pill box and emplacement - kindly donated by a friend who was clearing up his storage before moving house. He also gave me some other resin castings including oil/petrol drums - nice to make up a fuel dump.

so slow ...

2010-08-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of posting, I'm afraid this project is languishing in the doldrums - too distracted by my 18C world at the moment.

Trial painting of British and German infantry figs.

2010-02-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

After finishing the russian tanks off this morning, I turned my attention to a few plastic figs (Valiant 1/72) which I had prepared for trial painting last month. A little smaller than the 25/28mm figs which I usually paint but I think I've not done too badly. Uniform colour may be off shade but I just want to have it approx right, not exactly right. First the 'British HQ'.....

Aha, looks the the germans are lost (?) ....

Russian Tanks - painted

2010-02-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Fed up of the russian tanks sitting staring at me on the shelf of my modelling desk, I sat down today and gave them a quick going over. Touched up the basic colour, painted the tracks then added the weathering and dirt; painted the two tank commanders as well. A very satisying mornings work.

Russians arrive ...

2010-01-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

I wasn't going to get any Russian tanks until later on, but a some were on sale at my local Toy&Train fair at a real good price so I indulged. For the sum of £20 I got 6 x T34/76, 2 x T34/85 and 2 x KV-85, plus 4 German JagPanthers ! Some part painted ...

So I've some more tanks to paint - in good time, must get on and finish the infantry.

Infantry Started

2010-01-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have now 'desprued' a box of Valiant 1/72 plastic Germans and British infanrty, all the figures have been assembled - quite a fiddly process but I am now converted to the benefits of these figures.

I've based all the germans ready for painting and have started some trial figures.

German Tanks finished ...

2009-12-04T07:35:00.000-08:00

Another session and the initial lot of German tanks is finished. Actually more panthers than I planned, but finding them for sale at £2.50 each at a Toy &Train fair was too much temptation.

British Armoured Regiment

2009-12-02T01:12:00.000-08:00

Its taken a while but now all the British tanks and support vehicles I plan to have for the amoured regiment have been completed.

Support vehicles and a couple of Stuart light tanks for recce ..

Tank regiment on the move ..

{tanks and vehicles are a mixture of Amorfast/Airfix/Skytrex and die cast items, Sherman ARV is scratchbuilt based on an Airfix kit;

Armoured cars for the Germans

2009-10-05T03:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of armoured cars and a 'soft top' finished. I've put the base colours on the rest of my unpainted german tanks, transfers and wethering to do - piccies when completed.

German Forces (current)

2009-10-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

The sum total of my german forces,

I have three more tanks to paint, so they will complete the german amour; plus a couple of armoured cars.

Sherman ARV MK1 - conversion

2009-07-17T02:56:00.000-07:00

I dabbled with a bit of kit bashing to make a Sherman Mk1 ARV. Below is a shot of the converted Airfix kit, before painting.

All painted and ready for action ...

Shiny new additions ...

2009-07-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

A few new items for my British armoured regiment, from Skytrex

radio lorry
2 Stuart light tanks for recon
Humber scout car
Cromwell ack-ack tank

Also I have 3 lorries to make up. Under construction is a Sherman ARV, based on a plastic kit.

For the Germans - I have waiting to be assembled: PzIV, Bergepanther, Armoured Car, Whirlwind PzIV; plus acouple of plastic kits.

For Starters ....

2009-06-20T02:12:00.001-07:00

Target period for my gaming is western front 1944+; scale 1/72 or 1/76. For tanks I've been collecting up oddments from car boots and toy&train fairs and buying some items from shops and online orders.

I've currently got about 12 shermans which form the basis of a british tank regiment; for the germans I have the following 1 tiger, 2 PzIVs, 1 Elefant.

I've got some Valiant plastic infantry figures to assemble and paint, one box of britsih and one of germans.

Ruleset used will be Rapid Fire. I've had a trial game using Rapid Fire for Rookies; quite an enjoyable game it was too.

I have other wargame interests: 18C, ECW and Dark Ages (saxons/vikings). So progress on this project may be a bit slow.