ALL QUIET ON THE WEST MIDLANDS FRONT.

just got back from helping set out the tables at tomorrow's WMMS West Midlands Military Show, the Alumwell wargames society host this event every year.

Managed to catch a couple of pictures of these guys before the crowds arrive.

If you are UK based and going to be attending, don't be shy pop over and say HI. I will be sharing my time between all my new friends on the Wyre Forest Gamers and The Alumwell Wargames Society tables.

BATTLE IN THE BOCAGE

My latest game at the Allumwell War games Society involved my Battle group forces and was centred on the Germans commanded by me holding a village against a force of British Engineers supported by armour. Their task unknown by me was to destroy 2 of the designated buildings with demo charges. It was a fictitious scenario based in the Bocage, so lots of movement and failed spotting turns before the Germans actually got to put any fire down.

The Brits. won, but they were controlled by the clubs organisers who are both experienced gamers. As it was a quiet night I was on my own, though to be fair the umpire and the opposition did offer help and advice where possible.

For this game I was asked to provide British PIAT teams and 2 heavy mortars….. damn…. I only had 1 of each, so a quick raid of the bits box and some kit bashing and HEY PRESTO!

So it’s 2 all at the moment between my British and German battle group forces. I really must remember to move the infantry forward quicker and when laying smoke as a screen undershoot on purpose to allow for variance. I tried to shield my Pak 40 from the Shermans but the smoke rounds dropped behind them. Hampered by British Mortars allowed to fire only once every other turn, but as they had two this meant my defenders were under constant barrage, with one firing each turn.

We did discuss how the Firefly was able to destroy the PAK 40 so quickly in an already confirmed reinforced position, as the Firefly did not carry HE rounds until later. Maybe the round set of the ammo crates, who knows. And how the Germans even though they were the defenders forgot to zero their own mortars.

I also learned that a Panzerfaust can be fired through a window with devastating effect. : )

Not in time to save the poor Stug pictured below though.

A Zvezda Panzer III build video has also been added to the channel. Hope you like.

THE 28th SHALL ADVANCE !

Well here goes, finally started the Napoleonic's for this years big build, going to be doing 28mm British and French late Napoleonic's. Thanks to Carl Bottrell who gifted me a collection of Perry and Victrix British Infantry and made the decision of what project for 2016 more easier. Approx 12 of the figures were all ready painted to a very high standard and the rest needed to be matched.

Well I have enough now for 2 battalions with more on the way.

First off I had decide on the regiments, and as Carl's painted minis were all wearing stovepipes that would mean probably the only regiment still wearing stovepipe shakos after the peninsular war were the 28th Gloucesters, who were part of the 8th Brigade under the 5th Division of Lieutenant General Picton.

 Now I had to shave off all the shako plates ready for the 28th's regimental badge along with their back badge (these are now on the to do list, probably gonna use little big man studio decals). Next up assemble and organise into companies, 8 line, 1 light and 1 Grenadier. The grenadiers backpacks were swapped out for some French back packs as these were favored by the Grenadiers after being removed from the fallen French in Egypt. As some of the poses already assembled were not sporting the shoulder wings, they had to be fashioned from milliput. And all the guys got retouched cuffs and collars with white piping.

Some of the original minis as they arrived, sporting their new cuffs, collars and shaved shakos.

The Grenadiers get their new back packs, still a lot of piping to be added here though.

As I now have all the available minis painted to base colour, I have another 10 companies with the same yellow cuffs and collars, these will be the 2 battalion 44th foot, part of the 9th Brigade under Picton's command and will be sporting their new Belgic style shako. 

One of the 20 companies now assembled and painted to base colours only.

So now I am waiting for the next Allumwell Wagames Society Show - The West Midlands Military Show so that I can purchase the rest of the brigade along with the French.