Operation Caravan - Raid on Barce.

Sometimes you look at other peoples collections and think wow....

Thanks to John F for putting on this great game at the Wyre Forest Club a pleasure to play.

LRDG Orders.

The destruction of aircraft, infrastructure and material in the Barce sector would severely hamper axis offensive capabilities. 

Primary target is the Italian Airfield at Barce. Destroy as many aircraft as possible, causing the maximum amount of damage and disturbance to the enemy. 

Secondary objectives should also be destroyed, but only if this will not prejudice the success of your primary task. Fuel Storage facility and Supply dumps within the Airfield,  Administrative infrastructure in Barce. Headquarters of local Italian Command, the vehicle park and camp.

The LRDG massed off table to launch there raid, 10 jeeps each armed with multiple HMG's and Twin Vickers, it was dark and the Italians were not expecting any visitors.

Racing on to the table, the LRDG gunned down the main gun emplacement before the crew even knew what hit them.

Racing down the road they shot up the Italian HQ, but things were getting hot on the main street as the defenders threw grenades from the roof top.

In out and away... mission accomplished the LRDG left the airfield and it's burning wreckage.

They had lost two thirds of their jeeps, but the Nazi war machine would not be using this airfield for quite a while.

A job well done.

A fantastic looking game, following historical events the raids were able to hit the main Italian camp, HQ and airfield before the Italians were able to muster a proper defence. The loss of two vehicles to lucky grenades on the main road was a blow, but the fast moving column was able to dodge any formed defence.

A great game, with some great collection. Now back to my own stuff I have a lot of catching up to do.

28mm DAK Warlord Games - Western Desert.

 A mid week update.

Having received two command/support packs, I thought this one would make a senior leader base with a commander and Radio Operator, together with another casualty pin marker base.... 

Considering the number of ranges of Western Desert figures there does seem to be a real scarcity of injured dead and wounded for pin markers across German and Allied forces, suggestions welcome.

Also coming off the paint table an Anti-Rifle, useful as soon as any vehicles arrive on the table.

Finally a bunch of officer types, to keep the the DAK in order.

That's all folks.....

Warlord 28mm Africa Korps

After the testers from a couple of weeks back the first Africa Korps squads roll off the paint table.

A mix of tunics and head gear to give them that campaign feel. These are all from Warlord games and look better proportioned than the commonwealth foe to my eye. 

I opted for 8 figure sections, smaller than the French and Commonwealth squads, but my thinking is using Bolt Action the Germans will get more dice and therefore more flex on the table. Each section armed with an MG34, loader, two MP40's.

A couple of extra's to bolster their number, a forward observer and a medic or pin marker depending on points or scenario.

These were really fun to paint and cleared the paint table relatively once I got my eye in. 

Looking across the mass of undercoated models there are at least 3 more batches. Standby for lots of German pics over the next month or so.

Wragaming the Battle for Suxy - France 11th May 1940 - Bolt Action.

Club day and a trip to France in 1940 as elements of the 10th Panzer Division and Motorised Infantry Regiment Gross Deutschland head towards the small town of Suxy which brought them into contact with the French 1st Cavalry Brigade, the French were taken by surprise, but tenaciously defended the town.

The view from the German approaches.

The view from French side, to add to their lack of preparedness the French selected a unit and then had to dice for the entry road. The 1st Cavalry had to halt the advance of the German invader.

Using the 'Blucher' order dice the Germans roll high for the French, but the French roll low for the Germans, French advance units fill both roads.

The slow moving Char B had barely entered the town when the German 222 with seen racing towards the cross roads.

High Noon - The Panhard Armoured Car poked round the corned which sent the little 222 reversing backwards out of line of sight.

Members of Gross Deutschland filter through the orchards and hedge rows on the approach to the church 

In true Blitzkrieg fashion the Panzer III crashes through the gardens but is stopped dead by the French Armour. Suxy will be a tough nut to crack. 

Stripped of their armour cover the Germans Infantry scattered as the French Armour came into view, the SDKFZ 222 blasted away but the Panhard was firmly focused on the foot sloggers.

With French Infantry pouring into the Church the German's retired to away the Stuka's.....

A bad day at the office for the Germans, the activation dice fell fortunately for the French allowing them to move quickly and in greater numbers into the Suxy before the Germans can bring more forces into play. An aggressive opening moving did put the French under pressure with the Armour hitting the cross roads early, but the loss of armour and the Infantry AT capabilities made it a tough ask for the Germans.

Good fun all round despite the result.....

Dispatches from the front XXVII - Care Packages & Testers.

The first dispatch of 2023.

The desert campaign is progressing at pace, but a distraction arrives in the post. Fighting over the same land a mere 832 years earlier. An excellent kickstarter campaign from Footsore Miniatures with their latest release for the Baron's War rules.

I may have gone a little OTT with my backing, sooooo much lead and a resin fort, enough to keep me going well into the summer of 2023....

I am looking to strike a balance between the Baron's War campaigning option but also recreating Standard Games Outremer from the 1980's. 

With a couple of projects now in the pipe I need to focus but the urge to get these on the paint table is strong despite a growing pile of WW2 Western Desert forces for the Exporter Campaign.

On the subject of Exporter reinforcements arrive from the Perry Twins in the shape of more Vichy French and the crew for an 88, as if the Allies did not have enough to worry about.

On the painting front the first of the German's clear the paint table, these are from the Gentleman's War set from Warlord Games and bolstered by several freebies donated by club members, plenty more to do which will eventually bring the number of German squads to 8 plus supports.

I was a little uncertain as to the right palette so tried a couple out, I am really pleased with the results, I wanted a mix of the Olive Green Tunic for some and the locally bleached tunics to blend in with the desert terrain for others.

Both were dulled down with with an Army Painter flesh wash, the mix of tunics should look great on the table top and give that lived in campaign feel.

For those interested this is the paint guide.

Tunics, Caps - Vallejo Iraqi sand or Vallejo Yellow Green.

Helmets Gasmask Container - Vallejo Green Ochre.

MG Strap, Rifle Pouches - Foundry African Flesh

Boots, Water Bottle - Vallejo Flat Earth

Gaiters, Water Bottle Top, Entrenching Tool Cover - Vallejo English Uniform

Webbing, Bread Bag and Shirt - Vallejo Stone Grey

Rifle - Foundry Tan 13B

Flesh - Foundry  125C Med Light Flesh

Bayonet, MG - Black