[Will McNally]

Thin sheets of clear plastic, painted on the reverse side with cheap brown acrylic caulk mixed with sand/grit for the banks.

Here’s a more complex version I created for winter

[Will McNally]

Had a great day out as well.  I’ve written up a report on my blog.

http://willwarweb.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/pictures-from-vapnartak-2016.html

[Will McNally]

Paul wrote:

Beautiful setup, looks like a lot of fun. It looks like a lot of the buildings are fixed to the boards, while others are loose. Am I correct? If so, how are the boards stored?

With difficulty,  Dougie says that for future extensions he will create drop in buildings instead.  It was interesting seeing how they managed to fit in his care.

Scale was 1/72

[Will McNally]

Norm S wrote:

Nice job, I will be doing the same. I returned to my works the other day and they only had a few models left ….. but from somewhere two T34 – 85’s had appeared, though they are fully in white – so re-painting needed in full there. Did you prime first or did the body take the new paint OK.

Norm, I use Humbrol enamels on vehicles, usually two thin coats unless the colour is very close, no need for a base coat as the solvent in the enamel tackles any residual grease or whatever, then I switch over to acrylics.  The final coat was Devlan mud and using it for these finished the pot so I have to find a substitute.

[Will McNally]

Some of the Early War Russian stuff  but the colouring didn’t match the rest of my stuff so I repainted them.

I managed to find enough T28s to make a a reasonably sized forces for a game

The T35 is a monster, but the most I’ll need for any scenario is a couple

The tiny FAI-M armoured car

[Will McNally]

Anyone going to the Derby show as I’ve got some surplus models available to swap.  I’m looking for KV1s.  Can swap 2 x KV2, 2 x T35, 2 x SU122, 5 x FAI-M, 1 x DUKW.

Will

[Will McNally]

Excellent AAR, thanks

[Will McNally]

Norm S wrote:

Very nice, interesting layout of the table. Was the arrival of part of d’Erlon’s Corps a certainty and known to both players?

No, except they knew their history.  It was randomised and at most only a “Division” would arrive and it was prone to retire on any failed order roll.

I’ve added some umpires notes on my blog that may clarify this

[Will McNally]

Overall a great weekends gaming with the Society of Gentlemen Gamers and we raised nearly £800 for a military charity

[Will McNally]

Finally the table I was responsible for providing the terrain for – Lentini – the drive by 5th & 50th Divisions to get to Primasole

Pre-game pictures

I kept a slightly closer eye on what was happening on the Lentini table

German initial dispositions

The Commandos take Ponte Malati

Monte Pencali provides an excellent position for OPs

Still quiet!

British armour emerging from Sortini

and from Melilli

British reach the German forward defence line

Seems like trouble lurks round every corner

Refreshed by ice cream the Commandos await the Germans next move.

Italian reinforcements arrive

It’s slow going for the British main force

Slowly pushing forward

The last Stug(?) lies in wait

All quiet in Lentine and Carlentini

British infantry trudge forward, who decided they didn’t need MT?

Position at the end with the Commandos just off-picture still holding the bridge

[Will McNally]

Now the airborne attempt to capture Primasole bridge.

Pre game pictures

Folk were having too much fun on this table, here’s my pictures of the action, but I can’t say what is happening.

[Will McNally]

War Panda wrote:

Wow Will they’re even better close up. How did you do the stain glass window? And the statue? I’m Catholic who has spent some time living in Rome so tell me if its a saint or a random mini Really impressive either way. The tiles look perfect too. You’re seriously tempting me to try my hand at something in Italy but I’m not at my modelling best when figuring out buildings.
Thanks for the inspiring post

Stained glass windows are just drawn freestyle with a silver pen and the statue is from some old Atlantic figure set like Life in Roman

[Will McNally]

War Panda wrote:

Great stuff. Really love those buildings. Especially the town and the church. What make are they? I do think the hills look a little like camo pattern to me (I’m loving the rest; I think it would be worth addressing.) Regardless the overall effect is bello Well done

The building are all made out of foamcore, with roofing using “Will’s” pantiles Here they are used for another game

The smaller church was copied from a version created by Colin Rumford

[Will McNally]

Sticking with Hail Caesar myself, as it provides both an easy pick up game for club nights and also nice easy to run big games. The only downside is getting confused over the differences with Black Powder.

[Will McNally]

Own rules for the AWI and Black Powder for SYW.

[Will McNally]

Yet more completed.

Reece Squadron upgrade – I’ve touched up and rebased the figures and replaced the 30cal MMG with that from PSC and the 60mm mortars with the Italeri ones, so the unit is over 50% new.

Still not got enough vehicle to go with them, Still missing are three more Greyhounds, another M8 HMC and three M5 light tanks. But depending on what the scenario requires I might not need them all or can borrow them from other units.

Engineer Battalion upgrade – again touched up and rebased the old figures, only added repalced the 30cal M1917 MMGs this time. It is slightly over-strength as I’ve include a flamethrower for each company, which is needed for some scenarios

Just need an assault bridging trailer to complete it.

Some extra vehicles, two good one bad!
The good is a pair of short wheel base trucks as used for artillery tows converted from the Pegasus fast build kit. The bad is the Hasegawa M4A1 mortar carrier, way too wide and needed extra work to get the interior vaguely right, I should have converted one of the Plastic Soldier versions instead.

The CCKW352 conversion was relatively easy, just needing to cut the chassis and body to the correct length before reassembling, the two spare wheels behind the cab came from an old Airfix 88mm. A work in progress picture to give an idea of what was involved

[Will McNally]

Completed the 57mm AT guns guns. I needed them to finish my US infantry for a game using the 29th Infantry Division tomorrow, which meant I had to work with the resource to hand to create the guns and teams. So four of the guns are an Airfix hybrid with Plastic Soldier Company barrels and wheels and the crews are from the US heavy weapons set. The last is an old 6pdr.

For those who like comparisons, in the foreground and inset, there is from left to right a Plastic Soldier Company 6pdr, one of my conversions, then an original Airfix 6pdr.

[Will McNally]

Have successfully run several large (3K+) Napoleonic games using Black Powder. I’d love to have enough figures to do the same with C18, can only manage just over 2k so far.

[Will McNally]

More progress over the last couple of weeks.

A third battalion

and finally the fourth, Italeri infantry for a change

Some extras, OP teams and radio jeeps completed.

[Will McNally]

Zulus are pastoralists not hunter/gathers hence no need for bows/slings, any firearms would be a status symbol

[Will McNally]

It has to be the SYW, because way-way back I read Charge by Peter Young and The wargame by Charles Grant. When the first Airfix AWI figures appeared so did my Frundsbergers, but then with University and other things they languished until a few years back when the were rediscovered in a corner of my parents attic, and they now encompass all the “major” wars of the C18 with contingents from the WSS through to the French Revolution.

Must admit the fellows have been a bit neglected of late

http://frundsbergfs.blogspot.co.uk/

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