Somewhere on the Eastern Front...

The troops don't get out much (bit like their owner) but this weekend was the first battle in the new garage.

Went for a  Flames of War straightforward battle on a plain. It had to be straightforward as I hadn't actually played the game for four years and then only once (despite the large armies that have been accrued). The opponents were a Russian Tankovy versus a German Panzers force both weighing in at around 1800 points.

The Russians had the initiative and were nominally on the attack. 11 T-34s assaulted a position held by 5 Panthers.

 And the result was well...

Having had a starter of T-34 the Panthers moved on to a main of SU152 and finishing off with some SU 100s before heading for the Soviet artillery park.

The Russians had some success. The 88s were taken out by an accurate rocket bombardment and the 2 supporting Tiger Is didn't last against the SU 100s.

But it was a pretty one sided affair.

 

SU100s

Some more late Soviets to provide fodder for the Tigers and Panthers out there. Mind you these guys do pack a punch themselves.

These are from the Battlefront plastic box set released last year. Painted using my standard method of base colour, black wash, dry brushed and then edged highlights.

The spray paint I used for the base coat failed leaving several of the tanks with a strange, crinkled paint effect. I don't know what caused it, the can was nearly empty and past its best or I hadn't cleaned them up properly.

Guess the Russians won't care once they're on the table. 

Panzer Crew

 

 

This is Hauptsturmfuhrer Schmitt  the free miniature with the Bolt Action Tank War supplement. He’s going to end up as a target for the French resistance.

Found this miniature very dynamic and facially quite fun, though bordering a bit on the comic book caricature; I resisted painting him with a red skull!

Adrian's Walls Centrepiece

Just received a large delivery of goodies from Adrian's Walls. Mostly tiles but it did include this wonderful centrepiece.

Currently it is occupied by some Front Rank Napoleonic British Peninsula Foot Artillery (painted by Artmaster Studio) but I can see the Huguenots hanging out here for some BLB or Donnybrook action; the French resistance monitoring German activity, even it standing in for the ruins at Amon Hen for a bit of LoTR skirmishing...

Excuse me I think I need to go roll some dice...

Working Holiday

To prove my dedication to the hobby, though not necessarily the adjective of choice from the better half, despite this week being spent on holiday in the Lake District I have with me a small lead and resin mountain.

Well I have to find something to do whilst the twins slumber!

Feeling Blue, Again...

The next group of Blue Marines prepped and ready for spraying. This time it’s going to be the big boss himself Marneus Calgar:

 

 
His retinue are lingering somewhere too, including a fiendishly detailed standard bearer.

And some Stern Guard. Ready to take on the Tau hordes. Next stop is Morgoth XII providing I get the terrain finished…. it will happen and possibly even before the fortieth millennia dawns!

WI 328 A Celtic Tragedy

Just read Barry Hilton's Wargames Illustrated article on the Aughrim game at the League of Augsburg Derby Weekender in October. It was the weirdest end to any wargame I’ve ever been involved in. The Jacobites pretty much had won the game with ease, every attack on Kilcommodan Hill had been repulsed with little or no degradation to their line. There was even an effective counter attack by the guards on the Williamite right flank.

Williamite forces prepare their attack

The Williamite forces on the other hand had advanced across the valley and then exhausted themselves in the uphill fight. They weren’t in full retreat (my Huguenots I’m happy to report acquitted themselves well) but a couple of more rounds would probably have seen a collapse and rout.

Huguenot and Jacobite cavalry clash on the causeway

It was literally the last roll of the dice that did for St Ruhe and thus the Jacobite line, such are the fortunes of war.

I suspect this game will be the subject of many a bar room reminiscence in the years to come if only because a wargame freak occurrence actually matched a real one.

And for once nobody has mentioned my infernal die rolling at the end of a weekend!

The Jacobite army collapses