Foxholes

I found a bag of these resin-cast troops in foxholes in a batch of stuff I was given a couple of years ago.  A few weeks ago I decided to try painting some.  I'd based them on small bits of card to make them easier to handle and less fragile, so there was room to flock round the edges to blend in with my Hexon terrain.  I'll probably use them to mark dismounted or dug in infantry.

 

Kampfgruppe Hansen - part 3

 

Back in the Ardennes, Pete's grenadiers are in position at the edge of the woods.

Soon they were in position to rush the few remaining defenders of Petit Their, poor old Lt Whiteman having perished in an artillery stonk.

More US troops arrive and wisely avoid the road!

Panzerjager commander's-eye view to the west.

US infantry prepare to assault Poteaux.

The Germans launch the assault on Petit Their

US tanks trying to flank the defences at Poteaux

Germans overrunning Petit Their.  It being a bit chilly, the late Lt Whiteman's stock of blankets was in high demand!

Bask east, while the Panzerjagers held off the US tanks...

...the grenadiers (just) saw off the US infantry assault, clinching a hard-fought German victory.

Soon even senior officers were claiming a share of the spoils!

An excellent reference for the battle. My copy was bought in the museum shop in Clervaux Castle!

Sdkfz 10 - sows's ear to silk purse?

This Sdkfz 10 was acquired in a box of tat and has seen service in several games.  While fundamentally quite a nice model it looked like the plastic tat it is!  Painting it, therefore, was an easy decision.  I went with an early-war look and I'm very pleased with the result!

Kampfgruppe Hansen - part 2

 

The action continues with loads of Germans clanking their way towards Petit Their

In the south, some US reinforcements discover the hard way that marching briskly up the road might not be a great plan.

As they come under fire, the grenadiers swap halftracks for jackboots and take to the woods.

Just in time - as US artillery shells keep falling ever closer!

By now the Germans have sent some of the Jagdpanzers west

More US infantry arrive south of Poteaux.  This time they decided to infiltrate through the woods to the east of the road (as they'd successfully done in my playtest game).

Will the US artillery break up the attack on TF Navajo?

                Is it all over for the Germans in Poteaux?

                            Has Lt. Whiteman sold enough indian blankets to retire?

Stay tuned!

Kampfgruppe Hansen - part 1

This was another trip to the Ardennes in December 1944 and saw KG Hansen trying to hang on to Poteau (in the NE) while trying also to prise Petit Their (in the west) from the grip of the US TF Navajo.  In my game the players, joining my via Zoom, were John and Pete were as steely-eyed Germans, Michael led TF Navajo and controlled the US artillery, while Simon and Graham led the US relief force approaching from St Vith (off to the SE).

The field of battle, with Poteaux to the right of the frame.

Looking west along the table.

The German deployment plan....

...making Poteaux very crowded.  The Solido Jagdpanthers are standing in for JPz IV/L70.  There was a company of them supporting a beefed-up Panzergrenadier battalion.

This game was the debut outing for some 3D prints - including this Sdkfz 250/8

The mighty TF Navajo. Rifle and (weak) engineer companies, with tank and TD platoons.  This ad-hoc TF was called 'Navajo' because it's CO, Lt Joe Whiteman reportedly paid his way through college by selling Navajo blankets.  We'll be hearing more about this.

Sherman tanker's view of the terrain.  Distant movement in the snow!

There were indeed lots of halftracks on the move!  Two PzG companies.

The third PzG co defending Poteaux.

Targets!  Loads of 'em!

Indeed, despite the 'vast hordes of Germans' (according to our Lt Whiteman, Navajo's gunners and the artillery scored some early hits.

The Lt. calmly directing operations.

But what of the US relief column from St Vith?  All that and more coming soon...

SA-10 ‘Grumble’ (s300)

Models of big missile launchers are always good for a laugh, so it was easy to persuade myself to get this lot painted. They are 1/285 scale models made by In Service Miniatures (or ISM) which was a slightly odd range available (for it seemed only a couple of years) in the early 1990s.  The SA-10 pack would have contained one control vehicle and three TEL (transporter, erector, launcher) vehicles.  Mine came off eBay a few years ago and two of the TELs are actually resin recasts.  Still, with paint they all look the same.  

With a range of 35-40km this lot can dominate the airspace over several wargame tables!

The castings didn’t look up to much but they took paint nicely. 

Marnach - Ardennes 1944 - part 3

As we return to Marnach, the US tank column has emerged from the woods - straight into fire from the Panzerschreck detachment!  The lead tank platoon is immobilised.

More Germans trying to flank the US reinforcements. 

Marnach by now seems securely in German hands

US AT gunners near Clervaux anxiously await a German breakthrough

By the time the US yanks got moving again the Germans were ready - and in some force.  Two platoons of Shermans were soon ablaze, while the woods were becoming dangerous.

It was all very dramatic!

And what of the US AA battery?  It too managed to get stuck and was soon overrun by hungry Germans

We concluded that the Germans had full control of Marnach and would have no trouble advancing to the west, while the remaining US units could do little more then harass them.  A most enjoyable game to run - and thanks again to my enthusiastic players who joined in from South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Iowa!

And when the 'snow' melted, this is what lay beneath!