Para Carrier

Following the successful refurbishment of a pair of Lone Star diecast Carriers for Soviet service (Link) I dug out more.  This one was acquired complete with the (so I’m told) very rare metal Para crew.  The carrier needed a full repaint but for the crew I confined myself to repairing the existing paint - though I decided I couldn’t live with the grey helmets.  I also added length the the MG barrel with a piece of wooden cocktail stick. Going by the ammo belt this is intended to represent a Vickers gun. Decals and serial numbers finished it off. 

Waltzing with Matilda?

 This was adapted from a Skirmish Campaigns scenario.  I’d used another from the same book a while ago - see the report here.  Mostly we used A Fistful of Lead.  

This time the Italians were dug in and asleep but expecting a possible British attack from the east. The wicked Brits spoiled it all by appearing from the west. Rotters. The attacking forces consisted of an infantry section (Jerry), a sapper detachment (Tim C) and a Matilda tank (John).  

The Italians had two rifle sections (Martin and Pete), platoon HQ and AT gun (Diego) and a tank platoon (Russell). They all started the game fast asleep in the tents. 

As the first Brits arrived one of the Italian sections woke up and while fire was exchanged Caporale Pete ran around shouting, trying to wake his comrades. Soon the gun crew turned out and ran to their weapon. 

Here, while the gun crew set up - and turn the gun to face west - Tenente Diego appears to be running off!

Some of Russell’s chaps made it to their tiny tanks (the L3s are about 1/56 scale, the crews hard plastic 1/35). 

The Matilda (a 1/48 plastic kit) clanks on from the NW, accompanied by the sappers. 

Cpl Pete and his MG crew engage the sappers from the dubious cover of the as yet uncrewed M13 (1/43 die cast/plastic model) . The MG fire soon did for the commander of the Matilda!  

And overview. The Brit infantry are in the SW corner. 

The tankettes are crewed and eventually the engines fire up!

While Cpl Martin’s section sneaks south behind the wall, the AT gunners engage the Matilda which shoots back….

…and grinds forward.  AT gunnery was of course resolved with a nerf gun and a block of Oasis. My gunnery was as usual pretty terrible. 

By now the British sappers have placed a charge on the M13….

…so the heroic Cpl Pete dashes forward to grab it. Sadly he then perished in a hail of fire. It’ll look damn good in the film though!

Russell’s tankettes we’re now on the move and merrily machine gunning the Brits. 

In other armoured action, the Matilda rather unsportingly ran over a tent, crushingly brave Lt Diego and one of his riflemen. 

The Matilda ground forward and crushed the AT gun. And got stuck in the gun pit. By now the crew was aboard the M13 but having failed to start it they bailed out!

Under fire from Italian MGs and tankettes, Jerry decided to sneak off. 

And finally - a loud bang brought the M13. - and the game - to an end. A points win for the Brits but their infantry have skulked off and the tank is stuck.  A bloody little game, the only players whose figures survived were Martin and Jerry - a 71% casualty rate!

Thanks again to all of the players for indulging such nonsense!

Blowpipe teams

I painted these months ago but for some reason the photos weren't posted.  These are 1980s BAOR AAGW teams armed with 'Blowpipe'.  An expensive* combination of drainpipe and firework, Blowpipe seems not to have been a great operational success

The figures are GHQ, painted last year.  The Series Three Landrovers are Heroics & Ros models, painted c1983, making them real Cold War veterans!

(* in 1994 the unit cost per missile was USD55k, the firing unit USD94k)

Italian preparations for the 32nd Battle of the Isonzo - part 2

The Italians sought help for their French and British allies in their campaigns against the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Heavy artillery units were made particularly welcome. Here we see a British heavy howitzer preparing to support the coming assault. Rather ominously the crew are wearing gas masks.....

The gun is an old Britains diecast, the officer a hollow cast and the loader a Del Prado or similar metal figure. 

BAOR Mechanised Battalion

I churned out this Mech Btl - or most of one - a while back.  CinC FV432 and GHQ infantry.  I can steal the support elements from my Warrior mounted btl as I'm unlikely to be fielding them both at once.

More Brits for North Africa

I recently finished a second batch of 1/32 Brits for WW2 games in N.Africa. Like the first they are a mix of ancient Airfix, Matchbox and Timpo plastics. I’ve daubed them in my usual ‘toy soldier’ style, topped off with a coat of Ronseal light oak satin varnish.

 Senior officers look on in despair. 

 The earlier batch can be seen in action near Sollum here.

Basically better Buccaneer build - part 1

As an antidote to the ghastly Canberra I cracked open this elderly Matchbox Buccaneer, expecting it to be a rather higher quality kit.

I wasn't disappointed - the crisp moulding and fine parts fit was every bit as good as I remember from the late 1970s.  Not that I could ever afford this kit back then!  I never quite understood Matchbox's 'innovation' of moulding their kits in 2-3 colours but paint will cover the ensemble anyway.

Speaking of paint, that's next on the agenda.

Meteor strike

First out of the plastic pile from my recent purchase is this duo of Meteors. These required no repair work and all the decals were intact so the work involved was limited to varnishing over the decals.
The camouflaged specimen is - I believe - a FROG kit of the Mk8.  It's pretty basic but the lack of fripperies has probably helped it's survival.

I think this white version is the Airfix MkIII.  The the paint finish is certainly unusual, but given that snow is falling as I type this, it might be just the thing!

Landrover ramblings

My Little Cold Wars British forces have recently been tooled up with a new fleet of 1/43 scale Landrovers.  These are all Corgi diecasts - readily available and startlingly cheap on eBay.

Most of the Corgi LRs around are Series Two Long Wheel Base versions - as indeed were the ones I had when a lad.  I've also managed to pick up a few of the earlier Series One LWB, a couple of which still have their tinplate 'canvas' tilts.

Typically my new Landrovers looked like this on arrival.  Actually this is quite a smart model.  They arrived with anything between a full set and no tyres but happily replacements are cheaply available.

Where windows were intact I masked them with tape.

Green spray paint followed, then I hand painted on the black camo and added printed number plates.

Salad(in) Dressing*

As part of the seriously out of control arms race that is accompanying the development of Little Cold Wars I have acquired several Saladin armoured cars.

These models are the rather splendid Crescent die casts - complete with matchstick firing gun!  Such is the robustness of the models that in most cases the gun still functions.  According to my measurements they scale out at about 1/38.

So far I have painted this quartet - a base coat of green and an over spray of black for that full-on 1970s BAOR look.

More when I have finished them off.



* I know, I know.  But it was the best I could come up with on a Monday.