Tuesday, 1 July 2025

More KuK aircraft

Back in 1917, things just keep getting better for the lucky chaps of my kuk forces. These are diecast models with some plastic parts. I’ve tarted them up a little with A-H markings.

The Aviatik (right) was well regarded by its pilots, but the Hansa Brandenberg was apparently a real bag of spanners. Designed by one Ernst Heinkel. I wonder what became of him….



Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Austro-Hungarian MG team, 1917 style

 Another kuk MG team. The sand-coloured parts are from an ICM kit and the figures began life as….modern Chinese infantry!









Monday, 23 June 2025

Austro-Hungarian MG team, 1914 style

More bodging of Great War Austrians now. Hollowcast MG & gunner, plastic card shield, loader is an old Tamiya WW2 German AT crewman. Replacement heads by ScaleLink.








Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Gumbinnen 1914 (yet again!) with Op14

 


Last Friday, and clearly still on a Great War roll, Lloyd and Jerry joined me for a game.  As it was arranged at fairly short notice I dug out a battle I'd fought previously.  Several times. So where are we?
Fly low enough and you can read the road signs.  The game used 6mm toys on Hexon terrain, with 2mm BUAs.  And yes, I know that the aircraft are from later in the war.

The horrors of war!  Russian and German commanders study their briefings.

German air recce.  It only appeared twice in two days. Which was a sortie rate 100% higher than the Russians managed...

The Russian attack north of Gumbinnen running out of puff.

German cavalry division marauding about on their left flank.


German aviators chasing away Russian cavalry while the uhlans prepare to skewer some Russian infantry.

Close up of the uhlans and their cyclist jäger battalion.

As day two drew to a close, so too did the Russian offensive, one corps having left the field and a second soon to follow. The Germans had some nasty moments though, spending most of day one with only a single corps against three!  An very enjoyable game which interestingly produced a result very similar to the Funny Little Wars game played in 2023 - link.

I have several more Op14 scenarios worked out for Belgium and the east so expect to see more of this sort of thing in the coming months.