More Rebs

Recently rolled of the production line is this unit of 1/32 scale Confederates.  These plastic figures are by are BMC - a manufacturer often derided for the poor detail on their figures.  I rather like them, however, as I favour a 'toy soldier' style finish and find some newer figures intimidatingly well detailed! I replaced the standard bearer's floppy pole (ooh-er missus!) with brass rod.  The flag is removeable so these chaps can serve other masters if required.  As usual they were based on 3x4cm pieces of mdf and finished off with a coat of Ronseal outdoor varnish.

Here at last!

I began building this Airfix bus - according to this earlier post - in May of this year.  A subsequent post reveals that the build didn't go at all smoothly!

Eventually though, I managed to finish the damned thing - and even painted some 'crew' figures so that it can act as an HQ during games.  I'm quite pleased with it now - but I must say again that it was a horrible thing to build.  Be warned!

Most of the figures are removeable.

Tidying up

As previously mentioned, I have been putting things straight following a period of domestic disruption caused by building and decorating work.  One of the items I had to move was this 200x80cm bookcase - one of IKEA's finest - which lives on the landing outside my toy room door.  Clearly I had to empty it first - which revealed just how much stuff it held!  Before I re-stocked it therefore, I decided to thin out the contents a bit and have it looking a bit neater than before.
It is now much tidier - but then it was pretty bad before.

The shelves hold mostly wargaming and modelling books.

The wargames books - the oldest acquired in the mid-'70s, the newest a couple of weeks ago.

I have a full set of these splendid little Airfix books.  They took many years to accumulate.

The lower shelves house various wargames rules, boxed games and these ring
 binders which contain various articles archived from magazines.

Boxing clever

The toy room was in a bad state for a few weeks as we've had some work done on the house.  This meant that all sorts of junk was piled in the toy room - restricting my ability to paint toys or even photograph stuff I'd already finished.
To celebrate, here is a photo of part of my recently uncovered wall of boxfiles.  These contain some of my 20mm Megablitz toys - specifically the French, Italians, Brits and some of the Germans and Soviets.

Zero progress

Well not quite zero.  I did manage to spray on some primer last weekend and apply the first of two coats of green yesterday.  The chances of getting it finished this month are looking slim though!

The Megablitz Archive - Messina - part 4

Here are the rest of my photos from the 2008 game.  Above is 2 South African Infantry Division getting stuck in to the Italians.

Blackshirt infantry with artillery support.

SA recce has a look at some Italian armour.

In the north, the US 'car park' is on the move.  The American attacks (in particular) were supported by lavish air and artillery assets.

10PD had this sPz Abt under command.

The HQ and staff of 10PD sticks close to their divisional (and corps) FLAK battalions.

10PD counterattacks 5 Indian Div,

The ever-popular Italian mobile brothel.  

One of several ex-Chris Kemp models on the tables.

The HQ of 10PD find that the front line has come to them!

Led by armour, the Brits break through the Italian minefields.

The Germans had flown in most of  5 FJR Div and the paras 

were busy settling in on the outskirts of Messina.

The US car park encounters some tougher opposition in the shape of 20 PzG Div.  

This had been shipped in earlier in the game.

Sweeping all before them the Americans arrive at Messina.  Gen. Patton's completely objective and unbiased report follows:

Megablitz Game report by Will Whyler (Playing General Patton)

 The Race for Messina – July 1943

Played on Sunday 16^th November 2008

Arrived to find I was allocated the role of General Patton commander of the 7^th US Army with orders to clear Sicily and Beat Monty to Messina.

Basically we had three infantry divisions one of which seemed to have more firepower than the other two and a very good armoured division the 9^th nicknamed “Crap on Tracks” renamed by my orders after this game “Kraut on Tracks”.

For some reason presumably to do with historical accuracy the umpire had placed the two weaker infantry divisions as our frontline.  Compression between mountains (Etna) and the coast meant that we could only field two divisions at any one time with the other two road marching behind.  My divisional commanders Chris Ager and Louis Blackwell settled down whilst I took control of the air force.  Mostly fighters and mostly flying in from Tunisia.

 Day one was largely spent marching to Catania which turned out to be heavily defended by two Italian divisions supported by the Italian air force which sneaked in when our fighters weren’t around.  After a few words with HQ standing fighter cover was the order of the day thereafter!  Attacks on the Italian positions went in as evening fell.

 The following morning having judged it too tricky to change the frontline troops whilst engaged a fresh attack destroyed the Italians completely!  Then it was on to Tobromina.  However as day fell on day two we closed with a strong German position in a narrow plain between the mountains and the sea.  This time we exchanged forces during the night withdrawing the infantry and putting in both the superior infantry division and 9^th Armoured.  On Day three they swiftly overwhelmed the Nazi position thereby getting 9^th Armoured their new nickname.

 After that it was a question of chasing the Germans back to Messina which fell to our forces whilst Monty was still a day’s march away

More from the Wg Cdr - part 2 - Flogger

Another GHQ 1/285 scale model recently finished by Wg Cdr Luddite is this splendid MIG-27 'Flogger-D' in Soviet Frontal Aviation colours.

More from the Wg Cdr - part 1 - Phantom

Our old chum Wg Cdr Luddite has sent me photos of some 1/285 scale GHQ aircraft he is working on as part of a commission.  First up we have an F-4 Phantom in what looks to me like 'Nam era markings and laden with under wing unpleasantness.

The Megablitz Archive - Messina - part 3

These photos are from the November 2008 version of the game.  All the toys are from my own collection - though some have a chequered history!

Italian 'armour' from the Sicily Mobile Group.  Scary eh?

Elements of 10 Panzer Division looking menacing.

German and Italian aviation assets happily co-habiting on a Sicilian airfield.  The tri-motored horror is my bodged Cant Z1008.

More Axis air.

Italian infantry defending the front line.

The same Italians (with German Nebelwerfer support) being attacked by the Americans.

Sneaking round the flank?  What a rotten trick!

Some of the Yanks had clearly been foraging.  I bought these figures already painted at a show some years ago but I've no idea who the maker is.

The Italians reinforce the front line.

German troops of PanzerGrenadier Division 'Sicily' head to the front 

on the north coast.  What could go wrong?

Gott in Himmel!  US bombers darken the sky.

The Americans break into the Italian position.

Chaos ensues!

The PanzerGrenadiers prepare for action, thankful that they brought along all those flak guns.

More toy porn in the final part of this report - coming soon!

The Megablitz Archive - Messina part 2

Moving on, we have the Brirtish and US briefings.  Note the constraints on the numbers of formations which can be committed to action at any given time.  The game requires a minimum of 4 players (1 US, 1 Brit and 2 Axis) and an umpire but the ideal is at least 3 Americans, 3 Brits and 4 Axis players, together with an umpire and possibly even an air umpire.

British Briefing    July 23^rd 1943

Indian and South African divisions advance.

Following our successful landings nearly two weeks ago, significant progress has been made in pushing back Axis forces on Sicily. However, enemy forces remain strong and there is a chance of their being reinforced by troops from the mainland. It is therefor imperative that a decisive defeat be inflicted on the enemy before additional troops arrive. It is also likely that the enemy will shortly begin to evacuate his forces from the island. It need hardly be pointed out that the more we can destroy or capture here and now, the less we will have to face when the invasion of the Italian mainland is finally undertaken.

             Due to constraints of supply and terrain, it is only possible to commit two divisions to action in any given day, although sufficient fuel should be available for other units to conduct road marches.

             Finally, there is talk among the troops that we are engaged in a ‘Race to Messina’ with our American Allies. This is (officially) emphatically NOT the case!

Game duration – up to eight days

  

8^th Army Order of Battle

 5 Indian Division

2 South African Division

15 (Scottish) Division

50 Division

2x Armoured Brigades

3x Medium Art Rgts

RAF assets 

1 Fighter (Spitfire) - Based at close airfield.

2 Fighter/Bombers (Kittyhawk/Hurricane) - Based at close airfield.

 1 Medium Bomber (Marauder) - Based at distant airfield.

  

US 7^th Army 

3 Infantry Divisions

1 Armoured Division

  

Intelligence Report on Axis Forces

 3½ Italian Divisions

2 Panzer Divisions

various Flak and artillery units

US Briefing     July 23^rd 1943

A US Infantry division preparing to attack.

Following our successful landings nearly two weeks ago, we have kicked some ass among the Axis forces on Sicily. However, enemy forces remain strong and there is a chance of their being reinforced by troops from the mainland. It is therefor crucial that we cripple the enemy before additional troops arrive. It is also likely that the enemy will shortly begin to evacuate his forces from the island. It need hardly be pointed out that the more we can destroy or capture here and now, the less we will have to face when the invasion of the Italian mainland is finally undertaken.

             Due to constraints of supply and terrain, it is only possible to commit two divisions to action in any given day, although sufficient fuel should be available for other units to conduct road marches.

             Finally, there is talk among the troops that we are engaged in a ‘Race to Messina’ with our British Allies. This is (officially) emphatically NOT the case!

(But hey, what the hell…..)

  

Game duration – up to eight days

  

US 7^th Army 

36 Infantry Division

75 Infantry Division

85 Infantry Division

9 Armoured Division ‘Crap on Tracks’

17 Field Art Btl (155mm)

77 Field Art Btl (155mm)

Air Assets 

Fighter - P-51B – close airfield

Recce – Spitfire – close airfield

Fighter – P-38 – distant airfield

Fighter – P-38 – distant airfield

Bomber – B-24 – distant airfield

  

8^th Army Order of Battle 

4 Divisions

2 Armoured Brigades

  

Intelligence Report on Axis Forces 

3½ Italian Divisions

2 Panzer Divisions

various Flak and artillery units

The Megablitz Archive - Messina part 1

The Race for Messina - July 1943.  This scenario has been played a couple of times - both at Newark - in 2000 and 2008.  For this post we have the map and the Axis briefing.

Axis Briefing                             July 23^rd, 1943

Allied forces landed on this outpost of Festung Europa on July 10^th, and despite a number of successful counter-attacks, our forces have slowly being pushed back.

It is expected that the Italian 6^th Army can hold Sicily for at least another eight days, in order that the evacuation of personnel and equipment may proceed in an orderly manner.

From day two, Axis forces may ‘evacuate’ D6 stands per game turn from Messina.  Any units remaining on Sicily when Allied forces take Messina are lost.

6th Army

Italians:

54 Napoli Infantry Division (represented in the game by 102 Trento Div)

28 Aosta ID (represented in the game by 60 Sabratha Div)

4 Livorno ID (represented in the game by Blackshirt Div)

Mobile Group ‘Sicily’ (a brigade sized formation)

Germans

10 Panzer Division

PanzerGrenadier Division ‘Sicily’ (represented by 164 ‘Afrika’ Div)

Flak Regiments 4, 7, 48

Artillery Rgt 54 (105mm guns)

Werfer Rgt 53

plus HQ troops and rear echelon transport elements.

Available in Italy

 5 Fallschirmjager Division (-)

(this unit may be airlifted to Sicily – a limited lift capacity is available – 1 Regt may fly in per day)

 20 Panzergrenadier Div – may arrive in Messina – each day roll 1D6 per stand – arrives on a 5 or 6, lost on a 1.  

Note that there can be no evacuations on days when 20 PzG is arriving.

Air assets

 1 MC-202

1 Cant Z-1008

1 Ju-87

1 Bf-109F

 All based at close airfields (near Messina).  There is sufficient fuel for only 6 sorties in total.

Report on enemy forces

British 8^th Army – advancing from south of Catania

4x Infantry Divisions, 2x Tank Brigades

US 7^th Army – advancing from west of Troina

3x Infantry Divisions, 1x Armoured Division

The 2013 Birmingham Toy Soldier Show

On Sunday I visited the Birmingham Toy Soldier Show. The drive down was more tedious than usual due to poor weather and a lot of shockingly bad (even for a Sunday) driving.  But sadly I suspect that the idiots who were hogging the middle lane of the M1 still don't realise that they delayed that ambulance...  Anyway, enough of that.

At the show - which my satnav and I found easily enough - I met up with Len Cooksey of Ivanhoe who was as usual, soon extracting money from me.  He had emailed me previously to say that he had some new Barszo fortress guns so I was already in a weakened state!

They are nice though - I felt that I showed commendable restraint by only buying two.  And Two six-figure crew packs....  The guns - selected from at least four different types - are a Colombiad (nearest) and an Armstrong.

 A top view of the Armstrong.  Both were assembled straight out of the bags in about ten minutes.

Next to Len's stand was one run my my old friends John Curry (he of the History of Wargaming Project) and his brother Mike.  I also ran into that shadowy fellow blogger known only as The Dancing Cake Tin.

 

One of the bigger (in every sense) bargains of the day was this BMC playset.  It includes two buildings and a load of figures and guns.  The figures aren't the greatest but I have a lot of them already and rather like their basic level of detail as it is readily matched by my basic painting!  Anyway, for £25 who's complaining?

As usual, a careful peruse of the various trade stands yielded a few gems.  These Britains Royal Marine bandsmen have been the victims of a manufacturing fault in that their faces are only half painted.  At a little under £1 a figure I won't mind dabbing on some paint!  I'm sure you'll forgive the hastily posed photo.

And now to my favourite figures of the day.  These are Starlux plastics and represent the navy of their native France.  I think they are just delightful.