Command Magazine Issue 34: Death and Destruction and Issue 10: Alexandros

I was doing a lot of rummaging around in the loft and garage and came across my boxes of zip-lock games from XTR Corporation, aka Command Magazine. In their heyday they rivalled and IMHO surpasses Strategy and Tactics. I started looking through them in more detail and ruminating. I (for some reason now lost to me) had separated the magazines from the games in different boxes. Hence I naturally spent a whole afternoon "pairing" them back up. Alas there was a missing copy. I remember having a copy of issue # 34 "Death and Destruction/Gazala" but I had that sinking feeling Ihad leant it out (and although I later asked the person in question) it was never returned - I distinctly remember the Western Desert, Rommel and Gazala being the reason for the request. I had hoped that I had merely misplaced it but alas, by the end of the evening I could see no other place it could be (the "box search" had extended to 'all other corners' of the house. Sharing the burden with my friends is the closing sessions of Ramillies, they commiserated and advised wargames shows and online searches .. so I Googled and end up visiting SecondChanceGames (see below, and came up trumps with Issue#34):

Making a "good" out of a bad I also spotted what I think is arguably Command Magazine's best game "Alexandros" from Issue #10 (it runs neck and neck with Issue #14 Midway [double blind game of the classic battle]). This was one Command Magazine missing from my collection, although I had played with a friends copy and remember the bitter taste of Persian arrows felling my attempt at being Alexander (but it was a great game). As well as a (Macadonian biased) campaign system it had an innovative little tactical battle system which I plan to use with my collection of DBA armies (see below, it seems to be a fore-runner of Phil Sabin's, Lost Battles in gridding the battlefield area - one definitely to play again, whereas Death and Destruction is the "monster game" addition to Proud Monster, aka Barbarossa 1941):

Note: Although I cannot say that I would play "all" of the Command Magazine games, there are quite a few pearls in amongst them. They were heavily criticised towards the end re: play-testing but still retained great insights into the periods they covered. I am left with one remaining "mystery" in that I have the Command Magazine and one game from Issue #44 but the Sealion game is "missing". I have the awful feeling I have put this one "somewhere safe" as part of a project - but where? The searcj parties are still out looking ;)

Note to Self: Good Wargaming Blog Site "Phil B Ancients" - although it is a lot more than Ancients

https://philbancients.blogspot.com/

Especially like his Eastern Front Spearhead "Operational" Epic Game (or mini campaign in a day)

Panzer II Ausf A 1/72 Scale

They do not come more collectable than this, an original Panzer II Ausf A. The training vehicle the Germans went to war with and ended up in combat service until 1942; still being used on rear area policing duties in 1943 (see below): 

A beautiful fast build model, I would happily get another. Next stop the painting tray ;)

Soviet Infantry 28mm - MMG (Maxim) Team

My Stalingrad Soviets are in dire need of support, so production of Maxim MG Teams has been decreed a priority ... moving over to the painting table and my Black Tree Design metal reinforcements (see below, sitting in their Pringle top cubical waiting for their turn):

Detail done on the gunner and loader, now to do the maxim (see below):

Painted up and based (extra detail to follow). It did not make the Stalingrad play-test game as I was only given two support points and this cost three. Its time will come (see below, eyes focused ahead looking for German targets):

What about the snipers, mortars and anti-tank and infantry support guns I hear you ask? A letter to comrade Stalin is required!

Xmas Present Haul (Part 1) WW2 Soviet Infantry (Winter)

Egged on by a local club whose members are about to start a 28mm WWII Summer to Winter Stalingrad Campaign using the Chain of Command rule-set I hinted to my wife a nice new shiny box of toys might be needed. I dutifully walked away and "imagine my surprise" when Santa had left a special pressie (see below): 

It took me a (tortuous) while before I could "open to touch and assemble" them as I first had to assemble a "stand alone [but for how long will it be left standing?]" child basketball hoop and then configure a couple of mobile phones (the devil's toy!) not to mention helping look for (as in Search and Rescue mission) "lost Lego parts"!

They look really nice (he says as he yet again descends into WWII multi-scale madness), watch this space fpor a progress report or two in the near future ;)

Pegasus Hobbies: 1/72 WWII Black Sea Marines

These figures came from one of those "I MUST pick it up" moments, when you see a crazy model or set of figures that you know you will never, ever see again and will live to regret it if you put it back down. When you spy it on a model shop's shelf it cries out to you and you vow to "make" a use for it (see below, WWII Soviet Black Sea Marine Infantry):

Sevastopol or Stalingrad their time WILL come, but first I had to assemble them! Over two nights, armed with a sharp craft knife and a tube of super glue they slowly took form (see below):

Plenty of basic rifles (for the troopers to make up two squads), much needed LMG pairs (x4), enough SMG armed types for the NCO leaders, plus two heroically posed pistol wielding leaders makes for a "Chain of Command" platoon or detachment to add a bit 'blue' colour to the otherwise 'khaki' or 'white' Eastern Front. There is even an option to make two 81mm mortar teams, I just made one up as in "Chain of Command" it is an 'off table' element.

The painting will be bit of a challenge but "well worth it".

Watch the painting tray for further developments ;)

Plastic Soldier Company (PSC) Russian 45mm AT and Inf 76mm Gun

The Plastic Soldier Company 1/72 (20mm) model assembly line continues a pace. This Bank Holiday weekend has been spent 'toiling' in the garden with the family during the day and relaxing at night with a beer and a pile of models from the PSC (see below, beer is out of camera shot).

This little packet of Russian (small calibre guns) is a god send from PSC as they fill the little nooks and crannies of the Russian Infantry orbat that requires AT defence and direct/indirect infantry gun support (see the range of four below):   

The family lines of the German Pak 36 (37mm AT gun) can be clearly seen in the gun shield design (courtesy of that secret Russo-German mutual cooperation pact in the 1930's). See below:

• Left: The (long barrelled) 45mm M1942 AT gun - Note: This model fits in well with my Skytrex metal version of the same gun (but the PSC are a lot cheaper)
• Right: The 76mm M1943 Infantry Gun 

The 1941 Barbarossa invasion meant that teh Soviet AT hopes fell upon the M1937 45mm AT gun which was about on par for the needs against the German lighter armour of the time. It soon found itself in an evolutionary arms race against the PzIII  and PzIV (see below).

The crews look "cute" too but I will make a move on them when I deal with the PSC "Summer Infantry" and other boxes of Russian Infantry I have waiting lined up.

Plastic Soldier Company (PSC) T70 Light Tanks

I simply could not stop myself, there were too many seductive blog postings complementing the Plastic Soldier Company on their T70's, so I got a packet (see below): 

They are brilliant, the kit fits together like a dream, have cool tank crew members (turret commander and driver) giving three dramatically different versions for a lovely variety of poses. The assembly time was literally measured in minutes. One construction tip if/when you use the driver figure, 'trial' the turret carefully with it as you have to let the gun rest in a slightly elevated position to be able to traverse over the driver's hatch cleanly. I made a mistake on my first model but luckily I could easily switch turrets with another model.

;) 

They also fit it well with my existing two resin T70's from Britannia Miniatures [aka the ones already base-coated in Russian Green] (see below):

The above gives me in Command Decision/Spearhead terms a Battalion HQ tank and two light tank companies, a third light tank company can be made from two T60's (see below, Britannia Miniatures resin kits) I also have to make a full light tank battalion (1942/43/44). Alternatively it's a strong T70 troop for skirmish level "reconnaissance" games.

I just keep hoping that the Plastic Soldier Company keeps pumping out these kits. My wish list of future kits would be:

• (British version) M3 Honey .. why doesn't Revell release this old Matchbox kit?
• (US version) M5 Stuart (as in teh sloping armour upgrade of the M3)
• Cromwell (OK, there are a lot of them about now but I know they will make a nice job of it and would probably give a 95mm Centaur version as well)
• German Panzer 35t

In the meantime I intend to get more of their existing range, as I seem to be having something of a 20mm WWII Renaissance at the moment

Early war Panzer "Mediums": Panzer IV (Short Barrelled)

To be fair the Germans did not pretend to have any heavies in their early war order of battle (OoB). The Panzer battalion had its two companies of "lights" and one company of "medium" tanks. These latter ones were the short barrelled 75mm Panzer IV's designated as a specialist infantry support (or should I say Panzer Grenadier) role (see below):

These chaps are the classic Airfix kit made up in the early was Panzer Mk IV F1 variant.

These boys were painted "long, long ago" (note, still no decals on them) in the mid-1990's but seem to hold their paint jobs against my more recent stuff.

I still rate the Airfix kit as a classic and I have two kits made (see previous post) ready to paint and a third still in the box of the long barrelled mid-later version to complete (technically the Pz IV F2).

Strangely "as by means of necessity" this initial "infantry support tank" supplanted its cousin the Panzer Mk III in its various 'Ausf' up-gunned and up-armoured guises as the Main Battle Tank (MBT) of the German Army from 1943 onwards. This was down to the virtue of having  a bigger turret ring that could fit the long barrelled 75mm gun that was needed to combat the Soviet tanks (T34's and KVI's)  encountered on the Eastern Front. The poor old Pz III was stuck at the long barrelled 50mm having its 'Kursk swan song' and was finally turned into a "infantry support version" in its end-of-life Ausf N version.

Exciting stuff as I am nearing the end of the early war German Panzers. Next I better sort out mu Orders Of Battle and get them onto the table-top for a bit of Command Decision III action (he says dusting off my copy of the rules).

HaT ArmourFast Panzer III Ausf G: The Second One

The second HaT ArmourFast Panzer III Ausf G gets the same Tamiya XF-63 Panzer Grey (or after reading the label again I stand corrected it's actually German Grey) painting scheme. The fighting pair (see below):

As we are amongst friends we can pretend that the short 50mm is really a 37mm "Door Stopper" and drive across Poland (1939) and into France (1940) before entering Russia (1941-42):

Compared to the later war tanks the "length" of the barrel does not impress, but at least it can fire a decent enough HE charge to knock out infantry strong points (MG bunkers) and exposed anti-tank gunners.

Note to self: Painting recap Tamiya XF63 German Grey, with successive amounts of Tamiya NXF-53 Neutral Grey, leading to a final thin highlight on leading edges of XF-53 with a "touch" of Anita's Acrylic Cream to whiten it up.(As seen in the side-shot below):

Crying out for some decals and clutter, but that can come later!

HaT Panzer III Ausf G catwalk over, next stop the "medium company" of the early war Panzer Division's battalions ;)

The Panzer Grey Production Line Continues: The Panzer III Main Battle Tank

The previously broken (as in a snapped rear axle) 221 Armoured Car (which is an old Airfix conversion of mine) and a HaT ArmourFast Pz III Ausf G (with the short 50mm gun) appear on the painting table. To those in "the know", where you see one Pz III Ausf G from HaT you know there will be another because they sell them in packs of two. Seen from the front (see below):

Note: I am trying not to get distracted with painting the armoured cars just yet. The idea is to be painting 'all' the required German tanks for a Command Decision II/III early war (1939 to early 1942, when they were still just "grey") Panzer Battalion. Hence the 222's armoured cars I got out of the box because they were sitting next to the Pz I's and Pz II's in my previous posts have gone back into the box (sniff). The stuff on tyres can come later, tracks first. Seen from the back (see below):

The HaT model comes fairly clean (and is a "big" 1/72 rather than a small Matchbox 1/76) and begs to be cluttered with bric-a-brac picked up on campaign, individualisation shall we say. Jerry cans and bits of wood, as well as national flags are queuing up in the spares box but like the decals that will be done in a "battalion flurry" some dark winter night. A closer look at the Pz III Ausf G (seen below):

The HaT model sadly comes without a front machine gun sticking out of the RHS side, so that is another "spares box" request for yet another winter's night. meanwhile the 221 armoured car drives off into the distance (see below). It's nice to finish it but I do worry about a recurrence of the "broken axle" before too long. 

What I need to do to complete my "project" with the Pz III:

Pz III Orbats: 

• Poland (1939) I need just 'one' Pz III in a pure combat role (i.e. no command tank variants). The Germans were just so, so short of their expected Main Battle Tank (MBT), they were largely equipped with training vehicles. 
• France (1940) I need 'two' combat tanks and 'one' command tank (although I am tempted to use my little old Pz I Ausf B command tank, much to the displeasure of the proud battalion commander I am sure). The Germans were actually little better off in French Campaign from an indigenous MBT perspective. Luckily for them they had a good supply of stop-gap Czech (35T's and 38T's) to supplement their MBT stock.

(Note: Technically for 1939/40 they should be the Pz III Ausf E, with the even shorter 37mm AT gun, but for the time being it's a case of "close enough", at least it's not the long barrelled 50mm Italeri/Esci models)

• Russia (1941) This gets interesting, I need 'four' combat tanks and 'three' command tanks. The command tanks are 'one' battalion command tank and 'two' company command tanks (again what's wrong with using a Pz I Ausf B command tank for the battalion commander I ask you, it's only for show not combat after all?). The gun varieties become "diverse" too, the 37mm of the Ausf E is on the way out after its poor performance in France against the French and British heavy tanks. Therefore every Pz III from the Ausf F gets a 50mm short gun and the old Pz III E's (and below) are up-gunned in battlefield workshops. The tanks in the panzer battalions have a "mix" of types when they go into combat, but by Xmas 1942 everything is pretty much a 50mm short or special units are seeing the long 50mm appear to try and combat the T-34 tankers "tank fright".
• Russia (1942) The Pz III tanks that have their short 50mm guns are upgraded to long 50mm guns as soon as possible to stand a chance in combat against the T-34's and KV I's.

In Summary: The HaT Pz III Ausf G (see above) is a quick and easy build and paint. It also is the most inexpensive way to upgrade to a 1941 German Panzer Battalion Orbat without breaking the bank buying expensive metal and plastic kits. I am not too keen to be forking out lots of cash for expensive metal/plastic command tanks either (the radio/aerial assembly looks quite daunting too)!