Command Decision IV - Test of Battle (To Be or Not To Be the ONE? That is the question!). First looking back at CD1.

For some thirty years I have been searching the hobby game stores for THE WWII "land war rule set" that will be the saviour, or rather my excuse for, buying my 20mm (and 1/200) wargaming collections (now 15mm, 10mm and 6mm need also to be included). Like a little lost soul seeking love and attention I yearn for the "perfect enough" set of rules to make me happy. In this quest "Command Decision I, II, III and finally IV (Test of Battle)" have been acquired - as has been the likes of Spearhead and Crossfire. Alas the bonfire does not burn as well as I expected - although I always thought Command Decision was almost right and crossing the Rubicon (its morale and its orders for command decisions, hence the name). Nevertheless the 20mm collection grows steadily bigger with each passing year, but few games have really been played on the sacred table top (see below, what the collective from Board Game Geek thought of CD1):  

Piquing my interest in WW2 land war recently were these posts: 

• https://sgtsteiner.blogspot.com/2023/04/test-of-battle-lindern-1944-scenario.html
• https://sgtsteiner.blogspot.com/2023/04/test-of-battle-test-game.html

Has Sgt Steiner succeeded where I have failed for all these years? In fairness teh games get rated better with each edition (see below, V2, V3 and V4 ratings - so Frank Chadwick must have been onto something I think): 

For my own consumption I revisited the large stack of Command Decision boxes I have, containing therein the sacred rules and decided to do a play-test, actually going back to CD 1 (fondly remembering the day I discovered it lurking on the shelves of the Aberdeen Virgin Store, in the Games Section alongside boxes of Computer Games, thinking "now this looks interesting", as I thought then and still think so now).  

So I took CD1 out for a stroll, to show two of my wargaming allies some 1941 Barbarossa action near Kiev. I chose a 3:1 odds battle of a Veteran German Motorised Battalion from a Panzer Division versus a Green Soviet Infantry Battalion defending a couple of hills in front of a town, a real slap in the face job, but "only" using the organic German and Russian battalion weaponry. A full strength German Panzer Grenadier Battalion is easy 3:1 in advantage over a weakened Soviet Infantry Battalion. I thought he morale extremes should make it a relatively quick battle, just to learn the rules again (I expected the Russian force to melt, as it did). Rather than player versus player, as it was a very static Russian defence (one command order) and an active German (our command orders) there was much more discussion about what the Germans could and could not do.

Most of the issues on the day really stemmed from the difference between reading the rules and getting the gist, then playing a game and finding the reference to the right rule quickly when simultaneously explaining it to two other wargamers (there were too many pauses but my friends were patient). The game (IMHO) played well though, the order system was very representative of the capabilities of WWII forces although it played slower than the accepted 1:1 timeline [game time v real battlefield time] in the Designers Notes (something which I always though should be quicker in CD .. later versions simplified mechanics and tried to streamline .. maybe just a case of familiarity). I think I still need to convince my compatriots though, one a die-hard convicted "Avalon Hill Panzer Blitz rules in miniatures is the way forward", the other likes to see a few examples before making his mind up. Which is all fair enough.

I smile though as I thought it worked and I will tell you why, because the German plan was worked through the CD1 Order System, not as an after thought. No such thing exists in Panzer Blitz and many other rule sets. Two dismounted (that is from trucks) German infantry companies went forward supported by their own "company organic but dropped off" MG Platoons and the well-sited MGs/Mtr of the Weapons Company which punished the Russian defenders. The armoured half-track company was kept in reserve. For simplicity I had the defender's positions already spotted (assuming the Panzer Recon and Veteran Infantry Patrol had doe their job well the night before). A quick full advance and a cautious cautious advance allowed the Germans to fire in the General Phase. This melted away the Russian defenders on the two hills, causing as expected an adverse morale effect for the third Russian company, in the town with battalion commander and a infantry weapon stand (they hunkered down - pinned). One German company however stalled with a bad morale roll (in fairness it took the brunt of the Russian fire). The German reserve was released by their battalion commander while the battered German company regrouped. With over whelming effective fire power the Germans reduced the defenders and their morale broke on turn four, the only survivor - the Russian indirect mortar platoon - decided discretion was the better part of valour and legged it. To me it had an authentic feel to it. Like anything after playing the rules once (especially after so many years) re-reading the rules again ironed out a few queries. Introducing spotting is the next key, as bumping into stuff you have not spotted and dropping indirect on stuff you have spotted is another tactical feature of the CD system I liked! 

PS1: Apologies for forgetting to take pictures of the battle!

PS2: Most significant features I had forgotten about was extreme range for infantry was double normal effective range - which makes life  little more dangerous. 

OK Yes More 15mm Panzers (and Armoured Cars) and some PSC Shermans

Please don't judge me. Another massive Ferdinand? I now have a pair and so will have to fight Kursk (?), makes sense to me; plus these little German 222 Armoured Car 'runarounds' plus a friend to go alongside my other Russian BA-10 armoured car (see below, note the 222's caused me the first bit of real heartache I have experienced with Zvezda kits - some filler will be required before I paint one of them):

Then I decided to make up a bog standard box of 15mm PSC Shermans I had hidden away in the loft (see below, I fell love with them, blame "Fury" which I already have made from the US 'long barrelled' PSC box):

They come in "fives" so I made three up as British - well apart from the one with the British Commander they could be US as well (see below, "30 XXX" style going to Arnhem [without Fireflies]):

An experimental US one (see below, with side-skirts and US Commander):

The a 105mm Infantry Support model (see below, suitable for US or British use):

I am thinking the Fury "Shermans v Tiger" engagement - which means I should really make up a German Tiger I. The premise of all this is still "What a Tanker" but I could be brought into an experimental game of Flames of War (Don't Judge me) or be useful for CrossFire (but that is mainly infantry and all these tanks would be overkill methinks).

Fathers Day Book Present: D-Day "Then and Now" (Vol.1)

One of the great things about this strange old hobby is that one thing leads to another in a leteral fashion. It's more of a network than a linear path. So the CrossFire game leads to a Pegasus Bridge scenario which leads me to go back pick up and read an old Ambrose book of the same name that had been lurking on my shelves for what seems to have been a decade (literally). Which makes for an enjoyable read (see below).

My one comment is that it seems to be of great insight from an Allied perspective but is more of a 'best guess/speculative" on the German OoB, heavily influenced methinks by Von Luck's memoirs IMHO (coincidently another book I have on my shelf but unusually already across in the "read section" and I returned to read the D-Day section again).

So the connection back to Father's Day in the title came from is a self-requested present "along the D-Day theme" that got readily agreed by the 'household commissariat' as my perfect Father's Day "hobby" gift which distracted me while the kids ate all my chocolate Celebrations (I kid you not).

 ;)

Seeing as I already have the D-Day part 2 book, I can now boast have the complete set ready for more CrossFire scenario redaction :)

"69th Anniversary of D-Day": CrossFire Game (Pegasus Bridge Scenario) : Part II

The "Bitter-Sweet" Action at the crossroads: 

The German infantry company pushes towards the British Paratrooper held crossroads with renewed vigour. British reactive fire stops them in their tracks and the initiative passes. The British defensive fire is telling.

Soon the battlefield is in a state of utter and complete chaos: 

• There is a pinned Germans Squad and Platoon Leader out in the Street (from the German "Orange" Platoon)
• There are pinned German Squads on "their" baseline (the German "Yellow" Platoon, see below and the "hand of god")
• But there are attacking Germans Squads intent on storming a house containing a squad from British Para "Orange" Platoon (the attackers being from the German "Blue" Platoon)
• Meanwhile the supporting German MG Platoon and Company Commander are intent on establishing a "fire base" tosuppress British Para "Orange" Platoon (consisting of Two British Para Squads and their Platoon Commander the other side of the crossroads) 

The vicious hand-to-hand fighting is shown below:

A "desperate" close combat dice roll is called for, argh the tension (this is what I like and hate about CrossFire) as it is seat of the pants stuff.  

The British Paras 'win' the house-to-house combat (their Veteran Status helped - in "real life" the Paras had trained, courtesy of Major Howard's foresight and planning, in bombed out areas of the UK> As a result on D-Day they were far "too tough" for the standard of German infantry they met that day [fortress troops]). In CrossFire close combat it is "winner take all" so effectively scratch another German Platoon from the orbat (German "Blue" Platoon goes down).

On the German next initiative their "Yellow" Platoon successfully rallies and German Armour appears. This is the British Paratroopers worst nightmare, an AFV, albeit a Marder I (not the Pz IV as per Ambrose's account) but it is still armour. The German "Yellow" Platoon now attacks the "Orange" Para squad "again"!The house-to-house fighting goes to the Germans this time and the first British Unit is eliminated. A concerned look from Major Howard as a "house" falls into enemy hands (see below [middle right], note it needs three more lost in CrossFire before the British reinforcements get triggered).

Major Howard does certainly not like the look of this development. The Germans have the potential infiltrate straight to the river and endanger the 'hard won' bridgehead. He chooses to send two squads and a platoon leader from his "counter-attack" force [Blue Platoon] to take back the house before the Germans can establish devastating fire lanes

The "Blue" Paratroopers show their zeal and élan and storm the building, wiping out the German "Yellow" Platoon. The German infantry are now just a few 'leftover stragglers' from the infantry platoons and the as yet deploying MG & Company HQ Platoons. However the Marder I is "an issue" as it is slap bang outside the newly won back house and about to train its dirty great big main armament on it (like shooting fish in a barrel). The Paratroopers have no PIAT either so ranged fire is out of the question, so desperate times demand desperate measures and the "Blue Para" Platoon Leader takes one squad to close assault the "Beast" (see beklow).

But ... the German AFV MG and main armament evaporate the attack before it even starts. Major Howard back at his command post hears the devastating "crump" of the 755mm cannon and surmises the worst.

The German MG "fire base" starts taking its toll (pinning) on the British Para Orange squad at the crossroads. The British position again looks tenuous as more German reinforcements are expected at any moment. When the initiative passes back to the Paras Major Howard takes personal command of the remaining "Blue Squad" and counter attacks leading from the front. The attack is devastating (I seem to be using that word a lot).

This time the British Para squads takes out the Marder I and the 'dribs and drabs' of the three German infantry platoons that were scattered, pinned and leaderless near the "close combat house of death" (see below). Major Howard also spots the opportunity to use a blind spot and take out one of the two MG's before it can seal off the road crossing As an "added bonus" the close combat takes out the German Company commander too. That leaves only an MG and the Mortar spotter (yet to come on table) "left in play" for the Germans.  

The British right flank is deemed safe but the Germans appear with new troops on the far left of the table. It turns out to be another German Infantry Company (this time 'Green', as in poorly trained) but without its heavy weapons (sigh of relief from Major Howard). In the ensuing fire-fight one of the three German Platoon is pinned and suppressed in the open. The two other German platoons are hunkering far back in ruined buildings. At this point it is deemed that the remaining German infantry lack the "umpf" and "willpower" to be able to make an impression on the bridgehead.

Historical Footnote(s):

As the first British Paratrooper reinforcements from 7th Paratrooper Battalion troop across the bridge, Lt Richard Todd makes an appearance (yes the later world famous actor was a D-Day British Paratrooper). In the classic film "The Longest Day" he plays the role of Major Howard, but interestingly there is one scene in the film where he finds himself (as Major Howard) talking to a junior British officer who (as he remembered it) would have been himself (then as Lt Todd of the 7th Para Battalion) linking up with the Ox and Bucks as they pushed on through Benouville to 'expand the bridgehead'. It would be several long hours later (at about 13:00'ish) before the bagpipes of Lord Lovat's Royal Marine Commandos were heard advancing with friendly Churchill armour in support (a sight for very, very sore British eyes).   

"69th Anniversary of D-Day": CrossFire Game (Pegasus Bridge Scenario) : Part I

On the night of the 6th June 2013 along with some other friends I played a D-Day scenario based on the remarkable historical events of the Pegasus Bridge "coup de main" operation exactly sixty nine years ago. The historical battle started "just to say" past midnight and in the very, very early hours of D-Day the 6th June 1944. Spearhead elements of the invasion were already in contact with the enemy (pathfinders and specialist teams) but this was the first 'full' Allied company (as per its order of battle) engaged in action with the enemy on D-Day. Their mission was to take two bridges, one across the Orne River (Ranville River Bridge) and the other across Canal de Caen (then Benouville, now Pegasus, Bridge) and "hold until relieved" by the leading seaborne forces, specifically Lord Lovat's Royal Marine Commandos from Sword Beach. The whole of the 6th Airborne Division would be landing to their rear (east of the rivers), the trouble was expected from the west. Why was this so important? Well these bridges were "route 1" for the 21st Panzer Division to the invasion beaches and "IT" (21st PZ Div) was the biggest threat to the left flank of the whole invasion.

Scenario:

Five British glider platoons from the 6th Airborne have landed after a spectacular feat of flying (carrying the 1st Company [reinforced from the usual four platoon to six for this operation] Ox and Bucks air landing infantry) under the command of Major John Howard (the sixth glider landed elsewhere and did not take part in the battle). The paratroopers (or rather air landing infantry, but they are equipped the same) have already taken the two bridges driving off the German bridge garrison and are now preparing themselves for the inevitable German 'counter-attack. Four British "Para" platoons are on the western 'bridge-head' table with the fifth platoon guarding the Ranville River Bridge until relieved by troops from the 6th Airborne (so it will eventually be available as a reinforcement).

The Orne river is at the bottom of the table (and is the British baseline) and the Para defensive line runs behind the mid-table line running right to left (see below):   

As "John Howard" (no pressure then!) I deployed three platoons forward, holding one back in reserve (but in play) at the buildings covering the bridge entrance (see above, one of which is probably the Gondree cafe). On the downside I have NO ranged anti-tank capability. That means the only way I can take an AFV out is by a rather risky close assault with a Gammon bomb!

The set-up situation is viewed looking down the front line of the road (Note: No Germans are 'as yet' on table), see below: 

One platoon covers each crossroads and the third front-line platoon covers the slanted road at the top of the picture (see above).

The Company HQ is set up in the Gondree Cafe supported by the reserve platoon. This is my "Alamo" position and my only 'immediate' counter attack force until the fifth platoon is released (see below, note all the kit is 15mm): 

The British Paratroopers didn't have long to wait for the Germans to arrive from a rather unexpected direction, the right had side of the road, "boldly" marching down the road! (see below).

The Red Devils ambushed the column, taking out three whole squads and trapping the platoon leader in a very "tight place" in the middle of the road (devastating CrossFire "ambush" fire). A spectacular start for the British but the bad news was that the Germans now knew where the Paratroopers were and the rest of the German Infantry Company could deploy out of their march formation.

The next German initiative was bound to bring more fresh troops and possibly armour on table (the umpire specifically stated at this point the distinctive "clank of tracks" could be heard, as we were not expecting Allied armour for another eleven hours we knew 'whose' armour this would be)!

My First CrossFire Game: Opteroon Crossroads (Part IV)

The Umpire's narrative moves on to its final instalment ...

The German Player:  

Klien was nominally the officer of Rhomer's platoon. Only 19 years old, he had not seen combat before, and was envious of the way the other troops respected and deferred to the grizzled sergeant. He had been terrified when the Sherman had appeared, but the Pak guns success, and Rhomer's bold individual counter attack spurred him forward. He would show everyone he was a combat soldier too! Gathering the remaining squads of the platoon he followed his sergeants route around the flank of the Ami positions. He saw a US officer stumble out of a building to be cut down by MG fire. Now was his chance - he ordered Rhomer to hold his position and boldly charged the remaining US position with his other two squads. Rhomer shouted a warning, but the young officer either couldn't hear him, or chose not to (see below).

The US Player: 

The US 2nd Platoon hadn't all been wiped out in the initial failed assault. Corporal Myers and his squad had been ordered to support the other squads by fire. They had watched with horror as the platoon was first pinned then killed by HMG fire before they reached their objective. The survivors were in poor shape, but there was still fight in them yet. As the Germans rushed into their building the squad held their fire until the last moment, then came the whirlwind of automatic fire, grenades and hand to hand combat with rifle buts, bayonets, knives and teeth. Miers watched as though in slow motion the young German officers face looked puzzled, not understanding why there was a US bayonet in his stomach. Myers fired, the shock of the bullet helping clear the body from his M1, then looked around. There were dead and dying Germans everywhere, but the three men left in his squad still held the building (see above).

The German Player:

Lange saw the assault, and closed his eyes in despair. What a waste, charging in like that. Two squads lost in a brave but foolish charge (see above). 

The US Player:

Myers saw the Germans massing again for another assault, this time through the adjacent building. He realised his men didn't have the strength to hold. Grimly he reloaded his rifle, then lit a last cigarette to share with his men, and waited (see above).

The German Player:

Rhomer saw Lange lead the reserve platoon into the occupied building. Lange did it right, infiltrating through the ruin next door, then there was a sharp series of explosions, stick grenades being thrown, and a flurry of shots. Moments later Lange appeared, and gave the "all clear" signal. 

Silence returned to Opteroon, broken only by the crackling sound of the burning Sherman tank at the crossroads.

Game over and a deep breath, I had never played such a roller coaster of a WW2 game before. I was amazed at the chaotic experience the CrossFire initiative passing delivered. The intensity of the experience where a single mistake can brutally expose disaster to  "force" (and not by just rolling a "ten" on the dice) was very chastening.

Note: I cannot wait for CrossFire game No.2

My First CrossFire Game: Opteroon Crossroads (Part III)

The Umpire's narrative continues ...

The German Player:
Sgt Rhomer was a veteran of the East Front. Seizing the initiative he worked his way around the left of the village. Cautiously he infiltrated around the rear of 1st Platoon HMG position, then launched a vicious close assault, clearing the building. Seeing his success, the remainder of his platoon rapidly followed him.

The US Player:
Stott realised his position was being flanked, but with First platoon pinned in a firefight and Second now non operational he only had Third platoon available. He tried to pull them back to redeploy but they were pinned by accurate rifle fire.          

Both commanders were interested in the same building, seeing it as the linchpin of the contest (see below):

Stott realised he had to lead by example. He rushed to 1st platoon, who were suffering from accurate mortar and HMG fire, and tried to rally them. If he could restore order, at least they had a chance. The men rallied, but at that moment a devastating salvo of 8cm mortar bombs crashed into the position, wiping out much of 1st Platoon. Stott staggered from the position, stunned, not realising he was in view of the flanking German MG42....................

Meanwhile the US troops on the right flank (US)wondered what the hell was going on past the still burning Sherman that had been supposed to be supporting them (see below, their inactivity was a result of the CrossFire initiative passing system):
 

The German assault was so successful because they had infiltrated the rear of the US position. The first target was the 30 calibre MG position that was causing the German central position so much "suppressive' problems.

Rhomer pressed on to the rear on the next American building containing a suppressed American infantry stand (see below):

The rest of the Rhomer's platoon followed into the breach and established a firing line into the rear of the American company commanders position in the protected lee of a building, but the protection was facing the wrong way and the US troops were caught naked in the "open". Three three full infantry squads and an attached MG42 blazed away (see below): 

Two thirds of the American "order of battle" (two platoons plus the supporting armour asset) had now been destroyed. Only one 'reduced' US platoon remained on the board, hunkered down in their "last" strong point waiting the inevitable German assault.

Next: Closing Time

My First CrossFire Game: Opteroon Crossroads (Part II)

The CrossFire 'unique' initiative passing sequence of play now comes into its own. The Umpire's narrative (in orange) continues ...

Lange saw with horror the Pak crew driven from their gun. Unless he got them back into action the Ami tank would blast his troops out of their positions. Lange quickly ran to the gun, and shouting and kicking got the frightened gunners back to their gun. Taking careful aim the Pak fired at the Sherman, and the crew cheered to see it burst into flames. 

The nasty Sherman with its 105mm HE (anti-infantry) rounds is no more (see below):

Back in the building the young recruits scrambled back to the windows as the US infantry closed to assault. In a brief flurry of fire they managed to pin the Ami's down between the two buildings (see below):

The US "Tank Commander's" T-Shirt (Always look on the Bright Side) seems somewhat ironic considering the state of his Sherman Tank (see below):  

Then the left flank MG42 swivelled and opened fire on the pinned platoon, and the German mortar also joined in (see below):

A close-up of the Grim Reapers, always respect the MG42, especially when it is on its tripod mounting and you are in its arc of fire (see below): 

  
The pinned platoon was wiped out

A fire-fight developed between the US and Germans in opposite buildings. Stott moved up to try to assist 1st platoon (see below):

So far it was turning out to be a rather unforgiving game when you made a mistake as shown by twenty dead GI's caught in that murderous cross-fire between the MG42, two German squads rifle fire and a barrage of 81mm mortar fire. Once your fingers are caught in the vice there is no way out. I enjoyed the "lack of" measurement as IMHO it assisted game play no end.

Next: The Germans Counter-Attack
Exploit the enemy strength as his weakness
         

My First Game of CrossFire: 1944 US (attack) versus Germans (defend) Opteroon Crossroads (Part I)

CrossFire and me, the background:
I had been waiting for this moment for about ten years. The copy of CrossFire had lain dormant for that time half read (a couple of false starts) but with 'no other interested parties to play with' it seemed an exercise in futility in getting 'half into' yet another rule system (despite intriguing comments passed on to me through various sources of its novel style of play). I had played an enjoyed Spearhead (an above battalion and Divisional and below 'level' of game [typically using 1/200 and 1/3000 toys]) by the same author, so CrossFire seemed to hold great potential to me (from platoon up to battalion level) for a 'practical' use of my collection of WWII 20mm kit (originally gathered together for Command Decision but after much soul searching I came to the conclusion I did not like the aesthetics of the ground scale, in extreme cases of AFV combat you could get a Tiger tank touching a Sherman "barrel-to-barrel" resolving fire combat, but to me it looked like "ramming" combat). So it came to pass, when of an offer of a game came to me by email I decided to "jump in and fill my boots".

Chosen randomly (the coin came up heads) I played the German (Americans attacking top down to the bottom of most of the photographs, eagle-eyed readers will see the line of barbed wire and minefield [strung across the road]) that denotes the German front line. Continuing with the Umpire's narrative ............

Somewhere on the Belgian border, November 1944
 
The US Briefing

"The shelled out village of Opteroon is wreathed in winter morning mist. Lt Stott of C Company, 334th US Infantry looked carefully at the village, noting the belts of wire separating his forward positions from the unseen enemy. Stott had been ordered to make a Company attack on the village. He had a Sherman tank in support. Last week a platoon from B Company had been overrun by a Tiger tank, and the concerns about German armour meant he had brought extra Bazooka's "just in case"

Stott deployed with all three platoons on the line. His plan was for Third Platoon to hold his left, while First and Second platoon assaulted the large building in the centre of the village. Everything in place, he gave the signal for the Company mortar to begin laying smoke........"

The "Yank Tank" M4A1 (105mm) Sherman (see below) makes a statement, being brought up to support the US infantry attack in the centre of the village (the heart of German defence, the very crossroad itself, a very bold move).

The German briefing: 

"Lt Lange of 2 Kompanie 2nd Battalion 351st Grenadier Regt wished he could stay warm. He was tasked with holding Opteroon crossroads. He had a Company of Volksgrenadiers, with two more platoons of Volksgrenadiers in reserve. He also had a pair of MG42s and his company mortar, plus a single Pak 40 anti tank gun. He was worried about enemy tanks as his men had no other anti tank weapons. His troops were a mix of young boys and old men, stiffened by a cadre of veteran NCOs. He had deployed one platoon in the large building in the centre of the village, a second in the woods on the right, and his third in reserve at the rear left. He had his Pak40 emplaced in a wrecked house which covered the crossroads, one MG was positioned in a building covering the flank and rear of the central building, the second in a house covering the left flank. "

He set his HQ up in a building to the rear. (Ed's note: I didn't say I was going to be brave)

The Germans possessed only one weapon capable of taking a Sherman on at distance, the venerated Pak 40 75mm Anti-Tank gun. In gunfighter style it faced down the Sherman (see below).

2Stotts mortar fire woke everyone. The Sherman advanced up the road, covered by the smokescreen. First platoon opened suppressive fire on the large building.

The Pak crew manhandled the gun around to cover the approaching Sherman, but the Sherman fired first, and sent the gunners diving for cover. The Sherman then switched to fire on the large building, suppressing some of the defenders. Second platoon broke cover and charged towards the building, and then it went wrong........ "

The panoramic view of the battlefield. From this angle the Americans are attacking left to right, the dividing line going down the slightly left of centre of the village, behind the line of barbed wire and mines (see above). The Sherman tank can be seen top left driving down the road (see above).

Note: All the above kit is 15mm from the Umpire and American players vast collection

Next: All Hell Breaks Loose
The CrossFire initiative sequence of play comes into its own

Painting Tray Update: Highlights Applied to Panzer I's

Following the base coat the Panzer I's get the highlight treatment:

• Tamiya Dark Green (XF-61) mixed with Games Workshop Sunburst Yellow for the SCW Breda Pz I
• Tamiya German Panzer Grey (XF-63) mixed with Tamiya Neutral Grey (XF-53) for the German WWII variant

For the tracks Anita's Acrylic "Metallic Black" then highlighted with a dab of Games Workshop Mithril Silver, probably darkened to a shade of Game Workshops "Boltgun" if truth be told. The SCW duo got the same metallic paint combination for their exhausts, but for the German machine I followed my Panzer Colours 1/2/3 books which depicts the early war German Panzer as having brown rust exhausts:    

I quite like the effect as they blend into the background (see above and below):

This does mean I will have to think about painting some of my 20mm Irregular Miniatures SCW figures, for a "skirmish"level game. I was thinking of CrossFire as an appropriate set of rules to use.

Seen from the rear is an interesting feature of these models, they depict different models of the early Pz I Ausf A. If you look at the rear engine decks they are quite different. I will have investigate this further when I get the chance.

Yes they need Nationalist decals, something which I can borrow from the Italeri Panzer I Ausf B kit.

What (WW2 land) rules to follow?

Despite some twenty years of 'punctuated intensity' in the wargames hobby, dominated but not exclusive to the twentieth century (and again in particularly WW2) I have yet to find my ideal set of wargame rules.The concept of "set" can be expanded to include, scale of the models (20mm, 15mm, 1/300, 10mm, 1/200 etc.), the tactical/operational level of engagement the game would represent, the timescale of turn and the simulation versus game mechanics employed.

Yes I have lots of sets (in the purchased sense), but many have not made it to actions on the table-top. Those that keep coming to mind are defined as the "good", the "hopefull" and the "sinfull". All my own personal views of course, and in no way a criticism to those who enjoy a different way/taste to mine in the hobby.

Some "good experiences" of the ones played so far have been:

• Spearhead (and modified versions thereof, played with 1/300 or 1/200 kit, a fairly large sized battle of three to four battalions a side can be concluded in a club-night)
  
• The Command Decision Series (to be accurate mainly WW2 Command Decision Version 2 but Version 3 is in my possession and has been read, played originally with my 20mm kit although I am planning another go with this set using my 1/200 kit, provides a battalion/regiment intense slog-it-out feel to a night)
• Hell by Daylight (participated in various excellent 20mm Skirmish level games, always fun and leaving a feeling of authenticity in the mouth)
• Squad Leader transferred to tabletop (can work well, but mainly with those who have already played it as a board-game, it can frustrate gamers not familiar with it and the infamous Stalingrad scenarios, again with 20mm kit)

Those "hopeful" sets yet to be tasted/tested in the heat of a club battle:

• Battlefront (of which I have high hopes to use 20mm as well as my 1/200 kit)
  
• (Canadian) Great Battles of World War Two (which looks to have some great concepts, probably using 1/200 kit)
  
• Crossfire (which again looks to have good concepts and works for a good many people, a good 20mm prospect, particularly inspired by these chaps Tim Marschall and Lloydian)
  
• Megablitz (well a few 20mm tanks should stretch a fair way in the OoB here, a very high level way to run a battle. Not a case of where are my squads but what are my battalions doing?)

Those "hopeful" sets yet even to be purchased:

• Nuts! (skirmish)
• I Ain't Been Shot Mum! (Company)
• Flames of War (although very popular something tells me I shouldn't hold my breath on this one as I keep seeing it mentioned in the "points" competition sense, though their production quality seems excellent, so popular in 15mm, but a maybe for 20mm)

Ones that suited me not, as in they have "sinned" IMHO, or failed the 'wargaming environments' in which they were played in or perhaps personalities/style involved:

• Rapid Fire First Edition (which had a notorious nights of wanton death that sealed its doom at several clubs I have attended, artillery being a notorious talking point)

Nevertheless the search continues for that "perfect" set. Visual appeal is very important for me, hence my drift away from Command Decision 2 in 20mm as the models in some cases seemed almost touching (in extreme cases, platoons of tanks almost in hand to hand combat) and it didn't carry the realistic visual feel across to me.

However my recent 20mm painting may make me reconsider this due to its modelling appeal. :)