Finished: 15mm Motor and Mortar Platoons, plus added extras

Hi folks,

As mentioned in my post earlier this week on my finished halftrack passengers, recent focus has been on getting the infantry compliment of the Recce Squadron completed. I should note that the figures for these units came from my pile of old metal Battlefront minis, with a single Peter Pig figure used in the RAF team and a single (possibly) Forged in Battle figure on the naval spotting team. 

As part of this batch, I also included a couple of non-standard units for my Flames of War collection. This included an RAF spotter on foot - I've been unable to determine the correct term for this. Possibly an Air Liaison Officer or Mobile Fighter Controller. Forward Air Controller appears to be a more modern term. The RAF officer figure is the one from the old 'Colonel Vandeleur & Forward Observer' (BR885) Battlefront pack. I appear to have ended up with a load of these M3 White cars and crew in my 2nd hand purchases. The radio figure was a (I believe) peter pig radio operator. I struggled a little as the BF RAF model is so slight and small compared to the other BF radio figures I had. 

Alongside the RAF element, I also included a larger OP team to represent the Forward Observer Bombardment (FOB) teams used to call in naval gunfire support during the Normandy campaign.

The figures for the naval spotters are mainly Battlefront models of various vintages, although one figure I believe may be from Forged in Battle. 

The rationale/inspiration behind these teams came via the last 'in person' game I played, back in January. The allied players had both naval artillery and army artillery available, at something was needed to help differentiate the spotting teams. Similarly, I thought it might be useful as part of the collection to have an RAF spotter on foot. 

I had hoped to go with different helmet colours for the naval team, but this would have involved head swaps or other conversion work, so in the end I went with the standard colours. For the RAF uniform, I tried 'Luftwaffe Uniform WW2' (Vallejo Model Colour 70.816) which seems to be a better representation of RAF blue than the colour I used previously. I also re-painted the RAF figure in the M3 scout car using this colour. 

I also completed another 'extra' for my collection, in the form of 'dismounted' carrier patrol troops. 

Each infantry battalion in Normandy for the commonwealth and Polish forces included a 'Carrier Platoon', consisting of multiple 'patrols' of three carriers. These patrols appear (from my reading at least) to have also fought dismounted from their carriers as required - with each carrier having a Bren as well as the patrol having a PIAT and 2" Mortar, this made for a very heavily armed detachment. These would be used for a number of purposes - for example securing flanks or adding to the firepower of an infantry platoon. 

For game purposes, I will be treating each team as a MG team (due to each having a Bren), with one team also having the option of firing instead as a PIAT and the other as a 2" mortar team. This unit will be pretty brittle - loss of a single stand will leave it taking morale tests - but will give some options in scenarios when the infantry platoons start taking casualties. I've another of these units ready to be painted, which will finish off the infantry component of this planned squadron. 

Next up, the Motor platoon. 

In v3 Flames of War, these troops in a Recce Squadron would be a 'Recce Assault Platoon' and would have been Pioneer MG teams. The info I have on 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry is that they used M5 Halftracks as transport for this platoon. They were rated as Pioneers due to the need for them to clear obstacles such as roadblocks and minefields - anything that needed doing in order to clear a route as part of their recce role. In v4, this is a 'Motor Platoon' which makes them 'Bren Gun Teams'. For my own purposes, I'll stick with the v4 stats but just apply the Pioneer command card bonuses (improved chance of clearing minefields).  

Finally, the Recce Mortar platoon. Again, Battlefront metal mini's and taken from my my pile of odds and sods I've collected over the years. Maybe not the best poses or positioning on these guys. 

These guys will go with the mortar carriers I completed previously and give me a second 3" mortar platoon for my allies. 

Progress wise, that gets the spreadsheet looking like this:

I've made a good start on most of the carrier crews and have the second dismounted carrier patrol prepped. I still need to detail up the carriers with stowage and such prior to priming, but may wait till I have another batch of vehicles to prime before the weather gets too bad. I've currently got a RAM OP tank and possibly a jeep and carrier as transports for the FOB and FAC bases. 

My current thinking is to sort out some M10C's and Cromwells for my next allied force. 

The Cromwells for this force were assembled during quiet time on my honeymoon back in 2016 (wife gave permission, we are not night life people). So far the assembled models have been through 2 house moves with us and I've done nothing else with them. The M10Cs will be a welcome addition, as I only have 3" armed versions currently. 

I should also add that this last week was the one year anniversary of Joshua's birth. We had a nice socially distanced family day, only slightly disrupted by the new C-19 regulations, and had a cake made for him. We also had a lot of friends and family respond to our request to light a candle for him and to share this with us. Thanks to everyone who has supported the 'For Joshua' project so far - hopefully I'll have more progress to share on this once the pandemic is a little more under control. 

Finished! 15mm Typhoons, Aid Post and Forward Air Controller

Hi folks,

Aside from posting videos and laying out tables, I've been chipping away at the lead mountain. Having finished up a load of infantry recently, I fancied something a bit different. I've had a few ideas percolating in my brain for a while, regarding stuff I wanted to do for Battlegroup. The FoW v4 Scenario I ran earlier in the year opened my eyes to the possibility of including such units in those games as well, so I decided to put aside the infantry and move on to something that was a bit more of a diorama.

With regards to the RAP (Regimental Aid Post), there are not a lot of pictures out there of these operating in Normandy. I've read a few books which gave details of how these might be set up and run (mainly in the excellent 'Stout Hearts' book by Ben Kite), and saw a 20mm aid post done by the talented Piers Brand, before finally settling on something. I had read one account of a Regimental Aid Post set up in a field, which was subject to enemy fire. To protect the wounded and medics, some Universal Carriers were parked to offer cover. Combining this idea with the other images I had seen, I mocked up a base.

The plan was to use two Universal Carriers, a large base (initially the size of a beer coaster) and various casualty and medic figures I had. I eventually ordered a beer coaster sized laser cut MDF base from East Riding Miniatures in order to get the same thickness of base as I use elsewhere.

The end result was a aid post designed to be placed up against a hedge or building, which would give a decent representation while being tasteful.

I'm reasonably happy with the outcome. I had decided, based on other accounts, to use some of the dead figures I had - moving them to the other sides of the carriers away from the living. I've some medics, working to treat the wounded, and a couple of stretcher cases and walking wounded ready to be evacuated when the ambulance jeep next comes up. Some piles of supplies and the likes help dress up the base, and make it look a little more set up and planned. Another medic escorts a Jock carrying a wounded man into the post.

Both carriers have some camo netting on the outside facing - an attempt not to draw fire. I decided that a red cross wouldn't be represented here, but I might revisit - perhaps with a sign stood against one of the carriers.

My research into this area has opened my eyes to an aspect of the technical ability of the allied forces that I had missed in my previous reading. Stout Hearts has some excellent info on how the medical services in Normandy operated. The chain of treatment was pretty short, with most of the effort going into immediate triage, treatment and then evacuation. Within hours of being wounded a man could be on a flight back to England and a established hospital.

One story in Stout Hearts tells of an officer visiting an aid post to see some of his injured men. At the hospital he feels faint at the sights and sounds, and is invited to lay on a stretcher to recover. The exhausted Officer falls asleep - and wakes up being offloaded from a Dakota in England!

In addition to the aid post, I painted up a Forward Air Controller as an interim model. I'm pretty sure a Dingo is incorrect for this role, and it should be a Humber Scout Car or an LRC. I only had a Dingo to hand, so went with that for now. I've now ordered the special character set for the Guards which comes with the Humber and the M3 Scout Car with the RAF officer.

I've marked the Dingo up as a 154 Brigade HQ vehicle. I'd no cap wearing binocular figure left, so had to settle with a tin hatted RAF officer.

On call above, are three Typhoons - the one with propellers I painted a couple of years ago, and used as a template for the other two.

You can see from the bases that these are all different models! The two propeller less aircraft as Battlefront models - one white resin and one grey. Both vary slightly in size, which is apparent close together but not so apparent apart. The propellered aircraft is a MicroWings clip together plastic Typhoon 1b, which cost less than £3! Again, it varies in size, but not hugely. I have ordered BF bases so that all three will have the same base, as well as the extended length stands to get them a bit higher off the ground. I also did a little more weathering after these pics were taken.

I'd have loved to have them all the same, with the same squadron markings - but for now these will do!

Next in the painting queue, I've switched sides! I decided to crack on with my 5cm A/T guns for my Germans. I then added to this plan slightly:

5cm A/T guns, 7.5cm Infantry Guns, 2 and 3.7cm AA guns... might as well have something to shoot at Typhoons with!

I've also managed to finish some outbuildings and gates:

More on these later!