Cold War British and a big cat.

 I can't believe its been nearly a month since I posted anything. My painting mojo did die after finishing the Wars of the Roses figures, but I should have posted something before now. 

So, here I am with another update on my meandering wargaming habit. I have finally painted up my 15mm Cold War British vehicles that were discussed way back in May/June last year. There is still no sign of the former Armies Army models appearing from Scotia-Grendel, so I have bitten the bullet and accepted that I will have to have various sizes of vehicles. So, after slapping some paint about I completed the mix of vehicles I had, adding more tanks and APCs, plus some AT and recce assets.

Team Yankee British Vehicles

All told I did 16 vehicles and a helicopter, more than doubling my British vehicle force.  This lot gives me enough to put on a decent sized game at some point, assuming we are ever allowed to get together again.

Gazelle AH1 scout

One thing I decided I wanted was a Gazelle helicopter as a recce element and annoyance for the Soviets. While it has no armament, it is a good scout and could spot the enemy advance, assuming it doesn't get shot down by a ZSU-23-4 or SA-9. The model is a French HOT Gazelle without the missiles and painted up as British.

Strikers, Fv432s and Chieftains

I needed some more basic elements as well, so 3 extra Chieftains and some additional Fv432s were added. One area I was sorely deficient in was anti-tank guided weapons, so I picked up a box of Spartans and made two up as Fv102 Stikers. These are small and fast, able to hopefully hit and then run before they get spotted and blown to smithereens. They are lovely little kits.

Fv438s

Another anti-tank option is the Fv438, an adaptation of a standard Fv432 APD with a twin Swingfire missile launcher. Nice enough models which at least gives me another option.

Chieftains

I only had a single squadron of 3 Chieftains, so added another. These are big targets that will attract a lot of fire, but they do look nice and pack a big punch.

Scorpions and Spartans

Reconnaissance is very important in Battlegroup games, as it is in reality. So I picked up a box of Scorpion/Scimitars as well. Two were made up as Fv101 Scorpions, with a short 76mm gun. These are lovely little models and will look the part on the table. I also made up a pair of Fv103 Spartan APCs to carry support teams such as Milan or Blowpipe teams.

Scimitars

Finally there is a pair of Fv107 Scimitar light tanks. these are identical to the Scorpions except they have a 30mm cannon instead of the short 76mm gun. 

So, there they are. All I have to do now is paint up a second platoon of British infantry and everything I have for the British will be done. Until I get some more that is, I want some AA support, either a static Rapier or a tracked Rapier system. Maybe a Lynx with TOW missiles too, just to use the gunship token if it ever comes out, maybe an AVRE Centurion too as an option.

Finally I got around to painting this wee beastie.

Warlord King Tiger

I have had this kit sitting on the shelf for about a year now so decided enough was enough, built it and painted it. I don't have any late war Germans so this will probably end up on ebay at some point soon, but it was a pleasant change to do something this big. It's a decent kit and comes with the options of both turret types, I just went with the Henschel turret as that was the most common.

That's the lot for now, stay safe and I'll catch you all later.

New rules, yet another project and problems with Fv432s

Hello again folks, I'm back again with another rambling post.

First thing is to point out that Too Fat Lardies have a new set of rules covering skirmish actions in the Roman period. Infamy, Infamy looks like it will be a lot of fun to play and doesn't require masses of figures like most ancient rules do. Have a look at the videos on YouTube to see what size the typical forces are. I'm looking forward to it arriving and, hopefully, the lift on the Covid rules so I can play it.

This leads to an obvious new project, Romans and Barbarians for this set of rules. I have a few Ancient British troops already, but they are based on 40mm squares and don't really work for a warband skirmish. One problem is that I like to have both sides for games so that I can run games for friends who don't have forces for it. So what to get. I am waiting for the rules to turn up before I decide what to buy, but initial thoughts are Ceasarian Romans and Gallic types. So that's going to take up my money for this year I think. Also this is subject to me being able to see well enough to paint the damn things at some point soon. 

Finally for this ramble it's back to the Cold War project. I was up late as I couldn't sleep again, this can prove to be a bad thing and it was for me on this occasion. In a moment of weakness at 3am I was browsing and came across an online store that had Team Yankee Fv432s and British infantry in stock. A couple of minutes later and I had ordered said Fv432s and infantry. My willpower at 3am is obviously weak. Anyway, they duly arrived and were opened up. The infantry are fine and match up with my existing Armies Army infantry nicely. The Fv432s though are another story. Now, if I had been looking at ordering these at a normal time of day I would have done a search for a comparison of the two, but at 3am this doesn't spring to the front of the queue. Once I had them though I thought they looked a bit small. So I did a search and lo and behold, a review pointing out the size difference is out there. Arse! So the Team Yankee model is smaller than the Armies Army one, noticeably so. Also it doesn't have the option of a peak turret, although it does have the options for a Swingfire armed Fv438. So now I have 5 Fv432's that are smaller than the 5 existing Fv432's I have. I am now going to have to decide if I want to keep them or wait and hope that Scotia Grendel are going to release the Armies Army models at some point. 

Ah well, decisions for another day as I am off to drop presents for one of the grand kids birthday. Adios for now folks, stay safe and keep gaming

Battlegroup Northag 15mm plans

Following on from my last post, here is a brief rundown of what I have and what I want need to get for Battlegroup Northag in 15mm. My plan is to be able to do a company sized action in this scale, so 750 points per side is the target. That should be more than enough at this size, another larger I will do with the 6mm collection I have.

So, where does my force stand in terms of the points needed. I'll start with the Russians, as I need very little for them. As it is I have over 900 points worth, so don't honestly need anything, but there are a few things I want to get at some point, some BTRs (cheaper infantry option), some BRDM3 tank killers and maybe some 2S1 SPGs for direct support.

The list I have made up so far is
Forward Screen
   Tank Recce Patrol (2xT64A)
   Armoured Car Patrol (2xBRDM2)
   Air Defence Battery (1xZSU-23-4 and 1xSA-9)
   2 Armoured Recce Patrol (Fire team and AT team in BMP-1)

Forward Screen

Vanguard

   Tank Company (10xT-64A)

T-64 Company

Main Force
   Rifle Platoon (3 Fire teams, 3 AT teams, 1 SA-7, 1 AGS-17 in 4 BMP-1)
   Rifle Platoon (3 Fire teams, 3 AT teams, 1 SA-7, 1 PK MG in 4 BMP-1)

Rifle Platoons

   Battlegroup Commander (1 T-64AK)
   Forward Observation Officer (1 FOO team in BTR)
   MP Team (1 Command team in UAZ)
   Tactical Command Centre (1 Command Team in ACRV2/BTR)
   Supply Truck (1 truck)
   82mm mortars in support

No pictures of these yet as I need to get the vehicles

Fire Support
   Deployed Smoke Screen
   2 Timed 122mm Barrages
   Breakthrough Special Tactics
Reinforcements
   2 Rolls

That comes in at 750 points with a break point of 63, 4 officers and 4 scouts. Thirteen T-64s should give a decent level of firepower, although the force is a bit lacking in infantry with only 2 full platoons. The plan is to advance, attack and pin the enemy with the T-64s and then use the Rifle platoons to capture any objectives or get off table using the Breakthrough tactic. The reinforcement rolls would hopefully be used for another tank company of T-62s(stood in for by my T-55s) and another Rifle Platoon.

Bear in mind that I have no idea if it is a good force yet as I still haven't played a game, but it seems fairly balanced for a tank heavy force. The only things I do not have are a UAZ jeep, a truck, a BTR and an ACRV2. I could also do with a different looking T-64 for my commander, just to make him stand out and look important.

For the British, I need more stuff! Lots more stuff! I can currently put together a mere 320 points, which is a bit lacking.

The list is below, with what I need to get in italics.
Forward Screen
   Dug in Forward Observation Officer (1 FOO team)
   Dug in Infantry Platoon with 1 added Carl Gustav (7 fire teams and 1 AT team)
   Dug in Blowpipe team (1 team)
   Dug In Chieftain Tank Troop (3 Chieftain Mk9)
   Gazelle Helicopter

Chieftains plus other bits

Vanguard
   Chieftain Tank Troop (3 Chieftain Mk9)
Main Force
   Mech Platoon (4 fire teams, 3 AT teams and 4 Fv432)

1st Mech Platoon

   Mech Platoon (4 fire teams, 3 AT teams and 4 Fv432)
   Battlegroup Commander (command team in Fv432)
   Tactical Command Centre (command team in Sultan/Fv439)
   Electronic Warfare Team (command team in Sultan/Fv439)
   105mm Abbot battery in support
Fire Support
   Off Table SAM Cover
   2 Counter Battery Fire missions
   Timed 105mm Artillery Strike
   Timed Tornado Strike
Reinforcements
   1 Roll

Total is 749 points with a 64 break points, 3 officers and 3 scouts. It actually has more infantry platoons than the Soviet list, plus 6 Chieftains. Very little scouting as it is designed as a defensive force. I plan to get what I need for this list first, then add some more options, things like Scorpion/Scimitar light tanks, Recce infantry in Spartans etc to give me a more mobile option. Sadly the Armies Army range is no longer available, being sold to Plastic Soldier Company and then sold again to Scotia Grendel. There is no sign of them on the Scotia website and no reply to my enquiry, so it looks like I will have to go elsewhere. I wonder how Butlers Printed Models vehicles match up size wise. 😟

I will take some pictures when I get the rest ordered, painted(hopefully) and based.

Take care and stay safe.

Last few 15mm Cold War for now, plus a few ladies

I have nearly finished the last of my Cold War forces that I have here, the last few bits are painted up now and that's the lot...........until I get some more. 

Firstly we have a minor conversion to an Armies Army YPR-765 PRI. To give my small Dutch force a bit of long ranged anti-tank capability I decided to add some missile firepower.  A bit of research and I discovered the Dutch converted some YPRs with the TOW launcher turret from the US M901 ITV. At the time I looked nobody made this in 15mm(more on this later) so a bit of modelling was needed. Luckily Team Yankee do the ITV as a plastic add-on for their M113 kit and you can buy a sprue of bits individually. One quick order later and a sprue duly arrived. The modification is simplicity itself, just switch the IFV turret for the ITV turret and it's job done. 

Slap some paint on, add some netting and here it is, ready to support my Dutch troops against the Soviet horde.

As is typically the way with these things, just after I had stuck all the bits together and started slapping the paint on I received an email from TSS/QRF. Amongst their new releases was, you've guessed it, the YPR-765 PRAT! Typical. Ah well, I've made it now and I am happy with how it came out.

In addition the the YPR I used a spare M577 to make up an aid-station objective/jump off point marker. A few mixed figures from my Dutch, ANZAC and US spares and here it is. Its also my first attempt at the US MERDEC camoflage, hopefully it came out ok. 

Finally I ordered another Fv432 from Armies Army to carry my Milan teams around, as well as a few figures to make the teams up to 3 men each. Here they are in all their DPM glory, that's my BAOR force done, until I get some Scorpion/Scimitars for them anyway.

The last pictures are of a Dead Man's Hand gang of "Daughters of the West". These are for a nice chap in Germany for his wife to use against his gangs. Nice figures that made a change from all the Cold War stuff I have painted lately. If you read this Carsten, I hope your wife likes them and doesn't beat you too badly.

Anyway, that's it for now. I have nearly finished a few more things so there may be another update soonish.

Take care folks and I hope your dice are good to you.

The BAOR arrives......well, a small bit of it does anyway

 It brightened up yesterday so I managed to varnish my Cold War British contingent. These are all from Armies Army again and yet again are lovely models with no issues that I have found. I got these last year but the painting mojo for them didn't arrive until recently, so I have finally got around to painting them all up.

First up is the Mechanised Infantry platoon. Three squads of 8 men each with a GPMG and Caarl Gustav led by a 4 man command team with a 2" mortar.  All ferried about in four "mighty" Fv432s. Unlike Team Yankee these are available either with or without the peak turret, I decided on 2 of each just to mix it up a bit.

A closer look at some of the infantry and my attempt at 15mm DPM camo. I am fairly happy with the way they turned out but they are much more work to paint than Russians.

A closer look at the battle taxis, the Fv432. A similar design to the M113, basically a box on tracks, the 432 differed in being steel rather than aluminium and also being decidedly British by having a BV or "Vessel Boiling Electric". Basically it is a hot water system but I guess it wasn't military enough to call it a kettle. Still, +1 morale for having a cuppa in the middle of a firefight?



Now we come to the support options. At the front are a pair of Milan teams, a pair of Blowpipe SAM teams and a tripod GPMG team. I really need another Fv432 to carry the Milan teams about, along with a couple more figures to fill the ranks. Behind them are a Spartan APC for the Blowpipes and a Landrover for......well, I like them! Finally the heavy stuff, a trio of Chieftains ready to slap some T-72s around. I love the look of the Chieftain, it looks like it's going to ruin your day.

A closer look at the Milan teams with the Blowpipes behind them.





The Landrover is a lovely vehicle, I still want one if the boss ever lets me. I added the camo netting in the same way I did for the dutch, but didn't add the flock this time. I am not sure which I prefer yet so these "may" get flocked later. It's dwarfed by the Chieftain though, like most things are I guess.


Finally, for now, we have the Spartan and a Chieftain. The Spartan is a small APC, only able to carry 4 or 5 soldiers, but it's quick. It was used to carry specialist units like SAM teams and recce troops while the bigger Fv432 carried the infantry about. Behind it is the command Chieftain, given away by the open hatch and commander figure.

So that's the lot for now. I still need to add a few things, some Scorpions and/or Scimitars, an Fv438 Swingfire carrier and possibly some more infantry to make an Infantry Combat team. Hmm, not just yet though cos we is skint. Apparently a new microwave and flowers for the garden rank much higher than figures for me. Good job I love her innit. ;-)

Anyway, that's it again. Catch you later.