DAK in 15mm - Afrika Korps from Peter Pig

15mm DAK ready for action in the desert!

 Continuing to work on some miniatures and models from the Western Desert/Africa theatre of WW2. Here is a platoon of Afrika Korps troops to go up against the Desert Rats from my last post.  The figures are all Peter Pig, based individually for skirmish games such as Chain of Command, Bolt Action and our own Blitkzkrieg rules.

DAK squad with a pair of MG34 teams

Different base shapes were used as before to denote different ranks.  The hex base marks the platoon commander/senior leader, and the square bases are for NCOs/junior leaders.  I tried to mix up the colours a bit on the figures, with some wearing more faded fatigues than others.  I find that where the 8th Army soldiers have an orderly, button-downed look to them (even blasted in the desert sun), the Afrika Korps have a sort of mixed, almost slack/proto-hipster appearance. 

The NCO is on the square base at the front

This lot is based around a platoon pack from Peter Pig, which I augmented with some firing poses from their early war German line in order to get some fellows wearing helmets into the mix.

You can see a few other goodies in the back of this photo that I will deal with in a later post :)

The platoon pack came with six (!) MG34 teams...although I suppose this would not be unusual for German platoons later in the war, I didn't realize they were handing them out like candy to Rommel's lads in the desert.  I suppose this was a prelude to the situation the overall German army would face in Europe - the extra MGs were needed to make up for the fact that the smaller platoons could be otherwise short of firepower against bulkier/more numerous opponents. (EDIT - see comments below - apparently this number of LMGs was much more common from the outset of the war, at least in mobile units - thanks Arrigo!)

Six LMGs is a lot of firepower...this would certainly be a tough lot to deal with in a Chain of Command game.

Platoon commander, spare NCO (who should probably get a hex base too, as he would be a senior NCO) and AT rifle team

Overall, there are three squads, each with two MG34s, in this unit. There is also an AT rifle team, making 34 troops in all.  As always, the Peter Pig figures are a real joy to paint. There is a ton of detail and character in these castings.  I'm looking forward to a skirmish game set in the desert! Stay tuned for a few more desert-themed goodies up next.

Sedition Wars Project - Terrain

After my last post about table top Sedition Wars, I was really hot to complete some of the terrain sub-projects I have in the queue.  Sedition Wars, and other close tactical sci-fi skirmish games like Infinity, need a LOT of terrain. This prevents the game from degenerating into a static war of attrition, as the sides hunker down afraid to expose themselves.

Accordingly, I spent the balance of the summer working on various terrain pieces. Most of the 18 finished models illustrated are laser cut MDF kits from Conscript Byron's company, SG2 Creations.

Possibly my favourite terrain piece to model and paint was a two-story sushi restaurant, seen below (a couple of my Sedition Wars figs are in the shot, for scale).



The roof and floors come apart, to allow figures to be placed inside.



The building was painted mostly with Army Painter spray paints, and lightly weathered with Vallejo pigments. See here for the inspiration for this structure.



Here's an SG2 prototype for a 3-story building.



Again, the roof and floors come apart. The AC unit makes a useful handle to pull the roof off.



Like Dallas, I also picked up a set of 6 shipping containers. They're labelled with the brands of various evil corporations from TV and the movies, downloaded from the internet.



Warning labels were free downloads from Toposolitario.



A large terrain block is this mall made from 4 separate Modern Strip Mall Sections. Put together they are 2 feet wide. I used warmer colours for the buildings. The various retail signs were brand logos downloaded from the internet. As for the choice of retail establishments, I remember the movie Demolition Man (Sandra Bullock: "...Taco Bell was the only restaurant to survive The Franchise Wars...So, now all restaurants are Taco Bell!"), and I figured that in the future people will still need estheticians, fashion, and booze.



The two end buildings each have a different side window option.



The roofs come off; the "supports" are the handles for removal. For now, I plan on keeping the mall furniture-free (except for certain strategic points), for ease of play. However, various companies make futuristic furniture, computers, shelving, etc. in an appropriate scale.



I used leftover ladders pieces from the shipping containers for roof access. Other small posters and signs were from Toposolitario and the ones Byron used for his 28mm buildings.







I also finished 6 Quonset huts from FSG's Dust Tactics Airfield Accessory Pack. Dust Tactics is a Weird War II game in 1/48 scale, close enough for my purposes. Zenithal highlighting brings out the curved shape of these structures.



These are injected-mold plastic models, with some nice details.



The Sedition Wars Project will be set aside briefly in order for me to paint my Space Station Terrain Project (I finally get to re-create the Death Star Trench run!). However, thereafter I shall return to the Strain and more tabletop terrain. I have also purchased some other kits in foam and  MDF, including a mag-lev train from BP Laser. All of this will go onto a Hawk Wargames Urban Battlefield terrain board.

It's been a year since I started this project. I have been lucky to be able to stay focused on it. There are so many other models to paint!

Desert Rats in 15mm - 8th Army from Peter Pig

8th Army Platoon in 15mm from Peter Pig

Another little random project from the painting table - a platoon of 8th Army "Desert Rats" in 15mm. The figures are from Peter Pig, and are based individually for skirmish gaming in systems such as Chain of Command, Bolt Action or Dallas' "Blitzkrieg" rules. 

Platoon command on the hex-shaped base

I already have a healthy amount of WW2 desert theatre stuff based for Flames of War that I painted several years ago, so I already have a number of vehicles, trucks and tanks etc. to go along with these fellows.

Light mortar team

AT rifle team

Peter Pig 15mm figures are the best ones out there, nice enough sculpts to make individually-based skirmish gaming possible in the scale.  This was a platoon pack from Peter Pig, and you get a large number of figures - enough for three sections of 10 troops complete with Bren teams, and command elements including an AT rifle team and light mortar team.  There are over 40 castings in the pack, which is a nice feature of using 15mm figures for skirmish gaming - it's very economical.

Infantry section led by NCO (on square base)

Another view of the infantry - two man Bren teams are on the oval-shaped bases

The square bases represent NCOs/junior leaders and the hex shaped base is for the platoon commander/senior leader.  The different shapes are used to make it easier to identify what's what on the smaller 15mm figures, inspired by Regina Conscript Curt.

Ready to make their stand at Alamein and elsewhere across the western desert!

Up next are some DAK opponents for these guys.

World Eater Champion and Apothecary

Company Champion from the World Eaters Legion

Here are another couple of Horus Heresy figures for my World Eaters detachment - a company champion and an apothecary (medic). Both of these are plastic figures from the current the current crop of plastic multi-part Space Marine command figures, with an embossed World Eater's shoulder pad from Forge World tossed on to maintain a consistent look with the rest of the force.

Handy Forge World decals dropped on to the shield and fancy shoulder plate

Much like the "current" Space Marine Chapter forces, the Legions have all sorts of functionary, or at least functionary-sounding, roles associated with each large sub-unit (company, chapter, whatever) in the force. These can be added to your command groups to give some extra "oomph" and character to your force on the table.

Lots of extra iconography etc on the backpack - I tried to scrape off the stupid skulls wherever I can but there are still a number on this figure

The Company Champion is presumably some type of bad-ass veteran.  The title sounds almost formal, but in the proto-high-tech-medieval setting of a Space Marine Legion it is, of course, a very scary battlefield opponent.  The armour is all very ornate and fancy, but one can assume the weapons are very deadly, teeming with all sorts of unseen little enhancements that traced their roots to the ominous "dark age of technology".

The embossed shoulder plates are massively addictive...once you use them on one squad, you will want them for every model...it's just so much nicer than even the best decal

In addition to a scary-looking sword (likely preserved in the World Eaters Legion for centuries as a special implement for endangered species beheadings), his shield has a little bolt gun built into it, for those times where you must shoot the Legion's enemies instead of chopping them up. After all, not every enemy of humanity is going to be worth having a sword fight with (i.e. Tyranids). 

Lots of fun, ornate looking features on the figure - fun to paint - I quite like the pseudo-knightly "helm" helmet style as well

In the fluff of the World Eaters Legion, it seems like quite a bit of intramural fighting happened, not just as a means of training, but to settle disputes and determine promotions.  One can assume this guy beat up and probably killed many colleagues in order to "earn" the Company Champion job.  I wonder how much the Company Commander enjoys having him around, wondering when the Champion might suddenly decide he needs another promotion...

So...you're the doctor?

I am very impressed by the great painters out there who manage to paint some sort of eerie-looking glow colour on otherwise normal-looking sword blades to reinforce their power-type-weapon-aura.  This is not a skill I am even close to strong with...I fumbled around with some blues but the result was sort of "meh"...hopefully I will get better results next time.

The red medical symbol says "I care". The chain sword, on the other hand...

The medic in a Space Marine force is always sort of funny...they are more interested in putting the damaged Marines out of their misery and recovering some genetic bits to replace him, than actual care of wounded Marines (who in any event are expected to bear horrifying wounds with grim, silent honour - it's for the Emperor, after all).

Spooky medical bits are nice extra for this figure...that glove looks handy for any battlefield "care" that might be needed during the great crusades

The Apothecaries in the World Eaters apparently dabbled in some extra brain surgery on the side, with an eye to making troops who are even more impatient, aggressive and violent than the usual Space Marine trooper. Sounds totally legit to me. Can't believe the World Eaters ever went off side and joined Horus, right?

Lots of spooky medical stuff on the back pack too - again, very fun to paint

Needless to say, I doubt any Marine would be happy to see this Apothecary show up near their unit on the battlefield...

The Forge World Legion components mix very well with the plastic "current" marines, and I find these combinations work particularly well for roles like medics, champions, senior officers and other such things where the variations from the Mark II, III or IV power armour could be explained in the context of the different roles in the Legion. The Mark IV armour is particularly close in appearance to the "current" Mark VII power armour suits, so the differences are even less apparent.

The plastic bits are also a nice source of conversion/upgrade bits for the Forge World Marine figures, without having to bend over even more for the Legion accessory kits.  Of course, the plastic figures are practically as expensive as the Forge World ones anyway, but if you are a long-term GW nut like me you have a huge pile of plastic bits stashed away you can put to good use.

Up next, some Sons of Horus, and another WW2 diversion...

One More Sho't - Fate Of A Nation AAR

Oy vey...not again...

Following last week's unlikely Egyptian triumph, we decided a part two was in order to see if the IDF forces could get their revenge.  So we played "Fate Of A Nation" again this week.  I used the "Hold The Line" mission from the Flames of War rule book, with the idea being that a second IDF column was arriving to deal with the breakthrough the Egyptians achieved last week in our imagined encounter near the entrance to the Mitla Pass in the Sinai Peninsula.

IDF Company - Sho't as company commander, a platoon of 3 Sho'ts, a platoon of 4 M51 Shermans, a mech. infantry platoon and priority air support from Dassault Ouragans

UAR Tank Battalion - T-55 as battalion commander, one company of 9 T-55s, one company of 8 T-55s, one company of 6 IS-3Ms, one mechanized infantry company (with two platoons plus RPDs and B-10s) and a pair of ZSU-57-2s

Jim played the UN force (pictured above)

Two 1685-point forces were set up (very odd, but the point totals matched out exactly that way *shrug*).  Some slight adjustments to the forces this time compared to last week - even more T-55s for the Egyptians, but no SU-100s (Dallas was out of town) while, inspired from a request by Fawcett Avenue Conscript alumnus Sean M (Hi Sean!!) I added some Centurion Sho'ts into the IDF force.

Initial deployment - line of UAR T-55s supporting UAR mechanized infantry to the left, IDF advancing from the right

The Egyptians wait for the IDF attack to begin

The Sho't was a fabulous MBT, particularly in 1967, and they are expensive points-wise in "Fate Of A Nation", so that is why the Egyptians had/needed even more T-55s than last week - just to keep things balanced.

M51 Shermans - I love these models, I think I want to paint 10 more, just because

Now THAT is how it's supposed to go! IDF gunnery starts to burn out the first T-55 company

Byron and Mike F. played the Egyptians, while Graeme (I am so sorry, sure I am not spelling that correctly) and I took the IDF side.  Graeme had a tough outing last week with his M51 Sherman platoon getting shot to pieces - he anticipated much more fun with a platoon of Sho't tanks at his disposal.  Jim also came out, but mimicking the UN role in the 1967 conflict, he simply observed for a couple of turns before he had to leave.

Sho'ts moving out into battle

The table was 6' x 4', with both forces using opposing deployment areas tied to the short table edges. Two objectives were placed in the Egyptian zone (the defenders).  The Egyptians were required to put half of their units into delayed reserve.  Byron and Mike opted to put the mechanized infantry company on to the table, as they could start the game dug-in.  They back the grunts with a company of T-55s and the battery of ZSU-57-2s.

Uh oh...T-55s knock out a Sho't

The IDF had six turns to get one of the objectives, or just break the Egyptian battalion.  I had high hopes with the Centurions in the game, and indeed we blew away a large number of Egyptian tanks, but the IDF would be defeated again!

That !#$!#$ing T-55 company took three turns to die...here are some lucky ones crowded around the hill

On the IDF side we made a cautious advance, knocking out a healthy number of T-55s while moving toward the Egyptian infantry.  Unfortunately we had terrible luck with our air support.  Even with "priority" air support, we often failed the roll to have the aircraft arrive, and when they did, they were usually driven off or reduced by the Egyptian AAA tanks.

M51s back off in the face of losses from T-55s...the M51 front armour cannot stop the T-55's 100mm shells

Mike and Byron watched their T-55s burn with some alarm, but they made the motivation checks when they needed to, and so we couldn't get a turn of exclusively concentrating all of our fire on the infantry - as we finally finished off the first T-55 company, the second one arrived, and once we torched them the IS-2s arrived...and so on and so on. The game would eventually turn on this.

Finally! The first T-55 company is wiped out! Things should roll from here, right? But look at all of that infantry...

Mike and Byron also scored a few hits, taking out two Shermans (yikes!) and a Sho't (oh no!) as we approached.

IDF mechanized infantry roll out

With the arrival of the 6th turn, Graeme and I had to go all-in, so we sent in the infantry and charged with the remaining tanks we had.

B-10 recoilless rifle team blasts away at the approaching IDF tanks

The close assault was punishing on the Egyptians - they got mauled.  But they also passed the motivation checks they needed in order to stay in the fight, meaning they held the objectives, meaning they won! We had torched two companies of T-55s and really chewed up the infantry, but still didn't get the job done.  Congrats to Mike and Byron. That's two in a row for the Egyptians!

Sho'ts deliver a blistering round of fire

These #@$@ing things kept the IAF at bay for most of the game

The stars of the game for the Egyptians were their infantry and their ZSU-57-2s!  Byron and Mike made good use of the enormous infantry horde (there were 20 teams in the company), leaving them static and dug in, very difficult for the outnumbered IDF troops to pry loose.  Some air strikes would have helped us, but even when the IDF air support did show up, the ZSU-57s blazed away and usually drove the Ouragans off.  I have to say I find the Flames Of War rules seemed to deliver a neat experience on this score, with the hapless conscripts able to hold out if they were dug in and not moving.

IDF mechanized infantry continue to move up...the burning M51 is a bit of a grim thing to pass by...

Now that is how the air force is SUPPOSED to work...one good run with the cannons and there are many burning T-55s...sadly this is the only successful pass the Ouragan would manage

The IDF air support did have a single good run, torching three T-55s in a single pass with cannons, but overall we didn't get nearly as much help as we needed from the fly-boys.  And just like last week, the IDF doesn't have a margin for error - losing even a couple of tanks can really set you back.

IDF infantry dismounting and preparing to assault the Egyptian line

So - two straight Flames Of War games in a row...I'm actually starting to get a bit more familiar with the rules.  "Fate Of A Nation" and Flames Of War are not deep simulations of combat or anything, but it was pretty fun.  Lots of tanks, lots of dice, lots of stuff on fire, and a result in six turns.

The close assault under way - defensive fire from the Egyptians fails to stop the Israelis

Sucks to be these guys...the M51s did their part to try and break the Egyptian mechanized infantry company

Again, probably the worst part of a Flames Of War game is the proximity of the tank models to each other on the table.  The T-55s companies looked like black powder musket lines in some respect.  But on the other hand, when you have 25 tanks and tank-sized vehicles in your force, even a 6' x 4' table will be crowded before you know it. 

There were so MANY Egyptians...the UAR mechanized troops hold the line in the face of heavy losses, winning the game for their side!

Thanks to Byron, Mike F and Graeme for coming out play.  The IDF revenge will have to wait for another day...