British Commandos vs DAK Grenadiers in No Retreat

The fog of war!

I had the chance to try out my Commandos again with a night attack. This time I was going to have to take on Mark and his DAK Pioneers in a MW 1710 battle. I decided to try another night attack as we were both playing infantry companies. I was hoping that darkness would let me get close enough in the desert.

Big Willie's Commandos
OC
Commando platoon (1 section)
Commando platoon (1 section)
Commando platoon (1 section)
Commando mortars
Commando HMGs
3 x Shermans
2 x 17/25 pdrs
3 x Humber Recce cars
Hurricane support

Marks DAK
OC and 2IC
Pioneer platoon with supply truck
Pioneer platoon with supply truck
2 x 88s
4 x Panzer III Ns
2 x 8-rads
4 x 10.5cm guns

Set Up

Objectives are in the centre of the two compounds and right side of the right compound

US Armored Rifles vs German Tigers in No Retreat

"Looking for a safe place to park your tank? Behind me 'cause the bastards aren't going any further"

The other weekend there was a 1710 FoW MW tournament at Animaritime. I got a whole new army painted so I was running US Armored Rifles. My first opponent was Ryan who was running a Tiger   Company so I was going to have my work cut out for me. I chose to deploy the two ARPs the Priests and then ambushing with the Shermans.

Big Willie's Armored Rifles

OC and 2IC

ARP with 4 'zooks

ARP with 3 'zooks

3 x Priests

3 x Armored Mortars

4 x Shermans

4 x Stuarts

Armored Recce PPl

Recce Pl
Limited P-38s

Ryan's Tigers

OC in Tiger

Tiger

Tiger

Grenadier Pl

Motocycle Recce Pl

2 x SP AA guns

3 x Nebs

Set Up

Objectives are on the hill other side of the road and behind the woods this is of the road

3D Printed Tobruk Pits Finished!

Here are the finished Australian Tobruk gun pits. I'll be using the 8th Army versions as Australians for these guys. They came out great and look nice and weathered.

Jagdpanthers finally done

More finished work that needed finishing. The 2 Jagdpanthers are complete.

Also, since its fun to have the most POWERFUL gun in the German arsenal, I figured I would also finish off the WEAKEST door knocker as well. Although technically this one has the Stielgranate (the same one used in Carantan episode of Band of Brothers). So continuing with finishing stuff off as fast as possible.

3D Printed Tobruk Bunkers

I bought a pair of Tobruk MG nests way back when when I was building up my Aussie Desert Force. These MG nests models are great because you can use them for many different armies. They give you gunners for Australians, British, French, Italian, German EW and German LW.

However, they only give you 2 actual nests. Since I had access to a 3D printer, I used my calipers to measure the nests and printed more! The models are pretty simple, so easy to print, but this allows me to use many more of the gunners in the box.

Check it out. They paint up nicely:

Original model on the left, raw print middle, painted print on the right. I have 7 nest bases now, and really when I get the chance will do another one.  The plan is to use 4 of them for Desert Aussies/British, and then 2 for German, and 2 more for Winter War Finnish. Will probably use the EW Germans as finns, but it should still work.

I've actually been spending the past 2 weekends painting my US Airborne force, but they aren't finished based yet so will post them when they're done. There's a LOT of troopers, and I haven't even gotten to the support sections yet (Mortar, LMGs, Pack Arty). But another solid weekend and I should have finished 27 infantry bases, 3 light mortars, 6 Bazookas, 3 snipers, 3 supply carts, the CO and 2IC. Like I said, a lotta figs.

Commandos vs Schnell Kompanie in Pincer

German heavy guns controlling the bridge

Last night I had a chance to play test my mid-war British Commando list against Ryan.  We rolled up Pincer as the mission and I decided to conduct the British speciality of a night attack. This was one of the first times I was going to be able to conduct a night attack and I was looking forward to it.

Big Willie's Commandos
OC
Commando Pl 1 section
Commando Pl 1 section
Commando Pl 1 section
Commando HMG Pl
Commando Mortar Pl
3 x Sherman tanks
2 x 17/25 pdr AT guns
Humber Recce Pl

Ryan's Germans (incomplete list, sorry)
OC and 2IC with knackers
Grenadier Pl
Grenadier Pl
2 x 15cm guns
2 x 15cm guns
2 x 88s


Set Up

Objectives are at the train and road intersection and

Commandos vs German Grenadier Kompanie in Breakthrough

Was it wheat or corn fields that stop bullets...

This game was the first time Stormtrooper Nick and I had played Infantry Aces.  We went with 500 pt LW lists to try the system out and because the other pieces of my gaming table hadn't arrived so the table was long but small. We modified the distances width wise to try and get the mission to work.

Big Willie's Commandos
OC
Commando platoon
Commando platoon
Commando HMG platoon

Stormtrooper Nick's Grenadiers
OC and 2IC
Grenadier platoon
Grenadier platoon
HMG platoon

Set Up

Objectives are in the woods behind the barn and on the road by the farm house

Huzzah Con 2015 Tank Aces!

Huzzah Con 2015 Tank Aces!

Well Drew has been on me about finally contributing to the blog and I did say that I would write numerous times, and then never did.  But finally this Tank Aces event game me the kick in the pants to get this done!  For those not familiar with Tank Aces it is a fast paced and brutal game with only tank teams allowed it is bloody and if the dice are hot, very quick!  The rules can be found in Blood, Guts and Glory.

When picking my list, for this Mid war tank boxing match, I used what I had already painted and or ready to be painted.  My list was:

Tank Company, from Eastern Front, page 32
500pts
Mittlere Panzer Platoon (p.34) - Command Panzer III G/H/J (early), 2x Panzer III G/H/J (early) (270 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV G (late) or H (75 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV G (late) or H (75 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV G (late) or H (75 pts)
495 Points
700pts
Mittlere Panzerkompanie HQ (p.33) - CinC Panzer III G/H/J (early), 2iC Panzer III G/H/J (early) (180 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer III N (20 pts)
Compulsory Mittlere Panzer Platoon (p.34) - Command Panzer III G/H/J (early), 2x Panzer III G/H/J (early) (270 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
690 Points
900pts
Compulsory Mittlere Panzer Platoon (p.34) - Command Panzer III G/H/J (early), 2x Panzer III G/H/J (early) (270 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV G (late) or H (75 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
Compulsory Mittlere Panzer Platoon (p.34) - Command Panzer III G/H/J (early), 2x Panzer III G/H/J (early) (270 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
- Upgrade to Panzer IV F2 or G (55 pts)
890 Points

So you can see I was going for the best Anti tank guns and if possible the best frontal armour.  But enough of the chit chat let’s get to the games!

Kampfgruppe Pieper vs Heer Grenadiers in Hasty Attack

Heer Grenadiers watch as the hills fill with SS Armour

I finally got to test out my anti-Patton list out of Devil's charge. Ryan brought a well rounded Grenadier list. We rolled up the mission at random and ended up with a Hasty Attack where I would use the always attack rule.

Big Willie's Panzers
OC and 2IC in King Tiger
1 x King Tiger
1 x King Tiger
Full Grenadier platoon
2 x 8cm (SP) mortars
3 x 2cm (SP) AA guns
3 x Pumas

Ryan's Grenadiers
OC and 2IC
Grenadier platoon
Grenadier platoon
2 x PaK 40s
2 x PaK 40s
2 x 88s
4 x 15cm guns
2 x Panthers
4 x SP AA
Stuka support

Set Up

Objective is top centre wood, just right of the right most wood and beside the hill on the left side of the ruined church

British 8th Army Infantry vs German Shrutzen in Dust Up

British anti-tank guns form a thin red line

The final game of teh Enbicon 2015 1390 EW tournament was against Mitch.  Mitch is part of the New Minas gaming crew that drove down for the event. The game was played on a densely wooded table and we were both playing infantry companies.  The mission was Dust Up and it promised to be a real slugfest with more an a few assaults.

Big Willie`s British 8th Army Infantry
OC and 2IC
Full platoon with sticky bombs
Full platoon with sticky bombs
Full platoon with sticky bombs
2 x HMG platoon
2 x 8`` mortar platoon
3 x Bren carriers
4 x 2 pdrs AT guns
4 x 18/25 pdrs
Hurricane intercept support

Mitch`s German Shrutzen
OC and 2IC with knackers
Full Grenadier platoon
Full Grenadier platoon
4 x MG34 platoon
3 x mortar platoon
2 x PaK 38 platoon
2 x 8-Rads
1 x 88 with extra crew
Priority Stuka support

Set Up

German objectives are far right in the wood and far right on the road by the hedgerow. Brit objectives are on the road in front of the church and behind last building on the left

British 8th Army Infantry vs DAK Panzers in Pincer

8th Army AT gunners taking out Panzers like a boss!

Game 2 of the Enbicon 2015 1390 EW tournament was against Mark and his DAK Panzers.  We were lucky enough to play on the desert table with Monty's own 8th Army attempting to defend against the Desert Foxes own. This battle field was a combination of both Mark and my terrain and that made it doubly enjoyable.

Big Willie`s British 8th Army Infantry
OC and 2IC
Full infantry platoon with sticky bombs
Full infantry platoon with sticky bombs
Full infantry platoon with sticky bombs
2 x HMG platoon
2 x 8`` mortars
3 x Bren carriers
4 x 2 pdrs
4 x 18/25 pdrs
Hurricane intercept support

Mark DAK Panzers
OC in Panzer III
3 x Panzer IIIs
5 x Panzer IIs
2 x 8-Rads
2 x 10.5cm guns
Trucked Pioneer platoon with supply vehicle

Set Up

Objectives are far right just north of the road and in the desert obstacles centre of the frame

British 8th Army Infantry vs German Schurtzen in Breakthrough

Guns firing over open sights knock out Panzers!

This weekend was Enbicon 2015 which featured a 1390 EW tournament.  I was playing Brit 8th Army Infantry and my first opponent was Quinton who way playing German Mechanized Infantry. The mission was Breakthrough.

Big Willie's 8th Army

OC and 2IC with sticky bombs

Full infantry platoon with sticky bombs

Full infantry platoon with sticky bombs

Full infantry platoon with sticky bombs

2 x Vickers HMGs

2 x 3" mortars

4 x 2pdr

3 x Bren carriers

4 x 18/25 pdrs

Sporadic Hurricane intercept

Quintons Germans

OC and 2IC with knackers

Full armoured platoon

Half armoured platoon

4 x Panzer II Cs

2 x 10.5cm guns

2 x infantry guns

3 x PaK 36 guns

3 x SP AA

Set Up

Objectives are on top of the hill far left and behind the hedge row near the road

Panzer Pioneers vs DAK Infantry in Cauldron

Stukas catch the half tracks in the open and make them pay!

The final game of the GameTronics 1710 MW tournament was against Stormtrooper Nick.  He and I were joking that this would be another rematch.  As always games against Nick end up being a knife fight in a phone booth  The mission was Cauldron, which isn't a mission that is played often in tournaments because it is so random in the deployment.

Big Willie's Pioneers
OC and 2IC with Knackers
Full armoured pioneer platoon
half trucked pioneer platoon
2 x Panthers
2 x 8-Rads
2 x 8" Mortar platoon
4 x Marder III Ms
2 x 2cm SP AA guns (1 x armoured)

Stormtrooper Nick's
OC and 2IC with knackers
Full infantry platoon with 2 x PaK 38s and mortar
Full infantry platoon with 2 x PaK 38s
Full schurtzen platoon
3 x Nebs with PaK 38
4 x Panzer III Ns
2 x 8-Rads
Priority Stuka air support

Set Up

Objectives are far side on the edge of the hill and in between the barn and hedgerow 

Enbicon 2015 FoW tournament

Action around the Church

This weekend was the Enbicon FoW early war tournament.  It was 1390 points and we had 12 guys show up to play.  Here are some pictures of the tables and armies. Special thanks to the guys from New Minas for making the drive.  There is a ton of pictures of the tables, armies and action. I hope you enjoy.

Panzer Pioneers vs Russian Heavy Tanks in Pincer

Panthers engage in a duel at short range

This weekend we made the long drive to Gametronics in New Minas NS to play in their 1710 MW tournament that I'm calling the Blizzard Bash due to the weather on the way home.  My first game was against Joe who was playing a Russian heavy tank list. With me playing mechanized infantry against his tanks I would be defending.  I combat attached by mortars to the truck platoon and put them the armour pioneers on the table with the Marders in ambush.

Big Willie's Pioneers
OC and 2IC with knackers
Full armoured Pioneer platoon
half trucked Pioneers with supply vehicle
2 x 8" mortar platoon
2 x 8-Rads
2 x Panthers
4 x Marder III Ms
2 x 2cm SP AA (1x armoured)

Joe's Heavy Russian Tanks
OC in KV-85
3 x KV-85
3 x KV-85
Infantry platoon
2 x Rocket mortar launchers

Set Up

Objectives are beside the hill front left and on the road middle left. 

Panzer Pioneers vs US Armored Rifles in Encounter

The river becomes a killing field for all attempting to cross

Game 2 of the Gametronics 1710 MW tournament was against Colin and his Armored Rifles. The mission was Encounter and he won the roll to be the attacker. Once again I would be defending but wouldn't have the defences that come from the supply vehicle.  I would be able to use it to help digging in. Again I had a water feature to hinge my defence.

Big Willie's Pioneers
OC and 2IC with knackers
Full Armored Pioneers platoon
Half trucked Pioneers platoon with supply vehicle
2 x mortars
2 x 8-Rads
2 x Panthers
4 x Marder III Ms
2 x 2 cm SP AA guns (1 x armoured)

Colin's Armoured Rifle Company
OC and 2IC
Full ARP with bazookas
Full ARP with bazookas
Recce platoon
HMG platoon
5 x Shermans
4 x 105mm platoon
Priority Air Support

Set Up

American objectives are bottom center and middle left, Germans objectives were centre right behind the houses and top right behind the small wood

New Brunswick Military Museum

The North Shore Regiment was raised in New Brunswick and landed on D-day as part of the 3rd Canadian Division on Juno beach

I recently had the opportunity to check out the New Brunswick war museum.  I didn't get pictures outside where all the vehicles were parked (I will there was a lot) but here are some of the inside WWII pictures. I was really impressed with the knowledge level of the staff and how great everything look.  The museum isn't fully finished but what they do have done is top quality.  There are items and displays dating back to 1640 all the way to Canadas latest war in Afghanistan.

Canadian Uniforms (Italy on left and Europe on right) and a BAR in the middle

Panzer Pioneers vs DAK Infantry in Hasty Attack

Panther on the prowl

This week at the gaming club (name coming soon) I had the chance to get a practice game in with my 1710 MW army for the upcoming New Minas tournament. Stormtrooper Nick and I decided to roll up a random mission and we rolled Hasty Attack.

Big Willie's German Pioneers
OC and 2IC with knackers
Full Armored Pioneers
Half trucked Pioneers
2 x 8-Rads
2 x Panthers
4 x Marder III Ms
2 x 2cm SP AA
3 x Nebs

Stormtrooper Nick's DAK Infantry
OC and 2IC with knackers
Full Infantry platoon with 2 x PaK 38s, MG 42 and 8cm mortar
Full Infantry platoon with 2 x PaK 38s
Schurtzen platoon
3 x Nebs with PaK 38
4 x Panzer III Ns
2 x 8-Rads
Priority Stuka support

Set Up

Objectives are centre right behind the little wood, bottom right beside the larger wood and center left in the open

How to build a 15mm scale Chinook

Chinooks for use with 15mm moderns or Stopping the Red Tide

Recently I converted a couple of roughly 1:100 scale Chinook helicopters to create an airmobile platoon for my USMC that I use for Cold War gone hot or variations of the Fate of a Nation.  I couldn't find a cheap and good looking model.  This one cost me about $20 each but only because I used the Battlefront rotors and helicopter stand.

Here are the parts your going to need:

2 x Battlefront helicopter rotors ($10)

1 x Helicopter flying stand ($10)

1 x Syma S026-01 Helicopter body ($5)
1 x Syma S026 landing gear and engines ($3)

All the bits I used

German Grenadier Pioneers vs US Light Tanks in Hasty Attack

Panthers sink their teeth into the Stuarts

This week I had the chance to get a 1710 MW game in against the Technoviking.  I was playing Eastern Front Grenadier Pioneers and he was playing a US light tank company from North Africa.  We rolled up the mission and it was Hasty Attack where I was going to be on the defensive against the attacks of Technoviking. I continued the new trend of taking black and white photos, hope you guys like it.

Big Willie's Germans
OC and 2IC
Full Armored Pioneer platoon with supply truck
Under strength trucked Pioneer platoon
4 x Marder III
2 x 8-Rads
2 x 2cm SP AA guns
2 x Panthers
3 x Nebs

Technovikings Americans
OC and 2IC in Stuarts
3 x Stuarts
3 x Stuarts
Armored Rifle platoon
Armored Rifle platoon
Armored Mortar platoon
4 x M10s
Recce platoon
4 x 105mm platoon

Set Up

The attacking objectives on both hills and by the church, the defender objective is at the base of the hill far right

Czech Panzerkompanie vs New Zealand Infantry in Hold the Line

Panzers ready to assault!

So now that the holidays are over, it's back to our weekly game night here in Gagetown.  Tonight, I played an early war match, 1390 points.  For my list, I took the following for my Czech Panzerkompanie from Barbarossa, Confident Veteran (except as listed):
HQ: 1 x Pz 38 (t) B, 1 x Pz 39 (t) E
Pl: 3 x Pz 38 (t) B
Pl: 3 x Pz 38 (t)
Pl: 3 x Kradschützen MG squads, with AT Rifle
Pl: 2 x NbW 35 (with spotter)
Pl: 2 x Flammpanzer II
Pl: 1 x FlaK 36 with extra crew (Confident Trained)

We rolled off for mission, and we got Hold the Line.  As a tank company, I had the honour of attacking. My opponent had an early war infantry company of New Zealanders.  He started with the following on the table, the remainder in delayed reserves:
HQ
Infantry Platoon
2 pounder platoon
Arty Platoon
The layout was as you see here

This is looking from my end as attacker.  He placed his objective in the back area surrounded by the hedges.  I put one there on the right, the German Cross.
I had three options.  I could go left, and strike deep at his arty platoon and AT platoon, I could go in the middle, turning near the rubbled church and then split the defences, or I could go right, and use the woods and the house there to mask my approach.  I went with the latter option.

Mid War US tanks vs Canadian Tanks in Hasty Attack

Shermans ready to advance!

Today at Gamezilla, I played a second game, this time against Mark.  The armies were mid war.  For the US, I had a tank company (Confident Trained):
OC and 2IC in Stuarts

Stuart Platoon (4 tanks)
Sherman Platoon (4 tanks)

Armored Rifle Platoon (2 bazookas)
Recon Platoon (2 sections in jeeps, HQ and bazooka in halftrack)
M10 TD Platoon

105mm Howitzer Platoon

The Canadians had a tank company (Confident Trained):
OC and 2IC in Sherman IIIs

2 x Sherman III platoons (3 x Shermans each)

2 x Recon Platoons (in Bren carriers, British, and confident vets)

2 x Infantry Platoons (Brits, confident vets)

Limited Air (Hurricane)

And I think that was it....

Set Up

The Canadians rolled off, and won the ability to attack.  The defender (me) has to hold two objectives, both on the left.  One near, one mid.  The objective I placed is on the far, left, on top of that hill.

Mid War US tanks vs German Aufklärungs in Counter Attack

Bacon Tree (no wait that's an 'am-bush)

Today at Gamezilla, I played a game against Quentin.  The armies were mid war.  For the US, I had a tank company (Confident Trained):
OC and 2IC in Stuarts

Stuart Platoon (4 tanks)
Sherman Platoon (4 tanks)

Armored Rifle Platoon (2 bazookas)
Recon Platoon (2 sections in jeeps, HQ and bazooka in halftrack)
M10 TD Platoon

105mm Howitzer Platoon

The Germans had:
Aufklärungsschwadron (mechanised list, Confident Veteran)
HQ
2 x Pl (SdKfz 205/1)

10.5 cm howitzer platoon

8 rad platoon

Pz IV Pl

Heavy AT Pl (2 x FlaK 36)

Limited Air (Stuka)

Set Up

The US is attacking.  Their deployment zone is near, right.  The Germans defending near, left.  The German Objectives are in their zone, and in the zone far, left.  The German reserves will appear far, right corner.  US force is confident trained, and the Germans are confident veteran.

German Panzer IVs vs German 38(t)s in Pincer

Panzers IVs advance

Technoviking and I got together for a practice game of EW at 1390.  We are both playing Germans so it was a bit of a wargame.  I was playing Germans from Barbrossa and he was playing Germans from Blitzkrieg.  We rolled up Pincer and I tried to do something a little different with a lot of the pictures being black and white.  I hope you like them as much as I do.

Big Willie's German Panzers
OC and 2IC in Panzer IV Cs
2 x Panzer IV C
2 x Panzer IV C
Armored Pioneer platoon
2 x NbW 35 mortars
2 x 8-Rads
2 x SP AA

Technoviking's Germans Panzers
OC and 2IC in 38(t)s
4 x 38(t)s
3 x Panzer IIs
Armor Infantry
3 x Kfz 221
1 x 88 with extra crew
Priority Air with Stuka 87s with bombs

Set Up

Objectives are on the road back centre and behind the hill top right.