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.

Now for something a little different

A while ago I picked up a bunch of moderns in a trade.  Its about 2 platoons with of Marines in MARPAT and it came with a bunch of HMWVs with .50 Cals, TOW and Mk 40 grenade launchers and 4 AMTRACs.  With Battlefront releasing both Tropic Lighting and Fate of a Nation I found a home for my latest project.  Here is what I'm planning on using and the models I've found as Battlefront doesn't make moderns to go with my Marines.

There is a manufacture that does called QRF and you check them out here.

M60 tank used by the Marines up until Gulf War 1

My plan for these guys is to use them as M48s for Vietnam or Magach 2 or 3 for Fate of a Nation.

M1A1 tank was the front line tank for the USMC during Gulf War 1 and some were still used in Gulf War 2

I'm planning on using these guys as Centurions or Sho't for Fate of a Nation and perhaps as the Company Commander for Vietnam.

The BlackHawk helicopter is seen in every army movie but the SeaHawk is the USMC equivalent so I'm going to model up a couple of refueling booms and I now have my Dust-off and arty observers for Vietnam.

Finally I wanted to have some gun ships and the USMC still uses Cobra gunships and Battlefront makes those models so I will be using them but painting them the Navy Grey with USMC markings (just like the SeaHawks).  I'll be positing WIP shots as I take them.  The plan is to use them against some of the other Dice Devils.

Band of Brothers Vietnam style

This is a new version of the Big Picture featuring the 101st Screaming Eagles in Vietnam.  Pretty cool beginning to the video talking about WWII.  The more I see the work that Steve from WWPD is doing on his choppers the more I get excited about the idea of doing the same thing.  Some very interesting parallels in the counter-insurgency that is described in the video and the current ones that are going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It seems from the video that the small units, constantly operating in an area is what ends up being effective.  Around 13:02 you can see how quickly a mortar can fire, I think they fired 5 rounds in less than as many seconds.  Around 15:55 there is a really cool segment on how the 101st guns were helping to relieve a Special Forces fire base that leads to a massive fire fight around 17:20 which is no doubt where a lot of Vietnam moves got their ideas for combat scenes.

Beachead at Anzio

With the anniversary of the capture of Rome only a few days away I figured it would be appropriate to share a video that talked about the beachhead at Anzio and the Sitskrieg that took place there.  This video does a great job of showing how importance of digging in.  I liked how the naval guns were used to support the troops on the ground after all the naval landings had taken place.  There is some more good footage of StuGs, Marders on the move and a bunch of German guns.  Likewise, there is a bunch of Allied guns with some Shermans and at one point Churchills.  The iron sled is an interesting idea but I can understand why it didn't catch on.

Operation Cobra!

Operation Cobra the breakout of Normandy as seen through the eyes of the US Army.  Some awesome footage of the bocage that the Allies had to fight through and the Germans defended.  There is some great points of Strategic weapons being used at the Tactical level, such as the V1 and V2 rockets and heavy bombers.  Some amazing footage of Tigers, 88's and Panzersherks in action.  Lots of Shermans, Tank destroyers and guns of all type firing.  This video would make a great sound track to a game with all the combat noise.  Take a look at 21:42 I'm almost positive that's a Grant, but I didn't think there were any in Europe.  I think however made the video like the M8 Scott because you see a fair amount of them.  There is a great shot at 22:30ish of a Stuart smashing through some small trees.  Near the end of the video check out the land mattress and the Crocodile firing, truly something to be scared of!

ANZACs!

With the release of Tour of Duty for FoW Vietnam I found this film that talks about the 173rd and The Royal Australian Regiment.  There is some sweet images of the tanks getting bogged down to say the least.  All in all a great film about the US in Vietnam.

Tour of Duty!

With the latest release from Battlefront for Flames of War Vietnam I thought it was only right to share this video.  Steve at WWPD is doing a great job getting all these models painted up and I'm sure that he would like to see them all in action.  The video does a great job explaining how they improved the vehicles for the fight.  The Shearaton's with their 152mm guns look fearsome same with the M109s.  I figure that RKelly from the Dice Devil's is going to be pick up with M109s for his Canadians.

Nuts!

Ever wonder why the FoW book about Bastagone is called Nuts?  Take a look at this video talking about the 101st Airborne and the 10th Armoured division and you'll find out.  Matt Varnish from Dice Devil's I'm sure will be happy to see just how important the Air Force was in supporting the defenders and resupplying them.  I also really like how it is a bunch of interviews of the actual soldiers mixed with the combat footage.    There are some great scenes with Shermans of all type, Stuarts, guns, tank destroyers and Priests.  There is even some footage of StuGs, Grilles and Panzer III Ns. 

Sandbags a Tanks best friend?

Patton and an Easy 8!

I started doing some more research into how the sand bags looked on the Sherman tanks and it looks like the ones I've made a little big.  So now I need to figure out if I'm going to strip them all off or if I going to use them anyways.  I'm leaning towards using them in there current state as they look good and like much of the detail done by BF models the details are enlarged so you can see them on the table top without having to be right on top of them.  I figured that there would be a bunc of people that would like to see the various reference pictures that I foun so here they are.