Cold war!

With my basement renovations nearing completion I'm finally getting the chance to get back into doing some hobby stuff.  The guys from the Dice Devils showed me an amazing blog called Stopping the Red Tide.  It's run by Mwnciboo and he and his team have developed a rule set based on Flames of War and Tropic Lightning for the Cold War.  He has rules, and source books for US, NATO, Independents and USSR.  I'm totally digging it and have gone into my modern collection and have a functional USMC army.  I'm really looking forward to playing a game with RKelly or Matt Varnish.

With the Battlefront sale on Vietnam which is 40% off until the end of March, I've ordered 2 Huey Cobras and 6 x M60s.  I'm looking at getting some M113s, M109s and parts I need for a Chinook project that I'm planning on.  With this and soon to be purchased M1 Abrahams, I will be able to field almost every list the US has.  I can't wait to try it out both in Europe and in the Middle East (think Iraqi in the first Gulf War).

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.

Desert Rat Shermans vs DAK Panzers in Free-for-all

DAK Panzers defend the town, leaving smoking Shermans in their wake!

Over the holidays I was lucky enough to have a couple of my friends that don't normally play FoW come with me to Perkin's Hobby House and play some midwar Desert action.  We played 1485 which is the new Battlefront standard for midwar, which I don't really get (is 1500 really that bad?)  It was DAK Panzers against Desert Rat Shermans (soon to be repainted to look more the part) in Free-for-all.

Desert Rats (Ben and Chris)

OC and 2IC in Shermans

3 x Shermans

3 x Shermans

3 x Universal Carriers with a Piat

4 x 25-pdrs

DAK Panzers (Big Willie (me) and John)

OC in Panzer III M, 2IC in Panzer IV H

4 x Panzer III Ms

4 x Panzer III Ns

2 x 8-Rads

3 x Nebs

1 x 88 with tractor

Set Up

Chris and Ben planning their first moves with the Allied Shermans

More armies from Perkins Hobby House's Battle Cry 13

My (Big Willie's) 7th Armored Div

I found a bunch more pictures on my iPad that hadn't download from Perkin's Hobby House Battle Cry 13 so here they are:

Matt Varnish's 21 Panzer Div (Featured by Battlefront)

US 7th Armored vs Wiking SS Panzers in Dust Up

Shermans advance into the village against the SS Panzers

Game 3 of Perkin's Hobby House and Petawawa Miniature Soldier's (PMS) annual Battle Cry tournament (LW 1650) was against Ian formerly from PMS who recently moved down to Kingston. He was playing the Wiking SS Panzers which under his control is a very feared opponent here in Petawawa!  The mission was Dust Up and I lucked out right away rolling higher and being the attacker.  The table we were playing on was very open which is great for a tank battle but it looked like Vietnam instead of the Lorraine.

Ian's Wiking SS Panzers
OC and 2IC in Panzer IV H
5 x Panzer IV H
3 x StuGs 
3 x Panthers
3 x SP 3.7cm AA2 x 8-Rads

My 7th Armored
Patton 
OC - E8 and 2IC - Jumbo
4 x Shermans (2 x E8, 1 x Jumbo, 1 x M4A3)
4 x Shermans (2 x E8, 1 x Jumbo, 1 x M4A1)
4 x Stuarts 
2 x 81mm Half track Mortars
Div Recce Jeep and Half track
3 x Priests
AOP 

US 7th Armor vs German 88's in Counter Attack

Here comes the Shermans, everyone into cover!

Game 2 of Perkin's Hobby House and Petawawa Miniature Soldier's annual Battle Cry tournament (LW 1650) was against ThunderST from the Dice Devils and he was playing the super gun list of Doom.  12 x 88's!  The mission was counter attack where I was the attacker and ThunderST was going to have to keep the US Armor at bay.  Having gone aggressive for the first game I wanted keep that momentum going.

ThunderST's guns
OC and 2IC
4 x 88's
4 x 88's
4 x 88's
3 x Tigr Ie's
Full Infantry platoon
Full Infantry platoon
8 x 2 cm AA guns
3 x Nebs 


My 7th Armored
Patton
OC - E8 and 2IC - Jumbo
4 x Shermans (2 x E8, 1 x Jumbo, 1 x M4A3)
4 x Shermans (2 x E8, 1 x Jumbo, 1 x M4A1)
4 x Stuarts
2 x 81mm Half track Mortars
Div Recce Jeep and Half track
3 x Priests
AOP

US 7th Armoured vs Panzer Lehr in No Retreat

 

 Shermans dead ahead, FIRE!

Game 1 of Perkin's Hobby House and Petawawa Miniature Soldier's annual Battle Cry tournament (LW 1650) was against PanzerKommander.  The mission was no retreat where I was the attacker and PanzerKommander was going to have to keep the US Armour at bay.  This was the first game that I had played with this list.  I had a tank platoon like this for US Nationals and really liked them, plus I got my hands on a 7th Armored box set in a trade so it seemed like a perfect match.  I placed the objective to one side after he placed his centrally at the back, hoping that I would be able to get around on a flank and roll him up before reserves could arrive.

PanzerKommander Lehr
OC and 2IC
Full Grenadiers Platoon
Smaller Grenadiers Platoon
4 x Panzer IV Hs
3 x PaK 40's
4 x 10.5cm guns
4 x Pumas
2 x SP AA


My 7th Armored
Patton
OC - E8 and 2IC - Jumbo
4 x Shermans (2 x E8, 1 x Jumbo, 1 x M4A3)
4 x Shermans (2 x E8, 1 x Jumbo, 1 x M4A1)
4 x Stuarts
2 x 81mm Half track Mortars
Div Recce Jeep and Half track
3 x Priests
AOP