Proof of Life

For the loyal eight or so folks that keep an eye on this blog, I humbly apologize for the quiet spell.  I've pretty reliably filled time and space here with batreps, gaming background matter, and pics of figs/terrain, but the past couple weeks have seen a deluge of 'real life' encroach upon my gaming.  Having said that, it hasn't been a total loss, as I've snatched a moment here and a minute there to finish up all the buildings I own, I rebased mid-war 10mm Germans and Russians (in a previous post), and I put some flock on my set of coconut trees.  Here's some pics:

 Here's an overview of all the buildings I have.  After years of playing with khaki colored buildings, I finally decided to put in a little work on the upgrade.  They are still no one's idea of a masterpiece, but they're 100 times better than they were and they're good enough for me!

 Some JR Miniatures 'dragon's teeth.'  Though I play in 10mm, almost all my terrain is 15mm, and I find it works well.

 Some bombed out houses.  Sorry, I don't recall the manufacturer.  I picked them up about eight months ago from Greathall Minis in Austin, TX.

 Two larger bombed-out houses, same (unknown) manufacturer as above pic, also gotten at Greathall Minis.

 A 15mm JR Minis building.

 These are both JR Minis.  They came in full sections that you then cut/broke into pieces to make them look bombed out.

 More JR Minis.

 Ditto.  I'd love to put which model each building is, but frankly, I don't recall anymore.

 JR Minis.  If this one if familiar, it's because this is one of the two buildings I finished a couple months ago and have been using in my 'All Americans' battles.

 Backside of same building.

 Here's the other one I had already finished.

 And the backside.

 Here's the newly finished counterpart.

 And the backside.

 This, and the photo below, are also JR Minis, but they are not made of plastic.  I don't know, maybe resin?  It feels like concrete.  I like them, but they are definitely smaller than the other 15mm stuff.

 Again, I like them, but definitely on the smaller side.

 I have no idea who makes this, another one gotten from Greathall Minis.  It has the distinction of being the only building I own that is not bombed out...

 My new collection of 36 coconut trees gotten rather cheaply off E-bay.  Now, as any wargamer knows, you can never have enough trees, but this is a decent start.

 I put some static grass on the bases and gave them a matte sealant.  Ready for war.

A closer up shot of the bases.  Perhaps not the most beautiful/accurate, but good enough to serve me on the wargames table.  I'll definitely be going to some South/Central Pacific circa 1941-1944 with these, probably some southern-delta Vietnam, definitely some Cuba (YES! Cuba Libre is not dead!).  Maybe some Africa, both colonial and modern?

With the long weekend (due to Veteran's Day), I intend on getting in at least two fights this weekend, and if I can do that and get them written up, I just might call it a day on All Americans in Sicily.  Then I'll look to get into something else for a bit (before returning for AA in Salerno).  Where I shall go exactly is anyone's guess.  Here are some things I'm kicking around (in no particular order):
-1/600 Air USN vs IJA/IJN (have)
-1/600 Air Flying Tigers vs IJA (have)
-1/600 Air Battle of Britain (have)
-1/1850 Naval USN vs IJN task-force level (have the minis but need rules)
-1/600 Coastal USN vs IJN (have a set of rules from the kindly Mr. Legan, and need to order minis from the kindly Mr. Gregory, then paint and base them)
-10mm Ground WWII mid-war German vs Soviet (have minis, need to put company-level CoC on paper)
-10mm Ground WWII late-war Germans vs US and Brit Paras (need to rebase all three, need to repaint most of the US)
-10mm Ground Modern Cuba Libre (at least the first phase, liberation-have the minis and rules)
-6mm Ground Napoleonic.  I'm years from being done with the minis (seemingly), then I need to settle on some rules, probably some version of Black Powder.  But if I quit playing everything else and just work on the painting/basing, I could get there a lot faster...
-1/600 Air Vietnam (got the minis, need to finish painting them, need to work on "Thud Ridge" rules to see if I can make them doable for solo games).
-10mm Ground WWII-got a bunch of Brit 8th Army figures that need to get based, could use them for North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Burma, India, even Aussies for New Guinea?
-10mm Ground WWII USMC and IJA that need to be finished up.  Like to meld them into a campaign of ground, air, coastal, and naval; probably just a pipedream.
-I've got 10mm Napoleonics for Song of Drums and Shakos painted up and just taking up space, and 10mm Romano-Brits for Song of Arthur and Merlin that need to be finished painting and basing.
-I've got more 10mm Modern stuff than I know what to do with, and I need to figure out what to do with it and get it on the table.
-I received my order of 10mm French and Vietminh, Vietnam Aussies, and more Vietnam NVA and VC.  They're all cleaned up and primed, but I need to get all of that painted and based (once I figure out what rules I'm going to use for the various elements).
-I've got a bunch of WWII US and Germans in 6mm sitting around, not doing anything, and I keep having irrational desires to buy more.  What really scares me is having an impulse buy in 6mm of stuff I already have in 10mm...  For example, I keep looking at GHQ Warsaw Pact stuff, and wanting to do some sort of quasi-Imagination war between former Soviet Republics with T-80s, BMPs, and BTRs.  Of course I already have T-72s, BMPs, and BTRs in 10mm, but dammit, I keep finding myself on the GHQ site.  I keep thinking of the Republic of Prussia blog and wanting to do that as he does, in 6mm, but I already have 10mm.  What's wrong with me???

Also, I have this crazy idea.  I was a Marine, and we have/had the MEU, or Marine Expeditionary Unit concept for rapid response worldwide.  I keep dreaming of using this concept, except it's Royal Marines in the 1880s to early 1900s.  Get some Pendraken colonial Brit riflemen and put them ashore throughout the Empire in order to show the flag, quell the violence/keep the peace, protect British interests, etc...  Get some Zulus, some Egyptian regulars, some Middle Eastern tribal types, some contemporary colonial rifles to serve as dastardly competing empires (Germans, Japanese, Russians?), and proxy them all over the world.  Pretty crazy, no?

In any case, sorry for the rambling, just trying to get some thoughts 'on paper,' so to speak, as to where to go after my AA Sicily campaign is finished.  Too many projects, too little time...

V/R,
Jack

Helping Out a Buddy

All,
    The other day I received an e-mail from one of the few people that actually read this raggedy-ass blog, asking me if I could compare some Minifigs and Pendraken.  So I took some photos and posted them here, and I hope they help.  These are for JChaos:

 On left is Pendraken Falklands Range Brit Leader, on right, Pendraken Vietnam Range US leader.  I saw in your gallery you have some of the Pendraken Vietnam range, so I figured this would help.  The Falklands range is shorter (though this is offset by the thickness of the base), and thinner than the Vietnam range.

 Falklands range Argentinian Leader and Brit Leader.

 Vietnam NVA riflemen and Argentinian leader.

 NVA officer and Brit leader.  You can really see how much taller and thicker the NVA officer is, and Pendraken WWII are the same size as the NVA officer.

 Here's some WWII: Pendraken German Officer (left), Minifigs German rifleman.  Pendraken is taller and thicker.

 Another view.

 Again, with Brit leader at far right.  The camera is canted, but all three are on basing of the same height.  The Brit leader looks taller, but this is due to the thickness of the base, not how tall he actually is.

 Left, Minifigs modern Warsaw Pact, right, Pendraken Argentine rifleman.

 Left, Minifigs modern Warsaw Pact, right, Pendraken Argentine.

 Left, Pendraken Falklands Brit, right, Minifigs Special Operations.

Left, Minifigs Spec Ops, right, Pendraken Falklands Brit.

To sum up, I mix both (WWII and Modern), but I think the Modern mixes better than the WWII.  I hope this helps you, Jorge!

V/R,
Jack

German and Soviet Companies, WWII

All,
    Fellow TMPer John (AKA Grey Panda) have been discussing company-level Chain of Command.  I love the rules as written, but remain committed to my KR-16 adaptation for platoon-level rules, so I decided to finish up a rifle company each of mid-war Germans and Russkies.  These are about 90% Minifigs, with a bit of Pendraken and Takara pre-paints thrown in.  I based them like Flames of War, i.e., a rifle squad is on two bases (rifle team and LMG team).
    The guys were mostly painted, but I needed to rebase them, give them a wash, add some foliage, then pretty up the bases (label and edge).  Here are the fruits of my labor:

 Here's my Soviets (so far, and enough to play with).  Three rifle platoons, each with Plt Cdr, Plt Sgt, 50mm mortar team, three squad leaders, and three rifle squads, each consisting of a rifle team and an LMG team.  One Weapons Platoon, consisting of a PC, Plt Sgt, 120mm mortar team, 82mm mortar team, Dshk 12.7mm HMG team, Maxim 7.62mm MMG team, 82mm mortar team, two AT rifle teams, and an engineer team.  I've also got 3 76.2mm AT guns, four BA-64s, six T-34/76s, 3 SU-122s, and 3 SU-76s.

 The German force.  The rifle platoons are the same, except the German platoons each have a PzSchreck instead of a 50mm mortar.  The Weapons Plt has two MG-42 teams, two 80mm mortar teams, and two engineer squads (two bases each).

 The Russian 1st Platoon (rifle).  Again, PC, Plt Sgt, 50mm mortar, and three squads with squad leaders out front.

 Rifle Plt HQ element: PC, Plt Sgt, 50mm mortars.

 A rifle squad, with LMG team (front), rifle team (rear), and Squad Leader.

 Dshk HMG team and 82mm mortar team.

 ATR team and engineer team.

 BA-64, Zis-3, and SU-76.

 SU-122 and T-34 (I used Pendraken Soviet vehicle crew).

 German rifle platoon.

 German rifle squad.

 German rifle platoon HQ element.

 Engineer team, 80mm mortar team, and MG-42 team.

PaK-38 ATG.  I also have three PaK-40 ATGs, 6 Pz IIIJs, 3 Panthers, 2 Tigers, 3 JgPz IVs, 3 Pz IVDs, 1 Marder II, 1 Sdkfz 251/9, a couple Kubelwagens, 4 Sdkfz 222s, 11 Sdkfz 251/1s, and a bunch of trucks.

Thanks for looking.

V/R,
Jack

All Americans, non-battle period, 24-26 July 1943

All,
    For the next few days, Dog Company sat in blocking positions waiting for German/Italian counterattacks that never came.  During this period the company was reorganized, with 2nd Platoon being disbanded to provide replacements for 1st and 3rd Platoons.
    Lt Shepherd and SSgt Ford rearranged the platoon, promoting several members of the platoon and rearranging the men to accommodate the new members from 2nd Platoon.  Shepherd and Ford were intent on keeping the .30 cal. MMG, and thus didn't report the Wpns Plt gun being in their possession.
   
-Sgt Gamble, 2nd Platoon's acting Plt Sgt, was made the Lt's RTO as Shepherd was tired of carrying it himself.  
-Ignacio (bazooka gunner) was promoted to Corporal.
-Cpl Locke (1B) became a Tier II leader.
-Fox (1B) was promoted to Corporal.
-Cpl Keepers was made 2nd Squad SL.
-Welcomed Sgt Bettis from 2nd Plt to become 1st Squad's SL.

The platoon is back at full strength, plus having a .30 cal MMG in 2nd Squad's 2B (their BAR was moved to 2A).  The platoon is ready for whatever may come...

V/R,
Jack

All Americans, Non-Battle Period (14-20 July 1943)

All,

1st Platoon performed admirably in the first phase of the invasion of Sicily and was rewarded with six days out of the line to rest, refit, and  bring in replacements.  The platoon dropped onto an alien land in the dark of night, formed itself in the face of the enemy, and fought its way to the battalion staging area before moving out smartly to eliminate enemy AAA nearby.  Following this the platoon led the assault on the German "Objective Y" defenses, taking Olive Tree Hill then turning it over to 2nd Platoon, which was badly mauled when elements of the German FallschirmPanzer Division Hermann Goering counterattacked Olive Tree Hill in its bid to reach the 1st Infantry Division's landing beaches.  1st Platoon immediately mounted a counterattack and ejected the Germans from the hill; however, the HGD soon returned, this time with Tiger tanks, but the platoon held fast.  Again the Germans attacked, with the platoon first holding its ground but then being forced to abandon the position.  2Lt Shepherd and SFC Ford immediately reorganized the platoon and led them back up Olive Tree Hill, evicting the Germans, who fell back in disarray.

The next morning advanced elements of the 1st Inf Divsion arrived to relieve the hard-pressed paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division.  Shepherd and Ford happily led their troops to the rear for some R&R, having no idea it would be almost a full week before their number would again be called.  All of the platoon's walking wounded are healed up, and all the locally evacuated men returned.  All replacements save one (a tough little Corporal named Keepers from 3rd Battalion) were 'boots' straight off the landing ships.  Shepherd promoted several of the 'old hand' Privates were promoted to PFC (though not anyone that ran!).

Happenings:

-I finally rolled up Sgt Glenn's attributes: conformist, religion, and bold.  He's a quiet, humble man, devoted to the Lord, family, and his country.  He believes in being a part of something larger than himself, and, while he doesn't desire to die, his devoutness makes him unafraid of it and thus aggressive on the battlefield.

-Due to his personal valor, the performance of his squad and the platoon as a whole, and the friendship of Sgt Hume, Sgt Hurley has broken free of the depression that gripped him early on.

-SFC Ford (if you've forgotten, he's hedonistic, a drunk, reckless, but a helluva guy under fire) took the Squad Leaders out on the town (strictly against US Army standing orders), where they all became quite drunk and Ford gave his best attempt at causing an international incident when he was caught 'getting to know' the local mayor's significant other.  This got all the way to the Bn Cmdr, who was none to pleased.  Heads didn't roll, but stern warnings were dispensed.

-Two days later Ford again found himself drunk and this time, instead of mixing it up with a local female he decided on an altercation that got physical with a logistics officer from the 45th Infantry Division.  Despite getting the better of the rear-echelon Captain, the BC was not impressed, and Ford finds himself once again occupying the rank of Staff Sergeant.  BC has a neutral opinion of Ford.

-Due to increases in experience and performance in battle, the following progressions were made:
Lt Shepherd becomes a Level III leader

SSgt Ford becomes a Level III leader

Sgt Carlyle becomes a Level I leader

Sgt Hume becomes a Level II leader

Cpl Locke becomes a Level I leader

Sgt Hurley becomes a Level II leader

Cpl Keepers becomes a Level I leader

Sgt Glenn becomes a Level II leader

Cpl Pace becomes a Level I leader

The next phase of the battle sees the 82nd Airborne moving west along the coastal road towards Marsala, largely against inferior opposition, while the German frontline units pull back towards Messina at the northeast tip of the island.  1st Platoon is being brought back into the line to face off against flagging German and Italian opposition.  Up next for the platoon: Card H, "Screen."  Engineers will be off-board checking a substantial portion of road to determine if it can support an armored column.  The platoon will have battalion 81mm mortars in support, an M-3 Stuart in support, and Sgt Lapidus' MMG in support, covering Sgt Austen's engineers.  Also, the Lt has put it off a couple fights already, but his college chum, 1Lt Nickelson, has been begging to accompany Shepherd on a mission, and this seems to be as good as any.

V/R,

Jack

French for Dien Bien Phu

All,

So, I'm patiently waiting for my order of French and Vietminh for Dien Bien Phu and, as I'd previously ordered some odds and ends to be used with them, I decided to paint them up.  Here's some pics; I have yet to give them a wash, which is now customary after being talked into it by the good folks on the Pendraken forum.  I must say, though, that I still cringe as I'm doing it, thinking, "Good Lord, I'm ruining that camouflage that took so long to paint."  But, it keeps turning out pretty doggone well, so I will keep doing it.  I'll get photos of them up once they're washed and based, but I need the whole force before I can base them as I believe this will be multi-based.

So, below is what I intend to use for my French paratroopers, plus the actual French paratroopers and some US Marines, once I receive them.

 These are Pendraken WWII Brit Sten Guns with slouch hats.

Regarding uniforms, you'll see I'm going with a hodge-podge of faded OD, French camo, and USMC WWII "duckhunter" (brown-side out) camo.  And it will be mixed and matched.  As you see in the bottom row, at left is French camo top and bottoms w/yellow bush hat, next guy is Fr camo top and bottoms w/USMC camo hat, next guy is OD top and bottom w/USMC camo hat, next guy is OD bottoms, Fr camo top, and yellow hat, next guy is OD bottoms, USMC top, Fr Camo hat, and last guy is OD bottoms w/Fr camo top and hat.  All the guys in the bottom row have leather boots while all the guys in the top row have the French green jungle boots (can't really see them in this pic).

 This group is WWII Brit rifles in slouch hat.

 Far left is WWII Brit Airborne radio, while four on right are WWII Brit AB officers.

 Reverse.

 The 1st and 3-5 guys are from WWII US AB Ardennes Forward Observers pack, while 2 and 3 are WWII US AB Ardennes carbines.

 Reverse.

 These are the only actual French paratroopers I currently have in my possession.  These guys are crew members for three recoilless rifles.

 Reverse.  I like the poses, but the folding-stock M-1 carbines on the three guys on the right are really tiny!

 Two of the recoiless rifles, with two flamethrowers from the WWII US AB engineers pack.

 Reverse.  The flame tanks are bit dark for my taste, but I wanted them to stand out from the colors I used in the uniforms.

A closeup to show some camo and the French jungle boots.  The green is too bright but looks good once there's a wash on it.  Sorry I didn't think to get a closeup of the USMC camo.

V/R,
Jack