German AT Rifle Team

As painted for my Barbarossa till Kursk army for Battlegroup (in which case 2 figs are the team and the third is an extra)

Britannia Miniatures, my favourite no matter what. Colourcoded to match my army.

 

Battlegroup Dispatches Issue 1 released!

Finally!

 Battlegroup Dispatches Issue 1 has been released!

http://ironfistpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ATT_1380660299696_Dispatches-1.pdf

Content:

Battlegroup Partisan

Partisan Army List

New Vehicle Data

Gebirgsjäger Army List

Painting British Infantry Uniforms for the ETO, 1944-45

Kampfgruppe Phillips, Normandy scenario

Hell in the Bocage, Normandy scenario

Pimp My Panzer – StuG III stowage box

‘On to the Dneipr’ new Battlegroup Kursk vehicle data

A bit for every rulesset released sofar plus a full armylist if you want to game Yugoslavia
in 1943! I'm liking that list a lot cause I like ambushing convoys like no other, which makes 
you set up a game with a very limited figure count and rulesrestrictions and can be played
in an hour or so as a precursor to a normal wargame. The paintingguide makes painting 
British Infantry easy-peasy....just add effort and job is godun. The 2 Normandy scenarios 
are a nice addition and something to try out for me when my 6mm armies are further
along the line, or my daughters have grown up, whichever comes first :D Pimp my Panzer
is something that I hope will be a frequent addition in the dispatches....tips and tricks like 
that are always handy to know. On to the Dneipr adds vehicle data for mostly post Kursk 
vehicles, but lets you include a T-70 company for Kursk as well. Imagine 10 of the little 
ones buzzing towards you....attack of the gnats!

On the whole, a nice read, plenty of food for thought and the eyes, and well reccomend. Issue 2, whenever that will be released, is already highly anticipated!


In case further downloads for Battlegroup interest you, go here: ironfistpublishing.com

BGK/BGO Markers

Decided I could not afford those lovely markers as seen on Ebay, so why not make them myself? I do have a laminator, so hey. 10 minutes in Excel and 15 minutes cutting them all apart.

I've got markers now for my 6mm/20mm forces (and no reason not to use these for 15mm as well):
-Moved
-Fired
-Pinned
-Ammo low
-Out of ammo
-Reserve move
-Ambush fire
-Abandoned
-Immobilised
-Spotted
-Low on fuel
-Out of fuel

The last 2 are my own creation as I have a feeling that for Fall of the Reich fuel might be a problem for the Germans. If not, they are fun for scenarios.

If you want a copy, let me know, it is a simple Excel file, 1 sheet, that I can email ya.

Toppled truck

Since I can never resist doing wrecks (and have a reputation to uphold), here is one that can double as scenery as well as an objective or a destroyed marker.

See insert for view at 30 cm range. Boxes made from square bits of sprue, wheels are from a 1/288 airliner kit, model is a Heroics and Ros Blitz truck minus the tilt. 30mm round base.

Beobachtungspanzer III

Beobachtungspanzer III. Insipred by my 20mm model, I tried to copy it as much as possible.
40x20mm base Heroics and Ross model suitably converted.

6mm testers

Gods, it has been ages since I last painted 6mm, so decided to do some testers to see if I can still perform :) Also a test to see if the basing style and tab fit me.

First up, my all time favorite, the Flammpanzer III. Decals by I-94 and Doms Decals, insert shows true size at 30-40 cm's distance. 40x20mm base

Second, cause I like remotely operated vehicles, the Goliath (I'm not sure if it is actually in the rules but for me it was too much fun to do one anyway till I get my hands on some Borgwards). 20x20mm base. Again, insert shows true size.





Painting is going rather quick right now, for German yellow I use Vallejo Middlestone over a grey basecoat, then paint the tracks and exhaust Vallejo Flat brown and rubber Vallejo German Grey. Then wash with Vallejo Dark Grey. Let dry, then paint again with basecoat and highlight with 50-50 Middlestone and Dark Sand. Gloss varnish, let dry overnight, add decals, let dry, coat with gloss varnish again. Paint base with any dark brown, drybrush with any light sandcolour, trim the edges in black. Add nametag, glue down with woodglue with a tin coat over it. Let dry, then matte varnish everything. Then do the flocking and tufting nd what not. Lasly, add antenna from brush and glue down (but I'm now doing this step while painting the basecoat to disguise the whole somewhat.

As soon as I start doing trucks I will experiment a bit with different greens to see which one works best for me, and then use that on my armour.

So, what do you think?

My Leven order; a small review

...came in today, and I'd like to share my experience.

On April the 18th I made an order for the following:

1x CHU02 - Russian Village Church a 1.50

1x CHU04 - Church with spire a 2.00

1x GEN08 - 60's style Garage with Petrol Pump a 1.50

1x IND12 - Eastfield Mill a 2.50

1x IND21 - Shoe Factory a 3.00

1x FAR01 - Farmhouse a 1.50

1x FAR03 - Granary Store a 1.50

1x FAR09 - Tractor Sheds a 1.50

2x HUT01 - Stone 'Oast' Kiln Hut a 1.00 = 2.00

2x HUT02 - Ukrainian Hovel a 1.00 = 2.00

2x HUT03 - Russian Isba a 1.00 = 2.00

2x HUT04 - Ukrainian Timber Hut a 1.00 = 2.00

1x HUT09 - Russian Timber House a 1.50

..for a total cost of 24.50 UK Pounds

On the early evening of the same day I got a confirmation for Leven telling me that they had received my order and they would contact me soon for the invoice.

Just half a day later, on friday the 19th I got another email thanking me for my order plus a Paypal invoice, which I paid at once.

The next day, saturday the 20th, I received my shipping notice

The following models arrived this morning (thursday the 25th), taking 5 days to get from the UK to Holland (very fast, but we can only thank the mail system for that :) )

They are all of the standard of Leven I'm used to, well cast, hardly any bubbles, the ones that I saw should be very easy to remove, the only minor quibble is that church nr4 is missing its spire, but that should be easy to rectify in a next order. I've notified Mick of this, he will propably contact me later tonight or tomorrow on this. Anyone can make a mistake, so no real harm done here. All the models were individually wrapped in bubble wrap, with extra foam pellets in the box for added protection.

They are cast in a tough light cream resin, with a light chemical smell that should dissapate in the coming days. I just leave them on the terrace in the sun for a few days to air out, then take them back in so I can give them a good wash to clean off any residue.

For a total cost of 29.45 UK Pounds I'm now the proud owner of 10 Russian style houses I intend to use for Kursk, and the rest for generic European locations.

I'm a happy customer and I'd thought I'd tell you other microarmour fans. He is releasing new stuff pretty often as well, so thats another reason to keep coming back. I'm hoping he will do one or more Continental type water towers or Russian/European windmills as well. I'll mention this in my next email to him.

PS If you are wondering why the center house is on an incline, it is because the porch fairing is taped to the underside and I was too lazy to remove it :)

Edit: Mick just contacted me, spire is in the mail first thing tomorrow morning. Now thats good customer service. Reccomended!

First basecoat for BGO

Basecoated the lot in grey.

That way the next colour I put on will en up lighter. I would have used white for a even lighter first coat but all I had in stock was grey, so grey it was.

Some models have minor modifications.

For instance, I've given the StuH a thicker, shorter barrel. Maybe a bit too thick, but at least it is instantly recognisable as a StuH now :) (That or a certain Epic 40K tank <sigh>)







I've also noticed some minor warping on my bases, so I'll propably varnish the underside to straighten them out again, or be at peace with it, as the warp is barely noticable.


Also got some feedback from Heroics and Ross, my Opel Blitz with hardtop body were very misaligned, they noticed it too in some of their casts so I'll have to add a note to my next order for replacements. Very quick respons for otherwise very nice models, no real flash and some minor mouldlines, some easier to remove then others, but that is the nature of these tiny models.

And I just received my Leven order of miniature houses, but I'll adress those in a new post.

BGO in 6mm - The beginning

And so it begins!

Finally, my first small bag of models arrived from Heroics and Ross so I spent a little bit of time this weekend basing most of it.

 Atm it is a mix of BGK and BGO, most will get dual use anyway. With the cost of 6mm, it is not a big issue but it stretches the money a bit.

To help out my opponent I've added a Sherman to my order that has now been suitable altered (and I hope to enter in the 30mm build if I can manage in time). In case you are wondering why the 222's base is different from the rest, it is because from the old days in BKC I made the recce bases arrow shaped for instant recognition. I just applied it to BGO and BGK as well, making them easier for me to pick ut.

Some of the models have been altered, added or replaced barrels with brass wire where needed, and I need to buy me a new wallpaper brush to strip it for antennae.

I know the open area left for a paper tab won't be to anyones taste, but I'll add a coloured marker to the rear base rim as well to denote the various types available in BGO/BGK (With their own Waffenfarbe, as in FW HQ (Yellow)- Inf (White) - Tanks (Pink) - Artillery (Red) - Recce (none, shape)- Engineer (Black)- Logistics (Blue) . And this time, the rest of the rim will be black as I feel this works better with 6mm.

The clock strikes 12

First strike. Finished all of the armour, 2 nights left to do some clean ups and minor work (managed to forget weathering the Panzer commanders hull....oops)

Beutepanzer T-34(r)

Panzer IV's

Onwards!

Kursk is coming closer.....

Some better pics of the Borg, now with antenna:

The Flammpanzer III is finished as well:

And some progress on the Funklenkpanzer III:

Attack of the Borg!

Attack of the Borg.....wards.

Finished the 3 plus 1 charge.

It will be a right demolition derby at Kursk :) Models are converted Wanze from Britannia (driver and rocketpack removed, sides altered, new exhaust system, antenna and marker, plates for the engine and driver)

Truck Build at the Guild

Yup, another speed build over at the Guild. I cannot resist them, and even better as I need to get some kit done for Kursk as well, plus a few other bits I will show later.

First up, a 20mm model.

 I'll be using this as my Luftwaffe Liason Officer ride for Battlegroup Kursk. Though I'm not sure the Tilly counts for the build as the theme is Truck and I've seen pick ups barred as non-elligeble. We'll see.

Secondly, a 15mm model.

It's another FAW Jiefang heavy H540 4x4 truck, this time a electrical version (batteries on top) and used by a goventment appointed prospector. Should do fine as scenery on my table.

I'm aiming to have a few more things done in time before the deadline runs out.

2 months till Kursk!

Better get cracking!

First up is a demolition Borgward to take care of the Russian minefields.
The base is a Britannia Wanze with the driver and panzerschrecks removed to get a clean Type C Borgward. Sadly this is the wrong type for Kursk, I need a A or B for that. Technically I can't use this one as it is a bit longer then the A or B but frankly I don't care  :grin:
Engine bay sanded down, sides and rear cut, new exhaust made (which varies in location on all of my pics so I went for the middle ground), stick with a ball on it (what does it do, does it make it easier to see or what?) cover for the driver who won't be present and a new cover for the old drivers seat (The A and B had the driver on the right).

Then we add something to get the Russians from their trenches, the Kebab Machine.....ok, its a Flammpanzer III. Pretty far along with this one, time for weathering and detailing.

And completing todays post, 3 Panzer IV's from PSC, with some minor upgrades. I was just working on adding the brass barrels.

And that's it for today.

Battlegroup Kursk up for pre release

My next game is Kursk on the 18th of August and will be with these new rules, with the author and the publisher fighting in the same battle (on opposite sides though!). They will be released in September and for the first 500 pre orders you will get a free PSC 1/72 Stug sprue.

I've just preordered.