1/76th ish Inventory - WW2 German - sans infantry

After seeing this post by Archduke Piccolo I felt inspired/compelled to get out my WW2 German kit in the same scale.  These models go back to the 1970s (possibly even late 60s) and have been collected in bursts and drivels ever since whenever I have seen something I haven't been able to resist.  I was hoping to use Megablitz to actually make something out of them for wargaming. 

Some of these models might have been used for Command Decision, but I am pretty sure most have never been used on the table top (or in the garden for that matter).

 All sorts of brands in there,

including some scratchbuilt and diecast.

 Two of the Panthers are suffering badly from rot.

They were like that when I go them (cheaply so no complain).

 All sorts of kit and brands here as well.

Some deserve posts of their own.

Some I didn't even know I had.

Supplementary purchases (I think they were bargains).

Now, where have I stored the infantry?

WW2 German Wagon Riders

Following from my 3 December post after finding the new army lists for Megablitz and getting all enthused about creating an Alpini Division (which has progressed a little bit - I have at least now acquired suitable HAT 75mm mountain gun and some hopefully convertible crew plus seen some very nice 20mm AA guns in 1/72nd scale) I opened a box of Germans to find two unfinished wagons.

As every German division seems to need a wagon I decided I would finish them.  Then I decided I needed crew.  The wagons are Airfix (Wagon Train set and ACW Artillery limber) and are just a basic paint job. 

 Horses might be a bit small, but that is war shortages for you.

 Wagon Grenadiers.

 Not a perfect fit, but good enough to add atmosphere.

 They are just balanced on.  

If they ever get used in anger it might be blue tack.

The HAT 8262 Tank Riders almost got put back in the box when I saw this vile green shade.

However I am very happy how they turned out.  Four sprues of 11 different figures for $A12, that's less than 30 cents a figure.  Lots of potential.

Italian Alpini Division for Megablitz - Part One

I decided to do a post on this project, rather than put all the leads into my projects' spreadsheet (where I normally "bury" my "good ideas" to allow me to focus on current projects).

The other week a chap called James posted in the Yahoo Megablitz group a file that is translation of  GDWs "Armies of World War 2" TOE book to Megablitz TOEs.  Wow.  I was hooked and immediately started digging out my 1/76th and 1/72nd scale figures and kit to see what I could do.

Many years ago I took a packet of ESCI Alpini troops and made up a company for Crossfire.  Since starting this post I have discovered they have already been the subject of a post back in 2014. 

 A close up of the captain,which I had failed to mention in my original post was a conversion from the kneeling figure on the right.

Perhaps a white edge to the base would improve the snow effect.

More pics of them can be seen in the original post here.

Some time back had had settled on using Crossfire's basing, but in metric - 15mmx30mm for single figure, 30mmx30mm for squads, company commanders and heavy weapons.  I had then expanded this in increments of 3cm to incorporate larger antitank guns, AA guns and artillery etc.  Like with my 15mm vehicles, I have still not committed to basing trucks and tanks.

While I have a lot of stuff languishing based for Command Decision (basically two figures on a small base) and that I will change over, particularly where the basing was not completed, my excitement has culminated in seeing what I can do of the Alpini Division.

Troops were no problem, just six bases will do fine to represent the six battalions (in fact I now see I have enough to do two divisions - of course I think there were actually three deployed to Russia).  The command stand can do for the HQ (although the mule is a bit redundant).

I have enough spare pack mules (two) to do the supply base.  For the attached AT gun battalion I have this, purchased along time ago and untouched:

 RAFM 4877 Italian 47mm antitank guns.

And I can see why they were untouched - they look decidedly fiddly.

I reckon the HAT Skoda 75mm Mountain Gun will do perfect for the 75L13 Mountain Gun to represent the Alpini Artillery Regiment.

If I can get some of these they, maybe with some head swaps, will do nicely for crew.  Depends on how they compare size wise with the spare ESCI figures I have (some of which could easily convert to gun crews).

That is just going to leave the 20L65 AA gun to source.  It's going to be tricky I think...

The Flames of War, wrong scale of course, model might give me some ideas.  Gun Crew figure a. is perhaps a good starting point.

But maybe I just need to buy my way out of the problem:
http://earlywarminiatures.com/product/20mm-oerlikon-antiaircraft-gun-with-3-dutch-crew/

Once you go down this rabbit hole a whole world opens up, including Doc Models who do a Kit 72262 - Fiat 626 NML with Breda 20/65 AA and Italian Artillery men in 1/72nd.

Then there are the limbers.  At least the box art for the Italeri 1/35th scale kit gives an nice example for the AA limber.

I have also just seen that Waterloo 1815 do an interesting range of Italian WW2 figures. 

And then this list: http://www.miniatures.de/miniatures-WW2-italian.html

The Seed for a Force for the Tunisian Campaign

Even before I picked up a copy of Megablitz I wanted to be able to wargame the Tunisian campaign.  I'd obtained the Terence Wise booklet Battles For Wargamers: World War II Tunisia published in 1973 a long, long time ago and that provided a lot of inspiration which I've now finally been able to act on.  My latest purchase should give me a decent shot at doing this.

I bought these from David Williams.  David can be found on these two Facebook groups:

The Australian Historical Wargamer Trading Post

The Historical Wargames eXchange

The separated models and figures in the bottom right hand quarter of the picture is roughly what I need for a Panzer Division for Megablitz.  Just need some recon elements and perhaps some more logistics support.

Fallschirmjager for Crete - One standard equals one company

I've started to work through my haul of Fallschirmjagers.  First up some HMG for them, necessary for both Blitzkrieg Commander and Crossfire.

I wasn't sure how they were going to turn out and I have some challenges matching paints, but I'm very pleased with the results with what is a fairly basic paint job.  I think it's the tufts.

But the real challenge has been to work out what to do with them in regards to an OOB.

My first project is to go for one base is one company using the GMT Operation Mercury OOB.  While I still have a good amount of work to to, I can readily do all except the formations that came on the second day (the 5th Gebirgs Division).

 This is mostly the 3rd Fallschirmjäger Regiment.

This is mostly the 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment.

This is the Luftlande Sturmregiment.

I might paint this collection up in later war uniforms just for something different.

This is mostly the 2nd Fallschirmjäger Regiment.

Odds and sods.

At this scale it would be interesting to see if I could work out something using Megablitz, but that is more at the battalion level.  However Blitzkrieg Commander would lend itself to this scale with a bit of thought around the scenario.

Next is to work out a one base equals a platoon (Blitzkrieg Commander) and one base equals one squad (Crossfire).

And now having thought of it, one base equals one battalion (Megablitz).

50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division – Part 8

The Royal Artillery 74^th Field Regiment and Royal Artillery 124^th Field Regiment elements now complete.  Yeah!  The final delay was running out of matt varnish and having trouble finding some more, but job done now.   Along with some dug-in markers, there are also extra support units that I can use for Blitzkrieg Commander and Crossfire along with MegaBiltz – all bases covered. J

The basing has also been decided.  30mm square for infantry, 60mm square for heavy weapons and 90mm square for artillery.  Transport elements on a 40mm frontage.  This seems to give the look I was after.

The figures and models are Airfix or Matchbox, but there are two metal Hinchcliffe ring-ins commanding or assisting with the 25pdrs. I was pleasantly pleased with how it all turned out.  I had been a bit apprehensive about all the fixed basing, being more used to unbased models, but I’m very happy with the result

Next is the reconnaissance and engineering units plus signals and more transport elements.  Then the LAA regiment and perhaps the third Field Artillery regiment.  I would also expect to do an extra HQ element or two and maybe some more infantry (as I have them in some sort of shape in the “spares” box).  I’d also like to add to 5.5” battery.  Maybe some armour too, but before I get too carried away I need to do some German units to be their opponents.

50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division – Part 7

Still working on the Quads which are now undercoated (Tamiya XF1 Flat Black) and one has its base coat (Tamiya XF58 Olive Green).  I also found the figures for the crew and they are nearly finished.  I’m thinking of basing the Quads and limbers together and not sure if I will go for 90mm or 60mm squares for the guns.  Probably 90mm as that will set my standard for field artillery.

Progress has been slower than expected as we’ve been watching Lost, Season 1 to 6, on DVD.

50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division – Part 5

Time marches on and now all the infantry elements have been rebased.  So I now have the three brigades 69^th, 151^st and 168^th for the 50^th Division for the Megablitz rules.

These same figures also double up as an infantry company for Crossfire.

I'm also hoping that these same forces can double (or will it be triple) up for Blitzkrieg Commander (rules set has been ordered).

So far only one dedicated transport unit – a reconstructed Matador.  It is the first vehicle I undercoated black before painting.  In another first it is also the first to be varnished.  The matt varnish has a more satin finish to it, but i think that is my fault for not shaking up the can enough.  So it goes.  The infantry used to be gloss.  I didn’t fix the truck to its base.  I um’d and er’d for a long while, but decided not to at this stage.    I’ll keep with the loose look.

The next job is to start on the field artillery regiments, which will be more repair work.

50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division – Part 4

Apart from the now finished 6pdr all the other figures I have had for a long time and these photos are just showing their final basing for the 50^th Division I am slowly building based on the Megablitz scale.

Typical photo style from me with one obvious exception and it was purely accidental.  It was taken outdoors and I think the bright sunshine and semi gloss varnish caused the interesting effect.  The other photo I like form this series is basically the one I redid of what I originally thought was a ruined shot, but this one has the focus on the pointy or business end of the 6pdr.

I also have to remind myself that the 6pdr was effectively in my scrap box before I rescued it for what is effectively my first WW2 war game vignette basing attempt.

The mortar is scratch built and the crew converted (old) Airfix 8^th Army figures.