Rubicon Models A15 Crusader

I have been really excited about the new Rubicon Models line of 1/56th scale WW2 for a long time and now I have finally built my first kit.  I bought this a few weeks ago from my local game store.  This is the armor back-bone for my Perry British 8th army project.  I have had it on the table a couple of times and it makes a perfect addition to my collection.  I might even buy a couple more for Tank War. 

The model comes in a nice glossy box and looks like a proper model kit.

The back of the box give a nice over view of the tank and some example pictures.  You can see how much I paid for it.  You can get these online a few dollars cheaper with free shipping.

A real bonus for a gaming model is the inclusion of this excellent decal set.  This alone adds about $5 of value to the kit.

The instruction sheet is just like you would get in a proper model kit.  It is very nicely produced and accurate!

There are three sprues in the kit.  You cam make one of 5 different versions and not matter which you build you will have a bunch of leftover parts.

Here is the model fully assembled.  I built the Crusader III and it took about an hour an half to complete.

I sprayed the model in a base coat of flat tan. 

Next I painted some dark brown camo patches.

There is lots of different ideas about the camo colors on British tanks in North Africa.  This probably should have been black but I prefer the look of the dark brown.

After the camo I did a drybrush with a light tan color.  I not very good a drybrusing anymore - need more practice.

After the drybrush I added the decals and then did a wash of light tan.

I really love this kit and I can't wait to buy some of their others.  They are easy to put together and designed to be handled.  I don't thing there will be any issues with these as game pieces.

Frostgrave Warband

Over the summer several local gamers got excited about the Frostgrave Nickstarter.  The rules and background looked interesting and I was intrigued by the same skirmish fantasy setting.  I was not excited enough to jump into the pre-order but I did purchase the rules as soon as they became available.  Since I was not sure how the game would play or if it would catch on with my regular gaming friends I decided to build a warband on the cheap.  Basically, I raided my figure collection and bashed up a few models.

My wizard is from the Games Workshop plastic Empire Wizard box.  I am not sure if this set is still available but it is a really nice kit.  There are enough parts for two models with lots of leftover bits.  I had originally purchased the set to build inquisitors for =][=munda but that project never got off the ground.

From the same Empire Wizard set I built my apprentice.  This could easily be a proper wizard in hos own right but until I find a better figure he will have to do.

My Men-at-Arms are built from Wargames Factory Saxon Fyrd/Viking Bondi bodies, arms and heads.  One has a plastic Gripping Beast arm and shield.  There are also some Warhammer Fantasy parts as well.  If you look through the Frostgrave rules you will se lots of Wargames Factory figures used as the base for some cool models.

The archers are also Games Workshop figures.  This time we have plastic Rangers of Middle-earth figures from the Lord of the Rings line.  These are unconverted and fit well with the other figures.

Next are a couple of Thieves.  The first one id a plastic Gripping Beast Dark Age Warrior with the dagger hand taken from the GW Empire Wizard set.  The hands are clearly different sizes but having a gimpy hand likely drove the man to thievery in the first place.  The other figure is from the GW Giant set.  This is a plastic figure straight from the box.  Thieves are generally cowards so perfect.

Finally we have a War Hound.  This is a metal model and I think it is made by Gripping Beast but I am really not sure.  He is a big beast!

I am glad to have this project completed.  I really just did a quick and dirty paint job and I am now glad I did not spend too much time on this.  It seems this game is DOA with my group of friends so I might never use these guys.  Too bad as the game looks like a lot of fun.

SAGA 7 Point Anglo-Dane Army

A few months ago I rebased some of my old Gripping Beast figures from my WAB Saxon army.  These were painted many years ago and haven't been used much for the last 7-8 years.  I did some touch-ups and weapons swaps for SAGA but they haven't changed much.

Anglo-Dane warlord.  I actually rebased this one a long time ago with the intent of making him the general for my Hail Caesar Saxon army.  He will be used for both games.

One point of Huscarls with great axes.

One point of Huscarls with great axes.  This and the unit above are usually run as a single 8 figure unit.  They are very dangerous in numbers.

One point of Huscarls with hand weapons.

One point of Huscarls with hand weapons.  These two are usually combined for one 8 figure unit.  Not as dangerous as the great axes but more survivable.

One point of Ceorls.

One point of Ceorls. 

One point of Geburs.  I find levy troops to be a waste for most SAGA armies and the Anglo-Dane fit that pattern.  These are only really useful against cavalry forces.

I have played several games with this army and done pretty well.  Lately my regular opponents have started to figure it out and are no longer surprised by their tricks.  They are kind of anti-Vikings.

This is probably the last of the dedicated SAGA forces I will do for a while.  With two completed forces I am set for this game.  I will continue to paint Dark Age stuff for Hail Caesar and also Kings of War but those will be multi-based figures specific to those games.

Perry British 8th Army Support Teams

I added a few support teams to my British 8th Army.  These Perry minis have really grown on me and I am looking forward to working on more of these great WW2 models.

First up is the Vickers team.  This is a four man set but for Bolt Action you only need three.  This will allow me to re-purpose the extra figure for some other function.  These figures are so small the gun and both crew easily fit on a 40mm round base.

Next is the 3" mortar team.  Like the Vickers team this is a 4 figure set where only 3 are needed in the game.  I will be using the spotter figure as an artillery observer and the Vickers commander will fill in as the spotter for the mortar.  Again, the figures are so small I was able to easily fit three figures and the mortar on a single 40mm round base.

Lastly is the Perry 6 pdr gun for the 8th army.  This model is really beautiful but a little fiddly to build.  The gun and the entire crew is on a three inch base.  For Bolt Action I only need three crew but I decided it looked better with all four figures.  Make no real difference for game play, just treat the team as having three wounds.

I have a few other items for this project so stay tuned for more Perry goodness.

27th Regiment d'Infanterie de Ligne

This installment of the Napoleonic French project has the first and second battalions of the 27th regiment.  It so happens that between Warlord and Victrix I had both battalion flags.  This is the only regiment that I have more than one battalion flag for so I had to do both.

Like the other installments these figures are all Victrix.  The next batch is likely to be Warlord but it will be a ways away.  Time to take a break from these guys.

1st Battalion 27th Regiment

1st battalion command

1st battalion grenadiers

2nd battalion 27th regiment

2nd battalion command

2nf battalion voltiguers

The 27th regiment

No Man's Land - A Great War Battle Report

Tom and I got together yesterday for our second Flames of War Great War battle.  The scenario we played was No Man's Land.  Tom had picked his own set of trenches so this was a good excuse to get them on the table.  The forces were the same lists we used for our first game but this time Tom would play the Germans and I took the British.

This is an interesting scenario and very different from other FoW scenarios I have played.  The table is divided into quarters.  Each player has a trench line on their side.  The main deployment zone for each player is from their trench line to their table edge.  The Germans would be the attackers and the British defending.  Each side placed an objective in no man's land and near each friendly objective is a patrol platoon.  The goal is to capture the enemy objective while defending their own. 

The initial deployment.  Germans at the top with a platoon of HMGs, reinforced with AT rifles and grenatenwerfers.  The German patrol was deployed in no man's land to the British right.  Backing up the German patrol was an A7V tank.  The British are on the near side with their patrol to the left.  The British trench was empty except for the commander and 2iC.  The British did have three HMG pits, 2 to the left and one right, and 2 18 pdr pits, one center and one far left.

The German patrol with the A7V in support.  As the attacker the Germans only had to hold half of their platoons in reserve and could start with a tank on the table.  The German trench was also well manned with support weapons running the entire length.

The British patrol starts near their friendly objective and supported by guns and HMGs.

The first couple of turns had the German and British patrols moving towards each other in no man's land.  The Germans were more aggressive and moved to attack.  German flamethrowers did their damage but their assault was repulsed by defensive fire.

At this stage both the Germans and the British were tempted to make very bad moves.  The British thought about continuing their advance on the German objective but corrected switched to the defensive lead by the CO.  The Germans were then tempted to advance into the British trench to flank the HMG pits.  They wise stayed on mission and move to capture the British objective.  The stage was set for an epic struggle.

For a couple of turns the British and Germans engages in a brutal fire fight and assault.  The Germans made many saves but the British were not so lucky.  The Germans wiped out the British patrol and left the CO alone in no man's land surrounded by Germans.  The British needed to get two kills to trigger a platoon test and the Germans would need to fail two motivation tests to prevent the Germans from winning.  This was a lot to ask considering how well Tom had been rolling all game.  Against all odds the British fire triggered the needed test and Tom failed the first test and then the re-roll from the company commander!  The fight would go on.

Meanwhile, the British reserves were slowly making their way onto the battle field.  They were well positioned to capture the German objective as long as they could make it across the wire and the German reserves didn't get there first.

The German reserves enter the battle and make good speed to secure their objective.  But before they could clear the trench line they came under sniper fire and the German officers could not get them to advance any further.

The German A7V, guarding the objective, was knocked out by fire from the 18 pdr.  All that was needed was an aggressive advance by the British and the battle would be won.  The British Mk IV tank bogged on the trenches but the infantry was able to advance.  Avert skillfully crossing their wire the British secured the objective and won the battle!

This was a great battle that was moving strongly in the German's favor until the last turn.  Tom's failure to unpin his reserve platoon along with the British veterans easily crossing their wire spelled doom for the Germans.  Frankly, this battle should have been over on turn four with the fight in no man's land but my luck really turned at that point in the game.  So far we have had two really good games of WWI and I must say I think Battlefront has done a really good job.  I can't wait to get the official release and start working on an American army.