US Platoon update

Slowly working my way through the US forces for the "29! Let's Go!" campaign.

I've now managed to get 2 senior leaders done, a platoon medic, almost 2 full infantry squads and a 30.cal support option done. I hope to get the full basic platoon done in the next couple of weeks and most of the support options as well.

Here is the Platoon Medic (support option), the Second Squad, Platoon Sergeant (Senior Leader) and half of the 30. Cal Machine Gun team.

So my project tracker looks like this:

US Platoon project tracker	Status
Basic Platoon
Senior Leader # 1	Complete
Senior Leader # 2	Complete
Bazooka Team	Assembled
1st Squad	2/3's complete
2nd Squad	Complete
3rd Squad	Assembled
Support
Medic	Complete
30. Cal Team #1	Complete
30. Cal Team #2	Not Started
Extra BAR team #1	Assembled
Extra BAR Team #2	Assembled
Extra BAR Team #3	Assembled
Sherman #1	2/3rds Complete
Sherman #2	Not Started
Extra Squad	Not Started
FOO	Assembled
60MM Mortar	Not Started
50. Cal Team	Not Started

 

Still some way to go.  But the Perry plastics are so easy to paint I should get the basic platoon done in the next week or so.

I was also working on a German platoon to be the opponents in the campaign.  I started with the Warlord plastics, but just couldn't get on with them.  Fiddly figures to put together and bad poses.  So I ditched them in the "Box of Abandoned Projects" and ordered a whole new platoon from Empress Figures.  I think the Empress are more in line with the Perrys and the figures look good - plus, I really prefer metal over plastic.  That said, if the Perrys were to make late war Germans......

Napoleonics update

In order to make a dent in the lead pile and to make progress on the battle of Marengo project, I decided to get a couple of battalions professionally painted.  2 battalions of AB French and one of Austrians weer duly bagged up and dispatched to Battle Brush Studios here in Austria.  The figures were painted most excellently, and I'm very happy with them. As I have bought a good chunk of the Austrian forces for the scenario, maybe I will send some more over to get painted.

Anyway, here are the figures painted and initially based.  First is the 1st Battalion 47th Infantry Regiment from Austria with steel green facings.

Next is a battalion of French.  I had this one painted in generic colours so it can be used for any regiment really.   

I'll finish  the bases off later.  but many thanks to Battle Brush Studios for doing the hard work with the painting.  If you need a couple of battalions done I would certainly recommend getting him to do a few.  his website is here:  https://www.battlebrushstudios.com/

It was a great help getting someone else to paint a couple of battalions.  But I like painting myself so here is my latest work - a battalion of French for the 100 Days campaign.  This is the 2nd Battalion of the 93rd Regiment.  28mm figures this time and Perry plastics and metals rather than AB.

I just need a flag and then I am calling this unit done.  I have the 1st battalion of this regiment and the 3rd battalion of the 4th Light infantry on the painting table next.

Quatre Bras refight

General De Brigade Quatre Bras refight

Saturday saw the local club play General De Brigade.  every 3 months or so the club puts on a large Corps Size game and has a whole day of Napoleonic fun.  The last game was the Battle of Ligny, and this time, sticking with the 100 Days campaign, we put on Quatre Bras.

The Map....

...translated onto the table.  Gemioncourt Farm and Bossau Wood

On the left flank, French Forces start their advance to clear out the Dutch-Belgians holding Bossau Wood.

On the right, more french advance!

 Dutch-Belgian cavalry in the outskirts of Quatre Bras, with Picton's British division beginning to appear behind.

Dutch-Belgian infantry and guns try to hold off the advancing French on the outskirts of Bossau Wood.  

A Dutch Battery is over-run by Lancers.  Despite Valiant efforts the dutch were slowly pushed back into Bossau Wood by the French.

Dutch reinforcements hurry into Bossau Wood....

While Picton's Division marches through Quatre Bras.

To give the British time to form up, the Dutch-Belgian cavalry try to delay the French advance. 

The British deploy and a general engagement occurs all along the line.

On the Allied right flank, the Dutch-Belgians are slowly falling back.  Meanwhile the Brunswick Corps enters the woods in support.

At this point sadly I had to leave.  but here's a few more shots of the game:

Although I didn't get to finish the game, everyone else carried on and a near historical result was achieved, with the French being halted outside Quatre Bras.

All in all a great game, and what Napoleonics should be all about - lots for figures, good terrain, and great company!

can't wait for the next game.

Miniatures were mostly Perry Miniatures with some Front Rank and Warlord.

29! Let's go! - the 29th Division Arrives

On Friday I got two boxes of the new US Perry GI figures, which will form the basis of the US force for "29! Lets Go!"  I've got some Perry Napoleonics - lovely figures - and the US GI's don't disappoint either.  Great figures and they paint up well.  The only problem I find with them, is that the arms are a little fiddly to put together leaving some gaps...I may have to try out some filler on them. 

First off, I assembled and painted a test figure both to see how easy it was to make, and also to test out my planned colour scheme.   I decided to make a medic- a support option in Chain of Command - which seemed like an appropriate start. 

Seemed to turn out OK!  I used the following colours:
 - Trousers/Shirt/Helmet strap: German Camo Pale Brown (Vallejo)
- Jacket/Gaiters: Karak Stone (Games Workshop)
- Boots: Flat Brown (Vallejo)
- Helmet: Olive Drab (Vallejo)
- Webbing/Water bottle (Grey Green)

Washed all over with Earthshade and then highlighted in the base colour.  Good enough for me!

With the test figure done, I assembled a few more.

L-R: 3 Infantrymen, the medic, and the Platoon Lieutenant (Senior Leader in Chain of Command)

L-R: 3 Extra crew for support weapons and Adjudant.

Although you don't need an adjudant model in Chain of Command, the GI set lends itself to making one.  I might use him as a Morale Tracker Marker.  I also switched up the colour on his pants - green grey to give a slightly different look. I might add a couple of troopers with trousers that colour to just add a bit of variation.

So, the figures are great, and paint up well. looking forward to assembling and painting the rest of the Platoon.  Having bought two boxes, I can also make up a lot of support options including, extra crew, Forward Observers, 30. Cal MG and additional BAR gunners.

I also started assembling some more terrain - roads, buildings and fields, but that will have to wait for another post!

Terrain

As mentioned in my last post,I have decided to go all in and play the Chain of Command "29! Let's go!" Pint Sized Campaign.  I have ordered the new US GI figures from Perry Miniatures, but while waiting for those to arrive, I received a large box of MDF buildings from Charlie Foxtrot Models.

The pint sized campaign requires several buildings and I have none....so time to get building.  I started small with the Charlie Foxtrot "Workshop" building.

To improve the look of the basic structure, I added some plastic brickwork, bought from a model railway shop.

Then smeared the walls with very thinned down modelling clay.  Next steps will be to cover the building with a mix of filler/PVA and water to make it more unified.

And while I am about it, I've started making some roads as well - following the expert advice of Mel the Terrain Tutor.

Updates to follow.....

.... updates to buildings:

I slapped on some very thinned down modelling clay around the walls to represent plaster and then painted the brickwork, walls and doors.  I made a small base and added more modelling clay to represent muddy ground, and small grit to represent soil.  just need to flock the base, and add a couple of bits of detailing. 

29! Let's Go!

wow...two posts in one day.  You wait ages for anything to happen, then two come along at once!

As I mentioned in my last post, I had played in a Necromunda Campaign at the start of the year.  While my gang did poorly, I really enjoyed the set of linked games an the fact that both the characters and the narrative developed over the course of the campaign.  While the Necromunda campaign fizzled out (hopefully it will start up again soon), I definitely liked the idea of doing more campaigns in future, for other game systems.

I've been a big fan of Chain of Command and have been impressed by the various Campaigns that are being run on other blogs and on Yoututbe.  with my new found interest in Campaigns, I jumped in and bought the "29, Lets Go!" campaign and the "At the Sharp End" Campaign Supplement (yes, its another new project....)

"29! Let's Go!" - Too Fat Lardies

In large part I chose "29 Let's Go!" because of the new plastic US forces from Perry Miniatures (pictured above).  Although designed mainly for the Mediterranean Theatre, they can also be used for the early days of D-Day and the Normandy Campaign. They look great, although probably a bit thin compared to my chunky Artizan Germans....

In addition to the "29! Let's Go!" book and the Perry miniatures (when they are released), I'll need a couple of Sherman tanks, and a load of scenery.   I've been following both the Terrain Tutor and Lukes APS on Youtube, and they have some great tips and advice.  So I am feeling confident that I can make some decent scenery for the campaign (and maybe...even a wargames table?!)  I've already ordered a handful of buildings from Charlie Foxtrot models (https://www.charliefoxtrotmodels.com/)  and started on building some roads and other terrain pieces for the game.  So looking forward to getting this one started... who knows, I might even finish a project....nah!

US Platoon project tracker

US Platoon
Core Platoon
Senior Leader #1 (Lieutenant)	incomplete
Senior Leader #2 (Platoon Sergeant)	incomplete
Bazooka Team	incomplete
1st Squad	incomplete
2nd Squad	incomplete
3rd Squad	incomplete
Support
Sherman 1	incomplete
Sherman 2	incomplete
Medic	incomplete
Engineers (Mine)	incomplete
Engineers (Demolition)	incomplete
30. Cal MG	incomplete
50. Cal MG	incomplete
Bazooka team # 2	incomplete