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......

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!

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