On the workbench - A paint job too far- Dutch Canals

Expect plenty of water features in the Polder lands of the Netherlands . My contribution is this canal system. As far as primer today. Inspired by the slightly later battle of s'Hogenbosch (October '44). I will post some more images as I make progress on this terrain feature.

Lock gates 

A Lift bridge 

 Brown canal water footpaths and drains

 The lift bridge and lock spray painted

 Below the whole set using a dark band to indicate the depth

Finished the canals are ready for the Operation Market Garden  weekend! Water added as layers of gloss varnish. Lock gates and counterweight bridge painted up with Vallejo acriylics and inks for rusty streaks. Couldn't resist recreating the Welsh Fusiliers rushing of the lock gates at s'Hertogenbosch On the 24th October Major John Dugdale's A Company 7th Battalion the Royal Welch Fusiliers  made the mad dash across the lock. They where covered by Crocodile Churchill tanks. I have used one of my Shermans here. More details of this interesting battle at inthefootsteps.com

 The lock gates

 Both of the feature sections of canal

Detail of the counter weight bridge - delighted to see three of these In various places at the Market Garden weekend.

Really please my infantry got to do this in a game on the Vegel board aginst Mike. Lovely game

Indistrial scene - lock gates from a different angle

Bridge and lock rushed at once

Medic follows up the assaulting section

Now for another game to use them. s'Hertogenbosch beckons...

On the workbench - A paint job to far 2 - British Infantry Platoon 1944

 A British Infantry platoon of 35 men and officers for my XXX corps Irish Guards force for the battlegroup weekend, The models are from the Plastic Soldier Company box set. Recognise the poses ?

 The HQ section Lieutenant and RT operator and NCO's all 36 models painted in a day. It took a couple of hours to put them together from there parts and prime them up. I am pleased with the results.

 A section of infantry follow the Sherman through ruined streets. I really like the Bren gun team in this set - although attaching the barrel to the |Bren is fiddly.

 The second section based on singles and double bases for casualty removal in the Battlegroup game

The final section advancing. I like the dynamic pose of the crouching infantryman in the centre.
All painted up in a weekend ... If I have time I will go back in and add a few details but these miniature's won't show me up in the three battles I have to fight for Market Garden in May at the Battlegroup weekend. I need to paint another Infantry platoon as well as some more tanks and other vehicles. I also have a canal to paint!  So on we go. This far in terms of painting we have only reached Eindhoven!

On the workbench British 8th Army Platoon

Finished this platoon of 8th army infantry ready for the release of  Battlegroup  Torch's imminent release. These will be added to the Indian infantry  I finish a while ago and clear the decks for a reurn to NW Europe and the BG weekend Market Garden force. Mass painted in about a day. The models are a mixture of Lancer, Foundry  and PSC.  Black primer followed by red brown army painter spray and finally a desert yellow spray before a dry brush with Valejo Desert Khaki webbing pick out with a very light version of same, Flesh picked out and then a  light wash with brown ink and highlights. I quite pleased with the results. The art of mass painting figures tends to get over looked with fantastically detailed individual stand out models or the attention I lavish on tanks and vehicles. Roll on the Mareth line.

 Lots of Lancer in the Command section

 Sniper and his spotter

 Charge!

 PSC Bren gun team

 The section section PSC and Foundry

 Third section advance through the olive grove

 SHQ Officers and gubbins and airfix trailer for a wire team

Bren team PSC

On the workbench- A paint job too far - Sherman Firefly's

These are a personal project in advance of the Battlegroup weekend on May 12-13th. My Britsh army hasn't any 1944 equipment. So I am painting a battlegroup of the Irish Guards for the weekend. I have two in mind. First part of the project is two Sherman Vc Firefly these started out as Armourfast kits. I have removed the sand shields that the kit (curiously) comes with added some stowage - more to follow and begun to paint them for the Irish Guards. They have the names Ballymoney and Ards (not authentic names but following the common practice of Irish units in the British army. One "Ballymoney" has the barrel "camouflaged" with blue paint. "Ards" doesn't. They are now painted up clean and will receive lots of extra weathering. and decals for 2nd Battalion.

Scenario and AAR Forward the Guards 2 Oemler's Counterattack

Forwards the Guards 2 Oemler's Counter Attack

A Company size game

British Forces
from 2nd battalion Coldstream Guards

2 Sherman tank troops
 each with 3 M4A4 Sherman tanks and 1 M4 Sherman Firefly  (I used Cromwell's in place of the Sherman's by agreement with my opponent)
1 Motor Rifle platoon
 1 HQ section in M5 halftrack with PIAT team
 3 Rifle sections in M5 halftrack
 BR39 Officers 3

German Forces
from 1st Company 501st Heavy Tank battalion
3 Tiger II ( I used Tiger I for these by agreement)
1 Pz IV H
1 Grenadier squad with 1 Panzerfaust
1 MG42 squad
BR 21 Officers 0

The Battlefield - British deploy top right corner, Germans in bottom left corner.

Background
In disarray after the heavy bombardmant from the RAF 1st Company of 501st heavy tank battalion had spent the morning digging there vehicles out and repairing them by afternoon they where north of Emieville and ready to counterattack into the re-enforcements moving south in the wake of the British advance. As they broke cover the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guard's engaged. Lt. Oemler engaged them as they entered the same field engaging the Heavy Tiger II's with there Firefly 17 pounder tanks. Knocking out several causing the rest to withdraw.
In the game any half tracks that get to the far board edge will be extra re enforcements in Game 4  Evening assault on Cagny.  Two objectives where places outside the deployment zones. One by each player. This is an Attack/ Counter Atack scenario .

AAR
As this is a meeting engagement we rolled for first turn and Oemlers tanks won deploying from the far board cormer into the woodline begining with all three Tiger II.

The Coldstream Guards then entered from the  opposite board cormer lead by both Firflys and 3 Cromwells.

The Fireflys began a long range duel with the Tigers tanks

whilst the others used the hedgerows to screen their approach I was hoping to get behind the Tiger II and take some rear shots whilst the Infantry went hell for leather to get across the board whilst the big Panzers are distracted.

The Firefly's continue to attract the Tigers attention  as the other tanks mass for the dash towards the woods.

The Infantry platoon enters the board corner but hold back. The quick M5 haftracks can be across the board in a few turns once orders are available but I am using all my orders for the tanks as they close to the hedgeline I want them all in position before we rush the Tigers.

The Cromwells break cover and  all firing HE for supression and crossing the hedge . The execution begins  with 2 tanks knocked out immediately by the return fire.

The Firefly's cause a hit which bounce of - the failed morale check pins the Tiger. The remaining tanks push on firing to supress and moving forward. Another Cromwell is cut in half by the massive 88 guns on the Tigers II.

Unnoticed by the Germans the infantry in their  halftracks race forward.

The dogfight continues as the Cromwell's lose another tank one tank gets past the King tiger and hits the side armour but fails the penetrate the side armour on the massive Panzer. Meanwhile the Tiger's prey (the Halftracks and infantry) is escaping to the south.

The Cromwell uses his last AP ammo to blast the Tiger from behing but misses.

The German infantry destroy the Cromwell tank with a Panzerfaust in the Germans last turn . As other tanks close in. The British Halftracks escape the board pushing on towards the high ground ahead.

With time running out we agree to end the game and compare BR totals to decide vistory the British have 20 BR reamaining the Germans only 18BR . A marginal British victory despite the many burning hulks littering the battlefield .

Wow! only in battlegroup can you lose that many tanks but still win. I think one of the great strengths of the game is the way the Break Rating system allows for asymmetric battle like this to work. Still no Tigers destroyed so Oemlers tanks will be back in the Assault on Frenouville!