Some new project ideas

Save your money. I didn't buy the cavalry.

Want one anyway. All my armies have the option for the second.

Today I have finished off the last seven plastic Russians I needed to do. I've done a bit of weapon swapping and adding and I've begun work on the AT Gun and the five metal Russians I have remaining, including the soon to be unpopular second sniper team.

All the Russians are done now, including my mighty 45mm Anti-Tank gun. Just the Partisans, a flag and their bases to do now. I've also decided to drop the Artillery Observer from my list as 100 points is a lot for something which is one use only and may completely whiff. I'm going to replace him with a mortar and some form of transportation...although I do keep thinking about cavalry...

An artillery observer is an easy 100 points to add for when we start to do even bigger games! How many points are you at now?

With the observer, 1000. Without him, 900. I'm just conscious that I can get at least two more order dice and constant artillery support for the same cost.

Despite the Russian special rule, I suspect that observers are only really effective in British (where they're free) and American (where the Air Observer gets two goes) lists. Also, I want some cavalry.

Matt has used one to good effect. I bought the fancy observer models so will paint them and have a go with them and if its shit, its only 1 model!

I think they're ideal for building a force up, but I'm also bothered by my army being a bit slow on the attack.

My army currently stands at:

Officer & 1 man
Free Inexperienced Squad (needs painting)
3 Regular Squads of 8 men
1 Veteran Squad of 8 men
1 unit of 3 Tank Hunters
2 Sniper teams
1 Anti-Tank Rifle team
1 Forward Artillery Observer
1 Light Anti-Tank Gun
1 T-34

Defensively I'm quite happy, there's a lot of men to man the line. But on the attack it's going to be a bit WWI. A bit more speed down the flanks and the ability to reach out and touch someone should go someway to preventing each game ending up like the Somme.

I take it you're at 1000 points already?

Matt likes touching men, ask him for tips!

10 Partisans done. Just need to get two more models and I have my full compliment of useless cannon fodder. I've decided not to get anything else for now. I'll see how I do with what I've got.

Just have the minor job of basing 50 models.

I've meant to mention it earlier, but is there any desire to do anything with a D-Day theme this week? It is the 70th anniversary after all.

If so, we don't really have the necessary stuff for a beach landing, but we could do something with the US Paras in FOW using a scenario from one of the books (I have the D-Day battles book and I'm sure there's something in there).

Thoughts?

Further to this point, I've found a scenario where 1500 points of the 82nd Airborne attempt to hold a bridge against 1500 points of rubbish Hermans supported by crap, out of date tanks. Admittedly, the tanks in question were French, but I'm sure that the effect was similar to Pete's tanks...

Errr, wasn't planning anything. I suppose we could do a FOW game though, since we haven't played that for a while.

Mind you, at the moment I'm only thinking about Bolt Action (and Red Dwarf, which I forgot to bring up last night)...

Well I was only thinking about it as I mentioned it only new year blog resolutions, so I thought I'd suggest it.

The scenario is the 82nd Airborne at La Fiere Causeway. A Para Company (without armour) must defend a bridge against a Beutepanzer Kompanie featuring lots of obsolete French tanks. However, we could easily replace that with Pete's obsolete tanks - they'd be better tanks and better trained, but much fewer of them.

I'm pretty sure you have most of the necessary Americans.

Not trying to force anybody, but I thought it might be a fun thing to do. However, I'm equally happy to play BA again, or even a thematically appropriate Axis & Allies...or any other game for that matter.

I just think you like the idea of games where i have no chance of winning before I've even had chance to pick an army!

Instead of crappy French tanks, you get to use the Panzer III, which is awesome at killing infantry. Also, you'll get infantry, 88s, Nebelwerfers, Marders... And you'll be confident veteran as opposed to confident trained in the scenario.

All you have to do is shift dug in fearless veteran paratroopers from behind a river with limited crossing points...what's your problem?

Sounds like an interesting scenario. I could use the tanks and let someone else use the airborne if it helps...

The US Force is:

HQ & 3 Bazooka Teams
Rifle Platoon: Command, 9 Stands, Mortar, Bazooka
Rifle Platoon: Command, 9 Stands, Mortar, Bazooka
MG Platoon: Command, 4 LMG
Airborne Engineer Platoon: Command, 2 LMG, 2 Pioneer
Glider Rifle Platoon: Command, 9 Stands, Bazooka
Glider Field Artillery: Command, Staff, Observer, 6 105mm Light Howitzers
Glider Anti-Tank Platoon: Command, 3 57mm Guns, 3 Bazooka

Let me know what you can't do. I can help with at least the engineers and a bazooka. Anything you can't do, we'll replace with something reasonably similar. If push comes to shove, this can be Shermans, but I'll rule that they have to be the last unit on from reserves.

The German force depends on how many Panzer III Pete has, as they're a better replacement than Panzer IV. If I can find point values anywhere for late war, we could even roll out the Panzer II. It will probably be a bit of a mishmash force.

The original list includes:

Tanks: 8 Renault R-35, 8 Hotchkiss H-35, 2 Somua S-35, 1 Char B-1, 1 Panzer IIIJ
Anti-Tank: 3 PaK 40, 3 Marder I
Infantry: 2 Platoons
Artillery: 4 15.5cm Howitzers
AA: 3 3.7cm FlaK43, 2 8.8cm FlaK36

I suggest that anything we can do goes into the list automatically. The rest is made as close as we can.

I can do: 2 PaK40, 2 Marder IIIM, 2 Platoons of Infantry, and 3 Nebelwerfers to replace the artillery.
I think Matt can do: 2 8.8 FlaK36
I'd suggest Pete furnishes what's left of the points with out of date tanks

Using the HG Panzerkompanie list, the German force will be smaller, but better trained and equipped than the original, but should face similar problems.

For the US force, I'm missing:

4 rifle teams for the glider platoon (I could use airborne teams if needed but it would be nice to use GIs if you have any).
2 105mm light howitzers for the glider field artillery
3 57mm AT guns (but I can proxy those with 3in guns, don't think that really matters)

I'd have to make the engineer platoon from some airborne rifle teams and the LMGs from the armored rifle platoon, but that should be ok.

So the only thing I really don't have is 2 105mm light howitzers. I could even proxy those with 75mm pack howtizers, so I could put down enough painted stuff to cover the whole force, only proxying the guns, if you don't mind a few men being in the wrong uniforms.

Just noticed, German howitzers in that list! Don't think I've ever seen anyone use normal German artillery, it's always mortars and nebelwerfers...

I've got some infantry to make up the numbers if you don't want to mix units.

I've put my Nebelwerfers in to count as the artillery. Funnily, despite the fact you never see them, 10.5cm guns are as ubiquitous throughout the war as the FlaK 8.8.

Proxying works for me.

Oh, and here's the scenario:

La Fiere Causeway

That scenario actually looks a bit harder for the Americans than your earlier description of it suggested!

Looks interesting.

I realised that I'd neglected to mention that the Paras actually have to move to win.

Is this what we're doing this weekend then? And which day are we doing?

Btw - I don't see a reason this can't be two a side.

Germans: Player 1 - Tanks, Player 2 - Infantry & Artillery
US: Player 1 - Paratroopers, Player 2 - Glider Troops

Well we'll need Pete, is he back for the weekend?