29 March 2014

FV432s (and more) finished...

So the latest Guild group build (part 1 of a year long build) finishes tomorrow and I managed to finish my entry today.

Basically I have completed 2 FV432 platoons and 2 CVR(T) Strikers.  These have been painted in my standard way - as explained in the previous Work-in-Progress posts here.  The only real difference with my previous British cold war kit is that I used the PSC British Armour spray as a base coat - and I used Vallejo Pigments and Binder to complete the vehicles today.

If you want to be picky, you could say they are still kind-of unfinished as I've yet to put decals on - but that may never happen so I think they are pretty much done.

Less chat - on with the pics!

"A" Platoon




"B" Platoon





These are all Britannia FV432s, fairly extensively stowed and 4 of them have had S&S Models Peak Engineering Turrets added.  All the figures are also Britannia and come with the vehicles.

As I said I also finished 2 S&S Models Strikers:




Put everything together and this is what you get:




That's it for now...

Thanks

Richard












23 March 2014

1st crack at a Solo game

I've been fiddling around with some Cold War rules for a while now and thought it was time to put up a table and have a little crack to see how they go.  No details here yet, just thought you might appreciate some pics:


This is the table layout - pretty simple really.

A close-up of the supermarket and the farm

NATO deployment - 2 were dummies, 1 real unit.  I randomised it so I didn't know which was which.

A recce BMP-2 enters the table.  I also randomised the Soviet entry point for both the BMPs that made up the small Soviet force.  The 1st came on to start the game, the second would arrive at a randome turn - a 6 on a D6 for turn 2 - 5 or 6 on Turn 3 etc.

The M3 Bradley CFV reveals itself - thus also revealling that the other 2 markers were dummies

Soviet infantry dismount behind the farm....

... and the infantry rapidly moves through the empty barn.

Meanwhile the Bradly has moved behind the supermarket to engage the second BMP-2, which of course arrived on Turn 2.  Looks like it's all over for that BMP.



But alas - it has taken the Bradly too long to destroy the second BMP-2 and meanwhile the first BMP and it's dismounts have manoeuvred onto the CFV's flank.


The RPG gunner takes aim and shoots...

... and the result was never in doubt...

I played the game through again - and proved to myself that in close country, 1 unsupported Bradley CFV cannot match 2 BMP-2s with infantry - especially the way I roll dice!

So - very first test complete - not exactly 100% sure what I learnt - but it was kind of fun and I'll be much better set up in the next 2 tests which will be coming soon.

Next - Back to FV432s...

Thanks

Richard













22 March 2014

Sad day at the workbench

After 15+ years of great service my lamp died - partly the reason for a lack of progress recently - and I've been finishing off some other things...



It's not quite meant to hang droppy headed like that.  In desperation I took it to an elderly friend who likes a mechanical challenge and after a week he returned it to me - almost as good as new.  I'm very chuffed and was straigt back into painting some little things I can't see without the magnifying glass in the lamp.

Happy days are here again!

Proper post on Monday - see you then

Richard