S&S Models TPz Fuchs

 A while back a mate sent me a couple of S and S Models Fuchs to paint up for him.  A good while back...  So, rather than be embarrassed any longer with how with how bad a friend I am, I recently pushed these to the top of the ridiculously long paint queue and now they're done.

Here they are:

It's a good solid model which comes with a wide selction of stowage options - I've only used a few of those options here - and I think it comes up really nicely.

I also decided to try something different when painting them.  I airbrushed on the base NATO Green colour and then used make-up sponges to add in the NATO Black and Brown.  I think it came out quite well and was pleased with my first attempt at sponging a NATO cam pattern.  I think because they are fairly hefty/solid models, the sponge works well.  I'm not sure I'd use it on a plastic Revell Fuchs though.  I don't think it could stand the punishment of the way I sponged these.

Anyway - that's it for now.  Thanks for looking

Richard

Final UK Para Figures

Because I recently published a list for using UK Paratroopers in AirLand Battlegroup - my unofficial Cold War Battlegroup variant - I decided to finish off my remaining old Liberation Miniatures Paratroopers.  There wasn't many and they had been sitting half finished for probably a year or more, so if there was any time to do it - it was now.

Here they are:

Pretty sure the guy with the Blowpipe is not a Liberation Miniatures figure - maybe Platoon 20? - but he got a bit of an update as well.  Poor bloke probably has 3 different beret colours going on there!

Here's all my LibMin Paras together now:

If I add in a few standard BAOR infantry to the mix, a basic Para Platoon looks something like this:

And when you add some platoon support options it might look a bit like this:

So that's it for today.  A double dose of posts.  Next time I might go through the various Para Section and Platoon TO&Es for AirLand Battlegroup.

Thanks for looking

Richard

ZSU-57-2

 A few days ago I was contacted and asked about the ZSU-57-2 and if I planned on featuring it in the game. I don't think it's shown up in any of my previously published lists, although the AZP S-60 AA gun does show in at least the East German Paramilitary list.

I have looked at it ages ago and decided that it would not have been present in any Soviet Category A divisions and it looked like it was out of service in the WARPAC nations I've done so far. The plan was to include it when I got to the Category B lists of some odd bod nation that might still use them.

But... someone asked for it so I thought why not and so here is the data card for the ZSU-57-2.

Obviously this includes the stats of the 57mm Very Heavy Autocannon as well.

If you have an AFV that you think should be available in the game and the stats are missing - just let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks

Richard

Dispatch Riders!

 

Just the other day I was reading an old Armed Forces magazine from December 1989 which had a report of Exercise “Roaring Lion” which was a 5^th Airborne Brigade exercise on Salisbury Plain.  Towards the end of the article the CO states the following:

“Command and control generally came together reasonably well, including the use of an aircraft as a command post.  Imposition of radio silence worked especially beneficially and that, and the inevitable communication glitches illustrated the continuing need for dispatch riders and liaison officers to get round such problems”

It got me thinking about Dispatch riders in Battlegroup and that maybe they needed a few more options in AirLand Battlegroup

Here’s the WW2 Dispatches Special Rule:

If radios and telephones won’t work, send a messenger.  A unit with the Dispatch special rule automatically passes a Communications check, because they have gone in person.  Remove the unit from play once they have been used.  It costs one order to send a Dispatch unit.

Currently in AirLand Battlegroup a unit with the Dispatches special rule looks like this:

I’m thinking of increasing the cost of a Dispatch Rider by about +5 points and making them Unique. I’m also thinking of replacing the Dispatches special rule in AirLand Battlegroup with this:

If radios and telephones won’t work, send a messenger.  A unit with the Dispatches special rule is Unique.  A unit with the Dispatches special rule can be used once per game.  Remove the unit from play once they have been used.  It costs one order to use a unit with the Dispatches special rule.  The employing player must select one of the following options:

- Automatically pass a Communications check as per the standard Battlegroup Rules

- Re-roll an Orders Dice after a roll of +3 on a D6

- Re-roll a D6 to determine the number of units arriving from reserve after a roll of +3 on a D6

This gives the Dispatch rider more of a role in Command and Control, rather than just dealing with Indirect Fire.  It will cost a bit more, but gives you some more options – with dice rolls so it doesn’t guarantee outcomes.

What do you think?

Thanks for looking

Richard