Sophie Objective

I was meaning to post this sometime around March or was it January? I don't even know why I have not posted in over a year at all! I have been painting! I have been playing FOW! So to get back into it I will start with this Reaper Miniatures Sophie I bought who knows when! I finally finished her perhaps in late 2011 when I was eagerly taking on my lead mountain. She has a tendency to fall off her bomb occasionally but I am always ready with the super glue.

I have not used this objective yet as I am looking for some kind of miniature target to place under her. There is no hurry as I want it to be just right if it should come to me.

New Galleries at WAR in 15mm!

I ran into Richard from WAR in 15mm today at Brookhurst Hobbies. Richard's outstanding WAR in 15mm is a jaw dropping gallery of 15mm miniature diorama's through different periods of warfare. You may remember his Samurai & Bocage 44' galleries, among others.

I was pleased to learn that he has since added two new galleries "MEDIEVAL CASTLE SIEGE IN 15MM/THE CALL FOR SURRENDER, " and "GERMANY 1945." He is also working on a new project which I hope will be finished before the end of the year.

I was able to talk with him at length about some of his techniques and preferences and it is amazing the amount of foot work and planning that goes into each new gallery.

Check it out!
WAR in 15mm

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Have not posted in awhile obviously. I've been messing around with other hobbies but I do have some new painted miniatures to post once I finish the last in the set!

My Favorite Grenadiers

These grenadiers were painted by Louie. I took these photos late in the afternoon which created a little too much light saturation for this army. Here is the complete command team with 2 platoons.



When in command, cross your arms and bring your favorite guard dog 'muffy.' Then you don't need to say anything twice!



Udo irritated everyone by pointing out their targets even though the enemy was in plain sight! He wore camouflage and nobody noticed him until the pointing had been done.





Here is the optional 8.8 cm Raketenwerfer 43, aka 'puppchen'. They gave these to infantry squads who really wanted to fire anti-tank rockets at enemy armor. At some point a crafty engineer figured out that, "Hey! Lose the wheels and we can carry these AT grenades!" After 3,000 units had been created it was history.

Generalmajor Rommel!

Battlefront's release (GE892) of General Erwin Rommel recently arrived and having a chance at a few games soon, I quickly painted him up! The all too exciting piece of terrain in the background is affectionately called the 'turd' at my gaming table. Yes, it is part of an egg carton! If a little more time is spent I can get some highlighting in and perhaps darken some of the recesses better.



Imageshack did not allow me to direct link these, I guess they have changed their policy on anonymous uploading, Sorry!

Clash of Shields! AAR

Today I taught my Dad how to play Commands & Colors Ancients. I have found the Roman/Syracusan side usually easier to play for a beginner with the larger quantity of heavy infantry helping a new comer stay in the game. For first timers I find the first scenario, 'The Battle of Akragas - 406 BC' a good entry battle. My Dad is a quick study and before long we found our armies spinning the front line in a counter-clockwise direction as both our right flanks moved forwards as our left flanks gave. I had been holding my 'Clash of Shields' card since near the start waiting for a 'line command' card to show so I could set it up. When it did come my forces pushed all his units back sparing him the onslaught of the card at mid-game. Finally, after his right flank moved forward to challenge my weakening left flank, a trade-off of several units ended his turn with each side having 3 of the 5 banners needed for victory. He had Dionysus holding the flank after an early charge and he moved the flank up to challenge the small line I held under Himilco's leadership. Dionysus broke the line himself curving backwards around his own line stopping near the center-right divide. In the following turn he would be in range to attack a single chariot I had held in safety in the rear-center. His flank attack was successful as noted above but he took heavy casualties in a trade-off leaving two units in the right side. One light unit containing a single block. One auxilia containing two blocks. I had the numbers advantage with Himilco commanding three auxilia blocks and a 4 block auxilia on his right. It was time to play the 'Clash of Shields' card. The two additional dice per unit leaves little to imagine what happened next to those 3 remaining enemy blocks. There was a surprise at the end of the game as my Dad showed me his probable next card that he just pulled from the deck, "I am Spartacus!"

SPI Infomercial

Found this interesting youtube link at a site I visit.

French 25mm SA-34 Hotchkiss Anti-tank Gun

Here they are! The only artillery I could get my hands on at the time for the French. The 25mm SA-34 was brought into service in 1934 and some were used by other countries like Germany and Finland.