611 - Sherman Patrol in 28mm...At Last!

Hullo All,

Yes, I've finished them. Those three Shermans I got for only about £15 a while ago have finally been painted up. 

Unusually for me - but entirely deliberately - I decided to do these as a batch, so they're quite samey. They're not really the ideal version, as they lack the bolted bits on the chin of the hull (I've no idea what any tank bits are called, by the way)... BUT just as with my infantry, they're supposed to be the 28mm version of my 15mm force, and they do at least match the three US Shermans I have in 15mm (link here)! I suppose they've been brought up from the rear as battlefield replacements...

They're not as shiny as they look...

Oh, and just for shits and giggles, they have consecutive serial numbers too!

For once, I've added some stowage (I'm trying to work towards retro-fitting more of this to my existing vehicles in the long run) - in this case, it's the VERY nicely sculpted generic set from Debris of War. 

The commander hasn't photographed very well, but he is decently enough painted in his black overalls and beret, I promise! I actually feel he's rather too small: I often hang out next to a Sherman and they're bloody tiny...but then, I suppose I'm a big fellow, and tankies weren't renowned for being the beefiest of chaps...

Well, TTFN.

- Drax.

PS: Here's an old pic of their smaller-scale brethren in action:

610 - The Chaplain

Hullo, All.

Just a quickie today - aptly enough, just after Remembrance Sunday - I've made a chaplain to look after the spiritual needs of 4KSLI.

Having read surprisingly often about the astonishing everyday bravery of the chaplains who went into war, I was pretty keen one day to have a model in their honour, and since finding new rules for them earlier this year with the release of the 'Battle of the Bulge' campaign book, I knew I had to make one.

(He now has sleeve insignia)

Rather obviously he's made from a plastic British Tommy with a twisted wrist, a paper dog-collar and a paper sacramental scarf-thing. I'm pleased with this one.

Essentially (rules-wise) he can remove a pin each turn from a nearby unit on a lucky roll...but I've given him a medical kit too, so if all else fails he can be a more characterful medic!

Stay safe; We Will Remember Them.

- D.

609 - PER ARDUA! Start of the Rock Apes

Hullo, All.

This is the start - at last - of a project that I've been considering for a while: my RAF Regiment platoon for Bolt Action. 

The idea of these guys is two-fold: 
(1) I wanted the reinforcements for expanding my 4KSLI infantry to be something different yet compatible (mostly so that their half-arsed presence was more explainable!), and 
(2) I wanted troops who could feasibly be in either the Italian campaign or in NW Europe. 
In Italy, the plan was to have them fighting alongside my brave Sikh boys, but I've realised that not only are the figure proportions a little too different; they also have differently sized and textured bases. I couldn't handle that, so the plan is that alongside my formidable Churchill I, I'd also be able to field the Boys in Blue, above, and maybe a small box-set platoon of US Buffalo Soldiers too. But shhh! - don't tell my wife!

The plan for this lot will be a force (Flight) of about 500pts, comprising a Pilot Officer, two sections, a PIAT, a medium mortar [they seemed to use these a lot!], a forward air observer, a Marmon-Herrington armoured car, and a selection of small transports. I don't yet have the armoured car, but otherwise I'm good to go!

In addition to scouting, securing and patrolling forward air bases, these boys were also used extensively from late '44 onwards as general line infantry: equipped and used in the same way as their Army brethren. And there were thousands of them!

In terms of what I've done, it's nothing super exciting. A couple of RAF berets, the regimental shoulder flashes in sky blue on navy, and the NCO's rank chevrons in the same style. A fellow in the other squad will be wearing the popular RAF forage cap/side cap...or at any rate, a slightly altered version of the equivalent Heer headgear! 

Right then. Back to work.

TTFN!

- Drax.