673 - Cruel Seas... at the proper scale, this time!

Yup. Actually played Cruel Seas with the proper vessels in the proper scale. 

It was great fun: it looked fab and the plucky Brits won!
However, I'm knackered, and it's hard to tell a photostory with Cruel Seas, so here are some pics (The Vospers and S-Boats are mine; all others are Guy's):

Big thanks to Guy and David for the game. 

- Drax.

672 - 2018 Winter Challenge: British Paras - FINISHED!

It's over! Hooray!

Yes, Gentle Readers, I have actually finished my 1000 point Bolt Action force of British pathfinders from 21st Independent Company. 

The platoon selector is taken from the 'Market Garden' book, and comprises the following:

Captain +1,
Medic,
3x Sections of 5 men each, with a Bren,
3x Snipers,
3x PIATs,
3x 2" Mortars,

Vickers MMG.

Command Group 

1 Section

2 Section

3 Section 

3 Sniper teams

3 PIAT teams

3 2" Mortar teams

Vickers MMG team

Obviously, this is a very unusual platoon for Bolt Action, but I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing with a pretty tough but super-short-range force... what I'll miss in armour, transport, numbers and free artillery, I'll hope to make up with resilience, leadership, and order dice: these 1000pts actually generate 15 order dice! Three lucky snipers can commit carnage, and three light mortars can put down a lot of smoke, plus, veteran "small teams" are notoriously hard to hit and kill.  In terms of expansion, the three sections will eventually be reinforced by five men apiece, but that's about it. 

For the record, I also finished off my RAF Regiment PIAT team and my 4KSLI medic:

Lots to follow soon, including more finished toys and a couple of my recent games. 

Cheers,

- Drax.

671 - 2018 Winter Challenge: British Paras! Days 37-42

Back in the saddle again.

Thankfully, I'm feeling better now (I hope I never ever catch flu again), and thankfully, I've been able to get back to painting, so the boys of 21st Independent Company are now pretty much done: all that's left now are the beret badges, a wash for everyone, and the basing.

...except I've just remembered about their jump wing decals.

Oh, strewth.

Aaaarrgh!

Well, we'll see, I guess...

- Drax.

670 - Bolt Action Cromwell ARV

Hi All,

I still feel way too poorly to paint, but I did at least manage to get something built this week: my lovely new Cromwell ARV from S and S models:

The metal conversion pieces can come with the Italeri 1/56 kit at a tempting discount, and they're beautifully crisp with next to no flash or mold lines at all!

I chose to pin most of the bits in place, as they're REALLY bulky and heavy, but they are well-measured to fit the kit.

What makes this even better for me, is that I now - at last - have a spare Cromwell 75mm turret, just in case I want to field my CS howitzer variant as a normal tank. Why might I wish to do this? - well, because if I wish to play a squadron of Cromwells in - say - 'What A Tanker!', howitzers are useless in that game: there are no squishy targets. Hmmmm.

Rear view.

(Incidentally, S and S make a Cromwell CS conversion kit, too, as well as other ARVs!)

Another piece of the 11AD puzzle in place.

TTFN,

- Drax