German Raupenschlepper Ost

Some months ago, thanks to Ivano's advices, I started to use oils colors to weathering tank miniatures. In my view these techniques are not easy to apply so I decided to start with some old 1/72 models. 

Years ago Mondadori, one of the most important Italian publishing company, presented a series of publications about the WWII tanks world. Most of them were 1/72 Altaya models and now it is easy to find these miniatures for five/ten euro each. For me these models are suitable to be used as tests. To be honest the first model I painted was not exactly a tank but a tractor ... a German Raupenschlepper.

I didn't find original color photo of this truck … the only one I found is an image of a prototype in a museum

I think that it few wargamers could decide to write a post for a tractor but it is a strange model and the perfect one to start.

The original miniature I bought was this …

… and I changed a bit its aspect …

It was conceived in response to the poor performance of wheeled and half-tracked vehicles in the mud and snow during the Russian winter. This vehicle was produced in two variants  but I painted only the basic cargo carrier. 

I think that it was mainly utilized for the Eastern Front but I did some pictures with a Pak 40 in a Mediterranean theatre too

Bolt Action - Pacific island fightings

This Saturday Nevio, Riccardo and Ivano played a Bolt Action scenario taken from "Empires in Flames".
Unfortunately I was playing on another table so I could not follow them as I would but not to share some photos of their awesome miniatures it is a crime. 

Ivano Painted the Americans while Nevio and Riccardo were the authors of Japanese forces

The first MMG prepared by Ivano …

… and the second one placed into a defense tower 

Also Riccardo and Nevio prepared their machine gun

A Japanese squad that assault a little US company

Some details of Ivano's US marines and … 

 

… some photos of Japanese companies

 

To finish the photo of a Japanese sniper and the assault to a US position

 

Black Powder - Battle of Maida Jan 5, 2019

This Sunday Ezio prepared a scenario to play with Black Powder 2.0. The idea was to re create the battle of Maida. It was a not very known fight between a British expeditionary force and a French division fought near the Calabrian city of Maida in the south of Italy. 

We played with around 400 miniatures … 180 British soldiers and 210 French. All models are 28mm and are painted by  Flavio … below an example of the high level of miniatures Flavio can create

I lead the British forces with Maurizio while Ezio and Filippo were the Frogs commanders. 

Historicans describe the real battle as a typical fight of that period with French columns against British lines. In our scenario the French object was to break the British forces within the 7th turns while the expeditionary force had to defend the hills on the left of the table.

We started creating a typical English line while the artillery in the center and the Royal Corsican Rangers on the right (along the shallow Lomato River) hit the enemy 

Ezio and Filippo ordered to their soldiers to create the battle columns to march against the hill while on the left … 

…. the French light cavalry is blocked by a line of the British army

We concentrate the battle on the centre of the table and … after the British artillery is forced to leave the table … 

… the battle becomes a clash of infantries 

the first French column reach the British brigate that defend the right wing. For two turns the English men keep the position but at the 5th turn are forced to retreat

Unfortunately the Highlander attacked by the second French column did not resist for more than one turn 

The counter attack of the English light brigate in the 6th turn is not sufficient …

... to avoid the attack on a flank of the remaining brigates on the hill

We ended the game at the 6th turn with a French victory. This time we do not respect the history because in the real battle the British were the winners but this is not a great problem for a wargamers ... it will be for the next time

Red devils - Arnhem 1944

Some months ago I bought a box of Waterloo 1815 British paratroopers with pack howitzer. Last year I painted some 1/72 red devils but I was not completely satisfied of their faces so ... 
I painted again some of them and completed my bolt action army increasing it with some para companies.

The miniatures I bought are below

I have painted two howtizers and combined the miniatures to create two bases as the following-ones

One of the most important scenarios in which British paratroopers were involved during the WWII was Market Garden operation in 1944. During this battle do not partecipate only British troops but also some of their allies, in particular a Polish brigate … so ... why not to paint one of the officers with a grey basque?

I modified also a 1/72 Esci miniature that carried an injured man to create a kind of medic miniature

I took the idea from this original photo

Great part of the battle was fought near the bridge ...

… but also in the city and in the outskirts

Black Powder 2.0 - Colonial scenario

During the Holidays the actitivies in my club do not stop. In these days Maurizio, Ezio, Flavio, Riccardo, Giancarlo, Aurelian and Ivano played a game between a Zulu army and a British imperial force. My friends adapt Black Powder 2.0 to play this battle

Miniatures are 28mm and are painted by … Ivano

 … Maurizio and …

… Ezio (the great part of the miniatures on the table)

The scenario prepared by Ezio and is a kind of test to understand if the forces designed by my friend can correctly work in a Colonial scenario too. Generally we use the TMWWBK for this period but Black Powder is so soversatile that it works well also in this situation as it is possible to see in the photos below

Below other pictures with some details of the fight … a gatling 

and an Indian auxiliary squadron of cavalry