DAK vehicles Sd.Kfz 141 (Panzer III) – Sd.Kfz 124 (Wespe) – Sd.Kfz 11

The Panzer III was developed in the 1930s by Germany and  it was one of the tank more used during the World War II.

At Milano Wargame I found this model with a camouflage adapt for USSR theatre  …

… but I preferred to re-painted it for Rommel’s Afrika Korps

The Panzer IIIs of Rommel's troops were capable of fighting against British Crusader cruiser and US-supplied M3 Stuart light tanks with positive outcomes, although they did less effectively against Matilda II infantry tanks and American M3 Lee/Grant tanks fielded by the British starting from early 1942. 

In particular, the 75mm hull-mounted gun of the Lee/Grant tank could easily destroy a Panzer III far beyond the latter's own effective firing range, as is true for the US M4 Sherman, which also saw service with British forces alongside Lees/Grants in North Africa beginning in the middle of 1942

I found a colorized picture of Panzer III Ausf H used by 15. Panzer division in September 1942

I decided to use a color more bright because I think that the desert sun and wind can lighting the colors of the vehicles

Another Altaya model I bought and repainted is a Wespe

The Wespe was a German self-propelled gun and it was based on a modified Panzer II chassis. It was a reliable tank but it had an inadequate overhead gun crew protection

Also for this model I used some Caesar miniature to “create” the panzer crew

The last model I painted for my DAK 1/72 army is a German half-tracked vehicle.  The Sd.Kfz 11 was largely used in North Africa and Italy as artillery tow so I combined it with a Pak

Also for this model I decided to repaint it even if the original camouflage was correct

I combined this half-tracked vehicle also with an Italieri 88mm creating a good effect

Rebels and Patriots – 18/11 May and 8 June 2019

Ezio, Alberto and Ivano started a short campaign using the new rule system written by Osprey: “Rebels and Patriots”.

The rulebook is designed for American Independence War but they decided to use American Civil War miniatures. The idea is to start with a small group of inexperienced soldiers and a “regular” commander that can have development during the different scenarios they are going to play.

Ivano painted all the miniatures. The scale is 28mm 

The first scenario was a field battle

The second one  the conquest of a bridge

Last week-end Ezio and Ivano played a second scenario that was an assault to a Confederate fort

Ezio lead the Unionist zouaves that are trying to take the fort

After a stubborn resistance Ivano's Confederates are forced to move back so ...

... The Unionist troops enter into the fort

The final scene sees the remaining Confederate troops leave the camp while the Unionists pillage their resources

Bolt Action - German vs Commonwealth May, 18 2019

Last week end we hosted in my wargame club (La Piccola Armata) a friends of mine that wanted to test Bolt Action 2.0.

Another of my club mates (Antonio) have prepared him a generic scenario with a German list against his Commonwealth units.

In my club we have ... I think ... all the armies of the World War II in 20mm but considering that it was a test match we decided to play it using the 28mm scale.

Riccardo (another club member) painted all the English miniatures while I painted the German units.

I have to point out that the German army list Antonio prepared for Fabio ... my friend that wanted to play ... included a motorbike with sidecar but I haven't this vehicle so Fabio used a kettlekrad.

Now a kind of battle report. The initial scenario

Antonio enters with his forces and …

… Fabio unleashes with an initial bombardment 

Two German paratroopers companies try to reach houses …

… with the sniper that cover them

Also Antonio advances with his men keeping the houses as protection

After some turns the situation is well explained in the pictures below

The Indian company starts a duel with a group of Germans

It enters also my kettlekrad :)

Fabio used is medium mortar to drive English troops out

… and he launches into the field a Panzer IV …

Antonio replies to him with his Sherman

But before why not an artillery barrage?

On the German right wing the combat is become a duel between tanks while on the centre companies of men fight

Final score is a Commonwealth victory

Napoleone Bonaparte a Chivasso – May 25, 2019

On May 25, 2019 the local association, “Pro-Loco L’Agricola”, hosted my wargame club (La Piccola Armata) during an exhibition of Napoleonic original documents at Palazzo Rubatto in Chivasso.

The exhibition was part of the re-enactment event organized by the region Piedmont and the city of Chivasso (north west Italy) related to the Italian Napoleonic campaign.

At the events participated also the 111ème régiment d'infanterie de ligne that paraded through the streets of the town during the afternoon.

Picture dowloaded from "111ème régiment d'infanterie de ligne" Facebook page

Our role, as wargame club, was to prepare a table of Napoleonic miniatures and to help the visitors to understand better the documents exposed and the Napoleonic combat tactics.

I took pictures of the different documents exposed and I have to admit that some of them were very interesting so in this post I'll show some

For example, these letters are the original reports written by an Austrian officers during the battle of Marengo.

The display case below includes some miniatures (unfortunately not painted by me!) and the bullet of an English Brown Bess.

But this is a miniatures blog and so some pictures of my miniatures. Scale 28mm, manufacturers: Victrix and Perry painted by me

During the exhibition we had the possibility to speak with a lot of people sharing with them many information of Napoleonic period. A very interesting experience that I think that will see my club also in the next years.