A good start on the BPB Motor Gun Boats and RAF Rescue Launch today, blocking in the bases and giving the models a matt black basecoat, ready for blocking in the principal hull and topside colours. I've left the Kriegsmarine escorts to one side for the moment, so that I can concentrate on getting these painted first. I'm hoping that it won't take too long to get these finished, as I also have a convoy of merchant shipping to paint up, not to mention re-basing and tarting up my existing kit.
I'd forgotten about this but was kindly reminded by Jimmy James over in the AK-47 FB group the other day, so have pimped up the poster for the occasion. It's a way off yet but that means plenty of time to get organised for a game, which should be feasible as it's a bank holiday here in the sunny UK. I'll have to see what I can get organised at the club, which meets on a Tuesday, or possibly at home with the boy, as he'll be off work too. I haven't played a game in ages, so what better than International AK-47 Wargaming Day to dust off some technicals and take them for a test drive!
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| Voisin 8 |
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| Caudron RII |
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| Breguet XIV |
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| Nieuport 28 |
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| Salmson 2 |
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| SPAD VII |
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| Morane Saulnier N |
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| Nieuport 17 |
Paul Sulley from Tumbling Dice was kind enough to send me some samples of the new 1/600th French aircraft he has just produced, although not yet available on the website. These fill some big gaps in the existing range, which is primarily early war, which means that the French, Italian, American, Belgian and Russian air forces are now feasible, give or take a couple of types. The Russian Civil War and Russo Polish War are also possible, so not just the First World War. I'm particularly impressed by the Breguet XIV, which is a lovely model and really looks like the real thing. Excellent!
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| BPB 72' MGB's |
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| BPB 70' MGB's |
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| BPB RAF Rescue Launch |
Back home today after the holiday trip and on to the workbench to get the PT Dockyard British Power Boat Motor Gunboats assembled and undercoated. These are resin cast models and require a lot of attention to get them ship shape but, as they're the only option in 1/600th scale it's worth the effort. I replaced some of guns with a Tumbling Dice metal casting, which isn't accurate but a lot less likely to be snapped off than the resin equivalent. I also have a Tumbling Dice BPB RAF rescue launch to paint up, along with a downed air crew, so a nice collection of themed models to get painted over the weekend, if I have the time. I may even base these first, following my established method, rather than painting then basing later.
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| The Royal Navy Fleet |
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| The Spanish Fleet... |
A couple of years ago I started a 1/2400th scale Napoleonic Naval project, designed for large scale fleet games but also for small frigate actions in a compact space. This was quite productive and I ended up with two fleets, one French and one British, although never got round to actually playing any games. I subsequently stared to build the models for an American squadron but they are still in a box waiting to be painted.
I also gathered together a large selection of models for a Spanish fleet but, in the end, didn't make a start on them, or any new terrain for that matter. I'm now considering picking up the project with the objective being International Naval Wargaming Day in a few months time. The focus would be on the Spanish fleet or the American squadron, together with a few terrain pieces if I can find the time?
I was very surprised but excited to hear that a new edition of Cry Havoc, possibly my favourite hex and counter game, is being published soon by Footsore Miniatures as a Kickstarter. It's a simple repeat of the original but with updated graphics and maps that are green rather than bright yellow, so I don't really need to get a copy as I have the original. However, I will probably do so anyway, as I am a big fan of the game, as is my son (although he prefers Samurai Blades). It's launching in a few days, so keep an eye out!
We're heading home in a few days so, to make the most of the holiday time left, I'm re-reading this book. Despite the title, it's an overarching account of coastal forces action in all of the theatres of the Second World War, but my interest lies primarily in the early war period in the English Channel and North Sea. It's a really good introduction to the subject and I remember it as being well worth reading as a primer for coastal forces wargaming, so time well spent.
I've been scribbling some outline notes for a Torpedoes and Tides scenario set in May 1942. This involves a minelaying sortie by a rotte of two S-38 boats of the 4th S-Boote Flotilla, based in Boulogne, in the convoy lanes off Dungeness. A patrolling Isles class trawler, HMS Sir Galahad, is in the area and bumps into the enemy E-boats, who must sink her or force her to retreat, then evade back to their base, scoring set victory points for doing so. The trawler has to batter, wreck or force off the two enemy boats before being sunk, scoring cumulative points for the damage inflicted.
There will be fog patches and a partial moon to add a bit of tactical shenanigans, while the E-boats will have zero torpedo reloads, being lightened for the minelaying sortie, so once expended they'll be down to guns only. I expect the trawler will go down fighting but as long as enough damage is inflicted on the E-boats to disrupt the mine laying mission, there's a chance it won't be a walkover for the Kriegsmarine, assuming I balance the victory points properly?
One of the S-boote, S-55, will be C2 as it was the highly experienced CO, Götz Freiherr von Mirbach's boat, while the trawler commander and crew will also be C2 to give her a fighting chance. I'm not sure if the mine laying task will actually have to be carried out, as that would complicate things and be a bit unlikely, but it's still a work in progress and may be tweaked a bit. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, when I get round to it, and if I will need to beef up the RN or not by using a more powerful escort like a destroyer or corvette.
Every summer holiday I usually run a short solo naval campaign of some sort, occasionally interspersed with an air wargaming effort. This summer I'm planning to do the same and have three potential options:
1. Napoleonic Naval
This would use my respectable collection of 1/2400th scale French, British and Spanish fleets, the latter being the only thing I'd need to paint in the run up. The rules would be Far Distant Ships or Grand Fleet Actions, so this would be for games with squadrons rather than individual ships, although a few frigate actions might well be in order.
2. WW2 Coastal Forces
This would be a mini-campaign using Torpedoes and Tides, probably set in 1942 or thereabouts on the East Coast convoy route or along the English Channel. For this I'd need to re-base and tart up my existing 1/600th scale models, paint a merchant convoy of shipping and some German convoy escorts. A bit more work required but lots of potential for some narrative campaigning.
3. South American Interwar 'What If?'
A favourite theme of mine, as evidenced by a previous pre-dreadnought campaign, is a fictional yet feasible conflict between Chile, Argentina and Brazil. This time I'd be using the 1/3000th scale Navwar fleets for Argentina and Brazil, with the Chileans possibly making an appearance too. I would need to order some additional models from Navwar, now that it is up and running, as well as painting up everything required. I'd use Find, Fix and Strike for this campaign.
