Chain of Command Forward Planning

I've spent the afternoon rummaging through the leadpile in an attempt to organise a possible project for next month, which will be a attempt to paint up a platoon sized force for Chain of Command. I already have an entire 28mm Japanese mid-war platoon plus support assembled but, as it's an enormous painting task more suited to the summer holidays, I thought I'd try something a little less daunting in the meantime. 

I began by thinking back to the Rapid Fire! project that I almost completed a few years ago in 20mm, which was eventually sold off via ebay for want of any opponents at the club. It was based around the 5th Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, which went all the way through NW Europe from Normandy to Holland, across the Westwall and into Germany. The figures ended up looking pretty good but it never got beyond the infantry and a squadron of M4A2's of the Sherwood Foresters.

A platoon of the 5th DCLI would be a great option for Chain of Command, so I dug out both the 15mm and 28mm figures to do just that. In 15mm I have loads of Peter Pig figures that I accumulated for IABSM and which will one day be used for a company sized force, again based around the 5th DCLI. As you can, see I have more than enough to equip a platoon plus lashing of support options in 15mm, including engineers, flamethrower teams, HMG teams, 6pdr AT guns and even a couple of roadblocks.

However, I'm still drawn to 28mm as I won't have to paint up the opposition as well, with at least a couple of chaps at the club having late war Germans in 28mm. I also have the figures I need for a platoon from the Crusader Miniatures range, which were originally destined for a long abandoned Rate of Fire project. In painting terms this wouldn't be much more than the 15mm option but I'd still have to add a tank or two, which would add to the overall cost.

Finally, I have the dozen or so extra figures needed to turn my existing Bolt Action US late war platoon into a full strength equivalent for Chain of Command, plus a couple of extra support units. This would be by far the easiest option and I could even stretch to a couple of packs of additional figures in order to add another five man MMG or mortar team. I already have three tanks to back up the platoon and can also add in a couple M3 half tracks, so there are enough support options to make it a decent force.

I still haven't decided which way to go with this but will make up my mind over the next week or so. The 15mm option is attractive but I'm not sure how the rules would need to be ammended in terms of ground scale and measurements. It also means that I'd have to commit to painting up a matching force of late war Volksgrenadiers, which is a bit too much for me to handle at the moment.

It looks like 28mm is the best way to go, so that is what I'll be planning out in the run up to next month....it may not happen but at least I will have ironed out some of the wrinkles.