Normandy Firefight 1/35th ScaleSkirmish

My eyesight is getting progressively worse these days, so I've been looking for ways to combine my modelling and wargaming interests with something less visually challenging. A few years ago I thought about a Normandy Firefight skirmish project, the rules being designed for 1/35th scale figures from Tamiya and similar model ranges. This appealed to me from a scale modelling angle but also from a cost point of view, the Tamiya kits being really cheap, especially as you need three figures for each character in the game - one prone, one kneeling and one standing. 

With between three and six figures a side and perhaps a single vehicle or AFV, this seemed to be very manageable. Not only that, the rules were devised by Warwick Kinrade, author of the  Battlegroup series, so a very solid and well designed system. I'm now giving the project another look and sorting out the kit pile to see what I've already got, so it may make the project list for 2023, who knows?

Eagles and Bulldogs

I was swamped with DIY today and have achieved very little aside from an assembled trampoline, two newly attached washing lines, a replacement toilet seat and a trip to the tip. Nonetheless, I did get this second hand paperback yesterday after work on my habitual weekly browse through the shelves of the local Oxfam book shop. A good addition to the reference library, even if I doubt I'll get round to reading it for a while. It reminds me that I really should take another look at Normandy Firefight, especially as there are now some other players at the club with the rules.

Normandy Firefight Bargain Basement

Three Quid!!!

A quick heads up that over on the Northstar website in the Bargain Basement, the Normandy Firefight rules for 1/35th and 1/32nd scale skirmish games are now on sale at a very, very good price of only three quid! I have a dormant Normandy Firefight project gathering dust along with a stack of 1/35th Tamiya, Dragon and Italeri kits, not to mention the vintage 1/32nd Airfix multipose collection, so I am clearly a fan of the concept behind these rules. They're written by Warwick Kinrade too, so you'll get a solid and well designed system with some original and interesting ideas. I'm tempted to get another copy of the rules just so that I can give one away to anyone at the club with a passing interest in large scale skirmish gaming!

http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=4300

Normandy Firefight Project [9]

I had to go to Eastleigh yesterday so thought I'd make the most of it and take a look at the newly extended AC Models shop. This turned out to be a good move, as I found a 1/35th scale Italeri Willys jeep and trailer kit for a tenner that will do very nicely as a blown up scout vehicle to use in one of the Normandy Firefight scenarios.

I also went next door into the Games Workshop bit and found a display of 28mm Warlord Games Bolt Action figures, from which I picked up a squad pack of Japanese veteran infantry, complete with their jungle camouflage. I'm not sure what I'll use them for but at the very least I have another couple of sniper teams and an LMG.

5th D.C.L.I. Re-enactment Society

I've had a keen interest in the 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Regiment for a long time now but had no idea that there is a very active re-enactment society dedicated to recreating the 2nd and 5th D.C.L.I. in both a 1940 and 1944 guise. The wierd bit is that it's not here in the U.K. as you'd expect but over the pond in the U.S.A. They're based in the Chicago area and clearly doing a splendid job when it comes to accuracy and attention to detail. There are some excellent photos of webbing and kit on the website which are great as painting references too!

http://dcli.weebly.com/index.html

Normandy Firefight Project [8]

The build up to the summer holiday Normandy Firefight project continues, with the arrival of a British tank for the Germans to ambush in the Tank Hunter scenario. I really wanted to get a Sherman III (M4A2) as the 13/18th Hussars and 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards were equipped with them in support of the 5th DCLI, but a Churchill MkVII will have to do. It's certainly a lot more impressive and will really look the part as it trundles it's way into a panzerfaust ambush.

The 31st Tank Brigade was equipped with Churchills in June-July 1944, when it supported the 43rd Wessex Division up Hill 112, so that gives it some historical legitimacy. The Tamiya kit even includes decals for a tank of the 9th RTR, which took part in the battle for Hill 112, so it will fit in quite well with the project theme. A really nice kit and not too expensive either, compared to a 1/56th or 1/48th scale version, which would actually cost a bit more!

Normandy Firefight Project [7]

I found some 1/35th scale decals for the 43rd Wessex Division this evening and they are now on their way from Australia of all places via airmail. They are going to be used on a couple of Tamiya Universal Carriers that I already have, one to be built as a battlefield wreck and the other as a recce vehicle or tow for a 6pdr AT gun.

I've built a Tamiya Universal Carrier before many years ago before it was available for the NW Europe campaign. I remember it as a lovely little model, complete with crew figures for North Africa which I converted to wearing long trousers with miliput. The new version will be ideal as a scenario focus and scenic feature in Normandy Firefight.

Normandy Firefight Project [6]

I don't know about you but when I was a kid, the coolest Airfix toy soldiers were the German Mountain Troops set, which I had in what was called HO/OO scale at the time. Maybe it was the effect of watching endless repeats of Where Eagles Dare and the Heroes of Telemark on the telly, or just the fact that the poses were so much better than the standard German infantry set, but they were probably my favourite Airfix figures, second only to the British Commandos with their kayaks and the US Marines with their rubber dinghies.

 

 

Anyway, why not get some 1/35th scale mountain troops for Normandy Firefight I thought to myself the other day, although what exactly for I'm not entirely sure? I suppose I could use them for Italy but they may just end up mixed and matched with my standard late war German infantry, possibly as a two man sniper team assuming I can find another kneeling figure? The figures equipped with smocks and mountain packs may have to be converted a bit but there are some really useful bits and pieces on the sprues with which to customise other figure, especially the iconic forage caps which are way better than the Tamiya version.

Normandy Firefight Project [5]

 

I've been trying to find some 1/35th scale Lee Enfield sniper rifles to equip a British sniper team for Normandy Firefight but with little luck. However, I have now located said item, in a weapons accessory set from a company called Riich, which I have never heard of being a bit out of the loop as far as military modelling is concerned. The set in question is quite pricey but does also include a Vickers and a couple of Bren guns on AAA and sustained fire mounts, as well as the three sniper rifles I need for a prone, kneeling and crouching figure. I now only  have to track down a set that doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

Normandy Firefight Project [4]

I mentioned to a work colleague that I was interested in military modelling a while back and he said that his dad was clearing out some old model kits that I could have for free if I wanted. I was expecting some half glued together, half finished kit bashed odds and ends but today I was given a couple of plastic bags full of 1970's vintage 1/32nd scale Airfix figures, both from the multipose and the bendy plastic range. There were also some 1/76 scale Fujimi and Matchbox kits but the 54mm stuff is what really grabbed my attention.

These are in as new, if slightly musty boxes and the multipose figures themselves are still on the sprues inside sealed plastic bags, with all the original parts and instructions included. Wow! You can imagine my surprise and the subsequent nostalgia trip, as these are exactly the same kits that I built when I was a kid. I'm now thinking of a 1/32nd scale North Africa extension to my Normandy Firefight project, although the thought of breaking up these pristine kits fills me with pangs of guilt!

Normandy Firefight Project [3]

I sat down with the rulebook yesterday and read through all of the scenarios or 'missions' to winkle out exactly what I need to kit up for the Normandy Firefight project, so that all the scenarios can be run either way round. The 'shopping list' consists of the following figures, for both the Allies (US and/or British) and the Germans:

1 x NCO (Thompson / Sten / MP40)

4 x Riflemen
1 x LMG gunner (BAR / Bren / MG42)
1 x Anti-Tank (bazooka / PIAT / Panzerfaust)
1 x Medic

In addition, I need a sniper for all three patrols, as Mission 2: Sniper Hunt would be a bit pointless without one and I'd like to switch the scenario round to give the German player a challenge. A wounded recce officer for the US and/or British is also required, as one features as an objective in Mission 3: Clear and Secure. 

I have enough prone, kneeling and standing figures to cover this lot but only for the Germans and US at the moment, with the British requiring a couple more lying and kneeling kit parts. I'm hoping to do some conversions to cover the shortfall. I also don't have any sniper rifles for the British, which might complicate things a bit, although I can probably knock one up with a bit of imagination.

In terms of vehicles, I will need a knocked out tank of some sort for Mission 1: Lead Scouts, although it doesn't really matter if it's Allied or Axis. I have an incomplete Italeri kit of a Hetzer which I can build for this, minus a missing sprocket wheel. I also need tanks or assault guns for Mission 5: Tank Hunters, one for the Germans and one for the Allies. An Italeri M4A1 Sherman will do for the moment along with a Tamiya Stug III for the other side.

To round things off, I need a destroyed recce vehicle for all three sides, with the actual mission briefing being for a US jeep or similar. I have a Bren carrier for the British but will need to find something for the other two patrols to locate, possibly cutting some corners by using a motorcycle or similar for both the Germans and the Americans. I guess this could represent a dispatch rider with important documents that need to be retrieved.

This all adds up to quite a lot of stuff...and I haven't even thought about terrain yet!

Normandy Firefight Project [2]

I won an old Tamiya US gun and mortar set on eBay today for a very small outlay, so now have enough kneeling and prone figures to equip a US half squad. I really like these old Tamiya box sets, many of which I glued together and painted up back in the 80's. This means I now have the potential bits and pieces to do either the Americans or the British for Normandy Firefight. I'll have to give it some serious thought while I paint my pirate ships for Galleys and Galleons over the weekend.

Normandy Firefight Project [1]

I've decided to give next month a Normandy Firefight focus in 1/35th scale. This will initially involve the assembly and painting of six British infantry figures for NW Europe in three poses each including an NCO, a Bren gunner, three riflemen and a PIAT operator. If I can squeeze a seventh figure out of the various kits that I've gathered together, I'll probably add either a fourth rifleman, a sniper or a medic. I have some insignia for the 43rd Wessex Division so they will all be 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, One and All.

Normandy Firefight Revisited

We ended up in Hobbycraft at one point yesterday and I tried in vain to find some 1/32 Airfix multipose figures, having been inspired by Steve Blease and his Kohima project for Normandy Firefight. However, I didn't have any luck so picked up a box of 1/35 Tamiya US infantry instead, which work out cheaper than 28mm!

I have enough figures to assemble half a dozen US infantry figures using the box sets I already have in the plastic kit pile. These will include an NCO or junior officer, a couple of riflemen, a BAR gunner and a bazooka team or sniper. I'll also put together a vehicle of some sort as a focus for scenarios, probably a scout car or light tank.

I'm not sure when I'll get round to doing this but I really like the scale and focus of the rules, so it may be a another project for the summer holidays or the autumn. The terrain is a bit of a challenge but I'm sure I can come up with something that will not be too daunting. I was even thinking of Tunisia or the Italian Front to keep things simple.

Airfix 1/32nd Multipose Re-released

 

 

Those of you who are old enough to remember sticking these together back in the early 80's, will be pleased to find out that they're being re-released as part of the Airfix D-Day 70th anniversary range this year. At the moment, it's just the British infantry set but the Germans and Americans are on the way. I don't know if the Japanese or USMC will be revived but it's a good start, with some of the 1/32nd scale tank and vehicle kits possibly over the horizon too.

I originally wanted to use these for Normandy Firefight, alongside some of the Airfix 1/32nd scale soft plastic figures, but that plan was shelved when I googled for second hand kits and fell off my chair at the asking price! The now kits are priced at £9.99 so well within the affordable range, even if you only make four figures out of each set. I might give this another look as an alternative to 1/35th scale.

Normandy Firefight US Anti Tank Team

A trip to Launceston today before the torrential rain arrived and I now have an addition to the 1/35th scale figures for Normandy Firefight, in the form of a couple of bazooka teams for the Yanks. They were a bit of a bargain and will form the basis of at least one tank hunter figure, assuming I can find matching prone or standing figures for each of the pairs. These can be supplied from existing figures in the collection.

I've negelected this project for a few months but have been encouraged to give it another look after Steve Blease jumped onto the Normandy Firefight bandwagon with his 1/32nd scale Airfix multipose inititiative. He's made the sensible decision to go for a theatre with minimal terrain complications, with North Africa, Italy or Burma as his battlegrounds of choice.

...having said that, Italy does have some mileage with the stuff that I've got, so might be worth a thought.

Thanks Steve.

I was up in the loft this morning.....

I was up in the loft this morning, looking for camping kit for my kids weekend away with the cubs, when I found two 1/35th  Tamiya Universal Carriers instead. I knew I had one somewhere but to find two is a bit of a bonus. I can't remember where or when I bought them but they were in a sale of somesort so were a fraction of the full price. I think it was in Antics or Modelzone but it's academic really.

I can now provide some transport for my Tommies, in both operational and destroyed versions, which will be great for scenarios in Normandy Firefight. The Clear and Secure scenario springs to mind but I'm sure there are many others I can devise that feature a carrier including bringing up ammunition or food, casualty evacuation or even a FOO observing enemy positions.

There are also two PIAT included in the kit on the equipment sprue, so I can now kit out one figure as an AT specialist, which is perfect for the Tank Hunter scenario. I have one other PIAT already in the spares box so all I now need to do is find a suitable figure in firing, crouching and standing position to use it. I reckon one of the bren gunners that I have would do the job nicely if I can find suitable replacement arms.

WSS Normandy Firefight Interview

There's an interview with the author of Normandy Firefight in the current issue of Wargames Soldiers and Strategy, which is well worth reading for the inside track on the rules mechanisms and design philosophy. I've also been enjoying the free issue of Battlegames that I got when I picked up the latest copy of Miniature Wargames in WHSmiths yesterday. There's a really interesting transcript of an interview with the Toofatlardies and a neat set of skirmish rules for Smugglers in the 1700's. Good stuff!

Normandy Firefight Tommies

These arrived from Hong Kong today and I've been oogling the sprues to work out what I can do with them and how many three figure variants I can make out of the two boxes that I ordered. The good news is that I can kit up at least four figures if I combine this kit with the other ones that I already have.

I was also pleased to find that the sprue features six helmets with scrim netting, giving me a full twelve to use for the half section that I'm hoping to assemble. The figures are great and I'm thinking of making them the basis for my first unit for Normandy Firefight.

Zvezda German Snipers

I put a low bid in for this set of four 1/35th scale snipers on Ebay a week or so ago and promptly forgot about it, as you do. As a result, I was pleased to get an email this morning telling me that I'd won. As you can see, there's a prone figure and two kneeling figures in similar kit, making it easy to model at least one sniper, assuming I can convert one of the latter figures into a running or standing version using bits from the spares box. Cool.