Lost and Found

After all my attempts to locate the Airfix Churchill Crocodile kit in my stash up in the loft, it turned up at the bottom of a box of kits right where I had put it. Typical. Anyway, I now have a 1/76th scale Airfix Crocodile that I can bash together with the PSC 1/72nd scale Churchill. Huzzah! Luckily, someone has tried this before and has produced a very useful 'How To?' which will be my template for the same operation, albeit cutting a few corners to keep it simple:

https://mostlytanks.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/kit-bashing-a-churchill-crocodile-part-i-the-tank/

I've also managed to re-purpose the Sherman Firefly hull to add another Sherman M4 to the late war Battle of the Bulge US tank force. I had a spare turret from an earlier job, so just plonked it onto the hull, assuming no one would notice it's from an M4A3. If they do I can just pass it off as a field repair but I may add a bit of stowage or camo netting to hide the loaders hatch anyway.

The hull front had a British pattern long storage box glued to it, so that was removed and replaced with a length of track link, with some green stuff sandbags to cover up the plated in bow machine gun. This means I have only had to bin the Firefly turret rather than the whole model, so everyone's a winner. When the PSC M4A4 kit arrives later this week, I'll then build the replacement Firefly.

Cromwell Camo Netting

Here's the end result of the experiment with medical gauze, PVA and the excellent tutorial on The Tactical Painter blog. I think it's not too bad, if not as crisp as the original version, so I'm happy with the overall look. I added some finer pieces of gauze over the top of the blobs that I originally applied and this has worked well to give the scrim netting effect. I'm going to leave the rest of the tanks as they are, however, as I want to see what this one looks like when painted up and because they are destined for a winter whitewash paint job, which negates the use of camo netting to a certain degree. I'll definitely use this method again though. A big thanks to the Tactical Painter for the idea:

https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2019/08/172-cromwell-with-camouflage-netting.html

Armourfast Cromwells

I finished assembling and undercoating the remaining Armourfast Cromwells yesterday, adding various bits of stowage to make them a little less boring. As I had a spare kit left over, I thought I'd have  ago at some scrim camo netting on a turret, following the very effective but very simple technique used here: 

https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2019/08/172-cromwell-with-camouflage-netting.html

I'm not sure mine will look as good in the end but it will hopefully work, although I'm only trying it out on the turret at the moment in case I screw it up. I've mashed the gauze bandage a bit more and gone for overkill with the PVA but I think it will look fine, once I've left it to set and sprayed it with Ultramatt Camo Brown. It's certainly better than my old green stuff and oregano method!

If it does look good I may well add some netting to the tanks I've already assembled, leaving the spare hull for conversion into an ARV recovery vehicle using the S and S white metal conversion kit. I'm sure I can think of a good scenario hook for a tank recovery mission under enemy fire!

Cromwell ARV in action during Operation Blackcock

M4A4 Sherman Firefly

I have already built and detailed an Armourfast Sherman Firefly for my WAT! Operation Blackcock project but have been niggled by the fact that it's based on an M4A2 hull, rather than the correct M4A4 (Sherman V) version. This is only apparent in the engine deck, which I've buried in stowage, and in the length of the hull, most obviously by the distance between the VVSS suspension blocks. It's a minor bug to be sure but it stands out like a sore thumb if you are a tank geek like me.

So, as this has been bugging me, I have decided to push the Armourfast Firefly to one side and get the Plastic Soldier kit instead, which is the Sherman V model and has three tanks in the box. One of these I'll build as a Firefly to use with my Cromwells, the other will be converted into a Sherman Crab flail tank using an S and S models white metal kit, and the final one will be used eventually as a bog standard M4A4 if I ever want to make a full platoon of the things.

Churchill Crocodile Conversion

I have a couple of the Plastic Soldier Company 1/72nd scale Churchills and was thunking of converting one of them into a Crocodile flame thrower variant for the WAT! Operation Blackcock project, even if it has the wrong hull. This requires the flame fuel trailer and the flame projector fitment in place of the hull machine gun. I had a look for some resin conversion bits but S and S models no longer have a Crocodile conversion kit and I didn't like the look of the Butler's Printed Models 3D printed option, even if it was quite cheap compared to the resin option. 

However, S and S do have a kit for an M4 Sherman Crocodile, which used the same trailer as the Churchill variant, so I've ordered one to see if I can kit bash it together with the PSC Churchill, scratch building or adapting any parts that aren't directly useable. It's worth a try and at least I can field something approximating a Crocodile, at least at arms length. I don't even know how it will be used in the game, as there are no rules for flame throwing tanks, but it will be fun to build one anyway!

What a Tanker!

I've decided that I need a short break from naval wargaming and, in particular, painting tiddly ships, so I'm going to do some kit bashing instead for my What a Tanker! Operation Blackcock project. This may, or probably may not, be a participation game for Come and Have a Go if You Think You're Hard Enough 2 in March, as there are already at least three proposed WAT! games being offered, so I'll be doing Bag the Hun instead. 

I'm still keen to go forward with it nonetheless, with a couple of Armourfast Cromwells to be added to the Sherman Firefly and Cromwell that I've already assembled. I also have some PSC StuG III G's for the Germans that I'd like to build and paint for the project, as well as finding some new terrain bits to add to my existing winter-themed stuff. I'll start by building the Cromwells then get the British armour painted up first.

Naval Projects and Plans

I'm back at work tomorrow, so I suspect very little will happen at the workbench for a while, especially as most of my weekends are also taken up with various family things. Nonetheless, I've decided to finally finish the 1/2400th Prussian and Danish naval forces for the 1864 Second Schleswig War at some point this Autumn, as they been hanging about for years and really should have been painted a long time ago. In a slight change of plan, I'm going to paint the entire Prussian fleet first, give or take,  followed by the Danes second. 

The Prussians have more ships but most of them are first and second class gunboats, which should be relatively quick to do, with only three of four larger ships, none bigger than a small frigate.  This means I should, famous last words, get them done in short order, assuming I get on with it and don't get side tracked. In the longer term, there's obviously the Danes and Austrians to paint, along with some generic merchant shipping, but I'm also thinking of starting fleets for the Pacific War as well, using the same selection of models that I've used for the 1864 project. I'm pretty sure this would be a lot of fun and is well supported in terms of rules.

Incidentally, the 1/2400th Napoleonic French are now in the queue and will eventually see a splash of paint but not just yet. I've also decided to abandon my Cruel Seas project and instead revert to good old 1/600th scale for my coastal warfare fix, as it makes no sense to do this in multiple scales and I'm quite happy with the smaller models anyway. I'm also thinking of another naval project at some point before the end of the year but have so many to choose from I don't know where to begin. It could be 1/600th American Civil War, 1/2400th Russo-Japanese, 1/3000th scale East of Suez or even 1/450th scale pirates, who knows? 

Answers on a postcard please?

Tow, Tow, Tow the Boat INWARD 2019 Game Report

I played the INWARD 2019 game this afternoon and it was great fun, with some real seat of your pants moments. In the end the French managed to tow the Onondaga under the guns of the shore battery, albeit with damage to the monitor and the Mogador. The Royal Navy lost HMS Rapid to a massive close range blast from the Onondaga's twin turrets but not before HMS Pallas had rammed the monitor amidships, albeit to little effect.

Turn 1

The French won the scouting roll, so the British phased first throughout the game. In Turn 1 both sides advanced to full speed and moved toward each other, the French passing the tow roll and spending 3AP on turret repairs.

Turn 2

Low AP rolls for both sides limited the action to more full speed movement, a 2AP roll for turret repair but no firing, as both sides were out of range. 

Turn 3

The French aced their AP roll enabling them the fully repair the Onondaga's turrets and accelerate to full towing speed, again passing the tow break roll, while the Royal Navy turned 30 degrees to port and moved at full speed on an interception course. The range was rapidly closing but still too far for any firing.

Turn 4

It all began to kick off in Turn 4, with HMS Pallas and HMS Rapid moving at full speed into range of the French ships. The French fired first, with the Mogador targeting HMS Pallas, resulting in a Damaged result and an ineffective Critical Hit. In the return fire HMS Pallas, with the supporting fire of HMS Rapid, managed to inflict a Silenced result on Mogador.

However, in the French phase, this was repaired to Damaged, before the Mogador successfully passed yet another tow roll to pull the Onondaga into closer range, repairing her turrets at the same time. In the subsequent fire segment, HMS Rapid narrowly missed the Onondaga but the monitor's concentrated return fire blasted HMS Pallas, with a second Damaged result doubling up to Silence the ironclad ram.

Turn 5

The Royal Navy commander was now determined to close with the French, ordering repairs to HMS Pallas and full steam ahead to cut off their escape route. The Onondaga responded with another blast of her turret guns, Silencing the Pallas yet again, while the return fire of HMS Rapid failed to score a hit.

In the French phase, yet another successful tow roll (!), pulled the monitor further ahead with a turn to starboard to out manoeuvre the British. In reply, HMS Rapid failed to score a hit on the Onondaga, which blasted the sloop at close range to Silence her, leaving both of the Royal Navy ships unable to fire in the next turn. With only 6'' to go before they could reach the safety of the coastal batteries, it looked like the French were going to make it after all.

Turn 6

The battle reached a climax in Turn 6, as the Royal Navy made a last ditch attempt to knock out the Mogador before she could tow the Onondaga to safe waters. Unfortunately, both sides were hampered by low AP rolls, so were forced to decelerate to cruise speed.

In the Royal Navy phase, the total of 4 AP was used to effect repairs, bringing both ships up to Damaged condition. The Onondaga fired on HMS Pallas and knocked her back down to Silenced straight away but HMS Rapid, with fire support from HMS Pallas, managed to Silence the Mogador in return (I had to do some head scratching at this point about damage results, but more about that later).

In the French phase, the two ships nudged forward at basic speed, not wanting to risk a failed tow roll, but got away with it as HMS Rapid failed to hit the monitor in the fire phase. Not wanting to be unsporting, the Onondaga then failed dismally to hit HMS Pallas, despite being only yards apart and having both turrets levelled at the ironclad!

Turn 7

At this stage in the game, it was only a matter of a few inches before the French would get away and, with a hopeless AP roll of 2, the Royal Navy was running out of options. The Royal Navy squadron commander signalled HMS Rapid to break away to cut off the French escape route yet again, while at the same time ordering HMS Pallas to ram the Onondaga amidships with a 15 degree turn to starboard bringing her onto a collision course.

The Onondaga blasted HMS Pallas on the way in but she struck her target slap bang in the port side nonetheless. Unfortunately, but quite realistically given her faulty design and low speed, the resulting damage to Onondaga by the ironclad ram was relatively ineffective, resulting in only a meagre Damaged impact, making little difference to the Onondaga's chances.

In the French phase of the turn, it was time to finish things for good, with yet another successful tow roll (!) pulling the Onondaga away from the impact and clear of HMS Pallas. In a last ditch attempt to slow the French escape, HMS Rapid fired an ineffective broadside on the Onondaga, only to be blown out of the water by the return fire of her heavy turret guns (the Onondaga scoring a total AF of 7 against a DF of just 1)!

As the Shattered HMS Rapid slowly sank below the waves, HMS Pallas limped away, with steam pouring from her severed lines and her guns knocked out of action. The retreat of the Royal Navy left the French ships to limp into the bay, finally reaching the protection of the shore batteries.

A well deserved victory for the French, who had some very lucky dice rolls when towing, with a disappointing defeat for the Royal Navy despite its best efforts and some decisive 'do or die' actions. I think that it's definitely worth a replay and, if I do run it again, it could go either way. I need to work out some of the ambiguous Damage Results and perhaps make it harder for the French to repair the Onondaga, but otherwise the scenario worked really well.

If the Royal Navy could have forced the tow to break, I think it would have been much harder for the French to get away. In addition, if the French could not move at 4'' but at the normal 2'' rate, then they would really struggle to get across the table. Perhaps making it harder for the Onondaga to make it's gunnery repairs or having them roll for break downs once they are fixed might also even things out a bit more?  I may make a few tweaks as a result but it's a good game as it is and well worth another go!

Vive la France!

Tow, Tow, Tow the Boat

Here's the scenario outline for my INWARD 2019 Broadside and Ram naval game, set in an early 1870's counterfactual Anglo-French conflict. The newly commissioned turret ironclad, Onondaga, has been conducting sea trials off the coast of Toulon but has suffered an internal explosion, with steam power to the engines stopped and no movement possible. The engineers have been working hard to restore power, not only to the propulsion system but also to the steam operated turrets, which are trained fore and aft but unable to turn. However, the paddle frigate Mogador has been dispatched to tow the Onondaga into a nearby bay, where it can be under the protection of coastal gun batteries. 

The Onondaga and Mogador are connected by a towing cable and start the game at the mid point of the southern table edge. The Onondaga has no power so must be towed by the Mogador across the table to the opposite edge at 2'' per turn at no AP cost. An additional 1AP may be spent each turn to double this to 4'' at 'full steam ahead' but this may cause the tow rope to part (roll 1D6, 5-6 = tow broken). The Mogador may voluntarily slip the tow at a cost of 1 AP and will then act as independent.  The Mogador may turn 'on the spot'  if stationary at the cost of 1 AP during the turn phase but only if not towing.

The Onondaga has to repair its steam lines to traverse her turrets, although she may fire fore and/or aft at -2 AF without doing any repairs. The repairs take three turns at a cost of 3AP, 2AP ad 1AP to complete. The repair cost in AP's does not have to be spent in consecutive turns. This cost is additional to any other repairs that the Onondaga may be required to make as a result of damage. The Onondaga cannot regain any movement by these repairs and remains stationary if not under tow. To add some additional realism, the Onondaga may be allowed to drift at 2'' per turn toward the eastern edge of the table if not under tow.

The Royal Navy flotilla of HMS Pallas and HMS Rapid enters from the mid-point of the western edge of the table in echelon formation.  They may operate independently or change formation as desired. They may target either or both the Onondaga or Mogador as separate targets while they are in tow. The tow may be cut voluntarily or if either ship suffers damage, in which case the two ships must be targeted as separate vessels. The objective of the Royal Navy is to cripple or shatter the Onondaga before the Mogador can tow it under the guns of the coastal batteries. To do this, they may attempt to silence, cripple or shatter the Mogador first, before attacking the Onondaga.

The shore batteries have a range of 8'' in a 180 degree arc of fire, with a DF of 2, although they cannot be fired on by any ships as they are in an elevated position on the cliff tops. There is an area of shoals at the base of the cliffs extending for 6'' parallel to the shore line. Any ship that enters this area automatically runs aground and is considered to be shattered. The range of the gun batteries and the presence of the shoals may not be revealed to the Royal Navy if desired but should be revealed to the French. The French must tow the Onondaga into the 6'' exit zone at the northern end of the table in anything other than a crippled or shattered condition to achieve a victory. This may also be achieved by reducing both of the enemy ships to a crippled or shattered condition. 

….I think that's it? 

Stirring the Imagi Nation

I had some time for reading on the ferry journey back home the other day, so rather than ploughing through a book, I decided to read The Wars of the Faltenian Succession, a collection of the articles written by Henry Hyde in the now defunct Battlegames magazine. I really liked Battlegames and enjoy reading Henry's articles in Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy, so I knew it wouldn't be a wasted opportunity.

I had this compilation on the Kindle but had only flicked through it before, metaphorically speaking, so it was worth a proper cover to cover read.  I'm glad I did as it was very interesting and has given me dome more ideas for Imagi-nation building, not only for my slowly moving post colonial Sandbox Skirmish project but also for classic eighteenth century wargame campaigning.

I love the pen and ink mapping!

I've thought about this many times before but dismissed it as too time consuming and unlikely to be of interest to anyone at the club. Now that I'm not going to the club on a regular basis and am more focussed on solo wargaming, it makes more sense, as I can do what I want at my own pace, which I've found to be far more productive. It's also much cheaper than before due to the availability of the ex-Wargames Factory plastic figures, of which I have a few boxes stashed away in the loft.

Another future project...who knows?