The Megalomaniac (Mwhaha): June 2014

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

WW2 Axis update

I've just updated my post to ensure the fame throwers are more aptly described as flame throwers and to trip down memory lane pointing out vehicles that are about 45 years old and going strong, plus the first tank I every bought. Thrilling stuff.

Monday, 23 June 2014

WW2 20mm Axis collection

As I'm busy packing everything away for the great move I thought it would be prudent to photograph the my 20mm Axis forces as I don't know when I'll next get access to them easily. I need to know exactly what I have so I can make sure I have a 'what you see is what you get' force for the Battlegroup game at Stafford games in October. Normally I don't worry so much and PxIII's and IV's are whatever variant I want to play.

I'm also loaning my partner in crime some top up forces so this lovely photographic record can now provide him a visual feast. It will also allow me to spot what I don't have. You'll see I have lots of infantry but I tend to have to mix troop types and theatres to get the right figures e.g. my pioneers are mainly Afrika Korps but flame throwers are western front paras.

I haven't photographed the unpainted masses which are mainly 1/72 plastics from my youth and odd and sods I picked up as they were a 'bargain'. These may have to be mined to make up any numbers or specialist troops to be painted in the correct colours.

To be a completest this plastic pile contains the beginning of a Japanese force whose tanks currently grace my Korean War Chinese force.

I have 2 Wespes unmade, an ambulance truck, radio truck, another Tiger, 3 x PzIIIs, 3x PZ IVs. 3 x 251's, 3 x 251's that can be command, mortar or pioneer vehicles all awaiting glue and paint.

Box Number 1

Stugs, PzIIIs, Pz IVs, (one of these Stugs my Dad made to wargame with is younger teenage brother who is heading for his 7th decade - its the 2nd one in from the bottom right))

Box Number 2

Wespe,s, Hertzers, Pz38, Pz1, Pz IIs, various recon, Marder I?, Lorraine self propelled guns, artillery tows/half tracks

Box Number 3

Tiger Is too many of them, 2 x Ferdinand/Elephant, Sturmtiger (3 of these Tiger Is my Dad made to wargame with is younger teenage brother who is heading for his 7th decade - they are the grey ones with white flecks, a paint updaet added for me in my youth))

A cat, not one of the Tiger series

Box Number 4

Various AT, Art and AA guns (the guns with the grey base were purchased on a visit to Arnhem when I was 9)

Box Number 6

The Italians

Box Number 7

Panthers, AA trucks, Pumas, Jagpanthers, cars, engineering vehicle

Box Number 8

Half tracks and trucks

Box Number 9

Kingtigers and bigger, plus towed 88 and art. tows plus an armoured car (the Kingtiger 2nd from right at the bottom was the first tank I ever purchased about 30 years ago, probably Northern Militaire and it was ready painted)

Box Number 10

Inf and AT guns - there are some Slovaks and Romanians in here.

Box Number 11

Box Number 12

Box Number 13

Paras

Box Number 14

Infantry incl. Volkstrum

The Italian infantry box wasn't photographed. Oops.

Saturday, 7 June 2014

Battlegroup Kursk Campaign Weekend

Last weekend my mate and I purchased our tickets to the Battlegroup Kursk campaign weekend at Stafford games. The campaign is set around the assault and counter attack at Ponyri. It's not a tournament but a series of games where your team (in our case German) of 16 players attempts to win the most campaign points. Of course someone can still win the most games etc.

We'll get to play 3 games using 600 points. 2 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. 2 army lists can be used, 1 for Saturdays assault and 1 for Sundays defense. No Tigers as they will be allocated by the umpires.

I've never played in a tournament or something like this and I'm looking forward to it. I've already made a stab at an army list and it is quite difficult to build a balanced army. I am debating building something that has a specific task e.g. infantry assault or tank. At least I have time to play around to get it right. I also need to make sure it matches my playing style which unfortunately isn't subtle! I should have been Russian but I have more of the correct Kursk vehicles in my German collection.

Historical Background: Ponyri – July 7th-8th, 1943
As part of ‘Operation Citadel’, the 41st Panzer Corps (of Army Group Centre’s 9th Army) has the objective of capturing the important town of Ponyri. The Russian 13th Army occupies the town and its surrounding area against the German assault and must hold out, to prevent the Germans driving a wedge between the neighbouring 42nd Army and itself, and thus threatening a breakthrough towards the town of the Kursk, further to the south. In 1943, for four days, fierce fighting raged in the fields and woods around Ponyri and into the town itself, as the Germans attempted to surround it and then broke in, fighting from house to house. The Russians offered determined resistance and their 2nd Tank Army launched repeated tank counter-attacks to blunt the German attack. With heavy losses on both sides, the Germans finally withdrew. Ponyri never fell.

Sunday, 1 June 2014

2014-06-01 Partizan in the Park

Lovely sunny day out with some excellent games on display. As promised in my earlier post here are the piccies. As always at Partizan there are lots of games full of little details for the viewer to spot:

The queue

In defiance of the blazing sun a very nicely done 28mm Napoleonic Retreat from Moscow game by the Westbury Wargamers

28mm Napoleonic Retreat from Moscow game by the Westbury Wargamers

15mm Medieval battle of Montaperi 1260 by the Society of Ancients

15mm Medieval battle of Montaperi 1260 by the Society of Ancients. Stunning heraldry.

15mm Medieval battle of Montaperi 1260 by the Society of Ancients

1/100th Korean War using Check your 6 hosted by Grantham Strategy Club

28mm WW1 1914 by Derby Wargames Society. Beautiful figures

28mm WW1 1914 by Derby Wargames Society

A nice unusual game in 28mm of the 1932-35 Chaco War by the SE Scotland Wargames Club. Figures are by Scheltrum and Empress, tanks Warlord and the rules Bolt Action.

28mm 1932-35 Chaco War by the SE Scotland Wargames Club

28mm WW1 1914 by the League of Gentlemen Anti-Alchemists

28mm WW1 1914 by the League of Gentlemen Anti-Alchemists. Poirot?

28mm WW1 1914 by the League of Gentlemen Anti-Alchemists

28mm Zombie action by The Bunker.

28mm Zombie action by The Bunker. Some Fuzz in a Hot situation. Random Gruffalo

28mm Zombie action by The Bunker.

Gruffalo

28mm Zombie action by The Bunker.

28mm League of Augsburg game by the League of Augsburg. The light really made these figures stand out compared to other times that I have seen them. Using Beneath the Lilly Banners' rules