Hundred Up!

So One Hundred posts on here for a blog I keep primarily for myself, albeit its nice to know people are looking :). I've no pictures to show you; life has been hectic at moment and I've been doing (as I keep promising) more of a production line on my work (although not the most effective).

Having said all that I should have a fair few bits to show soon as well as news that I will hopefully doing the Lobositz game this summer, so a reason to keep going with it. I also hope to be playing bolt action soon - although working my list out - I've realised I may not have the figures witht he right equipment.

Also going to get my MDF buildings based and painted - need to make fairly generic as meant to be for both Frostgrave and South Italy - might be pushing that one!

Finally, I've decided on my OPFOR for Bolt Action against my Fallschirmjager as US Combat Engineers - basing it around 16th Engineer Battalion (1st Division) - although with the flexibility to remove the M3s and use as Engineers from an Infantry Division.

US Combat Engineer Platoon (16th Armored Engineers) - 10 Dice
All Regular
2nd Lt + Buddy
1st Squad: NCO (SMG), 1 BAR, 8 Rifles
2nd Squad: NCO (SMG), 1 BAR, 8 Rifles
2 x MMG Teams
1 Bazooka Team
2 x M3 H/Track (Both with 1 addtional MMG)
1 Jeep
1 2 1/2 Ton Dump Truck

So its a case of spotting bargains and building up slowly (based around the Armoured Fist box set). I also intend to do a Sherman Dozer to maintain the theme when I go to 1000+ points.

As per usual, let me know what you think.

Fallschirmjager Platoon Orbat Take 2 + Rookie Day 2017

So been playing with my orbat (both with regards to points, capability and expense) for 750 point list. As such here we go (again going for historical list and none cheese). All Veteran unless noted.

Defence of Italy Reinforced Platoon Total 748, 8 Dice

Platoon HQ Oberleutnant (SMG) and Rifleman (AR) 103
Rifle Squad 1 NCO + 6 Riflemen (3 SMG, 1 LMG) 127
Rifle Squad 2 NCO + 6 Riflemen (2 SMG, 1 LMG) 124
Rifle Squad 3 NCO + 5 Riflemen (6 AR) 114
Support Squad 1 MMG 65
Support Squad 2 Medium Mortar 65
Support Squad 3 Sniper Team 65
Support Squad 4 Kettenkrad (Regular) and Panzerbusche 41 85

Image from Warlord Games Website

So this is the force I'm going with - although I am painting the extra Riflemen needed to flesh out my squads if needed.

At the same time, I need to get fitter as rookie day was last Sunday and was really good. Had a few new guys down and saw some good talent (hopefully reinforcements for our Secondary).

Also got the news that we have been accepted into the league!!!

We have a new logo, there's another rookie day this Saturday and we have a Super Bowl Party coming on the 5th February - GO PACKERS!!!

Bolt Action Force Orbat Take 1

I have stated previously that I paint more when I have a specific targeted plan in place. So at the moment I have my 1501 point boxset (as well as an extra MMG I've ordered) which I've assembled and undercoated. However I wanted to break it up a little and as such have come with an initial 750 point army (needed anyway for practicing for tourney play). I've already painted the "normal squad" and am now moving onto the assault rifle squad and support.

Generic Reinforced Platoon (Armies of Germany v13) (748pts)

Hitler's Buzzsaw, Initiative Training

• Headquarters (103pts)

  • Platoon Commander (103pts)

    • Oberleutnant (103pts)

      SMG, Veteran (90pts)

      • Veteran Soldier (13pts)

        Rifle

• Infantry (346pts)

  • Fallschirmjaeger Squad (Late War) (156pts)

    7x Veteran Soldier (91pts)

    • Veteran NCO (16pts)

      SMG (3pts)

    • Veteran Soldier with LMG (33pts)

      LMG (20pts)
      LMG Loader, Team Weapon

    • Veteran Soldier with SMG (16pts)

      SMG (3pts)

  • Fallschirmjaeger Squad (Late War) (190pts)

    Veteran Soldier (13pts)

    • Veteran NCO (18pts)

      Assault Rifle (5pts)

    • 7x Veteran Soldier With Assault Rifle (126pts)

      7x Assault Rifle (35pts)

    • Veteran Soldier with LMG (33pts)

      LMG (20pts)

• Infantry Support (234pts)

  • Anti-tank Team (104pts)

    • Panzerschreck Team (104pts)

      Veteran (104pts)

  • Medium Machine Gun Team (65pts)

    Veteran (65pts)

  • Mortar Team (65pts)

    • Medium Mortar Team (65pts)

      Veteran (65pts)

• Tanks, Tank Destroyers, Self-propelled Artillery and Anti-Aircraft Vehicles (65pts)

  • SdKfz 7/1 and 7/2 (65pts)

    Regular (65pts)

I can't recommend Battlescribe enough - has most if not all of the available units and gives all the important details (I've removed the stat lines here for space purposes). Most importantly it does all the maths without you constantly questioning yourself if you've done it right.

I get that these games are by there very nature "gamey" but I want to keep my force both historically accurate (or at least reasonably so) and so my whole infantry force is Veteran throughout rather than saving some points by making mortars regular etc. The Flakwagon is support from Corps level so I don't have a problem with this being regular. I'm also basing my force as a unit in Italy in 1943-1944 so no Panzerfausts for me as sources I've read state they weren't issued until late 1944 on that front. I'm not too bothered as at 750 I'm hoping there won't be too many vehicles too worry about as my Schreck team can't be everywhere at once.

Having said all this, I only decided on all this AFTER I put together the models so I have attached Panzerfausts as recommended on the box - A few spare sprues are going to be ordered to replace these.

Anyway we'll see how it works out.

Slightly Silly Army List

So I've been playing around with research and ideas for "Stag Rampant!" and as a bit of a variety I thought of making a "Crannogmen" army list. Crannogmen come from "the Neck" - a narrow strip of land which divides the North from the rest of Westeros. It is Howland Reed or accompanies Ned Stark at the end of the War of the Usurper to King's landing and is potentially the only one alive who knows who Jon Snow truly is.

For anyone who has played Lion or Dragon Rampant you will be aware of the unit types - if not there is a short description.

It is quoted that Greywater Watch - the castle of the Reed family has no men at arms or Maesters - which immediately removes 2 potential units from the list. Fighting in mostly boggy, broken terrain, cavalry would be limited and so the following list is suggested.

1 x Expert Foot Serjeant* (Formed Infantry with Hand Weapons)
1 x Fierce Foot (Berserker types)
1 x Foot Yeomen with Javelins (Lesser Quality Formed Infantry with spears and javelins)
1 x Archers
3 x Bidowers (Skirmisher Types)

Yes that is 3 units of Bidowers. In an open battlefield this force would be destroyed but in a campaign this force could be extremely useful as a harassing force or to hold and ambush in tricky terrain in a multiple retinue battle.

Any thoughts?

1er Reiter Regiment

So this has been a while in coming and is still missing a few bits but pretty much done. This is 1er Reiter Regiment from 1st Cavalry Division for Operation Barbarossa. Based up for house rules Spearkrieg Commander.

Orbat

Just missing from this list are; Engineers, Mortars and a HMG.

1er Reiter

As the formation primarily fought as mounted cavalry (as well as to cheapen the build) I have based the "Rifle" platoons as 1 cavalry model and 2 infantry.

Regimental HQ

Regimental HQ is still missing the engineer platoon and I may get transport (normally I just show that the unit is being towed by turning the unit around) for towed units.

Battalion Formation

I may also add some foliage to some of the gun teams to add a bit extra.

Rifle Platoons

Not sure how far I want to go with this force, it only existed in Divisional strength during Battle of France and Operation Barbarossa - in Poland it was Brigade strength and from 1942 onwards it reformed as a Panzer Division. Still its a bit of a different force and got me in the mood to paint 10mm cavalry (maybe my Carthaginian Army might get a look in?).