DAK: Elements of the 15. Panzerdivision

Finally I have had a chance to take some photographs to show what I have been working on over the last 6 weeks. I have been using Battlefront and Forged in Battle miniatures and vehicles. Generally both are quite acceptable, but Battlefront (FoW) certainly has some minor problems with quality control.

WWII: Further thoughts on a ruleset

This is a thinking out loud post. I have now received 2 other rulesets and have had a chance to look through them. I have some pressure to go with a set in the short term as myself and Iannick at Clash of Empires are planning to have our first WWII game at the end of August. WWII gaming is completely unknown to both of us and I have tasked myself with the scenario, rules and figures. 

100,000 pageviews and a new blog title!

AFRIKA

Well the poll has been completed, and although my personal preference is to have 2 blogs (like Robert at Serrez les Rangs!, I was quite excited about the actual design), I can see how this could be quite confusing, so I will go with one. Many thanks to the 42 people who voted, and I really appreciate all personal comments and encouragements. I have decided to set up my WWII links and information to the left and the Napoleonic information to the right of my blog. Nice and orderly!

A New Direction

I have decided that maybe I should take a little break from 28 mm Napoleonics. I have play tested 4 different rulesets over the last couple of years and have painted up multiple units. My next planned major project will be Plancenoit and I will need to paint up 4-5 regiments of French Cavalry as well as some Horse artillery. The big job though will be the IV Prussian Korps which requires 18 infantry battalions, 12 cavalry regiments and 9 artillery batteries, it is enough to take my breath away, as I have really have none of this done. I also need to see how the plastic figure availability evolves, as this is a lot of figures. 


Time to take a little breather......need to do something different. I also want to learn how to use an airbrush. I thought seriously about doing Romans, Crusaders or the Japanese Waring States, all very tempting. Lots of great figures out there and some new nice rulesets.


But I said to myself is that really different, and I said no it is not! I also wanted to try to paint some smaller figures and maybe something a little less complex. The thought of tanks excited me!

WWII seemed to fit the bill, I did quite a lot of research and have settled on 15 mm figures and the North African theatre, I always liked those 50's films about Rommel and the Desert Rats. In the last month, I have painted a few vehicles and some little men (I was shocked at how small 15 mm figures are), all of which I will chronicle in a new series of posts. 


So that brings me to a question, should I start a different blog which is devoted to my WWII adventures or should I blend the WWII posts into my Wargaming in 28mm blog. I have noticed some of you have used the Poll widget, so I said why not ask the readers. Very simple question, should I run one or two blogs, I would really appreciate your advice. Please see the Poll to the upper right. Many thanks for your responses.


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La Haie Sainte: A Black Powder AAR

For the OB and derivation of the scenario, please see this earlier post.

A Reluctant Participant

Oscar Wilde said "there is only on thing in life worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about".

I have tried to avoid this chain blogpost, but I suppose I will have to participate after being nominated by 4 other blogists. I certainly appreciate the honour.

Many thanks to:

Curt at Analogue Hobbies

Miles at Lair of the Ubergeek

Rosbif at Monsieur le Rosbif & Johnny Frog

Rafa at Project Leipzig (1813)

Well, I believe, I am supposed to tell 7 things about myself, so here we go:

1. I am from Newfoundland, born and bred, and we ARE the chosen!

2. I am employed as an Emergency Physician and yes I am told it is just like "ER"

3. I am married with 2 children, who have turned my hair grey, they claim it to be the job!

4. My wife is wonderful, and asks me each day what the soldiermen (you all) are up to.

5. My wife is a psychiatric NP, so I am monitored closely for any signs of instability!

6. I have two cats, both black, called Bull and Young Tiff (I live in Salem by the way)

7. My other activities are fly fishing, road cycling and le menu dégustation, somewhat mutually exclusive pursuits, but I have been able to engage in all three in a 24 hour period.

Who do I nominate? Well I suppose I will break the chain as all chains should be broken! If I was indeed to nominate someone it would certainly include all those fantastic blogists listed to your right. You are all first class, and I look forward to your updates on a daily basis.

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1/1er Régiment de Grenadiers à Pied de la Garde

Many times, I have heard reference to the fact that gamers tend to paint the elite units of armies first and only paint the rank and file later. I have tried to control myself because I wanted to paint the Old Guard for sometime. Well after painting 19 battalions of French infantry, I did not feel it unreasonable to reward myself. I have had these Victrix figures sitting around since well before Christmas. They were assembled for me by kind gamer in London, Martin Aaron. I believe I had 5 or 6 boxes to assemble and I just was not keen to do it myself. Way too fiddlely for me to do, so Martin stepped in and did them for me. It was very appreciated and he did a great job.

La Haie Sainte: A Black Powder Playtest

Another update to this post. For those who have already have had a look scroll down to the black print for the play test update.

I have been thinking about this scenario for a while now, and although I enjoy painting and adding to my armies, every now and then I need a game. I have also been quite busy changing the terrain surface on my terrain boards, but that is pretty well done now (a separate post documenting my experience will come), so it is time to move on.

1er Régiment de Carabiniers

For my La Haie Sainte project, I needed 2 regiments of Cuirassiers and I do have plans to do a second. But as an aside, I said to myself let's paint just one figure as those red-plumed fellows. Well I could not stop and here we are. I believe I enjoyed painting this cavalry unit more than any previous, I may even expand it to 12, but we will have to see. I have 8 more figures left from my second Perry box of heavy cavalry and they are slated to become the 1er Régiment de Cuirassiers. I have said it before, but I will say it again, these are first rate figures and I endorse them without reservation. 

I believe I got most of the uniform and the horses right, although I do note that the plume on the helmet of the trumpeter in the above sketch is white, might change it after more research.