flames of war Archives - Page 8 of 42

SDD Matilda II

The Infantry Tank Mark II, best known as the Matilda, was a British infantry tank. The design began as the A12 specification in 1936, as a gun-armed counterpart to the first British infantry tank, the machine gun armed, two-man A11 Infantry Tank Mark I. The Mark I was also known as Matilda, and the larger A12 was initially known as the Matilda II, Matilda senior or Waltzing Matilda. The Mark I was abandoned in 1940, and from then on the A12 was almost always known simply as “the Matilda”.

With its heavy armour, the Matilda II was an excellent infantry support tank but with somewhat limited speed and armament. It was the only British tank to serve from the start of the war to its end, although it is particularly associated with the North Africa Campaign. It was replaced in front-line service by the lighter and less costly Infantry Tank Mk III Valentine beginning in late 1941.

This model is an SDD white metal kit that I bought in the 1990s.

Matilda II

SDD 15mm Tiger I

Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank used in World War II, developed in 1942. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of Operation Barbarossa, particularly the T-34 and the KV-1. The Tiger I design gave the Wehrmacht its first tank mounting the 88 mm gun, which had previously demonstrated its effectiveness against both air and ground targets. During the course of the war, the Tiger I saw combat on all German battlefronts. It was usually deployed in independent tank battalions, which proved to be quite formidable..

SDD Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E

I have already purchased a Flames of War blister of the German Tiger I E. This model is an SDD white metal kit that I bought in the 1990s. Unlike the Flames of War model this has just four parts.

SDD Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E

I am thinking that I might use it as an objective or in some kind of terrain, one of the reasons for using the image above as inspiration.

British Bedford OXD

The Bedford OY is an army lorry built by Bedford for the British Armed Forces and introduced in 1939. It was based on Bedford’s O-series commercial vehicles with a modified front end and single rear tyres. The OXD was a general service vehicle, a short-wheelbase version of the OY, designed for a 30 cwt (1.5 ton) payload.

This is a photograph of a Bedford OXD in German army service in Hungary. So I was thinking I could paint it in this style.

This is an SDD model I bought in the 1990s.

SDD British Bedford OXD

It comprises three parts in white metal.

SDD British Bedford OXD

After cleaning the castings the model will be stuck together and undercoated.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

This is a laser cut MDF (and card) model of a Chateau from Sarissa Precision.

Sarissa Precision Chateau

It is unpainted model and comes as a flat pack of MDF and card.

The chateau has steps back and front. They comprise the steps and go together quite easily.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

I like the railings which work well and don’t look too bulky for this small model.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

The back steps are constructed in a similar manner.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

The use of card for the window frames, shutters and plinths works well.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

The most challenging aspect of the model was the roof. It had multiple dormer windows as well as a flat roof with railings (or balustrades)

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

There were multiple components and the construction was quite challenging.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

The finished models looks very effective, I do think though I do need to give it a coat of paint.

Sarissa Precision Chateau

The rear view.

15mm Sarissa Precision Chateau

If I was to do this again, I think I might paint the card first, as I did with my Gaslamp buildings.

Finished the 4Ground 15mm Corner Bakery

4Ground 15mm Corner Bakery

Finally finished one of my Christmas presents (from some time ago) was the 4Ground 15mm Shop 4: Corner Bakery. I already have a couple of the 4Ground 15mm buildings, a pair of semi-detached houses and one of the hotels.

The Corner Bakery is a great piece of terrain to enhance your battle board. It comes pre-painted with 4Ground Base paints with high levels of internal detail as well as shop specific signage and acetate shop windows.

Each floor is removable allowing access to each one and the different rooms usable doors. To keep the floors in place there are little locking lugs in each corner. The external walls are rendered with cracked detailing and acetate window.

The model comes as flat pieces of coloured MDF which has been laser cut. Having put most of it together, I went ahead and finished it.

There are lots of details and depth to the models. The instructions are clear and the model is easy to assemble.

The model has separate floors allowing models to be placed inside the building.

As you can see the model’s pre-coloured MDF does make these stand out and quick to put onto the table.

4Ground 15mm Corner Bakery

In the end I found the model challenging to keep together as separate floors so I removed the lugs and stuck the whole building together.

I have added glazing to the windows and used the included posters on the wall.

4Ground 15mm Corner Bakery

I quite liked how the signage which comes with the model includes English signs, Operational Sealion anyone? Or what about a 1930s VBCW scenario? Though of course the building is quite continental in appearance.

SDD Daimler Dingo

The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as the “Dingo” (after the Australian wild dog), was a British light fast 4WD reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War. In 1938 the British War Office issued a specification for a scouting vehicle. Out of three designs submitted by Alvis, BSA and Morris, the one by BSA was selected. The actual production was passed to Daimler, which was a vehicle manufacturer in the BSA group of companies. The vehicle was officially designated Daimler Scout Car, but became widely known as Dingo, which was the name of the competing Alvis prototype.

I bought some SDD models in the 1990s.

SDD British Daimler Dingo

Not sure how I will use these, potentially desert models or as wrecks.

Another option would be to use them as part of my modern English Civil War background.

New Buildings for Flames of War

I see from the latest update to the Battlefront website, there is another subscription set of “premium” buildings released for Flames of War (but would probably also be fine for Team Yankee).

This year we are launching another limited range of Premium Buildings to add some unique centrepieces to your battlefield. Each building is designed to be characterful, yet fit in with the existing Battlefield in a Box range of buildings and houses.

There are six models, a steelworks factory, a set of ruined buildings, a clock tower, a café, an estate house and a damaged eastern church. Out of the six available, my two personal favourites are the manor house and the ruins.

The Ruined Building includes a large two-storey house and two smaller houses, with extensive shelling or bombing damage, perfect for a war torn 15mm urban battle zone.

The Ruined Building includes a large two-storey house and two smaller houses, with extensive shelling or bombing damage, perfect for a wartorn 15mm urban battle zone.

As for the Estate House, this stately home will work equally well as the centrepiece of country battlefield or as a grand home or municipal building in a town street.

This stately home will work equally well as the centrepiece of country battlefield or as a grand home or municipal building in a town street.

They are also going to re-release the manor house and the farm house and barn from the previous premium subscription deal they had. I always liked the manor house, so if I can get one (from retail).

Manor House

I also quite like the farmhouse and barn which I had not seen before.

Farm House & Barn

At £35 each they are not that cheap (well not compared to the houses deal I did subscribe to), if you order them all in advance at £175 then you get the damaged eastern church for free.

So are you going to subscribe to the deal?

4Ground 15mm Corner Bakery

One of my Christmas presents was the 4Ground 15mm Shop 4: Corner Bakery. I already have a couple of the 4Ground 15mm buildings, a pair of semi-detached houses and one of the hotels.

I mentioned in a previous post on my Sarissa Precision Old West Buildings about how much I liked the concept of laser-etched mdf buildings.

The 4Ground models are pre-painted and come with a bundle of components. The corner bakery is much more complex than either the semi-deteached houses or the hotel I had made before.

There are lots of details and depth to the models.

I quite liked how the signage which comes with the model includes English signs, Operational Sealion anyone? Or what about a 1930s VBCW scenario

Got stalled slightly in construction, but hope to finish the model soon.

Cold Flames of War

As well as the Brown Water Navy announcement in Battlefront’s Flames of War State of the Union, they announced a new period based on the Cold War.

October sees us diving into a brand new period as we release Fulda Gap. The period of the modern war when tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Pact were running high is a wonderful theatre to develop as the forces arrayed on both sides boast some of the coolest-looking equipment in history. And with the advances in technology, we are looking forward to seeing forces of M1-Abrams covered by A10-Thunderbolts pitting their might against the swathes of T-72s and BMP-mounted infantry. We plan for this to be a complete period with books covering nations and plastic sets for all the main vehicles of every nation. October is just the start and 2016 will have more books and additional miniatures.

Though there is very little information in the announcement, there is a mention of T72s and BMP-1s for the Warsaw Pact forces. So what of the NATO side? It appears that the US Army will be done first, with M1-Abrams and A-10 Thunderbolts, but I am looking forward to seeing the models for the BAOR.

It would make for a good game to have Chieftains, FV432s and Harriers in action against T80s and the odd Hind D Attack Helicopter.

As the announcement mentions the M1-Abrams, which entered service in 1980, we can assume that the period for the games will be the 1980s, the height of the Cold War. If Battlefront do decide to go with some BAOR British forces, we may also see the Challenger I which entered service in 1983.

As well as fighting across Europe, another possibility will be to recreate the original Red Dawn film and have Soviet forces fighting on US soil.

I might also look at doing some alternative history British Civil War games set in the same time period, this setting was described in an article I had published in Wargames Illustrated in the 1990s.

I also wonder what other nations we will see in 2016, the French possibly?

Brown Water Navy – Flames of War

Battlefront have published a state of the nation article about their forthcoming releases for 2015. One that piked my interest was Brown Water Navy.

Brown Water Navy

April sees us return to the jungle as we visit the Mekong Delta with the new Brown Water Navy book. This book cover the river fighting in the delta’s and allows you to fight a completely new style of Vietnam game. With a complete range of riverine boats to choose, from the little PBR’s to the big CCB Monitors these boats give your US forces the ability to assault the river banks and carve their way into the jungle. Never one to make it easy for the US the VC have a few tricks up their sleeves making this environment a truly unique gaming theatre.

Many years ago I bought some Skytrex 1/200th Vietnam Brown Water Navy models, which never got used for that era, but ended up as Epic 40K models.

The preview models look really nice.

Brown Water Navy - Flames of War