Arnhem 1944 (15mm) - Remote Game

I was lucky enough to participate in a remote wargame with a group of friends from Sheffield, recreating the German response to the Arnhem landing of the 1st British Paratroop Division (with some Polish friends). Hosted over two days, it was very instructive and fun. A hex based game board, but I seem to have been too wrapped up in the games (which to my mind is a sign of a very good game) to take screen-shots. All that I could find was the "operational map" I was using as a crib to keep track of proceedings (see below, I was part of the ad-hoc German forces that attacked from the North East and drove down the right hand side of the board): 

Another German Kampf group (though notably lacking in armour) attacked from the West (left hand side of the map).. The result was a rather bloody draw, ahistorical in the positioning of the "Para Pocket" but historical in the sense that they were not going to be able to punch through to Arnhem and link up with Frost.   

Note: I will add additional photos if they turn up ;) 

OK Yes More 15mm Panzers (and Armoured Cars) and some PSC Shermans

Please don't judge me. Another massive Ferdinand? I now have a pair and so will have to fight Kursk (?), makes sense to me; plus these little German 222 Armoured Car 'runarounds' plus a friend to go alongside my other Russian BA-10 armoured car (see below, note the 222's caused me the first bit of real heartache I have experienced with Zvezda kits - some filler will be required before I paint one of them):

Then I decided to make up a bog standard box of 15mm PSC Shermans I had hidden away in the loft (see below, I fell love with them, blame "Fury" which I already have made from the US 'long barrelled' PSC box):

They come in "fives" so I made three up as British - well apart from the one with the British Commander they could be US as well (see below, "30 XXX" style going to Arnhem [without Fireflies]):

An experimental US one (see below, with side-skirts and US Commander):

The a 105mm Infantry Support model (see below, suitable for US or British use):

I am thinking the Fury "Shermans v Tiger" engagement - which means I should really make up a German Tiger I. The premise of all this is still "What a Tanker" but I could be brought into an experimental game of Flames of War (Don't Judge me) or be useful for CrossFire (but that is mainly infantry and all these tanks would be overkill methinks).

You got "More" 15mm Tanks? (Panzers)

Under the banner "Getting ready for What a Tanker" these little (15mm) things were purchased (see below, a Kursk style Ferdinand, a Pz IIIG, 2x Pz 38t and a Stug IIIB at the back ):

I have this awful feeling that for the majority of my wargaming life I may have been collecting "in the wrong scale for WWII. 15mm is large enough for detail, but small enough for quick assembly and painting. It also "fits" better on table for formations. I just have to accept "scale spread" for my "WW2 Collections" - 1/300:1/285:10mm:15mm:20mm:28mm:54mm - and they are all "good!" I canot get away from 20mm because 'everything is covered or convertible. I was saddened to see MMS models ceased trading last year as they did do some wonderfully exotic stuff (Pz II Flampanzer is one that comes to mind). 

More 15mm Russians - PSC T34/76 and T34/85

The last "batch" of Russian vehicles were put together,the ubiquitous T34/76 (and T34/85 option). Something to stir fear and dread into any German Tanker or Landser (see below):

These 15mm kits go together so sweetly (and quickly) I am starting to curse my 20mm myopia for the last twenty years (see below):

It remains to be seen how quickly I can paint them. Given the option between Zvezda and PSC, I would say quality (detail) wise Zvezda has the drop on PSC but PSC has more durable 'harder' plastic. Zvezda "snap together" very sweetly, no glue strictly needed although I use liquid poly for "insurance purposes".

15mm Madness Continues .. Pocket Money Toys

Now that my interest is "spiked" (as in active) in 15mm I am drawn to the 'Zvezda stands' in model shops. On a recent visit to Nottingham I acquired a KV2 (top left, a chunk beast), a T-26 (top right, delicate but both beautiful and easy to assemble), a BA-10 Armoured Car (bottom right, which was/is a 'work of miniature construction 'art' - very, very impressed) and finally a Matilda II (bottom left) which will probably be sporting Russian colours. Incredibly they snap together, although this time I also applied "liquid glue" ("Plastic Weld" which is well suited as it is very runny and slips into the cracks nicely). You probably spied my Russian leanings at the moment, I just love that 'wacky' Early War stuff (see below):

Still to come out of their boxes are the PSC 15m Russian T34's, Infantry and Heavy Weapons plus AT guns. I am just fascinated with the Zvezda range as they seem to be bringing out all sorts. I saw a M3 Lee in Russian colours, plus Russian Trucks and Stalin's Organs! Yes I will eventually catch up with the Germans too. Once upon a time 15mm was metal, criminally expensive for the numbers you needed but now its "cheap as chips" :)

The idea for the BT-'s and T-26's is to eventually field large formations (a dirty dozen plus - encroaching on my Action 200 Skytrex territory but they are too nice). Who knows I may play Flames of War yet! They are also "cool" for a ton of other rule sets too ;)

Gone Plain Bonkers .. WWII Scale Creep

I promised myself never to do this but put a simple bit of temptation my way and after twenty years of resisting the fatal lure I go bonkers and get a 15mm WWII army. Three in fact, US, German and Russian (the Brits had all gone otherwise it would have been four)! All from a local hobby store(?) called Boyes (rather a department store with local managers discretion to add esoteric collections here and there) selling off a large part of their 'toy line' as 'dead lines' (boo hoo). I guess it must have been a bit like the Hobbycraft experimentation with FoW and GW stuff (now dead). Well at a third of the RRP price or less the PSC 15mm (£5 a box) was too good a 'steal' and I even succumbed to their half price (£10) Perry's WWII 28mm Plastics lure, again put a hole in my wallet (blown the toy budget for the first six months of the year). That means I have the insane "biggies" of 28mm too (just two packs, one DAK and one 8th Army, for a skirmish in the desert).

Once started you cannot stop (see below for some pocket money Zvezda Russian tanks that appeared in my shopping trolley!):

Why?

I have a perfectly good unpainted hoard [and then some] in 20mm (1/72 or 1/76 if you like), in fact I also have micro scale 1/300 (or 1/285 if again you like) plus a 1/200 (Skytrex Action Force) vehicles and infantry and 10mm Pendrakon infantry.

Madness .. how can I defend the indefensible? I claim "hobby insanity"!

The Defence's case rests on "being sociable" as I have wargamer friends who collect in the respectable 15mm range and model in the 28mm for skirmish (Chain of Command) games. 20m WWII gaming seems to be a rather niche area, accessible to all but people seem to move on from it (though not grow-up). Well there's another two (or should that be five) 30 Day Challenges ahead of me for this year ;)

PS Fear not Paul I will get round to finishing off the Fairey Battle in time for the hundredth anniversary ;)