What a Tanker in Sicily : back in the North

After a week or so travelling I’m back in the North, and back to some hobby activity. Having been to Salute and seen some impressive ‘What a Tanker’ games it got me thinking about my Sicily collection. This coincided with me purchasing some extra American armour.

The table setup plenty of cover and blocking terrain, the Americans would advance from the this end the Germans from the far end.

The Americans arrive, 2 Sherman’s, an M10 (new) and a M5 Stuart 

The Germans have a PzIII a STug F8 and of course Tiger, 

Both sides jockey into position, the damaged buildings count as heavy cover but don’t block line of sight

The Stug starts firing at long range against the American M10 which finds itself slightly out of position by the far bridge

The M10 takes some damage reducing its speed slightly

Forced to turn to try and get out of the firing line the M10 takes another direct hit and is the first casualty

The Tiger advances but is struggling with poor command dice. It takes a couple of hits which bounce off its front armour…….

Until rolling 6 dice the Sherman gets a crazy 5 strike hits ! The Tiger fails to save a single strike causing it to immediate explode 😥

It was lunchtime and we allowed both sides to bring on some reserves. Both sides slug it out 

Eventually the Americans get the upper hand as they drive the PzIII back causing considerable damage. A fun game which we return to again in the future.

Some recent purchases saw their first action in this game.

I had been looking at getting an M10 for the Americans, but I found a hard to resist deal on eBay and ended up purchasing 3 these were painted quickly so they could take to the field immediately

I’ve also painted up some more 10mm Austrian Dragoons for the SYW

Also completed a couple of rather fancy heavy cannons for the ECW although I see these perhaps getting used in a future Thirty Years War battle ?

As mentioned I have been away for a few days. First in London……

British museum to see the Samurai exhibition

A lot of interesting history, plenty of armour so worth a visit

I visited the Household Cavalry Museum, quite small but really interesting with just a few lovely artefacts,  the stuff in this case from the Napoleonic era, the eagle is a replica, but the small bugle was one that sounded the charge of the heavy cavalry brigade at Waterloo !

A trip to the portrait gallery mainly looking at the historical portraits !

A trip to the Wallace museum, after a suggestion from Iain a fine collection of Armour 

I did like this one, my only criticism is the labelling is generally poor

After London I was out in the Home Counties. Belvoir Castle, spectacular but too heavily rebuilt for my liking

Berkhamstead Castle closer to London, the other extreme, although a fine fine example of a Motte and Bailey design

We had a trip to Bletchley Park which was pleasant but I gave up at the display which actually tried to explain how the codes were broken, way above my brain level

They do have a lot of enigma type machine and lots of interesting stories

Our final trip was a real surprise in a good way ! the Shuttleworth collection. An absolutely fantastic collection of early aircraft, all in working order, although we weren’t there on one of the special flying days the planes were still really impressive.

I am guessing but this may be the largest such collection in the World ?

As well as bi planes several working WW2 planes as well.

So many planes, they also do flying days which I might consider in the future ?

So some hobby time and a few busy days, somewhere in here I also visited Salute, a fun day, catching up with a few people, but I bought very little and took very few photos.

That’s it for now I have been painting some more stuff and more games planned for this week.

Thanks for checking in

Matt ❤️

Capture the ‘flag’ scenario : RCW : Bolt Action

As a change of pace from our Chain of Command campaign George came to the dungeon  for some ‘jolly’ gaming ? Well it had been a while since the RCW collection had been out on the table so I set up a capture the ‘flag’ scenario. Both sides would be seeking to defend their objective and capture the enemy objective represented by command figures and their transport vehicles.

The terrain includes a small village, a stream only crossable on foot some light woods. A sopwith carries out recon for the Reds, the two objectives would be at either ends of the battlefield forcing both sides to make lots of decisions on deployment and how to attack the enemy ?

The Whites (literally) advance on their right towards the lower bridge, their home objective is to the left of the village in the distance. 

Babooshka the Reds commissar (the Reds home objective) impatiently waves a unit of conscripts forward

In the village a the whites have a Tachanka by the white building the Reds are able to eliminate it quite quickly with fire from a maxim in the woods and their Lanchester armoured car.

A second armoured car is brought up while infantry try and force a way through the village

Whites are massing a big push across the bridge, there is an infantry unit in the truck as well ! But they have to get across the bridge

Both sides have air support which flies about attempting to machine gun the troops on the ground

Whilst the Reds waste time hunting one of the buildings for vodka ! Yes a very unfortunate special event, the white charge across the bridge , the small Cossack unit is deadly in close combat.

The attack gets pinned down, but some kind activation test rolling for the whites allows them to push up to the objective. The Reds fight back but are now struggling….to keep them back

Almost no Reds remain on the left flank, but the objective is only lightly held

Attention turns to the village where the Reds are desperately trying to force a way through, some incredibly stubborn village folk aligned with the whites are helping to hold the flank.

The Austin armoured car is rushed across the battlefield to try and save Babooshka, but it is too late and another unit is crossing the river to support the attack

With the villages finally eliminated the Reds make one final bid to the Whites objective, they throw everything forward but the Officer Corps Unit has been kept in the village for just such a purpose and the  Reds are easily held back in the last turn.

A fun game giving lots of tactical challenges for both sides.

Not a lot of painting this week but I have completed the first Highland unit for the ECW

These are Peter Pig figures and a mix of packs to add variety.

10 or 11 per base giving just enough sense of mass. I have no idea if they would have had a flag but I gave them one anyway.

The merest hint of some tartan on the cloaks which can be seen here from the rear of the unit, I kept this unit predominantly ‘green’ although some variations, I have a second unit to paint where I will swop to brown/reddish tartan cloaks. The base colour for both units is olive/hodden grey. Very happy with how they have come out.

That’s it for now, some more painting this holiday weekend and a remote game planned for next week before a holiday hiatus for a few days, a trip to Salute and a trip away.

Thanks as always

Matt ❤️