Sd.Kfz.251 German Transports 15mm

Finally shaking of the bug and increasing energy and enthusiasm for hobby stuff. This week as well as painting some more Napoleonics, which are not finished, I have been filling out my German 15mm force with some Hanomag transports. I had picked up a couple of older metal models as part of a large second hand purchase. These have been supplemented by a cheap box of five by the PSC.

I have stuck with the same rough hand painted camo scheme as the armour after all they are 15mm, they are transports and this is only a random hobby diversion so create a late war force to battle against my late war Americans.

As the table was clear I thought I would get the German force out for a parade, certainly enough to battle with, I have more infantry and a few more support vehicles. To be true to the period I really need a couple of 88’s I think. But hopefully we’ll see these on the battlefield sometime later in the year 👍

What do Panzer Grenadiers and Persian cavalry have in common

You guessed it nothing that I can think of except I have managed to get some painting done. Following on from the heavy machine gun unit as a test unit a couple of weeks ago I waded, and it did feel hard work, through two platoons of Panzer Grenadiers. It took a lot to prep and paint so many figures in one go, but now they are done.

Two full platoons which could play as three smaller units

At the same time I painted up a whole range of command bases, some with and some without antitank weapons. A sniper team and an independent antitank unit, I just need to do some artillery and possibly some transport and I have workable German force to take on my Americans.

I am planning a Marathon game later in the year so I have been bulking out my Persian forces. Here is another medium cavalry unit….shields or not shields that is the question ?some debate and I am sure I have seen a picture of  them with. Anyway it is done now and if anybody can show me a photograph from the time I will change them.

Another unit is being stuck together this evening 

Thanks for popping by 

Matt

Lehwaldt Infantry SYW and Tiger Tank

Progress seems to have been slow but I finally have something completed to share. Following the Hochkirch battle some enthusiasm to quickly finish my next Prussian regiment

The Lehwaldt Infantry not much to say about them Pendraken figures in rather smart 

Prussian blue uniforms

I managed to find the 15mm Tiger tank I had hidden in the dungeon, painted up in the same scheme as the other German armour.

A couple of purchases, a rare bargain off eBay some Halftracks for my Panzer Grenadiers, I need to look out for a few more

After the York show I had discussed getting a copy of the above book but couldn’t find a copy at a reasonable price. However a mate came across one at a very good price and a mint copy too. Looking forward to reading some of the detail.

Finally we have had crazy nice weather in the Lake District so we were out walking again

Looking south……

Looking east past Causey Pike

Yours truly and the boss

More to come soon thanks for looking😀

Panzer Grenadiers test unit

Quite this week as we have been away on a long weekend to Scotland a couple of shots at the bottom in beautiful Argyll. With that and one or two other issues I don’t seem to have made much progress, mainly I have been basing a big batch of 15mm German infantry. This required sorting, cleaning, sticking, base material applied, undercoating ….the list goes on.

I have though pushed a heavy machine gun Platoon through painting to see what sort of camo pattern I can cope with at this scale. 

A bit fiddly to stick these guys carrying their guns, I have gone for a fairly light coloured camo mainly so they stand out against the US forces. I have a lot more prepared with bases painted but I just need to knuckle down and do the figures. I also picked up a few extra large bases so will get the guns I have done sometime soon.

On to Scotland, it’s March so we were dodging showers but overall wasn’t too bad this is a little place called Crinan

Even the sun appeared occasionally

Morning walks with views

Part of the trip was to test my wife’s tolerance for life in a campervan, she was still smiling at the end so it looks like the first part of my retirement plan is sorted. I just need to work out what size gaming table I can squeeze in (no honestly) 👍

That’s it for now all being well we are playing the Battle of Hochkirk this weekend, Prussians up against it again 😢

German Late War Panzer force ?

I have had a reasonable sized American force for 1944 Europe for a while which hasn’t seen much table time for lack of an opponent. Some considerable time ago I picked up some Panzer grenadier infantry off eBay, but they have sat in a box for ages. Fast forward and I decided on a bit of a whim to get the Late war Germans ready for battle. I already had a few Panzers from when I put on a demo game of ‘what a tanker’ so I sat patiently on eBay till some suitable stuff came up. It did and here is the output so far.

Two command tanks PzIVH

Three small platoons of Panzers 

A couple of Stugs, one has been in the ‘wars’ and lost some armour

A Jagpanther (this was a pretty poor model badly painted and needed some fixing but it is passable I think)

To add to this I have a Tiger, a lot of Panzer Grenadiers, assorted support weapons, so certainly enough to get them on the battlefield. I haven’t spent too much time on the camo pattern so it is very rough and ready but they are 15mm tanks and look fine at arms length. I have been basing up the infantry ready for painting. The only thing I am really missing is more transport for the Grenadiers and some more Flames of war bases.

I also finished these gunners off for the Back of Beyond force, turned out I had some WW1 artillery crew I just need to do a couple of head swops.

Finally another Lake District landscape, a couple of really stunning days this weekend and even though we were only out for a short walk the views were spectacular.

Hoping for another hex game this evening 👍

The final defence of Normandy : FoW

We decided to have one more run out with our FoW for a while so increased the size of our armies. Although we didn't quite plan it, it ended up as a pretty good representation of the end of the occupation of Normandy by the Germans.

With the Germans cast as the defenders they were heavily out numbered, the Americans seeming to have an almost endless supply of armour and men being shipped in across the beaches. But the Germans had one last throw of the dice with the feared tiger tanks.

Don't you just love American armour !

We again played a scenario with two objectives to be captured by the attacking American 4th Infantry Division supported by as many tanks as I could squeeze into the list. In fact this is pretty much all of my (painted) American army. The Germans holding on had to deploy with a significant proportion of their troops in reserve but also had the opportunity to ambush.

Germans in the distance hunker down

Not enough space even in 15mm

With not much space it would be tricky for the American to get everything into combat at the same time. They have pushed forward with tank destroyers in the centre and infantry on both flanks. Armour holding back slightly to develop any breakthrough....hopefully

A large infantry section push for the right hand objective

You'll see I have been playing with the filter setting again in my ipad.

No defenders ? yet

At this stage with the American surging forward and half way across the battlefield the Germans were very thin on the ground.

American armour is reluctant to push forward as German anti-tank guns open up

Watch out Tigers !

Final at the last minute the unmistakable noise of Tiger Tanks trundling down the road. Whilst the infantry on the American right is held up. Tank destroyers take damage in the woods.

German armour seeks to turn the tables

The Germans realise it is all or nothing and throw what remaining armour they have in Normandy forward. The American infantry has made the time old mistake of digging in and it is increasingly hard to get them to move forward.

Doesn't help when novice tank drivers get stuck !

Eventually though the Tigers had to make a choice of which objective to protect and with Shermans pushing for the left flank they moved across behind the farms just out of site in this photo. With this threat out of the way the Americans have brought over their anti-tank guns who have punished the Stugs for being out in the open. At this point it became clear the Germans couldn't hold on much longer and they pulled back presumably to avoid being surrounded and cut off.

The final shot - smoking Stugs !

Another good battle very hard for the Germans to hold being so numerically out numbered....remarkable like the real thing.

Once more to Normandy...... Flames of War

Still catching up on Blogs..... a couple of weeks ago we continued our FoW Normandy theme. Our forces remained very similar as by necessity I don't have enough troop choices without including the 'points' heavy tanks. So back to the 4th Infantry Division supported by Shermans up against a very heavily armoured panzer group. We had a fairly simple scenario with two objectives each but random reserves. From the previous battle the 4th Infantry have struggled against the armoured panzers so this time they brought some additional artillery.

Stugs push forward around the village

The whole of the far end of the battlefield was raised up as a significant hill, this is the first time we have played the table like this and I was pleasantly pleased with the effect which gives a whole new feel to the table.

American armour in strength supported by antitank guns and
heavy artillery in the background.

Note to self teddy bear fur looks great !

On the other American flank a second Sherman platoon
advances supported by 105mm Sherman artillery

76mm Shermans hold to the cover of the fields

Stugs supported by a Tiger tank take up a blocking position

The American objective was to get through into the village but this is where the Germans had concentrated their armour. A tense tank duel ensued. Whilst in the background the American infantry is pushing forward

Furious tank duel starts to take its toll

Concentrated firepower once again managed to knock out the lone Tiger but it cost the Shermans almost all their armour.

Two more Stugs advance ! on the flank

Eventually the German armour got he better of the duel and the command Stug and the 2ic started to sweep around the American left flank. The American infantry attempted to rush in but failed and were easily wiped out

American GI's fall back in the face of German armour

With the American left flank now exposed it looked like the game was up ! The remaining stugs pushed forward towards the central objective.

American left flank in trouble

Missed a picture here in the excitement, the German command became over confident and the American infantry unit dug in in the corn field were able to surprise attack them swiftly dropping grenades into the hatch of the command tank. In the centre American anti-tank guns opened up on the three central stugs knocking one out and forcing the remaining two to flee the field.

American infantry advance to the village

The American infantry were able to get across the village but without support they were too weak to mount a proper attack for the objective.



On the far right flank Panzer IV's advance

So the battle would be decided on the American right flank. Here the heavy artillery had held a platoon of Panzer IV's back as they were unwilling to risk breaking cover. But the ever accurate German heavy Artillery (hardly ever shown as they aren't painted !) were gradually reducing the American firepower. After a short duel with the remaining Sherman 76's they began their advance.

We called it a game here as the Americans didn't really have anything left that could deal with the Panzer IV's. So a marginal win for the Germans in another very close and enjoyable encounter.

No such thing as a free tank !

Well anybody who gets Wargames Illustrated by subscription will know they often do re-subscription deals, as mine was coming up soonish I took the plunge. I still think it is a great magazine so would probably get it anyway.

The deal this time was a box of FoW tanks, having toyed with getting more Shermans or even collecting some british Comets, in the end I went for M26 Pershings, a bit of added fire power to help my late war Americans invade Germany.

They may not get made for a while but technically they were free !

In a little village in Normandy : FoW

A bit behind on blogging so some more FoW in the dungeon from a couple of weeks ago. Having randomly chosen a scenario we find the American 4th infantry again supported by a couple of independent tanks platoons facing a fierce armoured assault on a small village in Normandy.

Americans dug in, whilst the Germans come on from the far side

The two objectives are between the military looking huts and just to the left of the copse this side of the village.

STUG's look to force a way round the village but are held back by Shermans

First Sherman platoon has taken up station at the back of the village, the scenario also give the American defenders a unit in ambush the antitank guns platoon on the right has just revealed itself and opened fire taking out one of the advancing Stugs.

Shermans get the better of the engagement but a dreaded Tiger apporaches

A second Stug is knocked out by the shermans in the village, but the danger with so much German armour is once they break through the infantry support will not be able to hold them. Oh yes the Germans have  Tiger as well !

Shermans hold this side of the village but they need support

Desperate tank action in the village itself with the shermans trying to block all the exits !

Just in time a platoon of 76mm Shermans arrives

Re-enforcements arrive in the form of a platoon of powerful76mm Shermans, but the front line is starting to break and the Tiger has made its way into the village.

Tiger forces the first platoon back and engages with the reserves
German infantry is now in the village

Although massively powerful the Tigers can be defeated by concentrating firepower, outnumbered the Tiger bursts into flames.


Concentrated fire power knocks out the Tiger, anti- tanks guns have now
been brought forward but eventually German panzers push past the village
to take the objective.

Not sure why but I didn't get any photos after this stage. the German panzer IV's forced their way round the left of the village. American rangers pushed into the village forcing the German infantry to withdraw. But the Americans had run out of effective anti-tank weapons and the Pz's took the objective. A  very close and hard fought battle. The Americans still don't have an answer to the German heavy artillery !