Purchased...

Just in today, another Airfix/Heller LCVP for the fleet. Picked this up for a good price on NZ Trademe auction site. I couldn't really not buy it as Airfix have stopped building them and it may be a while before we see them again.

Shameless Plug

Not much finished tonight, but many figures at various stages in the paint department. I forgot to post a thanks to Al from 20th Century Wargames http://20thcenturywargames.blogspot.com/ for the brace of French figures he donated to my early war French force (ok, these are my entire early war French force). He is such a nice chap, hates his job, loves his beer and cricket and generous to a fault. Cheers bootneck.

C Coy / 1st Bn Far Eastern Troops

The 3rd Infantry Company tonight with the 1st Platoon above. Matchbox ANZAC to the rear with a Airfix Australian in the fore. I cut the sword bayonet off the Airfix SMLE to give it a bit more of a mix, he is now advancing rather than charging.
Second Platoon is charging with bayonets fixed, both Matchbox.

Airfix Bren gunner and Matchbox rifleman. I have been using different shades for the webbing as well as the jungle green (JG) uniforms. Troops in the field dyed the webbing and even the tropical KD uniform if they were not issued JG's to help blend in. I like this fact as a good mix and match effect can be achieved in the painting arena.

Command stand with both Matchbox figures shown. The Officer on the left holds a Thompson SMG. Another nights work completed...pat's one self on the back.

Australian Battalion: C Coy

C is for "Crikey those are sharp!", Revell on the right with a HAT WW1 ANZAC conversion and the left for this Platoon. This time Phil puttied up some Bren pouches to go with the bloused trousers and gaiters. Cheers for that mate.
2nd Platoon with standard Revell Bren gun (The face is pretty featureless unfortunately) and ESCI rifleman.

Command stand with ESCI Thompson gunner and Revell SMLE rifleman.

Final Platoon of two riflemen, ESCI on the left and Revell on the right.

Company ready for action Sah!

B Coy / 1st Bn Far Eastern Troops

Production continues without respite here with B Coy of the 1st Battalion. Above Matchbox ANZAC's once again, with the Officer figure making it the Command stand. Nice figure down to his watchstrap.
Platoon stand of riflemen. I used a few different shades of green to mix up the uniforms a wee bit. As the far east and clothing (especially Jungle Greens) faded quickly with use.

Whoo hoo ! Airfix Australians this time for this Platoon stand. I painted the US pattern leg gaiters to a British 37 pattern.

Last Platoon, both Matchbox and blending in nicely to the base. I always add at least one Bren gun into each Company, this helps spread the MG figures to get the best results in irregularity.

Company frontage. Some of these figures I have had since the early 1980's and I must admit it is very good to actually give them some paint even if it's 30 years late!

Far East Troops:Officer Conversions

Looking through my figures I am using for my Far East forgotten armies I am looking a little lean on Officers for my Command stands. While I have quite a few Officers, they are just duplicates of three main poses, which can look a plain. So I have been looking at some conversion possibilities. Above Matchbox Commando with Matchbox ANZAC head, he is all action and bounding ahead...a good look for a leader.
Again another Matchbox Commando with this time a Airfix Australian Infantry hat. He does look to be directing something or rather and the Sten is a nice touch.

Lastly another Matchbox/Airfix head swap with the Thompson singling him out as a leader. I think these will do quite nicely as a start. The British Battle dress makes a good set of Jungle Greens, and I think the woolly sweater can make a passable scrim scarf...from a distance.

Australian Battalion: B Coy

B Company based, again mainly the old faithful Revell Australians and ESCI 8th Army. Platoon stand above shows a mix of the two. The Revell figure of the rifleman reaching for another 5 round clip of .303 is brilliant.
2nd Platoon stand, Revell once again with a HAT World War One ANZAC interloper in the foreground. Trousers putty added to blouse the boots. I still think the inclusion of these with the WW1 '08 webbing really breaks up the units look.

Command stand. To be honest I am not a fan of the grenade 'Chucker' figure pose, and would now look at conversion of this figure now days.

3rd Platoon stand. With the tunic the Bren gunner would fit in with early war British or slice the head off and replace it with a Beret or para helmeted head for a whole new type of soldier.

Company complete. I love it when a plan comes together!

Far Eastern Troops

The basing continues tonight (along with the 3rd week of rain). Progress was made towards a Battalion of Commonwealth Far East type troops from the 1942 -50 period. I have started with probably the best 1/76 set ever produced - Matchbox's ANZAC Infantry from 1980. Above the 1st Platoon stand. Nice moulding details especially on the SMLE rifles.
Command stand.

2nd Platoon stand.

3rd Platoon stand with Bren gunner. Last night I also did a bit of conversion work to flesh out the figures a bit for the stands. I have quite a few of these Matchbox troops as well as some Airfix Australians. Both these sets mix in very well, and the both Matchbox and Airfix's 8th Army sets also have great potential about them.

I will probably try for at least two Battalions now I think about it.

Church Follies

I have been mucking around with some of my buildings, while this blizzard is in effect. Most of my buildings are simple card affairs from ex railways stock. I have never cared about them too much as they are just background clutter and usually damaged to some extent.

Not that the damage worries me too much, war is hell you know! But I have decided to try and mount them a little better to try and stop further carnage.
So I decided to add a graveyard to this Church. Mostly done other than perhaps darkening up the shell holes. I was going to add a walled section, but might just leave that for now.

Australian Battalion: A Coy

After a wee break recovering from last weekend, I have decided to finish off a few projects that were 80% completed. First up is my early to mid war Australian force. First Company leads with these platoons stands. Above ESCI 8th Army rifleman and a converted HAT WW1 ANZAC. Putty added to the HAT figure to give him gaiters instead of leggings. My mate Phil did this a few years ago. The WW1 webbing was still quite common for the period as a rapidly growing army grabbed all it could find to equip their troops.
2nd Platoon with classic Revell Australians.

Command stand, again Revell figures.

3rd Platoon to round the Company off. HAT conversion again, with Revell Bren gunner.

Company frontage shot. I am happen to get these based...once again, for some of them it is their third mounting! These would be fine against Al's newly completed French Foreign Legion in Lebanon, or Greece and Crete campaigns. Not actually that interested in most North African themes as I have enough on my plate as it is.

More Jocks or Canucks

A few more head swaps for these Matchbox 8th Army figures.
Two different helmets on show here.

The Battle of Calais:Centre Action

Above the centre of the Al's wonderfully set out table, with my rather meagre defences at the bottom and a seemingly huge grey mass of German armour at the top. It was always going to be hard to hold a two Battalion Panzer attack

Continuation of Al's and myself's weekend epic, the Battle of Calais. Tonight I will explain operations on the centre of battle. It was here that limited action was fought until the last few phases of the game, which then saw major conflict.

About midway through the game German armour grouped in Companies advance in the centre, Pz 38(t)'s Company bottom left, amongst the seven Jerry Companies seen in this shot.

For defence of this area, I arranged my two Infantry Battalions in line, on either side of a road into Calais. A Belgian Company of Infantry covered the open flank while two 2 Pounders were emplaced further back, along with my Quick Reaction Force minus the half sent to help defend the village in the last post.

In the Armour stakes I held a A9 Cruiser Troop central. More of a show of force than anything, I was really counting on my Infantry to do the hard yards here.

Also towards the rear but covering the entrance road I positioned a Battery of RA 25 Pounders. My German opposite commented that this was rather close to the front line, this was to come back and bite him on the bum later on!

My reserve prior to battle
Cruisers in action. The Pz38(t) Company was smashed at the bottom, while the second troop top left starts to make headway.

A Mass attack by all German armour soon materialized after Al had used his Recon assets to feel my forces out. I decided to use my Cruisers for their speed and gun power on Al's most weakest flank, which was his Czech tank Company. Good dice saw the Pz 38(t) smashed in good order with no loses of my own.

This action saw Al without protection on his left flank, and my Cruiser troop open to advance into his rear.

Second Cruiser Troop sorting out Recon Elements. Note Al's much vaunted Kfz 13, this was a target from roll one!

At the same time I deployed my second Cruiser (Valentine & Crusader stand in) troop from my other flank reserve to counter moves from the front. The Cruisers first went for Recon which were to exposed for their own good .This troop also had good success against Pz II and Pz III's a move later
Flemish Company protecting a flank. These were Motorized by robbing other units, and would later cover withdrawal moves of the BEF from the Village.

Recon and German armour Company in flames. The Top Cruiser (Crusader) would later be hit leaving the other to withdraw in good order.

Seeing his Recon elements in trouble Al threw in a Company of Pz III and Pz II's. Unfortunately this proved to be unsuccessful and for the lost of his both Recon and Tank Companies. I did lose a Cruiser, but considered that quite acceptable.

Junkers JU 87 Stuka on the prowl.

While this was going on, German air assets continued to search out targets. This on the whole was not very successful, not for lack of trying but lack of spotting. Meanwhile supporting 4"fire from the Royal Navy did rather better. I had managed to to put my FOO's in good positions and backed up by good dice usually score some good results.

Battle Squadron bombing centre German thrust.

By now I realized that Al was going all out in the centre as he committed more and more Armour then motorcycle troops into the fray. Here my combined defence came into its own. With the RAF bombing, Infantry mortars and MMG's as well as stubborn Infantry fire and the 25 Pounders firing in the Anti Tank direct fire role scoring good hits. I did take some hits myself, but the bulk of my troops remained unscathed.

German Motorcycle troops roll in for the attack. Their speed put them on par with my Carrier units, but they lacked the armour and protection.

Again and again the Germans parried with my defence, but the brave BEF held on. Here at turn 14 we left it. Both sides need to regroup for the next phase, however my next post on the Calais front will look at the much fought after right flank.

Looking exposed, German armour rolls to the flank of my covering force of Belgium Troops. German Armour was more interested in the centre rather than this flank.

The Battle of Calais:Southern Action

British Report on actions concerning the southern flank during the Battle of Calais, May 1940

(Al-German Division vs Paul-British Brigade)

The following is an account of the British defence of the village of Nielles les Calais, which is about 3 1/2 km south of Calais on the northern coast of France. This action occurred on 23rd May 1940, and was a subsidiary defensive operation in the Battle of Calais. It was designed to, and in fact did, delay a German offensive on the port town, which was all out of proportion of the British Forces involved.

Al from 20th Century Wargaming was my host on a very wet and windy Saturday Night, that did see many drinks drunk and stories swapped. Game time ran from 8pm til 4.30 am. Then from 10.30am til 4.30 pm. This saw 14 moves out of 24, and we will get back to it in a few weeks time.

I will post the report in three phases, with the first being the Southern flank, next Centre flank and the final post the Northern.

Initial placement of my somewhat limited forces saw my elements of the Queen Victoria's Rifles emplaced in the village. These were cut off from the rest of the Brigade in Calais actual and were to act as a trip wire to may main defence of the port. I reinforced the QVR with a AT, and LMG AA Platoons from their Support Coy. I also stripped elements of the Support Groups of the Brigade to act a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to act as a Mobile reserve in Carriers and gave them 45 minutes notice to move out from Calais to either help defend the Village or cover the QVR withdrawal. A reinforced Coy from a Searchlight Regiment was also available within 1 km of the ville defending the beach.

Above photo shows the Nielles les Calais Village with AT Pn and LMGAA guarding a the main entrance, Carriers at the back of the Ville mean the QRF has arrived. Almost 2 full Coys are emplaced in the houses

First moves saw at least 2 Battalions of Motorized SS German Infantry accompanied by Brigade Recon and AT Companies. try and steamroll into the ville. AT Rifle fire and accurate small arms fire stopped the Sdkfz 222 Pn and forced them back, while the truck columns under fire deployed their infantry along the roadside. The QRF was activated and mounted up and started to move from Calais.

Two RAF Fighter SQN's of Defiants strafe the SS Motorized REGT. The RAF was always available when called and were a mobile asset that never failed to cause damage to the Germans.

The RAF was then called to strafe the column, and Defiant aircraft carried out an attack that set Companies of trucks on fire and caused some early morale problems with the German Infantry, while a Bomber attack from the Battle Squadron failed to achieve much other than keeping Jerrie's head down. Al then called in his Assault Gun (StuG III) Pn in to wrinkle out my defenders, while his AT Coy started to encircle on the left with Infantry support, and on the right with even more Infantry.

In response I decided to call in my Mk VI Vickers Light Tank Squadron from the centre area of battle (Next post) to help my defence as no real Armoured threat appeared to be in the area, and one of my rules is to always reinforce success.

My Searchlight Coy was then moved from the beach to act as a blocking force, out of the Village.

Photo above shows German Trucks destroyed and Assault Gun Platoon in contact with ville defenders.

The Vickers swung through the Village past the Assault Gun Pn and into the dismounting German troops, again with no threats coming from the centre I moved my slow moving Infantry tanks from this area in support of their attack. Meanwhile my emplaced infantry battled the Assault guns, and advancing SS Infantry. Special mention to the AT Rifle Pn who fought a long running duel lasting at least 7 turns with the StuG, and still managed to survive.
Mk VI Vickers Squadron amongst the deploying Germans, total carnage ensured with a AT Coy ceasing to be effective, and thus any real threat to the attack. The speed of the Vickers makes it an ideal counter attack asset.

After some very successful action in the centre of battle, I ordered my Cruiser Troop to switch directions and join this battle. This did leave a gap in the centre, which the Germans failed to exploit.

With the Armour forces the Hammer and my Searchlight Coy the Anvil, the Germans were in disarray, and failed to make any gains, and suffered heavy casualties.

Cruisers joining the fray, with Matilda's slowing advancing.

This part of the battle proved to be a reality check for the Germans, who tried again and again to force their way out of the built up area into the open ground to outflank my defenders. Every attempt was held in check with my vastly out numbered forces.

Pinned StuG III and German SS Infantry attacking.

With the Germans finally being able to deploy their Support weapons on the flank, and my Matilda's and Cruisers having to be redeployed back to the centre to deal with a Armoured Thrust, I decided to throw in my final Armoured reserve...Carriers from the Armoured Regt.

Searchlight Coy. Lacking support weapons and only rifles to hold the Battalion of Germans facing them, they showed the British Bulldog spirit and earned themselves a proud place in British Army History.

With Mk VI support the Carriers attacked with good results. This took some of the pressure off the Searchlight Coy and although eventually two of the three Troops were destroyed, the 90 minutes they were in action saw the QVR and support elements being able to be withdrawn from the Village in good order.

My decision to withdraw was made with a heavy heart. With huge pressure in the centre and right flanks, this action although drawing off German forces was beginning to turn Jerrie's way. "He who defends everything defends nothing", was ringing in my ears

Carriers and Mk VI's holding the line giving time for the QVR and QRF to withdraw, note two Carrier Troops on fire, while a battery of Infantry Guns lay abandoned.

With German Infantry hot on their heels my forces withdrew. After battle in the centre my remaining Cruiser Section from a Troop covered them on one flank, while the Glorious Searchlight Coy covered the other. The withdrawal saw no casualties and was made in good order

Withdrawal from the line.

So ends the Southern Flanks report, next post: Centre Flank Action!