Wednesday 6 March 2013

Bus Bothering Balls Up

It was all going so swimmingly well. Various bits of plasticard were tortured into shape, and held up to the remains of the the hacksawed diecast model

First mistake, the front grill was wrong!! So a rebuild was in order.


The correct version is on the right, the buggered up version, is in the bin.


then I try the wheels for size, and realise to my horror, I have miscalculated the width of the wheel arch, and the wheels don't fit, the tyre sticks out, and that is a just not on you know!!


So back to the plasticard pile I go, and start the process all over again!!
I may be able to salvage version 1, and use it to make a truck, lets hope so, as its more time wasted otherwise.
Now you know why it takes me so bleedin long to make one poxy model :-(




Saturday 2 March 2013

Rescue Mission..........A Bolt Action Game

I like getting all the kit out of my loft, packing it into the car, and trundling the 40 odd miles over to New Buckenham!!!  It always manages to inspire me to do some more painting, or plasticard mauling, and lets face it folks, yours truly needs a bit of inspiration at the moment.

So, its here I'm off to Sunny Spain, eh Viva Espana, or in this case, Viva El Cristo Rey, Cara al Sol, and No Pasaran!


So here we are, the gang of four, from left to right, Stuart, Andrew, Lee and my goodself at the back, and this is the table set out for the game.
I've cobbled together a daft scenario. the FAI / CNT have picked up a downed pilot, their Column commander realises that the pilot is a German, from the Condor Legion, and being just that bit more "with it", than your average Anarchist, he has stuck him into a local house, and awaits the arrival of some Assaltos to take him back to Madrid.
In the meantime, the Condor  Legion has sent one of their advisors, with a scratch force of Carlist requetes, Falangista, and a unit of Guardia Civil, to try and get the pilot back!!
FAI / CNT
FAI / CNT Milicianos

Columna Commander      Capitan Reg                                                                 110
Standard Bearer       Reg                                                                                        10

Gruppo De Choque   Inx
Delegado
Miliciano with SMG x 2
Miliciano with Rifle x 7
Equipped with AT Grenades (tank hunters)     78

Gruppo 2        Inx
Delegado
LMG team  
Miliciano with Rifle x 7                                                                                            90

Gruppo 3         Inx
Delegado
Miliciano with Rifle x 9 70

Support      Reg
Maxim MMG   3crew                                                                                              50

Naval Somua A/Truck   Dam +7  Inx crew  Turret mounted LMG                          48

Guardia De Assaltos
Reg
Jefe with pistol
Assalto with SMG
Assalto with Rifle x 8                                                                                            103

Truck and a car      Dam +6                                                                                    60

                                                                                                       tot                579

Carlist and Falange
Carlist Requettes

Teniente  pistol Reg  (1stL)                                                                                   75
Cristo Bearer  Reg                                                                                                10
Legion Condor advisor Reg (2ndL)                                                                       50

Requette Peleton 1   Inx
Cabo Rifle
Requette with Rifle x 7                                                                                          63

Requette Peleton 2   Inx
Cabo Rifle
Requette with Rifle x 7                                                                                          63

Falange

1st Peleton  Inx
Sargento
Falangista with Rifles x 7                                                                                     63

2nd Peleton  Inx
Cabo
Falangista with Rifles x 7                                                                                     63

Support
Hotchkiss MMG 3 crew Reg                                                                                50

UNL35   A/car  Turret and hull mounted LMG Dam +7 Inx                                  48  

Guardia Civil
Reg
Jefe with pistol
Guardia with SMG x 2
Guardia with Rifle x 7                                                                                       106


                                                                                                               Tot      591
                                   


                                                                                   





FAI / CNT take up positions in the village, and deploy in the buildings, they have the pilot in the house nearest the camera. They send their armoured truck down the road to try and hold up the advancing Nationalists.
The Nationalist force enters the table at the far end, the UNL35 races up the road to take on the Anarchist lorry, whilst the infantry make their way through the olive grove, and fields.

Rather than a blow by blow account, here is a selection of shiny pics taken on the night, Some of them are mine, and some are by Guy, our resident club photographer, you can see more of his pics on our facebook page

Falangistas head towards the village

The Guardia take aim


House clearing, Guardia style

The Requettes bog down in the Olive grove

Milicianos spring their ambush
Holding the house

Thats as far as you go

Viva El Cristo Rey


Pilot gets escorted to the car.
No Pasaran

Guardia Civil advance, with UNL35 in support

Lewis team stronghold



Our second attempt using the Bolt Action rules, and we got a few things wrong, mostly forgetting little bits n bobs. To help us next time round, I'm going to make up some roster sheets to use when putting together the lists, and adding reminders, that way we can refer to them to help jog our memories.
We had another good game, and by the end of the game, all four of us had the general jist of how the rules worked.
Next task now, is to start adding all the little nuances that make the Spanish Civil War an interesting period to game.

Now where did I hide all those half painted Moroccans?