18th Century Naval

I've completed an initial batch of 18th century ships and markers with which to try the Osprey naval rules.  The ships were reasonably quick but fiddly to paint but the detail on these tumbling dice 1/2400 scale models is excellent.  I've rigged a couple of models but will wait to see how they survive their first outing!

These should be good for an occasional Thursday night game, or more importantly, future combined operational games.  When there's a free Thursday I will bring them along.

Joy of 6 game

Austerlitz  2nd December 1805

This is the first set up for the joy of 6 game, it needs a critique before JOS.

I will be redoing the small track be the stream (the quality is not good enough)

I could do with some of Phil's pine trees to dot about especially by the French road entry.

 Russian right wing

French right Wing showing the walled Phesantry (only in for display purposes)

The frozen lakes

The Kolbernitz lake in the centre of the French line will only be in for show

Thursday night Modern Spearhead

An encounter battle between Russian and french forces

Objectives were set and were each worth 1 point

Broken battalions 1 point

French secure objectives and take up forward defensive positions 

Mon diu! another objective

Break out the Galuoirs

Russian BTR battalions secure road junction and await orders

Artillery proved effective for the french and ineffective for the Russians

3rd Russian BTR battalion and tank reserve

Russian Orders come in and a general advance ensuse

3rd battalion clears the woods and brakes the French left

French reserves released!

Its almost like they had been waiting for the Russians to commit to the attack

Russians screen their attack with smoke

or so they thought 

I will refer you to the latest diplomatic incident "Smokegate"

End of play 

Russian win 

Next Thursday Russian V Joint Anglo/French force

Smoke In Modern Spearhead

Despite the amusement on Thursday when Mark lay down smoke to screen our advancing attack only to be told that it was useless v troops with infra red I have just read the rules and the assumed ruling was not correct!


Page 24 of the rules to left stats that smoke blocks spotting and direct fire for all units except those equipped with thermal imaging (TI) not IR. It also states that any ATGW can never fire through smoke even if it is equipped with TI.


Well done Mark, you were correct. Don't listen to these people who claim to know all the rules.


The Soviets will be coming armed with lots of smoke on Thursday......

Flodden Battlefield

Whilst we were away in the first week of May we visited Flodden which to my surprise was only 20 minutes away from our cottage in Northumbria.


Here's some photos of the battlefield.

The English main battle line would have been stood here looking up the ridge line

Branxton Church and Village

Flodden hill is to the left above the tree line

I took this standing the "ditch" which the Scots Pike walked into. This was a slaughter ground.

You can see that the slope of the hill is actually quite steep. Makes you wonder why the Scot's came down to fight and die.....

On The Bench - Modern Soviets - Rocket Battalion

To help my BTR Regiment out on Thursday I thought I would paint up the integral Divisional Soviet Rocket Battalion this afternoon.


Here's some photos starting with the models primed.......

9K52 Luna-M (FROG-7) SSM Mobile Missile - Chemical & Nuclear Capability

9K51 Grad BM-21 Mobile Rocket Battery

Models based, de greased with 99.9% alcohol and primed Vallejo white with Evolution airbrush.

After leaving to dry for around 20 mins the models are painted using a thinned down Vallejo Russian Green for the rockets and a Coat D' Arms Russian Green for the Frog 7 (I wanted a different contrast on this model)

Citadel Null Oil wash is applied to the base coat to create shadows...

Once the ink dried I highlighted using Vallejo Russian Uniform mixed with a ochre yellow to create a subtle contrast effect. Wheels and windows all painted in black then Vallejo Earth brown applied to the bases and allowed to dry. I have airbrushed a thin coat of gloss varnish to protect the finish. I'll do another matt top coat tomorrow and finish off by pva and sand to base the models up.

These rockets are 122mm and have 40 tubes in each model. 200" range on table with AT = 4 and AI of 7 Check out the you tube link... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVm1unyKLtg

This is a tasty missile. It has a 700" range and it's AT=4 indirect with an AI of 8 with a conventional warhead. Can't wait to try this out against Mark on Thursday.

Check out the You Tube Link..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL5C19s_uzE

A productive afternoon's painting adding some more flavour to my Russian Division