Allied "Funnies"

As a follow up to the "Ersatz" Opel Blitz pictures published on the blog last month,  my miniature allied arsenal also has some "funnies" that were pressed into service many moons ago.

Sherman Jumbo

A repainted Matchbox Battle Kings die-cast toy that a mate of mine Iván gave me when we first met and started gaming together on a regular basis some 20 years ago. 

The Matchbox tracks were missing and were replaced with tracks off a Hasegawa 1/72nd scale M4A3E8 Sherman. 

The tank commander is an Airfix British Paratrooper.

Even though it's oversized and clunky, it's seen some action as a Sherman Jumbo in a couple of games over the years. 

When you compare it with a lovely detailed kit, like the Trumpeter Sherman below, it's toylike appearance is even more evident. Anyhow, even if it raises a few eyebrows when I next get it on the gaming table again I don't mind too much.

Roco M40 155mm / Sherman suspension hybrid

About the same time back in the early 2000's, my tiny, but growing US forces were in urgent need of some mobile artillery. Getting your hands an Esci M12 was difficult, but I had a Roco Minitanks 1/87 155mm M40, but without the HVSS suspension. 

A broken 1/76 scale Sherman came to the rescue and donated its suspension and tracks to the allied cause, giving birth to this strange hybrid.

It's small next to a Matchbox M40 kit, but on the other hand, it's only a little smaller in size to a real Esci M12 - which I now have thankfully through Ebay, (and also now some excellent Altaya M12 diecasts).

Sherman Dozer

The British Shermans below were all made back in the early 2000's.

We were going to game a scenario that needed a Sherman dozer. A few days before the game I managed to get a hot-wheels bulldozer from a toyshop, fixed the blade onto the front of one of the Shermans and hey-presto ! Not very pretty but you can see what its function is.  

I did recently get a real dozer blade for my US forces. The blade came courtesy of a kit from UM Models.  Not sure if my version is comical or just sad in comparison.

Thanks for visiting, hope you enjoyed the pictures. Will be back with some new stuff later in the month.

Cheers, John

Youtube

Recently added two short videos on the youtube channel of some vintage plastic 20mm figures.

If you click on the images below they will take you to the videos and open up in a new tab. Hope they bring back a few happy memories.

Helmet Scrim for Smallscale Figures

Ever wanted to add a helmet scrim effect onto your minis ?  I've put together a short video on Youtube showing how I do it with just a little gauze bandage, some nail scissors and a touch of white glue.

 If you click on either of the images below it open up the video in a new window in youtube. 

 

Jungle Incursion Game

Last Saturday I got together with a good mate Iván, who's been a gaming buddy of mine for many years. Unfortunately we hadn't been able to get a game in together for quite some time until now.

Iván said he'd like to put together a scenario and I did the part I most like, setting up the gaming table.

The scenario consisted of a Chindit type operation, two groups entering the table with a mission to locate a bridge being constructed at some point on the far edge of the table. 

It's the first time the sand table's been used for a jungle setting and ended up consuming practically every plastic plant, tree, shrub, and palm I own.

We were originally going to game using the Bolt Action rules, but as Iván was bringing his young son to game too, he put together some simple rules to accompany the scenario.

There were various points of interest that had to be reached before the bridge could be located, and each point coincided with an event occurring based on a pre-prepared table and dice throw.

Some of the events meant an encounter with indigenous jungle dwelling tribesemen, discovery of important information, an encounter with crocodiles when crossing a swamp, a Japanese patrol that had to be avoided at all costs, discovery of a compound with allied prisoners being used to build the bridge thanks to information from one of the tribesemen, recovery of airdropped supplies, and finally the location of the objective that had to be blown.

Iván used a "gamemaster" roleplay style together with the simplified rules so his son could take full charge of one of the Chindit groups.

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An encounter with local indigenous tribesmen, looking suspiciously like Revell Sioux warriors

One of the dangers lurking in the swamps.

A Japanese patrol through the jungle.

One of the groups locate prisoners thanks to help from the tribesman and overcome the guard.

The guard's companions (drinking sake in an Airfix Jungle Outpost) hear the commotion and sound the alert.

One of the group separates and leads the liberated prisoners away to safety

The two groups meanwhile locate the objective and begin the attack. A firefight ensues, the guards are overwhelmed and the Chindits place their explosives and BOOM !

The Chindit commander celebrates victory !!!!

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An entertaining afternoon, the roleplay style and simple rules meant a fast, smooth and enjoyable game, The young lad had a whale of a time, which is the most important and is what memories are made of.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, I should have taken more, but at the time it wasn't feasable. I had in my mind ideas about maybe taking reposed shots and put together a more detailed report or story, but no doubt I'll end up sidetracked... too many projects :-)

By the way, I´ll finish by giving a plug for Iván. He's an illustrator for board games and has also designed and produced his own boardgame based on Nelson's failed attack on the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife here in 1797.  You can see some of his work on the links below : 

https://ivancacerescruz.tumblr.com

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/103459/ivan-caceres

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/235362/santa-cruz-1797

El Alamein railway station skirmish game - Bolt Action

Covid restrictions have been limiting the amount of games we've been playing lately, and this game had been planned before Christmas but the local authorities here ramped up the restrictions on people from different households from meeting up and so we had to cancel. 

Now restrictions have been eased up slightly here on a regional level, and so four of us were able to get together again for this game. This was a skirmish scenario put together by my gaming buddy Carlos, German forces attacking with British and Commonwealth forces defending

We used Bolt Action rules. The game was played on a 1.60 x 1.20m sand table 

The British and Commonwealth forces were made up of a HQ, 2 x infantry squads, a Vickers MMG, 1 x 25 pounder, 1 x Matilda and a Boys AT rifle team. 

Attacking German forces consisted of a HQ + medic + FO in an Sd.Kfz. 250 hafl-track, 4 x motorised infantry squads transported in 2 x Opel Blitz & 2 x Sd.Kfz 251s + 1 off table mortar and a pre-attack bombardment. 

The Commonwealth troops started the game dug-in hidden, their positions noted down by the allied players. Allies also had hidden minefields covering the ground in front of the railtrack. 

German objective, cross the railway line and neutralise allied defensive positions

 

Germans group before beginning their advance towards the objective

 

Artillery shells fall

  

 

 

 A Matilda crosses the tracks, takes aim and shoots at the leading half-track.

  

 The first casualties are taken and the remaining troops dismount and hunker down.

 

 Indian troops with a Boys AT rifle shoot but miss miserably, and reveal their position in cover behind concrete filled oil drums.

 

 Another hit from the 25lb gun. this time on a lorry trying to ferry troops to the front along the left flank

 

 

 Aussies manning a Vickers open fire on the dismounted infantry.

 

 More British and Commonwealth troops start revealing their positions as they open fire on the advancing German infantry

 

 The Germans continue their advance and a half-track crosses the railway line, revealing a hidden group of British troops who are quickly mown down with fire from the vehicle MGs.

 

The half-track now supported by a Panzer III also having crossed the railway track, dismount and charge into the railway station and in bloody hand-to-hand combat overcome the allied troops inside

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 More Germans arrive and the the Commonwealth players decide that enough is enough and concede victory to the Germans.

   

 The game played out well, it was well balanced and the Commonwealth players were hindered by adverse weather conditions, a haze in this case, the result of an unfortunate die throw, which reduced visibility considerably and allowed the Germans to advance without suffering too many casualties.