Warrior Miniatures - Prussian Dragoons

I finally dug these old figures out; they had been part painted, but having sat in a box for decades, they were scuffed and dull.  I decided that they required a complete repaint. This is the result:

Now what about some infantry and artillery - oh no, not another project!

Warrior Miniatures Prussian Cuirassiers

These figures were purchased back in the 1980s and had been painted, but were becoming scruffy, so I have given them a bit of a revamp. I have also fitted new bases.  They are mounted on the old style Warrior horses, which I quite like, although perhaps better suited to light cavalry?

Warrior Miniatures British Infantry Belgic Shakos

These chaps have been in my 'to do' pile for many months and over the last few days I finally got around to finishing them off.  They will be added to my Peninsular force as late arrivals from the depot in 1812!

Perry's Travel Battle

Last year I bought a couple of sets of Travel Battle, with the aim of having a quick wargame available that I can set up on the dining room table.  Over the last couple of weeks I have been reading the rules and thinking about the types of battles I can fight.

Straight away I knew I would have to paint the board and the figures - but they are very small.  The uniforms are generic and would work for European armies, but are not right for British, in my view. After some thought, I decided to paint an Austrian and a French army.  Here are the Austrians on the painted scenic boards:

Ros Figures - Prussian Command

Working my way through the 25mm

Ros Figures lead pile. This time it is the turn of Prussian infantry command to be painted.  I have not seen these painted before and I am quite pleased with how they turned out.

These will replace my Warrior command figures currently in use with my Ros prussian units:

Britains Deetail French Imperial Guard

On occasions I get the urge to paint something different and I find painting larger scale figures quite satisfying.  I have good number of Britains 'Deetail' figures, that even in good condition look quite ropey and, although I should imagine serious collectors shudder at the thought, I like to paint mine so that they are more presentable.

I have enough French guards (with a few repairs) to form a wargames unit; so last weekend I decided to paint them.  This is the result:

The standard bearer is a converted line infantry officer:

This scrap line infantry figure has had a new pack added, a pom pom (from a map pin) and a new arm with musket and he has been painted as a line voltigeur:

Mind the Gap - Cold War - Part 1

This action in a fictional location represents the type of operation conducted by the BAOR covering force elements in the early 1970s.  To the west of Hannover lies a series of steep wooded ridges with narrow gaps where roads and tracks run through. These ridges form good defensive positions.

The defence of one such gap has been allocated to Combat Team Charlie, centred upon C Company minus of the 1st Blankshires (BL). The combat team consists of two platoons, company HQ and a troop of Chieftain Tanks from the Loamshire Hussars (LH). In support is an anti-tank section (Wombats) and an 81mm mortar section from battalion support company. An FOO from W Bty 9 RHA is also attached to the combat team. Here is the deployment:

The road can be seen running through the gap in the wooded ridge. The tanks are deployed on the ridge, with the two infantry platoons astride the road amongst the farmland below the ridge.

On each flank is a Wombat armed APC:

The mortar section is deployed behind the ridge:

The FOO is located on the ridge near the tanks:

And the tanks themselves are in firing positions along the tree line:

The infantry are deployed forward to cover the crossroads east of the position:

 And are dug-in and have hand held anti-tank weapons:

The combat team commander is positioned behind the ridge in the grounds of a small chapel; although he will move forward once the enemy show them selves:

Just after noon signs of enemy activity are spotted in the shape of elements of soviet 302 Motor-Rifle Division recce vehicles:

PT-76 light tanks:

BRDM 1 scout cars:

BRDM, Swatter anti-tank vehicles:

And waiting further back a motor-rifle platoon in BTR-60 APCs:

The soviets begin to probe forward.........................

Part 2 to follow.