Opening more boxes - Japanese Troops

As it was wet last weekend, I thought I would have a further rummage in the garage and open up a few more boxes. In a crate marked Misc, Jap/Fr/Russ, I found a couple of boxes full of painted and part painted Japanese, as well as a few commonwealth figures. There were also a couple of vehicles:

The figures were a mix of painted and part painted, ESCI, Matchbox and Airfix Japanese infantry. I separated out the painted figures and re-based them:

This all worked out as a battalion of Matchbox Japanese infantry, one and a half battalions of ESCI infantry, an infantry gun, one tank and one self propelled gun. Enough for an interesting wargame methinks.

There was also a couple of companies of Commonwealth troops, with a heavy machine gun - ESCI and Revell:

I note that in the crate I saw some Matchbox Anzacs and a further unmade Japanese tank by Airfix. In another box there is a heap of Airfix Ghurkas and Australian infantry.

Battle of Lausdell Crossroads December 1944

With it being a wet weekend I decided to play a quick action using Memoir '44 rules - slightly adjusted.  The game is based upon the 'Twin Villages' scenario, which sees a US infantry battalion, with some artillery and armour delaying the advance of elements of 6th Panzer Armee, that was working its way through the Ardennes forest.  In this scenario German tanks edge through the forest along tracks which lead out to a choke point at the Lausdell Crossroads; where elements of the 9th US Infantry Regiment was dug in.

An overview of the terrain, Germans at the top, US middle and bottom:

US infantry at the crossroads:

Left rear of the crossraods is the village of Rocherath, with more US infantry and artillery:

And a second village, Krinkekt, on the US right is also held by infantry and armour:

The Germans have an armour heavy organisation, with Panther tanks and Mk IVs, supported by infantry:

The action began as German infantry, made a move straight down the main road, only to come under artillery fire, causing some casualties:

On the US right flank German tanks began to work their way through the trees:

However; as they emerge from the trees they are sitting ducks and a Panther is swiftly knocked out and a MK IV is forced to retreat:

Over on the US left flank German infantry break out of the trees and come close to overwhelming the US position, taking heavy casualties in the process

The US position is almost taken by the Germans, but a counter-attack, out of Rocherath village, halts and then destroys the German attack:

Over on the US right flank a second German assault begins:

After bitter fighting the Germans capture one of the positions, but took many casualties:

However, the German infantry unit was destroyed and a German MK IV burns, having been hit by tank and anti-tank gun fire as it emerges from the forest:

Suddenly it is all over. The Germans reach their exhaustion point losing 6 - 1 to the US forces. It is a massacre.

Having blunted the German attack and delaying the advance of 6 Panzer Armee, the 9th Regiment receives orders to pull back and join fresh troops that have dug in on a ridge further back.




:

Airfix MK II Commandos

I have known about these figures for ages, but have never managed to get my hands on a set. However, a couple of weeks back I saw a set of the second edition Airfix 1/76 scale commandos and I acquired them at roughly the same price as a current box of soldiers.

Strangely the box has an image of the original figures on the front:

On the back there are also some original poses, but the officer figure is an image of the the new type, a miniature copy of Airfix 1/32 scale figures:

Inside the box is a set of lovely flash free figures. Some are direct copies of the 1/32 range, but there are some additional new poses.  Here are the figures having had a splash of paint:

Like the original set there are two canoes:

There are also some crawling figures with sten guns and knives, as well as two poses depicted as climbing ladders, but with bren guns - I have not used these either.

Something New - Command & Colors Ancients

Now, I have never really had a go at wargaming in the ancient period, although I have always wanted to try.  I have several rule sets but my eyes seem to glaze over when there are masses of charts and tables referring to SHC, MI, HI etc, plus all of the different army types (early, late, rebublican or imperial Romans for example) and my interest fades before I get into it,

Then I stumbled across this, going for a good price second hand:

The game is in mint condition, and a bonus is that all the stickers have been attached to the wooden blocks.  Having played Battle Cry, Memoir 44 and C&C Napoleonics, it shouldn't be that difficult to pick up the rules and play a game.

I also have some part painted ancient armies. I have these Romans:

They will probably need re-basing.

I also have some Barbarians:

There are some chariots and cavalry that will need painting too.

I also have a heap of plastics, which I could dig out as well. However, before I do any of that I will need to have a go at the game using the wooden blocks to understand the mechanics.