Kreuzdorf Bridge - Early Cold War

This action is set in the late 60s, early 70s, with the British Army on the Rhine reacting to a surprise attack mounted by Soviet forces. The covering force did not have time to fully deploy and Soviet armoured formations have made thrusts through the british defences. A line has been hastily drawn along a river and sappers are preparing to blow the bridges.

One such bridge is the steel structure just outside the village of Kreuzdorf; which is being defended by an understrength battle group, of four infantry companies from the Loamshires, two tank squadrons from the Hussars and a Territorial Army armoured car squadron from the Yeomanry. There is also an artillery observation team, but there are no guns in direct support. Artillery will have to be requested when needed. The Battlegroup has a mortar platoon and battlegroup HQ.

Soviet forces are estimated to be a Tank Regiment group, with supporting infantry and artillery, as well as strong recce forces.

Here is an overview of the battlefield from the british positions:

It can be seen that the Yeomanry with D Company are in the village itself to provide warning and delay;

while A and B Companies are dug in on the far bank of the river.

The tanks, C Compant and BG HQ are on the home bank.

Engineers are preparing the Bridge for demolition.

Almost as soon as the Battle group takes up its positions the leading Soviet reconnaissance elements can be seen approaching the village from two directions:

Battle report to follow

Peninsular Warriors - British Line Infantry

Another unit joins my British force, this time it is a line infantry unit with yellow facings - could be the South Essex!!!

Steady boys!!

This latest addition gives me two brigades and a battlion of skirmishers:

Peninsular Warriors - More French Troops

Here is the First Battalion, with their green over white plumes:

This unit gives me enough troops to form my first wargames Division; consisting of a couple of line battalions, a light battalion, a grenadier battalion, a field battery and a light cavalry regiment. My aim is to have three of these division, to form a corps sized force.

Here is a picture of such a division deployed; they are all Warrior figures:

In the pipeline I have two more French battalions, French horse artillery and two Spanish cavalry regiments.

Peninsular Warriors - French Line Infantry

The first of a production line of French line infantry.  In order to distinguish the various units I have used company colours on the plumes, so, the first Battalion will be green over white, the second light blue, the third orange and the fourth violet. Inaccurate I know, but it seemed a good system. If I decide to reorganise them in the future I can simply mix and match the stands to make up a battalion.

Here we have the second battalion of my first French Division:

Peninsular Warriors - French Line Lancers

These are old Warrior figures that I have had since the 1980s. I have just tidied them up and rebased them:

Pesky Plumes

Another annoying problem with old figures is that often a perfectly fine figure is ruined by having a broken plume, especially French and Russian figures with their long thin plumes. I have had many figures that required repair in order to complete a unit, and so I devised this simple method.

Tools required:

• A small pin vice with miniature drills.
• Super glue.
• Wooden cocktail sticks.
• An old nail or similar steel point.
• Sharp knife
• Fine file

Here is the subject figure. It can be seen that the plume has broken clean off at the point it meets the shako:

If any of the plume does remain, cut away with the knife and file smooth. Decide where the plume needs to go, normally as close to the front edge of the shako as possible.

Mark a small indentation with a sharp steel object (I use an old nail) to form a guide for the drill bit. I use a drill of around 1mm:

Slowly drill into the top of the shako, at a slight angle for about 2-3mm:

Clean off any rough edges with the knife. Take the cocktail stick and cut off the first 1mm from the point and discard. Then cut off another 5mm (length depends on size of plume needed):

Push in and glue the thin end of the cocktail stick into the hole in the shako:

When the glue has set, round off the top of the plume using the fine file. There you have it - a new plume!

Broken Swords and Bayonets

A common problem with old figures is that often they will lose a bayonet and cavalrymen and officers often have blunted or broken swords. When restoring old figures it is possible to carry out simple repairs.

To do this I use the following:

• An empty drinks can, or better still the lid off a bean tin or similar.
• A good pair of kitchen scissors.
• Sharp modelling knife.
• Super glue
• Pliers.

Here is my first subject, an old Minifigs cavalryman, with broken sword:

Cut out a section of the drinks can ( the bean tin lid is more sturdy, looks better, but is a little more difficult to cut and shape):

Then using scissors, cut a very narrow sliver of metal - this may curl, but can be easily straightened:

Cut the new sword to size with scissors and shape the end:

Now the tricky bit. Using the knife cut a slot in the figures hand:

Fix the new sword in place with super glue and gently squeeze the hand back together using the pliers:

Job done.

Using the same method it is possible to repair bayonets. It is a bit more fiddly, but with practice it can be done. Here is my subject:

I make the bayonet in the same way as the sword, but include a tiny lug at the blunt end:

I cut a tiny slot in the end of the musket - tricky this:

Attach the bayonet in the slot with super glue and close the slot with pliers: