Warlord Games Fallschirmjäger Sniper Team

Yeah I'm on a Fallschirmjäger kick. Here is the sniper team from Warlord Games. The barrel on the gun seems a bit short but honestly, I just didn't feel like researching late war sniper rifles.

Warlord Games Fallschirmjäger 75mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun

 

Another great pack from Warlord Games. The 7.5 cm Pak 40 (7,5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40) was a German 75 millimeter anti-tank gun developed in 1939-1941 by Rheinmetall and used during the Second World War. The Pak 40 formed the backbone of German anti-tank guns for the latter part of World War II, mostly in towed form, but also on a number of tank destroyers such as the Marder series. Approximately 20,000 Pak 40s were produced.

Nothing like a picture to help you finish your fiugres/models. I am going to go over the gun with a brown wash to give it some depth and a grey or black wash along the muzzle flash.

The Pak 40 was the standard German anti-tank gun until the end of the war, and was supplied by Germany to its allies. Some captured guns were used by the Red Army. After the war, the Pak 40 remained in service in several European armies, including Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Norway, Hungary and Romania.

The weapon was effective against almost every Allied tank until the end of the war. The Pak 40 was much heavier than the Pak 38; its decreased mobility meant that it was difficult or even impossible to move without an artillery tractor on boggy ground.

 General characteristics:

• Caliber: 75 mm
• Barrel length: L/46
• Rifling: 32 grooves, right-hand increasing twist, 1/24 to 1/18.
• Length with the carriage: 6.2 meters (20 ft., 4 in)
• Length: 3.70 meters (12 ft., 1.7 in)
• Width: 2.0 meters (6 ft., 7 in)
• Height: 1.25 meters (4 ft., 1 in)
• Weight (combat ready): 1,425 kilograms (3,142 lbs)
• Traverse: 65°
• Elevation: -5° to + 22°
• Rate of fire: 14 rounds per minute
• Engagement range: 1,800 meters (5,906 ft.)
• Indirect range: 7,678 meters (25,190 ft.) (HE shell)
• Projectile weight: 3.18 to 6.8 kg (7 lb. 0.2 oz to 14 lb. 15.9 oz)

The Search for Charlie Episode 1.10: The Batman Gets a Base Upgrade

I was goofing around and discovered and new (at least to me) scenic company that had some really great accessories to include a variety of pre-painted bases in many sizes and types (urban, desert, forest, spaceship corridors, etc.). The company is called Gamers Grass and in addition to bases they have great looking tufts, laser cut vegetation, basing bits - well, quite a lot that a lazy gamer like me does not like to build.

Though a little bit on the pricey side at $19.99 USD, the ten 28mm bases look great and I wanted to rebase some of my Pulp genre figures instead of making my own urban bases.

Since my Pulp Batman figures is a converted HeroClix plastic figure glued to a wood Litko base with white glue, I knew it would come off the base easily. I carefully used my hobby knife to get the figure off the old base, and with a little super glue, added it to the new base.

A bad picture of the original base and figure as a WIP.

Dang! Until I took these pictures I did not realize that The Batman's mouth and mask need to be fixed!

But the base looks good!

"I am the night."

Warlord Games 28mm Fallschirmjäger Squad

I have painted various manufactures Fallschirmjäger such as Black Tree though I have not tried Artizan Design yet (love painting their figures of different periods). I found a good deal on eBay for a Fallschirmjäger Starter Army with the plastic Warlord Games Fallschirmjäger.  I took one look at the sprue for the figures and my mind literally went blank - no doubt you can really individualize your unit but for me their were just too many options. So I found on eBay the Fallschirmjäger Squad blister pack in metal which is sadly out of production. These are great metal sculpts from Warlord Games. They do have a new metal squad that incorporates some of the older figures below with some new random figures including a pretty cool MG42 LMG.  Here is the older Fallschirmjäger squad blister pack:

Indian Army Suggestions for the 1897-1898 Frontier Uprising

 

My favorite set of rules for the Colonial period is The Men Who Would be Kings by Daniel Mersey. I like the ease of play, the feel and let's face it - I love the Hollywood gaming style! As I have raised forces for the army of the British Raj, I really have collected units that I thought looked cool. As a result, my forces are uniformed as units from the 2nd Afghan War to the Northwest Frontier uprising of 1897-1898.

The debate is ongoing: Did Jacob's Rifles where red during the 2nd Afghan War? Who cares for gaming - they look cool on the tabletop! Figures by Perry Miniatures.

My serious research over the last 2 years has been the Northwest Frontier Uprising of 1897-1898 and like most gamers, I have some definite ideas on how my Indian Army should be represented when they go up against the tribesmen in the hill.

Figures are hard plastic Perry Miniatures painted as a Rifle Regiment with one Artizan Design officer.

By the time of the uprising, British Imperial (Anglo) units had been issued with the Lee-Enfield rifle which is a bolt action, magazine fed rifle. It gave Imperial units a significant fire power advantage. In the rules for The Men Who Would be KingsThe Men Who Would be Kings gives a suggestion that magazine fed rifles could be represented by giving Regular Infantry the Sharpshooters Option at 2 points which increases the Firing Stat from 5+ to 4+. This definitely gives increased firepower but at 2 points (ouch!) if you are deploying a standard 24 point force that will be 8 points for that unit Lieutenant Churchill. Another idea is just to leave the Firing Stat at 5+ (Modern Rifle) and give Indian (Native) units Obsolete Rifles as Regulars. Since the Indian Mutiny it had been the policy to give Native units rifles that were one generation behind the Imperial units; at this time the Native units carried the Martini-Henry bolt action rifle. Cavalry units had the carbine versions of what the Imperial or Native units would carry.

The 1st Madras Pioneers as they looked during the Frontier Uprising. They are one of the few Engineer units expected to fight as regular infantry and as an added bonus for gamers, still wore their regimental turban in the field. The Colors were not carried in the field; but heck, I like flags. Figures by Perry Miniatures.

Let's talk leadership. After the 2nd Afghan War the British Army recognized the shortcomings of their training of Indian (Native) officers and non-commissioned officers. As a result the professional training of the Native officers and non-commissioned officers was improved. There are to many instances to count where British (Anglo) officers were killerd (more on this later) or put out of action and the Native officer and/or non-commissioned officers step in the middle of the action without a pause in leadership. In fact there are numerous instances of Native officers and non-commissioned officers taking the initiative without guidance from British Officers. So where is this leading to? I recommend that if a British officer is killed in a Native unit, instead of it being leaderless, a Native officer takes charge and roll for his Leadership Value but do not give him any Leader Traits.

Sikh Infantry from Artizan Designs.

British officer casualties (see Arithmetic on the Frontier, by Rudyard Kipling). Wow. An extremely high percentage of casualties in Imperial and Native units. It has been suggested, that after years of fighting on the frontier, the Pashtuns knew how to recognize the officers easily and that is one of the reasons for the high casualties. In addition, many Pashtuns had served in the Indian Army and knew where to look for the officers and understood the bugle calls. For the Frontier Uprising, I have added an additional rule that if any casualties are taken, check for Leader casualties as normal but a double "1" and a "1 and a "2" will remove the leader as a casualty. In an Imperial Unit, an NCO can replace the leader and role on the Leader table as usual but no Leadership traits.

Here are some recommend Unit Profiles:

1. Imperial Infantry:

Regular Infantry at 6 points. Feel free to add any Options for Regular Infantry. 

2. Highlanders:

Regular Infantry at 6 points.

    Elites +1 point which makes the discipline +2.

    Bagpiper +1 point. Allows Piper to shot lightning from his arse every turn (adds extra die to shooting) and on a roll of +3 laser beams are fired from the pipes to . . . okay, I got carried away. You can add a bagpiper for +1 point which allows the unit to reroll one failed Rally roll per turn. If there are any casualties, roll to see if the piper is one and he is eliminated on a double "1".

    Total: 8 points with piper option; 7 without.

The 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Figures by Perry Miniatures.

Indian (Native) Infantry:

Regular Infantry at 6 points.

    Poorly Armed -1 point and give them Obsolete Rifles. Add any other options you wish.

20th Punjabis. Figures from Artizan Designs.

Ghurkas: Yep. Tough and dangerous little guys.

Regular Infantry at 6 points.

    Poorly Armed -1 point and give them Obsolete Rifles.

    Fierce at +1 point and Fighting becomes 4+.

    Not slowed by Difficult Terrain at +1 point. (I've gone back and forth on whether I should charge +1 point for not being slowed by Difficult Terrain as in real life they could move just like the Tribal Infantry; however, by adding the +1 point prevents an Army of Ghurkas unless you are playing one figure represents one man).

    Total: 7 points.

Yeah . . . they are still at their depot.

Punjab Frontier Force Infantry: 

Regular Infantry at 6 points.

    Poorly Armed at -1 point and give them Obsolete Rifles.

    Elite at +1 point and Discipline becomes +2.

    Total: 6 points

Guides Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force:

Regular Infantry at 6 points.

    Poorly Armed at -1 point and give them Obsolete Rifles.

    Sharpshooters at +2 points and Firing becomes 4+ or Elite at +1 point and Discipline becomes +2.

    Not slowed by Difficult Terrain (heck, many were Pashtuns who were loyal to their salt so I say, based on history too, that they get this for free)>

    Only one unit of Guides Infantry Allowed.

    Total: 7 points if Sharpshooters and 6 points if Elite.

The Queen's Own Guides, Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force. Figures by Artizan Designs.

Imperial Cavalry:

Regular Cavalry at 6 points.

    Can choose Elite for +1 point and Discipline becomes +2. No lancers or Guard Regiments.

    

Figures by Perry Miniatures.

Indian (Native) Cavalry:

Regular Cavalry at 6 points.

    Poorly Armed at -1 point and give them Obsolete Carbines. No lancers or Guard option.

    Guides Cavalry, PFF is Elite at +1 point and Discipline is +2.

Total: 5 points or 6 points for Guides Cavalry.

The 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. Figures by Artizan Designs.

Bengal Lancers:

    Regular Cavalry at 6 points.

    Poorly Armed at -1 point and give them Obsolete Carbines.

    Lancers at +2 points; they get two attack dice per figure when they are the attacker.

    Total: 7 points.

The 10th (The Duke of Cambridge's) Bengal Lancers (Hodson's Horse). Figures from Perry Miniatures.

Crewed Weapons:

Well drilled at 6 points. Personally I would go with artillery though the Maxim was used effectively in a few engagements. I'm still working out some ideas for star shells fired by the artillery during night actions.

Sikh Mountain gun. Figures and gun from Artizan Designs and the figure with the rifle is a converted Copplestone Castings figure.

Later this year I will publish a post with some additional ideas and scenarios for gaming the Frontier uprising.

Meanwhile on the Workbench the 1930's . . .

 

This is rapidly (okay it already has) becoming the year of the individual figure. I'll be shifting focus soon as the Commander in Chief of the Indian Army has informed me that there is an uprising on the Northwest Frontier and he really needs the extra three battalions and the battery of artillery.

I've been on a Pulp kick lately and individual figures, as compared to figures that have all of the same uniform, take a little bit more time to paint. Plus, since our Pulp Campaign, "The Search for Charlie" has some interesting characters, they need to be painted with more detail. Sam expects it.

"There better be some well painted stalwart heroes, good looking dames, nefarious villains, and the occasional surprise and nonsense we have come to expect from the Colonel."

In my world wide travels, I have recently discovered the Unmatched series of games. Unmatched is a miniature board game hybrid that has some amazing good hard plastic figures in a variety of genres. I'll post more on the actual game later but I just wanted to highlight one briefly and that is Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze. It is the first Unmatched game that is specifically designed for cooperative and SOLO (!!!) play. And it's a Pulp game with three characters I was not familiar with (with some great research so far on the characters - I love the forgotten characters of the Pulp Era) and one historical figure who is always fun to game. The Pulp threats they get to fight are fantastic but no spoilers yet - unless of course you have the internet and you can look it up.

On with the show. Most of the figures are finished but just need some touch up and I have to finish the bases.

Doctor Jill Trent, Science Sleuth.

I'll be honest, this figure scared the living daylights out of me. I was afraid I wouldn't give the dramatic determination in the animation of the figure, coupled with the classic Pulp beauty hero justice. The actual part of the figure that worried the most were the legs; if they didn't look right, I felt that would ruin the entire look of Doctor Trent. Whew. I think I did it. A challenging paint job but it has paid off. Just some minor touch up needs to be done plus the base. A note on the blue rim of the base. For the board game the characters are color coded so I decided to do that with the painting. There will be separate posts on each character and what they did to defend the world in the Pulp era. 

Doctor Trent is standing next to Sam (I hope he doesn't call her a dame), a Copplestone Castings figure to give you and idea of the compatibility.

Okay, here is probably my favorite figure from the game: Annie Christmas from Louisiana. All seven feet of her with supernatural strength.

Annie Christmas. Each pearl on her necklace represents someone she has defeated in personal combat. That pose and fist coming at you looks awesome!

Here is Annie compared to Sam.  In the comparison you can see that she is much larger than Sam and represents someone who is 7 feet tall. I don't think Sam is going to call her a dame.

The following figure is a bit of an enigma to me: The Golden Bat. He's a superhero who debut in Japan as Ōgon Batas know as the Golden Bat in America and various other names in other countries. I'm still working on the color scheme though I may have it figured out. The one thing I can't figure out is why his face is a gold skull. I haven't researched him as much but I will let you know.

The Golden Bat still needs work done to smooth out details and add highlights, etc.

And now the historical figure: Good ole Hungarian born and naturalized US citizen Nikola Tesla.

This figure of Tesla just looks so cool.

Just as a bonus I started working on the Genie figure that comes with Unmatched: Houdini vs. The Genie. I can see a lot of uses for this figure.

Until next time - watch out for those badguys!