15mm hetzer

At the Skirmish show I could not resist this Hetzer from "Forged in battle!" although classed as a miss cast and sold for £ 2.50 I really could find nothing wrong with it except the resin was a different colour. As I was going to paint it what did I care.

So here is my latest addition to my 15mm WW2 vehicles. I am painting German late war infantry and assuming they go well they should be shown on Friday (That is the cue for them to go very wrong!)

I have included a quick You tube documentary as well for those of you who do not know your WW2 German vehicles.  But I do realise that if you do not you will most likely not want to watch the video either. Just in the same way that if you put a documentary about English Civil war helmets, I probably would not watch it either.

But the Hetzer was a good vehicle with a good gun and low profile so very good at ambush type tactics, but not very good for slugging it out with main battle tanks. But if It could fire without giving it's position away then that was a different thing.

Skirmish Show report

Traders  in the main Hall
There were over 30 Traders covering a
wide range of Toy soldier products
and wargames products.

Firstly let me say I was mostly playing a game and will do a Batt report in another post.  I dis show the loot I made off with yesterday so here is a look at the games and the traders a the show.

If you are a wargamer though do not expect the show
 to be like Salute or "Supermarket sweep!"
There is some good stuff but mostly you have to
look for it.



Traders in the Foyer



The Hall of Games. Where the clubs put on games for the public
Again if you are expecting Salute type games
 you will mostly be disappointed.













There is even a display of modelmaking.
While I spend almost no time talking to these guys
I do recognise that there is a mutural interest
Between wargames

















Theer is even a Military illustrator
at the show working away at commissions
from members of the public.







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Games

For many of us the games are the best bits. here are a selection of games from the show. With comments where appropriate. But Mostly without as I was not asking too many questions.


A 10mm Napoleonic game
using Pendraken figures

A 54mm Somme Game.
Quite lovely and build by a BBC Production Engineer

It even had a couple of holes in the side to look
into the underground sections

Dave and Paul from the Walderslade club.
Playing Dust tactics

A Full Thrust game by Sittingbourne club

Paul and Ian (The Crush the Kiaser guys)
doing a Dark arge Skirmish.
It was the first time I have seen them do a game
pre 20th Century.

Herene Bay-Whitatable club
Doing some Lion Rampant
With 3 Retinues each.

No Idea. But still nice to see

A fantasy Big battle in which as many figures on the table
 as possible did seem to be the aim of this game.
Quantity over Quality.
But each to their own

The Gravesend guys doing a large Necron
versus Space Marines



A Mad max Inspired game.
It will be at Salute in a bigger format.
Looks fun.
And who does not want to be a WARBOY!

 

Last but not least Our Game of Hammering Iron
An ACW Naval engagement
And a bloodbath,
But more of this in another post!

 
 Overall a good day out for me and the Rainham club.  Kindly Note that Blogger put the artist and first game side by side. And rather than re type the whole thing I just went with it!

THIS SHOW will happen again in the Autumn. on

18th September 2016.

I am about to start preparing our club game for the show. The date line for the game is 2nd September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden. But things may well change. I will keep you all posted.

Thanks for looking today and I will post again on Wednesday.

Cheers Clint

Skirmish Swag/loot.

Yes I did put my hand in my pocket a little today. Not so much as to regret it or so much that it will not get painted. So here is what I bought and from who.

So what did I get?

1. On the left, we have a 6x4' (Gridded) grass printed terrain Matt. While I only wanted a 4x4' Matt I was sold on the larger size when the trader offered it to me at the same price as the smaller mat. Bought from http://www.tinywargames.co.uk/ . So I am quite happy with the result.
2. Top Right Some 15mm Vikings. Purchased from Colonel Bill at http://shop.colonelbills-store.co.uk/epages/4f27da57-42ee-48c0-9cb8-22c9dd921a68.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/4f27da57-42ee-48c0-9cb8-22c9dd921a68/Categories/154 . Actually not purchased at all but a straight swap for some Foundry unpainted 28mm figure I was never going to get around to. And this should give me about enough Vikings for a game of "Longship!" (By Peter Pig) Not enough you 2 forces nut enough to put a BIG Dent in one! I like to think of it as recycling!
3. 2 15mm Miscast "Forged in Battle" resin tanks in 15mm size. A Hetzer and a Char 1 B. Purchased from http://www.andysmodels.co.uk/ . While these are officially "Miscast" With a lick of paint you will hardly know at all. The Hetzer will give my Germans a few extra options as a late war Tank destroyer. While the Char 1 B was used in WW2 by the French (and interwar period as well) and also in WW2 by the Germans.

Not sure yet what I will paint the Char up to represent but for £2.50 I know I will find a use. See below for historical note on the German use of this vehicle.

A number of Char B1's (161) were captured by the Germans during the Fall of France. These were later pressed into service as second line and training vehicles under the name of Panzerkampfwagen B-2 740 (f). Sixty became platforms for flamethrowers as Flammwagen auf Panzerkampfwagen B-2 (f). Sixteen were converted into 105 mm self-propelled artillery, armed with the 10.5 cm leFH 18 light howitzer.

Thanks for looking today and I will do a show report tomorrow.

And I even got Stu from Colonel Bill to take some fantasy figure to Roy. So not too many and I hope you can use them mate. (A Mix of Table top games and Asgard figures)

Cheers Clint