Yes this is a LONG term project bought back to life. NOT a new project but 25-30 years old!Yes that long ago I started planning and working on this project, now It has finally got the go ahead... yes it could have gone faster.
1/200th or 10mm wargaming western desert.
Most of my old stuff in Skytrex and I do not think is still even produced. Let me know if It still is. I may well place an order. Not that I want much at all.What I like about the Western Desert in WW2 is many fold. Firstly no single side had all the advantages. There was no big heavy tanks and as everyone used anything they could get their hands on no side can claim equipment superiority. As see to the right a British tank being used by the Germans. Captured use of trucks was of course far more common with a typical convoy having British, Italian and German trucks no matter the owners nationality.
In the next few weeks/months I will be re-making my desert boards I purchased the paint this morning! Here is a pic of what it is currently like. I know not everyone like hex boards but they should work very well for the PBI rules I intend to use. As you can see several different sand colours were originally used as one "tester" pot ran out I switched to another. But instead I have purchased a 2.5 litre pot and intend to create them all in the same shade of desert.This inspiration has come from several sources and the strong desire to actually finish this project.
I have raked out some of my OLD (Very old) figures and while the Infantry are just no good several of the vehicles are.
I have 1 0r 2 Companies of British 8th army infantry ready to start as well as Lee's Honeys, Valantines and a number of German vehicles as well. So while I will inevitably do some updates at least you know what I am working on when all is quiet!
Ah, we all have old projects that are on hold (never completely abandoned, right?). Good luck with this one!
ReplyDeleteThank you C6. Never completely abandoned UNTIL I sell all the old figures.
DeleteI would recommend having a look at KISS Rommel rules. Also on a 4 by 4 table, but on an entirely different scale. Simple, fun and free.
ReplyDeleteThank you Prince. For now I will stick to PBI. But I am not married to the rules and am always willing to look at something new.
DeleteCheers Mate I appreciate the heads up.
Terrific posting Clint. Your enthusiasm for this project comes across wonderfully, and I'm really looking forward to following this :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon I will make a start tonight when it is a little cooler. Just base coating some terrain nothing exciting.
DeleteLooking forward to seeing your take on this period...sure you don't want to go 1/300th scale instead? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Lee. I must admit you are part of the inspiration. Would I like to go 6mm instead. Erhm... let me think.... That will be a No
DeleteI already have a company of Infantry as well as about 25 vehicles in this scale. (I will not use all the vehicles of course you only need a few for the PBI rules.
I shall enjoy looking at the reject game at Broadside though.
It is always nice to be inspired. I wish you all the best with this project, mate.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bryan. I think the weather may be pushing me to desert type things as well!
DeleteGood luck matey. It is looking good.
ReplyDeleteThank you Irqan. I will start the repaint of the terrain in the next 45 mins. (But it will take days altogether)
Delete10mm is a great scale. I have to admit that my WW2 is that old fashioned 20mm.
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon. I must admit I have ww2 in most scales. There will be some 20mm on this blog soon. Been painting a Very old range of figures.
DeleteGreat to hear you are inspired. Looking forward to seeing the output!
ReplyDeleteThank you Dave. I have just finished up the shed. It might need a second coat I will find out tomorrow.
DeleteI do like the desert war. I once owned 2 very large armies ib 15mm for this period. I sold most of it before I even got 1 game in????
ReplyDeleteThank you Ray. That does come as quite a surprise to me. It is going to be slow as I have several irons already in the fire.
DeleteExcellent go for it have considered desert war several times......never quite fallen in though...one day, probably in 6 mm
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt. Scale wise it depends on the rules. And at the same time it does not. I guess it all comes down to what you want from a game. 6mm would work well if you want a Tank "Centric" game with loads and loads of tanks. Personally I like Platoon or company level games (or squad level). I am not over plussed by loads of tanks and nothing else. Which is why I like PBI rules.
DeleteVery nice Clint. This should be an enjoyable project to watch. Several years back I started the desert war in 10mm, but none of my buddies were very "taken" with the scale and I ended up scrapping it. Which I'd continued with it now.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rod. I know the feeling. Personally I like 10mm but when I started no one at the club (other than me) was interested in the scale. Now there are 2 of us. Mostly they like bigger scales. One member does pretty much everything at 15mm while another has 28mm as his go to scale.
DeleteI prefer 28mm myself but love the idea of swarms of miniatures on the tabletop?! I guess that's why I always loved the Skaven for WFB.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather fought in the desert so it's always fascinated me. I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition (finally....)
Thank you Andy. I have now made a start. And will continue a little over the weekend.
DeleteI think all size of figure have a place it mostly comes down to what you ant the game to look/feel like. "8mm great for skirmishes but if I want a company on the table I want something a lot smaller.
Will there be any light tanks or tankettes? I'm visualising British or Italian, but was the Panzer 1 also still in use in this theatre (early)?
ReplyDeleteWhile I do not own any Pz1's They were used in the desert. Included the motorized 5th Light Division and the 15th Panzer Division. This force landed at Tripoli on 12 February 1941. I do own a Panzer 2 which will be painted up fairly promptly. As well as some armoured cars (8 rads and 4 wheelers)So I suspect they will eventually evolve into Italian Tankettes and a whole Italian Army.... Eventually. But I will be starting with the British as they are where I have the most infantry.
DeleteFor the British I have some Valantines and some Bren carriers... you know how these things go.. start small and eventually collect everything.
It's always good to hear of an old project being resurrected and even if put aside at a later date, the thought processes of how folk go about doing a project fascinates me as I did, trying to explain how I went about with a new project (my gladiators).
ReplyDeleteThank you Joe. Normally I am quicker of the mark, but seem to have been permanently side-tracked!
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