Epiphany (well sort of)

Ok that might be over doing it. (and It may be spelt wrong) but you get the idea. The figures are 20mm SHQ purchased at the recent Cavalier show (on Impulse). Personally I like 20mm figures and I like SHQ Miniatures and I like Cold war wargaming. Thus for me it is a shame they will possibly never get used.

I know the kind of wargame I want and have never found the correct rules. You can imagine what I wanted looking at the pic on the left. I have even looked into making and casting the "Iron Cow" Yes Bryan I know if I ever do you want one in 28mm scale. I know this. But I would be working in 20mm IF I ever did it, or maybe in 15mm depending on the other manufacturers and what they make to fit in as opposition. But my plan has always been 20mm.

Anyway that will have to wait. Probably till I die and someone else does it! So hold your breathe if you want but I would not advise it!

OKAY so why the Epiphany? Well while looking for some suitable "The Zone" rules I can across "Black Opps" by Osprey. Now I will admit they would be kind of suitable, but they would need a few tweaks to get the flavour right. What they would suit is Vietnam. Now the Vietnam conflict is just my thing and I have 2 forces ready to go. In fact they are itching to get going and have been for a LONG while. In a weeks time I do have a Veitnam game (Peter Pig rules) at a show. Personally I do not like these rules as I feel they are more about the game than the conflict. Yes I have looked at SEVERAL other sets of rules Including (but not limited to) FNG, Buckle for your dust, Body Count, Force on Force, Skirmish Sangin, Specte and even Flames of War. None of them quite give what I am after. FNG is closest but I do not like the mechanics as they come across as unwieldy. However "Black Opps" is the right scale (about a squad) easy to explain and use and should I hope, give a good Vietnam game. So that is my plan at this stage.

Thanks for reading my babble. next time some Vikings. (I hope)

WWII British Vehicles. (Western Desert)

Just as a break from the show report and before I type up our game (which both sides claim the other has won)>  here are some WW2 Western Desert vehicles. While they were originally British so many items were used by each side that perhaps it is not as clear cut as that.

Starting with an SHQ Vickers mark 6 The light tank Mk 6 was produced by Vickers Armstrong while not the best tank of the time by any means it did serve quite adequately until it was replaced.  This is an old model and has been painted by me three times (this being the last time). The model is by SHQ and does come in a variety of makes each with different weapons. This is the Mark c and is part of  my old collection repainted. LINK (http://www.shqminiatures.co.uk ).


I have also finished a Tilley. this is by Frontline Wargaming (http://www.frontlinewargaming.co.uk/) And is one of the smaller ww2 vehicles that was used in the western desert. It also had far more commercial use and was used as a shop van as often as not. But in the western Desert you used what you could and while you may complain it was better than walking. Perhaps used as a staff car or more likely a crew transport it is quite easy to imagine these being all over North Africa and being used by every side.


 It was used as a shop van in civilian life perhaps delivering bread or perhaps used to carry workers to dig up the road. However in the Western Desert it could be anything from a staff car to a light tow to bomb disposal or even carry a mortar and crew across the desert. Yes and some were used as staff cars as well.

Just a useful light truck used in the war and for many years afterwards .

The Tilly is by Frontline wargaming and the MK 6 is by SHQ. Just click the links to be taken to them each respectively. I will do a battle report in 2 days time to finish the Broadside show off. That's for looking and with luck I will see you soon.

All the best Clint

What! More than a week!

Yes I know it has been more than a week since my last post. But I am still alive and well and (as far as I know) no problems.

So to get back in the swing a quick post.

Just a single 20mm SHQ NVA figure. I did think I had finished painting pretty much all of my Vietnam stuff and then at the back of the painting table I found a single  figure. He was obviously hiding ready to ambush.

So Not a massive addition but an addition non the less. All this does mean that I will need to rake out the box to put it away, and I can see from the stack of Boxes the Vietnam 20mm box is right at the bottom (Typical).

But I do have the Sanpan to put away as well so I really think I should. And then I think I have a show on Sunday and I might buy some more so perhaps it can wait until then! Not that I need any 20mm Vietnam stuff at the show, but you never know! Maybe some brown water navy.... NO that way is madness I have more than enough for a game. And we all know that means I will probably think of something to add.... "just one more wafer thin mint!"

I have go another post ready to put on for 2 days time and my bout of apathy and wargames doldrums seems to have passed so I should get back in the swing pretty soon.

Thanks for looking, all the best Clint.

Last ones for now!

Yesterday I was back finishing my 20mm SHQ Local Force Viet Minh. And these last 8 finish of all that I have available at this time. Which is not to say I will not buy some more in the future, I know I will as I want at least 1 Viet Minh Mortar, which I will pick up at a show later this year. I will also need to buy Helicopters for the US troops.

So anyway just to reinforce the point these are the last 8. Only 1 armed with an AK, 6 with bolt action Rifles and 1 with a light machinegun.

Thanks for looking today and now back to VBCW for the next few posts. Who knows after that!

All the best from Clint

More Viet Minh

Yes some more 20mm SHQ Viet Minh for my Vietnam collection. It was a repaint and re base exercise on some old and much loved lead. So No new lead painted so far this week. But there should be some on Sunday.

Firstly an RPG team, 1 to fire the RPG and 2 to fetch ammo up and out of hiding. This gives me a couple of Rocket propelled grenade teams in all and should give the US troops a reason not to go blundering about in armoured personnel carriers. But knowing what most players are like this really will not stop them at all. (They will be more worried about mines!)

  Then there is a .30 Cal Browning machinegun I do not have a lot of "heavy" weapons for my local force/militia Viet Minh this being my only medium machinegun but placed in the right locations this should be quite effective indeed. Again 2 extra figures for bringing up ammunition and if need be defending the gun. They are both armed with older and less effective weapons (an AR7 Survival rifle and an M3 "Grease Gun") as befits local forces who have been active for some time and may not always have access to the latest and most powerful weapons.

Lastly 5 standard Viet Minh armed with Ak's and bolt action rifles which will fit in with the other figures in my force. Every army needs more rank and file than specialists so I am happy to get them finished and ready for the table-top.

A special mention should go out to "Smiffy" one of Posties rejects for two reasons. Firstly he has been playing a few games and as with many projects that has inspired me somewhat. And secondly I have been after "Body Count" The tabletop games rules for about a year and he has not only passed them on to me but also passed me a copy of "Buckle for your dust" rules as well. For which I am very grateful.

There are more figure I want for this conflict, but other than Viet Minh mortars and some wildlife I think I am ready. So I would expect an AAR before the end of the year.

Just thought I would include a bit of music to go with the figures. feel free to ignore it if you want.

 

For those who want to know it is "Fortunate son!" By Credence Clearwater Revival. As I thought it a nice change from "Paint it black" by the Stones. But I could have selected so many more good songs. As the soundtrack to the Vietnam engagement is one of the best out there.

 

 I think this finishes my US troops for now, but I do plan to get a few more at the Salute Show. But only a few.

Firstly we have an M29, 81mm mortar and crew. Just a two man crew, there in reality may have been a few more bringing ammunition from the ammo bunker as well as an Officer and Radio operator. But All I need is a simple representation and it may never actually reach the tabletop. But then again it might. I see it being typically used from a "Secure" area such as a fire base and not by a patrol at least in any games. Should there ever be a Big battle yes I see it being used quite a lot.

There are also 3 dead or at least badly wounded. These may also be a scenario objective as the US troops want to return their own dead to the Good Ole... As with all the figures they are 20mm in scale and SHQ by design. And being honest I think they are some of the nicest 20mm figures for this conflict as you can get.

Goping back to the mortar and crew very quickly, I did not put any tall reeds on those figures as I did not want them to look like they were deep "In Country" but that is all personal choice.

Then almost another squad of 9 figures. Not a single Booper or M60 LMG this time. 6 are armed with M16 rifles, 2 with Remington shotguns, while the last has a radio (and a pistol). These extra shotgun figures were stored in a different location to the other squads but at least I now have 3 painted and ready to use. Should nay of my players want to equip their squad with one. I have probably mentioned it before but think "Bunny" from Platoon. (Called Bunny as he has a cartoon tattoo of Bugs Bunny on his arm).

 The guy with a radio is also a welcome addition (I now have 2) as it allows me to easily call in fire support in the form of mortars, heavier artillery, air strikes and even naval bombardment from ships on the coast. Ok ships on the coast will only work in certain areas but it was something that did happen on occasion. Some of the figures are the same casting but that is to be expected when you put 30+ on display or even on the same table. As such I have given them different skin tones as well as where possible different equipment. Such as the red head band.

As I am enjoying Youtube and the ability to put it on my blog here is one more. Yes that's right the iconic attack in "Apocalypse now"

Take care and Paint when you can. Best wishes Clint.



 

 

20mm Vietnam North and South armies.

Before you all get bored and wander away in droves to find something more interesting to look at. And let's be blunt there is loads out there of interest. I thought I would finish off all that I have rebased for the Vietnam conflict. I am still working on some bits and bobs so there will be more at a later date, indeed I expect to have repainted and re-based some more Americans by next week.

But until then here are all my North Vietnamese army (NVA). Yes a massive amount, OK only 12. But there is an RPG and a LMG included there. I may at a later date get an additional 6 so I can field 2 squads even if they are diminished squads. As you know from the last couple of posts I am looking to do "Local Militia" and not the NVA so I expect these to be used sparingly. As I lay in bed this morning I did ponder the possibility of doing it from their point of view as opposed to the US troops. And while I still could and in doing so some of my players would be happy I also know that some would not be.

I have even less of the South Vietnam army. Just a mere 9 figures. And it is interesting to note they all have WW2 Vintage weapons including BARs, M1 Carbines and Garand rifles. Yes there is even one with a rifle grenade. I have not put the tall grass on these yet. That is a job for this afternoon. And I think it is a case that the tall "Elephant" grass does improve the bases. When you look at their uniforms you can see I have painted the green striped camouflage patterns on. Simply a green base colour, then a white stripe and a thinner black strip through the white. At this scale there is little point in over doing it and trying to get the uniforms totally 100% correct. As that would drive me doo-lally. And to be honest about it I just do not want or need the stress.

I see this last squad as being used even less regularly than any of the others which is bound to get them used in every game. Life is just like that.

Thanks for looking today. Take care and have a great Easter. And I hope you get a very nice chocolate egg.

Cheers Clint

20mm Local force Viet Mihn

 Yes continuing with the Vietnam conflict today we have local force Viet Mihn. These are all locals fighting for the communist faction. They are Viet Mihn as opposed to Viet Cong as there was no such thing as Viet Cong EXCEPT that the US forces called them Cong as it sounded more aggressive than "Mihn". But strictly speaking they should be called Viet Mihn and NOT Viet Cong!

Rant over, there are 26 in all with a wide variety of weapons. And 1 Casualty marker (I may have to buy a few more). The weapons range from rifles and carbines through sub machine guns and Ak47s all the way up to LNMGs and Rocket propelled grenades. Simply put they were using everything they could get their hands on including stuff from WW2 and the French Invasion a few years before up to and including the stuff supplied to them from China and Russia. I have very few LMGs or RPGs just one of each so they are very likely to get out gunned at most opportunities. But as Local force militia they will rely on ambush and evasion. Firing a few shots from cover and then disappearing rapidly and taking any dead and wounded with them if they are able.

All the figures are SHQ and 20mm for easy of use with vehicles and my US troops. There will be more of these to show soon, but also some NVA and some south Vietnamese army as well, but in lesser numbers as I want to keep the games manageable. And Games do get over complex sometimes with too many figures on the table. Dependant on the rules uses of course. But as I am looking for a squad level game more troops would be gilding the lily I suspect!

Thanks for looking, I hope/plan to post again on Saturday. But If I don't have a great Easter.

Take care Clint.

20mm Vietnam Platoon.

Well as mentioned a couple of days ago. Here are some 20mm Vietnam conflict figures. Typically I am starting with the US troops by which I mean no disrespect to any other nation involved.

I have 3 squads of 10 for your standard US Troops. Each of the soldiers has the 7th Cavalry shoulder patch on the left arm. Which if you look really closely you will see as a black and yellow triangle with an additional "Diagonal" black stripe.


Each squad consists of a Pig gunner (M60 LMG) and a Booper (M79) Grenade launcher. I do have sufficient Bloopers to go to 2 in each squad if need be, or enough M203 grenade launchers to swap them out if need be. I did select the M79 Booper in preference to the M203 as it did have a higher rate of fire and was more common in the earlier part of the conflict. Additionally 1 squad has a shotgun (I may buy a few more at the Salute show) and while they were used think of "Bunny" in the film Platoon, I already suspect that many players if given the choice will opt for an M16. It is just a case of knowing your players. And by that I know they will want one to start with just to try it out, but will most likely prefer an M16 as the game(s) progress.

Someone is bound to ask "What rules will you use?" Well currently I am reading "FNG" by 2 hour wargames and quite like them. Many players do like them for this conflict when dealing with few figures but prefer "Charlie Don't Surf!" by Too Fat Lardies for company actions. But as I want to keep to squad level actions I do not feel the need for there purchase. Plenty of other rule sets exist of course so it is all personal choice.

All these figures are SHQ miniatures and painted a long while ago so all I have done is to re-base them and to touch them up where needed so they were never going to make the Analogue painting challenge. The basing was done exactly the same as my WW2 US Paratroops so if you flick back a dozen posts or so you will find a walkthrough of how that was done. But the bristles were not cut as short this time as I wanted a Jungle feel and not a scrubland/marsh look.

In addition to swap out figures I also Have some LLRP and special forces but I do not intend to use them at this stage simply because they are not always carrying the weapons you would think of in a squad. Far too many telescopic sights for example. And while telescopic sights were issued to first platoon then squad level it would only really be 1 a squad at the END of the conflict. So not common at all for the 67-8 period I would choose to portray.

Next time either Viet Mihn or South Vietnamese troops.  But I only have a single squad of South Vietnamese troops so may have to include a vehicle to bolster the post. So the Salute shopping list may grow!!

Thanks for looking, have a great day and take care. All the best Clint