Out of Storage Part 3: WW2 in Color and in 15mm

Got out some of my old-time favorite minis for playing Flames of War.

Two Tigers and an Elephant aka Ferdinand

An assortment of half-tracks: 2x Sd Kfz 251/1s with
MG34s and an Sd.Kfz. 251/9 with a 75 mm L/24 gun  
Buildings in the back are JR Miniatures with a
Tiger and an Elephant doing a photobomb

One of my favorite AFVs, the T34/85

A column of T34/85s and truckload of Strelkovy

German 3.7cm Flak 37 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz.7/2
Gesundheit!

New and Old Toys, Part 6 Stalingrad

You ever set up your game table for a specific scenario and end up with 'free play'? Such was the case one day after I set up my Stalingrad table intending to skirmish an urban ruins clash against the usual suspects of belligerents. After the table was set (...the battle lines are drawn...) I had some visitors 'oohing and aahing' over the set up. Now mind you, these visitors of mine were not gamers. And unbidden they started pulling minis from collection and placed them on the table. The result was pure fun and unplanned...

(click on the pix to enlarge)

The initial setup: 28mm urban ruins on
my 5'x7' gaming table

A PanzerGrenadier column with BMW Troopen scouts
and fullysupported with a PZII and SdKfz 251 Halftracks
with some command elements in tow entering the sector

The objective: ammo and supply dump made up with
my collection of crates, barrels, oil cans, sandbags, etc.

Soviet Strelkovy and Maxim MG Team race to get into
position when all of a sudden, the Bugs attack!

At the opposite side of the table StormTroopers advance
supported by an AT-ST while a trailing Rancor goes amok

Standard StormTrooper maneuvers as they fan
out outflanking an unsuspecting T34 and the dinos

A T-34 and a BA-6 are duly engaged with the Alien and
a raptor as a T-Rex and a Bug are locked in combat 

A Stug IIIG with some BMW Troopen get in on the action

The Alien sneaking up on an unsuspecting Soviet Scout
observing the passing of the PanzerGrenadier column

Blade showing up for a cameo appearance

A soviet sniper sights on a T-Rex from Hobby Lobby

A mixed bag of belligerents including an armor
clash between a KV1 and JagdPanzer IV 

A melee and free-for-all ensues!

"All together now!"

2' x 2' Mini Terrain Table

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Because gamers like a big area for viewing and admiring, most of us have the typical 4' x 6' playing areas. Realistically, most of my games end up in tight quarters. Especially my skirmish games in 28mm. Solution: make a mini terrain table for those close quarters.

Start with a standard 2' x 2' acoustic ceiling tile
available at any hardware store.
Paint the edges with flat black for a better border

Inexpensive but very effective for most of my painting needs

Apply with a metal spatula a good base layer of a slurry mix
(sand, white glue, cheap gray acrylic craft paint and water).
Let dry and cure overnight then apply successive coats of dark brown wash

Again let dry and cure overnight

After the board was dry-brushed to my liking I then applied
white glue to random areas and sprinkled copious amounts of
static grass from Gale Force Nine

Let dry and cure overnight then take a tooth brush to
tease out (stand up) and remove excess static grass and Voila!

My whole intent was as mentioned above but after it was completed I knew that I could pose some of my minis on it for some cool diorama shots.

Steppe this way!
My Mongols from The Assault Group
and Old Glory lines in 28mm

Assortment of German Panzers: Stug III, Sd.Kfz 222 armored
car and Sd.Kfz 251 half-tracks from Bolt Action in 28mm

Same Panzers supplemented with 25mm BMW motorcycle 
troopen from Battle Honors (incidentally, putting them in the
foreground mitigates the scale disparity)

My 28mm Soviet Tankovy: KV1 and T34/76 from Battlemart
and armored cars: BA6 and BA64 from Bolt Action 

Showcasing some of my 6mm Modern micro armor from
GHQ: M1 Abrams, British Challenger and German Leopard 2
alongside Timecast buildings and haystacks

Ditto

Composed shot for my Instagram

WIP: Soviet and German Armored Cars, Part 3

Annnd the arms race continues with armored cars for infantry support and recon for my upcoming Bolt Action games. They are progressing swimmingly, I might add.

(click on the pic to enlarge)

L-R: SdKfz 231 8-rad, SdKfz 222

L-R: SdKfz 222, SdKfz 231 8-rad

SdKfz 231 8-rad

L-R: BA-64, BA-6

L-R: BA-6, BA64

Mini Tanks Part 5: Pz IIf In Action!

Recently Mikey and I had a battle pitting a couple of armor units each and some infantry. I finally got to use my Pz II and was quite a bloody, little skirmish. 

(click on the pix to enlarge)

Pz IIf ready for recon.

Pz IIf on the move.

Side by side and ready to roll: the Pz IIf and Stug while the infantry advances.

The T70 advances cautiously and gets a bead on the Stug with the Pz IIf still hidden.

On the T70's left flank the T34/76 is trying to sight on the hidden Pz IIf.

Supporting the advance of the squad behind a hill the T34/76
and T70 engage the Stug while the hidden Pz IIf looks on.

The Pz IIf finally breaks cover, takes point and crosses
the ford not seeing the infantry in wait behind the hill.

Meanwhile, the Stug is hit from a well time shot of the T34/76 taking
it out of action leaving the Pz IIf to fend for itself.

Mini Tanks Part 4: Pz IIf

This mini tank is definitely one of my favorite German panzers. Understated and not as famous as its bigger cousins that populate most game tables, this little guy has historically seen its share of battle field action in all theaters. I find it personally more interesting to see a game table with a smattering of armor versus the typical scene of Tigers or King Tigers side to side as wide as the gaming table allows. Not exactly my cup of frothy cappuccino.  

Given to me as an Xmas gift by LTL Dad this recent acquisition (already assembled and painted, I might add) has helped fuel my drive for collecting and skirmish gaming with mini tanks for Bolt Action! and other rules sets.

Another fine model from Battlemart

A workhorse that never quits!

A famous variant that I have on my wish list is the Pz IIL aka "Luchs" or "Lynx" (in English). Watch for it because it'll be coming soon once I get caught up on my armored cars.