Progress with the 8th Army

Progress with the 8th Army

I have been so absorbed with the NZTC Championsip Warhammer Fantasy Battles (and annual leave up in the sunny Bay of Islands) that I have neglected to update my 20mm blog to some extent.

Prior to Xmas I finished basing and almost finished painting a good deal of my 8th Army Desert/Italian Campaign Force. I started with the ANZAC Forces, using the Aussie Jungle Fighters by Airfix, and Indian Troops. I added a scattering of Ghurkas too, as they had the right headgear. Don't think they came out too bad. Down side to it all is that I had just finished repainting all my armour and guns for the European conflict...Oh well..

Anyhow, finally got to taking a few snaps, so here it is: The Allied defense of Wadi Ah Ful, somewhere in North Africa:

Signals receive word that a Recce Patrol has sighted a German Recce and Tank Unit
 making its way towards Wadi Ah Ful

The supply column hastily refuels and rearms the Diggers

A Matilda Platoon from the Indian Company is sent out to reconnoitre

While British Crusaders move up to bolster the Aussie Digger Platoons moving out. The battery of 6pdr anti-tank guns are already dug in, and ready for any Fritz that pokes his nose over the dunes

A Unit of Grants move over to the ridge above the Wadi to give the Indians suporting fire. Two 17 pounders may not be enough...

Indian Recce patrol returns reporting that the German coloumn has just entered the South End of the Wadi

Aussie sappers lay another mine-field along the edge of the Wadi

While the Indian 17 pounders lay in wait

3 Platoons of Sikh warriors move out to meet the Desert Fox and his Afrika Korps

Anti-tank and Anti-Aircraft cover

Kurz und Lang: Two Models of the  PzKfW IV roll into the South end of Wadi Ah Ful

German Recce Platoon racing down the dunes:

Two half-tracks, one a radio command vehicle, the other with a 20mm gun, and 3 SDKfz 222s each packing a 20mm cannon, 3 kubelwagens with Mg 34s, and a Kettenrad: 

Clearly a hit-and-run Kampfgruppe

Methinks the element of surprise is gone.

Can we expect those verdamte Hurribombers or Beaufighters again? 

But the Allies are prepared. View from the German (South end) of Wadi Ah Ful 

PzKfw IVs eyeing the Matildas

They may just have bitten off more than they can chew...

View from the North

Allied Commonwealth Forces start to muster for El Alamein

Allied Commonwealth Forces start to muster for El Alamein

Being as enthused as I have been of late with gaming  El Alamein and the Desert War on the one hand, and Kursk on the other has led to some confusion. Having just converted all my Desert Themed armies to European theatre of war the Desert Lust grabbed me again. so here I find myself building Gun Tractors, 6pdr guns and painting Desert Rats again...

Thought I might convert some Aussie Jungle Fighters to Desert Fighters, and Some regular  8th Army and Ghurka figures into Indian Troops, giving my 8th Army a bit more Colonial flavour. 

My Indian Division have received a couple of coats, and have been glued to their bases. Still a way to go before they are ready for the table.

Turbans and Kukri, cold steel and conquered warrior tribes, all in service of the Empire

While on arriving from down under, we have a boat load full of Aussie cobbers

In the confusion of a dust storm on my workbench Friend and Foe seem to have been thrown together: Luftwaffe Gunners, Heer Artillerymen, Regular English 8th Army Sappers, and Aussie Infantry mill about, waiting to be based.

I have struggled to find figures in 1/72 scale with the obiquitous tropical pith helmets that both sides were issued with, until I stumbled upon some Hong Kong made copies of the old Airfix figures that were not too badly cast, except for their over-sized tin hats. Just perfect for converting to tropical helmets!

The South African troops in particular seemed to have been issued with these useless items (did block the sun, but no protection against flying metal). The conversion to Indian headgear is relatively straight forward, and the turbans are drying as we speak. The Aussies came with bush hats, and most of the Ghurkas too, so no issue there. Some Ghurka also wear a fez or kepi-like cap. No hope of finding a NZ Lemon squeezer hat though ! The truth is that all of these exotic headgear saw little use in battle.