6mm Marine Air Wing for Arctic Strike

This weekend I've been putting together the Marine Air Wing which will support NATO forces in Norway for our upcoming Arctic Strike megagame in Grimsby in a couple of weeks.  The MAW could have been operating from a carrier task force offshore or taken from POMCUS storage facilities in bunkers set up in Norway.  Bv206 transports for the leg infantry would have been provided by Norway and made available to the USMC troops upon arrival in-country.

First up, not USMC aircraft but 4 Marineflieger Tornados, displaced from northern Germany and now relocated in Denmark or southern Norway.

One of the West German Tornados in more detail.

Top cover for the USMC task force, a pair of F-14 Tomcats.

A long range Shackelton AEW/ECCM aircraft operating out of RAF Lossiemouth.

A U2 spyplane, again available for high altitude surveillance and ECCM tasks.

A pair of Broncos, able to provide transport for a commander, forward air controller of artillery observer.

A pair of Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, long obsolete by 1985, but these are in trainer livery and could plausibly represent trainers pressed into active service.

A flight of three F-8 Crusaders.

AV-8B Harrier II jump jets in USMC service.

F-4 Phantoms, two marine aircraft in green and brown camo and one navy jet in sea grey.

F-18 Hornets.

A-6 Intruders, the most potent aircraft available to the USMC.  Because they were capable of carrying nuclear weapons, they were prohibited in Norway, although I am assuming all restrictions were off in the event of a hot war and these aren't going to be used in the nuclear role.

F-16 Fighting Falcons.

Again, operating from RAF Lossiemouth, a flight of 3 RAF Tornados.

A pair of RAF Harriers, possibly operating from a RN Commando carrier or converted cargo vessel.

Ageing, but still available, a flight of 3 Buccaneers, two RAF and one in RN colours from the 1970's.  Most likely relocated from the U.K. to Denmark or southern Norway.

A flight of 3 Jaguars, either flying long range from Lossiemouth or from airbases in southern Norway.

That's it for fixed wing aircraft, sadly, I can't locate the rotor USMC aircraft, which should include 3 AH-1 Sea Cobras, 4 CH-46 Phrogs and 2 CH-53 Sea Stallions.  I have managed to find three Sea Kings in RN 1970s livery and 2 CH-47 Chinooks from the US Army, so can press these into service providing lift for the USMC at a pinch.  I'm going to have to have another search for the box with the correct aircraft though.

Looking forward to seeing these in action in a couple of weeks.

15mm Battlegroup Overlord Wrexham Wargames Club

I travelled to Wrexham on Tuesday evening for a Battlegroup Overlord game from Beyond the Beaches.  We opted for 750 points a side with Pete Derrick, assisted by Meic, supplying the German forces (a Puma, 2 platoons of Pz IVs and 2 Panthers, plus a Wirbelwind and an infantry platoon with some off table 81mm mortars and FHQ).  I, with Rhys' help, used my recently compiled US forces (2 platoons of Sherman 76mms, one platoon of M10s and one of infantry, with a single 105mm gun, observer team, FHQ and air spotter, recce jeep and 2 sniper teams, plus an 81mm mortar battery off table).  We agreed on a meeting engagement and rolled for scenario, coming up with attack/counterattack.  Weather rolled up a 1 and severe thunderstorms grounded all aircraft - so much for my spend on an air controller.  Thanks to Meic for the photos.

The game was long and very attritional, with each side wearing down the other and advantage see sawing between the two sides.  The Germans seized 2 objectives early on, the one at the central crossroads being seized by a wild charge by the Puma.  The US armour came on with a platoon of Shermans supported by an M10, knocking the Puma out of the fight, but losing the M10 to a mine strike.  The PzIVs were quick to follow up, closely followed by the Panthers and Wirbelwind.  The US reinforced their armour with the second Sherman platoon and the rest of the M10s, the latter swinging around the the US left to control the long road running down the middle of the board.  The Shermans took up position around the village and traded shots with the oncoming PzIVs, each side giving as good as they got.

An early success for the US was to knock out the Puma, which meant the Germans couldn't control their mortars, meaning the US infantry could come on without harassment.  The US mortars and 105mm gun did sterling service, mainly pinning the German advance, which was much more piecemeal than they had planned.  There was some close in knife fighting by the armour on both sides, with a German infantry squad KO'ing a Sherman with a Panzerfaust, in a wild charge, only to be heavily machine gunned.  With losses mounting, we called it an evening at around half eleven with the Germans almost at their break point and the Americans not so close, chiefly due to their very generous initial breakpoint allocation.

It was a fun game and very close, with both sides feeling victory was in their grasp almost right to the end.  Thanks to Meic and Rhys for taking part - they seemed to enjoy themselves - and to Pete for bringing the Germans and inviting me to the Wrexham Club.  Hopefully I'll be able to get along there from time to time in the future.

Thanks for looking.

20mm Desert Ambulance

Another addition to the North African 8th Army force for WW2.  This time the Austin K2 Ambulance from the venerable Airfix RAF Emergency Set.


I assembled this over the Christmas holidays, but didn't get around to base coating it until Easter and only recently finished washing and varnishing, plus adding the striking decals.

This vehicle will provide some medical support to my 20mm 8th Army support, alongside the stretcher bearers and medic from Zvezda, which can be seen here https://sedimentswargameblog.blogspot.com/2017/12/clearing-up-some-20mm-ww2-mini-projects.html


Thanks for looking.

20mm 25lbrs North Africa

I've been working on some 25lbrs for North Africa, mainly using the PSC set with Morris Quad tows.

Here is a 2 gun section, complete with limbers and Morris Quads.  I've also added a CMP tow vehicle from Anyscale Models as an HQ vehicle or spare tow.

These are painted in desert yellow, washed in Agrax Earthshade and dry-brushed Iraqi Sand.

These 25lbrs were a gift from Ian at the club, spare from his set made up for NW Europe.

The original guns from my set (on left) were assembled as 18/25lbrs for early artillery support, although they were also issued as relatively effective AT weapons, mainly to Australian units.

All the guns, 18/25lbrs on left and later 25lbrs on the right.

18/25lbrs.

25lbrs

I also found some suitable wheels, so made up a second pair of 25lbrs with muzzle brakes, although I've obviously put them in a safe place, as I couldn't find them for the photos.

Thanks for looking.