FoW- WIP

Progress continues on my Hungarians forces, I've added a platoon of Jagdpanzer IV/ 70 (v) as a support option. front armoru =, AT 14 (the same gun as the panther) these panther cubs sure pack a punch, and are not to bad value at 150 prts per team. They do have limitations, side armour of 3, overloaded and slow means that are not tanks but rahter should be used as tank destroyers, not leading the charge, and need to take care with terrain. It a tough call between 3-4 of these and 2-3 panthers actually but they do offer another AT option to support the Hungarians. 

 I've also (re)started work on my LW Americans. I love the look of the new greatcoat sculpts (something BF has been lacking for a long, long time) so have ordered a company box set, so I need to come up with a force for them. 

            US Rifles (Vets)- Devil's Charge  

            HQ      15

11x      US Rifles, 2x bazookas      205

11x      US Rifles, 2x bazookas      205

3x        57mm AT Guns        100

4x        Hellcats          410

4x        Chaffees       335

6x        Priests            390

1x        Greyhound + 2x jeeps         90

                        1750

I haave got Bastogne yet so aren't sure what support the paras get but will probably run them as paras. One of my favourite books is All American, All the Way, a combat history of the 82n Airborne. Easy Company and the 101st may get all the attention due to Band of Brothers but the 82nd Airborne were jumping from perfectly good planes from the get go and were engaged in some very heavy fighting round Pont Trois in the Bulge so will look into that as inspiration- once I get my book back off Poochie that is!

Anyway, last night I got to work repainting the force required. My original American force was painted with Tamiya Olive drab but it is too dark so I have been slowly repainting them with Vallejo Brown Violet. Last night the Chaffees and Priests were done, although I need to highlight them tonight.

The Chaffee has got to be my favourite LW tank model- lightly armoured by fast and with a decent gun they are like Stuarts on steroids. I remember first putting together a Matchbox one many, many years ago.  I've had these BF ones for a long, long time. They are in fact white resin ones so will be interested to see how the compare to the new sculpts. I don't often run tank companies these days but can see me running a Chaffee light tank Company very, very soon (or even armoured recon with Chaffee support).

Old BF Chaffee's.

 Hellcats.

 6x Priests. Now these things are nasty in 3E. Cal used to be a terror using them as assault guns in 2E, getting up close and personal- 18x 50 cal dice midwar is not to be sneezed at, and now with Breakthrough gun they are even more potent. Not a unit I would use to sit back and fire smoke bombardments with, that's for sure. I drilled out the MG mounts last night and then drilled the underside of the 50 cals and added part of a paper clip. So now I can simply put them in and take them out without always breaking them in transit to a game.

Solo gaming. 
Over the past week or so I've had several solo games to test out ideas with the Hungarians- usually against my motostrelk company so far but tonight I'll try them out vs the Americans. I organise the forces I want to play, set up the table, and then roll of the mission. Sure you know what you are going to do next but even so there are always opportunities to try new things, and plans, so I find it quite an enjoyable way to get a gaming fix when there are no other players round to game against. Tonight I intend to test out the Hungarians attacking the Americans- a bit ahistorical but I am expecting lots of random stuff at the Masters. 

Craig