Terrain- Deciduous Trees

Last night I completed the first 4 of the new temperate deciduous trees using Woodlands Scenics trees. They look good but are fragile.

The bases are made with the same methods as the pine/fir trees.

To ensure they stay put I drill a hole in the bottom and insert a paper clip and snip it off. I then drill a hole in the base of the MDF and superglue the tree in place.


I will probably need at least another dozen of these when I get round to it...








Craig

Terrain- Desert Rock Outcroppings

Once the nationals are out of the way I think it will be time for some desert action. Today I decided to try a little experiment in making rocky outcroppings for my desert forces.

1. As usual I used a 3mm MDF base.
2. I placed some large pine barkchips from the woodpile and glued them into position.
3. Next step was to cover the base in permafilla and waited for it to dry. At this point I also covered the bark in watered down PVA- this shrinks as it dries so provides a seal for the bark and prevents it from chipping or flaking when handled (without this step the bark needs an occasional touch up as it tends to get damaged easily).
   
4. I then undercoated the entire base a light tan colour (a colour called Mesa left over from some recent renovations).
5. Once that was dry I covered the entire base in PVA and sprinkled the base with beach sand.
   
6. Once that was dry I highlighted with a lighter yellowy-tan (called Casa from the local paint shop).

I really want to make some scatter terrain wadi's so that infantry have a chance to hide and avoid being run over by tanks. That might be my next project.














Updated 29th March
A photo taken on a sunny day- looks much more deserty in sunlight!



I think I might try the same technique to make wadis

Craig

FoW Tactics- Defence in Depth

Flamethrowers are one of this strange weapon systems in FoW (along with Goliaths) that can be a pain to face- my solution is to deploy in defence in depth- his is often also a good idea vs large infantry forces as well. The key is to have a picket line and have the rest of your force close enough that they aren't drawn into the initial round of the assault (and thereby destroyed if your opponent rolls well) but that they are close enough that you get maximum number of teams in your counter attack to gut the enemy platoon.

Here is a standard defence in depth vs F/T (or anything else for that matter)- let’s assume a 7 stand grenadier platoon.

In this photos the Soviets are attacking from the left. The AT gun HQ and 2iC are probably a bit close- you want them about 3" behind the picket so that if the picket are engaged they could die but the 2iC and AT gun commanders are close enough to become involved in the combat in a counter attack but not targetted as they are not going to be within 2" of actual assault on the first contact. also by having the 2 pickets about 5" apart the flamethrower can not move between them (they both exert of 2" zone of control).

Now even if the 2x pickets are roasted the 2iC and/or AT gun commander will be dragged into the combat and the 3x pak 38s able to fire at full rate of fire (assuming they are not pinned).

Now if you do this defence with 2x interlocked platoons it becomes even harder to crack as one picket will be from each platoon and the flamethrower must target one or other platoons so you only risk losing one team but having a lot more defensive fire capabilities.

Again the 2iC and AT gun commander are a bit close to the pickets in the photo but you get the idea.

Craig

Terrain- Winter Trees II

Well I guess I'd better finish them.

To make snow I use a mixture of:

• watered down PVA
• Woodlands Scenics Snow
• Baking Soda

I mix it into a paste and apply with a damp brush. Once positioned I sprinkle another light layer of baking soda and finish off with a heavy sprinkle of Woodlands Scenics snow

It gives a nice effect for deep snow drifts.







Craig

Terrain- Winter Trees

And the winter versions.

I will probably add some snow to the bases though.


Again simply an MDF base cut out with a jigswa and some permafiller added for texture. Then covered in beach sand and painted dark brown then highlighted with a light brown. Trees, Woodlands scenics clump foliage and a few sticks from trees in the garden to represent fallen logs.

The forest base is simply some dark green felt cut to an irregular shape and then heavily dry brushed with a dark brown followed by white paint.- simple but does the job.


The stug hides quite nicely in the shadows

Craig

Terrain- Trees

My Woodland scenics trees are staring tog et a bit battered. I made these tree bases 5-6 years ago and they have seen a lot of use but over time are starting to show wear and tear (they look good but are are quite fragile). I have taken the battered woodland scenic trees off and replacement the with some pine trees I picked up on Trademe a couple of years ago.

I have to at some point make bases for the woodland scenics ones as well.




I usually put 3-4 clumps of trees with some lichen to denote a forested area.

FoW: Razvedki vs Aufklarung (Encounter)

Our NATCON play tests continued. This week I decided to try SU 152s and 7x T34s supporting the infantry vs Dale's Aufklarung. No air support for me, time to try 120mm mortars.

HQ

• Aufklarung
• 5x stugs
• 3x 221 ACs
• 3x nebelwerfers
• Limited HS 129s

We rolled for the mission and got Encounter, which we both don't usually play as we don't really like it. Dale chose sides and deployed his aufklarung + stugs (about 90% of his army's points) and I deployed a Rota platoon and SU 152s (just because I could!)

Deployment



Here they come!


This looks even mroe intimidating! Dale got the first turn and acouple of my infantry teams died before being able to find suitable cover.


Take that- the SUs move forward a bit and engage the only target they can see and hit a half track which promptly explodes, needing a 6 to hit!)


Turn 3- Dale had just tried to snipe my flamethrower with the stugs but missed and at the end of the turn realised my T34s could come on this turn so stormtroopered to face the potential threat- arrgh!!! As a result my T34s were pinned into the corner- even going through the forest they were about 1/2" out of range of side shots on the stugs. Curses!


SU 152 commander: Well the stugs have got their backs to us and are in the open, it would be rude not to drive onto the hill and have a crack... Alas I missed (I did need a 6 of course so why wasn' I surprised?) 7+ years of FoW and this is the first use of MW SUs in a non scenario game (I now remember why!).
"Anyway", the commander muses, "we'll be safe enough here..."


WRONG! Where the hell did that come from? 3 stugs then finished off the second one, curse front armour 8 (when at long range) when you can only roll "2s" for saves.


The cheeky 2iC trying to remove the flamethrower (the only team in SMG range)


The T34s hug the forest while the stugs use the road to put pressure on the other flank.


The storch is the second objective. My second rota platoon came on and promptly bogged 2x scout cars so only 9x 50 cal dice as I charged the aufkalrung trying desperately to claw back a point. I did kill 3 teams (including the company commander) and force a platoon morale test (which he passed) but the next couple of turns the stugs and half tracks simply blew me off the objective. One stug was sniped by a T34 with a side shot but two others parked on the objective and I was unable to contest. At this point my mortars had finally turned up but failed to range in on the remaining aufklarung. My frst platoon too was now moving through the village but was unable to assault the aufklarung on the last turn.


6-1 to Dale.

Thoughts
A game of missed opportunities. I was always going to have to try and get in and deal with the aufklarung and hope for the best vs the stugs- 5 was simply too many to deal with (as it turns out Dale's points were off and we should have only faced 4 but it made it more challenging this way!). Dale maneuvered them perfectly to counter the flamethrower and T34 threats and I really had no other openings to deal with them after that.

Air support would have been handier for me and it is for scenarios that this that I feel its worth it. I still would only have had 2 platoons on board and 2 in reserve but at least could have rolled each round for some air support to keep the stugs spread out.

I actually liked the SU 152s, fragile as hell but something to be wary of. On a less snowy table the T34s could have tried to use their mobility better (we are playing a bogging test for snow and if passed normal cross country movement but no double timing)