Combat Command R, 4th Armored Division - Reprised

So, here are the main opponents of the previously posted Fallschirmjäger. These are members of Combat Command R (Reserve) of the 4th Armored Division. The command's 37th Tank Battalion being led by then-Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Williams Abrams, Jr. These are again mostly Victory Force Miniatures, and painted some years ago (before I started this blog). I'm in the process of migrating images from another site where these were posted. Apologies to those who may have already seen them elsewhere.

4th AD Infantry Platoon (minus) - two squads with .30 cal MG team, RTO, medic, bazooka men, snipers, and flamethrower. All 28mm VFM figures sculpted  by James Bland.

In front of Abrams' Thunderbolt. Comparison of Easy Eight Tankers, also sculpted by James Bland, with Victory Force Mini and Corgi Sherman

Easy Eight's Battleground WWII US Dismounted Tankers. These 28mm guys were "elevated" about 1.5mm at the legs - just wanted them to be "right" with Victory Force minis. Added a cigar to the center guy. Master sergeant rank and 4th Armored Division patches are decals from Company B.

Corgi 1:50th scale Shermans and Easy Eight TC's. The hatches are scratch-built from plasticard and Green Stuff.

New Millennium Jeep with Victory Force crew. Walmart used to sell these diecasts vehicles for about $5.00.

Part of the recon element for this unit. This is a 1:48 scale resin kit by Kengi - very well-detailed and fairly easy to build. The TC is a composite figure using a Tamiya torso and the head of an Easy Eight Battleground tanker. A VFM 28mm figure is next to the tank for comparison. Stars on the Stuart, as well as rank patch on the figure are from Company B.

This is a 1:48 scale Tamiya kit; fairly simple to build. TC and gunner (in the open turret) are Company B figures. The metal figures and the metal hull add a nice heft to the vehicle. 28mm VFM figure for comparison.

M3 Half-tracks for the Armored Infantrymen. These are 1:50 scale Corgi diecasts, repainted, with Company B decals. .50  Cal gunner from Company B; drivers scratch built using parts from German kubelwagen drivers and US heads.

28mm Figure & 1:50-48 Scale Vehicle Compatibility; L-R: 1:48 Kengi resin M5 Stuart; 1:50 Corgi diecast M4 Sherman; 1:48 Tamiya kit M10 Tank Destroyer; & 1:50 Corgi diecast M3 Halftrack.VFM figures in front.

Half squad with PSG Hightower

Half Squad with BAR man led by SSG Rock

Another half squad of Riflemen

Bazooka men, RTO, & Flame Thrower looking a little too happy.

.30 cal MG team with 1LT Ripper (Battlefield Commissioned).

Snipers and Medic - there was a rule about Medics in Disposable Heroes - forgot exactly how he worked, but pretty much painted him up because I wanted a figure with the red cross on the helmet. And that's a bandage roll he's holding, not something else.

Although the 4th Armored Division arrived after D-Day, it spearheaded the Normandy Breakout in Operation Cobra. In fact, the last time I played Disposable Heroes was a scenario based upon this operation. Abrams is, of course, famous for his relief of the 101st at Bastogne. Again, thank you for allowing me to indulge and repost images of figures painted long ago.

February Fallschirmjäger Flashback

As the pace of my painting has slowed down to the movement of pond water - as we'd say in the Army, I thought of posting images of figures I painted some time ago, but not posted on this blog - at least not close ups. Some of my blogger brethren may have already seen them, and I apologize upfront for the redundancy. However, this reposting of images serves several purposes, one to ensure they're preserved in case the other website goes away, another to share the images with those who may not have seen them, and finally to keep this blog alive :)! I'll try to not post images which have already been posted on this blog - and most haven't as I stopped posting on the other website once I stood this one up - back in November 2008. All of these figures are Victory Force Miniatures - with a couple of headswaps from other makers. They've been used in Bolt Action, and before that Disposable Heroes games.

Fallschirmjägerzug Wolfram, 5th Parachute Division - just a name I made up at the time.

Same guys, different view.

Oberleutnant Helmut von  Blücher, 5 FJD, commander of this merry band. 28mm Victory Force Miniatures - headswap with Battle Honors. Tan/water camo smock.

Led by the dashing Feldwebel Kermit von Wolfram - this is a jagertrupp with veterans wearing several different versions of smocks.

Unteroffizier Hans Heimlich leads these stoic Fallschirmjäger in splinter pattern smocks.

Unterfeldwebel Otto Janhammerstein leads his jagertrupp wearing the old grey-green smocks.

Jagertrupp in newly issued tan/water pattern smocks. The guy on the far right has a headswap from Battle Honours, IIRC. Truppfuhrer is the indomitable Unterfeldwebel Getrude Koenigsberg II - I named him after a friend I grew up with back in Hawaii - his dad was German (a Porsche mechanic) and his mom was Japanese.

A few replacements with standard issue helmets - these guys haven't gone through jump training.

DFS 230 Glider -This is a 1:48 resin kit by Karo-As Modellbau, a German company - in fact I had to get the swastika from somewhere else as the kit didn't include it per their laws.

Anyway, thanks for allowing me to indulge - it was a bit fun for me as I hadn't visited the other site in a long time, and didn't realize that a lot of my figures there aren't on this blog.

15th C. Italian Style Armor - WIP

Not a painting or gaming post, but just an update on what I've been up to. Here's the start of a 15th Century Italian/Milanese style armor kit. A newly arrived breastplate next to the Sallet and bevor.

The 15th C. Italian style breastplate arrived yesterday. It's made by a company called Lord of Battles - an Indian maker carried by Kult of Athena. It's under $100 - less shipping. The placart (belly plate) is attached by sliding rivets to the breastplate. There is a single fauld at the bottom of the placart.

The sliding rivets allow for the length of the breastplate to adjust to the wearer. They come in Medium - which is what this one is; Large and Extra Large. The sizing is more for the width. This one fits very well with the arming jacket and mail haubergeon under it.

After cutting off the ends of the sliding rivets (yellow arrows), I peened them tighter to the highest position. The overall length is about 17 inches - to the bottom of the fauld.

 

It has a very nice rounded shape which is historically correct. Many reproduction breastplates are too flat. A pair of Milanese mitten gauntlets and spaulders are next - once those arrive and fitted, I'll have some photos of the whole kit. Apologies, for the lack of the brushwork and gaming and thanks for visiting.

Nordland Captain of the Guard

So here's the second Empire character figure which was picked up at a sale a few years ago. The body is from the plastic Master Engineer kit. Pistolier and Reiksguard Knight arms are used, as well as a Huntsmen's head. Although the Master Engineer head and Hochland Long Rifle are cool, I already had a couple of Master Engineers already, so opted for a more close-combat looking figure.

I have no clue as to the Nordland fluff, but chose the blue and yellow colors as they look pretty nice.

With the red cloak and hat, he could also pass for a Marienburger, I suppose.

Since I haven't taken pictures of 28mm figures for sometime, I'm still struggling to get the lighting right. These are a bit washed out from the flash.

The shield is from one of the earlier Swordsmen kits.

To be honest, I only got into Warhammer Fantasy a few years ago, and then only played a handful of games. The release of Dragon Rampant has provided a new lease on life for these troops.

Prepping for a Convention - 3 Months in Advance?!

This may sound a bit early for a convention in May, but I just finished marking positions of major terrain pieces using masking tape placed on the terrain cloth to be used. This way I don't have to worry about trying to remember how to set stuff up during the convention, particularly with sectional terrain like the roads and river. This is for a Lion Rampant game based upon First St Albans - a game played about a year ago. What set me in motion was being reminded by the event coordinator last night via email that I had committed to running a couple of games.

My wife's puppy wanted to know what was going on above her, so I hoisted her up for a looksee.

Once everything is put away, I will start on another Empire figure which has been sitting in a box for a few years.

Empire Greatswords Captain

Finally got around to picking up a brush today. This is the first 28mm figure I've painted in about six months. It's a GW Empire Greatswords Captain with a head swap from an Empire Knights kit. He's been sitting in a box for several years - picked up when a store was having a sale.

Painted him in the colors of Talabheim - the red and white is both simple and striking, IMO.

The cool wavy-bladed two-handed sword is known as a flameberge; or in German, flammenschwert - flame sword.

Coupled with the Landsknechts' characteristic puffy slashed sleeves, what's not to like?

Anyway, a slow start to painting again, but something I found not unpleasant. Warmest regards to you all.

Late 14th/Early 15th C. Transitional Armor in the Italian Style

Pardon my indulgence, but it's Armor Up! Saturday again. Here is an interpretation of so-called Transitional Armor of the Late-14th to Early-15th C. The pieces are based upon armor displayed in Churburg Castle. The segmented breastplate is commonly known by modern historians as Churburg #13 - the cataloged number of the suit in the castle.

Along with the breastplate, plate limb armor is worn with a mail haubergeon. A mail aventail also protects the neck and shoulders under a hounskull bascinet. The Mid to Late-14th C. was period where plate was taking over mail, but not completely, hence the Transitional moniker.

Note the half sleeves of the haubergeon being worn over the shoulder and upper arms. My long-suffering wife tied on the arm harness to the mail - as well as took the photos. I vacuumed the house and washed the dishes in return.

The hand and a half sword was popular during this period. I may someday get mail or plate sabatons, but my zip up ankle boots are stand-ins once again.

Out mushroom hunting in the backwoods of Puyallup.

Reflecting with the trusty falchion.

On campaign with the boys.

Remember to take your vitamins and say your prayers.

Thanks for bearing with me. The only painting I've been doing lately is with Microsoft Paint.net.

15th C. Sallet

Got another armor delivery today - a sallet based on the one found in the church at Witton-le-Wear in Durham, England. The helmet and bevor are 14 Gauge steel, and weigh around 10 pounds together. It's well balanced, and once strapped on doesn't feel heavy at all. Putting on and wearing armor is how I get my cardiovascular work out and weight training.

Without the bevor.

Although it was found in England, it is believed to have been made in the Northern European style for export. The original is dated to the Mid to Late-15th Century.

With the bevor worn.

The thickness and weight of this reproduction is a bit more than the original, but not by too much. With proper padding this would hold up pretty well in full contact reenactments. The eye slits a little bit wider than the original, but thrusting and stabbing aren't allowed in full contact reenactments - go figure.

The helmet was listed as new, and the liner looks clean and never worn, but I think it laid around somewhere for a while as it had tiny spots that look like rust and the finish is a bit tarnished. Nothing a little bit of scouring with fine steel wool won't take care of. I think the woman who sold this on ebay didn't really know much about it - her ebay store had no other armor listings or anything remotely military. Everything else in her store was either ceramics or quilts and such. I can't say it was 50% cheaper than from a retailer, but it was close.

The over-sized brass rivets are actually authentically reproduced. When I first saw it I thought it looked odd, but here they are on the original sallet in the image below.

The visor stays up by friction if pushed up all the way. Saves me the trouble of trying to peen the rivets tighter, or replace them with lock nuts like I did with the bascinet.

The leather liner that is glued to the inside is not historically correct, but I don't plan on replacing it with a more correct padded fabric liner. I would just wear a padded coif in addition to the liner if I thought someone was going to clobber me on the head. I plan on dyeing the helmet straps a darker brown to match the one on the bevor.

Talhoffer Buckler

Came home from work early today to try out a "Talhoffer" buckler. It's 16 gauge steel and very nicely shaped - not bad at all for $35USD, free shipping. Note the faux "acorn hat" with Seahawks logo.

Anyway, this is one of the types of bucklers seen in the 15th Century illustrated manuscript authored by the fencing master Hans Talhoffer. The one on the right in the picture below has knobs or spikes around the edges.

Talhoffer was quite a man of his times with interests in several fields besides the martial arts - a few I had to look up as I'd never heard of them before, like onomastics and auctoritas. Spell check doesn't even know what they are. He also trained opponents for Trial by Combat.

As a buckler is mainly for parrying, it doesn't protect like a shield proper - as reflected by most rules. No missile saves!

The flanged shape and upturned ends were designed to deflect blows and thrusts.

The center hand-held grip also denotes its primary function.

Anyway, it's a nice mid-week diversion that is otherwise filled with work and fighting traffic. En Garde!