New rules, yet another project and problems with Fv432s

Hello again folks, I'm back again with another rambling post.

First thing is to point out that Too Fat Lardies have a new set of rules covering skirmish actions in the Roman period. Infamy, Infamy looks like it will be a lot of fun to play and doesn't require masses of figures like most ancient rules do. Have a look at the videos on YouTube to see what size the typical forces are. I'm looking forward to it arriving and, hopefully, the lift on the Covid rules so I can play it.

This leads to an obvious new project, Romans and Barbarians for this set of rules. I have a few Ancient British troops already, but they are based on 40mm squares and don't really work for a warband skirmish. One problem is that I like to have both sides for games so that I can run games for friends who don't have forces for it. So what to get. I am waiting for the rules to turn up before I decide what to buy, but initial thoughts are Ceasarian Romans and Gallic types. So that's going to take up my money for this year I think. Also this is subject to me being able to see well enough to paint the damn things at some point soon. 

Finally for this ramble it's back to the Cold War project. I was up late as I couldn't sleep again, this can prove to be a bad thing and it was for me on this occasion. In a moment of weakness at 3am I was browsing and came across an online store that had Team Yankee Fv432s and British infantry in stock. A couple of minutes later and I had ordered said Fv432s and infantry. My willpower at 3am is obviously weak. Anyway, they duly arrived and were opened up. The infantry are fine and match up with my existing Armies Army infantry nicely. The Fv432s though are another story. Now, if I had been looking at ordering these at a normal time of day I would have done a search for a comparison of the two, but at 3am this doesn't spring to the front of the queue. Once I had them though I thought they looked a bit small. So I did a search and lo and behold, a review pointing out the size difference is out there. Arse! So the Team Yankee model is smaller than the Armies Army one, noticeably so. Also it doesn't have the option of a peak turret, although it does have the options for a Swingfire armed Fv438. So now I have 5 Fv432's that are smaller than the 5 existing Fv432's I have. I am now going to have to decide if I want to keep them or wait and hope that Scotia Grendel are going to release the Armies Army models at some point. 

Ah well, decisions for another day as I am off to drop presents for one of the grand kids birthday. Adios for now folks, stay safe and keep gaming

Last few 15mm Cold War for now, plus a few ladies

I have nearly finished the last of my Cold War forces that I have here, the last few bits are painted up now and that's the lot...........until I get some more. 

Firstly we have a minor conversion to an Armies Army YPR-765 PRI. To give my small Dutch force a bit of long ranged anti-tank capability I decided to add some missile firepower.  A bit of research and I discovered the Dutch converted some YPRs with the TOW launcher turret from the US M901 ITV. At the time I looked nobody made this in 15mm(more on this later) so a bit of modelling was needed. Luckily Team Yankee do the ITV as a plastic add-on for their M113 kit and you can buy a sprue of bits individually. One quick order later and a sprue duly arrived. The modification is simplicity itself, just switch the IFV turret for the ITV turret and it's job done. 

Slap some paint on, add some netting and here it is, ready to support my Dutch troops against the Soviet horde.

As is typically the way with these things, just after I had stuck all the bits together and started slapping the paint on I received an email from TSS/QRF. Amongst their new releases was, you've guessed it, the YPR-765 PRAT! Typical. Ah well, I've made it now and I am happy with how it came out.

In addition the the YPR I used a spare M577 to make up an aid-station objective/jump off point marker. A few mixed figures from my Dutch, ANZAC and US spares and here it is. Its also my first attempt at the US MERDEC camoflage, hopefully it came out ok. 

Finally I ordered another Fv432 from Armies Army to carry my Milan teams around, as well as a few figures to make the teams up to 3 men each. Here they are in all their DPM glory, that's my BAOR force done, until I get some Scorpion/Scimitars for them anyway.

The last pictures are of a Dead Man's Hand gang of "Daughters of the West". These are for a nice chap in Germany for his wife to use against his gangs. Nice figures that made a change from all the Cold War stuff I have painted lately. If you read this Carsten, I hope your wife likes them and doesn't beat you too badly.

Anyway, that's it for now. I have nearly finished a few more things so there may be another update soonish.

Take care folks and I hope your dice are good to you.

The BAOR arrives......well, a small bit of it does anyway

 It brightened up yesterday so I managed to varnish my Cold War British contingent. These are all from Armies Army again and yet again are lovely models with no issues that I have found. I got these last year but the painting mojo for them didn't arrive until recently, so I have finally got around to painting them all up.

First up is the Mechanised Infantry platoon. Three squads of 8 men each with a GPMG and Caarl Gustav led by a 4 man command team with a 2" mortar.  All ferried about in four "mighty" Fv432s. Unlike Team Yankee these are available either with or without the peak turret, I decided on 2 of each just to mix it up a bit.

A closer look at some of the infantry and my attempt at 15mm DPM camo. I am fairly happy with the way they turned out but they are much more work to paint than Russians.

A closer look at the battle taxis, the Fv432. A similar design to the M113, basically a box on tracks, the 432 differed in being steel rather than aluminium and also being decidedly British by having a BV or "Vessel Boiling Electric". Basically it is a hot water system but I guess it wasn't military enough to call it a kettle. Still, +1 morale for having a cuppa in the middle of a firefight?



Now we come to the support options. At the front are a pair of Milan teams, a pair of Blowpipe SAM teams and a tripod GPMG team. I really need another Fv432 to carry the Milan teams about, along with a couple more figures to fill the ranks. Behind them are a Spartan APC for the Blowpipes and a Landrover for......well, I like them! Finally the heavy stuff, a trio of Chieftains ready to slap some T-72s around. I love the look of the Chieftain, it looks like it's going to ruin your day.

A closer look at the Milan teams with the Blowpipes behind them.





The Landrover is a lovely vehicle, I still want one if the boss ever lets me. I added the camo netting in the same way I did for the dutch, but didn't add the flock this time. I am not sure which I prefer yet so these "may" get flocked later. It's dwarfed by the Chieftain though, like most things are I guess.


Finally, for now, we have the Spartan and a Chieftain. The Spartan is a small APC, only able to carry 4 or 5 soldiers, but it's quick. It was used to carry specialist units like SAM teams and recce troops while the bigger Fv432 carried the infantry about. Behind it is the command Chieftain, given away by the open hatch and commander figure.

So that's the lot for now. I still need to add a few things, some Scorpions and/or Scimitars, an Fv438 Swingfire carrier and possibly some more infantry to make an Infantry Combat team. Hmm, not just yet though cos we is skint. Apparently a new microwave and flowers for the garden rank much higher than figures for me. Good job I love her innit. ;-)

Anyway, that's it again. Catch you later.