More Orks and Da Rusty Junk

I felt like painting something a bit different recently so dug out these Ork Nob figures.

I may give the red another highlight of GW Wazdakka Red as it’s a bit intense but it’ll do for now.

I’ve also been experimenting with some rust recipes (mainly from Mr Scrivs blog) and these are two test pieces. I’ve slightly over done the rusting as I wanted to try it out on larger areas and I’m quite pleased with it. Grey primer and a coat of GW Leadbelcher (or Black primer and heavy drybrush) followed by a wash of GW Agrax. Then apply large patches of any a dark reddish brown such as Foundry Conker Shade or VMC Flat Brown. Then add highlights of the base with increasing amounts of orange and yellow. Try to leave a good range of colours from base to highest highlights. Then go back with a bit of wash here and there and perhaps some Leadbelcher on any freshly scraped edges.

New Pantile Buildings from Charlie Foxtrot

We’re very excited here at the table about these new pantile kits! They’ll be perfect for our games of Sharp Practice in Spain and Portugal, and Chain of Command or Bolt Action in Crete, Sicily and Italy, plus Silver Cutlass in the West Indies.

First up is Pantile Carthouse 2. I plan to build mine as a small roadside or waterfront tavern. A few barrels and a simple sign (and perhaps a figure representing a lady of “negotiable virtue”) will complete the look nicely. Charlie Foxtrot have stock of the splendid Debris of War barrels so that’s that sorted.

Next is Pantile House 5. This will be ideal as a more up-market residence. I can picture Captain Horatio Longshaft RN keeping a careful eye on the harbour from the top balcony. More about him when Silver Cutlass weighs anchor!

Here is Pantile House 7. Another splendid residence. I particularly like the bricked up “folly” doorway. A couple of these, maybe leaving out a storey on one, will be ideal for giving a little town in Italy a more urban look. Those balconies are perfect for dropping grenades into a passing Marder… watch out Jerry! Plenty of windows for snipers too.

This is Pantile House 6. The robust looking door suggests that this could be good place for the French to store their stolen Spanish gold? Rifles to the rescue!

Last but by no means least is the Pantile Store 2 which in this pic looks like it’s being used as an ammo dump for the Fallschirmjager forces invading Crete. The Kapitans will no doubt be very keen to blow it to pieces!

So there’s a few ideas of what we’ll be using the kits for. Also, I’ll probably look to customise some with additional exposed brickwork or shutters, etc. The latter are easily made from card, balsa or coffee stirrers. These MDF kits lend themselves well to such ad-hoc extras. Have a look at Pat Smith’s (a.k.a. Silver Whistle) excellent book on Mediterranean themed terrain for a host of ideas.

Happy modelling!

Crete Campaign: Game Five

Following on from the earlier unsuccessful attack on the Olive Oil Factory, the Australians of 2/1st Battalion have regrouped, called in armoured support (just like the real attack) and launched another assault on the heavily dug in FJs. Here’s the table laid out the same as before.

Orange Dave played a very aggressive patrol phase, pushing his markers forward along the road with all possible haste. He was determined to make the Aussies cross as much open ground as he could manage. This resulted in my JOPs being mainly in the sunken lane (out of shot, left) and adjacent woods whereas his own were nicely placed around the olive oil factory (ammo trolley in the gardens, the motorbike in the courtyard and the camo tent just outside the walls)

Jerry gets a succession of double turns and soon has plenty of men ready to give the Australians a warm welcome. Due to casualties one of his squads is half strength and the other two are a man down, but that’s still an awful lot of firepower. I bring on the Matilda (no HE tho!) and a section to support each other as they begin the attack.

The Aussies make a good start with an almost textbook attack on the nearest building. The Bren provides covering fire whilst the corporal and the rifle team hot-foot (rolling 17” for movement) to the house.

Next they post a couple of grenades through the window causing absolute havoc on the depleted FJ squad inside.

The 2” mortar plops some smoke right outside the window allowing the platoon sergeant and Bren gunner to move and rejoin their mates.

Dave has deployed his dreaded LG40 just next to the pig shed behind the house and has been potting away at the Matilda. A couple of hits inflict some shock and rattle the gunner but the tank’s thick armour proves very effective. In reply the turret machine gun has picked off several LG40 crew but each time the JL and attached SL avoid being hit. Whilst advancing, the platoon sergeant is lightly wounded dropping my morale from 9 to 7.

All the shooting and grenades have pinned the few surviving Jerries in the balcony building so, fixing bayonets, the lads charge in and slaughter the FJs. Dave’s morale drops from 11 to 9.

However, the Aussies are now pummelled by shooting from two directions as the FJs pour belt after belt of rounds in to the building. Here’s the squad in the main factory building.

Sensing an opportunity Dave moves a squad over the wall and up towards the building.

They rush the building and quickly slaughter the platoon sergeant, the corporal and the few brave Aussies. With a slain senior leader, junior leader and a section wiped out, my morale collapsed from 7 to 1.

Another fantastic game to add to the narrative of our Crete campaign. This table is a particularly tough nut to crack even for quality troops like the Australians. From game six onwards the Allies have the option of calling in an RM Commando troop from Layforce. We might also get those splendid chaps in the RN to give the area a thorough pasting before sending the lads in. Jerry won’t enjoy that!

Grand Manner Shrine & Well

The title says it all really! I picked these up in the excellent Grand Manner “raw resin” sale earlier this year, for a bargain price too.

Painted as per my usual recipe for pantile and Mediterranean buildings.