From BenitoV: Landing at Death Star - Canadian PIAT Teams (40 points)

 Today I'm taking a short trip from Caprica to the nearby planet(?) of Death Star.

The post today includes  two PIAT teams for my WW2 Canadian Army project. One of these teams is embedded in the Platoon HQ section of the  Chain of Command British and Commonwealth army lists. The other team will represent a support option, a quite cheap option in fact within the lists to reinforce your core unit anti-tank capabilities; although at the same time, not the Second World War's most effective infantry AT weapon at all.

Why the Death Star? Considering the weapons origin and operating mechanism, we would most of all agree that fits well within the "questionable design" theme allocated to this planet of the outer ring.

You may know that the PIAT's origin had to be traced back to the hand-held "spigot mortar", a 1940 hastily designed defence weapon against the looming Nazi invasion of the British Isles that year (you know: operation Sea Lion, Dad's Army and so).   

When fears of the invasion dispelled, the design was used as the base for a hand-held anti tank weapon called PIAT (Projector Infantry Anti Tank weapon) that first used in Tunisia in 1943 (Operation Torch), replacing the long-time outdated Boys AT rifle.

PIATs were widely used during the war and even in the ealry 50s still showed up in several armies of the Commonwealth. The PIAT firing mechanism was based on a large spring, that had to be cocked (at least for the first shot) manually, ejecting a 20 pound grenade to (at least in theory) over 100 meters distance. The effective firing range was however much shorter, 40 to 50 meters... one has to admire the brave PIAT teams, daring to approach short distance to a German steel monster basically using a sophisticated slingshot to destroy it.

Oddly enough, while other armies were widely using rocket-propelled weapons (like Bazookas, Panzerfausts or Panzerschrecks) the British neither undertook any further technical development in the field (I'm not sure why) nor attempted to replace this cumbersome weapon with the ubiquitous US bazooka. 

Turning now to the painted models, the first two-man team are a couple of plastic models from the Warlord's multipose British and Canadian Army Infantry box and depict the PIAT's operator and assistant ammo bearer walking leasurely somewhere in France or Belgium. The suculpting and pose variety of the box is outstanding (and if you take a close look, the ammo bearer head has even a cigarrette in his lips)

The second team are from the Empress metal Late War British supports blister. Smaller than their Warlord pals and wearing a more wintery outfit, these minis show a high standard sculpting quality, as usual from any of this  brand's designs.

If I've done my maths right, the entry will add 40 points to my Challenge score:

4 x@5 points 28mm infantry models =     20 points

Death Star (outer ring) Bonus =                20 points

Total =                                                        40 points

From DaveD

Questionable design - oh yes I agree with that all right!. The PIAT always seem suitable eccentric .

40 points it is!