From MilesR: Peleliu odds and ends (126 points)

 Some odds-n-ends for the Peleliu project.  The bulk of the stuff I need to run the campaign is complete and now I'm working on ancillary detail items.  The only outstanding items after this post will be the remaining portion of the US bombard fleet (2 other Battleships and 8 cruisers).

All of the miniatures in today's submission are from the fine folks at Pico Armor.

Lets take a look at the US air assets - there are 8 Wildcat Fighters and 8 F4U Corsairs.  I'm testing different ways to base the aircraft brass wire glued into a hole drilled into the plane or 1/8 inch plastic rod with a tiny magnet glued on the end of the rod and then a magnet of the plane

I like the wire look a lot better but they are a bit unstable.  Still the dive bombing look is pretty cool.  Putting on all of these tiny decals was a bit of an ordeal.  Each one had to but cut individually and then tossed in some water.

I did learn that when working with the decals, it's best to only cut out the ones you need for each plane.  Earlier, I had gone with the production line method of cutting out ALL of the stars and then dropping them in the water as I applied them.  Then I sneezed.  Not gonna do that again!

8 wildcats for Air Superiority work

US combat assets - 3 75mm pack howitzer batteries and 3 companies of 75mm packs howitzers mounted on M3 halftracks.  Each marine regiment had one company of the M3 mounted howitzers which provided very effective fire against Japanese bunkers.

There were 3 companies of LVT's mounting turrets that were used as direct Fire Support.  2 of the companies were equipped LVT A1's which had a M3 Stuart turret mounted on and were completed earlier in the challenge.  There was also a company of LVT A4's which mounted a short barrel 75mm howitzer (it was a M8 Scott gun motor carriage turret).  There was a 4th company of LVT A1's but they were converted into makeshift Flame Throwing tanks and will be one of the most important assets the US players have to bring to bear.

7 Bases of DUKW amphibious trucks and 15 of LVT's. For the game the US players will have a total of 18 LVT bases and 5 DUKWS.  Once they've completed their initial task of landing troops they shift over to supply trucks.  Because of the reefs surrounding Peleliu, the US could get it's transport ships and even landing craft close to the beach to unload and had to ferry everything on LVT's and ducks.  Losses of these vehicles was very high and posed severe supply problems for the US.

Some Japanese aircraft - 3 Val dive Bombers and 8 zero fighters.  Historically, the Japanese had no air support but it was a constant threat so there will be a small chance some of these planes show up.  

I just painted the Japanese insignia and will likely go back and use decals.  I just need a break from super tiny decals for a bit.

Japanese defensive position - 18 caves/machine bunkers, 9 block houses and 3 120mm gun pits plus one HQ bunker in the back

I did pick up some traditional landing craft (Higgins boats and LST's).  I'll likely use them to mark landing zones and such.

As for points. there are:

6 guns at 0.5/each = 3pts

96 vehicles at 1/each = 96 pts

27 airplanes at 1/each = 27

The defensive positions are really terrain so lets just throw them in for free = 0 points

That group totals 126 points.

Lets get back to building and painting ships or is there something else.....

Friday minion: Aha, so glad we see this project almost to completion before Challenge end. I do admire your relentless grind to the objective without distraction, comprehensive approach to a meticulously researched topic and the wow factor you deliver through the project as a whole. My favourite of the bunch here are the US air support, the decals look like they were worth the effort and setbacks.