From RossM: The Last Post for AHPC XIV - 30 points

It has been a quick Challenge this time round and both unfortunately and regrettably I don't have much to show for it. 

There is are miniatures in varying states of paint and unpaint across the painting table however due to a variety of different reasons, only the five AVF below are suitable to enter as my second and final post for this year's challenge. 

The Desert War between 1940-43 has always been an interest of mine and on reading a "soft" copy of O Group from the boys at Too Fat Lardies, the rest as they say is history. 

The vehicles are from Pendraken's great range of 10mm WW2 models and the detail shows well once painted. 

There are four Marder II's and one Sd Kfz 10/4 with a 20mm AA gun fitted. The Marders where fun to paint and the extra detail on the sidings of the 10/4 take to dry brushing like a fish to water. 

Sadly, this concludes my AHPC XIV with additional points as below:

10mm vehicles x 5 = 6 points each for a total of 30 points. 

This takes my challenge total to 106 points from 500. Not the finish I was looking for but them's the blows 

Looking forward to catching up with all of your posts from the last three months and November isn't far away. 

Cheers for now

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Great work on these DAK vehicles, Ross. I especially like the weathering and how you pulled out the details on the crew. Great little minis for 10mm! 

I realize your output didn't meet your target, but I know you'll be more than up for it next time we roll out. 

- Curt

  

 

From PaulSS: Dirty Panzers and recon - 27pts

 

Just a small submission this week, I'm working towards a larger unit of 28mm figures that are due to be finished in time for next weeks post, but to maintain my cadence of at least one post a week I've added a few more vehicles to the 12mm-ish WWII collection for O Group.

A pair of Panzer IVH and a pair of SdKfz 222 join the German forces for my late WWII games. 

All the models are from Pendraken and are nominally10mm but size well with the Victrix 12mm figures in my collection.

I've painted them in a dirty three colour scheme, the decals are from I-94 Enterprises after these were dried I added more muck and grime with a Tamiya weathering master kit. 

Panzer IVH

Panzer IVH

Panzer IVH

Panzer IVH

SdKfz 222

SdKfz 222

SdKfz 222

SdKfz 222

Four 10mm-ish vehicles and three crew should add 27 points to my ongoing total.

Superb looking models here Paul and certainly reflect your considerable painting skills. The Sdkfz 222 was one of my favourite German recce vehicles of the war (surpassed perhaps only by the Puma?) and the Pzkpfw IV(H) is iconic, the schurzen look great. The weathering is really well done too and the grimy look certainly suits the "beginning of the end" in Normandy.

27 points seems paltry for these lovely models but we are slaves to the Magic Spreadsheet. Nice work!

Dallas

From PaulSS - WWII German limbers and AA guns - 54pts

 

I'd already hit my painting goals for the week, but decided to pull out the stops and add some more bits to the 12 WWII collection that I started in Challenge XIII and recently added more US supports to.

Even in the later stages of the war, much of the German army was relying on horse drawn transports, so I decided that my German units for O Group would be relying on horse-drawn limbers for their supports rather than motor vehicles. I added four to my most recent order from Pendraken.

The horses were painted with Citadel Contrast paints, I think they work well for horse flesh at this scale, while the limbers themselves and the crews were done in Vallejo Model Colour with an Army Painter wash.

I also painted a pair of 2cm FlaK38 for close air defence of the forces. I wish that Pendraken did some additional crew packs, all these guns look rather sparse with only two crewmen.

I really should have squirrelled this year, I've painted so many different things. 

So, for my total, it's four vehicles, two guns, 16 horses and 8 crew, which at 12mm is 54 points.

Great stuff here Paul, I agree that horse transport for the Germans is significantly under-represented on the wargames table. Not everybody was able to get a motorized tow from a truck or halftrack! The models look great as always and 2cm flak guns always come in handy. Looking forward to more and some reports on "O" Group!

Dallas

From PaulSS - New Acquisitions - M16 MGMC and M20 Scouts - 44pts

 

Last years challenge I painted up both US and German forces for O Group. I'm ashamed to say that since those forces were done, they have played exactly one game and I've not done anything else with them, so I'm I could claim the "Overdue and Returns" bonus here. However, I decided that Challenge XIV would see me revisiting this project so I placed an order on Pendraken last month, hence 'New Acquisitions', and you'll (hopefully) be seeing more troops added to the forces over the coming weeks.

First up is a pair of M16 MGMC to provide close air defence for the Americans. This is a lovely crisp model and a really easy paint job.

One of the stowage packs allowed for quite a bit of variety in the vehicles, I do think they would have been better with some crew sculpted in them.

The other pair of vehicles are M20 Scout/Utilities, these seem to be older castings and the detail a bit more "soft" on these, but they came out ok after a lick of paint.

Four12mm vehicles at 6pts each plus the location bonus should net me 44 more points towards my total and break me into double figures.

_______________________________________

Great work on these little Yanks, Paul! In looking at these vehicles, it illustrates the American tendency to just plop on a .50 cal on anything that rolled. Incredible.

- Curt

From PaulSS: Last of the WWII Germans -- 85 pts

This week I finished off the last of the stuff I have in hand for the German force for O'Group, I've now got enough American and German troops painted for a medium sized game and I hope to get at least one game in before everything gets packed up for the move back to Wisconsin at the end of the month.

The final troops in the Victrix German Infantry and Heavy Weapons were completed adding several more sections of infantry, a couple of machine guns, commanders anti-tank and patrol markers. although looking at the photos some of them could use a spray of matt varnish.

I picked up enough sabot trays from Warbases  for all eighteen American and German infantry platoons, but I've only included a couple of shots here, once you've seen one movement tray you have seen them all!

An order from Pendraken sorted out some heavier infantry support for the Germans, a pair of leIG18 7.5cm infantry guns.

And a pair of PaK38 5cm anti-tank guns.

I also made a small order to Red3 as they have some nice defences suitable for our Normandy games. I picked up a pair of Tobruk machine gun positions.

And a pack of sandbagged positions to represent dug in infantry.

Lastly Pendraken also furnished some armoured support for the Germans, a Tiger I will be a formidable opponent for the Shermans.

A pair of StuGIIIG complete the collection.

60 12mm infantry and crews, four 12mm guns, three 12mm vehicles and a one point each claim for the Tobruks and defences will be 83 points added to my total, and I've passed the target I set myself with days to spare!

Squirrel Duel Tally: 4 (40K Kroot, Gaslands, WW2 US, WW2 German)

Another finished project apparently!  Fine looking Germans for you Normandy Paul, they every bit as nice as your prior units.  The sabot bases may look alike, but they look great.  It's also nice to see you field the workhorse support units like the 5cm ATGs and the StuGs.   I am looking forward to seeing AAR of your O  Group games.  O Group was a bit of a bust with our gaming group, but that's another story...

Wisconsin?!?  Are you taking travel advice from that tosser in Love Actually?  But seriously, good luck on your move back across the pond. 

From PaulSS: WWII Germans -- 63pts

 

Victoria and I have been away this week for a break in Cornwall, but, as usual I packed paints and brushes to take with us. Unfortunately, I forgot to pack the daylight lamp, but a swift order to Amazon rectified that issue.

Infantry section

I've not done as much painting as I would have hoped, but did manage to get a few more German infantry, command and support bases done for the ongoing O Group project.

5cm mortar section

Machine-gun team

Infantry team with Panzerschreck

Observer team

Patrol marker

Pendraken do a very nice German sentry post, I'm not sure what usage it will see but I thought I'd paint one up for table dressing.

58 12mm infantry and a 5 point claim for the guard post, soldier and hound combined will add 63 points to my total taking me tantalizing near to my goal!

Squirrel Duel Tally: 4 (40K Kroot, Gaslands, WW2 US, WW2 German)

You are getting some lovely results on these 12mm figures Paul.  I really like the basing, especially was your flocking blends in. nicely with your terrain mat.  I really like that guard post, I am sure that you can find uses for that on table.

My group has experimented with O Group recently, and it looks like it's a no on our side.  Unlike others in O(ur) Group I found the rules easy to read, learn and play, but they felt a bit antiseptic at times.