Gaming - Ardennes ‘44 - first game

 The collection had a proper run out today . I used the 12x6 set up to maximise playing area and see how the terrain created for the 8x4 set up needs adding too. 

The objective at the far end of the table - Fuel! 

I need another 6-8 feet of roads  to give me extra options 

I have some more conifers to winterise l but that should be enough 

I need to add more to stream set - it only covered 5 feet , I have an extra 3 feet to hand that needs sorting . 

 

The Yanks blew the bridge early  by rolling the 6 that was needed on the first attempt-forcing a detour by the tanks .

The Nuns in the chapel were preparing for trouble 

The Germans advance to the South side of the town having cleared out the defenders 

The spearhead is making back to the road and fuel !

Panzers charge through the village , crushing the AT Gun.

The US engineers are still laying charges as the King Tiger plows into dump .

The cavalry have arrived .

Tiger ! 

 

Caught by the cavalry - shot in the rear .. boom .

 

A US victory - but only just ! 

A great first game .

Ardennes’44 - US infantry platoon .

 I have a game booked in with the guys this coming weekend and needed to uplift the US Infantry . I have completed a platoon with extra LMG and Mortar support . This should make a bit more of a challenge for Kampfgruppe Bren to bank its head against . 

 

I have done them with a straight winter base as the various urban/rural  bases on order are taking a while to arrive 

The table is being made ready for a club game .

AZW - Zulus 1000 of em!

 Another 4 units completed for the Zulu army . Which takes me up to just over 1000 Zulus painted ./

‘Coming at You”

Beehive 

The Reeds

The White Tails

The 4 new units 

 

The full army 

The Horns of the Buffalo 

Not having to paint cavalry and artillery makes it a change alright 

Chest and Loins units 

Right Horn 

Left Horn 

I need to add some rifle armed skirmishers , and I have enough figures for one more unit and some commanders . But that’s enough for now I think . Martin and I are planning the campaign out at the moment.

Martins invasion forces are also completed 

Next solution is storage . The guys at Pendraken have made me up some Really Useful Box inserts so I can get 5 in 9 litre box

AZW - Many more Zulus

the Impi is progressing well with another 4 units being added. This takes me up to about 650 figures 

First up some commanders 

Cetshawyo on horseback with other foot commanders , and.another for commander . I have another 4 of these still to do . There is also a casualty marker piece of fallen Zulus. Of these bits are from Steve Barber 10mm. They are not a bad match with the Pendraken stuff and fill in some of the range gaps for me .

 

It’s been a productive week on the infantry side with another 4 regiments completed .

The first Veteran unit with mostly white shields. Uthulwans - “Dust Raisers”

The UVe - “Flycatchers”

The Indlondlo “Black Mambas”

An unmarried unit the “Leopards Lair”

 

The latest 4 laid out 

 

I have all the rest of the figures ready to prepare and basecoat to take me over the 1000 target and add another 4 regiments . Which should get done over the couple of weeks . I have other painting plans coming up so need to get these done .

We are tweaking the home brew set used for the mass Sudan battles and are doing a play test tomorrow.

So a few rough set up shots from today .

The local clergy in the form of the  De Witts having seen the increase in Zulu forces have a warning . “You’re all going to die !”

Ardennes ‘44 . The Chapel and winter German kit

 Another little update . I had picked up,a 3D printed Chapel and this has been completed along with a stand of Nuns . Well they should provide some random event opportunities I think 

The Nuns are from a Blue Moon set with priests as well - though they are very much Dracula hunters l but these 3 will do the job 

 

I needed to add some extra German armour and I had some with a basecoat already on in the stash . I did a basic camo scheme and green brown wash . A bit of base highlight then the winter drybrush and snow gel was added . 

An old Battlefront resin piece . 

 

Next is the more base armour - Stugs and PzIV

 

That’s it for now - next top up here will be some more American infantry bits . 

Edit - I managed to also get some Bazooka teams done for the Yanks