WW2 Russians

I have made a start on my forces for NUTS!. The discovery of some left over figures from my Guards Air Landing force for FoW settled the question of which theatre to play.

The left over figures did not include any of the Degtyarev DP LMGs, so I have ordered some from the local Peter Pig distributer along with an OPFOR of late war Germans.

I also have a vague inclination to get some Japanese as well, to be opponents in the Manchurian campaign - something a little different.

Here is an early picture of the two groups (aka sections, squads) of a Russian platoon. These figures are from the FoW range.

Despite my best efforts, these tovarishes look a little dark - they look better in person. Still a bit more highlighting and weathering to do, but they are beginning to take shape.


The basic set of colours in use here are:

Tunic
Tamiya Khaki

Boots
GW Chaos Black

Gun
GW Bestial Brown

Helmet
Vallejo Russian Green

Gun Metal
GW Chainmail

Pouches
GW Graveyard Earth/GW Bleached Bone 50:50

Rain Poncho
GW Catachan Green over GW Graveyard Earth

HOTT Skeletons

While I had the camera out I decided it was past time to capture some class photos for my army of skeletons.

The spears are a recent addition and have not been based yet. In the meantime I have completely changed my basing technique, so I have to relearn the old way... Oops.

Artillery. Next to useless in practice, but nice little diorama.
Sand bags and cannon balls hand made from Milliput

Dark Riders. Someone ought to get those horses some oats.


Lurker.


Blades.
Some effort was put into making the metal rusty looking, including orange surface rust and the deeper red iron cancer.


Shooters.
They are carrying crossbows if that is not completely clear.


Necromancer as the Magician who raised the skeleton army.
Has a skeleton standard bearer and a sorcerer or some other magical assistant.


The necromancer's Stronghold.
I was a bit inspired by Orthanc in the construction. All the rivets are PVA drops applied with a piece of brass rod.


Spears.
Cannot quite figure out what the shako or WW2 helmet is all about...


Wraith Sneakers

Japanese DBA

I have put together a Japanese army for a DBA campaign at the club. We are using some modified rules to add teppo as Shot - basically Bow with factor changes.

Here are some photos of my army. I will be playing Uesugi, who was a monk. Accordingly his blade entourage are naginata wielding sohei.

The campaign is yet to start, but I plan to post some results.

Sohei Blades with naginata

Ashigaru teppo Shot

Ashigaru Spear

Ashigaru bow, being run as Psiloi

Samurai Cavalry command.
The centre figure is Uesugi, made with a head swap from a sohei figure.

WW2 Paint Guides

I have made a purchase of some figures for NUTS! and found myself wondering how to paint them.

So here is another post in the WW2 theme, this time tracking web resources on painting schemes and guides

Any recommendations for this list will be gratefully accepted. :)

British (and Commonwealth?)

• British Infantry - Flames of War website
• British and Canadian infantry - Bolt Action Miniatures. Very detailed, sadly light on pictures. Colour charts for Citadel and Vallejo.
• British Airborne - Great Escape Games
• British Commando - Great Escape Games
  

German

• German infantry - Lloydian Modelling Tips. This is really nice article on German infantry.
• German infantry - Bolt Action Miniatures. Very detailed, sadly light on pictures. Colour charts for Citadel and Vallejo.
  
• SS Pea Dot camouflage - Flames of War website
  
• German Infantry 1939-1945 - Flames of War website. Not completely sure about this one - disagrees with the Lloydian site above...
• Fallschirmjager camouflage - Flames of War website.
• Waffen SS - Great Escape Games
• Wermacht Heer - Great Escape Games
• Vallejo Colour Guide - The Miniatures Page post. Bit hard to read, but great resource.
• Splinter Pattern Image - Steve's Page of Camo
• Suggest Colours for Splinter Pattern - Colorado Minatures
• German Camouflage Patterns - kamouflage.net
  

Russian

• Russian Infantry - Amazon Miniature. A general page with some good detail on Russians:
• Russian infantry - Bolt Action Miniatures. Very detailed, some pictures. Colour selections for Citadel and Vallejo.
• Russian Infantry - Great Escape Games. Step by step pictures and colour guide. Nice.
  

United States

• US Airborne - Flames of War website
• American Army - Bolt Action Miniatures. Very detailed.
• US Infantry - Great Escape Games
• US Airborne - Tom Weiss

for chris

Infantry Tactics WW2

In the search for better TO&E for Russian units, I came across a site with some discussion on infantry tactics and the corresponding units.

I haven't read it in detail, but seems good (not to mention they have some TO&E material).

Here's the link: infantry tactics of WW2

and their TO&E data

WW2 TO&E

With NUTS! have a more historical (if somewhat cinematic, apparently) feel about it, it seems appropriate to consider some potential theatres for scenarios.

Thanks to the TO&E Yahoo group for this data.

My current thoughts are to start small - one combat section per side and see how that plays out. I'll be surprised if NUTS! can handle a full platoon, but some more games will tell. At that size it is basically a couple of Peter Pig packs. Sweet.

UPDATE: I have been struggling to make sense of the Soviet data from TO&E. The numbers haven't been adding up and I haven't been able to find any alternatives. Until now. :)

The Avalanche Press site has some detail on Russian platoons. This data is reinforced by this site.

Stalingrad

    German Rifle Company Platoon (1942-43)
 Headquarters

 1 Squad
     2 x 9mm SMG
     6 x G98 Rifle

 3 Squads
     2 x 9mm SMG
     1 x 7.92mm LMG
     1 x G98 Rifle (Assistant LMG Gunner)
     6 x G98 Rifle

    Soviet Infantry Company Platoon (1941)
 Platoon Leader w/ pistol
 NCO w/ SMG
 1 or 2 Messenger/Sniper w/ rifle

 4 Infantry Groups
     Group Leader w/ Rifle
     6 soldiers w/ Rifles and some SMG (mostly rifle)

     LMG Machinegunner w/Pistol
     Assistant w/ rifle


 Mortar Group (1+3 men)
     Group Leader
     3 Mortarmen
     1 50mm Mortar

Monte Casino

    German Rifle Company Platoon (1944-45)
 Headquarters
     1 x 7.92mm LMG
     1 x G98 Rifle (Assistant LMG Gunner)

 3 Rifle Squads
     2 x 9mm SMG
     1 x 7.92mm LMG
     1 x G98 Rifle (Assistant LMG Gunner)
     6 x G98 Rifle

    British Rifle Company Platoon
 Headquarters
     Second Lieutenant armed with a revolver
     sargeant with a Sten gun
     platoon commanders batman with a rifle
     platoon commanders orderly with a rifle.

 2” mortar group consisting of
     lance corporal. Mortar group leader with rifle
     mortar No1 with 2” mortar
     mortar No2 with rifle

 ? Rifle sections
     Corporal. Section commander with a Sten gun
     Rifle group of six men armed with rifles.
     Bren group of three men
         Lance corporal, Bren group leader with rifle
         Bren No1 with Bren gun
         Bren No2 with rifle

US Rifle Company Platoon (1944-45)
 Headquarters

 3 Rifle Squads
     10 x M1 Rifle
     1 x BAR
     1 x 1903 Springfield Rifle or M1 Garand
       or
     9 x M1 Rifle
     1 x BAR
     1 x .45 cal SMG or .30 cal Carbine

TODO: Normandy

Pacific Theater

    Japanese Infantry Platoon
  Headquarters

  3 Squads
      1 x 6.5mm LMG
      12 x 6.5mm Rifle

  Weapons Squad
      3 x 50mm light mortars
      13 x 6.5mm Rifle

Australian Infantry Platoon (Tropical 1944)
(based on Australian War Memorial data)
  Headquarters
      Platoon Commander - Lieutenant
      1x 2" Mortar, 2x Mortar numbers
      3x Rifles

  3 Rifle Sections
      10 Other ranks
      1x Bren LMG
      2x Owen/Austin SMG
      1x sniper rifle

Tobruck or Bardia?

    Australian Infantry Platoon [4 Officers, 62 Enlisted each]
  Platoon Headquarters [1 Officer, 8 Enlisted]
    1 x Bren LMG
    1 x 2" Light Mortar

  3 Sections [1 Officer, 18 Enlisted each]
      Section Headquarters [1 Officer, 2 Enlisted]
      Rifle Squad [16 Enlisted]

WW2 15mm

The list of miniature manufacturers is getting a bit out hand. With the recent purchase of NUTS! it seems time to focus on a specific area - WW2 this time.

Here is a list of manufacturers of WW2 15mm in some more detail:

Battlefront
Germany, Finland Italy, Hungary, Romania, United Kingdom, USSR, USA
Infantry and Vehicles.
Clearly oriented towards Flames of War, so packs might be large. Vehicles have always been regarded as expensive. Happy with the Soviet Red Guard army I have for these rules.
Not sure where to get them from now that Napoleons has closed down... MilSims or Mind Games? Tin Soldier even - what happened to the Brisbane retailers...

Eureka
Australians, Chinese, Italians, Japanese, US Marines
Infantry
Really nice looking figures.
Typical Eureka - per miniature pricing at 80c ea.

Legions East
Early Russians, Finns, Hungarians and Romanians
Infantry only.
Nice looking figures, specialised range
Available from the US.

Old Glory - Command Decision
British, American, German, Early British, Early German, Russian, Italian, Japanese, French
Infantry and vehicles
Infantry in massive bags of 50 for £9. What an earth do you do with 50 figures in a skirmish game? 10 man packs available from Skytrex in the UK.
UK - postage expensive.

Peter Pig
Germans, British, Americans, French, Russians, Italians, Japanese & Dutch
Infantry and vehicles.
Huge selection of infantry, 8 per pack . Nice looking sculpts.
UK - postage will be expensive.
Available from Micks Metal Models in Australia - no entries in store.

Quality Casting
ANZAC, Britain, France, German, Italy, Japan, Polish, Soviets, USA
Infantry and vehicles.
Extensive selection of vehicles and good lists of infantry. No pictures. Figures seem to be in lots of 24 for US$10.
US availability - postage again

Quick Reaction Force (QRF)
American, British, Bulgarian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Polish, Romanian, Soviet
Vehicles and Infantry.
Vehicles are really strong. Basic selection of infantry. Vehicles about £5 - ouch. Infantry £2 for 8. Vehicles seem to be well regarded.
Available from the UK. Postage is again, the enemy - 30% of order.
Australian agent is Olympian Games (busted website).

Resistant Roosters
Americans, Finnish, Germans, Japanese, Soviets
Infantry