Tales Of Cromwell Tanks

If like me you love Cromwell tanks, then you will enjoy this video of annecdotes and facts about the British Cromwell Tank in WW2. The Cromwell first saw action in the Battle of Normandy in June 1944, equipping the armoured reconnaissance regiments of the 7th and 11th Armoured Divisions and the Guards Armoured Division. The armoured regiments of the 7th Armoured Division were also equipped with Cromwells at this time (in lieu of M4 Sherman tanks). Centaurs (the Cromwell without the Rolls Royce engine) were used in combat fitted with a 95 mm howitzer, as part of the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group during the initial ‘amphibious invasion’ days of the Normandy campaign. Continue reading “Tales Of Cromwell Tanks”

Jagdpanther with Hilary Doyle

Fantastic Video of the Weald Foundation operational Jagdpanther, presented by Hilary Doyle (renown German Armour Expert) with some absolutely fascinating and obscure facts included. A must watch if you are a WW2 Tank fan. Continue reading “Jagdpanther with Hilary Doyle”

Christchurch Wargaming Club Refights D-Day Battles

The Christchurch Wargaming Club are remembering the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy (6 June 1944) by refighting key battles and actions from the campaign. Read more at Stuff’s Displays and refights will mark D-Day anniversary.

Continue reading “Christchurch Wargaming Club Refights D-Day Battles”

Latest Ready Made Diecast 1/72 Models

The wealth of ready made diecast style models now is simply amazing. Especially in the 1/72 scale range (and I’m including 1/76 and 1/87 in that statement). I’ve not paid much attention to the scene in recent years, but just recently have been looking at it again, especially with a view to getting back into playing some Crossfire again. One of the semi-recent arrivals is PMA (Precision Model Art) and they are producing some highly detailed models that feature interior detail (such as engines and such). They do a range of very nice historical WW2 German models that include a V-2 Rocket (in 4 variants), 8.8cm FlaK, and several Sd.Kfz 8 Half-Track variants; including one of which is my favourite the 8.8 cm Flak 18 (Sfl.) auf Zugkraftwagen 12t (Sd.Kfz. 8) on the DB9 chassis. They also have some nice vehicle crew sets, German Kubelwagens & Motorcycles, and a nice LRDG Chevrolet Truck. Continue reading “Latest Ready Made Diecast 1/72 Models”

Operation Crossfire: World Event Aftermath

As mentioned in my “Operation Crossfire: A World Wargaming Event” post, following on from the hugely successful “World Crossfire Day” event in 2009, Nikolas Lloyd organised Operation Crossfire in 2014; another global Crossfire event. You can read the details of some of the individual battles in my Operation Crossfire: The Battle Reports post. These previous posts feature the introductory briefing video and after action reports of some of the battle sectors, so now find out exactly what happened in the grand operation directly from the organiser himself… Continue reading “Operation Crossfire: World Event Aftermath”

Operation Crossfire: The Battle Reports

As described in my Operation Crossfire: A World Wargaming Event post Nikolas Lloyd had organised to stage a global Crossfire game that featured players in many countries all playing Crossfire games simultaneously, and games that were connected to each other and controlled (if that’s the right word) by an overall C-in-C who did not have direct visibility or access to any of the games other than via email! Continue reading “Operation Crossfire: The Battle Reports”

Operation Crossfire: A World Wargaming Event

Following on from the hugely successful “World Crossfire Day” event in 2009 is Operation Crossfire, another global Crossfire event staged in 2014. Originally mooted in July 2010 (see my Operation Crossfire: 11 September 2010 post) it was unfortunately postponed, but finally took place 4 years later. “Operation Crossfire” may well have been another world first as it was a wargame played on many tables around the world simultaneously, with two overall commanders basing their decisions on the e-mails sent to them during the game from the individual players and the the overall referee. View this introductory video by Nikolas Lloyd, covering the concept of the event and how it was planned and structured. This video served as the promotional advertisement for the event… Continue reading “Operation Crossfire: A World Wargaming Event”

Scuffle In The Hedgerows

It’s been a while since Kieran and I played a Crossfire game, but last weekend we managed to get one in – it was great getting back to playing an old favourite. We opted for a simple ad-hoc game which we very loosely based around Normandy and some of the existing Crossfire Scenarios (most specifically “Scottish Corridor” from Hit the Dirt).

Escoville, 7 June 1944, near Caen: The initial British landings have been very successful and although Caen has not yet been taken the British have a bridgehead on the east side of the Orne River & Caen Canal, north of the city, it’s most advanced point near the aforementioned village. Here the 52nd Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry have moved forward to occupy the area to relieve & support the 12th & 13th Battalions, The Parachute Regiment, who have been holding the adjacent areas since the morning of the 6 June… Continue reading “Scuffle In The Hedgerows”

Steven Zaloga Says Fury OK

Stumbled across an interview with Steven Zaloga (c/- Mad Padre Wargames Blog) and it’s discussion around the movie “Fury” and the performance of the Sherman (and Allied Armour in general) in North-West Europe 1944-1945. Zaloga criticises some of the accepted truisms on tank warfare in NW Europe (namely about the Sherman’s vulnerability and the claimed 5 to 1 ratio of how many Allied tanks it took to destroy one German tank) – he also cites a disproportionate reliance on British authors describing their experiences of Normandy, which obviously is not representative of the campaign as a whole (in Normandy Montgomery used his armour as a battering ram to (a) keep infantry casualties down, and (b) ensure German armour and other resources were continually drawn to the northern sector in preparation for the breakout in the centre & south). Continue reading “Steven Zaloga Says Fury OK”

Italeri Church

Following on from my last post (Italeri Country House With Porch) the other model I picked up from Kieran’s cancelled commission project was the Church (Italeri Kit 6129). This includes an attached (custom made) cemetery and is an outstanding model (if somewhat large). Ther design makes this primarily suited to Northern Mediterranean areas (and Southern Europe), such as Spain, Italy, and Southern France, as well as possibly Croatia, Northern Bosnia, etc, and possibly Southern Austria and the like… Continue reading “Italeri Church”

Italeri Country House With Porch

Back at the start of 2013 I posted about my gaming buddy Kieran building some Italeri Kitsets for his WW2 Normandy Games – and that as he did such a great job I might need to get him to build the kits I have in my stockpile for me as well! Well he ended up building some on commission for another AWC member, who then subsequently decided to discontinue WW2 gaming in 20mm scale – and so those completed custom models have ended up in my collection – alleviating the onerous need for me to assemble my existing kits of them! Brilliant outcome if you ask me! The first of them is the Country House with Porch (Italeri Kit 6075). Continue reading “Italeri Country House With Porch”

Normandy Buildings

I recently caught up with my gaming buddy Kieran (6mm Wargaming), and he brought round his completed 1/72 scale Italeri European Building kitsets he has done for his 1944 Normandy terrain. Kieran’s been taking a break from Crossfire and playing a lot of Kampfgruppe Normandy and has been steadily working on his terrain and new 20mm (German & U.S.) armies for that theatre. The Italeri buildings are the Country HouseHouse With Porch, and the Stone House; and Kieran has gone to reasonable efforts to detail them with window shutters, walls & gates (some scratch built, some commercial), and other features – I think you’ll agree they’ve come out looking very good! I’ll be looking to achieve similar with my kits when I get around to them, and may have to talk Kieran into doing them for me since he’s done such a good job of his own! Continue reading “Normandy Buildings”