The AB40 & CS9 from Gaming Models: A Review
/Originally posted 22nd January 2011
I have now posted a proper review of Gaming Models' AB40 and Morris CS9 armoured cars
BATTLEFRONT AB41 COMPARED TO A GAMING MODELS' AB40
I have now posted a proper review of Gaming Models' AB40 and Morris CS9 armoured cars
BATTLEFRONT AB41 COMPARED TO A GAMING MODELS' AB40
Originally posted 20th January 2011
Some new and somewhat rare additions to my collection. For the BEF, there is a patrol of Morris CS armoured cars; and for the Italians there are two AB40 armoured car patrols: one for the desert and one for Sicily.
All the models come from Gaming Models, a company that I have eschewed for a long time, put off by early reviews and the pictures on their website. A full review will follow, but suffice to say I am very happy with the AB40s and pretty happy with the Morris CSs.
Morris CS9 from Gaming Models
AB40 armoured cars from Gaming Models
The AB40s painted, more correctly, in dark green
Whilst sorting through all the files on my computer, I came across some photos of some of the first games of IABSM that I set up and ran myself.
Those of you who notice that some of the hedges in both these games are made out of green ring binder spines will be relived to know that I now have huge numbers of "proper" hedges!
The first game of the New Year: a scenario taken from the Operation Compass scenario booklet covering the early war in the Western Desert.
Today, deep within the heart of the Italian stronghold of Tobruk , the assaulting Australians find themselves on the end of a rather nasty looking Italian counter-attack.
Soviet heavy mortars; Lion class transports for the Felids to join the barn force; and a battery of US medium artillery.
Soviet 120mm mortars from Battlefront
Lion class transports from Khurasan
US medium artillery battery from Battlefront
A catch-up on photography this afternoon. First up, some T-34/85s for the Soviets; and the second platoon of M11 tanks arrives for the Italians.
Soviet T-34/85s from Battlefront
Italian M11 tanks from Skytrex/Command Decision
This weekend saw the first Burton-upon-Trent “Beer & Lard Day”: a day’s wargaming that gives those people unable to easily travel down to Lard HQ for our annual events an opportunity to try out games from the TooFatLardies stable of rules.
My role was to run the games using I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!, the Lardies’ WW2 company level ruleset. I ran three different scenarios on the day, the first of which was 3RTR at Hames-Boucres: the third game from the Defence of Calais early war scenario pack.
Battle report from a great game at the Farnborough Wargames Society: action from the Anzio beachhead in February 1944.
The last of the late war tanks added to the Gallery:
M14 tanks from Battlefront
A couple more units finished for my Italian WW2 army: a platoon of light tanks for the western desert and a platoon of Semovente 90/53s for Sicily (both shown below).
L6 Light Tanks from Battlefront
Semovente 90 from Battlefront
A couple more units finished for my Italian WW2 army: a platoon of tank destroyers and a platoon of armoured cars (both shown below).
Semovente 47s from Battlefront
AB41 armoured cars from Battlefront
A couple of pictures loaded: 2-pounder portees for the desert Brits, and light and medium mortars for the desert Italians.
A couple of pictures loaded: Matildas for the desert Brits, and 20/65 AA guns for the desert Italians.
Matildas from Battlefront
The second AAR from the Operation Compass scenario booklet. Action similar to that of Sidi Barrani, but this time east of Buq Buq.
The first AAR from the Operation Compass scenario booklet. Night time action at Sidi Barrani as 6RTR attempt to crush the last resistance from 1st and 2nd Libyan Divisions in the dunes to the east of the town.
A fantastic I Ain't Been Shot, Mum! AAR from Softie02: US Paratroops in action in Normandy. Plenty of pictures, great terrain!
Cruise the Blue with Robert Avery's latest pdf scenario booklet for "I Ain't Been Shot, Mum!"
An extensive history of the Italian invasion of Egypt and the British response: Operation Compass, the Five-Day Raid that turned into a campaign. Set between June 1940 and early February 1941, the booklet contains twenty-three unique scenarios for “I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum!” including attacks, counter-attacks, encounter battles, desperate defences, and the types of action typical of desert warfare: tank vs tank and tank vs gun battles.
From the 11th Hussars’ initial reconnaissance and harassment missions; through to the assaults on the network of Italian camps in the Western Desert; the Australian assaults on Bardia, Tobruk and Derna; and on to the thrilling climax at Beda Fomm, you’ll encounter British, Australians and Italians of all shapes and sizes.
Operation Compass contains the following scenarios:
1. The Road to Fort Capuzzo;
2. The Battle of Girba
3. The Invasion of Egypt
4. Nibeiwa
5. Tummar West
6. Tummar East
7. Alam el Dab
8. Sidi Barrani
9. Buq Buq
10. The Road From Fort Capuzzo
11. Bardia One
12. Bardia Two
13. Bardia Three
14. Tobruk One
15. Tobruk Two
16. Tobruk Three
17. Mechili
18. Siret el Chreiba
19. The Derna Wadi
20. Sidi Saleh One
21. The Pimple One
22. The Pimple Two
23. Sidi Saleh Two
A few more Italians added: Motociclisti and the first of the Fucilieri. Have now got a bit distracted painting Felids: 15mm sci-fi figures from Khurasan.
Heads up for my next scenario book: Operation Compass. Should be available within the next couple of weeks. Twenty-three early war scenarios for the Western Desert: time to get those Italians onto the table!
Last of the holiday Italians posted. Now it's back to the usual grind of painting when I can :(
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