War Games - Donald Featherstone

War Games by Donald Featherstone

I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of one of the seminal works on wargaming for the princely sum of £2.81 including postage.  This is really where it all began for me back in the early 1980s while in my early teens.  My father purchased a couple of packs of Hinchliffe Napoleonics from Hamleys on one of his visits to London and on my next trip to the library I discovered the book.

I'd been fascinated by military history for many years and this offered the perfect opportunity to take things further.  I was soon building up small forces of British, French and Russians, clearly focus was a problem even then.  I even purchased some of the Prince August moulds and spent many hours casting figures.

Sadly, my interest lapsed while at university, the distractions of beer and girls proving too great, and my collections languished in various family lofts for many years until I rediscovered the hobby some six or seven years ago.  I've since recovered the figures although they're now lurking in my loft, maybe I should tidy them up for an old school project...

The Battle for the Rhine

The Battle for the Rhine - Robin Neillands

I picked up this one cheap on the Kindle some time ago.  It basically follows the North West Europe campaign from the crossing of the Seine until the end of 1944 with a focus on Arnhem and the Bulge.  Neillands does a reasonable job of defending Monty from his, mainly American, detractors while remaining reasonably aware of his personality faults.

Neillands points out that the US failure to secure the Eindhoven bridge immediately on landing was crucial to the ultimate failure of Market Garden and suggests that the amount of time XXX Corps spent assisting them was paramount, they were actually back on schedule by this point.  He also blames the choice of landing zones on US commanders while "Boy" Browning is criticised for using lift capacity landing his corps HQ instead of fighting troops.

Ike also takes some stick for failing to get a grip on his subordinates, primarily Bradley and Patton, while it is acknowledged that it is unlikely anybody else could have undertaken the role of supreme commander more effectively.  Neillands frequently points out that Eisenhower would make a decision and then alter it while failing to provide clear instructions to his army commanders.  The failure to take Walcheren and open Antwerp as a port is a recurring theme.

Bradley and Patton feature as the main villains of the book, constantly undermining their boss' decisions and strategies.  Bradley is described as out of his depth as an army commander while Patton comes across as a "flat track bully" who faces the same problems as everybody else once the German defences solidify around Metz.

Overall, an interesting read from an author I'd not been aware of before.  I have several more on the Kindle, primarily about WWI which will be moved up the queue.

First Unit of the Year

First Unit of the Year

Finally, something wargame related to post about.  The first completed unit of the year is some British infantry for the Peninsular.  I'd never consider myself to be a good painter but feel I can achieve a reasonable "wargames standard", particularly if you apply the three foot rule.  Apologies for the quality of the photos, I really must learn how to use my camera properly.

Figures are Xan Miniatures available from Empress in the UK.  For my purposes they compare very favourably with AB Miniatures which make up the majority of my collection with the advantage that they are considerably cheaper.

I've used the generic flags freely available from Napflag resized for 15mm.

Only one more unit before I can refight Barrosa.

I've also been working on some terrain for Chain of Command which will feature in a future post.

Kampfgruppe von Luck

Kampfgruppe von Luck

Too Fat Lardies have just released a further "pint sized supplement" for their Chain of Command rules, Kampfgruppe von Luck, based on the actions between 12 Para and 21 Panzer on D-Day.  For a mere £3.60 this was too much of a bargain to leave.

We visited the area on holiday a few years ago and, as well as visiting Bayeux to see the Tapestry, I was able to have a quick look around the Pegasus Bridge museum.  The original bridge has been replaced and now stands by the side of the canal.

Rupert, you have to wonder how effective these actually were.

Horsa glider.

A quick look through the figures I have available shows that I at least need some additional paras with stens and brens to suit the OOB together with some MG42s and panzerschreck teams for the Germans so a quick Peter Pig may be in order.  I have some German HMGs to paint and these have been moved up the queue.  QRF make some of the 21 Panzer specials but, in the interests of economy, I will attempt to resist these and substitute the vehicles I have available.

I had, foolishly, promised no new projects this year, however, surely this is just finishing one already started, at least, that's what I'm telling myself.