On the Workbench: 6mm Napoleonic Spanish Line and a delivery from Leven

Three 6mm Spanish battalions completed this week:

For Talavera, I need a 72 figure Mallorca battalion. Rather than having one large battalion sat in my collection I decided to paint 3 x 30 figure battalions with identical, or near identical facings. These are the Mallorca, Cordoba and Guadalajara in 1805 pattern uniforms. Collectively they will form the large unit I need. They will also form the nucleus of a newly raised Spanish division in my Napoleonic campaign. 

All the figures are from Baccus. 

Continued -

Operation Compass: Tummar West

After Nibeiwa the next target was Tummar West. Described as almost identical to Nibeiwa but 'Oyster' shaped. As at Nibeiwa the north west corner was poorly defended with a track accessing the camp. 

2 infantry battalions of the 5th Indian Brigade, 4th Indian Division, along with the Matildas of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment and guns of the 25th Field Regiment, RA would launch the attack. Travelling from Nibeiwa, the Matildas drove into a minefield losing 6 of their tanks.

They met with the 5th Indian Brigade at 11.00a.m. on 9th December 1940 and were ready to attack. They were however delayed for one hour by a sandstorm. The artillery began their bombardment at 12.00 noon and the attack was launched at about 1.30p.m.

My game will start following the artillery bombardment. The Italians were better prepared than at Nibeiwa but they mistakenly believed the biggest threat was to the south east rather than the north west and thus the largest concentration of their forces were in the sector of the camp.

For this game I am returning to my favoured battalion level rather than company. It allows for the entire camp to be represented and its defenders. The primary sources for this scenario were the Toofatlardies 'Operation Compass' scenario book by Robert Avery, and the 'Benghazi Handicap' Command Decision book. I have used neither though for the scenario design which is my own construct.

The structure of the Orders of Battle were drawn from the 'Rapid Fire' rules guide books (which also happens to be very similar to Command Decision). Rapid Fire figure ratio is 1:15 and vehicles 1:5. It is a simple matter to translate to BKC in 6mm. Infantry companies are 3 stands each with each stand representing a platoon. For larger companies, i.e. 10 or 11 figure in RF, each company will be 4 stands. All other elements including HQ companies, Support units, vehicles, tanks etc are represented at 1:1.

Continued -

On the Workbench: Fallschirmjager & Rivers

Another batch of Fallschirmjager have been completed together with a British para engineer stand. 

The Fallschirmjager are primarily for the Op Market Garden project. They are part of Kampfgruppe Walther being 3 reduced battalions of Fallschirmjager. I therefore needed 3 extra HQ's but decided they should be fighting HQ's on normal stands. Here I have completed 2 x MG42 stands (front row), 3 x HQ stands (2nd row), 4 x stand platoons with Panzerfausts (3rd row), and at the rear the British para stand.

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On the Workbench: 6mm 30 Corps and Dugouts

Completed this week was the armour for the 2nd Armoured Battalion of the Irish Guards, XXX Corps together with a bunch of QLT trucks for the Op Market Garden Project.

This is the Rapid Fire organisation from their Op Market Garden scenario book. In the lead is the HQ company that includes an OP tank (FAO) and Air Link half-track (FAC). Companies A - C follow each with 1 x Firefly and 2 x 75mm Shermans.

A bevvy of QLT trucks also completed. All models are from Heroics & Ros. 

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On the Workbench: 6mm Fallschirmjager, Tanks and Dugouts

Almost one battalion of Fallschirmjager completed in the Rapid Fire format. i.e. HQ company, 3 x Rifle companies and Support company. The Support company is missing the MG42 which will be in the next batch of figures to paint up.

Figures are Heriocs & Ros and once again they are great figures from their new moulds. These are destined for the tabletop in my Op Nostalgia campaign - the allied landing on Rhodes, and also the Op Market Garden project.

Continued -

Operation Compass: Nibeiwa Camp

With Operation Compass underway, the first Italian camp to be attacked was Nibeiwa on 9th December 1940. 

At 0300 hours, the 4th/7th Rajput Regiment commenced a feint attack on the strong eastern defences of the Italian position, the opening move in the operation. I will play the main attack made later.

The British had discovered that the camp at Nibeiwa had all its defences facing east and in aerial recon photos there were vehicle tracks clearly visible showing a gap in the minefield to the west. This will be exploited by the 7th RTR supported by the 2nd Bn Rifle Brigade.

Simultaneously, an attack by the 1st Royal Fusiliers on the opposite side of the camp.

The Battle of Nibeiwa

9th December 1940

British v Italian

Scale = 6mm (GHQ, CinC and Heroics & Ros)

Table Size = 4'6" x 3'9"

Rules = Blitzkrieg Commander 2

ORBATS:

British

Royal Fusiliers
1 x CO (8) with Dorchester ACV
A Company
1 x HQ (8) & truck
9 x regular infantry (one with anti-tank rifle) with carriers and trucks
B Company
1 x HQ(8) & Truck
9 x regular infantry (one with anti-tank rifle) with carriers and trucks
Bn Support
1 x 3" mortar & carrier
1 x Vickers MG & carrier
Kiwi Transport Drivers
2 x veteran infantry

Artillery Support (off table)
1 x FAO (7)
3 x 25pdr Field Guns

7th Royal Tank Regt
1 x HQ (8) Matilda Tank
5 x Matilda tanks

Bren Carrier Command (2nd Rifle Brigade)
A Company
1 x HQ (8) & truck
9 x Veteran infantry (one with anti-tank rifle) with carriers and trucks
B Company
1 x HQ(8) & Truck
9 x Veteran infantry (one with anti-tank rifle) with carriers and trucks

Italian

North Command
1 x CO (8) Camp Commander
Company of Infantry in command of CO
9 x Conscript Infantry (one regular unit with anti tank rifle)
1 x Breda MG
1 x 37mm anti-tank gun
Company of Infantry
1 x HQ (7)
9 x Conscript Infantry (one regular unit with anti tank rifle)
1 x Breda MG
1 x 37mm anti-tank gun
Artillery Support Unit with tows
2 x 75mm guns
Reserve Light Tank Company
5 x L33 light tanks

East Command
Company of Infantry
1 x HQ (7)
9 x Conscript Infantry (one regular unit with anti tank rifle)
1 x Breda MG
1 x 37mm anti-tank gun
Company of Infantry
1 x HQ (7)
9 x Conscript Infantry
1 x Breda MG
1 x 65mm IG Portee
Reserve Medium Tank Company
5 x M13/40 medium tanks.

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On the Workbench: Train Tracks & Buildings Finished + Ebay listings

This phase of terrain construction and painting has finished with railway track and several buildings. 

The track was purchased from Irregular Miniatures. I cut several pieces to make different lengths and have kept several pieces unpainted should I need to add more of variable lengths in the future. There is enough here to cover 8' or 9' which seems more than enough but will quickly be used up if I have to construct goods yards etc.

The two buildings on the left will add to my ACW collection.The two on the right will form part of Grissburg in my Napoleonic campaign. Industrial suburbs need to be constructed and the 2nd building from the right will be one of several that will be included in that.

Continued -

ACW 6mm: The Battle of McDowell

Hot on the heels of Big Bethel I decided to play out another ACW battle but this time from a Guns at Gettysburg scenario book. 

One of my ACW projects is to work through the GaG Scenario book 4, "Stonewall, The Battles of General T.J. Jackson CSA". My next scenario (#3 in the book) is the Battle of McDowell, 8th May 1862. 

The book recommends table sizes of 6' x 4' or 5' x 3' for 10mm or 15mm figures. When scaling down for 6mm I have born in mind my base sizes and movement rates. GaG recommends basing figures 4 to a base with each figure on an 8mm - 12mm frontage depending on your personal preference. Taking the 10mm average this will give a base frontage of 20mm compared to my 15mm with 6 figures to a base. I have therefore increased by 50% the number of figures listed in the scenario orbats.

Now comes the beauty of 6mm if you are short on space. I have taken the smaller table of 5' x 3' and reduced that by 25% to match the footprint of my figure bases. This translates to 3'9" x 2'3" which corresponds with my 9" terrain tiles. If you are really short on space there should be no problem reducing that further still to 3' x 2'. Over 600 figures will be on the table!

Another factor I had to look at was game length. This scenario gives a game length of 12 turns. I factored in the movement rates for 6mm (as with General de Brigade, the rules give alternative movement rates for 28mm in inches. I take this scale but use cms instead of inches). I also allowed a little for my different Command and Control system which can take units a little longer to traverse battlefields. I therefore increased the number of turns by 25% giving 16 turns for my game.

On to the game: