Comrades to Arms ! (2)

Greetings troops,

This is the 2nd installment of my developing Russian army.  As you know we are moving towards a 500 point beginning force in our Eastern Front Escalation league.

I was able to score some of the super GW Devlan Wash for my Russians.  I have painted the models in the base colors and then applied the GW Wash !

Before the Wash ...

 After the Wash ...

I will apply a 2nd coat of Delvan Wash and then highlight them again with the appropriate colors.  I will say that this method for me seems to move faster then my previous methods.  Now with that said I like the old method but it is not feasible to paint the large amounts of forces required for Mother Russia.

Let me know what you think ?

Keep the Paint flowing and the Dice rolling !

Joe ... aka Mezz

Comrades to Arms !

Greetings troops,

As my fellow troops know, I am currently raising a Russian Army for Flames of War.  I recently ventured down to the local game shop and used a Christmas gift card to purchase some items to assist with raising my 500 points for our escalation Eastern Front armies.

I was able to pick up a Soviet paint set since I was missing a couple of vital colors for the brave soldiers of the Motherland.  Next I grabbed a

• Battalion HQ blister
• Company HQ blister
• LW Strelkovy Infantry Platoon blister

Now ... before you light up the comments field, I am aware that I need tons more to complete my 500 points but give me time :) Most likely will be adding a mortar platoon for my next point increase for May.

Here are some shots of the primed Battalion HQ and the color process beginning.  I have decided that this brave 500 point force is being raised to defend Steve-o-grad and have recently been "recruited" from the local areas.  I am still deciding how I am gonna base them.  I have figured that different companies (platoons for the rest of the FOW armies) will be based different to assist in telling them apart.

I also attempted a new technique that I read about on the FOW forums.  I usually paint the high areas and leave the recessed areas black to make em pop.  It looks great but takes some time.  So the new technique I paint all areas full color of requirement, then hit the mini with brown GW wash, let dry and then hit the high areas with the original color.  It seems to work .... The forum says to use Devlin GW wash but I have the brown wash and wanted to see if it would do the trick.

 New method on the left, Old on the right

 New Method (Left), Old Method (Right)

 Brown GW Wash applied on Left, None on the Right

 Old Method without the wash

 New Method with Wash on Left, Old Method with no Wash on right

 With Wash, Highlighting the raised areas with original color

 Old Method, No wash

 Old Method on Left, New Method with Wash and Highlight on Right

New Method on Left, Old Method on Right

Enjoy the simple yet primed forces of the Battalion HQ ... for the MOTHERLAND ! Let me know what ya think ?  The wash went quicker then hitting highlights alone ... but its a new technique ..... sound off which you like better !!


Keep the Paint Flowing and the Dice Rolling ...

Joe ... aka Mezz

WWPD: News from the Front - Episode 13

Greetings troops,

The latest edition of WWPD:News From The Front, Episode 13 is out .... via these links and iTunes !!!

• What Would Patton Do ? ... aka WWPD
• WWPD: News From The Front

Enjoy the cast and feel free to email me with any questions or concerns !!

Keep the Paint Flowing and the Dice Rolling !

Joe ... aka Mezz

76mm US Shermans !

Greetings troops,

Amazing how when one army is completed that we move on to the next one !

Thanks to some awesome donations I have enough tanks to start a US Army Armor Company.  I have one platoon of five 75mm US Shermans already completed (2010) so this will be the 2nd platoon.  76mm Shermans are being built and primed as we speak !  Here is some pre primed and slightly assembled photo goodness for ya !

 A platoon of 5 ... 76 mm Shermans

 This will be the Officer's tank ... no sandbags, easy to identify

More to follow ! Keep the Paint Flowing and the Dice Rolling !

Joe ... aka Mezz

Setting a Course ... and Battle plans

Greetings troops,

First I would like to extend a hearty welcome to the newest troops whom have joined the ranks in the past few weeks !  I hope to continue the interesting postings for your future enjoyment.

I would like to advise my readers and troops that I have changed course for my 2011 project.  Now, I know you are all shocked by the change ... No ? .... we all do it in this great hobby (as we all nod in agreement)

My major project for this year coincides with Steve of WWPD fame.  As readers of his blog know he has started Steve-o-grad, an adventure in city fights and Eastern Front warfare.  Take a look at his recent posting regarding his adventure; JR miniatures hmmmm .... Steveograd Link !!!

So where was I ? Yes ... my decision was to start a Soviet army.  Crazy ? Yes ... but there was a couple of reasons behind Crazy Comrade Mezz's choice. 

1. We really don't have many Soviet players in our group.  So its a perfect choice since I like to have an army that others don't have.  Steve needs Soviets to fight his Germans in the city !  I have also come across many Soviets in tournaments with no experience playing against them.  So what better way to learn than run them yourself !
2. I love modeling and painting as much as I love wargaming.  The soviets have tons ... in each army.  Win FOR ME !
3. I find the Eastern Front interesting.  It's an amazing front to model.  Germans, Soviets, Italians, Finns, Romanians and Hungarians.  The variety of weapons and troops is amazing.  A modelers dream !
4. The Russians have interesting break down of forces.  You can chose experienced Guard divisions, City Militia groups defending their homes and families to penal companies.  The idea of a fearless conscript force is crazy. Especially with Komissars commanding the push forward.

Right now I am in planning stages.  I am currently reading the Eastern Front book and getting ideas.  I have decided that I will start painting infantry companies first since they can be used throughout the Soviet armies.  I also like the idea of tank riders and the submachine gun companies.  So they too are on the list.  Stay tuned for sure ... will be plenty of updates.

On other fronts, I have begun to get the 76mm Shermans for the Americans started.  Assembly is going smooth and they too will be primed this weekend.  After them I have some more 75mm Shermans and some armored half-track mortars to start.  Thanks to the generous donations from The View from the Turret guys I am getting an armor company started.  I already have a 5 tank US Sherman platoon painted for my current US army.

Be on the lookout as well for Episode 13 of News from the Front.  We recorded yesterday and it will be out sometime next week !

Keep the Paint flowing and the Dice rolling ....

Joe ... aka "Mezz"

Thoughts of Williamsburg Muster 2011

Greetings troops,

On the previous posting I posted the pictures of the Williamsburg Muster.  I had a blast ... minus the allergies that attacked me.  Steve and I carpooled up and meet fellow WWPD'ers Dirty Jon and Luke.  20 players I believe made the trip so we had a great mix of troops to play against.

I played Steve in Game 1, Mad Dog Tom (another fellow gamer) in Game 2 and finished off against Otto in Game 3.  Since it has been a couple of days I can't remember specific forces but I will give a brief run down and what I learned from my losses (which was all three games lol)

For the tournament I brought an HQ (with 2 bazookas extra), 2 Rifle Platoons, 1 Weapons platoon (LMGs and 60mm Mortars), 81mm Mortar Platoon, Combat Engineer platoon (3 extra bazookas), 5 Shermans and a M-10 Platoon.

Steve and I were taking the field in Game 1.  There was bocage and buildings through out the board.  Steve was running Germans, which consisted of mechanized troops, Panzer IVs, Nebs, 2 Tigers and 3 Pumas.  I was running the Big Red 1 infantry.  Long story short ... Steve zipped up the middle with his transports and was able to swing behind my forces.  One platoon evaporated under a hail of machine gun fire.  My engineers were pinned and slowly chewed up by Tiger machine guns.  Reserves never showed and eventually I had nothing that could contest.  Steve's game 6-1.

• I learned that I shouldn't have left the Shermans off the table.  They would have been a great cover for the infantry.  I had brought out mortars thinking I was gonna smoke for troop movement but failed to grasp that my troops wouldn't need it it we got flanked first.  Which happened .... and I learned a great lesson 

My second game was against Mad Dog Tom and his mechanized German force.  Remembering what I had seen 1st round I did deploy the Shermans along with my Engineers and a Rifle platoon.  I can't remember the exact moves but Tom was able to bring his Panzer IVs along with his transports to bare against my Engineers, Rifle platoon.  I was able to score kills against the transports but the gunfire was too much to bare after time.  Tom's nebs were delivering great pinning fire as well.  Eventually I believe I fail a motivation check and saw the US leave the field.

• Again, transports blazing with machine guns caused havoc against my infantry.  The engineers did hold their own against the tide and took 3 transport teams with them.  I had placed the Shermans on the other side of the board to flank the nebs and a tank killing platoon he had.  Instead I was bailing out and bog checking at the same time I was "dancing" in and out of TD fire.  Tom shared some good info and tips (just as Steve had) and we got another game since the time allowed it.  Thanks Tom ! 

The last game was against Otto and his Soviets running tank killers and rocket trucks.  It was a long slug fest.  The Soviets TD had an AT of like 14 or 15 which popped open my Shermans and M-10s.  Both platoons lef the field after failed motivation tests.  Once my armor components were gone my infantry had no hopes but to contest objectives and dig in.I had a chance to take out his rocket teams early in the game but swung my armor elements to support the infantry. BIG MISTAKE.  Rockets and tank fire whittled infantry down to motivation checks which were failed.  I literally lost the game with one failed company morale check.  Otto was a great opponent ... good game.

• I should have taken out those rockets.  But I swung the armor elements to support the infantry which was moving to protect an objective that was not covered.  The mission had 3 objectives placed and I had deployed around a middle objective which then was removed.  So I had to act fast moving to protect.  It was the first time I played against Russians with that killing power.  The last time I faced Russians they were a lend lease Sherman company ...  hats off to Otto he stayed in there and it came down to the wire.

It was a great time.  I learned from every game I played and got in 4 solid games in one day.  How could that be bad ?!?! lol ...

Keep the paint flowing and the dice rolling .....

Joe ... aka Mezz 

Williamsburg Muster 2011

Here is some pics from the Williamsburg Muster 2011 that fellow WWPDers Steve, Luke, Dirty Jon and I was at Saturday. I will get you an aar tomorrow but for now enjoy the pictures.

Be safe, keep the paint flowing and the dice rolling ...

Joe ... aka Mezz

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Legends of the Old West Pictures

Greetings troops,

Here are the photos of the Legends of the Old West game that Steve and I played this past Wednesday.  My wandering Outlaws were able to take out the Sherriff and his gang, minus the one vigilante that ran due to being the only one left.  It was a nice system, nothing too hard and a great change of pace for a gaming night.

Enjoy the pics !

 The Outlaws enter the town.  Lawmen walk into the street.

 The Outlaws came to fight !

 The Lawmen draw first !!!

 The first Outlaw gets in front of a shotgun blast !

 Another Outlaw goes down in a hail of fire ...

 Outlaws continue forward !

 The Lawmen lose one deputy in return fire ...

 Deputies and Vigilantes dropping like flies ...

 The outlaws are moving to get behind the sherrif, one goes down with a gut shot !

 Another bandit tries to get the drop and gets gunned down.

The Sherriff goes down in the next picture ... and the Outlaws win the street.  What will happen now ?!?

Be safe, Keep the Paint flowing and the Dice rolling ....

Joe ... aka Mezz