Miss Mojo Returns or What I Have Done Since I Bellyached Like A Good 'Un

 

"I think we'd best catch the next train, Karl"

Introduction

      It's been a busy couple of weeks since Miss Mojo heeded my call and returned to the McCubbyhole. Between work and doing up our flat with a view to selling it I have managed to fit in some hobby all of which I will now chronicle.

     There has been no particular focus so without further ado let's have a decko...

     I am still working towards completing the terrain for the Bolt Action Stalingrad scenario that I plan to play solo. I decided to add to the railway terrain and so I bought a brake van from Sarissa Precision to see how it compared in scale with what I have put together already. I was quite impressed with the results when I had put it together. 

      My only worry was the fit of the brake vans wheels on my toy train track. There was a significant difference (similar to the reality as, apparently, German railway tracks where of a different gauge to those of the Soviet Union) however I hit upon the happy idea of fitting cannibalised wheels from the toy train carriages onto the brake van. They only just fitted the brake van but by a bit of jiggery pokery and the appliance of snips and super glue I managed to get them to fit onto the brake van chassis.

Pre-jiggery pokery. The difference in guage is obvious

The toy train axles just, only just, fit the brake van chassis...

I snipped off the parts of the toy train axles that held the 
wheels and super glued them onto the SP brake van chassis
and, hey presto, they...erm..fitted 

Test fit. Doesn't look too bad, does it? I will need to make buffers
for the low loader wagons

I have an MDF Goods Wagon on order from Sarissa Precision (as well as a Japanese Mountain Village set but more of that in the future) which should round out my rolling stock collection for the time being. I have also been at work on the missing piece of track as well as some leafless/shell blasted tree trunks for the Stalingrad table.

    Staying with the Eastern Front vibe I have finished off more late war German infantry. A mix of Warlord Games plastic figures and Artizan Designs. I'm not really working towards a particular plan with these chaps I just have a desire to have two different sets of late war Germans; one for snow covered landscapes such as the Bulge or Russian Winter themed games and one without snow! I am only giving in to this whim because I have plenty of figures to easily do both as well as spare vehicles and armour that can be winterized. The chaps above are, as the keen eyed amongst you will have perceived, late war without snow basing.

    I must give kudos to Bryan Cook  for his "how to paint..." series on Paint All The Minis, in particular the how  to paint German Infantry camouflage uniforms. It's saved me no end of bother and I am really pleased with the results. Can't recommend his guides enough..

   

     And, last bit of Eastern Front stuff, I stumbled upon Pritt Buttar's On A Knife Edge in my local Waterstones and scooped it up, poste haste. I have listened to his book Battleground Prussia on Audible and really enjoyed it, harrowing as it was, and had bought the Audible version of On A Knife's Edge but the narrator was awful, so much so that I returned it to Audible (I got part 2 of Sir Charles Oman's The Peninsular War instead) What I had gleaned from listening to On A Knife's Edge was that it's on an equal footing with Battleground Prussia in quality and content so I am looking forward to reading it...I just hope I don't have that awful narration running through my head as I read it.... 

     Normandy and D Day next. My US infantry theatre selector for that particular campaign are now complete. These are my forces for the Get Off The Beach scenario

...with an optional forward artillery/naval observer. I was pondering on Facebook if I could call my US Infantry force complete as, though I still have one or two figures and weapon teams kicking about unbuilt and unpainted, I don't need them but it would be nice to think I had completed a force. There was some slight debate and plenty of ribbing  and, naturally enough, no consensus. I think I can say that my US  Infantry troops for D Day/Normandy and Sicily/Italy are complete. I have a couple of M3 half tracks and an MMG totting jeep to add but they aren't required for the moment. I guess the best I can safely say is that they are ALMOST complete. The is my US Airborne for Sicily...and Italy...and Normandy....sheesh, don't you love the endlessness of this hobby?

     Anyway, life has conspired against Richie and myself finally getting around to playing this scenario at Richie's place before he and his family up sticks and move house. It will be the first game we play at the new Kampfschule once it is up and running so watch this space...

     From the back burner I have painted one, yes, one samurai figure. I decided I had best approach these chaps (and all other figures that aren't part of a uniformed unit) individually. Quite pleased with him. And I have bought the Daisho rules written by the Ministry Of Gentlemanly Warfare as I can use them for Samurai themed solo gaming as and when the occasion fits. Which is where my Japanes Mountain Village will come in. Yes, yet another terrain project...well, it'll give me something to do when I next take annual leave.. 

     Lastly and in conclusion I finished off the last of my Tumbling Dice 1/2400 Napoleonic naval ships for The Two Fat Lardies Kiss Me Hardy game. As I now have two opposing fleets I need only remind myself of the rules and I reckon this will be another playable solo game. 

the trouserless French

Roast Beefs

     I might have to invest in a couple of merchant men as well at some point to give my opposing forces something to scrap over. But that purchase, like my next blog post, lies somewhere in the future. For the moment, that's my update..erm...up to date...

Thanks for popping by and stay safe,

pip pip,

GJ