Bundeszollverwaltung Customs patrol

 Completed  7 miniatures for my Customs border unit. These chaps are all Esci and Airfix. The figures are from the Esci ground crew (radio operator ) NATO troops man with hand up, and from the Airfix nato ground crew the dog and the three walking (minus their tool boxes). I also attempted the arm patches… sort of. My favourite is the radio operator figure. I have a vehicle to come for them. 

The unit will be used for my skirmish and larger battles as opposition to my Soviet special forces. Perfect for airfields, checkpoints, waterways and port guards. 

Bundeszollverwaltung -  Customs patrol

Cheers

Matt

100 years war week - Battle of Mauron

 Whilst on tour visiting the combat of the thirty site near Josselin we also visited the battlefield of Mauron on the return trip after lunch. Much of the site today is under housing but the road to Rennes and St Levy still exist so it is easily placed. The manor near  the bridge still remains but is un-accessible and private, however the river Ivel can be walked in summer as it is not wide nor very marshy and has a walking path along the St Levy side. 

Brembili Manor stables

The memorial on the crossroads at Mauron. To the left to Rennes, to the right St Levy. 

We play tested the scenario on the tabletop with a very narrow win to the French, both sides were down to last point rolls and army break. The French suffered from a large number of ones….. 5 in fact for the division movements which allowed the English archers to heavily toll upon the French cavalry. Eventually the MAA met and the French made good use of a number of good rolls finally! 

HYW week! Combat of the Thirty

 100 Years War Week -Combat of the Thirty 

Last week we hosted David Knight, a huge fan of everything medieval and one of the authors of Test of Resolve medieval ruleset. 

David was on his forth visit to French Wargames holidays and wanted to tour some more of our local 100 years war battlefields,  which I was only to happy to oblige being a huge HYW fan myself. 

When the ground has been walked and the primary and secondary references are consulted the scenarios are written, the scenario will reflect the ground, references and some playability will be included. 

The first day tour visit was a visit the real Rohan, the dukedom that is also the site of the Combat of the thirty, one of the more famous occurrences during the war of Breton succession. 

First a visit to  Ploërmel for a coffee and walk of the city walls and medieval buildings in this flourishing city. Then a short drive to walk the battlefield site, a walk around the location visiting the 19th century column then a visit to the chapel of Saint Maud where three French-Bretons are buried, then the agreed meeting location at the fountain of Saint Maud, and finally the cross where the eight of the English Bretons are buried. Then an off the Josselin to have lunch, visit the chateau, then return to visit the battlefield of Mauron. 

Some photos and description of our battlefield tour of the combat of the Thirty. 

The Pyramid, the modern 19th century marker of combat of the thirty column 

Vanessa and Dāvīds turn

The marker of the combat, destroyed during the revolution and replaced in 1848

The plaque which is quite good, we cleaned it, I regularly carry cleaner in the car for these. 

Chapel of Saint Maud, the three Breton -French were buried here on the edge of the battlefield. The chapel was enlarged in the 17th century. It is only open on a few occasions now every year, the horse sale and patrimony weekend. 

David and I on the edge of the battlefield, the stream in the trees is the boundary behind us. 

The Shrine of Saint Maud, the defined location in historical documents of the actual meeting place. This location had been a Gallic, then Roman then a christian site, the statue is thought to be 16th century. A horse fair has been held here since the Gallic period and is still in today to sell horses on what was the old border between the dukedoms. 

The Olivier V de Clisson and his wife Marguerite de Rohan 

The costs of Arms, Dukes of Rohan, Chabot, dukes of Laval and de Clisson

Chateau Josselin  

Chateau Josselin, one of the castles of the Dukes of Rohan 

Chateau Josselin from the river

Terrain Tuesday - camera crew

  Another table piece for my Cold War collection this time a camera crew covering the troubles along the border….. figures from Elhiem miniatures range. 

Cheers

Matt 

Tyne Tees part 5

Completed some more crews for vehicles and Bren Carriers etc. another 30 odd figures to go. Again all figures are Britannia miniatures. 

Cheers 

Matt

Swedish C303 PLTGB 903

Finally completed this during the week during my down time between guests I have been airbrushing and catching up on my kit builds during the year. I do need to add crew from elhiem when I find them in the pile of opportunity. 

The Volvo c303 pansarvarnspjasterrangbil was armed with a Pvpj 1110 90 mm recoil-less antitank gun. I picked up the Gecko models 1/72 model last year and finally assembled it this week for Mad March build, so has been a while between build and painted but until I complete the renovations on my workshop upstairs I will need to be patient until I get my airbrush studio space completed. 

This chap will join my Swedes in the anti armour platoon of my infantry regiment for my Cold War game later in the year. 

Cheers

Matt

Swedish C303 car

  Additions for my Swedish army is a passenger truck, the Volvo C303 TGB11 these small vehicles were commonly referred to as the Puppy in Swedish service and were used in a variety of uses. 

The C303 was designed and built by Volvo and was designated the Laplander L3314. It came in hard top, soft top and the specialized anti tank version. I picked up the Gecko heavy industries model, which to be frank is not that good for its price, with lots of air bubbles and a clear cabin in very hard resin. See my previous kit review Here 

I am quite happy with the result though and was a simple dark green airbrush job then hand painted windscreens, tactical signs and lights etc. 

Cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday - tents …..

Simple Renedra tents for ACW this week! 

Cheers

Matt

Nationale Volksarmee Trabant P601

  Elhiem miniatures have released a few pieces for the Nationale Volksarmee GDR East Germans. A simple start to my project coming up this year is a Trabant 601 car for some minor officer of the army. A nice start to kit off the army! 

Cheers

Matt

Bundesgrenzschutz VW181

  One of my Bundesgrenzschutz units is a 1/72nd scale VW181 to complete my command platoon. 

The Germania Figuren vehicle is made from resin and is a very nicely cast model. Hardly and flash and no bubbles. It comes with two options roof on or folded back, plus driver (which is a bonus) with four head variants. Assembly was quite simple and the cabin went together well, although take care with the windscreen removal, and fitting the back parcel shelf and seat which I fitted incorrectly! 

It was a little pricey at €16.50 plus shipping but a great little kit never the less. A solid 9 out of ten, only mi us was the instructions and broken windscreen 

A simple Tamiya nato green paint job, with  highlight, then black lining. The driver was painted in bundesgrenschutz camo smock. Really happy with the result. 

Cheers

Matt 

Bundesgrenzschutz part 8 - Ambulance

  Another piece for my Bundesgrenzschutz regiment a VW ambulance this time, a few more vehicles to come and a helicopter before the regiment is complete. 

 The vehicle is from Jonny Lightening and needs a windscreen warning lights and rear window and the Elhiem driver adding before truly complete. Really happy with it, I striped the original paint scheme back to bare metal as the acrylic paint did not cover properly over the matt guide coat. Second time round much happier. The crosses are from a job lot I picked up years ago, gloss varnish, then decal, then gloss again, followed by a complete Artist matt varnish. 

Bundesgrenzschutz Ambulance 

Bundesgrenzschutz Ambulance 

Cheers

Matt

Vendee Project - part 4 Royal Catholic Armee Chouan Chevalier Cavalry

 Royal Catholic Armee Chouan Chevalier Cavalry

As parts of Maine were liberated by the Vendee army during 1793 a cavalry squadron was formed around North Maine and lower Normandy predominantly nobles. The unit was small around 180 mounted men and around 40 dismounted owing to a horse shortage. They carried a holy banner with Mary from the monastery church at Avesnières. This banner was captured at Le Mans in December 1793.

 

Many of the men who survived the disaster at Le Mans fled to Normandy and Mayenne and then onto England via Jersey, those who did not joined General la Frotte and his Chouan army in lower Normandy and North Maine, some fighting until 1815. 

Some members also seemed to have served in the Les chevaliers de la couronne, as Jean-François -Simon de Hercé former deputy to the estates general, and company commander, a Hercé family member of the house we live in today attests to having fought in the battles in Flanders in 1792 then returned to Maine during the uprising, then fled to Bath in England, where he died in 1796.

The miniatures are 28mm from the Revolutionary Armies Range now sold by SHQ and the horses are from foundry and crusader. The banner is from LBM Byzantine transfer cut down to size. I gave based them on single bases so they can be used for skirmish gaming. 

I have another squadron to complete for my Royal Catholic Armee but it will be in mixed uniforms of the Grenadiers and Bretons from the lower Vendee. 

Cheers

Matt