Panzer Marsch! Game at Phalanx 2011

A few of us from the Quorn Wargames Club, Loughborough (http://www.sonsofsimondemontfort.org.uk/) put on a game of 20mm Panzer Marsch! at Phalanx 2011 near Liverpool this last Sunday. All the models and most of the scenery was supplied by Paul. The scenario involved a Russian attack on a small town vital to the German supply lines during the early stages of the Eastern Front campaign. I played the Russians, whilst the two Paul's played the Germans. I made the slight error of throwing my armour too far forward at speed and leaving insufficient cover for my infantry as they huffed to keep up. German gunners repaid my mistake. Nevertheless, after storming 3/4 of the town in heroic style and driving the defenders back I suddenly sighted German armoured reinforcements to my rear. The game was left with my tanks doing a quick about face to respond to the enemy advance, and beginning to suffer dearly for it!

The Austrian Military Museum, Vienna. 2011.

After getting back from a brief holiday in Vienna, I decided to post up a few of my photographs. The first set is from the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum. A fantastic place (and quite vast), which has its residence in the original Vienna Arsenal. It was very easy to find and only 5 minutes walk from the Belvedere Palace Art gallery. Entrance fee was cheap too at only 6 Euros and included an audio guide. My only slight complaint was that the guide didn't feature everything you were looking at - only the blue stickered objects. However, the Museum staff were helpful and knowledgable. The museum comprised of two floors, with each area being dedicated to its own era. So there was the 30 Years War, Ottomans, Prince Eugene of Savoy (17th Century), Maria Theresa (18th Century), Austria and Europe (1789-1866), WW1, Republic to Dictatorship (1918-1945), Austrian Naval Power etc.

Landwehr Corporal. 1809.

Captured French Eagles.

Radetzky's (1766-1858) promotion papers.

Radetzky's Death Mask.

Uniform Displays.

Field Marshal Gideon Ernst Freiherr Von Laudon's Sabre, hat and awards.

38cm Howitzer. 1916.

Complete Battery of Bronze Cannons from the kingdom of Sardinia. The first nine are all big 32 pounders. Marks on them say they were cast in 1782 by G.A. Bianco of Turin.

Foundry Miniatures 'Indian Mutiny' models

I recently attended the Foundry Miniatures open day where I picked up around 40 of these Indian Warriors for a bargain price. Above are the first three to come off the painting table. A warrior commander and his two followers. They're nice models and have proved to be quick and easy to paint. I've gone for a black undercoat this time, with a flat colour and one highlight. I like the variation in dress and makes a change from batch painting all those French Napoleonics.

I also bought the Foundry sourcebook 'The British in India' (slightly dented copy for a pound!). Great reading and quite invaluable as I'm a newcomer to that period. I likewise purchased some British Infantry in Airpipe Helmets, plus some in flannel shirts. I'm assuming from the source text that British dress and headgear could be quite varied. Hopefully I'll be able to field these two units alongside each other without being too historically inaccurate? If anyone knows any different then please feel free to comment.

I'm also thinking of buying the 'Sharp Practice' rules. I played these with an Indian Mutiny scenario when I first joined the local wargames club and thoroughly enjoyed it. As yet I haven't come across any other skirmish type rulesets for 28mm Indian Mutiny, but again if anyone can suggest any I'll definitely check them out.