Flames of War – Page 13 – lighteffect.net

April 3, 2011

116th Panzer Division – Panzer IV’s

Well my army has always been modeled on the 331st Grenadier Division. Unfortunately they didn’t have any tanks but they did serve with the 5th Panzer army in Normandy before being systematically slaughtered in the Falaise Pocket.

And as a part of the 5th Panzer army they had opportunity to serve with some very veteran tank divisions. Being a couple of SS divisions, Lehr Division and 116th. As I’m not a real big fan of the SS units I have adopted the 116th as the stable mate for my 331st.

116th was also a Veteran of the Eastern Front, they had Panthers and Panzer IV’s.

So anyways for my upcoming tournament army I am having Stug IIIG’s organic of the 331st. Numbered inappropriately as the 4th Battalion.. even though they only had two.

And the Panzer support is a platoon of three PzIV’s. I finished four tanks even though I only needed three, so as I can field a decent or larger platoon later.

These tanks are PzIVG late tanks.. in the tournament the book says PzIVH should be used.. they almost look the same except the big air filters that should be on the right hand side… but I’m cool with it. And I don’t think they will notice. (Which reminds me I must sculpt some Panzerfausts to lay on the base of some of the command teams to stay WYSIWYG legal.

Going on… the tanks are numbered from the BF decal sheet except the black crosses which are command decision decals. The swastika flag is green stuff. I have a sculpted whippet dog to sit beside the platoon commander but I wasn’t happy with it..looked more like a German Shepard.. wasn’t thin enough. So I left that off..You will notice his hand seems to be resting in mid air.

The command figures on the Stug III G are Peter Pig figures.. Craig Courtis put me on to these years back. You need only buy these and glue (or in my case putty GS) them on. I find these very good as they are stronger and look right. You will notice I left the MG42’s open on the earlier two Stug’s .. because of he fidliness of the figures and MG’s.

The Stugs have got some of that paint rot that seems to have plagued some of my earlier figures and vehicles. Which I am sure is associated with the floor polish glaze and the polyurethane Matt varnish… but i also have a suspicion it is a Tamya paint issue too as I have some that aren’t glazed or varnished which have it really bad. But I digress… the Shurtzen has some obvious parts where the paint has rotted off… however it looks like a white or light gray has been added to the cammo pattern.. and I like the effect so instead of totally stuffing it up and trying to repair the paint job, I have kept it as is.

Anyway enough of this Jibber Jabber as a TV famous Judge in a Boston court who also played the part in a very funny Blues Brother movie as a Nazi once said (yes I’m loosing it) on to my poor photography…

Platoon commander

2ic with flag custom stowage.

Number 3

Number 4

The line up.. 1st platoon, 1st company, 1st Battalion, 116th Pz Div

OK! “Show us the Stugs” I hear you shouting! OK ok but don’t ring in just yet because we have even more to offer you….

3 vehicle platoon… I still have the StuH 42 vehicle to add.. which is mostly finished.

As a bonus.. if you can pick out the inaccuracy with the uniforms of the stug crew you can win a prize.

Well that’s all.. hope you enjoyed the read

February 28, 2011

Army List for NATCON 2011 – Christchurch

HQ and attachments:

1 HQ with: 2x Panzerfausts and SMG for both KK and 2ic
1 Panzershreck team

Combat plts:

2 full grenadier plts with Panzerfausts/smg HQ
1 White pioneer Platoon with Panzerfaust SMG HQ and Supply wagon

1x Weapons Platoon:

1 x 120cm Heavy mortar platoon

3 x Divisional Support Platoons:

3 x Stug G assault guns
4 x Pz IVH
2 x 8.8cm Flak 36 AAA guns with extra crew & tractors.

This is 1650 points exactly.

What is lost from the previouse list is:

the 81mm mortar section from the HQ ….
(Thank you Mr Light for pointing out to me that it is not compulsory to take these if you have heavy mortards but that you can’t have the section with the the HQ and the a full platoon of 81mm mortars.).
Pak 43/41 88mm AT gun pair.

Reasons for changes:

The triangle of sturdiness supplied by two platoons of three armoured fighting vehicles.
Mobility… two dedicated mobility platoons to come on as reserves.
Dual purpose Flak 36’s.. long range everything and AT and AAA capability. (Must check if the ROF 3 gives them 2 skill checks for AA ROF)
Problem with having a wagon with pioneer platoon means it becomes a mobile reerve… especially with 88’s and the 120mm artilley coming with transorts. The 120mm artillery comes with the price of trucks built in.. so technically theyare mobile too.
A quick double check of the mobility costs may allow me to leave teh 88’s and the 120mm artillery on and one infantry platoon for starting platoons… on delayed reserves games.

So when do you want a game to test the list against?

February 7, 2011February 9, 2011

Army list for nationals in Christchurch – FOW

Hey decided on my list for NATCON
1 HQ with:
• 2x Panzerfausts and SMG
• 1 Panzershreck team
• 1 section of 2 x 81mm mortars

3 Combat plts:

• 2 full grenadier plts with Panzerfausts smg HQ

• 1 White pioneer Platoon with Panzerfaust SMG HQ and Supply wagon

1 Weapons Platoon:

• 1 x 120cm Heavy mortar platoon

3 x Divisional Support Platoons:

• 3 x armoured Sdkfz 11/7 20mm AA half tracks

• 2 x 8.8cm Pak 38/41 43/41 Anti tank gun platoon (had wrong number)
(upgrade transports to Sdkfz 7)

• 4 x Pz IVH

Which gives me :
4 motorised platoons out of 7 platoons. And this is 5 points under 1650 at 1655.

This whole list is designed on the fact that playing defensive battle pretty much means you half a Company vs whole company. Which against Russians and US armies is very severe. only on the basis that they get so much more armour cheaper.. and thus can swam an infantry army. But we have some tools.

Infantry plts can take on tanks and retain smoke screen until reserves arrive. May only field 2 to start with and leave the Pioneers as reserves.
To increase survivability a four Pz IV tank platoon gives massed fire and mobility for a first reserve. Or if attacking will make the spear point.
2 x 8.8cm guns will anchor any firing corridors or lines of sight for AT work.. need to be hidden from observers. Probably my a second reserve unit due to set up time and unlimbering. Cannot be ambushed.
AA halftracks are air defence primarily and added ability to move easily away from artillery zones… or to keep templates off of dug in artillery. Last effort anti infantry firepower too… especially against dug in infantry. Although the heavy mortars are for that.

Most missions I will be playing defensive battle which means ½ my platoons are off and have to roll for reserves at turn three.
Need to delay enemy and then rush in reserves. I will do this by keeping on the heavy mortars and pin infantry or reduce the tank count as much as possible. Especially tanks, as they will move and therefore be an easy range in target.. hopfully with top armour 1 on top and leave my H mortars a good chance of debilitating them.
PzIV ‘s were chosen over 1 Tiger tank for the entire survivability by numbers and the ability move much faster. It is assumed they will not be fighting anything BIG and that the 88mm heavy PAK will be dealing with those with both 100cm range and AT16.

Besides if I face a set of 20 odd late war T64’s with hte powerfull gun they will last at least one round?

In any attack mission the infantry will be pushing the ground. Most attack missions give all your platoons a start except for cauldron and breakthrough… so hoping weaken the enemy first piecemeal then close and assault. Will be tricky.

All up it is a decently balanced list. And usually don’t take this many tanks… 3 stugs is usually my limit.

Of course I had 5 Panthers in Invercargill a while back.. making me a laier