Soviet Cavalry Regiment for Rapid Fire

Here is my finished Cavalry Regiment for Rapid Fire, taken from the original second supplement ‘Unit Organisations for the Russian Front, 1941-1945’. It is set up as an early war Regiment from 1939-1942. Most of the figures are Britannia, but I have supplemented some of the figures from my existing Russian forces. The HQ horsemen are from Sgts Mess and the Tachankas are from Kelly’s Heroes.

Regimental HQ:

4 x Sabre Squadrons, existing figures to be used if dismounted:

Engineer Platoon:

Regimental Gun Battery:

Regimental A/T Battery:

Regimental MG Battery:

AA Platoon:

Painting technique

I’ve been able to paint a bit more recently which has been nice.

A while ago I was fortunate enough to be ‘handed down’ some Britannia Russian Cavalry from a wargaming friend. Looking at the Rapid Fire Orbats I realised I was very close to having an early war Cavalry Regiment.... so I’ve been working on those!

Churning out so many has given me the opportunity to describe my painting technique for my 20mm ww2 figures. I use a different one for my ships of course, and I’ve also used slightly different techniques on my 28mm Aztecs.

So, here we are. I use a similar technique to the standard ‘block and wash’ method.

Firstly, I wash and prep the figures. By washing them in a little detergent water, it removes some of the chemical that is used to remove the model from the mould. I then stick them to their base and use filler (spackle) to mould a little base.

Secondly, I undercoat with a black spray paint - nothing expensive, just a cheap car spray paint from the auto store.

Next, I block in the main colours (note I am just painting the rider here, not the horse) and I’m not concerned how neat it is. This will be tidied up in a later stage.

Now I apply a wash. This is usually Vallejo Sepia Dipping Wash, although I apply it with a brush, not by dipping. I like it with the WW2 models as it really sinks well into the creases and also gives the figures a dirty tone which I think is appropriate for soldiers in the field. It also covers up some of the little bits of model that perhaps the first coat didn’t apply to properly, and gives the face definition as the models are a little too small in my opinion for the full face treatment with eyeballs!

The first highlight follows, which involves taking the original colours and over painting them, albeit leaving the crevices with the wash in not covered. I concentrate on the broad raised areas where light would hit.

The second highlight is either a suitable different colour - eg I use Green Grey (Vallejo) as a second highlight on German Fieldgrey (Vallejo) or a slightly lightened original colour, with a touch of white or Ivory added. I then add the finer details, such as cap colours or metal bits on the rifles or cavalry swords.

 

I don’t always apply both the first and second highlight to all areas. The helmet on this figure has just had a first highlight, while the cavalry scabbard didn’t have the ‘first’ highlight, just the second one. But, the tunic and breeches, blanket, satchel and rifle have had both.

And there we are! Hopefully it has been of use to you.

Impetus Aztec Army in 28mm

 

My Aztec army is finally finished! The figures are a mixture of Gringos40, The Assault Group, and Wargames Foundry. They are all based on 2ps and the bases are Warbases Impetus bases. All the figures can, however, be removed from the bases so can be used in the 'En Garde' skirmish game.

 

First up we have the command 'stand'; not all based together. In the front we have Moctezuma himself, flanked on one side by a priest holding a freshly-extracted heart in his hand. On the other side of the Aztec Emperor is an Eagle Warrior with a captive who, one presumes, will soon be handed to the priest! At the back are two Aztec speakers, one wearing a rather fetching human skin suit and other blowing into a conch shell.

 

Next up, we have the elite Cuachique unit, or 'Shorn Ones'. These were the most prestigious of the Aztec warrior groups, having taken at least 7 captives and 3 of which should have been taken against more respected opponents. They were the shock troops of the Aztec army and had taken an oath to never take a step backwards in battle. Recognisable by their distinctive yellow feather suits, shaved heads and painted faces.

Moving down the Aztec pecking order, my army does not at this stage have any Otomi troops but has a unit of Eagle and a unit of Jaguar warriors. The army list for Impetus actually lists one or the other - but I couldn't resist getting both! We can bolster any enemies if we have to! One of these Aztec warriors was called a cuauhocelotl. The word cuauhocelotl derives from the Eagle warrior cuauhtli and the Jaguar Warrior ocelotl. These warriors needed to have taken at least 4 captives in battle.

The final of the 'suited' units is a group of warrior priests. Aztec warrior priests had their own ranking system. For example, 2-captive warrior priests wore a plain white suit, while 3-captive warrior priests wore a plain green one. These warrior priests have taken 4 captives in battle and as such can wear the 'cicitlalo cuextecatl' or 'starry night' suit. This suit is in the Huaxtec style with a coned hat. These style suits, albeit red and black, were worn by 2-captive warriors who weren't priests, called the Cuextecatl.

Next, we come into the non-suited main bulk of the army. Every Aztec man was trained to be a warrior. Farmers and other workers were rallied in times of war. Most of these will not have taken captives although some may have taken one. None have taken more as they do not wear the red Huaxtec suit for taking 2 captives, or the butterfly banner for taking 3. These are the 'peasant levy' for want of a better phrase - the Macehualtin farmers or other men from the regional areas known as Calpolli. As the suited warriors, many are armed with the Macehuitl (obsidian-edged club), cuauhololli (round-headed clubs), or tepoztopilli which was somewhere between a spear and a halberd. Some where the cotton armour called ichcahuipilli.

The final main unit of the army is the unit of bowmen, armed with the Aztec bow, the Tlahuitolli. These were around 5 feet long with arrows tipped with obsidian.

Then, we have the skirmish element of the army. A smaller unit of tlahuitolli bowmen, a unit of slingers armed with the tematatl sling, and a unit of warriors armed with atlatl spear thrower, which increased the range and speed of the missiles.

And to finish the army off, some casualty markers!

In the short term I think the figures will see more use in skirmishes, either against each other or a small Conquistador/Tlaxcalan warband I am putting together.

Trafalgar

After much planning and painting, NBHW finally put on the refight of the Battle of Trafalgar on Trafalgar day itself, Sunday 21st October.

Here is the link to the AAR:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/New-Buckenham-Historical-Wargamers-302874659765417/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2188008894585308&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBsxyMsxcHRhcUXMZVdiAyLRWHA-qRaONbpkD975qibsSrukuri-GFXWcGKgYQk7xiG-Gcgp1hNsuFc78vUKcrAlbRXXW2q37xlPJhABFXDtUqNvKel9VINV-sL8CEjnj6ES7hKnCnfyIxJA52PFi_3vPDF_SAAWXCzV81Ur7kLwmMqMxbTpmg4dKSwgzCAVXby9gTSElg&__tn__=-UC-R

And a couple of videos:

https://www.facebook.com/302874659765417/videos/319715488828040/

https://www.facebook.com/302874659765417/videos/177096629837323/

For those without Facebook, here are a selection of photos.

Aztec update

Here is a quick update on my Aztecs. I have all the figures required now for my Impetus army list, but I've based them on removable 2p bases so they can be used for other games, particularly the 'En Garde' skirmish rules.

First up, a unit of 'Cuachique' or 'shorn ones'. These were the real elites of the Aztec army, having taken 7 or more captives and at least 3 from respected enemies.

 

 

 

I've also completed 2 bases of Aztec Archers, one full base and one skirmish base:

 

while there are some other assorted Aztec figures here that I've completed recently, including one with a captive which will form part of the command stand:

 

 

It's obviously been a little while since posting, so here is a photo of the army as it stands!

 

....while there a few Conquistadors for the skirmish game, too....







More Naval gaming

Life is settling down at home.... a bit! It has been crazy for the past year or so hence a reduction in blogging.

We are planning to run the Battle of Trafalgar at club next month. Here is one of the warm up games...

https://www.facebook.com/pg/New-Buckenham-Historical-Wargamers-302874659765417/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2135240289862169

Normandy terrain

I've had a few Normandy bits for a little while - a Sentry church, some Rapid Ruin buildings (which I've already painted) and a Sarissa Precision Normandy house. I was inspired by the photos in the Rapid Fire 'Normandy Battlegames' book so thought I would base up the buildings and paint and base the church to go with it. You will see from the first photo that, although the church is stuck, the other buildings aren't so they can be used in different scenarios.  Think the Sarissa building doesn't go too badly with the Rapid Ruin ones.