LVT-4 Buffalo #1 - Scheldt Campaign 1944

 Today's offering is a nice piece of kit for my WW2 Late War Bolt Action Canadians, an LVT-4 Buffalo armoured transport. Nice plastic model produced by Rubicon Models that went together pretty well aside from some ambiguous instructions regarding the rear mooring ties (I should have done some research online for images prior to glueing... But an emergency snip and re-glue saved the day.

Paint recipe was my typical Commonwealth NW Europe armour - Vallejo Russian Uniform green, GW Agrax Earthshade wash all over, then base green again, with lightened green for highlights. I still need to finish the tracks with more weathering, but I think as is, it's good enough right now to drop on the tabletop. (It also needs a quick spray of flatcote, but I'll do that after I finish the tracks.)

Markings were a bit tricky to research and photo evidence online seemed a bit all over the place, so I just went with what seemed closest to a "generic" markings system, using what decals I actually owned to drive my choices LOL! (It's supposed to represent a transport for the Canadian 2nd Division. Supposed...)

With a pair of .50cal MG's on sponsons and a hull-mounted .30cal, this thing can provide some great supporting firepower for it's debussing passengers.

Now I look at it in this pic, that Canadian unit marking needs to be gone over with blue as it looks black from here...

These things are huge vehicles! Nice juicy targets for German AT guns... 

No markings on the rear cos I ran out of decals. I guess the troops can attribute that to the ramp being lowered and maybe they scraped off altogether?

This pic was supposed to show the painstaking weathering I attempted on the inside of the transport, but the glare from my desk lamp seems to have ruined that effort. Boo... Also, that Allied Star is wonky, I know - it just wouldn't set "right" and my patience ran out in the end. 

I have a second LVT to paint up along with a Universal Carrier and some Canadian Royal Engineers in the queue, but those are for a future time. Next up - who knows? Maybe some Greeks, maybe some anthro critters, maybe some anime style stuff? 

Hope all are well and safe out there,

- Dai

Another game before the end of February

This weekend saw the opportunity to play a second game of Bolt Action in the month of February, albeit on the very last day of the month. (Imagine that, two games in one month!)

Densmol and his lovely wife came over to our place for the weekend and after the obligatory co-ed socializing period was over, he and I got the game table set up and started rolling dice. Sadly, a little alcohol had been consumed by that point of the day and our "best gaming heads" weren't exactly in place and so our playing pace was somewhat slower than typical. This led to our better halves dropping by about 2/3's through turn 4 of 6 to complain they were bored and required us to "finish up already". A disappointment for sure. Still, the four turns we had managed to get through were lots of fun and really, the game result could've ended up swinging either way. 

The scenario I set out was inspired from the Bolt Action 2nd Edition campaign book: Road to Berlin. The table is set out where control of three objectives are needed for victory conditions (Bridge, and two foam pieces representing fording areas.). The remainder of the table aside from the road is considered Rough ground - the book describes this due to snow, but in our game, these areas are flooded (Ala areas of Holland in 1944). This meant the only part of the table that wheeled vehicles could move on are just the road. Tricky. 

My force consisted of something like: an officer with adjutant, a 10-man squad of regular infantry, two 6-man squads of commandos armed with SMG's all in an LVT-4 Buffalo; a pair of 5-man engineer squads armed with a flame thrower in Bren carriers, a Sherman tank and a pair of WASP flamethrower carriers. 

Densmol's force had (I think) two ten man Heer squads, two 6-man Fallschirmjager squads, a Panzer 2 Luchs, StuG assault gun, sdkfz222 armoured car, a trio of Opel blitz trucks and a pair of Hanomag halftracks all to transport the infantry. 

*Pictures taken were not the best and not frequent, so apologies and we had unpainted (Shock-horror!) models on the table. 

My Canadians heading north in this picture. The LVT4 unloaded it's commando teams (One got shot up almost immediately.), the Sherman tank starts shooting at the StuG and the second of my WASPSmoves up in support, using that copse of trees ahead of it as cover. On the right flank, the engineer squads in their carriers drive up only to see one of their number take some well taken shots by the German Luchs which destroyed the carrier and slew a couple of the engineer passengers.

More movement and the Germans bring on more infantry, the Sherman and StuG continue popping off shots at eachother with miserable results and my Commandos and Regulars take the Western Ford, whilst my Engineers take the Eastern Ford too. Looking good so far. 

On the 3rd turn, my second WASP flamethrowing carrier comes on from reserve and BBQ's the Panzer Luchs with a close-ranged burst of combustible. I love the smell of roasting German Kitties!

A bit more movement. Mostly long range firefights on the left with German infantry getting whittled down and the Sherman FINALLY does some damage, Immobilizing the StuG and pinning it beyond usefulness. 

A lucky (out-of-photo) Armoured Car shot takes out my Buffalo transport! Losing the fire-support of those HMG sponsons will hurt.

And this is where we left off. Truth be told, Densmol still had plenty of infantry to disgorge from his transports, so things weren't written in stone on the outcome of this game. Although we only got 4 turns in, it was lots of fun.   

And that's it. I managed a short session of painting (The officer team and the Buffalo) but niether were finished so they'll feature in a later post once I get another moment to add paint. 

Hope all are well and safe out there in this increasingly violent world we find ourselves in. 

- Dai