Cardboard Buildings

A few pictures of some of my card buildings. Most of them are very old, although they have stood the test of time rather well, and I wouldn't be surprised if many a gamer had a few of these in their collections.

This is probably the worst of them condition wise. Like all the others it has had its roof made detachable for the placement of infantry units inside.

This is a little big for most purposes but fits in okay if the built-up area is big enough.

This is usually a railway building but has also worked well in other functions. I would recommend these buildings because you often find the style of them fits in well with other stuff, and they are not expensive. I saw a model railway show in Europe a few years ago and the layout buildings were all of this type, and the model maker had converted several of them to very good effect; which I might have a go at myself sometime.

An old truck

I found this truck cab whilst leaving cricket last week, and straight away thought I wonder what this will go with.

Added a couple of wheels, deck, etc. Just couldn't help myself really, will post another of the painted variety later.

Greyhound Armoured Car

This kit has an unusual amount of detailing by my standards, I got it in Warsaw whilst there on leave a few years ago. Can't remember the manufacturer but it's resin.

All the stowage, etc came with the kit, and the only thing it's missing is the .5. I only have the one of these as my US collection is not that big, and well, recon platoons are generally small by nature.

HaT Romanians

Here are some pictures of the most versatile HaT Romanians. With head-swaps these figures will stand in quite nicely for just about anything, and it is a big-box set which include light and medium machineguns, mortars and plenty of officer figures.

The MMG is a little unusual but an essential addition, nonetheless.

This pictures shows a couple of command platoons. These figures are part of my small Dutch collection and are used as Dutch Marines. Don't know if the uniform colours are accurate but don't really care either, I painted them like this because I wanted them to stand out a bit; which is totally un-marine-like, but that's okay because they're not RM. I'm considering another attempt at some KNIL using these figures but replacing their helmets with slouch hats, yet another project on the go.

The 5307th Composite Group

A couple of pictures of another unit slated for a revamp. Historically it was a mixed infantry brigade which combined troops from several different nations into one quite unusually equipped force.


This unit saw extensive action from around mid 1943 and was apparently fairly successful in behind the lines type action. It relied solely on pack animals for its transport, and its weapons were a right mixture of whatever was available.

As I am planning to do a bit more far-east stuff next year they should see plenty of service. Am also playing around with the idea of some more Indian troops and also some Dutch figures in tropical kit, will post any actual results further down the track.

Various Germans

No point in showing all different kinds of the same stuff, so here are a few pictures from some of the various German units I have left to show you. First is a mounted-recon-smg platoon which is a member of my Luftwaffe Field Battalion. The figures are a mixture of the usual varieties, but it is their OOB that is quite unusual for this period of the war; my example dates from about 1942 but it actually changed very little as the war progressed, unlike other infantry formations.

These examples are from early war units. Like several others in my collection I have plans to repaint whole formations. I choose these figures for their uniforms which I considered classic early war at the time of painting. I was thinking about mixing some Matchbox with the Pegasus early war set, which according to PSR is also 1/76.

Weapons platoon from one of the Panzergrenadier battalions, this one is from the 42-43 OOB.

Engineer platoon from the late war Panzergrenadier regiment, 44-45.

Lastly, a couple of stands from the already mentioned unit. Most of my German collection was painted and based at an early stage of my interest in this hobby, and I have learnt a lot since then, and so am planning to rebase and repaint large chunks of my collection as a result. A good deal of my inspiration comes from seeing like minded people show their collections also, so thanks.

Work in progress

Bit of a preview of some bikes I've been working on, still a wee way to go but the basics are all there.

Revell and Airfix bikes with side-cars all from the bits box.

Still some detailing to do with green-stuff here and there. All the OOBs that I've looked at for WW2 Soviet motorcycle units are different so there is considerable scope for variety.

Command platoon. This company will eventually have: three bike stands an armoured car, and two halftrack or jeep platoons + attached SMG platoons.

Light Infantry

Continuing with more from my German collection we have a few examples from the so-called Light Battalion. The unit dates from early 1943 in CD OOBs. First pictures shows a couple of rifle platoons.

More rifle platoons showing some of the figures in Greatcoats. Can't remember the manufacturer but they're a little taller than most, I'm careful which other figures I mix with these ones when I'm trying to get a bit more of variety in the poses.

These are the weapons platoons from each line company, most of the different uniforms mix okay, but sometimes you can't be fussy with what limited options you have to start with, either.

This is the support company, which is really the only thing light about the unit. Less one MMG it still contains the usual support elements of mortar, engineer and machine gun at the battalion level. I think all of the figures are either Pegasus or HaT.

Motorised Infantry

These figures represent my SS Motorised Infantry Regiment. Their uniforms date from the mid-war period, but I use them for any time. I have something like fifteen different German units ranging from battalion to brigade strength.

These are mostly Pegasus figures which need a couple of fiddly-bits and a base added to complete the figure.

The HQ stand is a Revell gunner. I like the little inclusion of slings on most of the figure's weapons in this set, and one or two have a grenade tucked into their boot, which has been done before, but is a nice addition nonetheless.

MMG stand made from bits scrounged from my spares box.

Mortar and crew are from HaT. I have just enough trucks to transport one battalion but need to get a few more. I was looking at the two-truck Pegasus ones to start with but, purchase wise, soft skins always seem to come second to AFVs which in turn come second to figures, so the second SS battalion may be walking into action for some time yet.

From somewhere in Russia

As promised a few pictures from the game we played after Inchon, this one set during WW2. Neither the T34s nor the naval infantry really got going from start to finish.

A couple of Dave's KVs. They did a wee bit of shooting, but their nearest opponents were Tiger 1s, so they didn't get too close.

This shows the end of a village that was on the extreme right of the German line, and once the Soviet recon units were checked this flank was denied to them by the Pak40 and a few engineer platoons.

Rear of the right flank, showing the German HQ.

These Tigers more or less controlled any movement through the center board area. Dave tried a couple of times to shift them, but in the end was unsuccessful, and they caused him much distress.

The SUs bearing a casemate mounted weapon couldn't go hull-down, which was part of the reason the Tigers did so well here.

These PIIIs fended off Dave's T34s all night. They took a few losses and had their problems with morale but overall performed beyond expectations.

This shows the one really good action for the Soviets, Stugs way outgunned by the ISU152s, and although German infantry and armour later gained the hill, there wasn't enough left in either to do much else with.

I think we only played about seven turns but if it had gone the full distance the Germans would have easily come out on top, with better field position and less depleted and broken units than the Soviets. Both sides used HVAP ammunition quite sparingly which is unusual, but most exchanges were at mid to long range. Quite a good bash to keep the tread-head in Dave happy, probably a good thing that my board is not big enough to do Kursk.

Panzer IVs

This is my entire PIV collection, one company. I used to have a full battalion of these but never seemed to use them, and now I wish I'd kept the lot.

Two of them are the old Airfix ones which I don't really have any problems with in terms of scale or accuracy but the tracks that they come with certainly leave a bit to be desired.

Last one shows a Revell model, minus some of the fiddly bits. I got this one in Eastern Europe and put it together with false-finger-nail super glue, which was all that could be obtained at the time. Apart from the awkward multi-link track assembly it went together alright, and I might actually look at getting some more next year, as two companies would be better than one.

Sabre 2

I got some new decals from Paul last time I saw him, and have only just got around to fixing up the Sabre with them. Try as I might the old ones simply would not lift off the model, so the new ones ended up going on straight over the top.

Decided not go with any extra 'bling', decal wise, and am happy with the result. Must get on to sorting out this decal solution that Geordie has been telling me about.

The Russell Collection 2

A few more pictures from some of Dave's stuff, this time Japanese infantry. The first picture shows a regimental command flag stand, which gives a bonus morale modifier to any troops from the same unit within a certain proximity.

This one just a standard command infantry platoon from one of the line companies.

Last one, a weapons platoon. Dave is a very tidy painter compared to myself, no wonder his Russian infantry is taking so long.

The Russell Collection

My good friend David Russell came to visit over the holiday weekend and brought a few models of his along with him. In addition to Inchon we played a small Eastern Front game which I will post the write up for later, but in the interim here are a few pictures from the Russell Collection.

HaT T34/85s, with a couple of platoons from my Guards Regiment; Dave's' still painting his, I think tread-heads always leave their figures until last!

Italeri's IS2s. Quick build kits that look quite good when painted. These are also very reasonably priced by modern standards, however, unless you're gaming 1/1 how many IS2s' does one need?

Another Hat winner from the later war tank destroyer formations, this one an IS122 I think - not really that up with late war armour from any nation.