HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A happy NEW YEAR to ALL of you!

Thanks for joining my blog and making it better!

I wish you and your families ALL the best in 2011!

Another new tooling from Airfix!

This one is actually not so brand new!

But I read it nowhere or I missed it!

Bedford QLT in typical Airfix scale, 1/76 and another new tooling!


Due to the photos you can build 2 different types, which means buy 2 boxes! But, compared with the following photo, which shows us the content, I can't imagine to build 2 types of it!

And this photo is from "britmodelle.com"-forum:

The good news is:

We have another new tooling from Airfix!

Bad news?

Not in those days! It's after Christmas and before New Year!

M4A3 75 mm. Sherman Fast-Assembly kit!

Those days are Italeri products - days!

I don't know if we may describe it this way, but I have done!

That's the third new-product from Italeri, all annouced in their 2010 catalog!

After their M4A2 Sherman III, fast-assembly kit:

this one is from the same family just with 75 mm. gun.

(The picture is from global-models website!)

The set contains as usual 2 models, each with 13 parts (the last Shermans had 15 parts!)

And with a special wargames decals sheet. (If someone can explain, their speciality? Maybe more resistant!?)

I heard you, saying:"Something new, but nothing new! No offence, but who misses a Sherman tank in his collection?!"

Maybe, you are right, if you are collecting and building models since 20-30 years.

But, especially the newcomers (you, know, this new generation, who should have everything very quick! Bought and done!) and the small ones, 5 till 10 years, beginners need those fast assembly kits, IMHO!

Because of that, "Thanks Italeri!"

and

No, I am also not tired of it!

SALE from VALIANT MINIATURES!

I know, Christmas is over and for a "New Year"-gift, it's a little bit late, if you don't live in UK!

But, there is also a 'Life after Christmas and New Year!" and a real collector and modelmaker never gives up!

Also for those who are waiting for SALES after Christmas and New Year, this could be a good opportunity!

If you'll buy 5 boxed sets from Valiant Miniatures 1/72 scale WW2 figures, you'll get a metal gun FREE and pay nothing for the postage!

I think, there is no need to make Valiant Miniatures known.

They produce high quality WW2 figures in hard plastic. Each set consists 64-68 figures with alternative heads and arms and additional weapons.

To date they produced only 4 sets:

British Tommies 44/45

Classic German Infantry 44/45

American GI's 42/44

Germans in Normandy 44.

(The photos are from "plasticsoldierreview" website!)

Especially the alternative heads and arms, additional weapons and the fact that the figures are produced in hard plastic material make it ideal for conversions. The quality and detail is high.

They have also a metal production. The offer includes ONE of the 4 gun products, 2 German, 1 British and 1 US!

British 6pdr At-gun and 3 crew

US 57 mm AT-gun and 3 crew

German PAK 40 75 mm AT-gun and 3 crew

German IG18 75 mm Infantry gun and 3 crew

This offer could be a good opportunity to test their metal products!

If you don't know what to buy or just got something which you can combine with Valiant products, here to order:

http://www.valiantminiatures.com/news-6-Special%20Promo%20and%20FREE%20SHIPPING!

New photos from Zvezda's Soviet 122-mm Howitzer!

Today I got new photos from Zvezda's Soviet 122 mm. howitzer for our new member Paul!

Back side of the box:



What the box contents:



and the instruction:

Desert well & tents!

This year, Italeri produced a little late for Christmas gifts, but just in time (for customers in Europe!) for New Year presents!

Today, I have another production, which was announced in the catalog 2010 and arrived at the end of the year.

Desert well and tents in 1/72 scale with new moulds:



The set contains 33 parts; 2 tents, 1 well and a fireplace could be build!

This set is a good addition to the African house from Italeri in 1/72 scale:



After all the vehicles which were used on the North African theatre during WW2 and the latest German paratroopers with tropical uniform, those diorama accessories allows us to build a nice desert diorama!

You can order it here:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/IT6148

Anti tank obstacles from Italeri!

It was one of my favorites in Italeri catalog 2011.

Anti Tank obstacles in 1/72 scale!

Maybe because I have created my own and wanted competition!

I know, they are not compatible with the Italeri product, but mine!

You can't make a Christmas gift (I know, for yourself!), but it's not too late for a New Year present!


(The picture is from global-models website!)

The set contains 61 parts!

As you can see on the picture there are 4 different obstacle types,each 10 pieces and 4 pieces hedgehows and 5 barbed wire connections!


They all are wargame approved. (IMO, it's not possible to make a mistake with those pieces!)

Here you can buy this item:

http://www.global-models.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=25683

Another re-released products from Airfix in 2011!

Today another news about new and re-released products from Airfix, in

military vehicles in 1:76 Scale

A01307 - Josep Stalin JS3 Tank

A01316 - T34/85 Tank

A01319 - Chi Ha - Type 97 tank

and

figures in 1:76 Scale

A01763 - WWII US Paratroops

A01753 - WWII German Paratroops

On their website there is only a picture of the US marines. Especially the Chi-Ha is not easy to find (OK! In E-bay you can find everything!), but in IMHO actually nothing new!

Airfix 's Cromwell for 2011!

It's hard to believe, but it's announced on the Airfix website!

Next year there will be a Cromwell tank in 1/76 scale produced with a new tool! (The picture is from Airfix website!)

At first view I thought that it could be a reproduction of Revel's Cromwell.

The reason for this confusion is, that both models are so called "Rhino tanks".

Rhino was the nickname of Allied tanks fitted with hedgerow-breaching "tusks" in Normandy after D-Day.

The Airfix production will be a Cromwell, a british tank, and they referred to these "tusks" Prong.

This method of cutting through hedgerows was extremely effective in the bocage terrain of the area, where hedges were a serious obstacle for tanks. (Info from Wiki!)

But, after a closer look, you can also notice that there are some differences with the Revel model.
The part on the back side could be a "Deap wading gear" to drive the tank on the sea floor.

But this is only a suggestion, wait and look for an another explanation from Airfix!

After all that is the announcement in our hobby!

Airfix comes with a new mold!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hi folks!

I wish you ALL and your families

a MERRY CHRISTMAS, surrounded by loved ones!

Hopefully all your wishes comes true by Santa!

Soviet 122-mm Howitzer from Zvezda!

Christmas is coming!

Not only one look to the windows of the shops, also a search in Internet confirms this reality!

Each day we get a new offer from some Producer!

Today it's again Zvezda, with a "fast-kit"-product for the boardgame "The great Patriotic War"!

Soviet 122-mm Howitzer in a 1/72 scale with 2 crew members:


No glue needed!

After the PST howitzer with 5 crew members this one is an other eyecatcher! (Thanks for the info from David O'Brien in the Strelets forum!)

Soviet DShK AA MG and Crew from ORION!

Fresh news at the weekend!

The plastic figure producer Orion from Ukraine brought a new WW2 set in a 1/72 scale to the market:

Soviet DShK AA MG and Crew:



The set contents 3 MG's and 15 figures (5 different poses).

The russian name is "Degtyaryova-Shpagina Krupnokaliberny" and "Degtyaryov Shpagin" means "Large-Calibre".

It is a Soviet heavy anti-aircraft machine gun firing 12.7x108mm cartridges.

The weapon was also used as a heavy infantry machine gun, in which case it was frequently deployed with a two-wheeled mounting and a single-sheet armour-plate shield.

It took its name from the weapons designers Vasily Degtyaryov, who designed the original weapon, and Georgi Shpagin, who improved the cartridge feed mechanism. It is sometimes nicknamed Dushka (lit. "Sweetie", "Dear"), from the abbreviation.

The back side of the box (Photos are from "Benno's figures forum):



The requirement for a heavy machine gun appeared in 1929. The first such gun, the Degtyaryov, Krupnokalibernyi (DK, Degtyaryov, Large calibre), was built in 1930 and this gun was produced in small quantities from 1933 to 1935.

The gun was fed from a drum magazine of only thirty rounds, and had a poor rate of fire. Shpagin developed a belt feed mechanism to fit to the DK giving rise, in 1938, to the adoption of the gun as the DShK 1938. This became the standard Soviet heavy machine gun in World War II.

The DShK 1938 was used in several roles. As an anti-aircraft weapon it was mounted on pintle and tripod mounts, and on a triple mount on the GAZ-AA truck. Late in the war, it was mounted on the cupolas of IS-2 tanks and ISU-152 self-propelled guns. As an infantry heavy support weapon it used a two-wheeled trolley, similar to that developed by Sokolov for the 1910 Maxim gun. It was also mounted in vehicle turrets, for example, in the T-40 light amphibious tank.

(All the information is from Wikipedia, thankfully!)

Inside of the box of Zvezda's "Great Patriotic War"!

Here are new photos of the components in the box: (from "Art of Tactic"-forum)

When you open the box:



The pieces sorted out:



Some of the the boardpieces:

A closer look to the expansions of Zvezda!

I found photos on the Zvezda's forum from one of the expansion sets for the boardgame "The great patriotic war".

It's a T34/76 1940 version in 1/100 scale!



The box contents one info card of the model for the game, one instructions booklet and the model!



A closer llok to the instructions, which imho is the easiest one in the whole modelworld:

Italian cavalry WW2 from Waterloo 1815!

Yes!

Cavalry during World war 2 and it's not the polish one!

The new surprise from my favorite figure manufacturer "Waterloo 1815" is the Italian cavalry during World War 2.



The charge of the polish cavalry during "Case White/ Invasion of Poland" is a well know-myth.

But a lot of people don't know that the 3. Cavalry Division Amedeo Duca d'Aosta took part on the eastern front during WW2.

The division was part of the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia and fought till 1943.

Each division had two cavalry regiments, a highly-mobile infantry (Bersaglieri) regiment, an artillery regiment, and a light tank group.

The squadrons of the cavalry regiments were horse-mounted and, other than a motorcycle company, the Bersaglieri were issued with bicycles.

The light tank group had a total of 61 tanks. The tanks were typically L3s or L6s.(All info from Wikipedia!)

This part of history is now alive thanks to "Waterloo 1815" in 1/72 scale.

Here are the first picrures: (From plasticsoldierreview.com)

the figures:



the horses:



the accessories:



The set contents 10 figures and 10 horses, with 5 figure- and 2 horse poses.

The material is fairly hard.

Game of Thrones Main Theme (Official Soundtrack Version)!

The music composed by Ramin Djawadi.

He was born in July 19, 1974 in Duisburg from an Iranian father and German mother.

He is a German-Iranian composer of orchestral music for film and television.

Djawadi may be best known for his Grammy-nominated, guitar-driven score for Iron Man and for the TV series Prison Break, Game of Thrones and Person of Interest.

Enjoy it:

Playing the boardgame "Battles of Westeros"!

Every battle in this game has a limit of rounds, which is set in the "battle plans".

Each round is divided into 4 phases:

1- RALLY phase

2- MARSHALING phase

3- COMMAND phase

4- REGROUP phase

After the fourth phase, another round begins and the whole process continues until one side is victorious or the last round of the game is finished.

Each phase has his own actions:

RALLY phase:

a-Determine advantage
b-Refresh commanders
c-Rally units

MARSHALING phase:

a-Receive order tokens
b-Draw leadership cards

COMMAND phase:

a-Use order token
b-Play leadership card
c-Pass

REGROUP phase:

a-Resolve status conditions
b-Score victory points
c-Check victory conditions
d-Discard excess resources
e-Recover morale
f-Advance round marker

After Regroup phase, victory conditions should be checked, for controlling if one side had fulfilled them.

If not, the game continues with a new RALLY phase.

This whole procedure looks complex, but after playing for a while you'll recognize that it works smoothly.

The rules are in town!

The long desired rules of the "The great patriotic War 1941" is in english and can be downloaded here:

http://www.file-upload.net/download-2974610/6134_Barbarossa_Rules_Eng.rar.html

The rules are 15 pages long and can be classified to "medium difficulty level".

Have fun!

T 34/76 mod. 1940 for Zvezda's boardgame!

After the reinforcement for the germans, the russian side gets also his own armour.

T-34/76 (mod. 1940) box picture:



This fast kit has only 5 parts (Pz. III G has 9!) and is in 1/100 scale.



The price is 2,95 EUR.

The one with a basic paint work:



Hopefully ASAP I'll be able to buy one and report detailed.

And if someone has the possibility to compare with Flames of War models in the scale, please send an article!

Morale in "Battles of Westeros"- Fantasy Flight Games - boardgame!

Like field-marshal Montgomery said:

"High morale is a quality, without which no war can be won!"

Morale is an essential element, which should be calculated in each wargame.

I missed this object in Battlelore.

On the contrary Fantasy Flight Games made it an important component of Battles of Westeros, which is inspired by Battlelore.

In Battles of Westeros there are morale segments, morale hub and morale marker.

Each house has its own morale segments. Those segments will be attached to the both sides of the morale hub, so that the morale track is formed.

The sides of the morale segments are different and in each battle plan it's described which side must be used.

Both morale markers are placed at the beginning of the game on the center space of the morale hub.

On each morale segment there are 10 circles, with the numbers 2 to 11 on one side and 2 to "a rout place" on the reverse, which means, that the only difference between both sides of a morale segment is the last circle.

The circles on the morale segment have different colors. 2 and 3 have grey, 4 to 7 yellow, 11 red color.

When creating the battlefield, following the battle plan, the morale track will be placed next to the battlefield in such a position so each player's morale segment must be on his side of the battlefield.

Number "10" is the morale track!

(The photos are from the "rules of play"-book of the boardgame.)

Plastic figures/Lannister forces - Battles of Westeros boardgame

The "other" side in this beautiful game, the "Lannister's" have also 4 units in the core game.

Their so called, "Rock Cavaliers", cavalry unit

their heavy infantry with "heavy armour"
their "Westerlands" archers
and

their "Lannisport Guard" with their long spears

Panzer III G - expansion for Zvezda's boardgame!

A new expansion for the german forces is on the way!

Panzer Kampfwagen III version G box picture:



The fast-kit has 9 parts and in 1/100 scale.



The announced price is 2,95 EUR.

A finished model without any paint work:

The game begins!

The game is on the market; in Russia and was sold in ESSEN 2010!

The first picture:




and the first scenario pictures:




The price for the russian market is 1.600 rupley, approx. 52.- USD or 38.- EUR!

the first armour vehicles on both sides and Clearness in Scale guestion!

Today we have pictures of the first armour vehicles from both sides:

German armour in the basic game will be represented by Panzer II, actually a light and uneffective tank against soviet counterparts!

Box:

and the back side of the box:


A finished model without any paint work:



I expected, honestly a Panzer III, a medium german panzer, as the main unit at the beginning of the OP Barbarossa!

But when I saw the soviet armour counterpart:

T-26 box:

and box back:


A finished model without any paint work:


Both Panzer consists of 5 parts and have their unit cards!

By the way, due to the information on the back side of the box we know that the armoured (and unarmoured ones logically!) have the 1/100 scale!