Operation KMA - Part 2

Blimey! No sooner had I started this project than I had to make changes to my plan. I was expecting to utilise the nice Revell 1/72 German Infantry (Ardennes, set 02502) set I had knocking about for my German Bolt Action 'markers', but fate pooped on me from a-high yet again...

These are the guys I wanted to compliment the Revell set I already have,
but - sadly - I couldn't find them in my local shops (and I refuse to pay
the express delivery fees that online stores charge).

One box, it turned out, wasn't quite enough to make the 500 point force I wanted (I'm sure figure manufacturers do this deliberately) so I needed a second box to ensure I had all the infantry I needed. Problem was I couldn't find any more Revell German sets in my local stores. But, as it happens, I also had a box of PSC Late War German Infantry Heavy Weapons - again bought to use for my Finnish army - and I did find the companion infantry set to go with this, so I bought it (oh my poor bank account, the wife's gonna go ape)!

The 'bad guys'! Boooo, hiss!

I'll do a full review of these two sets in an accompanying post, but for now I'll concentrate on what this means for my Bolt Action demo game project...

The down side of using the PSC Germans is two-fold; they are multi-part and they are - typically of PSC - on the larger end of the 1/72 figure scale. Multi-part figures would usually be a good thing, but on my tight schedule the extra work required to put these figures together is perhaps time I can't really afford (wish I could have found more Revell Germans)!

This makes me lean more towards Tim Gow's idea of just having the opposing forces a single flat identifying colour:

 Germans - Field Grey   versus   Americans - Olive Drab  

...Just while I am learning the game. I could spray the assembled Germans a base coat of Field Grey and then paint them properly later when I have more time of course.

Left: Warlord does a German Field Grey acrylic spray (I'm sure Humbrol does a similar product). A quick once over with this and my German army could be ready in double-quick time!

Anyway, my brother is steaming ahead with his side of the project. He has assembled practically all of his American force (if anything he has - he tells me - too many Shermans) and is thinking about how he will be painting them. He is retired so has more time for the niceties than I do...

The 'good guys'! Hooray!

He's composed his force from a mish-mash of several different US Army figure types, but I guess it doesn't matter for friendly demo games. We can agree between us that they represent a 'US Army' force. Ironically, I sent him many of these Airfix figures as I thought I would never use them, don't I look stupid now! :)

Indeed, I've only just realised - somewhat be-latently - that even if I do intend to eventually just field a Finnish force (my main interest) I will need an opposing force just so I can practise the rules (and learn what my opposition can do). So this idea of making a simplified force, in just base colours, may turn out to be a useful expedient.

Right now, we are thinking of quick and easy ways to create scenery for our test playing board. Lots of creative thinking related to trees made out of sponges and houses made out of cardboard boxes....It's all turning into a episode of Blue Peter! :)

John Noakes made a castle with Fairy bottles on Blue Peter
(BBC) in the 1960s. Picture source: Daily Mail

Next up: Assembling and basing my infantry.