Another Russian Monster The KV-5 by Pendraken Miniatures

We've had this one through from one of the vehicle guys this month, a bit off the beaten track but an interesting bit of kit.  The KV-5 was a proposed super-heavy tank that never got much further than the drawing board unfortunately.  The plan was to put a 107mm gun onto an enlarged KV chassis, along with two secondary MG turrets, one in the main turret and one in the front of the hull.  The Siege of Leningrad put a stop to any further development and that was that.

This one is more a bit of fun, before everyone starts asking about why it's getting made!  We're also stockpiling a few of these 'What-If' prototype tanks for a potential 1946/Weird War range in the future.  With this, the Maus, Ratte, T-35 and a few more, there's some interesting potential there...

(The smaller turret fits into both the main turret and the front right of the hull.)

Forum Discussion
Pendraken Miniatures

New Nap French Cavalry & Artillery Released! by Pendraken Miniatures

We've had these at Pendrake HQ for a while now so it's nice to finally get them released!  We've got two new cavalry types, technically taking us outside of the '1809' label, but useful for those working on later war armies.  And then we've got both the 12pdr and 7" Howitzer guns with their crews.

Napoleonic

French

NPF40   Chevau-Leger Lancers (1810+)   £4.95

NPF41   Carabiniers (1811+)   £4.95

NPF42   12pdr with line crew (3)    £4.95

NPF43   7" Howitzer with line crew (3)    £4.95

NPF44   7" Howitzer with horse crew (3)    £4.95

We've got some more cavalry types in the sculpting drawer ready to get into moulds soon, so we'll crack on with those soon.

Forum Discussion
Pendraken Miniatures

October 2016, New Releases from Osprey Publishing Ltd

Latest releases from Osprey Publishing Ltd available this month

We March Against England

In May 1940 Nazi Germany was master of continental Europe, the only European power still standing was Great Britain - and the all-conquering German armed forces stood poised to cross the Channel. Following the destruction of the RAF fighter forces, the sweeping of the Channel of mines, and the wearing down of the Royal Naval defenders, two German army groups were set to storm the beaches of southern England. Despite near-constant British fears from August to October, the invasion never took place after first being postponed to spring 1941 before finally being abandoned entirely.

Robert Forcyzk, author of Where the Iron Crosses Grow, looks beyond the traditional British account of Operation Sea Lion, complete with plucky Home Guards and courageous Spitfire pilots, at the real scale of German ambition, plans and capabilities. He examines, in depth, how Operation Sea Lion fitted in with German air-sea actions around the British Isles as he shows exactly what stopped Hitler from invading Britain.

War Over the Steppes

The air war over the Steppes was more than a brutal clash in which might alone triumphed. It was a conflict that saw tactical and technological innovation as the Soviet air force faced off against Herman Göring's Luftwaffe. As Germany and the Soviet Union battled for victory on the Eastern Front they had to overcome significant strategic and industrial problems, as well as fighting against the extreme weather conditions of the East. These factors combined with the huge array of aircraft used on the Eastern Front to create one of the most compelling conflicts of the war.

Told primarily from the strategic and command perspective, this account offers a detailed analysis of this oft-overlooked air war, tracing the clashes between Germany and the Soviet Union over the course of World War II. Historical photographs complement the examination as author E. R. Hooton explores these epic aerial battles between the Third Reich and the Soviet Union.

Arctic Bf 109 and Bf 110 Aces

Once Nazi Germany had conquered Norway in 1940, just a handful of Gruppen flying the Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters were able to shatter all opposition and dominate the air in the Arctic Circle. Yet as the dual threats of the RAF and the Red Air Force grew, the Luftwaffe was forced to increase its fighter presence to full Geschwader strength with the formation of JG 5 Eismeer (Ice-sea) in early 1942.

The struggle for the frozen skies of the arctic raged on until the end of the war as the embattled JG 5 produced some of the Eastern Front's leading aces, pilots of the calibre of Theodor Weissenberger, Heinrich Ehrler, Walter Schuck, Franz Dörr and Jakob Norz all achieving over 100 kills. Featuring first-hand accounts from the pilots, extensive research from a leading authority on the Luftwaffe, and illustrations of the aircraft in unique winter camouflage, this book is a comprehensive guide to the Arctic Experten and the planes they flew.

MiG-17/19 Aces of the Vietnam War

The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) at the beginning of the Vietnam War were equipped with slow, old Korean War generation fighters - a combination of MiG-17s and MiG-19s - types that should have offered little opposition to the cutting-edge fighter-bombers such as the F-4 Phantom II, F-105 Thunderchief and the F-8 Crusader. Yet when the USAF and US Navy unleashed their aircraft on North Vietnam in 1965 the inexperienced pilots of the VPAF were able to shatter the illusion of US air superiority.

Taking advantage of their jet's unequalled low-speed maneuverability, small size and powerful cannon armament they were able to take the fight to their missile-guided opponents, with a number of Vietnamese pilots racking up ace scores. Packed with information previously unavailable in the west and only recently released from archives in Vietnam, this is the first major analysis of the exploits of Vietnamese pilots in the David and Goliath contest with the US over the skies of Vietnam.

Mitsubishi A6M Zero

Unquestionably the most iconic Japanese fighter of World War II, the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-Sen, Type Zero fighter was used from the initial raid on Pearl Harbor up to the Kamikaze attacks at the end of the war. Facing off against the likes of the Wildcat, Corsair and even the Spitfire, the Zero gained a legendary reputation amongst Allied pilots due to its incredible manoeuvrability. Detailed analysis of its technical qualities show why the Zero was so feared, but also pinpoints the weaknesses that would eventually be its downfall as Allied pilots learned how to combat it.

A selection of historical photographs and unique artwork accompany the analysis as James D'Angina delves into the history of the premier Axis fighter of the Pacific Theatre, exploring the design and combat effectiveness of the Zero as well as the tactics developed by Allied pilots to counter it.

Malaya and Singapore 1941–42

For the British Empire it was a military disaster, but for Imperial Japan the conquest of Malaya was one of the pivotal campaigns of World War II. Giving birth to the myth of the Imperial Japanese Army's invincibility, the victory left both Burma and India open to invasion. Although heavily outnumbered, the Japanese Army fought fiercely to overcome the inept and shambolic defence offered by the British and Commonwealth forces.

Detailed analysis of the conflict, combined with a heavy focus on the significance of the aerial campaign, help tell the fascinating story of the Japanese victory, from the initial landings in Thailand and Malaya through to the destruction of the Royal Navy's Force Z and the final fall of Singapore itself.

Finnish Soldier vs Soviet Soldier

The Winter War was supposed to be a quick and easy conflict; instead it proved to be a bitter war that destroyed the international reputation of the Soviet Red Army. The diminutive Finnish force was desperately outnumbered by almost half a million Russian troops, but rather than sweeping across their neighbours the Soviet troops stumbled blindly, constantly wrong-footed and then bloodied by their seemingly insignificant foe. Drawing on a wide range of sources this study looks at three key battles, drawing a stark contrast between the poorly prepared Russian troops and the Finns, who made excellent use of terrain and innovative guerrilla tactics as they defended their homeland.

Detailed maps and specially commissioned artwork highlight key moments in the Winter War, a David-and-Goliath conflict that saw the Soviet Union suffer horrendous losses as they tried to recover from each disastrous defeat.

World War II Infantry Fire Support Tactics

As infantry units advanced across Europe the only support they could rely on from day to day was that provided by the heavy weapons of their own units. While thundering tanks struck fear into the hearts of their enemies it was the machine guns, mortars and light cannon that proved to be most important, causing the majority of casualties suffered during World War II. Common principles were shared across units but the wide variety of weapons available to the different armies altered the way they were used in battle.

Focusing on the US, British, German and Soviet troops, this title offers a comprehensive guide to infantry fire support tactics used through World War II. Combat reports are complemented by specially commissioned artwork to show the way in which tactics varied, and highlight how developments obliged opposing armies to review their own methods.

British Light Infantry & Rifle Tactics of the Napoleonic Wars

In an age when infantry units manoeuvred and fought in rigid blocks, the idea of encouraging initiative and allowing a unit to 'skirmish' was regarded as revolutionary and fell out of favour in the years following the French-Indian and American Revolutionary wars. It was revived by far-sighted British and foreign-mercenary officers, who observed the way in which French Revolutionary armies deployed skirmishers to prepare the way for their assault columns.

Offering a detailed analysis of the tactics, this book is studded with period 'battle descriptions' quoted from eye-witness accounts, creating a comprehensive guide to the Light and Rifles units of Wellington's Light Division. As the result of the first tentative experiments in skirmishing the units achieved an unsurpassed peak of efficiency - they marched faster, were versatile in any sort of tactical situation and could shoot more accurately than either friend or foe. No other national army, either allied or enemy, achieved these standards.

The Hindenburg Line

Jagging across north-western Europe like an ugly scar, the Hindenburg Line was Germany's most formidable line of defence in World War I. Its fearsome reputation was matched only by its cunning design, with deep zigzagging trenches, concrete fieldworks, barbed wire and devilish booby traps forming an intimidating barrier for any attacking army. Through meticulous research, this volume explores each of the major portions of the Hindenburg Line, paying particular attention to three examples of Allied operations against it towards the end of the war: the critical flanking of the Drocourt-Qeant Switch; the daring but costly rupture of the line of the St Quentin Canal; and the bloody battles of the Meuse-Argonne.

Specially commissioned artwork and historical photographs perfectly complement the analysis provided by the authors as they trace the life of the Hindenburg Line from its seemingly invulnerable early years through to the audacious tactics used by the Allies to achieve a bitter victory in 1918.

From the Archives

Modern soldiers depend on their equipment, from the weapons in their hands and the tanks that support them, to the communications equipment that connect them to their commanders. Formed in 1942, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) have maintained the British Army's equipment and kept their machines moving for nearly 75 years. REME have been involved in every single operation undertaken by the British Army since World War II, and the Corps has some fascinating stories to tell.

This is a collection of some of the fascinating accounts unearthed in the archives and written about in the The Craftsman (the Corps Magazine) and The REME Journal (the publication of The REME Institution) - including the Birth of REME; Operation Grapple - UK Nuclear Testing on Christmas Island; and the Mystery of Mussolini's Boots. It provides unique insights into inspirational deeds and bravery and good-humoured fortitude that have characterised the British Army through the ages.

All profits from the book's sale will go to the REME Benevolent Fund and SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.

Nile River Gunboats 1882–1918

For more than 30 years the Nile river gunboat was an indispensable tool of empire, policing the great river and acting as floating symbols of British imperial power. They participated in every significant colonial campaign in the region, from the British invasion of Egypt in 1882 to the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, when Britain finally won control of the Sudan. After that, the gunboats helped maintain British control over both Egypt and the Sudan, and played a key role in safeguarding British interests around the headwaters of the Nile - a region hotly contested by several European powers. Featuring specially commissioned artwork, this comprehensive volume offers a detailed analysis of the Nile river gunboats' entire career, from policing British colonial interests along the great river to defending Egypt against the Ottoman Turks in World War I.

 

The Mosin-Nagant Rifle

The Mosin-Nagant is the world's longest-surviving and most widely distributed military rifle, having armed the forces of Russia and many other countries for over a century. It has seen action from World War I to the present day, but is most famous for its role during World War II where it proved to be an excellent sniping weapon in the hands of marksmen such as Vasili Zaitsev and Simo Häyhä. This study covers the rifles entire combat history, from its early development through to its service in combat and the impact it has had on modern firearms.

Dramatic battle reports and specially-commissioned artwork complement the meticulously researched examination of the Mosin-Nagant provided by author Bill Harriman as he delves into the history of one of the most iconic rifles of World War II.

Osprey Publishing Ltd

Less Than 48hrs To Go! from Black Gate Miniatures

Thank you to everyone who has pledged to make this 10mm Ogre army a reality.

Now, with less than 48hrs to go, time is running out to get involved if you haven't already.

If you choose a pledge of "Ogre Chieftain" or above, then you will access a special Kickstarter price of £7.50 per unit. After the Kickstarter ends the regular price will be £9 per unit.

Thank you again.

Ogres forever!

Barry

Kickstarter
Black Gate Miniatures

October 2016, Duel, Warrior & Raid Sale

October Sale – 25% Off Duel, Warrior & Raid!

Our October sale gives you 25% off all books and eBooks from our Duel, Warrior and Raid series, so don't miss this chance to add to your Osprey collection.

As always, Gold and Silver members can take advantage of the monthly sale alongside their existing membership discounts.

Buy Now!

Osprey Publishing Ltd

British and Commonwealth Warship Camouflage of WW II: 3

During the Second World War navies developed low visibility camouflage for their ships, on both vertical and horizontal surfaces, in order reduce visibility by blending in with the sea, or confuse the identity of a ship by applying more obtrusive pattern.

In this the second volume by maritime artist Mal Wright, both the official and unofficial paint schemes that adorned the cruisers of the Royal Navy and Commonwealth are depicted in detail, along with discussions on changes of armament and electronics that affected the outward appearance of each ship.

Beginning with the older cruisers, the book goes on to cover all the other cruiser classes, taking in heavy cruisers, prewar and wartime cruisers; the author then covers minelayers. Where possible both sides of the ship are depicted, and there are multiple images of the ships where armament or equipment changes had a fundamental impact on a ship s appearance.

Overhead views are also included. With 800 full colour illustrations, arranged by ship type rather than camouflage scheme, this book concentrates the clearest possible information into a single volume to provide a one-stop reference source.

Many schemes would be difficult for the reader to have found other than with the most intensive research so that historians, collectors, model makers and wargamers will find this unique reference source absolutely invaluable.

Operation Barbarossa: The Complete Organisational and Statistical Analysis, and Military Simulation, Vol. IIIA

Volume IIIA relates to the Soviet armed forces, mobilisation and war-economy during 1941.

All significant Soviet weapon systems and combat squads used in the campaign are analysed, along with a contextual history.

An assessment of each weapon system's inherent 'combat power' is provided, as well as attributes such as the relative antitank and antipersonnel values. Volume IIIA then focuses on the detailed Shtaty (Toes) for all the Soviet land unit types fielded during 1941.

All significant units in the Rkka (Red Army), Vvs, Vmf, Pvo and Nkvd are included; ranging from the largest mechanised corps and tank divisions, down to small mortar battalions and Nkvd security companies.

Also included are the most detailed Orders of Battle ever published on the Red Army, Pvo and Nkvd forces in June 1941. Even small and obscure units are included down to battalion and company level.

Lastly, Volume IIIA examines in detail every unit's actual personnel and equipment in each of the Ussr's Western Military Districts.

Operation Barbarossa: The Complete Organisational and Statistical Analysis, and Military Simulation, Vol. 1

Operation Barbarossa: The Complete Organisational and Statistical Analysis, and Military Simulation, Vol. IIA

Operation Barbarossa: The Complete Organisational and Statistical Analysis, and Military Simulation, Vol. IIB

Feedback from the Survey – Part II

Hi all and welcome to the second of my blogs to dig deeper into the survey results you so graciously assisted us in collecting. This time around I want to follow up the question we asked you: EXACTLY what does support mean to you?

If we quickly recap on the top answers you came back with:

1) Release of new models
2) Scenarios and Battle Reports
3) Release of new Rules 4) Campaign Blogs
5) Painting Guides
6) Organised play materials

Before you read on, my apologies for the length of this blog – there is lots to talk about. I will also focus on Spartan Games IP, saving Halo for its own blog. Let’s go through your survey list one by one:

1) Release of new models
As a manufacturing company, it is fair to say we love making new models and, you could say, we get overexcited by the idea of making them! Over the years, each game has experienced different levels of growth and the release of models. It is probably a good idea to discuss each game separately in terms of new models.

Firestorm Planetfall grew rapidly in its model count as the game developed in its first year. Our Core six races now have a full set of Helixes, giving a cool list of models, and we made our first six Alliances Helixes available.

The good news is that there is huge scope for expansion and we need to hammer this home. As many of you know, we have been working on version 2.0 of the Planetfall rules and many of our expansion plans are linked to this new rulebook, but there are things we can do before then that bring new models to you.

One of our first tasks is to give you more flexibility in your Helixes. If we take a Core Helix as an example, we state that it must have a Large Armoured Vehicle in it – but wouldn’t it be cool if we gave you more choices of Large. Same goes for some of the other vehicle sizes in the game. This will build a meta build into the helix structure we feel players should warm to.
There is lots of scope for game development open to us by taking this approach and we have embarked on the process of defining what these new vehicles will be.

The larger model of expansion for Planetfall will come in the shape of new helixes for Alliance race/faction. Right now, you have a sampler of what those races have to offer in battle, but what about if you want to play a Core Force composed of mostly RSN, with the Dindenzi acting as their support. In my mind, I can see a tabletop force using RSN tanks and robots at its core (yes, I do love the Arch Angel model) and its bulk of infantry being supplied by the Dindrenzi. Facing this could be a Hawker core supported by Terran Alliance ground pounders!

Picking on RSN and Hawker in my example there could well be prompted by the fact that the first two Alliances to be fleshed out to operate as a Core Force are these two factions. We’re very excited by this Alliance Faction expansion during 2017.

2) Scenarios and Battle Reports
To date our delivery of these types of articles to you has been hit and miss and we certainly need to lift our game for you. To this end, I am looking to put together a virtual team of a contributors who feel they could work alongside Spartan Games to generate content. This will encompass all games and anyone interested should email me putting Scenarios &  Battle Reports in the email description please. If you have examples of your creativity, please feel free to attach them. My email address is: neil@spartangames.co.uk

3) Release of New Rules
I am going to split this into two: new rulebooks and new rule extensions.

Planetfall 2.0 is a project that is advanced and one that will come early in 2017. Our true 10mm scale massed ground combat game has made great inroads since its release, establishing itself both on gameplay and the quality of its models. Version 2.0 builds upon this and will be an exciting release.
The second part of rules is the idea of creating addendums to the core engine that we roll out to you, sometimes alternatives to doing things. Handled correctly these give us a good test bed for trying out new ideas with our community, collating your feedback and potentially adding those rules to a new edition of the core ruleset down the line. We have made add-on rules available for Legions, and at times in previous campaign books we dabbled in new rule extensions.

These are something we should make more available to you and I have marked this down for the Beta Group Leads to talk about for our different game systems. I also want to ponder the best way to deliver these to you, and how best to collect feedback. The natural way is to use our beta testers as these guys will be the route to delivering the rules to you anyway – we would have created the rules with their input/commentary. There is a lot of mileage to generating addendum rules for you all.

4) Campaign Blogs
As you have seen already we kicked of campaign blogs for FA and DW before or survey was conducted, but what has been firmly established by the survey that what we have done so far is just the tip of the iceberg. We need to keep generating the campaigns, detail them in more depth for you and marry them up to Scenarios and Battle Reports.
We are now viewing campaigns for our games as delivering at two levels. At the top level, we have strategic campaigns that Spartan Games creates to guide the game, the campaigns that will directly define core faction upgrades, even define the new factions that enter the game. We have already started on these, the first game seeing this being FA, but this community has only seen 1 of several campaigns started. Below this we will have the more tactical campaigns, almost mini campaigns that sit inside the top-level campaigns and these are the ones we dynamically push to you via blogs to promote game play and increase interactivity with you.
Much more to come on this subject.

5) Painting Guides
This is something we have struggled with over the years as our painting resource has always been used to paint models for packaging and photoshoots. There are a lot of hugely talented painters out there they use both brush and airbrush techniques. We believe that we should focus on Painting Reference materials, instead of trying to tutor people on how to use a brush. Showing what colours we recommend (our paint partner is Vallejo) and where to apply them makes more sense, and using this format we should also ensure we detail named fleets or fleets of renown.
We’ve kicked off having some samples digitally created and when they are ready we will share for discussion.

6) Organised Play Materials
We took from the survey that this is people are looking for materials to assist them in organising events where our games are played, and that they can take the shape of Tournaments and more generalised play, such as a 2-3 scenario mini-campaign that can see players getting together at their club or local gaming store. Again, not something we have done well at generating and is something that can be fixed for you by implementing much of the above.

At a more structured Tournament end of the spectrum, we have recently kicked off a process of looking again at how we work with people to plan and implement organised play. For Firestorm Armada, we are now working very closely with the organisers of the Adepticon Firestorm Tournaments to rationalise organised play. A new FA Tournament Guide has been created and the Scenarios recommended for it will be based on those selected by the FA Adepticon Team for their event in early 2017.

We plan to make graphics available of these Scenarios that can, should an organiser wish, be downloaded and sent to a gaming mat manufacturer. We are still considering how best to make this happen, but we are confident that if an organiser emails such a manufacturer asking for a mat to be printed using their own artwork they are unlikely to say no!
We will use the new FA Tournament Guide to drive a new DW Tournament Guide, and this could well be an extension we make to the Halo Tournament Guide. More to come on this subject.

In Summary
OK, so if you got this far – well done. This was a long blog and I appreciate you staying with. The long and the short of it is that Spartan needs to very much look beyond just making great models and rules for you. We need to create a community wide pool of information that assists in playing our games and growing the Firestorm Galaxy and Dystopian World. I’ve gone through some ideas above, but it is clear that this is going to be a rolling project of enhancement for you all. We have greatly appreciated the wonderful and deep feedback you have given us through the survey, and we will endeavour to continue this practice, to best ensure we support the settings and games of ours that you love.

Happy gaming by Spartan Neil

Spartan Games

10mm Naval Range is Back by Capitan Games

As we announced earlier, and continuing with our schedule of re-introduction of the former ranges, we are pleased to announce that, with one or two exceptions, the 10mm Napoleonic ships, crews and weapons and the 10mm Ancient galleys and crews are available in our online store.

All customers that order any of the models and miniatures of the range within the first 15 days will have a 10% discount in their orders.

When supplies of the missing items have been received, they will be added to the available lines.

Capitan Games Ltd

7 Days To Go, Cannoneers Unlocked from Black Gate Miniatures

As we enter the final week of the Kickstarter I have some tremendous news to share.

We have reached £2,500 and unlocked the "deadly" Ogre Cannoneers.

FUNDED! Ogre Cannoneers

Next stop is £3,000 and free Ogre Chieftain model for all pledges of Ogre Chieftain level or above

Exciting times for everyone involved.

Ogres forever!

Barry

Kickstarter
Black Gate Miniatures

Master list for the new Korean War range - Input required!

Righty then folks, it's here!  There's been a load of interest in the Korean War for some time now, so with the help of Sunray we've put together a master list for everyone to have a look at.  We've also added a poll so that you can place your votes for which ranges you'd be most interested in buying.

So, once you've had a read through, what we're looking for in terms of feedback is:

- Are there any specific uniform details, beyond what we've got listed?
- Do folks want any flamethrower figures?
- Any satchel charges for nations other than the Chinese?
- Any further heavy weapons / artillery pieces we need to add?
- There currently aren't any winter Chinese, as they can be proxied from the other nations.
- Does anyone want other command figures, standards / musicians, etc?
- We've got an idea of the few vehicles that need to be done, but feel free to list those as well.
- Any other general queries/requests?

Other than that, if anyone has any good pictures or web links for useful information, pop them up as well!  Phil will be starting work on these towards the end of this year and we're looking at around a 9-12 month sculpting schedule for the 100+ sculpts that need to be done.  Any vehicles will be done separately be Mart.


Korean War

American
In early war kit, M1 helmet, M1 rifle
2 x Advancing, with rifle
1 x Advancing, with BAR
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, firing carbine
1 x Standing, hip firing SMG
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing BAR
1 x .30 Browning MG with separate loader
2 x Officers
1 x Radio Operator
1 x 81mm mortar with 2 crewmen
1 x M20 3.5 bazooka with separate loader
1 x Throwing grenade
1 x Casualty
1 x Head/shoulder tank commander sculpt in US helmet

In late war kit, trousers with pockets, fur caps, mix of flak and Parka jackets , M1 rifle
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, firing carbine
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
2 x Officers

British
In tropical shirts, long trousers and bush hats (right side folded up)
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
1 x Bren MG, advancing
1 x Bren MG, prone firing
1 x HMG Vickers with separate loader
2 x Officers
1 x Radio Operator
1 x M20 3.5 bazooka with separate loader
1 x 4.2” mortar with 2 crewmen
1 x Throwing grenade
1 x Casualty

Commandos, In US kit and berets
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, hip firing SMG
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
1 x .30 Browning MG, firing on the move
2 x Officers (1 with map/binocs, 1 with SMG)
1 x M20 bazooka with separate loader
1 x Head/shoulder tank commander sculpt in beret

In cap comforters mainly, some berets, camo smocks or leather jerkins.
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
1 x Advancing with sten
1 x Bren MG, firing
1 x M20 bazooka with separate loader
1 x HMG Vickers with separate loader
2 x Officers (one in beret, one in SD cap)


North Korea, KPA
In shirt, double breast pockets, caps generally but one or two Soviet helmets (not on officers)
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Advancing with DP LMG
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, firing SKS carbine
1 x Standing, firing PPSh M1941 SMG
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing DP LMG
2 x Officers
1 x Radio Operator
1 x 120mm mortar with 2 crewmen
1 x Throwing grenade
1 x Casualty
1 x Head/shoulder tank commander sculpt in Soviet helmet

South Korea, ROK
In US kit, field caps, occasional US helmet here and there.
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, firing M1 carbine
1 x Standing, firing M3 SMG
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
2 x Officers
1 x Radio Operator
1 x Throwing grenade
1 x With satchel charge
1 x Casualty

Chinese
In tunic and soft cap
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, firing Chinese 7.62mm Type 50 SMG
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing rifle
1 x Prone, firing DP LMG
1 x Japanese Model 92 MG with separate loader
2 x Officers
1 x Bugler
1 x Radio Operator
1 x 80mm mortar with separate loader
1 x Throwing grenade
1 x Casualty

In winter weather gear
2 x Advancing with rifle
1 x Standing, firing rifle
1 x Standing, firing Chinese 7.62mm Type 50 SMG
1 x Kneeling, firing rifle
2 x Officers
1 x Throwing grenade

Forum Discussion
Pendraken Miniatures

Reconstructing the New Model Army. Volume 2: 1649-1663

A major gap in the body of work available in print to researchers into the military history of the English Civil War is army lists of the New Model Army.

Reconstructing the New Model Army, of which this is the second volume, presents for the first time listings by regiment of the commissioned officers who fought in the New Model Army from the invasion of Ireland in August 1649 to the disbandment of many of its units in 1660 and the embedding of the remainder into the new royal army in the years that followed.

In Parts II and III of the volume snapshots are provided of the army in June 1650, October 1651, Autumn 1656, April 1659, September 1659 and April 1660, and for the army in Ireland in 1649-50, 1651-3, 1653-5, 1656-9, and 1659-60.

What happened to the officer corps in between the snapshots is provided by extensive notes all of which are fully referenced. This division into two armies is largely because they were very largely distinct from one another. Regiments stationed in Ireland stayed there and there was very little movement of officers between the Irish army and the army in England and Scotland. Part I of the volume contains a number of short essays reflecting on aspects of the army on which the snapshots shed new light or cause earlier historians work to be questioned.

They include reflections on changes in the officer corps over time, on whether or not the New Model could be described as a meritocracy, on its new Imperial role post 1650, and on the survival of New Model Army units beyond the winter of 1660, which was more extensive than has been supposed. At the end of the volume there are a number of appendices the most extensive of which contains listings of the regiments raised for or during the Scottish campaign of 1650-51 and disbanded immediately afterwards.

Reconstructing the New Model Army Volume 1. Regimental Lists April 1645 to May 1649

Hold at All Costs!: The Epic Battle of Delville Wood 1916

Delville Wood in the Somme was the most famous battle ever fought by South Africans. Through this action other nations learnt to respect the fighting qualities of the men from the fledgling Union of South Africa.

Erstwhile foes, Boer and Briton, fought shoulder to shoulder against the pride of the German Army. They withstood waves of attacking infantrymen; were subjected to savage artillery fire which reached a crescendo of seven shells a second, pulverising the wood and obliterating the defences; then fought hand to hand until overrun; threw back the enemy; and fought on with unbelievable tenacity. The bone-weary survivors defended the wood through five days and six nights of hell, eventually being forced into a corner of the wood. The orders were to hold on at all costs - and this they did despite appalling casualties.

 The saga of Delville Wood will never be forgotten by South Africa, yet the story of the battle, told through the eyes of the participants was never fully documented - accounts read like fiction, yet are wholly true. We learn about youngsters from the plains of Southern Africa who earned the admiration of their enemy. After being shelled for eight hours they stood up from the mud to repel fresh assaults. We read of the Victoria Cross won through rescuing a wounded officer under fire; a man blown up and buried who continued on to deliver his message and earn the DCM; the officer who was captured then knocked out his guard to return to the fighting; the colonel who fought like a private with rifle and mills bombs; and many more.

 The Germans' experiences are also chronicled. Extracts from their regimental histories paint a picture of their dogged determination to retake the wood. Their order was that the enemy was not to advance except over corpses! The author interviewed many of the South African survivors, now long gone, and has visited the wood on many occasions during the past thirty-three years. The trilogy of books he wrote on the battle has been combined into a riveting account of 'the bloodiest battle hell of 1916'. In 1917 The Times of London recounted, 'No battlefield on all the Western Front was more bitterly contested than was "Devil's Wood"...[where] South African forces won their imperishable fame - grimly hanging on against overwhelming odds and repulsing counter attacks by troops five and six times their number. " Contains 200 b/w photos, 8 colour maps

 

War over the Steppes: The air campaigns on the Eastern Front 1941-45

The air war over the Steppes was more than a brutal clash in which might alone triumphed. It was a conflict that saw tactical and technological innovation as the Soviet air force faced off against Herman Göring's Luftwaffe. As Germany and the Soviet Union battled for victory on the Eastern Front they had to overcome significant strategic and industrial problems, as well as fighting against the extreme weather conditions of the East. These factors combined with the huge array of aircraft used on the Eastern Front to create one of the most compelling conflicts of the war.

Told primarily from the strategic and command perspective, this account offers a detailed analysis of this oft-overlooked air war, tracing the clashes between Germany and the Soviet Union over the course of World War II. Historical photographs complement the examination as author E. R. Hooton explores these epic aerial battles between the Third Reich and the Soviet Union.

 

Pendraken Miniatures add more Napoleonic pictures to their website

kev1964 has been painting all of our Napoleonic ranges for us recently, so here's the next batch.  Next to be sent over to Kev will be the new Prussians as well as some of our SYW ranges as well.

This British range was painted by the talented Kev Rouse, with more of his work available here:

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This French range was painted by the talented Kev Rouse, with more of his work available here:

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We hope you like them!

Pendraken Miniatures