Finished 15mm Modern Aussies

I finished off my Eureka Miniatures 15mm Modern Australians today:

These figures make up a complete Infantry platoon, with the following:

Rear Rank: Manoeuvre support section, made up of three Manoeuvre Support Teams, each of four diggers.

Middle Rank: Three Rifle sections, each of two four man fire teams

Front Rank:
                  Left: Explosive Detection Dog with Handler, EOD/IEDD - one disposal operative, and one with a mine detector. A sniper team in is front of them.
                  Centre: Platoon HQ
                  Right: Joint Fires Team (forward observers) of six men

The structure of the platoon allows for flexibility of using four sections, or three sections with additional fire power.

The JFT can be broken down in to three two-man teams, with two embedded in sections and one two-man team (the Officer & a sig) being attached to the Platoon HQ. Or I can just have a large FO party doing their own thing if needed.

The EDD/EOD/IEDD will be used for scenarios/mission background, and the sniper is an additional bit of support as needed.

I have an M1A1 Abrams on order from QRF, which I will (hopefully) paint up in the Australian army colours:

I intend to order two more M1s at a later date, and live in hope that someone will make the ASLAV-25 that I can use. 

 I could use the LAV-25, but there are enough differences between the two that I don't want to use the LAV-25 itself.

 I will work on getting myself from Bushmasters from Eureka Miniatures for transport for my infantry. Given the size of the platoon, I will need about five of them.

But all of that is in the future, as I need to paint my North Koreans, and then paint the QRF vehicles I have on order: the M1, a T-55 and a BRT-60.

 The BTR-60 should arrive any day, with the M1 & T-55 a few weeks behind, as I ordered them separately after QFR had a 15% discount sale that I took advantage of.

For the NKs I have two squads and some heavy weapons on the paint desk, so depending on real life, I might have them ready in a few weeks.

A forums rant (boo) and The Wargames Website (yay)

 The Rant

It seems that a few of the forums I visit are getting 'silly' as it were.

Not mentioning names, but one of them has been going down hill (in my opinion) for a while now, with some post bordering on excessive spam and a bit of mudslinging going on. More than a few members have voiced their displeasure with this forum and left, or limited their posting there.

And now I learn that one of my favourite forums has now banned any topic post 1989 when it comes to modern warfare. Like - WTF? 

It appears that this descission stops any forum members from posting topics or images from anything post 1989. This means I can't show off my 15mm Modern Aussies, or my Modern North Koreans... or ....  yeah, you get the idea.

This sucks for gamers and traders alike, for it seems they can't display anything with a modern context.

No longer are modern 'imaginations' or 'what-ifs' allowed there, because it seems it will offend someone.  Again, like - WTF?

It seems that the world needs to eat a few spoons of cement and harden the F**K UP.

rant over. Now on to the good part:

A good few weeks ago now I found a link in a fellow blogger's web site for a new forum for wargaming called 'The Wargames Website'.

So far this have been a very friendly forum, with most members enjoying things to do with war gaming (shock gasp!).

I have been making some posts there in relation to my 15mm Modern project, and the creator of the "No End In Sight" rules frequents there, so it has been useful to visit to ask questions or pimp projects.

For those that haven't heard of this new forum, please click on the link below.


The Wargames Website

15mm Aussies 2

I have finished painting the first section of two fire teams, as well as the sniper & spotter.

 My apologies for the really dodgy photo. When my Mrs returns from Japan, I will borrow her camera and try to get a better photo.

I now have enough Aussies and North Koreans painted up for a "clash of clearing patrols" for want of a better term.

 I have the second section well on the way to being finished, with the third section being prepared.

 
 Depending on how time goes this coming week I will try to kick off my 'No End In Sight" campaign with a section vs squad game if the forests of  "Primorsky" after the North Koreans invaded the former Russian area following the departure of Primorshy Krai from Russian control*.


* see my previous post for more information on the back ground idea for this campaign:
http://shelldrakewargames.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/no-end-in-sight-modern-campaign.html 

15mm Eureka Miniatures Modern Australian infantry

Yesterday I visited Eureka Miniatures and purchased some 15mm Aussies for my 'No End In Sight' campaign that I am planning.

 I purchased a whole platoon, plus some extras, like a sniper team, an IED disposal team and a six man Joint Fires Team (Forward Observer party).

The platoon TO&E is based on up to date lines: three sections of two four-man fire teams, and three four-man manoeuvre support teams (MST).  This allows for flexible deployment, and I can either have three heavy sections of three fire-teams, or a platoon of four sections, one of which had three four-man fire-teams with heavy weapons.

Each normal section has a Team leader with rifle, a Grenadier with Rifle/GLA, a LSW Gunner and a Marksman, although I gave the marksman a SRAAW for extra fire power.

Each MST has a Team leader, a GMPG gunner, a Sharpshooter and a "Grenadier" with a 84mm Carl Gustav.

If Eureka made a figure manning an automatic grenade launcher, I would have purchased three of them for the MST - the idea being the grenadier can exchange the 84mm with the AGL depending on what the mission is.

I would love to have some mortars with crew and a few other bits and pieces too.

I want to get three or four Bushmasters from Eureka as well; I intended to get them, but my budget wasn't able to cater for them as well on the day.

 Above is my Platoon HQ: Left to right, rear to front are: Platoon Commander, Sig, Medic and Platoon SGT.

 I am very happy with the way they have come out, and they are surprisingly easy to paint. The platoon HQ is waiting for a few coats of varnish, and I will post more photos when they have been completely finished.