German War machine

As the German war machine rolls unstoppable across the top shelf of my cabinet I thought I'd better start on my British forces to slow them up. With my German Platoon done and in the bag, I have been basing up my Platoon of good old Tommys. Painting them in their ten man sections they should be quite quick to do. With Platoons being about thirty odd men, you can really go to town on single figures and their bases. It's the research aspect of war gaming and painting I enjoy the most and it's been great finally getting to grips with all the arm markings of the British forces.
The Panzer with a little more foliage on the turret and side. I later put a light wash on the glue, taking away the shine.

Rolling thunder!

My StuG III carries additional armour plating called Schurzen. It was designed to catch and detonate armour piercing shells before they could hit the main body of the tank.

My first ever Panzer

I've found there's a real gap in the market for 28mm Panzer IV's with Schurtzen plating. Mine must have been out in the field the day they were handing it out.

German Armour

This week I have finally got round to finishing off my German Platoon for 'Rules of Engagement'. The Platoon was finished before really but I couldn't help add another machine gun nest and some heavy support. Basing my collection around the events of D-Day 1944, I have covered my vehicles in foliage to help keep them from Allied eyes.

I had trouble finding a Panzer IV with the added side armour so have gone for the Panzer III, as soon as I find a more suitable model I will paint it up, I hear Bolt-action Miniatures are currently making one. I decided to hand paint the decals as I had trouble buying them on line, I will keep trying though as I have four half-tracks to paint!


The Panzer leads the way followed by the StuG III, the infantry mans' best friend.
This machine gun nest is equipped with the dreaded MG 42 or Hitler's saw, due to the noise it made.
A few twigs from the garden were gathered to make this nest.

Plastic Celts

Crude but effective when painted these cloaks should help to break up the unit.

I have finally finished my skirmishing band of Celts from Warlord Games. I found these figures great fun to put together and paint. To personalize them further I added a few cloaks to hide any sign of joining. I also wanted to have a go at painting some Celtic style tartan on them. I find by adding little extras like this to units, It makes me want to see them through to the end and not get side tracked in to something else, with so much to choose from on the painting table I have developed little ways to help me stay on target. Other painters out there will know where I'm coming from on this one.
I kept the cloaks big, flat and wide, so I could paint a nice checkered pattern on them without too much trouble and eye strain.
To give them the look of skirmishers I replaced their large shields with small round Skirmishing bucklers, a small touch but it helps them to look a little more nimble on their feet.

Syrian Archers

The Syrian army of Alanicus recruits hordes of local archers to help them push back the Spanish armies of Tullus. Alan wanted a very eastern look for these guys and I had to really shop around before I finally found it, they are from Essex Miniatures (Persian range).
To help give the unit a bit of character and add some variety to the multiple figures, I added some small bucklers here and there.

The Battle of Narona

The battle was over and pickings were great for the cohorts of the XV. They had thought they were marching to their deaths when ordered into Dalmatia, but they had emerged conquerors against all the odds.
For the German Warbands of the Marcomanni, they had never had it so good. The day would be remembered in song for years to come.

The Battle of Narona

With his entire Legionary force crumbling away to his right, Terentius ordered a general retreat. The Marines and Gallic Auxiliaries withdrew in good order across the river and headed back for Macedonia. A quick thinking Primus Pilius ordered the Eagle of the V to be given to a Decurion and sped back to Thrace, It was one of the only remnants of the Legion to return to the province. Terentius, lost in the confusion, ended up back at the fortified camp a few miles south of the battlefield. Once there he started to plan and scheme for the future, coming up with a plan of giving himself to Flaccus, knowing that Alanicus would never forgive his failure. Secundus would certainly welcome such a general as he into his ranks without a second thought, Terentius mused.
Secundus never got the chance. Terentius was found dead; murdered and buried under tents within the camp by his own 'Little Bodyguard'. However, Flaccus knew his fate would of been no better at the hands of Secundus.

The Battle of Narona

As the V Macedonica shattered into desperate groups of fleeing men, Flaccus eager for glory, raced back across the field and entered the fray. Near the river, the last of the Macedonica had formed a tight knot of fighting men. This group continued to withdrawn unhindered, for the greedy Marcomanni passed them by for easier pickings. That is until Flaccus came upon them with his Pannonian Horse.
Riding straight for the formation, Flaccus smashed his way through their shield wall and started to beat down on them. Much to his surprise, the entire force throw down their arms and pleaded for mercy at the hands of these fellow Romans, rather than face the wrath of the Marcomanni. So it was that the last of the V Macedonica ceased to be a fighting force and became a long straggling line of weary men, destine for the slave markets of Germany.

The Battle of Narona

Panic now swept through the entire Alanican line as one Cohort after another tried to turn and flee. The 2nd and last Cohort of the Macedonica stopped in its tracks as it saw its sister Cohorts anillilated. A cry of alarm went up from it's front ranks which soon turned to panic as the Warbands of the Marcomanni rushed towards it's wavering shield wall. Pleaderdocarex at the head of his Warband smashed into the Cohort which turned and ran for it's life. The Marcomanni weren't going to miss out on their promised plunder and gave chase, catching and surrounding it within minutes. A stunned Terentius ignored pleas to launch a counter attack and could only watch as the best Legion in the East was cut to pieces.

The battle line of Terentius was destroyed within minutes, the entire Legion was gone, replaced by screaming hordes of Marcomanni and vengeful, blood thirsty slaves.

The Battle of Narona

The slaves fight on to Pulex's left taking many casualties but holding their ground. Then to their surprise, panic rips through their Macedonican opponents. The destruction of their 1st Cohort has left the Macedonicans exposed and vulnerable, they try to fall back again.
As they start to fall back they are over taken themselves by the hordes of slaves and cut down. They fight on bravely but by sheer weight of numbers, the slaves break their shield wall and butcher them.

The Battle of Narona

The 2nd Cohort of the Apollinaris although facing a Cohort themselves, leave the road to aid the stricken Cohort of Pulex. They can now see the huge masses of German warriors heading straight for the Macedonicans and know they will soon be more than occupied..Pushing his men to their limits, Pulex again enters the front rank and shouts support to his wavering forces. He is found in turn by Centurion Turrinus the giant Centurion of the 1st Cohort Macedonica and challenged to single combat. Not waiting for second invite, Pulex races up to Turrinus and kills him instantly with a thrust through the mouth and neck. Both sides freeze as the great body of Turrenus slumps to the ground, with a cheer the 1st Cohort Apollinaris charge forward. The Macedonicans are taken by the surprise and the shock of the assault sends them reeling. Taking full advantage of the situation, Pulex leads one more charge and pushes the Macedonicans back.

Above, Pulex leads the last charge that shatters the 1st Cohort of the Macedonca. As they panic and run they are overrun by Pulex's crazed Cohort and cut down to a man.

The Battle of Narona

Now it is the turn of the freed slaves to enter the battle. Determined to earn their freedom they slam into the weakened 3rd Cohort of the Macedonica. Weakened the unit may have been, but they were still in fine fighting shape and killed huge numbers of unarmoured slaves within minutes. Against all the odds, the slaves hold their ground and fight on.
Pleaderdocarex can now see the dust clouds to his left and leads his Warbands into them, bypassing the fortified farm all together. Terentius can do nothing but watch from behind his walls of stone as the Marcomanni tear off towards his exposed Legionary Cohorts.

The Battle of Narona

Pleaderdocarex at the head of the Macromanni Warbands emerges from the woods and sees that the Roman right has started to entrench itself within a small farm. As the warbands surge forward with deafening roars, Pleaderdocarex slows them up. As a young man, Pleaderdocarex accompanied his tribe on many raids against the Romans and his adventures taught him many things, one of them, was never attack Romans in a defended position. Pleaderdocarex scours the terrain for an easier target.
General Terentius mean while orders his men to heighten the stone wall to their front to slow the German charge. The sheer size and noise of the warbands is terrifying to the Marines to his right who are more at home at sea. They quickly obay his orders and hastily improve their defences.
Terentius stands with the Eagle party of the V and a Cohort of Gallic Auxiliaries to his right. Trained to throw javelins in two ranks, the Marines stand ready to his left. "let them come" Terentius is heard to shout, his cries do little to strengthen his mens' morale in the face of the Marcomanni storm clouds.