My vehicles for Operation Warboard are, true to the original, an odd mixture of toys and more serious toys. ;) There's also, though I'm gradually eliminating them as I'm able, some pieces that are simply being *declared* to be such and such, because I don't happen to have one handy. This is most obvious in the case of trucks, in which a large number of die-cast American trucks are doing service as both American trucks and German Opels, as Opels are expensive to acquire in any numbers.
I'm waiting on some deliveries from Christmas season spending, but here's what I expect to have once those are through:
Armor
---------------------------------
5 Sherman tanks
2 M5 Stuart light tanks
1 M36 Tank Destroyer
1 Churchill
~14 German tanks (Pz III or IV, I can't tell from the photos)
1 Tiger I
1 Nashorn
2 Stug III
1 Tiger II (missing half a gun barrel, may discard)
Half-tracks
-----------------
7 definite, all US but some may be redesignated as German
up to 2 additional US half-tracks, if my bids win
up to 4 German half-tracks, if my bids win
Trucks/Jeeps/Cars
-----------------
26 large and 1 medium truck, all US but redesignatable
1 US mortar jeep
7 US jeeps, 1 with trailer
4 Kubelwagen
1 US staff car
1 motorcycle with sidecar (could be any side)
Civilian, possibly designated as military
--------------------------------------------
2 jeeps
3 fancy cars
Other Redesignated Items
--------------------------------
3 Bradley IFVs, being used as Shermans or M10s or M18s.
3 4-wheel armored cars, post-war, which might end up in any army
4 M113s with turrets, Hot Wheels, which I've been using as PZIIFs
1 HMMV, used as a Quad towing vehicle
2 oversized jeeps, used as Morris C8 towing vehicles
1 tracked rocket launch vehicle without rocket, used as a tracked prime mover for artillery
1 Micro Machines Priest SP gun, being used as a Bren/Universal carrier by its small size.
At present, there are 8 Hot Wheels "Big Bertha" M60 tanks doing service as PzIVs, but these should be replaced by the above mentioned German tanks when they arrive.
Needs:
--------------
I'd say my worst need is a really cheap source of several Bren carriers suitably sized. After that, probably some actual German half-tracks or actual British towing vehicles. Some actual German light tanks would be nice too. More Kubelwagens would be a nice touch, as well.
As I'm able, I hope to keep getting rid of the ahistorical items, and eventually field a force fully made of items that actually are what they pretend to be. ;)
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Too many troops or too few?
Today I made an attempt to organize my troops, sorting out the British WW2 forces to try to create a proper Operation Warboard organization for them. But I find myself with the unusual problem of having too many troops now, rather than too few before. I suppose there's never really a balance of such things.
Yet, in spite of having too many troops, I have way too few of some types, with too many of others.
Useful British/Commonwealth forces available are:
Radios: 1 (only 1 despite having roughly 6-7 boxes worth of troops)
Officers/leader types: 17
Men with binoculars as spotters: 4
Bren guns: 40 (this is, in OWB terms, enough for more than 3 platoons composed solely of Bren guns!)
2-man PIAT teams: 10
2-man Vickers HMG teams: 3
2-man Mortar teams: 6
Other ranks with Sten guns: 16
Other ranks with Thompson SMG: 25
Other ranks with Enfield rifles: 138
In OWB terms, this gives me roughly 1 HMG platoon, 2 mortar platoons, and enough men for over 15 platoons of infantry.
Forces I'm not sure what to do with:
Minesweepers: 6 - useful in some scenarios, certainly, but what do I do with them otherwise? And do I draw troops from other types to fill this into some type of platoon sized unit?
Bagpipers: 4 - These might be useful for a morale boost, but would only fit for certain units
2-man HMG crews without guns: 4 - do I keep these about and look for guns, or dump them?
Men stabbing downward with their bayonets: 13 - These would be fine for dioramas, but kind of odd marching across a wargames table. Why must there be so many of them?
Riflemen in ANZAC Slouch Hats: 10 - My only problem with these is that they're only useful for desert or pacific battles, and I'm not sure whether to try to fill out an Aussie company with the non-slouch hats even though it wouldn't be usable in my European battles, or dump these off to someone who might need them.
Men helping wounded comrades: 2 - again, nice for dioramas, but not so useful for a wargaming table, unless you use casualty markers, which OWB rules don't. Possibility: could be used if evacuating wounded was a victory condition, perhaps relieving a position under fire or emptying a field hospital to avoid capture.
Yet, in spite of having too many troops, I have way too few of some types, with too many of others.
Useful British/Commonwealth forces available are:
Radios: 1 (only 1 despite having roughly 6-7 boxes worth of troops)
Officers/leader types: 17
Men with binoculars as spotters: 4
Bren guns: 40 (this is, in OWB terms, enough for more than 3 platoons composed solely of Bren guns!)
2-man PIAT teams: 10
2-man Vickers HMG teams: 3
2-man Mortar teams: 6
Other ranks with Sten guns: 16
Other ranks with Thompson SMG: 25
Other ranks with Enfield rifles: 138
In OWB terms, this gives me roughly 1 HMG platoon, 2 mortar platoons, and enough men for over 15 platoons of infantry.
Forces I'm not sure what to do with:
Minesweepers: 6 - useful in some scenarios, certainly, but what do I do with them otherwise? And do I draw troops from other types to fill this into some type of platoon sized unit?
Bagpipers: 4 - These might be useful for a morale boost, but would only fit for certain units
2-man HMG crews without guns: 4 - do I keep these about and look for guns, or dump them?
Men stabbing downward with their bayonets: 13 - These would be fine for dioramas, but kind of odd marching across a wargames table. Why must there be so many of them?
Riflemen in ANZAC Slouch Hats: 10 - My only problem with these is that they're only useful for desert or pacific battles, and I'm not sure whether to try to fill out an Aussie company with the non-slouch hats even though it wouldn't be usable in my European battles, or dump these off to someone who might need them.
Men helping wounded comrades: 2 - again, nice for dioramas, but not so useful for a wargaming table, unless you use casualty markers, which OWB rules don't. Possibility: could be used if evacuating wounded was a victory condition, perhaps relieving a position under fire or emptying a field hospital to avoid capture.
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