Decision Games GOSS Rule System

I have been a fan of the GOSS Series from Decision Games.  Unfortunately, until the last revision the quality of the rules writing was poor.  Even the latest version has errors in the text, but the issues with the rules system itself have dramatically been reduced in my opinion.

Anyway not going to go into details about the system today, but I plan to post and AAR of Wacht am Rhein from Decision Games.  The AAR will start after the end of the Dec. 17th Night turn.  Until then below are a couple of screen shots from the Vassal version of the game;

 

6th Panzer Armee Sector

5th Panzer Armee Sector

Guderian's Blitzkreig Turn 1b

 Russian Front, SE of Rosylov

The Soviet 279^th Strelkovaya Division was bombed and overrun by the 177th AG battalion and remnants retreated north.  With the bridge secure, 10^th Panzer penetrated the Soviet front and advanced to Kirov.  Elements (PzG regiment and Pz Battalion) overran the 173^rd Infantry in a fortified position.  173rd was sent reeling back but the KG did not press the attack to avoid losses At Kirov the remainder of the 10th turned north towards Spa Demyansk and overran the airfield SE of the city.  The attack was such a surprise ½ a squadron of Lagg3s were left behind.
2^nd Panzer, following close behind, headed north to Spa Demyansk proper, overrunning the remnants of 173^rd Infantry as they turned north.  Defenders in Spa were scattered easily, but not before destroying a few supplies.  At Kirov, truck convoys were established to allow the fortified position captured from the Russians to be used as a supply source.  A supply dump was established there.
A small KG consisting of the 192^nd AG battalion and the 276^th Hvy Flak battalion moved SE of Kirov to cut the Kaluga-Bryansk RR at Zhizda, but the objective was out of reach.
Finally, a railway repair battalion has started to convert the railroad to Bryansk.

Guderian’s Blitzkrieg II - AAR

Operation Typhoon

Turn 1 (Axis): 1^st October 1941

Weather: Dry

Air Operations: Normal

Replacement  DR = 1 Eqp, 2 Pax

Supply DR = 12

Fuel Used

Ammo Used

Captured Supply

  Opening moves for Operation Typhoon.  South Sector

East of Shostka

Above shows major advances south of Bryansk.  Objective is to cutoff troops defending Bryansk and drive on the city.  Capturing Orel cuts off supply to Bryansk from the east.  Breakthrough was achieved by a series of barrages followed by overruns along the axis of advance.  3rd, 4th and 18th Pz Divisions defeated 2 Soviet tank units in detail to achieve results.  17th Pz fought through a defensive line of inferior Soviet infantry divisions.  Total losses for Soviets, 2 Infantry divisions, cav div and an HQ.  No German losses.  Dogfight over L'Gov resulted in substantial Mig-2 losses.

Pz II Update

Maid some more progress recently.  I have finished the photo-etch and primed the model in standard German Grey;

The next step will be do add a coat of Future to protect the prime coat.  This is going to be a DAK theme so eventually I'll add the proper color over the grey, but in between  I'll add a layer of hairspray to facilitate chipping the final coat to show the grey underneath.

One note on the photo etch.  I am not sure all the effort was worth it for this kit.  Since I am just getting back into the hobby my main purpose of this build was to practice weathering, chipping dusting etc.  As my skills improve I'll look for doing more research, being more accurate and adding all the fun after market stuff.

1/35 PZ II

Also started a Panzer IIF recently.   I am going to paint it up using the following picture as a guide;

I bought after market tracks and some photo etched brass parts.  Tuns out 90% of the work will be the brass.  It is really turning into a project.

Below is my progress so far.  Below was some preparation for the brass.  i had to grind down the details on the fenders and remove the engine grills;

Next will be adding the brass!

Bolt Action Russians

Have been painting some 25mm WWII figures for Bolt Action;

I have about 50 of them and I think I have painted 30.  Also have some MG teams, mortar and a T-34/85. 

Marder IIIh

I have started a new hobby....building plastic models.  Normally i just paint my 15 or 25mm figures for wargames but I wanted a change in pace so i thought I would get back into plastic models.  My goals are to improve my painting techniques and get me otivated to branch out into more research opportunities.

Modeling has sure changed since I was a kid. Not only has the quality increased but nobody builds out of the box anymore.  There is an array for after market items to add details and parts that are not included in the kit.  My first attempt is from Dragon and it is a 1/35 scale Marder IIIh.  It came with an aluminum gun barrel (no mold lines to sand), photo etched brass parts, tracks made from individual links and probably 400 pieces to build from.  Back in the day this kit probably would have had 100 pieces max.

I am almost finished at this point.  Still have the painting and weathering to complete.  i am going to focus on chipping and adding pigments to simulate mud and dust.  Probablt take me a couple of months to complete.

Trying to fit the gunner in place.  Very crowded!

 Gun shield in place

 Finished painting the base coat

Next will probably be adding some details like spare tracks, and the main tracks themselves.