Mad Lemmey's Painting Blog

Phillip invited me for a game of BKCIV at Leighton Buzzard Wargames Group. His mighty Kampgroup Thomaz vs the 139th Light Heavy Infantry under Lt Col Antrobus. Timeframe: Late 1941. 2000 points each. Only thing not allowed was prepared bombardments. I forgot that bit, and bought one anyway, but did not use it!Phil is a great chap, and has beautiful forces and great terrain, what is not to like? My list, this time, Antrobus has aquired the help of a squadron of Lend Lease tanks, his newly added Valentines, and the three Crusaders that he was used to. One infantry company with the veterans and the mortars had the Valentines, the other was led by Antrobus had the HMGs, the Bofurs and the four lend-lease tanks.Both had two trucks and a carrier platoon. The third command the Humber and the three Crusader tanks. No 2lbers, portee or dismounted will be used. 139th Light Heavy Infantry, in their prime, so far down the Army Order of Precidence that the retired lighthouse keepers bin emptiers f...

Dik at Leighton Buzzard had asked for a game of BKC IV, in 10mm. He has an immacualtely painted and huge collection of WW2 centered around mid to late War Germams, , plus ALL the Tigger that were in Tunisia. Thankfully, he did not need those, and only put out Panzer IVs and IIIs, with a bucketload of infantry with a decent amount of support weapons. I took Antrobus and his boys of the 139th Light Heavy Borcester Infantry; this time upgraded to veterans (as we were now in 1943, not their usual 1941). The six Mk13s were retired for this game, and the new Valentines ame out for the first time. Yup, it's my desert terrain, again! I know Tunisia is meant to be greener, but it was my grab box. Turn 1: All my forces failed to arrive, and one command even blundered! Antrobus had raided the motor pool, and found many captured German trucks, but two of the truck detachments crashed into each other on the Ciaro bypass, meaning that the infantry was walking, again! Turn 2 and they and the arm...

Kampgroup Thomaz had retreated to the next settlement in line, a place that The 139th Borcester's translator callled "Makan Jamil Limaqhaa Shay 1 ". Another Hasty Assualt, but this time, Lt Col Antrobus, their commanding officer, had thought more than one step ahead, and had brought trucks. Admittedly, Antrobus is the sort of chap who shoots the regimental sheep for Sunday lunch, then moans about a lack of mint sauce. Okay, so the trucks were definitely 'borrowed', but his men did not have to struggle across the desert on foot this time! He also brought 60lber artillery (off table) and mortars, with the express aim of getting shots on target and removing some of the Jerry anti-tank guns that had so caused issues last time .  Antrobus had split his forces into three sections, right of centre, a mortar platoon, an Bofurs 40mm gun battery, two carrier platoons and the Humber were tasked with attempting to pin the right centre at long range. The infantry and HMGs were...

 Lt Colonel Antrobus 1 of 139th Borcesters, after hearing a new commander, a certain Thomaz, was working with the DAK, and that they had recently been given a jolly good old trouncing in a meeting engagement, decided to take on the mighty Kampfgroup Thomaz in a hasty assault. The remanants of Thomaz had taken shelter around the village of Qaryat Jamila, hastily dug in and ready for a scrap, with minefields (maybe dummy, maybe not). Antobus 2 had noted the presence of a dreaded 88, plus two platoons of Pak38s, and some 75mm infantry guns on the front line, and a huge open space in front of the settlement, so decided to use the cover to head to the left. Thankfully, some decent moves with two of his three companies put the pressure on. In that traffic jam is a truck section and two carrier platoons, carrying a Bofors 40mm, a mortar platoon, a HMG platoon and an infantry platoon, that Antrobus 3 hoped would swing things his way. The highlight of the armoured thrust, a...

David & I met up at Leighton Buzzard for a BKC game, using his points of 2085, we put our lists together, David dusted off his troops, as he used to play Stephen at BKCII, and off we went. David's force: Co & 2 x HQs and FAO 2 x 25lbers 2 x Mk3 Honeys 5 x A13s 3 x Crusaders 3 x Valentines 3 infantry platoons in trucks 2 x 2lber portees It's a lot of armour and not much infantry! My force: CO & 2 HQs 3 x Panzer IIIJ 3 x Panzer IIIH 2 x Panzer IVD 1 x 222 2 x verteran infantry in Hannomags 1 x HMG & Mortar in truck 4 x infantry 2 x PAK36s 1 x Pak38s 1 x HMG 1 x Mortar 1 x motorcyclists A lot of infantry, but not much armour! For reference, in David's force; red counters donate killed, blue = surpressed and yellow show hits (we played the hits stay on varient) And indeed, so the my armour really went for it turn 1, well over the half way line, and ready to pick on David's 8th Army on my right. On the left, my infantry advances towards the village, w...