Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Arrigo on October 30, 2013, 03:04:39 PM
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Ok, I know this question could be asked also in the interwar or back of beyond boards (Helen: feel free to move it!) but because the set date is 1940-41 and involves real historical camouflage schemes I think it is a WW2 question anyway.
I am toying with an AWW2 (alternate WW2 opposed to WWW2) scenario (main reason: I painted some Japanese and I want to use them in a couple of non Axis-allied scenarios) based on china and the various Western, Japanese, and Soviet meddling there... I am thinking of a British Expeditionary force sent there to reinforce the Shanghai Garrison (one infantry brigade from India was there until the outbreak of WW2 ) including also one Armoured brigade or even the full 1st Armoured division (want to play with cruiser tanks outside the desert).
Now china was considered a 'Tropical' area of operations (at least Central China) and the troops there were equipped with Wolsey helmets and shorts (I have pictures). But what of the vehicles? Until 1943 vehicles in Indian service were following or UK or Middle East Regulations. So for this hypothetical BEF the vehicles would have been in UK disruptive green scheme like the ones in France in 1940 or in more desert colours (Possibly even in Caunter scheme)?
Having looked at the pictures of central china I would say green vehicles would be more reasonable, but on the other hand the troops would be already in tropical uniform so pure colour logic had been trumped by pure climate logic. What is the take of the community?
Arrigo
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I'd think of it in a different way. The units redeployed from North Africa to Greece retained the desert paintwork (possibly caunter scheme) Will have to check on 7th Armoured Brigade when they went to Burma but think it would be the same. So if your unit came from the UK use European scheme if Africa desert camo.
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this may be of some use:
MAFVA
British Vehicle Camouflage, 1939-45.
http://www.mafva.net/other%20pages/Starmer%20camo.htm (http://www.mafva.net/other%20pages/Starmer%20camo.htm)
Given time I am sure the vehicles would have been repainted, but if they rolled off the boat and into combat like in Malaysia there probably wasn't time.
also see this: http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php/8872-British-Use-of-Armour-in-the-Pacific/page5 (http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php/8872-British-Use-of-Armour-in-the-Pacific/page5)
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The photos of British armoured cars in Shanghai during the twenties show standard deep bronze green. IiRC this was also the scheme used in Hong Kong before the war. DBG ( the post war version) was most certainly the colour used there inthe 50s and 60s.
I would default to DBG but to a certain extent it depends on where the vehicles came from, thy might or might not get re-painted. The two tone dark/light green schemes used in France are another option if the expedition is coming from the UK.