Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Will Bailie on December 08, 2019, 01:07:44 AM
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I'm slowly building up a small force to represent the 1st Canadian Division in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. I determined that I needed some sappers or pioneers to clear obstacles, so I got some Perry Desert Rats, a sharp knife and some extra bits, and this is what I ended up with.
A section of the Royal Canadian Engineers.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BIWE357Vz0/Xewqg5ZHL-I/AAAAAAAAD-o/mKE6Y1xWxAgiLKg5OrftV9b2VU1yo4eHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DSCN1342.JPG)
Some wire cutters.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdC-tInpB54/Xewqgt98a2I/AAAAAAAAD_4/HxIscPF4DX86O6Keo1FbH3G4ydvH75fiwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN1343.JPG)
Mine clearing team
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gLD5YdSUl-g/XewqhUvxaNI/AAAAAAAAD_8/DGoxxCVo0-48QdRJLjBow8BpZq6hr6K-QCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN1350.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b_WaQz7VbFE/XewqiLDUQDI/AAAAAAAAD_s/O-sBiLr7ZaELwC19a4anzBpbFuCloYYrgCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN1354.JPG)
And a Bangalore Torpedo team
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4hdBDlBUng/Xewqmd0xVpI/AAAAAAAAD_8/2PlfTM_qfmQmRK7YhGd7GNF5BT3jFVqAACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSCN1364.JPG)
More photos on the blog: https://willstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/2019/12/sappers.html
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Good conversion work. These Perrys really remind me of the old 1/32 Airfix Multipose in their styling.
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Thanks, vodkafan. They are great fun to modify!
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For a bit of fun, I decided to copy this photo (Canadian Soldiers near Modica, Sicily, July 1943, by Frank Royal):
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rzxVwoUig_8/Xkhi27hSXSI/AAAAAAAAEIw/J8tWeoL1HLwllxUGyj64cWiL6N-Imp5tQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Canadian%2BSoldiers%2BModica%2B19430712.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btX_umMkZIM/XkiQC-ZYJrI/AAAAAAAAEK4/Sr5uHDo3kB0sSChNGMUEB92ya_QYNinYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN1947.JPG)
Cart is Empress Miniatures, soldiers are Perry Miniatures, more on my blog here: https://willstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/2020/02/canadian-army-mule-cart.html
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Nice work on the conversions :-* :-* :-*
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Thanks! :)
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Nice work.
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A little bit of threadomancy, I hope this doesn't break any forum rules or protocols!
I've been having some fun converting Perry Miniatures plastic Desert Rats into sappers. And since I picked up a Wespe 1:48 scale Bailey Bridge, I decided to build an 'under construction' version.
These are some kitbash conversions, adding bits from the Perry Zulu War British Infantry to make a survey crew. The dumpy level is built from two heliographs, and the level rod used to be an arm holding the colours.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sdWcdDuFb34/YJIBZp4jVaI/AAAAAAAAGJk/BkIAaj2g-6MjWCLkyI6-RcGyJpVneRLsACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3685.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCxzBY3JXB4/YJIBxPsyJFI/AAAAAAAAGJ0/Fsjs-CgnoogBkARk6Rrxgo0uCe1DNOd7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN3781.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iyoXRAj6IqI/YJIB3xQZ8KI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/kANoZz3djyA5Sjx7RYc5ghLawQGayK7UACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3792.JPG)
A Bailey Bridge panel weighs 600-lbs and is a 6-man load: each man is responsible for his 100-lb share, and the men need to lift together to put the panel in place. Here is what the manual shows:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weBz941o4Dc/YJICdfqs5tI/AAAAAAAAGKM/ViMu1lmKLgkkRCoLdY8BIGRKjtpEeJtUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Bailey-Bridge-Components-01-740x437.jpg)
And here is my version:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8cXa2bod-E/YJICt26RliI/AAAAAAAAGKc/ZYZyPwvO2Ek5t5AbBBD8m8xQyrO_k1L0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3787.JPG)
The transom is normally an eight-man load, but I cheated a bit, these four men are each doing the equivalent of two men's work:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5iI1va7ZAvc/YJIEHI1-H5I/AAAAAAAAGKs/XvyWWD1lYlgc7GeQJjMYrAcdWp2RoACqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN3791.JPG)
Here is the 'under construction' version of the bridge, with the angled launching nose at the front:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FUMlkO1YDiU/YJIFFeR9K5I/AAAAAAAAGK4/axzfviIsJSkaL8L5qzPK6Piq5as5ZyHXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2562/DSCN3795.JPG)
And finally here are the sappers constructing the bridge. Two men are directing the others, getting the bridge panel lined up so they can hammer the panel pin into place to connect the panel to the bridge:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvl3IUwpiE0/YJIHXlKz_0I/AAAAAAAAGLY/lCbEVyX8nT0HgdfYV5lmaA1xOM-4ieLywCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3796.JPG)
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That is really outside the square, following this thread with keen interest.
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One of these bridges is still working outside of Florence, right below the Certosa - aptly known as "il ponte degli inglesi"...
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Some really lovely ideas here. Great stuff! :-*
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That’s brilliant! I never imagined in my wildest that I would see a miniature theodolite gracing a table.
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Very nice :-* :-* :-*
How are you going to use it in a game?
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Thanks for all the comments! I'm having lots of fun with this project. I'm inspired by stories of Bailey Bridges built under fire, in particular at Leonforte in Sicily:
https://cmea-agmc.ca/historical-battle/sapper-bravery-sicily
How are you going to use it in a game?
I haven't yet worked out how to fit these pieces into a game. I'm thinking along the lines that the Engineers need to complete some tasks, as in the CoC 1940 Blitzkrieg book. Each time they are activated, they roll a die. Once the cumulative total of the dice rolls reaches the target number, the bridge will be complete. Meanwhile, of course, the enemy will be trying to stop them!
I never imagined in my wildest that I would see a miniature theodolite gracing a table.
I considered making a theodolite, but decided it was too complicated, so I chickened out and settled for a dumpy level ;)
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Very nifty creative conversions, well done 8)
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More details about the bridge at Leonforte:
https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/italiancampaign/leonforte.htm
https://cmea-agmc.ca/award/gallantry/lt-neil-wallace-dickson-3rd-field-company-military-cross
https://cmea-agmc.ca/award/gallantry/asgt-robert-russell-mcphee-3rd-field-company-military-medal
https://cmea-agmc.ca/award/gallantry/maj-kenneth-james-southern-3rd-field-company-distinguished-service-order
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Very nifty creative conversions, well done 8)
Thanks, Captain: I am continually inspired by the creativity of your conversions!
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Why are people so fascinated with painting eyes on figures at this scale?
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Why are people so fascinated with painting eyes on figures at this scale?
Because you can!! Actually I think that with some figures the eyes make a great difference, especially when used in small numbers such as in skirmish games or vignettes.
Up to you as whether you do or not but if the thread owner has chosen to do so then please respect his choice.
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Those are very cool conversions! One of my grandfathers was a sapper in the Canadian army and was in action in the Netherlands in ‘44-‘45. Always good to see sappers in wargaming forces. Lots of scope to use them in scenarios based on objectives- bridge construction/ destruction (sometimes the same bridge days apart), road/path clearance, building defense positions. One of the stranger tasks I heard about was my grandfather’s section being sent to clean out chicken coops to get ingredients for making improvised demolition explosives- could turn that into a patrol scenario!
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Thanks!
I've been impressed reading accounts especially of Italy how much the sappers got up to. The Germans systematically destroyed every bridge, so each of those had to be replaced to keep the advance going. They also boobytrapped stuff all over the place, and laid mines, so that there was a constant need to clear those. And then they also got involved with 'mouseholing' in FIBUA - blasting holes in walls so that the attack could carry on without the soldiers needing to move in open streets.
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Yes indeed, sappers were crucial for a lot of operations in a variety of ways.
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I've added an ambulance, inspired by this painting:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MaaMmKVzITQ/YK24FoVjitI/AAAAAAAAGRI/vYi-RrGkpW4E1mylFEtYAAkPkU6MaUVAACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Ambulance%2Bin%2BDittaino.jpeg)
and this photo:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cuyorwQ_Mlo/YK24FqRGizI/AAAAAAAAGRM/W83-zAYGYBYdb0cRWnznvRIk1fOQaIJtACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Casualty-Care5-1.jpg)
I ended up with this:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8MkaDEbbuY/YK26C1QBBzI/AAAAAAAAGRo/IpYiOR61mAwnQS_QXLwrQS1aPPKc3nYwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3870.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQD5o-qUWkU/YK26CydrXZI/AAAAAAAAGRs/j70bl5t6yPMa_jlHd6Fpw58a2burnGiSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3869.JPG)
I've also procured a lorry for my sappers:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mDW1sYwgEC4/YKcLduTuMDI/AAAAAAAAGPI/uXy32mUfxSQ0XoyQoO5_0hi71pCFwozCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3849.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJEEojvNroo/YKcNlP-uwWI/AAAAAAAAGPk/GM-KrK8Q8X0pIIfrEMlDmDaOrCbj74KZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3847.JPG)
Everyone loves a Dingo:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIW00ZipNdg/YKHaARA9vlI/AAAAAAAAGOU/dmxDoUDQa9o2FsVfNbmWudLPonKIX6jWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3839.JPG)
Plus a brigadier to take charge of things:
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGiRfY-hHeQ/YKHZ_coUjYI/AAAAAAAAGOE/RLqpNPH4YFY5GIKwSPB_2JhlDGCGUmAGACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSCN3835.JPG)
More info on my blog: https://willstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/
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Those are great additions, the medical Jeep conversions is especially good!
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loving it :D
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Thanks!