Vercors 1944 - first 28mm WW2 project

[Mark]

Am getting back into the swing of things a bit - have finished the core platoon for CoC with a bit of basing this morning. Now I need to get back into the terrain!

[CapnJim]

Your partisans look good. 

But may I make a suggestion?  You might angle your lighting so that it hits more of the front of the figures.  I bet teh pics will come out even better if you do.  Just suggesting... 

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

How much of that shine is from lighting and how much of from the finish?  personally, i never use anything gloss or satin in varnishes, but it looks like you might be doing so here.  I find matte just looks better all else being equal.  A simple switch to a matte varnish and i expect you will suddenly find your painting skills were not as limited as you think and suddenly you are rivaling all the great stuff you see elsewhere.

[Mark]

Thanks for the comments both. Photos taken under the living room light with a flash - no varnish at that point. Poor photography does not help for sure!

Having had such excellent advice, I am now ignoring it by doing exactly the same as before with some new support options painted up - mortar team, sniper and a possibly excessive 3 medics!

[CapnJim]

Hey, pal, I've been ignored by worse people...

Nice supports, though.  Really like the nurses/Red Cross ladies.  Who makes them?  I may have to get some if I can...

[Poiter50]

Bad Squiddo?

Hey, pal, I've been ignored by worse people...

Nice supports, though.  Really like the nurses/Red Cross ladies.  Who makes them?  I may have to get some if I can...

[Mark]

Yep, they are Bad Squiddo.

Made a bit of progress on some odds and sods of terrain too, but nothing to share as yet. I now just need to grizz on through the three buildings I need and will be pretty much set for a first scenario.

Had a mini battlefield tour whilst in France this month so have some impetus to get the job done!

[Mark]

Finally finished some odds and sods of walls and roads that needed doing for months! Building number 4 is also progressing nicely... so much stonework! Going to do another house in render, so will be much quicker, then just one big building to etch with stones!

Picked up a box of Perry US infantry who will make up the OSS Operations Group Justine which I started assembling too - the OC, Hoppers, is at the back.

[Mark]

Building number 4 painted up tonight, along with a few more of OSS Operational Group Justine.

One question for the assembled throng who play Chain of Command regularly (also asked on the CoC Facebook group) - do you ever use more than one additional section as a support choice? And if so, do they make it onto the table?

The platoon rating difference between the maquis and the fallschirmjager is a massive 9 points, and with the maquis attacking after the initial assault, I could get up to needing 19 support points! As the maquis had little in the way of heavy kit, additional sections are the most historical choice, but I don't want to buy and paint a load of troops who will never actually make it into action!

Also another question I have just thought of... I am sure I saw a CoC game on here with off table support from guns rather than mortars but have been unable to find it. If it was you, how did you do this - rules, cost etc? The maquis supported their final attack with a 25mm hotchkiss autocannon so would be interested to know how others have dealt with a similar situation.

[Mark]

I have not been idle, but have been lazy on photography... the US OSS Operational Group is now complete, as are all the buildings.

Set up a portion of the table to check it all fits...

[Mark]

Not sure why the last batch of photos appeared upside down... hopefully these will be the right way up! Last element of terrain for the vassiex table is a drainage ditch, which I will represent through areas of long grass showing the edges (thanks to Matakishi for the idea). First few lengths in progress, need some basing. Also assembled and primed the final support options: an extra section and a bazooka team.

[MaleGriffin]

I love following along with your progress! I'm really looking forward to your progress!

[Remgain]

Hi Mark!
Great buildings and miniatures!
I started playing CoC from the beginning and a lot of games (defeats?) under my belt.
So my suggestions for your questions are:
Artillery support: if the support was very heavy, and if you're planning a PSC with At the sharp end (that I strongly suggest!), you can just skip a turn in the campaign as an advantage for the defender, or consider as a strong pregame bombardment , allowing deploy on 5-6 only as an advantage for the attacker. As I suppose that this bombardment would hardly occur during the fight.
Glider landing: in the 1940 Blitzkrieg supplement there is a scenario that deals right with this.
Squad support: having several squads or teams as supports could be very tricky, as often it's very difficult to handle them properly.  So my suggestion is to buy a second Senior Leader, quite obviously,  OR, with reference to that 1940 Blitzkrieg supplement,  allowing as a support choice the so called red dice. Practically costs 2 support points, allows to add a sixth command die (different fron the others) to be rolled at the beginning of the phase. The only results allowed from this die are from 1 to 4. 5 and 6 are discarded. IIRC this die can be bought only if you choose three or more infantry squads or teams as supports.

Hope this helps!
Marco