Flatpack - Crete

[flatpack]

All it took was one word “CRETE”

Just a couple of months ago we were all at a wargaming mates funeral.
After the funeral, we sat there, suited and booted, beer in hand, when has.been of this parish pipes up “so what do we fancy gaming next ?”
Before I could say anything, Ian, sat next to me said “Crete”.
I said what…Crete ?
I’d always wanted to wargame Crete, but I didn’t know others had the same passion 
I then spilt the beans that I had secretly been stock piling 20mm stuff for that very same project for years and years.
Then those nerve jangling words were heard….”come on then, what you got ?”
I disclosed my treasure trove, but said I would never get round to finishing it all.
Thankfully the lads rallied round and said they were willing to help get the items on the table, so this is where our story starts.

So what books do we have around us to help ?

Starter for 10 ?







Any inspiring images ?


For Crete, you’ll need loads of German paras.
Got any ?
Only a few.


Got any allied troops ?
Only a few.


Need some allied AA.
Got one, but we’ll need more.


So that’s the starting point.

All we will need is loads more of what we have, about 20 times over, and of course the scenery too.

[has.been]

Go on then show us wot u added. 

[Digits]

Looking forward to seeing this grow!   Great start Bob!

[flatpack]

Cheers David
Steady Pete 

[flatpack]

What else do we have around us ?
I realized I’d painted 20mm Britannia German para support weapons in the past, and finally found them, on a tray with a million German motorcycle combos.

[Tom Dulski]

 off to a great start, does that diving eagles book have uniform plates?

[flatpack]

off to a great start, does that diving eagles book have uniform plates?

Yes Tom. It contains a double page spread, showing uniform changes throughout the war.

[flatpack]

Next up, some buildings.
I struggled to find Mediterranean 20mm buildings at the right price.
Instead I went with Warbases 25/28mm basic buildings.
Gluing their blocks together then finding roof tiles I was happy with.

Initial build.




Finished building.




Later, I found a similar one that I’d done in the past.

[carlos marighela]

Crete! Fabulous gaming options and the opportunity to blame everything on the Kiwis, always a plus. The late father of an old mate of mine was captured on Crete.

Dunno whether you ever seen the classic  film Ill Met by Moonlight with Dirk Bogard and Marius Goring about the 1944 capture of a German general on Crete but you really should adopt the convention of the film's Cretan partisans in measuring distance. All foot movement equates to the distance that can be covered in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette. So the next village might be four cigarettes away. 

[flatpack]

Doesn’t sound like a healthy option 

[CapnJim]

Doesn’t sound like a healthy option 

I don't think they were as concerned about that as folks are now...

Very nice progress so far, I might add.

[FifteensAway]

Twenty times what is pictured?!  You are in danger of going down my 'ab'normal path of collecting too much.  But have fun anyway.

Way back in the earlier days of Wargames Illustrated I do believe there were a few articles (maybe a series) about a Crete game - well, at least one article.  Afraid I don't know the issue but I'd guess someone will either know or have a listing.

[flatpack]

Thanks for your nice comments chaps.

Next we need some entrenched infantry.
Has.been came up with a cunning plan.
If we could get hold of some cheap plastic ho scale figures, he was prepared to chop them down in size and make entrenched infantry.
Here we go….








A cracking job, I’m sure you’ll agree.

[flatpack]

So how do we get paras to Crete ?

We need some air transport.

Ju52’s and gliders.

I knew I had an old second hand JU52 stashed away somewhere.
I also knew, I’d need more than one.

I went hunting in my storage boxes.

I found the Ju52 and a Stuka that would come in handy.
After years in storage, they needed some light repairs.


I glued the missing bits onto the JU52, but then discovered the Stuka has a missing wheel, so I’ve got to dive back into the storage boxes to find it.


We then turned to eBay looking for another Ju52.
There are plenty on there, but it’s worth holding out for one that’s at the right price, so no need to rush in.
Picked this one up via my purchasing dept, run by has.been (he does eBay and I don’t  )


Gliders next.

I could find a few different options.
Sarrisa make one in mdf.
There are a couple of companies that make them in resin.
The final option these days is 3d printing.

One of the gang (Ian Wilson) has a mate with a 3d printer.
He kindly obtained the files and printed off 4 gliders. Great stuff.




Guess they’ll need painting 

[carlos marighela]

You might want to consider filing off the wheels before you paint, unless of course you are looking at modelling them on an airfield in Greece, waiting to take off. The undercart detached not long after take off and they landed on a skid. Nice looking prints all the same.