Hi folks,
posting it here since it isn't really BoB (although it will most likely be fielded against such armies).
Three years ago, I embarked on a project to do a Freikorps army for T&T. I originally planned it as a Tactica game (which got canceled due to a nasty bout of Norovirus just before the convention) against my Bolsheviks, and then as a "development army" for a projected "European Civil Wars" supplement for T&T (which eventually became "Libertad O Muerte" with an SCW-only focus, for various reasons).
Anyway, the chance to put up another convention game (pics soon, hopefully) prompted me to finish up the as yet unpainted figures (a flamethrower and grenade launcher are still on the painting bench, along with some Bergmann SMGs).
Here's Hauptmann von Lemiets, founder and leader of the Freikorps.
A rifle section:
An assault section (grenadiers at the moment, but will ultimately be split into two smaller squads of SMGs and grenadiers):
Well, and those who know me will have an inkling of where all this is heading... Chris cannot go without nice clanky things. Originally, I thought of exercising some restraint and build an Izhorsky Fiat (yes, Copplestone sells a nice one). But I botched the proportions and went back to the drawing board.
Mk IVs were used in the Berlin (and maybe the Leipzig) fighting in 1919 by a Freikorps, but the world and their aunt have MkIVs nowadays (not that I don't love them with all my heart, the tanks, that is), so I went for the less-tread way (pun intended).
Apart from armoured cars, there's obviously the option for armoured trains (and the Iron Division in the Baltic used some), but their use is limited and they are far too powerful in T&T unless used as a scenario objective).
So I opted for "Hedi", or rather, her mysterious sister, the second Geländewagen conversion with a soft steel armour body and four MG08s.
It's still a big chunk of potential gamebreak, but less so than a "proper" A7V (come on, a cannon and SIX heavy MGs. That's excessive even for me, although I had one when I dabbled in WW1...). I chose to limit the tank a bit (apart from the 90° fire arcs of the corner casemates), and thus, it will only use the enclosed armoured car damage table, and retain the poor cross-country performance rule I wrote for the A7V.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Nice and chunky, the proportions look good, and the greenish grey and death's heads turned out well, too.
As for the army, I'll probably get another rifle squad, and certainly a cavalry section - for which I'd like suggestions, since GWM only do early war Uhlans, which I can obviously convert, but does anyone make and sell separate WW1 German heads? I'm reluctant to buy another GWM pack just to chop off the heads, and the only thing I am aware of that looks remotely useful is a pack of Westwind SHS WW2 German heads, which would need minor conversion only, but may be just a bit too big to match the GWM minis.
So, any suggestions much appreciated. Looking for heads wearing the "coalscuttle" helmet variant, or the "ear cutout" variant, but those will probably be even more unlikely.
30 July 2008, 11:53:16 AM
