Bolt Action: Operation Sealion Minis

[Kommando_J]

Haven't got my copy yet but im told that Gigant was brought out to move things along/allow later units to be fielded(solving a problem one sees with vbcw).

[carlos marighela]

For those of you wishing to add Scarff rings and various forms of Lewis gun, with and sans cooling shroud to cars, trucks and buses, Eureka produce the lot in their Pulp range. They also make a rather nice COW gun, which I'm sure could make it's way into a pulp game.

[Kommando_J]

Saw those, should be good as realistically most of your patrols firepower will be coming from guns mounted on transports.

[Kommando_J]

Just got my copy of Operation Gigant...have to say i'm disappointed all round, the new British units are too out there for me, although I like the idea of a cadet army. in hand me downs, the IRA list makes no sense, all of them should have firearms, why would you ship over troops with improvised weapons!?

The whole thing felt very shallow with precious pages devoted to products we've already seen.

[carlos marighela]

Firearms were and still are difficult to obtain in Britain, especially so in wartime Britain. They were still a relative rarity amongst criminal circles so the prospect of waves of armed Fenians descending upon the shores was remote. The IRA's major  attempt to gain small arms at the time was ultimately thwarted. In reality, their chosen weapon, one they would revert to again in the 1950s and would pass on to PIRA, their spiritual heirs in the 1970s was the bomb/IED.  I doubt there's much of a game in blowing up civilians in Coventry, besides the Luftwaffe were more than up to that task anyway.

[Kommando_J]

Th thing is i'd assume that the IRA would theoretically get their firearms from 'home' I cant see them handing them over tot the home guard back in '39...

I just find it frustrating as the limitation makes fielding large patrols difficult.

[SABOT]

I don't think you have to follow this to the letter? I use it as an 'idea stirrer' and cherry pick out of it what you want. They will not cover everything and it's up to you what you field and how you use it.

I have a unit based on my own military experience of being a Gunnery Instructor at the Gunnery School at at Lulworth, Dorset. Part of the Bovington garrison , the cadre of top instructors there would have banded with their colleagues from the D and M School and Signals School plus the Armour Trials and Development Unit at Bovy to form quite some unit - with some very odd AFV's taking to the field if required. Also going to field an Army Cadet force with its Instructors and an OTC / CCF type unit from the local Grammar and Uni.

They will not be wearing roller skates. 😳

[Arlequín]

Th thing is i'd assume that the IRA would theoretically get their firearms from 'home' I cant see them handing them over tot the home guard back in '39...

They didn't actually have that much in the way of weaponry, especially as 3 tons that was sent North was captured in '39 by the RUC. They had Tommy Guns, but where do you get .45 rounds, apart from attempting to take them from the National Army? They had Mausers, but where do you get 7.92mm? That leaves SMLEs and even .303 was not that easy to come by without a licence in peacetime. The 'Boys' didn't have the support they once had in the Republic, let alone anywhere else. Even in the Civil War shotguns outnumbered military weapons by 2:1.

Nevertheless what's the point of a 'what-if' if there's no "what if?" 

[SABOT]

Could have been supplied by Germany. Could take out a Home Guard or Regular Army or a Territorial Army or RAF or RN armoury or Coast Guard unit who were armed - Police barracks too. In 1939 could probably still be supplied by USA?

[carlos marighela]

Could have been supplied by Germany. Could take out a Home Guard or Regular Army or a Territorial Army or RAF or RN armoury or Coast Guard unit who were armed - Police barracks too. In 1939 could probably still be supplied by USA?

Of course! The German record of getting anything into the UK undetected and/ or unapprehended during the war was unrivalled. You only have to think about all those highly succesful spy rings whose agents operated in a free and unfettered manner for upwards of a day or two.

 I suppose they could have contacted someone in the Republic,saying something along the lines of 'we'll have a Heinkel drop a couple of containers' somewhere within a half mile radius of Hampstead Heath, could you get one of the lads to pop over from Kilburn?'

 

[Harry von Fleischmann]

If someone insists they must field IRA, you could let them have one figure who can be called Liam Devlin. The British player then gets additional figures - his choice of either three armed spivs or three special branch officers.

[SABOT]

Love it ! 👍

[Kommando_J]

I like the historical info but...it is a German/Irish invasion of England A bit of suspension of facts is necessary from the outset.

On another note i've been cracking on with my minis, the ice cream suit Churchill will by my SiS agent Sidney Bristol, Churchill impersonator and agent provocateur.

[Arlequín]

A bit of suspension of facts is necessary from the outset.

True, but that should still be less than that required to play Konflikt '47 all the same. 

Nice start on the figures, as long as you are enjoying it, that's all that matters. 

[Kommando_J]

I might just use this thread for updates...but please, continue with the debate, historical facts and ideas, loving it.

Also Arlequin, what would happen to much older firearms? Say sniders, martini-enfields etc?