"Easiest theater to do in 28 mm for WWII" Topic

OK, apologies for starting all the WW II related threads but I am procrastinating on an awful project I am doing at work. Mea culpa.

Here is the question, in 28 mm WW II war gaming what theater of the war do you think is the easiest, i.e., has the most available in terms of figures, vehicles, buildings, terrain in order to put on a great looking table. My short list would be the European theater in particular France and perhaps Belgium, next would be the Russian Front and then perhaps the easiest would be the Pacific theater and Burma. So what are your thoughts on the topic?

NW Europe '44 is always popular and there's no lack of terrain/scenery.

Eastern Front buidlings are now available from 1st Corps and probably some others.

I would say N. Africa is next I think and then the PTO which utilizes more trees, foliage and natural terrain than buildings. Both of these should be easier since there's more open ground relative to the others.

Iceland garrison.

OK who let that wise guy in here?

Fanatik I would agree about North Africa as that is the theater that I have the most done for. Although creating a suitable desert setting can be more challenging then you would think. Plus I am slowly working on having a semi urban setting with lots of adobe Mid East buildings. I think I finally have plenty of palm trees.

I have been working on several scenarios for 28mm. One of the key things to making a good 28mm game …details. It really depends on the size of the game table you are using. Pacific takes Alot , I am making my own palm trees and that is huge. Ever tried making a 28mm rice paddy it is harder that you might think. There is stuff out there for what ever period you want to do. Dont sweat how hard it is or isnt just go after it. After all it is our hobby… Do what you like how you like and no apologies to anybody.

I don't think the easiest theater question is all that useful. After all, the 'easiest' might be said to be the one you're most interested in. As opposed to an evaluation of finance or effort.
So, why not do the one that interests you the most? You'll enjoy that one. Therefore whatever effort you put into it should be worthwhile.
There is, of course, His Eminence's idea. But I don't see many gaming opportunities there…

If you like making jungle terrain from discount store artificial plants and aquarium plants then SE Asia/PTO, since you just have infantry to paint up.

If you like building and painting tanks and buildings then NE Europe 44-45 since there is a plethora of figures, AFVs and buildings available.

If you like AFVs, infantry and not so crazy about lots of trees then maybe Russian front on the Steppes.

But really it depends on what you're keen on/interested in and do you have some terrain already you can put to use?

NW Europe in '44. I say that because there are piles of cheap Corgi and Solido diecast vehicles available via e-bay if you like 1/48th – 1/50th scale vehicles with your 28mm minis. If you buy these, aside from some woodland terrain, all you need are some minis to paint and Bob is your proberbial uncle. That said, those cheap metal tanks, lack a certain level of detail anc scale consistency that some may not like. Last, if you are going Bolt Action or most other game systems, the army lists in the rule book are typically for this theater.

If you are going with 1/56th for your vehicles the ease of fielding them goes way down (if not the cost).

Here are some of the big diecast tanks in action with a mix of the occasional 1/56th scale support vehicle:

link

Lost Pict

I don't think those cheap Corgi or Solido tanks are cheap these days. They seem to have doubled or tripled in price since I bought my collection of them.

If I were to start again I'd go with the Warlord resin and plastic tanks. (NWE)

Cheapest or easiest route I think would be Africa using the Perry figures etc.

Not super cheap, but easy since you can immediately play with them (and I don't just mean gaming) ;-)
I will go 1/56th too (and slowly am).

Lost Pict

My question was more academic Rrobby, as I agree I am personally going to collect, paint and play what interests me. After all as I stated I am almost finished with my 28 mm North Africa collection. (You are never done as there is always some extra vehicle/bit of kit/cool figure you just must have.) Which when I started oh about ten plus years ago or whenever it was that Artizan Design came out with their Afrika Korps and 8th Army figures is when I started on that project. There was not a lot in the way of 1/56 scale vehicles at the time except for perhaps Army Group North who had just started making the earlier war tanks and such. Now I am spoiled for choice. Oh and of course the Perry Brothers had to come out with all their North Africa stuff. Yes I will be getting those at some point.

If I had it all to do over again I would probably start with 20 mm but I just love 28 mm and the personality of the figures. Currently I am looking to start on the ETO next. I already have a large platoon worth of the Artizan Late War Germans in smocks painted and they could be used for either the ETO or the Russian Front. I have a large platoon's worth of a American infantry which is a mix of Black Tree, Artizan, Crusader, and older Bolt Action pre Warlord. They all mix well together and it is time they were painted. Of course the America figures could also be used for Operation Torch and added to my North Africa conflicts.

I would say NW Europe in terms of availability of models both infantry and vehicles.

I've been interested in the Eastern Front for a long time and it's really a challenge. I'm extremely pleased that Crusader is releasing Soviets in greatcoats as that opens up a lot of possibilities there. I'd still like to see '42 era Soviets in summer gear (other than the Warlord plastics which I don't like much) with some suitable early T-34s. There are nice late war Soviets available too but '44 and '45 on the eastern front has never captured my imagination.

Were it me I'd do the Eastern Front. That's an easy answer for me as that's just what I've done. The only problem I have with gaming the North African theater in 28mm is that I play Bolt Action in this scale. I just think of North Africa as more of an armored warfare situation. While Bolt Action is more of an infantry centric game. Then again, if one is doing their fighting in Tunisia…
This could get both complicated and expensive. At least you have a good start, or so it sounds.
Sorry if I'm not being more helpful…

I say Italy , diverse landscapes, different fighters ( Germans, Italians, Americans, British, Indians, Canadians, New Zealanders, Greek , Polish , French, Moroccans, Gurkas, Jewish , Brazilian, etc.), a lot of small actions. Almost all types of the army used (paratroopers, mountain troops, partisans etc), almost all tracked and wheeled vehicles (no Konigstiger or Jagdtiger, yes Ferdinand) used. In the blog thunz.wordpress.com will be publish materials about the project Romagna 1944.

Another vote for Western Front 1944.

anything that involves a lot of vehicles is going to be expensive, NA, EF.
with Italy and NW Europe you have a lot of inf on inf battles.

I agree Rrobby that when one thinks of North Africa you tend to think of mainly tank actions. However, I have done a good bit of research on this theater and it is amazing the number of smaller actions that took place. I have also taken larger actions and drilled down to a particular event or plausible scenario. The many battles around Tobruk offer any number of company or platoon level conflicts and as you mentioned when you get to Tunisia you have a more varied terrain setting that again lends itself well to smaller actions.

I will do the Eastern Front eventually. I recently came into a large collection of 28 mm Russian figures, mostly Black Tree Design and really nice sculpts. As I mentioned I have the Artizan late war in smocks Germans so these two forces could be used for some later war Russian Front games. Regardless, appears I am going to eventually do multiple theaters in this period.

@ Costanzo1 you tempt me with the Italian theater. The only issue would be finding proper buildings that would represent that landscape. However, I think there are some kits available now that would work for that part of the world.

Regardless is the consensus that western Northern Europe is perhaps the best represented theater in terms of what is available?

D-Day/Normandy certainly the 'easiest' in terms of available models and also amount of easily accessible reference material for paint schemes, terrain and so forth.

Burma?

Cheers,

Well you do have the ChinDits and plenty of other British Empire troops available, plus all of the vehicles you could ask for. The Japaneses are well represented as well. All you need is lots of jungle and other rugged terrain and thatched roofed buildings and that is also easy to get now with all the laser cut wood kits avaiable. So yes Burma would work.