BeneathALeadMountain | 20 Oct 2016 4:21 p.m. PST |
I have just finished basing (alot of) 15mm American troops for use in Chain of command and bolt action (and now battlegroup rules). There are enough to do both types of CoC platoon (rifle and armoured) and a good range of support. They were initially for normandy period gaming but I'm also interested in the fight into germany and have germans for normandy onwards for the Western front to oppose them (possibly too many :). What kit do I paint them as? The '37 as I'd originally intended (wanted to use them as glider infantry aswell as a standard rifle/armoured, and they could support my existing airborne, I also like the peter dennis pics of them in mustard/brown) or the '43 so they are appropriate for later stuff after the switch. I'm not really worried if they have to look anachronistic in some games and don't really want to do a whole other set. What would you do or have you done? I know the tmp'ers will be able to help me decide. BALM. |
Weasel | 20 Oct 2016 4:46 p.m. PST |
43 also lets you do Italy, which is a fun campaign to play. |
Rudysnelson | 20 Oct 2016 5:17 p.m. PST |
You can use them as Brazilian forces in Italy or other allies which wore our gear. Chinese troops in Burma and China. A lot depends on how many extra troops that you have.You might check Free French in 1944 in France. |
Col Durnford | 20 Oct 2016 5:33 p.m. PST |
I did mine in a mix of uniforms for the post D-day ETO. After looking at quite a few images it seemed to me that the US Army was anything but uniform. |
PrivateSnafu | 20 Oct 2016 5:42 p.m. PST |
The early uniforms are forward compatible all the way to the end of the war. The later uniforms (all green) are not backward compatible. The camo of 2nd Armored and 2nd ID came and went so you avoid that. Evan has a good article on the BF site. link |
Saber6 | 20 Oct 2016 7:42 p.m. PST |
Get a bunch of giant ants and play THEM |
Mserafin | 20 Oct 2016 9:26 p.m. PST |
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BeneathALeadMountain | 20 Oct 2016 9:32 p.m. PST |
Excellent, thank you chaps for your quick replies. PrivateSnafu thank you for the link that was very helpful (I've started to go WW2 blind, forgetting things I'd already decided, trying to do all three ETO forces and reading up about everything in an ad-hoc manner :). It looks like they will be in early kit but with the possibility of some HBT, especially if this gives me more options (brazilians, free french etc). And I'll find some ants. Saber6 how big do THEY need to be? Thanks again, BALM |
Mardaddy | 20 Oct 2016 9:51 p.m. PST |
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Grelber | 20 Oct 2016 9:55 p.m. PST |
BALM, Don't know what things the Welsh do for Halloween. Here in the USA, we have seasonal Halloween stores that sell bags of plastic spiders and ants. You could, of course, buy them. Or, you could wait until 1 November, when all the Halloween merchandise goes on sale for half price. I believe the plastic ants are about 15-20mm long. Grelber Who has a bag of spiders to fight his Vikings. |
Martin Rapier | 20 Oct 2016 11:05 p.m. PST |
As noted above, 43 was much more of a late war thing, whereas the earlier uniform is good for the whole war. I did mine in the early uniforms. |
4th Cuirassier | 21 Oct 2016 3:15 a.m. PST |
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Silent Pool | 21 Oct 2016 3:56 a.m. PST |
+1 PrivateSnafu for the link. |
BeneathALeadMountain | 21 Oct 2016 5:23 a.m. PST |
Grelber – generally drink :) (and if one year was to go on – pull down my boundary fence and burn it – although that was nearer Nov 5th). Thanks Martin I think that is the best option. 4th you are not helping my focus old bean ;) Thank you all for your input, BALM |
Old Wolfman | 21 Oct 2016 6:54 a.m. PST |
Saber6,I saw a game of that at Advance The Colors a few weeks ago. |
donlowry | 21 Oct 2016 9:14 a.m. PST |
I also like the peter dennis pics of them in mustard/brown) Don't know who Peter Dennis is/was, but the U.S. Army never wore mustard/brown! First olive drab (OD), then olive green. |
BeneathALeadMountain | 21 Oct 2016 3:56 p.m. PST |
Don – Peter dennis is the everso prolific artist of a lot of the art in the osprey books. The mustard/brown description was a direct quote from my grandfather, apologies I should have written olive drab for clarity (but was fighting an uphill battle against a catankerous ipad, ongoing insomnia and a shed load of industrial strength meds) I was (lazily) relying on the brain trust of tmp to understand my intentions and guide me :) . Thank you all for your help. Martin did you do straight olive drab or sneak some HBT in there aswell? BALM |
Martin Rapier | 22 Oct 2016 2:03 a.m. PST |
I largely based them on my re-enactor pals from 34th Division, whose uniforms have faded to all sorts of interesting brownish, yellowish and greenish shades over the years. But they are essentially Mustard and brown (an excellent description btw) with the odd greenish bit. From a distance they just look to be a raggedy khaki mob. |
BeneathALeadMountain | 22 Oct 2016 3:27 a.m. PST |
Brilliant thanks Martin, I shall try and do the same. BALM (Andrew). |
Col Durnford | 22 Oct 2016 2:07 p.m. PST |
Martin, Sound like the method I used. To put it in ACW terms my Germans and British are uniformed (like the North) and my Americans and Russians are more like the confederate (ragged rebels in mixed uniforms). |
number4 | 06 Nov 2016 1:46 p.m. PST |
US Army wool pants were called "mustards" by the troops; brand new they are quite a yellowish green but after a few days in the field look very much like the brown khaki drab of the British Battledress. As to what color the jacket should be: look at the figure: if it is waist length then it's the light olive M41 jacket. If it is tunic length with two pocket flaps on the chest, it is the dark olive M43. A short jacket with knitted collar and cuffs is the Winter Combat Jacket; called the Tanker Jacket it was supposed to be issued army wide, but mostly armor crews got them (hence the name) and rear echelon types. Officers could get them because they bought their own. It's the same light olive as the M41 and like that garment, faded out to a khaki drill with wear.
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uglyfatbloke | 06 Nov 2016 2:15 p.m. PST |
Chinese troops fighting the Japanese – and later Emperor Mao's communists – makes for great games. |
Mark 1 | 06 Nov 2016 3:47 p.m. PST |
BALM - In the OP you mentioned that you have based a large number of figures. Enough for …. If I were in that same position (and I may be, soon, except at 6mm scale) then I would (I will) do a full formation in the early war stuff, and then a few extras in the M43 colors. When I do a late war game I can then substitute in a couple of the late war figures (stands, in my case) to provide a mixed late-war formation. Also never hurts to have a few extras about … sometimes a scenario might call for two beaten down formations instead of one full strength formation. Just an idea. Keep or disregard at your discretion. -Mark (aka: Mk 1) |