OPERATION CRUSADER MEGA GAME PREP - DAK WIP

Something as big as a "mega game" should have ALL CAPS in the title shouldn't it?  So the free time I did have this weekend was spent preparing my Afrika Korps forces for Alex's big, upcoming Operation Crusader game using his home-brewed modifications for Neil Thomas' One Hour Wargames (1HW).  My thoughts about these rules are this:  If you played them once and simply discarded them as too simple, you should definitely give Alex's rules variant a go.  He's added great  detail that gives the game a much more tactical feel to it and has the player making decisions throughout the game.  (his older versions are available over at his Up the Blue! blog located on the right.  Important to note that the version we played is a departure from his earlier variants so stay tuned to Up The Blue!).

Anyways,  I'm not sure how the forces will be allocated or task organized for the game,but as it stands now, I can help out the Axis Forces by including a sizeable number of Armored and Infantry platoons, and will have some support stands in the form of 2 x mortar platoons and 2 x Anti Tank Gun platoons.

5 DAK Infantry Platoons of 3 stands each (soon to be 6) with Vallejo "European Mud" added as texture to the base.  Enough here for 3 Flames of War DAK platoons!

Alex's rules need a command stand for each platoon so I added rocks to the command stands, along with an officer or NCO gesturing.  

 And the real reason you're here....onto the tanks!

A DAK Armor Platoon from the 21st Panzer Division.  Again, Alex's rules need to have a command vehicle so the TC rides atop the command tank of these 3 x tank platoons.

2 x platoons down and 4 to go!

 Tanks are a mix of PSC and Zvezda and seem to go together pretty well.

DAK Decal needs trimmed, otherwise I'm happy with them.

I also was able to paint the ground cover of the infantry stands Tamiya "Flat Earth" and will let that dry.  This week I will dry brush and seal the infantry and they'll be ready for war!

Ground cover painted and I'm letting it dry.  Once dry, I'll drybrush it to give it that "desert" look that you're looking for!

Also, the support platoons are a mess right now and will take some TLC to get them right.  I'll have 2 x mortar platoons and 2 x ATG platoons, consisting of 2 x mortar or ATG stands each, along with a command/security base that will serve as the main base of the platoon.

Support units.  4 regular sized bases serve as the command base for each support platoon.  I'll have 2 x ATG platoons and 2 x mortar platoons.  (Thank goodness for the shed-load of mortars you get in the PSC German Hvy Weapons box!  I didn't have to buy anything!)

The whole force so far...Missing lots of tanks.

Finally, to whet your appetite for FUTURE mega-projects, here are 2 x bunkers that will defend Hill 253 northeast of Ponyri Station!  I'm experimenting with different kinds of ground texture so 1 log bunker has pumice and another has the vallejo European mud.    Both will have static grass as well.

European mud.  I like how it has a wet, muddy look to it.  I dries pretty hard though.

This bunker has pumice which has been painted, stained, and dry brushed.  The advantage of the mud in this situation is that I dont have to paint it as it's already earthen colored.

 side by side comparison!