Bolt Action Desert War Bootcamp

[brucelea 7906xp 0]

With regard to the symbolism, I recently entered a 1/32nd scale ME109 in a scale model show and it had a swastika on the tail plane as per the markings of the period. The audience all understood that it was historically correct and that by putting it on I was not making any political statement but this was for a closed and enlightened audience. Whilst everyone on BoW, I’m Sure will understand the context of the use in a historical war game, I think the issue the team will have is the other viewers, on say YouTube who may either want to make a point, or have a genuine reason why they feel it is inappropriate. As the coverage should be going out to the widest possible audience to promote the game I think the safest option would be to ensure any symbols that the camera can differentiate should be blocked out, or as Andy can do, be removed.

[brucelea 7906xp 0]

@leifer1971,

it seems to be a bit of both, whatever way it is highly effective, I also don’t usually bother with a pin wash. I can’t be doing with oil paints on acrylics, as to much can go wrong. Great work and looking forward to seeing….and of course…destroying it in the flesh ???

[damon 7525xp 0]

@limburger, while there were no Waffen SS units in the Afrika Korps, there was the Einsatzgruppe North Africa commanded by Walter Rauff, a former aid to Reinhard Heidrich, that is reported to have committed many atrocities. There is a debate about how much Rommel knew of their activities. Some interesting conversations here:

Is it true that Erwin Rommel was kind to his prisoners and ignored orders to execute or torture them? from AskHistorians

Did members of the Africa Corps commit any notable war crimes during the course of the North Africa campaign? What about the Allies? from AskHistorians

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Rauff

 

@maxkee For early ’41 you have the option of painting your AK vehicles in the standard European Dunkelgrau and applying shades of muddy brown randomly, the first attempts to blend the vehicles to the desert terrain were sand and mud mixed with water and daubed all over the vehicles, or a layer of engine oil with sand sprinkled over it. It wore off quickly and left the vehicles looking very tatty and worn.

The first official orders for painting for NA were issued in March ’41; RAL 8000 Gelb-braun (yellow brown) and RAL 7008 Graugrun (grey green- this is a funny looking colour as it appears a slightly darker shade of brown to gelb braun on the colour charts I have), applied 2/3 coverage with yellow brown and 1/3 grey green in random soft edge pattern. But the reality was that the mud camouflage continued into the summer of ’41 and supply problems meant that the grey green was not used a great deal. The paint faded rapidly to a chalky, flaky finish and again the vehicles quickly looked very tatty. A further order was issued in March ’42 specifying new colours; RAL 8020 Braun and RAL 7027 Grau (again looks more brown than grey), again applied in the 2/3-1/3 pattern, but again, it appears this was not followed very often, with braun being the main colour used.

It is probable that paint acquired from the Italian forces and captured from the British were pressed into use, Tomas Chory, in his book Wehrmacht Heer Camouflage Colours 1939-1945, states; ‘It is certain that vehicles painted according to regulations never formed a majority of the vehicles of the Afrika Korps’.

So short version; you can go with what looks right to you and no-one can prove you wrong.

start of the campaign- dark grey with mud smears.

’41-’42- medium brown with an option of a slightly darker brown disruptive pattern.

’42 onward- slightly lighter versions of the ’41 colours.

[limburger 21688xp 0]

@damon : I guess part of the problem is indeed that it’s “just africa” which kind of sounds racist.

OTOH … it’s not like we (as in the west) had a lot of interest in the eastern front either.

Perhaps it was easier to demonize Soviets post cold war than to create a feeling of empathy for whatever happened to Africa ?
Lack of information certainly isn’t helping matters.

At least that’s my 2 cents.

// —

Back to possible paint schemes …

Is it possible to pick a scheme that allows a DAK force to be used as an early war European unit ?

I’m not looking for perfect historical accuracy, but more of a way to maximize their use.

If I understand correctly then vehicles can be gray-ish (assuming we get any at all), which makes sense for both theaters.

Is there something similar for uniforms ? Provided they don’t look too ‘tropical’ ?

I’ll probably be too busy assembling and playing to worry about getting any painting done at bootcamp.
Heck, at my speed I’d probably have a single figure assembled and painted … 😉

[damon 7525xp 0]

@limburger, the first vehicles that were sent to Africa were still in the European Panzer grey, a heavy coat of dry dust will be fine for the summer blitzkrieg through France and the early African campaign.

For the infantry, not sure if tropical uniforms were issued before or after they moved to Africa, but shirt sleeve order and caps would work for summer of ’40 and early Africa, just say the supply ship was sunk on route to Africa. I wouldn’t go full grognard if your Germans were the wrong shade of grey-green on the table!!

[oriskany 60771xp 0]

No worries, @limburger _ I honestly don’t think it was you.  Honestly I don’t remember who it was, or even if I was just misinterpreting their question re: the music.  It was an extremely subtle moment, where I just decided to play it safe.

@bobcockayne – Funny you should mention Panzerleid.  I had that going as well, but to be honest, stuck to my guns on that one as I’m pretty sure the panzer battalions in the Bundeswehr use it to this day.  😀

[oriskany 60771xp 0]

@damon – I was under the GENERAL impression that Einsatzgruppen Afrika never really got off the ground, certainly not to the degree that Einsatzgruppen I-IV did out in Russia.  Could be wrong though, its a subject I’m not terribly well read on.

As far as Rommel’s role in these kinds of things, some good examples that speak to his credit can  be taken from the treatment of Major Leibmann’s Zionist Palestinian Volunteers captured at Bir el Harmat during the Gazala Offensive.  We’re going over this during some of the boot camp media.  Being all Jewish, Hitler ordered them executed as political refugees rather than prisoners of war, and Rommel is reported o have ignored the order.

This is a pattern we see with many traditional Wehrmacht officers of the old “General Staff” cadres.  By and large, their attitude was “I’m a solider, I follow orders, I took an oath.  Politics is none of my business.”  So they didn’t carry out many of these orders … but at the same time did next to nothing to stop what was happening.  So we’re left in something of a grey area, so far as I know.

As David Dowding writes in The Devil’s Virtuosos, “they took the path of the military Samaritan, and did their best to pass on the other side of the road.”

[torros 23816xp 0]

I want there but I don’t like music at wargaming or roleplaying games I think it ruins the experience so maybe it was people like me who just don’t like music being played while they game

[limburger 21688xp 0]

I kind of like a bit of music as background noise.

Especially when building/assembling.

This would probably be a bit too much :

[damon 7525xp 0]

Question for anybody who has flown with figures/models; was it a hassle? Did you take them as carry on, or put them in the hold in your case?

Thanks

[brucelea 7906xp 0]

Hi @damon, I’ve only taken one or two miniatures over in my carry on luggage before but have returned with 2 lots of 15mm bootcamp sets. Think about how much you’re likely to get and prep the protective packaging. I’ve decided to take hold luggage this time and for two reasons; firstly I want to take some of my hobby kit with me (paints, glue and such); and secondly, I don’t think I’ll have much room for everything on the way back if I try and cram it into my carry on bag.  I’m going to take a box for my stuff and fill it with bubble wrap for the way back. That way I’m not having to try an find some over the weekend, when I’d rather be gaming, or drinking, or both ?

[oriskany 60771xp 0]

For the Team Yankee Boot Camp I had eight plastic T-72s in 15mm.  Took them on carry-on because I didn’t truth the baggage handlers not to lose them are smash them up.  No worries – just had them in a wooden cigar box.

For the FoW 4.0 Boot Camp, I brought a much larger tank force, several dozen vehicles and aircraft, some of them metal.  MAJOR hassle.  The security folks stopped me at every gate and made me unpack my bag and explain what miniature wargaming was.

My impression?  Plastic is no worries.  Metal?  Friggin’ pain in the ass.

Trying to have my army shipped ahead of me this time.

 

[irishsteve 12947xp 0]

Im planning on picking up the paints recmnd’d on warlords website. I linked the page somewhere back in this thread I think.

[suetoniuspaullinusMember 12198xp 2]

I think I’ll be following Gaz and Jim and will send some paints and models over beforehand. Cheaper than on hold luggage and I’d like my own paints.

Poor BoW, they will think Christmas has come early with all those parcels arriving ?

[suetoniuspaullinusMember 12198xp 1]

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