Battle of Kursk – Adepticon 2017

For a second year, my friend Aaron and I hosted a Bolt Action Kursk game at Adepticon.  This year’s battle was armor only – not historically accurate, but a necessary change to run a large scale battle planned for 8 players.  The table was 12×5 with two large hills, a village on one end, and plenty of wrecks/smoke breaking up line of sight.  The teams each had objectives to achieve – both sides needed to inflict casualties on the other and also achieve a movement goal.  The Soviets needed to place four tanks into the German deployment zone.  The Germans needed to move two tanks onto an objective on one of the hills.

The Soviet players elected to mass their tanks in the central section of the table.   While the Germans stayed put behind the smoke.  For several turns, the longer range of the German guns picked off tank after tank.  It was starting to look like an easy German victory when the Soviets crossed into the German zone and scored their movement objective.  Suddenly, the Soviet team was ahead on points.  After a brief panic, the Germans rushed to claim their hill & continued to pound the Soviet tanks. Final score was 16 to 10 in favor of the Germans.

Set up for the battle:  20 Soviet tanks face off against 12 German tanks

Burning Soviet tanks fill the fields

Aaron created lite smoke columns using tea lights.  Awesome effect.

In the end, nearly all of the Soviet tanks were destroyed.

Panzers in the Smoke   Mission brief and tank list

Russian Village

A new village for the Bolt Action Kursk table, getting ready for their debut at Adepticon Thursday night. Building kits by Sarissa Precision.  The kits are small, inexpensive, reasonably detailed and went together without much trouble.  Paint was an under coat of black, brown and grey spray paint, then sponge painting to lay down the top coat.  Green, yellow and blue were added to spice up the dreary peasant life.

Panzers

Four Panzers ready for Kursk.  Panther by Rubicon.  PZ IV by Warlord.

I followed a tuturial  to learn how to apply the camo scheme.

Paint plan

• Spray base color of Bronze Yellow (Liquitex)
• Two coats of Middlestone (Flames of War)
• Wash of Dark Sepia
• Reflective Green (Vallejo) and Ruddy Brown (Reaper) mixed with Terrain Khaki (Reaper) used for Cammo
• Top coat of Middlestone/Terrain Khaki
• Wallnut Brown (Reaper) with Oily Steel (Vallejo) used for the tracks
• Rust effects created with Wallnut base followed by Rust (Vallejo) and Orange Rust (Vallejo)

PzKpfw IV – with mud!

Same PzKpfw IV from a few days ago, this time with a muddy under carriage.

Vallejo Pigments (Rust and Oil) applied with a mix of Matt Medium, White Glue and water.  Applying the pigments was an interesting experience.  First I coated the area to make muddy with the medium mix, then applied Burnt Umber from the pot.  After letting it dry for 30 minutes, I applied spots of Dark Yellow Ochre.  The amount of fluid on the brush is important.  A wet brush makes for a smooth smear not unlike paint.  A dry brush applies the pigments with the the grain intact.

PzKpfw IV – H

Panzer 4 with cammo pattern.

PzKpfw IV

Base coat complete.  I’m pondering if I should add cammo, clean up the wash, or just add a few decals.

 

Adepticon: Battle of Kursk

We had very grand plans for Kursk in Bolt Action:  8 players, 8000 points per team, a 12×6 table with custom terrain.  Then 3 players and most of the German figures failed to show up.  We soldiered on with 5 players and 4000 points per team.  The game lasted five turns until a misplaced artillery barrage mangled much of the German assault on the Russian hill top.  Over all, the 8000 points and 70 some units was too much for the Bolt Action rule set, even with a team based dice draw system.  I think will try it again next year, after all – what else will we do with 2 dozen T-34s 🙂

Soviet AT Guns

Plastic Soviets from The Plastic Soldier Company.  This inexpensive kit contains parts for 2 guns, I chose a 45mm M1942 anti tank gun and a 76mm M1943 infantry gun.  The plastic is lighter and more flexible than most 28mm manufactures and the gun barrels do not compare well with other 76mm barrels found on Warlord kits.

Soviet T34 Tanks

A Soviet WW2 army would not be complete without tanks.  Five T34 mounting the 76mm cannon are appropriate for 1943, one features an earlier turret (a lucky survivor).  The tank with the exposed crewman will count as the commander of the unit.

Paint Plan:

• Body – spray paint Krylon Hunter Green, black wash, color panels with Military Green (V), dry brush highlights with 50/50 Military Green and Terran Khaki
• Tracks – spray paint Krylon Black.   Highlight with 40/60 Oily Steel (V) and Walnut (R).
• Tow Cable – Cold Gray  (V) with Black Wash
• Splash a bit of Dark Sepia (SW) and Black Wash on for effect.

Bolt Action Soviet Infantry Units

Summer project to create a Soviet army for Bolt Action is mostly done – at least the infantry segment of the army.  Figures are a mix of Warlord Plastics and Black Tree Design metals.

BTD Light Machine Gun squad. 3 LMG, 3 ammo carriers, 8 rifles

Warlord SMG unit: 8

Warlord Rifle unit: 26

BTD Mortar: 82mm

BTD Flamethrowers: 2 Misc figure used as a Medic. Warlord Spotter

BTD SMG squad: 10

Second BTD SMG squad: 10

Paint plan for WW2 Soviet Soldiers

• Base coat with Krylon brown spray.
• Body – US Field Drab (V).  Mix with Heavy Goldbrown (V) for a yellow shade.  Mix with Brown Violet for a green shade.
• Legs – Terran Khaki (R)
• Straps – Flat Earth (V)
• Gun Barrels – black under coat, Oily Steel (V) with black ink wash
• Gun Stocks – Umber Brown (V) wash
• Skin – Medium Flesh (V) with Gyphonne Sepia (GW) wash
• Boots – Muddy Brown (R) with black wash, or Walnut Brown(R) with Leather Brown (V)
• Great Coat (slung) – Terran Khaki (R)
• Great Coat worn – Heavy Brown (V)
• Helmets, Metal Equipment – Brown Violet (V)