As well as their own considerable fire power the 101st Mortar Platoon can call in artillery and air support if required.

A forward observer is attached for this to occur.

The figure is the metal radio operator supplied with the Bolt Action 8th Army carrier patrol.

The tree stump is a Mantic Terrain Crate from the “bits box”.

The mortar platoon has integral artillery support should it be needed.

I had some partisan figures left over so decided to build the six IRA squad from six to their maximum of eight. I painted the twelve whenever I was using a suitable colour on other projects. They were started just before Christmas and are now finished.

I still have three vehicles on the painting table to finish off this little project – a civilian van, civilian car and a motorcycle combo with Lewis gun. I have been downloading old advertising pics for the sides of the van. A huge range and unfortunately only one van.

And many more besides. Some have been trimmed by the WordPress to fit the slide. I have a partiality to spiced rum!

When I was scrounging in the bits box I came across this model and decided to paint it. By the way is your bits box also becoming a bit like a shipping container?

Anyway here she is finished.

I have plans for her in our next Pulp Action jungle scenario.

The statues pedestal is made from a 50mm mdf base and a poker chip.

As with all Australian Platoons a medic is attached.

“Just hurry up and give me the scissors”……………….Yes master!

By now you must all know that I like the availability of a Chaplain for my Bolt Action lists. This is the same figure from Westwind Productions that I normally use.

This first carrier will be used to transport the Captain’s Support Section so that it can move quickly to any sector on the table that may require its massive close fire support or Mortar Crew replacement.

Build up of “rust” to continual jungle exposure.

Captain’s Support Platoon reduced by one to fit in the Universal Carrier.

Today we have the Captain’s support team, which is a mixture of various specialists formed as a rifle section that could both support the gunners but also replace any mortar crews that have suffered casualties.

Tomorrow I hope to finish the first components of another project.the Captain’s Universal Carrier.

Yesterday we played our large scale fight of Stalingrad.

The Grain Silo in 1/56 is huge

The battle itself was massive with at one stage up to fifteen players fighting for the grain silo.

The grain silo, railway line, and workers cottages in the foreground.

The silo from the other side, with tram line, and factories.

The southern flank of the battlefield

The south-west side of the battlefield

The two bridges and surrounds that I fought over all day. The fight over the rail bridge was to extend for the full battle with a real David and Goliath encounter.

The buildings which I was commanded to control and prevent Russian forces reinforcing their centre. The German Southern Forces were to push forward and take the Volga River landing points.

The game was extremely well researched, with each side having a full briefing booklet which included Orders of Battle, force locations, and terrain and game “special rules”. Above is the Russian version.

The Russian General, Russian Commissar and German General.

The quote of the day came from Comrade Commissar, “It takes a brave man to be a coward in the Russian Army, a perversion of that of Joseph Stalin:

The overall situation at the start of the game. I was in command of the 274th and was ordered to prevent the Russian 271, 10, 13, 133 brigades from reinforcing their southern flank.

The game was extremely well organised (more on this in another post) thanks to Rob, the table well set up and stocked with purpose built terrain like the grain silo by our host Drew from the Wargames Holiday Centre Australia. The game was played in great spirits and everyone had a great time.

You may have noticed that there are no troops on the table. I have over a 150 of my own photos and heaps more from others still to come in, so the next post with battle report may take a few days. With the large scale of the battle it was impossible for me, as a Sector commander, to have more than an overview of what was happening in the other sectors.

This the fourth and last Australian Support platoon.

KILIGIA, PAPUA, NEW GUINEA. 1944-04-03. A MORTAR DETACHMENT OF THE 101ST BRIGADE SUPPORT COMPANY

An Australian Mortar Platoon was made up of a six-man HQ and three 18-man mortar sections, each section armed with two 81mm M1 mortars. A total of six mortars and 60 men. A significant proportion of these 60 men were ammunition bearers. The HQs for the three platoons were also armed with two Bazooka rocket launchers each. The Detachment was part of the 101st Brigade Support Company.

I had started this project on the 101st Australian Mortar Platoon when I was painting a whole lot of ATR’s for various projects way back in November 2023 (WW2 Australian 101st Mortar Support Platoon – Anti-Tank-Rifles). The reason for this was that I was painting a whole lot of ATR’s for various projects and it was logical to complete them at the same time. My objective is to complete this project by the end of February.

Again I will be using the British list from the British and Canadian D-Day Sectors Campaign book but with modifications to suit the changes made by Australia towards the end of the war.

Tomorrow I will start with the Captain’s support squad.