I can almost see the end of this project, with only two more posts after this and it will be completed

Unlike some of the other buildings these are intact, and a mixture of domed mosque, dwellings and a goat herders enclosure.

The domed building

Village residence

Village dwellings

Goat herders enclosure.

More on this tomorrow.

This project is SLOWLY coming to the end. Today I put together the final four village tiles.

I also added the very stylized doors and windows to the previous four that are almost finished.

I will leave the glue to dry, and get back to them tomorrow.

We wanted to visit some wineries for Valentine’s Day, but a late start and some unpaved routes guided by Google led us to Euroa, where we arrived after lunch and decided to have our picnic at the local RSL park rather than continue on to the wineries..

The massive eucalypts along the Seven Creeks were great shade to picnic under, although the retired risk manager in me made sure we were far enough from branches that are prone to falling atthis time of year!

The park was k nown as VC Park in honour of the three WW1 VC winners from the local area.

From left to right Lieutenant Edgar Leslie Cecil Willis Walker Maygar, Major Frederick Harold Tubb, and Corporal Allen Stewart Burton.

Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Leslie Cecil Willis Walker Magyar.

At the beginning of the South African War, he was initially rejected as a volunteer due to a bad tooth, but later joined the 5th (Mounted Rifles) Contingent and reached Cape Town in March 1901. For a year, the contingent was active in various battles in East Transvaal and was moved to Natal in August. On 23 November at Geelhoutboom, Lieutenant Maygar earned the Victoria Cross for saving a fellow soldier whose horse had been shot. With the enemy just 200 yards away, Maygar dismounted, helped the man onto his horse, told him to ride back to safety, and ran back under fire. His V.C. was awarded by Lord Kitchener, and he was also mentioned in dispatches before returning home in March 1902.

Magyar went on to serve on Gallipoli during the First World War, and commanded the 8LHR in Egypt where he was awarded the DSO. He was mortally wounded at Beersheba.

Major Frederick Harold Tubb

Early the next morning, the Turks launched a major attack, pushing forward along a sandbag barricade. Although Tubb was thrown from the parapet and the barricade was damaged many times, it was always rebuilt. At one point, a big explosion destroyed the barricade, leaving Tubb, who was hurt in the arm and scalp, with Corporals Alexander Burton and William Dunstan. He took charge, shooting three Turks and covering their fire while the barricade was repaired.

After the attack, Tubb went to Britain to recover and received the Victoria Cross. He returned to his battalion in France in 1917 and participated in the Menin Road attack in Belgium that September. Tubb showed bravery by leading his company, but he was fatally wounded by shell-fire. He was buried in Lijessenthoek military cemetery, Belgium.

Corporal Allen Stewart Burton.

In the early hours of 9 August at Lone Pine, the Turks launched a strong counter-attack on a trench occupied by Burton, Lieutenant Frederick Tubb, Corporal William Dunstan, and others. The Turks advanced, destroying the sandbag barricade, but Burton, Tubb, and Dunstan rebuilt it. This happened twice more, with the barricade being rebuilt each time after the enemy was driven off. Burton was killed by a bomb while reinforcing the parapet. He has no known grave, but his name is honored on the Lone Pine Memorial in Gallipoli and by an oak tree and bridge in Euroa, Victoria.

On the morning of August 9th, the enemy launched a strong counter-attack against a trench held by Lieutenant Tubb, Corporals Burton and Dunstan, and a few men. They advanced and blew up a sandbag barricade, but Tubb and the corporals drove them back and rebuilt the barricade. Despite strong enemy bombing efforts that temporarily breached the barricade, the defenders successfully repelled the attacks and reconstructed it, although Tubb was wounded and Corporal Burton was killed while bravely rebuilding the parapet amid heavy bombing.

Captain Frederick Tubb, Corporal Alexander Burton, and Corporal William Dunstan all received the Victoria Cross (VC) for their actions at Lone Pine on August 9, 1915. 

This VC (very cute) winner has a heart of gold rather than bronze.

The initial Australian squad is now finished.

The Brethren generic lists allows you to take a Lieutenant and up to three additional rifleman which I have not taken.

The loan Lieutenant costs (40), plus SMG (3), and pistol (2) for a total of 45 points

A Veteran rifle squad of NCO and five riflemen (120)

A rifle squad has six men and can add up to six additional riflemen. Up to two riflemen can be upgraded to specialists.

The NCO has been upgraded with an SMG (3), and grenades (5) for a total of 8 points

One rifleman has been given a Bren gun (7) which makes him a specialist

One rifleman has been upgraded to a marksman and given a sniper rifle (5) which also upgrades him to a specialist

Three rifleman upgraded with grenades (3X5=15)

Light mortar support team (30)

Additional Veteran rifleman (15) plus grenades(5) for a total of 20 points

The NCO and each specialist can make up a fire team. Each specialist can add an additional two riflemen

Fire Team (1): NCO and two riflemen

Fire Team (2): Marksmen and one riflemen

Fire Team (3): Bren Gunner and one riflemen

I will keep working on the rest of the Australians until enough Japanese have been printed for their 250 point list.

The balance of the first squad tomorrow.

Sniper team painted. With more on the way.

With the Command Squad and the Universal Carrier team completed, I am well on the way to having the 54mm Australians for Brethren completed.

The sniper and spotter are in traditional poses.

The Australian Army entered World War II with a small number of old sniper rifles from the Great War, which were obtained from England in the 1930s. These were .303 British Pattern ’14 (P ’14) rifles made in the U.S. during World War I and later equipped with British telescopic sights.

During the last years of World War II, Australia made its own sniper rifles from the Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle in .303 British. Local creativity and skilled assembly made these rifles very effective.

The sculpts are again excellent with uniform and weapons detail correct.

More of the Australian 54mm WW2 figures tomorrow.

Although the light 50mm mortar was available in the Pacific, the 3 inch mortar was the primary and most reliable form of artillery utilized in the dense jungle environments, where the unique challenges of the terrain demanded more effective firepower.

The heavier weight of the 3 inch shell was specifically designed to break through the thick canopy before detonating, ensuring maximum impact against enemy positions concealed underneath. In contrast, the light mortar proved to be of little utility in such conditions, as its smaller projectiles often failed to reach the enemy or achieve the desired destructive effect.

This disparity in effectiveness led to the perception that the lightweight option was inadequate for the harsh realities of jungle warfare, although it is worth noting that various military regulations and lists, including those of the Australian forces, still included the light mortar as part of their inventory, perhaps highlighting its versatility in different combat scenarios or more open battlefields.

My 54mm Jungle Division Platoon has the option for both. The medium mortar would always be the weapon of choice, however if you only wish to use it for a smoke barrage or if you have a few points remaining the light mortar can be useful.

In addition the Light mortar has the capacity to move and fire so can be an advantage if you are the attacker in a scenario.

The light mortar was strong due to its simplicity and light weight, which made it an ideal choice for various military applications. Weighing in at under 24 kg with 18 bombs, it allowed for easier transport and deployment in diverse terrains. Its straightforward design meant that troops could be trained with minimal time investment, ensuring that even those with little experience could quickly become proficient.

Although the HE round was relatively small, aggregating them at the Company level was sometimes used to maximise effects. Because it was organic to the Platoon HQ, it would be available immediately, and without complication.

More Australians tomorrow

What do you do when you are modelling a domed building and the paint you were assured was water based eats away your nice polystyrene dome?

You turn it into a weird anomaly for Zona Alpha games!

STOP MONKEYING AROUND YOU ROBOT!

OR SHOULD THAT BE STOP ROBOTING AROUND YOU MONKEY!

Not sure when or where I got it from, but it is finally finished. Why? Not sure other than ’cause!

Way back in October 23 I posted on this gift from Mark Morin.

Well finally Mark it has been painted!

It will be usage for Xenos Rampant. Thanks again Mark.

These are the three NCO’s for each of the 54mm Japanese Squads. They are all slightly different poses as is normal from Kyoushuneko Miniatures

Hopefully I will have more printed soon so that I can start working on them.