Money on the table time. I bought my first boxes of Airfix 1/32 for many, many years. British Infantry (of course), British Support Group, British Commandos, and the Eighth Army. The Commandos are there to provide additional bodies as they wear the same kit as the standard infantry, and only require helmets. The Eighth Army are there solely to provide additional heads/helmets and MkIII Lee Enfields with bayonets. I'm afraid they are not going to be very happy chaps as their fate is to meet the modelling knife and razor saw.

I must say that I was very impressed by Airfix/Humbrol's turnaround time. I ordered the figures online just before lunch on Wednesday and they arrived before 8am Thursday. Free postage as well!

One happy and unexpected discovery was that the British Infantry have the MkIII Lee Enfield rifle when I was expecting them to be moulded with the later MkIV (which wasn't generally issued until 1941). The Commandos have the MkIV, and so do the Support Group, but the infantry which will form the bulk of the force won't need to be converted.

Following feedback from the Warlord Games forum, I revised my list. The Captain was demoted to Second Lieutenant and both officers lose one of their staff. One of the infantry sections lost its transport (which makes it more likely I'll buy the expensive Bedford OY kit now) and a third section was added.

Here's the revised force. It's surprising how many soldiers you can trade in for a demoted Captain...

HQ
Lieutenant (First Lieutenant) + one-man staff (batman)
- transported in Utility Vehicle [Humber staff car]
Second Lieutenant + one-man staff (batman)
- transported in Utility Vehicle [Humber Tilley]
Medic + one orderly
Artillery FO + assistant
- transported in Universal Carrier

Infantry
Three 10-man sections including LMG
One Boys AT Rifle team
One 2" Light Mortar team
- one section and heavy weapon transported in single 3-ton Lorry [Bedford QLTs masquerading as Bedford OY]
One Vickers MMG
- transported in 15cwt Truck [CMP 15cwt masquerading as Bedford MW 13cwt]

Artillery
2-pounder QF AT gun
- towed by 15cwt Truck [CMP 15cwt masquerading as Bedford MW 13cwt]

Armour - tank
Vickers MkIVb Light Tank


Essentially the same as the first draft, except that only one of the infantry sections can now ride around in a lorry. Probably not the end of the world, especially as the lorry can always do 'shuttle-runs' if necessary.

That extra infantry section will really add to my firepower, especially if I take the Rapid Fire national characteristic, and the HQ sections will hopefully have slightly better survivability. I'll have to ensure that any German snipers have an up-close and personal meeting with the mortar or Vickers MkVIb early on.

My first Bolt Action force will be 1000 points of 1/35 British Expeditionary Force (BEF). I am using 1/35 partly for the visual impact, partly for the modelling potential and partly because it is an excuse to revisit the Airfix 'big soldiers' of my childhood.

The force was initially to be built to the following list:

All Regular (including transport and mortar - I know, I know, but I prefer that to dismissing them as Inexperienced simply to save a few points).

HQ
Captain + two-man staff
- transported in Utility Vehicle [Humber staff car]
Lieutenant (First Lieutenant) + two-man staff
- transported in Utility Vehicle [Humber Tilley]
Medic + two orderlies
Artillery FO + assistant
- transported in Universal Carrier

Infantry
Two 10-man sections including LMG
One Boys AT Rifle team
One 2" Light Mortar team
- transported in two 3-ton Lorries [maybe Bedford QLTs masquerading as Bedford OY]
One Vickers MMG
- transported in 15cwt Truck [maybe CMP 15cwt masquerading as Bedford MW 13cwt]

Artillery
2-pounder QF AT gun
- towed by 15cwt Truck [maybe CMP 15cwt masquerading as Bedford MW 13cwt]

Armour - tank
Vickers MkIVb Light Tank

A very mobile force which reflects the high level of mechanisation enjoyed by the BEF. AT team and 2-pounder to deal with any German armour, MMG to dominate open ground and Light Mortar to winkle out opposition heavy weapons. Light Tank to shoot up enemy transport (hopefully when they are still full) and to act as a highly mobile fire-brigade.

The trucks are in fancy dress because of the limited availability of 1/35 British lorries. The CMP 15cwt and Bedford QLT were both later than the Battle of France but are available as plastic kits. Whilst you can get the earlier trucks, they are resin and white metal and cost three times as much as the plastic. We'll have to see whether I can afford to betray my principles and use an 'incorrect' vehicle.

This Blog was started to chronicle the building of my new 1/32 Bolt Action forces. If you were expecting something about GURPS Saduria (my GURPS RPG website) then I'm afraid this is currently not the place, although I might well add in my thoughts about that at a later stage.

    Although initially set to be the home of the 1/32 force, I expect that my many other projects will get a look-in and eventually take over.