Tag: Armée Française

The Early War Germans Are Coming Along Nicely, But An Arms Race Has Begun

By

On 16th July 2026

In Blog

At the start of the year, one of my hobby goals was to develop my early war Germans for Bolt Action to a nice point where I had a nice collection that allowed me to play a variety of game play styles.

And I am getting closer and closer to that and I think I am basically at the point where the final plan is is place.

The above embedded Google Doc is what I have currently and my current development plans.

The army is supposed to cover 1939-1942, going from the Bzura, to the Meuse and then the Volga.

I think my plans work and will cover up to late 1942, very early 1943 meaning I may, may add a Tiger Ausf H to this list.

I am really enjoying working on this army but realistically with Graham and the other guys playing mostly late war stuff, I am gonna have to develop a later war army, probably sticking with Germans.

But I really want to explore more early war, so I can see myself expanding the French to 1250pts and perhaps some BEF.

I really wanted my next project to be Afrika Korps, but my most regular opponent is Graham and he has gone with a late war British list, and to be fair a lot of players, play late war.

This leaves me at a significant disadvantage with the early war army, so I am having to pivot to building a later war force to stand a chance in these games.

The difference in what you can take in the early war, and what you can take in later war is just unreal.

The above YouTube short demonstrates this issue for me, although the Centurion came into service just after the end of the war, you get my meaning, I hope!

So whilst I have Panzer Is and maybe a Panzer III Ausf H, Graham is rocking in with a Churchill, Sherman Firefly, Matilda II and a Cromwell in his arsenal, and that’s just not something I will be able to easily deal with.

So I have some Fallschirmjäger STLs from RKX and Colonel Muller, and I am gonna get some of them printed off, alongside a few vehicles.

I already have a Stug III, Luchs and Sd. Kfz 222 painted up for it, thinking of adding a Panzer IV Ausf H, Panther and Sd. Kfz 234/2.

But yeah, it is what it is, and next time I have some resin I will start printing them!

What I Am Modelling

I started out with a test model for an English themed New Antioch army

And a French WWII test model

After that I came to WWII French and finished off this Infantry Squad

I rebased some of my Orks to match the new base sizes from Armageddon

Then I painted a Command Squad for the Cadians

Alongside the Cadia Unbroken Castellan

Plus Ursula Creed

Following this I finished off a Warwolf to replace the one I broke

And a Leman Russ Battletank

And finally a Panzer III Ausf H

I also finished off some weapons for my Deff Dreads and Killa-Kanz

And fixed the Stahlhelms of the riders of this Opel Blitz, they were painted dark green when they really should be dunklegrau!

After that I painted up an Araknae Quad Accelerator Platform for the Ultramarines

And finally for this post, a pair of PAK 38s for the Germans, takes them to Operation Barbarossa

These particular models are form the Empire of Iron and Rust Kickstarter by Studio Historica

This one is a bit different, but I needed a 107mm x 105mm oval base for a Flak 36 for my Germans, but there was no STL for a plain one in the style of Warlord Games, so I kinda modelled it myself.

Its not going to be the start of a career in 3D modelling, that is not something I feel capable of, but its something, anyway you can download it yourself on Cult3D

So what’s up next?

  1. Blood Angels Landspeeders
  2. Ultramarines Saturnine Terminators x 6
  3. Neophyte Hybrids x 10, Primus & Magus x 2
  4. Rat Ogres x 3
  5. Deffkoptas x 3 & Kustom Boosta-Blasta
  6. World Eaters Daemon Prince
  7. Grundstock Thunderers x 5 & Torrk Lennsen
  8. Ultramarines Saturnine Command Squad x 3
  9. Einhyr Heathguard x 5
  10. Skywardens x 3

What I Am Reading

I finally, finally finished Dropsite Massacre by John French, I dunno why the headaches keep coming back, but it is what it is, I enjoyed it, but it did feel, I dunno, not rushed, but there wasn’t a lot of the betrayal in there which was a bit disappointing, but it’s a solid addition to the series.

I listened to Armageddon: Season of Fire by Jude Reid which was very good and a very good concept, I strongly recommend people give it a read, compared to the last new edition launch novel, this was a big improvement.

After that I listened to Memory Lane by Eddie Robson, which was a good concept, but it didn’t quite hit the landing, but a good listen.

Then I hit Butchers Nails by Aaron Denali-Bowden, an audio drama I have listened to before, but a long time ago when it first came out, and it was still really good. I miss Black Library audio dramas 🙁

I am now listening to Genefather by Guy Haley, and am about to start on Traitor General by Dan Abnett

I also got Kavita working when it comes to sending book via email to my Kindle, which is handy as hell, no more having to go upstairs, and as long as I am sensible and make sure to keep Kavita up to date with my books, it will work

What Tabletop Games I Am Playing

I played Brian in my first game of 11th Edition and it was a massacre!

And I had a game of Bolt Action with Graham, where his 5 man SAS squad massacred a fair few units of mine and almost destroyed a StuG III!!!

This was the list I took

Order Dice: 11

Platoon #1 - Rifle Platoon (489pts)
  Platoon Commander (Leutnant, Oberleutnant) (Regular) (50pts)
    Composition: 1 Officer + 2 Soldiers
    - Additional men x 2 (20pts)
  Heer Infantry Squad (Regular) (119pts)
    Composition: 1 NCO + 9 Soldiers
    - Additional men x 5 (50pts)
    - NCO: Submachine gun (SMG) (4pts)
    - Squad: German light machine gun (LMG) (15pts)
  Heer Infantry Squad (Regular) (119pts)
    Composition: 1 NCO + 9 Soldiers
    - Additional men x 5 (50pts)
    - NCO: Submachine gun (SMG) (4pts)
    - Squad: German light machine gun (LMG) (15pts)
  Heer Infantry Squad (Regular) (119pts)
    Composition: 1 NCO + 9 Soldiers
    - Additional men x 5 (50pts)
    - NCO: Submachine gun (SMG) (4pts)
    - Squad: German light machine gun (LMG) (15pts)
  Sniper Team (Regular) (52pts)
    Composition: 2 Soldiers
  Light Mortar Team (Regular) (30pts)
    Composition: 2 Soldiers

Platoon #2 - Armoured Platoon (360pts)
  Panzer 38(t) and 35(t) (Regular) (145pts)
    - Command Vehicle (10pts)
  StuG III Ausf F, G, H, and StuG IV (Regular) (215pts)

Platoon #3 - Artillery Platoon (150pts)
  Platoon Commander (Leutnant, Oberleutnant) (Regular) (30pts)
    Composition: 1 Officer
  50MM Pak 38 (Regular) (70pts)
    Composition: 3 Soldiers
  Light Artillery (Regular) (50pts)
    Composition: 3 Soldiers

Total: 999pts

We also ran a demo day at Gamers-At-Hart and I was demonstrating Bolt Action with some early war French and Germans, whilst others demoed Blood Red Skies, Warhammer 40k, Blood Bowl, Barons War and Trench Crusade

What Video Games I Am Playing

I finished Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster and have now started out on Easy Red 2

What Achievements I Have Unlocked

Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster

To the Moon

Obtained the Lunar Whale and landed on the moon		23/06/2026
Rematch

Defeated the four elemental lords again		26/06/2026
Summon Master

Learned all non-secret summon magic		26/06/2026
Item Detector

Obtained all hidden items		26/06/2026
Adventurous Wayfarer

Traveled to all the map locations		26/06/2026
Legendary Treasure Hunter

Collected treasure from 100% of the chests		27/06/2026
Power Unleashed

Obtained all sealed equipment.		27/06/2026
Field Research- Professional

Completed 100% of the Bestiary entries		27/06/2026
To the Blue Planet

Defeated Zeromus and restored peace to the world		27/06/2026

Easy Red 2

Wasteful Gunner

Empty all your magazines		11/07/2026
Radio Boy

Use radio HQ to request support		11/07/2026
A Clear Path

Destroy a tank using an AT gun		11/07/2026

What I Am Creating

A new episode of Edge of Empire is in editing, and in the meantime here is a video about my Bolt Action Escalation League 750pts List

What I Am Backing

The Heavy Transporters of WW2 (Volume 2) delivered, and I have already printed out a Hippo for Graham, cause trucks in Bolt Action are cool

Prelude to fear: Early WW2 armed civilians, has delivered a few bits

The Blessed Militia of the Martyred Saints has successfully funded and I have paid for that, looks like a really interesting set of minis for either Trench Pilgrims or New Antioch

Paintpal Studio XP successfully funded, I have the other STLs, and this made sense, one day I will actually get round to printing some of it to better store my paints

The Epic Sector – Frontline Project funded, I really want to play some Legions Imperialis, but it needs terrain, I already have the other two Epic Sector projects, so again it’s a one day I will get round to it!

To give me some more options for British Airborne, I backed both Join or Die Airborne Volume 2 and Merville Battery, with the first one also giving me some Folgore

For some reason, I really fancy the idea of painting some Joseon Koreans, so I have backed the Imjin War Koreans: Part 1 project

I have backed STL Printable Terrain WW2 Desert Collection Vol 2 to go with the stuff for the first one, so eventually I can create a North Africa terrain box

Cause I need more scenery still, I am backing WoWBuildings Does Bastogne

I am backing the Pirate Borg minis project because they look cool and it might be the RPG I run for the group!

The MakerPlot 2.0 looks like it might be an interesting project, so I have backed that

Motorcycle troops in Bolt Actions seem interesting, so I have backed WW2 Motorcycles & Riders: Volume 1

How could I not be backing Victoria Miniatures Grimdark Empire project???

And finally I am backing No Man’s Land: War Train, cause who does’t love an Armoured Train for Trench Crusade

What I Am Spending

I bought a Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour!

I bought myself Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and United Penguin Kingdom

11th Is Here

By

On 23rd June 2026

In Blog

On Friday night we had a midnight release for Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon!

I have played more of 10th edition than I ever did 9th or even 8th, maybe not as much as 7th.

That said, 10th has been my least favourite edition of the game, simply because it feels like the Editon in which I have struggled most to get a win, and there were way too many gotcha moments.

11th looks to be on the one hand more of the same, but at the same time, things like unit coherency meaning a unit must be in 9” of each other is very useful as it stops the Poxwalker conga line, which is just so frustrating.

I still feel like the rules overly cater to the competitive scene and casual narrative players get very little, but let’s see how it develops.

I do hope when the new Space Marine codex drops they lose Oath of Moment cause that’s just way too powerful when combined with some of the detachments.

But let’s see how it does.

Paint-A-Thon

My annual Paint-A-Thon returns after a one year hiatus, and I am going to paint the Space Marines Combat Patrol from Armageddon over tow 12 hour sittings on the weekend of 26th and 27th July, I am hoping to raise £150 for the Willow Foundation, in memory of one of my closest friends, Lee Dunford.

Someone has challenged me to change it up and make it a 24 hour Play-A-Thon and have me play as many games of whatever system or even several in 24 hours, but that’s something I would need to sit down figure out and find a suitable venue, but it’s a possibility at some point.

Anyway, you can donate here!

What I Am Modelling

I started the week with some French for Bolt Action, first up an Anti-Tank Rifle Team, armed with Boys Anti-Tank Rifles

Followed by a MMG Team, armed with a Hotchkiss Machine Gun

Then it was a Centurion in Saturnine Terminator Armour for my Ultramarines

And a Chorister for the Heretic Legions of Trench Crusade

And a French Brandt Mortar Team

I did want to paint an infantry squad for the French but I ran out of a couple of main colours I am using for them so that’s gonna wait until I can restock them next week

After that I painted up a Sd. kfz 222 in late war dunkelgelb

Followed by a second Opel Blitz for the early war Germans

And some Vanquishers for the Stormcast Eternals, which for now means I have no more of them to paint

After that I painted a Daemon Prince for the True Sons

So what’s coming up next

  1. Blood Angels Landspeeders
  2. Cadian Command Squad x 5 & Castellan
  3. Ultramarines Saturnine Terminators x 6
  4. Neophyte Hybrids x 10, Primus & Magus x 2
  5. Rat Ogres x 3
  6. Deffkoptas x 2 & Kustom Boosta-Blasta
  7. World Eaters Daemon Prince
  8. Grundstock Thunderers x 5
  9. Ultramarines Saturnine Command Squad x 3
  10. Leman Russ

What I Am Reading

I finished listening to Fist of the Imperium by Andy Clark and I have to say it seemed super familiar, not sure if I have previously read it or it’s just very samey, it was fine, not the best, but not the worst.

After that I listened to The Gathering by Jospeh Lidster, and it’s really a very awkward book, not at all that great, the plot was stretched out and the sound mix was just dreadful, kinda sad cause Tegan was great in it and the story was a disservice to her.

I then listened to Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky which was extremely good, I mean really good, nice twist at the end which was just brilliant!

After that I listened to The Romanov Project by Niel Bushnell, and it was ok, not the best written but ok, there were a few weaknesses and it was kinda middling

What Tabletop Games I Am Playing

We had a day of Horus Heresy at Durham Raiders, and due to illness and just life my advertising of it was terrible so we only had a few people, but it was nonetheless quite fun.

On Friday myself and James had a game of 30k at 2000 points, well I was slight under as I forgot my Leman Russ tanks, but we had a good game.

Played a relic mission and my Lasriflemen could not pass an intelligence test for toffee and and thus I lost, and by a lot!

What Video Games I Am Playing

A bit more Over The Top and Hell Let Loose, and I have returned to Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster

What Achievements I Have Unlocked

Over The Top

Lazy Git

Sit down on a Chair or Bench		15/06/2026
Long and Big

Kill someone with a Big Gun at 100 meters or more		18/06/2026

Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster

Sword of Myth

Obtained Excalibur
22/06/2026

Hell Let Loose

The Red Ball Express

Drop 250 Supply Boxes from a Supply Truck		23/06/2026
Captain

Reach Career Level 100		23/06/2026

What I Am Spending

I bought a new monitor, this year I was gonna upgrade my PC platform from AM4 to AM5 and get a 7800X3D, but fucking Sam Altman the prick and the other AI bastards put paid to that.

Literally the only upgrade I could really do was to my monitor, and I got this one on an Amazon Warehouse deal for £310 which is so much better than I could have hoped for.

Originally I was looking at a decent Alienware one, but the cost of this on the deal plus a new monitor arm came in quite a bit cheaper!

Also got Megan a new monitor arm too as she inherited my old main monitor and now is enjoying my old CPU, GPU and Monitor now!

Humble Choice also happened and I got this out of it

I also bought

UK Games Expo 2026

By

On 11th June 2026

In Blog

Wow, that was a very very very busy weekend!

Myself, Lindsay and Megan all volunteered to help run the UK Games Expo this year, it’s 20th year and I have been attending for 16 of them!

We headed down on the Thursday morning to get our t-shirts, groats and passes, after which we chilled out in the hotel with a pizza.

We then had shifts for the next three days, Lindsay and Megan were on the Crew Room, which was basically covering stuff all over the place, I spent time in a Shop & Drop, Hall 4 and the Crew Room.

My favourite part, someone arriving 3 minutes before entries for the painting completion closed on Sunday, his train had been massively delayed, and he had yet to collect his ticket, so I got to escort him to get his entry in before sending him to get his tickets, just trying to be helpful.

It was exhausting but an awful lot of fun, and I am so glad I was able to be there for it, to be honest if I wasn’t volunteering I couldn’t afford to be there for more than a day.

But there is something so special about not only being at an event, but also being able to help make the event happen for other people.

What I Am Spending At Expo

I picked up a new TT Combat cutting mat, that’s something I buy every year as it’s super useful

From The Army Painter I got a Drybrush and some of the John Blanche paints, Heavy Metal, Grim Rust, Grimdark Shadow and Voodoo Shade

I got a new bottle of Feldgrau and some US Dark Green from Vallejo

From Games Workshop I got the event exclusives, Cadia Stands and Dawner’s Reward

I got the standard merch of a t-shirt and event pin

Plus a few more bits from The Army Painter, Warhammer and AK Interactive for painting, those being a Scrubby Cup, Emperor Gold, Khorne Red, Tyran Blue and a Gold Playmarker Pen from AK Interactive

I did get a couple of games, staring with Machu Pichu, a fun little party game

And The Lord of the Rings Duel for Middle Earth

What I Am Modelling

I started off by painting a few bits for Trench Crusade

An Observer mercenary, which is a really cool little model

A couple of Red Brigade Yeomen armed with Flamethrowers

A Heretic Legion Trooper armed with a Flamethrower

A Sin-Eater

A trio of Heretic Priests

A couple of Anointed, one armed with a Flamethrower, the other with a Greataxe

And the obligatory Artillery Witch

For the early war French I painted a couple of Renault FTs

I also painted some Legionaries for my True Sons Chaos Space Marines Warband

So what’s up next week?

  1. Blood Angels Landspeeder
  2. True Sons Daemon Prince
  3. Cadian Command Squad x 5
  4. Ultramarines Saturnine Terminators x 6
  5. Neophyte Hybrids x 10, Primus & Magus x 2
  6. Vanquishers x 10
  7. Sd. Kfz 222 (Late War)
  8. Rat Ogres x 3
  9. Deffkoptas x 3 & Kutom Boosta-Blasta
  10. World Eaters Daemon Prince

What Tabletop Games I Am Playing

I played two games of Bolt Action this week, first on Wednesday when I took on Gavin and his Battle of the Bulge themed British

My 750pts list is now

Rifle Platoon

Oberleutnant (Regular)

Heer x 8, LMG, NCO with SMG (Regular)
Heer x 8, LMG, NCO with SMG (Regular)
Heer x 8, LMG, NCO with SMG (Regular)

Sniper Team (Veteran)

Light Mortar Team (Regular)

Armoured Platoon

Panzer II Ausf C

Panzer I Ausf A

Panzer 38 (t)

The game was pretty hard, he had a Sherman and a Wolverine, the latter of which took out my Panzer 38 (t) on the first turn.

We played the Breakthrough mission and it was a classic game where it came down to three dice rolls

The game was a draw but had I passed at least one of two morale tests, I would have won, and had the game gone to turn 6, he potentially would have won!

Then on Friday I played David and his Australians, an army I have never played before, we again played breakthrough and

David’s M3 Stuart and my Panzer 38 (t) spent most of the game pinging shots off each other

It was an impressive win for David as he made some amazing tactical decisions and had some really great dice rolls that systematically demolished my Germans

He ended up winning the game 8-2

On Sunday I was supposed to be playing in a Warhammer 40K tournament, I went but was quite unwell, and only managed one game against the kid

It was a really tough game and I lost very badly, but hopefully 11th Editon will be somewhat kinder to me

But Space Marines are a very tough army to overcome, with the Oath of Moment and the various buffs they get

On Tuesday myself and Graham had a game of Bolt Action, my early war Germans took on his British

It was a tough game, I managed to destroy all of his infantry, but I couldn’t touch his tanks, Germans during the Blitzkrieg didn’t have very good anti-tank weapons, my Pak 36 and Panzer 38 (t) were just pinging off his armour for the most part

I did manage to damage the Churchill, and reduce its movement, but the Matilda II was beyond my weapons.

What Video Games I Am Playing

I am really enjoying Over The Top, its incredible fun, and I am trying to play a bit more Darktide.

What Achievements I Have Unlocked

Look Out!

Crush someone with an object		05/06/2026
Single Player

Play a match in Single Player		07/06/2026
Over The Top!

Have the Charge bonus with 15 other people at the same time		07/06/2026
They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance

Kill someone with a rifle at 100 meters or more		07/06/2026

What I Am Creating

I did a video on my Bolt Action 500pts list for the Escalation League

What I Am Spending

It was Humble Choice, so that got me

  • Diablo IV (annoyingly on Battle.Net)
  • Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
  • Crysis 3 Remastered (gifted to a nibbling)
  • Nordhold
  • Heroes of Hammerwatch II
  • Rogue Waters
  • Cubic Odyssey
  • Mini Settlers

I also bought Heroes of Hammerwatch, seeing as I now has the sequel made sense to get the original

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