Troops on Parade - WW2 British Desert Collection for 1940-41

Here is the start of a new feature here at Yarkshire Gamer and also on the newly created Yarkshire TV (pop down to The You Tube, subscription is free !), a review of the figure collections here at Castle R.

The 1940-41 British Desert Collection

All of us gamers will have projects tucked away in draws, box files and Really Useful Boxes around the house, every now and again they will see the light of day but even then it's rare that all of the troops get on the table at one time, so this feature is a poor excuse for me to get them all out on the table (as the Actress said to the Bishop !).

Can't beat an Old Cruiser

The whole exercise is certainly recommended by the Doctor, it was quite therapeutic sorting, what is one of the smaller collections, for the photo shoot. It also reminded me that when we started our Desert Project we were aiming for a single box of Perrys Miniatures and a couple of Tanks, as you can see mistakes were made.

Light Tanks to the fore

All the figures are 28mm with the vehicles coming from Blitzkrieg, Perrys, Warlord and Company B. The collection is to cover the years 1940 to 1941, so from the start of the war in the Desert against the Italians, through the arrival of the Germans up until the end of Op Crusader.

Above is a You Tube video of the whole collection with a bit of commentary from yours truly. I am still working on my technique for the clips but I am happy with the way they are evolving.

Infantry wise our homebrew rules have a British / Commonwealth Infantry Company as 3 10 units of 1 Sgt, 1 Bren and loader and 7 Rifles, with a 3 figure HQ, supporting 2" Mortar and Anti Tank Rifle.  There are 4 companies here or a full battalion, need to add a few more figures to the Battalion HQ but otherwise the Infantry is done.

Most of the vehicles are painted in some version of the Caunter Scheme, mostly in the more controversial (to some) blue grey version. The light and lens makes the colour very Blue in these pics but I actually use a mix of the Vallejo Blue Grey colours for the vehicles, so if you think they are the wrong colour please contact Vallejo not me 😁.

The camouflage or more correctly disruption pattern was in use for most of the time period that this army is designed to cover.

My usual light hearted tilt is reflected in the group, above is a photo of my Wind in the Willows inspired Matilda Tanks, eagle eyed folk may notice the PG Tips Monkey on the side of one of the Marmon Herringtons.

So a box of figures and a couple of Tanks has exploded into 42 vehicles and 160 ish figures, good job it's just a skirmish. And if you think that's gone wrong, below is my to paint pile.

Well I reet enjoyed that look at one of my more recent collections, I think next up will be my 15mm Napoleonic British Peninsula Army, my oldest, it will be interesting to see all that on one table (if it fits) and how it's developed since my first ever painted figures (still in the army) over the last 39 years.