T34s

T34

I picked up a copy of the “Tanks!” game by Gale Force 9 and Battlefront Miniatures last week.  I really enjoy painting Flames of War tanks and I have a good collection of them.  “Tanks!” seemed like a really good idea.

The game is very simple and quick.  It plays a lot like X-wing or Star Trek Attack Wing. The stat line, upgrades, critical damage and turn flow is virtually the same.  The main difference is the movement, which is simplified. 

I ran through an intro game with a few friends.  We used the suggested encounter battle in the rulebook; 2 American 75mm Shermans vs 1 German Panther commanded by Barkmann.   The guys (who were not miniature gamers) picked up the rules very quickly and after a turn or two did not need me to run very much. 

The game started off very well for the Germans (Panthers are tough as nails!).  All though some “hot” and “cold” dice did come into play (The Americans did not role over a 4 on 15 dice).  The Germans won in the end, but it was a lot closer than expected. 

I found the game had a lot of very dramatic points.  In “Tanks” if you tank is reduced to 0 hull points, you still get to complete the round before you are destroyed (which includes taking one last shot if you had not already done so that round).  As one of the Shermans lost its last hull point, it took one final shot at the Panther.  The shot penetrated the German armour with a critical hit, taking off half of its hull points.

I can’t wait to play again!  In the mean time I figured I would work on some new tanks for the game.  I had some Soviet T34’s lying around, so there was my next project.

The T34 was the most produced tank in WW2; 84 000 were built.  It is arguably one of the most influential tanks ever created.  It was also became the base model that many future tanks were built on.   

The Soviet medium tank was very effective in the early 40s.  It had good slopping armour, a 76.2mm cannon, a reliable diesel engine, and wide tracks.  The combinations of an engine that ran in cold weather and wide tracks made the T34 able to move very well over the “rasputitsa” (sea of mud).  The Germans by comparison had a very difficult time moving their tanks during the soviet “wet months”.  By 1944 many T34s had several upgrades including a larger turret and a more powerful cannon to deal with new German Armour.  These became known as the T43/85 (for the 85mm cannon it now had). 

The soviets were able to mass produce the T34 which allowed them to field large numbers to overwhelm their opponents.  The T34 was such a successful tank that it was still in use in many countries up until the end of the 1980s.      

M10 17pdr

It has been a great and busy few months; family, wedding, honeymoon.  However as life starts to settle down again, I have been able to pick up a brush again.

This time last year I attempted to paint two M10 with the 17pdr gun for my Flames of War Canadians.  Frustratingly I was not able to get the green to match my Sherman tanks.  I tried several times with no success.  What made it even worse was that I had writen down what colours I used and in which order for my shermans.  Still no luck. 

So the tanks sat at the back of my painting desk for the next year.  I decided to take another crack at them.  I took another look at my painting notes from the shermans...and almost instantly realized my mistake. I was using the wrong shade of green for my highlights.  After that the tanks painting up pretty quickly.

As World War two progressed the allies needed a response to the thick armour plating of German tanks.  The US developed the M10  tank destoryer.  Britain ordered over 1500.  By May 1944 the British replaced the original 3 inch gun with the larger 17 pounder gun.  This greatly increased the penitrating power. 

Within the department of tank design the 17pdr M10 was nicknamed the "Achilles" (this was not used by the troops in the field).  

The M10 remained in service for the remainder of the war by the British, Polish and Canadian armies in Italy and northwest Europe. 

Interestinly, Canadians only painted the 5 pointed star on the top of thier tanks.  They also often  painted the star on an angle to differentiate from their American alies.