Algernon over the Isonzo

My order from tabletop flights just came in. Also my flight stands from Litko also came in. Both were 2 days ahead of schedule. Very impressed. This brings my early 1916 project to the following:

Italian Aircraft	Number	Austro-Hungarian Aircraft	Number
Nieuport 10	2	Hansa-Brandenburg C.I	2
Nieuport 11	2	Fokker A.III	2
Caudron G.3	1

I have ordered a single Caproni Ca.3 from XPForge. I also am getting a friend to print a Caquot observation balloon for the Italians. This will give me a good starter force for both sides.

There are other aircraft that I could try to get but are harder to come by. For instance, the Albatros B.I is unavailable in 1/144th scale. The Lloyd C.II and Lloyd C.III are similarly unavailable. The Albatros B.I and Lloyd aircraft were both two-seater observation aircraft. The Austro-Hungarian's didn't have bomber aircraft at this stage of the war.

For the Italians, they have the Bleriot XI as a reconaissance aircraft. It is available in other much larger scales but not in 1/144. The Nieuport 11 was not available until late in February 1916 but there are models of this aircraft available. There were armed variants of the Nieuport 10s that were fielded as make-shift fighters. Only the Bleriot is unavailable.

As such, there are only a limited number of types of aircraft for this particular theater and time. Most of which are available as models. The Albatros B.I was being phased out and moved to training units as was the Bleriot. The Lloyd's were in active service but there seem to have been fewer of them than the Hansa-Brandenburgs.

For the scenario I want to run with this, I will need several more Caproni bombers and several more Eindeckers. But for the time being, I have more than enough to get started.

My question is, does anyone run games with seaplanes for WWI? The Austro-Hungarians had a number of seaplanes that are interesting looking.

Singling - Wrapping it up

I am still waiting on one final building. It shipped in early May but still has not made it yet. Hopefully soon. I have been working on the couryards of building 9. Since you can order them separate from Sarissa, I will make this one a winter one.

Building 8 is still proving to be harder than I anticipated. I am trying to 3d print some doors and windows for the building. My printer is still being problematic.

The fences for building 28 have been primed. I think I should be able to get a number of them knocked out over the weekend. I just need to work out the basing for them.

Once those are doine, I still have US Infantry to base and a bit more armor to paint. I should be close enough to get a game in soon.

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Well, the weekend has come and gone. I figured out how I was going to base the fencing. I am pretty happy with what I have come up with. I need to paint and base them still. I also started to base my US infantry. In going through the miniatures that I have, I have the lions share of the miniatures that i need for the scenarios. I still need two LMG teams (m1919s) and a 60mm mortar team. I have a stand in for the mortar team. I am ordering some LMG teams from Gajo. I have a couple more steps left to finish basing the infantry that I have. I think I have enough to start some playtesting. Once I have the snow on the bases, I will be in good shape.

That just leaves the terrain left. There is still the building that has not arrived. Building 8 needs doors and windows. I have also finished the yards for Building 9.

The school is in better shape. I was able to spackle the building over the weekend and I think I am ready to paint. The windows on the back and side are not 100% accurate but I had so much trouble with getting window frames printed, I just went with what I had. I still need to build an angled base for it. That part will take some tinkering. That leaves me with the hill structures for the games. If I can get some cheap foam sheets, that should do the trick.

I also completed the two bunkers that I need for the Singling table.

I did receive my Hansa-Brandenburg C.I model from XPForge. I really like the model.

It was good progress for the weekend. Except for my 3d Printer. That was still frustrating.

Crash and Burn: How Not to Start a Year

Ok. Last week was not my favorite. Start with my wife going to the ER for a kidney infection. Then my son gets a high fever and its his trip to the ER. Not enough? Well, to end the week, I get the flu. Yuck! Lastly, on Sunday night, my laptop just bit the dust. 2013 is not going my way.

The only thing I have managed to do is undercoat two eindeckers and pain most of one of them. Well now I need some decals to finish them off. It is only going up from here.

You can see the failed attempt to cover up my atempt at making a stencil for the crosses. Have to go with the decals.

In terms of writing, I have been as productive as closing my eyes and firing a shotgun straight up in hope I might get a duck. I have gotten a great book from inter-library loan on the South Carolina Navy in the Revolution. Turns out it was some fellows Master's Thesis. Seems like just what I am looking for. I now have five complete scenarios for the CSIR campaign and have laid out three more. I now have three mini campaigns defined and all of the scenarios complete for one of them. Most of that was done pre-flu. I also am distracted by Algy as is seen by the miniatures that I have painted. I am working on figuring out who was where on the Isonzo front in 1916. Over Italy, the air war was outfight boring in 1915. The Italians only scrored their first air to air kill in April 1916!

Well, its only up from here.

kuk LFT Reinforcements

I just received my first Shapeways aircraft yesterday. I had ordered a pair of Fokker E.III's and I am happy to report that they arrived. I am very happy with the aircraft.

The planes were well packed and kept very safe during their voyage over to my aerodrome.

The aircraft are very nicely detailed. I managed to get these scrubbed last night.

Tonight, I will be loading it in Future as a sealant then spray priming them later. These will be painted up as 03.51 and 03.52 of the kuk LFT.