Operation Battleaxe - Review of the morning, Reinforcements.

Of the six battles that I had rolled for on the day, four have taken place. So far only the Italians have taken no casualties nor damaged aircraft. The RAF suffered the worst with 4 killed. The South Africans had one killed and two aircraft damaged. The Germans lost two pilots and the Italians have lost no one.

I received my order of Tumbling dice Ro37s over the weekend. I was happy to get them. I also ordered a new desert game mat off of eBay. That should show up on Thursday. I have plenty of planes to paint at this point. I think my next aircraft to target with be German Hs126s, Italian Ro37s and British Lysaners. This will give me observation aircraft for each force. The next priority will be German Ju-88s, British Blenheim Is and some Italian Ca310s to add more bombers to each side. The 3rd priority will be German Bf110s, 4x Bf109s and Ju-52s. At that point, all of my German aircraft will be painted for the desert. I will have a full staffel of Bf109s that can take to the skies at once.

The British still have my Gloster Gladiators and Blenheim IVs to paint up. I own some Spitfires but may save them for a different project. Either Battle of Britian or Malta. I would like to buy some Wellington bombers. These were heavily used across East and North Africa. But that is a future problem.

My Italians are in the best shape of the bunch. I have some new fighters to paint up: G.50, Cr.32, and Cr.42. I have between 6 and 8 of each. I also have a pack of Ca.310s as mentioned above. If I were to get any other aircraft, I would pick up some float planes. But that is distant future. I may have a few extra MC.200s that I could paint to get a full Squadriglia of fighters as well.

This is achievable to have all of this painted over the summer. Which brings me to my next excersize - Operation Barbarossa. I really want to get Germans and Russians for this campaign. I have some Bf109s already. I would just need all of the Soviet aircraft. My plan is to paint the Gemans that I have and place an order for just a single pack of fighters to get started. I am thinking of getting the I-16s as there were a large number of them. Then as I get a pack painted, order one pack for each side as I paint. I have a 6' x 4' Monday Knight Productions flocked game mat already that is a green grass. That would work for the campaign. I have ordered a book already, the Christopher Bergstrom Black Cross, Red Star Vol 1: Operation Barbarossa. I am just waiting for it to come in. Christopher Shores Co-Authored a couple of east front books that I am looking at as well. But will go with the Bergstrom book for now. I am looking at the Niehorster site for the order of battle. I am looking at the same axis of attack that the Battle for Ustilug took place on.

Anyway, just enjoying playing games regularly again.