Getting some Game on Board

Trying to get some gaming back aboard.

Actual gaming has not happened yet. But...

Tamiya M10 is a very nice model

The M10 was a complicated pleasure to build with very few boondoggles involved. Even with approximately thirteen pieces of track for each side. The inside of the hull contains plenty of hints for those viewing from the outside, including ammunition stowage, seats, traverse crank and gun details. I love these Tamiya 1/48 kits and only wish that they made, and I could afford, more.

Fully assembled and base coated, blocked and first dry brushing. Ready for decals.

Uh, decals...

Rubicon M5 Stuart comes with an M8 Scott deck and turret

The Rubicon model is more brittle plastic than I’m used to with my favourite Tamiya kits. It also has a bunch of cheats to make it a simpler model to build. However, most of these simplifications leave plenty of detail for war-gaming purposes and on my desk it still looks very good next my other models. I chopped off the mud guards to  make it look more like pictures I have seen of Stuarts during the Pacific campaign. My main list that it will be used for is my WW2 Marines.

Helpfully my mate Jamie pointed out that the Soviets used some Stuarts as well, they was even an amphibious raid involving a dozen of them. We won’t get into the results of this attempt, yikes*, but this historical fact is enough for people like me to run with it.

Yes, really. Do not look at the bow gun...(force suggestion).

The Rubicon model has quite a trick up its sleeve however. A M8 Scott option! Pooch pointed this out about five minutes before I clicked BUY. It is possible to build it to have a swap-outable hull deck and turret. Voila! So now this double duty Stuart just turned into; the heavy support section for an American WW2 Cavalry Recon or Armoured Recon Squadron or Troop, as well as part of a Colonial Cavalry Squadron in French Indochine (Group Mobile 101?)! All three of these options pair with the M8 Greyhound that I have mostly sorted out below, and two of them with the M10 tank destroyer above.

Base coated with Zandri Dust, my latest fave for minis.

*Soviet Naval Infantry, the term should be understood to imply stalwart bravery in the face of certain death and fighting to the last man. In contrast to the eventual victory implied in American Marine narratives. Perhaps because the latter were purposefully raised as infantry whereas the former were pressed into service from their suddenly less important shipboard roles. Please note my American conceit may be coming into play here.