Monday, October 8, 2018

One, Two, Three, Four Cruiser Tanks

These chaps have been at the almost finished stage for a while, after their acquisition noted in this post back in April 2017.  I hit a major hurdle in the choice of yellow and in the end went with Vallejo Dark Sand over Desert Yellow (the colour I had initially settled on painting them).  The downside is that my partner now thinks they are unpainted!  But that is just maybe a combination of her eyesight and that my other recent completions have been the Byzantines which are very colourful in comparison. 

 One Crusader Mark II Command Tank

 Two Crusader Close Support Tanks with 3-inch Howitzers

 Three Cruiser Mk IV A13 tanks (1940 vintage)

Four Crusader Mark II Tanks in skirts

The other reason it has taken me so long to complete these is I haven't been able to decide on unit markings.  At this stage they are left blank and are therefore rather generic.  Perhaps with further more research I might settle on some designations.  As my 15mm allied army started out as Australians for Crete (really Western Desert) I haven't got a good sense of what I should do for the armour (and other gear I have now collected).  I'm also yet to varnish these models.

7 comments:

  1. They look good enough that I found myself wanting some. Also seem to match the table terrain which is confirmation on your colour choice.

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    1. Thanks David. I'm planning on doing some more posts on my Western Desert Force in the next few days, basically trying to see what formations I have for the various rules I'm interested in.

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  2. Surely they should be Caunter Scheme in this period until they were phased out after Op Crusader by attrition and being totally worn out! [The A13 tanks]

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    1. I quite like the Caunter scheme and painted up my Matildas that way. It certainly could be applied to these tanks, but maybe they ran out of paint, had to rush them into the fighting with the opportunity to apply the scheme or perhaps the Brigade commander thought it was not appropriate for a variety of reasons.

      From https://www.mafva.org/british-vehicle-camouflage-1939-45/

      "On 25 July 1939 GO.370 specified a base tone of BS.381C Middle Stone No. 62 with disruptive patterning of “Dark Sand”. 6 RTC A9 tank appears in August 1939 in plain Middle Stone No. 62. This scheme appears relatively common in Egypt in summer 1940.

      1940-41; Under G.O 297 November 1940 very many AFVs and softskins in three tone Caunter scheme of Light Stone 61 or Portland Stone 64 as basic colour with Silver Grey 28 and Slate 34 or G3 left on as an expedient dark tone. G.O.s of this period specify Light Stone or Portland Stone at various times. A local variation is a locally mixed light blue grey substituted for Silver Grey No. 28 seen on 2nd armoured division trucks. A scheme for The Sudan specified Light Stone No.61 or No. 64 Portland Stone with Light Purple Brown No. 49 in lieu of Silver Grey No. 28 and Light Stone No.61 in lieu of No. 34 Slate to the same pattern. The two coloured pattern based on ‘Caunter’ and used in Greece during April and May 1941 using Light Stone and Slate or some unknown colour. Light Purple Brown was exclusively the Sudan scheme, as yet no evidence of the pattern using the Sudan design has been found although photographs do appear to show it in use as stripes on a carrier there

      Oct.1941 – Signal 4/105 calls for one base tone No 61 Light Stone only now to be used before issue to units, G.O. 297 is cancelled.

      December 5 1941 G.O. calls for one base tone either Portland or Light Stone only with only one colour over at the discretion of the Command."

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    2. In the field, not everything runs by Regulations. Your Crusaders looks terrific as is.

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    3. Thanks Jonathan. Between paint shades, different (and sometimes challenging camouflage schemes) and varieties of terrain and conditions it is hard to decide how to mix things up or go for consistency. And then there is the point of time aspect.

      At the end of the day I am seeking something that looks good to me and that hopefully won't get me thrown out of the wargaming club.

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  3. Personally I like the Caunter Scheme as it means they dont look like everything else! The Italians are overall sand at this time and of course so it the Afrika Korps. Makes it easier for players to find their own vehicles too!

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