onsdag 13. juni 2012

M4A3 (76mm) Sherman Platoon (UBX27)

M4A3 (76mm) Sherman Platoon (UBX27)
includes five M4A3 (76mm) Sherman tanks, one Tank Commander sprue, two Tank Stowage sprues, five Plastic Sherman sprues, one Decal sheet & ten Rare-earth magnets.

The M4A3 (76mm) married the new M4A3 hull with the 76mm gun, making for a fast, hard-hitting tank. This gave US tank crews a definite edge over German medium tanks, as well as giving Panther and Tiger crews something to truly fear.
Check out the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman Platoon in the online store here...

Blood, Guts, & Glory
It’s September 1944 and the Allies have stormed across France all along the front lines from Belgium to the French region of the Lorraine. Blood, Guts, & Glory covers the tanks battles in the Lorraine between September 1944 and January 1945.

Learn more about Blood, Guts, & Glory here...

Like the other late M4A3 models, the M4A3 (76mm) tank by its steep front armour plating and crew hatches. Of course the 76mm gun is another dead give-away, but once again the turret was redesigned and the loader’s hatch was made into a single-piece oval hatch.

The M4A3 (76mm) came into service along side the M4A3 (late) models in September, 1944.

Designed by Evan Allen
Painted by Mark Hazell

The M4A3 (76mm) Sherman in Flames Of War

			Armour
Name	Mobility	Front	Side	Top	Equipment and Notes
Weapon	Range	ROF	Anti-tank	Firepower
M4A3 (76mm) Sherman	Standard Tank	7	4	1	Co-ax MG, Hull MG, .50 cal AA MG, Protected ammo, Tank telephone.
M1 76mm gun (late)	32"/80cm	2	13	3+	Stabiliser.

Stabilisers
A stabiliser is a device fitted to the tank’s gun that keeps it level when the tank is moving. US tanks are the first in the world to be equipped with gyrostabilisers as standard. With the assistance of the gyrostabiliser, the gunner can stay on target while the tank is moving.

A moving tank fitted with a Stabiliser can fire its main gun at its full ROF, but adds a penalty of +1 to the score needed to hit.

Before shooting, a tank can choose not to use its Stabiliser and fire at the normal rate if that would give it a better chance.

Protected Ammo
Many tanks are destroyed not by the enemy shell but by their own ammunition being hit by white-hot fragments of armour and exploding. The chances of this were minimised by providing a safe place for stowing ammunition within the vehicle such as an armoured compartment or inside a water-filled jacket.

If forced to bail out, crews of tanks with protected ammunition are far more confident when it comes to remounting their vehicle quickly.

Tanks with Protected Ammo re-roll all failed Motivation Tests to Remount Bailed Out vehicles in the Starting Step (see page 102 of the main rulebook).

Tank Telephones
By the end of 1944, most Sherman tanks working with infantry had been fitted with field telephones on the rear to allow the infantry to point out targets to the tanks.

If a Tank team with Tank Telephone and an adjacent Infantry team did not move in the Movement Step, and the Infantry team is not Pinned Down, the Infantry team can use the Eyes and Ears rule (see page 195 of the rulebook) to Reveal one Gone to Ground enemy team to that Tank team as if the Infantry team was a Recce team. If other tanks in the platoon fire, they must either have their own Infantry team pointing out the target or continue to treat the target as Gone to Ground.

The M4A3 (76mm) Sherman Platoon on the Move

The Contents of the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman Platoon Box Set

Contact the customer service team at customerservice@battlefront.co.nz if you have any issues with any of the components.

Description of Components

a. 1x Sherman stowage sprue #1.
b. 1x Sherman stowage sprue #2.
c. 1x US decal sheet.
d. 5x Plastic Sherman sprue.e. 1x Hull MG sprue.

f. 1x Tank commander sprue.
g. 5x M4A3 resin turrets.
h. 5x M4A3 resin hulls.
i. 10x Rare-earth magnets.

The Plastic Sherman Sprue
The parts of the plastic Sherman sprue that are used when assembling the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman are highlighted in green.

Right: The highlighted parts of the plastic Sherman sprue used in the construction the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman.

The Sherman Stowage

Learn how to use the Sherman Stowage Sprues here...	Learn how to paint the Sherman Stowage Sprues here...

Battlefront TV
Basic Decal Guide
Blake demonstrates the basics of applying decals.

Below: The decal sheet shown at 150%.

Assembling the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman

Step 1. Begin assembly by attaching the tracks to the hull of the M4A3 Sherman.

Note: Each track has a number of lugs on the back that corresponds with the recesses in the hull to aid in correct orientation.

Below: The correct alignment for the left-hand side track.	Below: The correct alignment for the right-hand side track.	Below: The left-hand side track attached to the hull.

Below: The right-hand side track attached to the hull.	Optional Step 2. To add the hull MG, snip off the ball mount from the metal MG using a pair of hobby cutters.

Step 3. Attach the hull MG to the hull.	Step 4. Next, add the 76mm main gun.	Step 5. Attach the loader's hatch to the top of the turret.

Step 6. Followed by the commander's hatch.	Step 7. Next, add the .50 cal AA MG.	Step 8. With the .50 cal AA MG in place, the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman is now ready for painting.

Adding a Tank Commander

Step 1. Attach the Commander's hatch as shown in the example below.	Step 2. Attach the Tank Commander figure of choice in the now open commander's hatch.

Adding Magnets
Evan has created a recess for a rare earth magnet in the hull of the M4A3 (76mm) Sherman. Read Chris' guide to Rare Earth Magnets here for more tips and tricks...

Below: The magnet recess complete with magnet.	Below: Simply glue a rare earth magent to the bottom of the turret and you have a safe and secure way of attaching the turret to the hull.

M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon (UBX31)

M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon (UBX31)
includes four M10 Tank Destroyers (with optional Duckbills & Top Armour upgrades) with crew and plastic parts sprue, two Tank Stowage sprues, one Decal sheet & eight Rare-earth magnets.

The M10 3” GMC (gun motor carriage) tank destroyer was developed to handle medium and heavy German tanks. It was the first destroyer to incorporate a turret, which housed the 3” anti-tank gun, the best in the US arsenal at the time.

Check out the M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon in the online store here...

The M10 soldiered on from the North African campaign to the end of the war. During that time crews made some field modifications to improve some of the vehicle’s major weaknesses, such as the open fighting compartment and the thin frontal armour, with overhead protection and improvised armour using sandbags.

The M10s typically served infantry divisions, offering their guns to blast German pillboxes when not otherwise engaged with enemy tanks.

Designed by Evan Allen
Painted by Shelby Taylor

The M10 Tank Destroyer in Flames Of War

			Armour
Name	Mobility	Front	Side	Top	Equipment and Notes
Weapon	Range	ROF	Anti-tank	Firepower
M10 3in GMC	Standard Tank	4	2	0	.50 cal AA MG.
M7 3in gun (late)	32"/80cm	2	13	3+	Slow traverse.

Slow Traverse
Most tanks were either fitted with power traverse or had turrets that were light enough to be quickly swung by hand. Some designs suffered from heavy turrets lacking power traverse.

Tanks with slow traverse add +1 to the score required to hit when shooting any turret-mounted weapon except an AA MG at targets that are entirely behind a line drawn across the front of the tank’s turret before they rotate their turret to face the target.

The Turret Options

The M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon Stalk Their Prey

The Contents of the M10 Tank Destroyer Platoon Box Set

Contact the customer service team at customerservice@battlefront.co.nz if you have any issues with any of the components.

Description of Components

a. 4x Plastic Sherman sprue.
b. 4x Resin M10 turrets.
c. 4x Resin M10 hulls.
d. 4x Crew figure variant A.
e. 4x Crew figure variant B.
f. 4x Crew figure variant C.

g. 4x 3in gun barrels.
h. 8x Rare earth magents.
i. 4x Duck-bill turret counterweight.
j. 4x Standard turret counterweight.
k. 4x Improvised roof armour.

The Plastic Sherman Sprue
The parts of the plastic Sherman sprue that are used when assembling the M10 tank destroyer are highlighted in green.

Right: The highlighted parts of the plastic Sherman sprue used in the construction of the M10 tank destroyer.

The M10 Stowage

Learn how to use the M10 Stowage Sprues here...	Learn how to paint the M10 Stowage Sprues here...

Battlefront TV
Basic Decal Guide
Blake demonstrates the basics of applying decals.

Below: The decal sheet shown at 150%.

Assembling The M10 Tank Destroyer

Step 1. Begin assemble by attaching the tracks to the hull of the M10.

Note: Each track has a number of lugs on the back that correspond with the recesses in the hull to aid in the correct alignment of the tracks.

Below: The correct alignment for the left-hand side track.	Below: The correct alignment for the right-hand side track.

Below: The left-hand side track attached to the M10 hull.	Below: The right-hand side track attached to the M10 hull.

Evan has created a recess for a rare earth magnet in the hull of the M10. Read Chris' guide to Rare Earth Magnets here for more tips and tricks...
Below: The magnet recess complete with magnet.	Below: Simply glue a rare earth magent to the bottom of the turret and you have a safe and secure way of attaching the turret to the hull.

Step 2. Next, attach the M7 3in gun barrel to the recess on the front of the turret.	Step 3. Inside the turret there are three round platforms to place the crew figures. On these three platforms arrange one figure of each crew variant (A, B, & C) inside the turret.

Turret Options
Due to the size and weight of the M7 3in gun that armed the M10, the rear of the turret required a counterweight. The two triangular counterweights attached to the turret provided the 1600kg necessary to balance the turret. Later production runs of the M10 were provided with a Duck-bill counterweight and an increase in size of the fighting compartment. Due to its open turret design, the M10 was vulnerable to small arms fire when called upon to provide infantry support. To remedy this problem, an improvised armoured roof was created to help keep the crew safe from incoming fire.
Below: The standard counterweight.	Below: The Duck-bill counterweight.	Below: The Duck-bill counterweight and improvised armoured roof.

Step 4. Then attach the .50cal AA MG to the rear of the turret using the recess in provided in the counterweight.		Step 5. With the .50cal AA Mg in place, the M10 tank destroyer is ready for painting.

mandag 4. juni 2012

DFS-230 Glider Decal Sheet (GSO201)

DFS-230 Glider Decal Sheet (GSO201)
includes one decal sheet sufficient for four DFS-230 Gliders.
Right: The glider decal sheet (shown at 100%).
Check out the DFS-230 Glider Decal Sheet in the online store here...

The Men of the Luftlandsturmkompane Make a Successful Landing

DFS-230 Glider (GSO200)

DFS-230 Glider (GSO200) and Decal Sheet (GSO201)

DFS-230 Glider Sprue (GSO200)
includes one DFS-230 Glider Sprue with metal Fallschirmjäger HMG gunner.

Each sprue contains the following parts:

1x Left wing.
1x Right wing.
1x Horizontal tail section.
2x Wing struts.
1x Gilder body.

Also contains one metal Fallschirmjäger HMG gunner as seen in the painted example below:

Check out the DFS-230 Glider Sprue in the online store here...

Battlefront TV
Assembling the Assault Glider
Blake demonstrates how to put together the DFS-230 Assault Gliders.Visit the Battlefront TV channel on YouTube here...

Sherman Duckbill Tracks (USO190)

Sherman Duckbill Tracks (USO190)
incldues one pair of Sherman Duckbill tracks.

The Sherman tank’s high ground pressure, restricted its ability to cross boggy ground unless fitted with duck bill-shaped extensions to the tracks. The downside was that the tank had to keep its speed down to avoid breaking them off.

Check out the Sherman Duckbill Tracks in the online store here...

M4 Sherman Tank Special Rules from Blood, Guts & Glory
At the start of the game a player may elect to fit all of their Sherman tanks (of all variants) with Duckbills. This gives them Wide Tracks (see page 61 of the rulebook), but makes their mobility rating Slow Tank. M4A3E2 Jumbo and M4A3E8 Easy Eight tanks cannot be fitted with Duckbills and ignore the Duckbills special rule.
Below: M4A3 (late) with Duckbills sits next to a M4A3 (late) with conventional Sherman tracks.

Blood, Guts, & Glory It’s September 1944 and the Allies have stormed across France all along the front lines from Belgium to the French region of the Lorraine. Blood, Guts, & Glory covers the tanks battles in the Lorraine between September 1944 and January 1945. Learn more about Blood, Guts, & Glory here...
Below: A M4A3 (late) with regular tracks; a M4A3 (late) with Duckbill tracks & a M4A3E2 Jumbo showing a painted set of Duckbill tracks.