5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards

As  I am still waiting for the Team Yankee fotos, here is another Bolt Action/VBCW update.

The 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards were formed as a cavalry regiment in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, as the 5th/6th Dragoons. In 1923, the regiment was deployed to Risalpur, India. 

In 1927, the regiment discarded the "6th" and inserted "Inniskilling" into its title. In the following year, the regiment moved to the UK for the first time, as the 5th Dragoon Guards. In 1935, it gained the" Royal" accolade to become the "5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards".

The armoured components of the 5th RIDG

A Vickers Light Tank Mk. VIc with two tankers

A Vickers Light Tank Mk. VIb

And a Vickers Medium Mk. II with command flag

The Vickers Light Tank are from Blitzkrieg Miniatures, the Vickers Medium is a full resin/white metal behemoth from Reiver Castings, and the tankers are made by the Perry brothers.

In 1938, as part of the preparation for the Second World War, the regiment was mechanised. Therefore they are perfect to serve as tank element in my VBCW Royalist Brigade in Ulster. I painted them in the interwar/early WWII green Disruptive Pattern, so they can see prolonged service with the BEF in 1940 France.

There is a nice video of the ceremonial "saying goodbye to theier horses".

As I am a huge fan of cavalry and in VBCW the process of mechanisation is rolling backwards, due to fuel shortage, here are the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards on horses!

Cavalry in all its glory, sabres drawn and ready to charge.

In VBCW, they will accompany the tanks as protection against daring infantry tank hunters. The horses should have no problem keeping pace with the armour and the dragoons can dismount to act as regular infantry as well. And I use them in Bolt Action, too, bending the rules a little, just because I can and they look splendid on the tabletop!

All models, mounted and dismounted are from Reiver Castings excellent WWI range.

The dismounted dragoons, ready for action

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British 8-inch Howitzer Mk V

Bringing in some very big gun!

Here is my BL 8-inch howitzer Mk V crewed by the Royal Artillery. This remaining piece of WWI will serve as a heavy gun with the Royalists in VBCW as well as the BEF in 1940 France for Bolt Action. Some of its successor models, the Mk VIII were still in use then, so I will play it as a standard heavy howitzer.

I really like this model, as it is extremly impressive on the tabletop. The gun is also quite heavy in the literal sense, as it is fully made of lead! Don't know the manufacturer though, got it on eBay. The RA crew models fit nicely and are from Reiver Castings' WWI range.

I am still waiting for the pictures from my first Team Yankee game last week, on which there will also be a video battle report!

Furthermore, I am re-working my whole AWI collection with AP Anti-Shine spray, which I recently discovert to be just awesome. Way better than my usual matt varnish, I recomend it to everyone sincerly.

Crossbowmen mounted & on foot

Here I present two units of crossbowmen for my late 15th century medieval forces for Lion Rampant.

First there is a unit of 8 mounted crossbowmen from the Upper-Bavarian town of Ebersberg. 

The town had a Benedictine monastery, as well as a castle, from which the Count of Sempt-Ebersberg ruled the environs. The is destined to see service along my Landsknechts, as well as my Swiss.

The miniatures are by Wargames Foundry and especially like the smaller horses and dynamic poses of the riders.  

 

Then there is a 12 man unit of Crossbowmen with pavises from the duchy of Burgundy. They will be part of my Burgundian Ordnance Army when gaming the Wars of Chales the Bold/Burgundian Wars.

The Miniatures are from the excellent Perry Plastics European Mercenaries 1450-1500 set with the addition of helmet feathers and an old Warhammer head for the captain. One half of the pavises are painted freehand, the other half has paper decals from the box. I really like the look of pavises!