U.S Paras for Market Garden '44

[commission]

To feature alongside my 1st Airbourne chaps unt mine 10th SS Hohenstauffen truppen, I have purchased a few (that is a 'wargamers few' i.e. fahsands of 'em) u.s. paras. Initially getting the ardennes listings thinking they would be closest to the figure I needed, but found they were in greatcoats - doh! of course ardennes - December- Snow up to their eyeballs! So after a discussion with 'Dave' the all knowing, Mr Pendraken himself, who advised me that the D-Day listings would be more apt, he agreed to swap them. Ta-dah! excellent figures just right. Only missing the BAR figure? However I need some 81mm mortars and crews, 75mm Howitzers and 57mm AT with crews. Does anyone out there have any advice for me on what I could do (that generally means buy) to plug the gap? Thanx

[fred.]

I've got a couple of US Airborne
http://www.kerynne.com/games/USParas.html


I'm sure all 3 items you mention I got from PD?

[commission]

Thanks for that fred12df.
I might just copy some of your ideas there if thats ok?
I love the troops - excellent. 

[fred.]

Glad you like my figs. And they are providing some inspiration to you. Out of interest what ideas are you thinking of borrowing?

[ciaphas]

81mm mortars use the british 3" and ask dave/leon for correct crew. 75mm pack howitzer i have these with british airborne crew so again you can order these and ask for the correct crew, 57mm AT is the same as the british 6pdr so again a crew swap, the only one i cant help you with would be the BAR however there is not to much difference between us infantry and paras that a carefull paint job couldn't overcome.

jon

[commission]

Glad you like my figs. And they are providing some inspiration to you. Out of interest what ideas are you thinking of borrowing?

Mainly the basing patterns - number and type on a base.
I like the overall effect.
I've just learned how to get pictures onto my posts using photobucket (he says proudly - being an old technophobe!) so I will post my results asap.
Thanks again

[commission]

Another brilliant bit of guidance. thanks jon.
I will tap leon about the swapping of crews. As for the careful paint job to provide the BARs, I can but have a go. Ta

[fred.]

I'm pretty sure for mortars, and AT and howitzers that I just used the US Airborne ardennes ones (and perhaps asked for no great coats on the crews?)

Not all the Ardennes range is in great coats, so some can be mixed with the D-Day airborne.

Glad you like how they look on the bases - I try to go for a skirmish style formation, maybe with shooting troops on one side, and moving troops on the other side of the base. On some of the British infantry I did earlier I have even done straggly lines across the base to look as if they are advancing. This is one of the great things about 10mm you can make mini dioramas on the bases.

[commission]

Just in case any one else is interested. I have researched a bit more on the interweb!
It would seem that the late war paras had pretty much replaced the BAR with the .30 cal machine gun.
I had started to adapt the marine BAR figure which looks acceptable, pictures to follow asap.
And as with all yank units some did hold on to older equipment, so I will be adding these guys to my bases.
But the d-day para .30 cal is spot on for my needs.
Thanks for the ideas though guys. Top class.

[NTM]

It would seem that the late war paras had pretty much replaced the BAR with the .30 cal machine gun.

Actually they were issued the .30 instead of the BAR from the outset with the BAR coming in late war to augment the .30.