The Piccadilly Cowboys Go To War

15mm toys for Flames of War. All models from Battlefront, paints by White Ensign, Humbrol, Tamiya, Vallejo and MiG. That's what happens when you collect paints for forty years in three continents.

The Household Cavalry were combined into two regiments for World War 2. The 1st regiment drove armoured cars around the Mediterranean, the 2nd did the same in North-West Europe.

I have been planning a HCR force for NWE for some time, to tie-in with my Grenadier Guards and Welsh Guards forces. Interesting prospects for the use of recce forces in multiplayer battles played on large tables prompted me to assemble the assorted models that had been languishing in "the stash".

Another of the "one day I'll make it" lists has been armoured recce for Italy. So, a couple of troops have also been assembled, painted for 6th South African Armoured Division.

An overview of the sea of green, British style:

Starting with the 6SAAD vehicles, we have two troops, each of a pair of Sherman IIIs and a pair of Stuart Jalopies:

I would swear that a couple of those vehicles were painted in British SCC.15 and the rest in US Olive Drab, but the photo suggests otherwise.

Moving on, the squadron HQ is in Staghounds, one for the Old Man, one for his Number Two and one for some poor sod who has to keep the officers safe:

Those fine gentlemen have troops equipped with Daimler Dingos and Daimler armoured cars to do the actual scouting:

Each squadron had a small infantry section assigned to help with obstacle clearance and dismounted work. These lucky men rode around in American-supplied White Scout Cars:

American vehicles were usually left in their original paint until repairs and overhauls were needed, at which time a coat of SCC.15 would be lovingly applied. Two of the Whites are wearing SCC.15 and two are in US OD, which has a warmer, browner hue in the second photo.

In Italy, the recce troops could call on some heavier support in the form of a pair of 75mm Autocars (M3 halftracks sporting 75mm cannon):

In NWE this support role was filled by AEC Mk.III heavy armoured cars also touting 75mm guns: these models are still making their way across the workbench.

And there we have it for today! Coming in the near future will be the rest of this force - AECs and enough Dingos and Daimlers to fill out the troops.