Countdown to Vimy - 12 Weeks to go

I meant to post this on Sunday, but just didn’t get to it. Sunday was exactly 12 weeks to 9 April 2017 – the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Corps assault on Vimy Ridge, I thought post a status report on the project and a list of things to do and then for the next eleven weeks I’d post weekly updates on how things are going.

I have come a long way…

I have completed 39 battalions of Canadians and six battalions Germans. That’s 675 figtures right there – plus most of the Canadian machine-gun teams – at least 10 of the 16, and a few German ones as well - puts us well over 700. I’ve tried to keep the Great War Gallery up to date – so you can see most of them there (though I STILL haven’t gotten to taking pictures of any of the 4th Division.

I still have a fair bit to do…

Of course I need 48 battalions of Canadians – which leaves 9 still to do and another 9 battalions of Germans… and a fair few German machine-gunners and mortars and such.

I memory serves me I need 18 2’x2’ terrain boards to complete the ridge – only four of those are (sort of) done at the moment.

I also need to make a lot more wire… and maybe some barrage markers...? 

So… this week…

The Plan for this week is to:

a) Paint the last battalion of  1st Corps figures to finish off the 4th Brigade.

b) Order the last brigade of miniatures I’m going to use as Canadians.

c) Start casting Germans (conveniently it has warmed up considerably in the last week – to daytime High temperatures ABOVE 0°C – as this all takes place in my unheated shop)

d) Base and prep 3 battalions of Germans

e) FIND MY MAPS (the PLANS for the terrain!)!!!

f) Clear off the giant Hobby table in the basement – so I have some SPACE to make some terrain!

Next Week:

a) Paint three battalions of Germans (this is do-able – all the details on my home made figures are pretty chunky and quick and easy to paint!)

b) Base and prep three more battalions to paint the following week.

c) Finalize plans for terrain.

February:

Refurbish 4th Division Terrain area

Build 2nd and 3rd Division Tarrain

Paint 3 battalions of Germans/ week for the first two weeks.

Paint two battalions of British the second two weeks to finish British brigade  

March:

Terrain for 1st Division’s area of operation

Paint final battalion of Canadians and any extra MG and Mortar teams left to paint.

Make more wire and barrage markers

Lot to do, but doable… I hope… Might need to recruit the kids to help out with the terrain making. The Girl is at least excited to help out with that sort of thing.

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

21st Battalion (Eastern Ontario), CEF