SWORD 80: D – 120

The last 30 days have flown by! We’re now 120 days from the 80th anniversary of D-Day and so here is a brief update on development through my works in progress for Sword 80.

Spoiler alert: I got distracted with my fledgling Falklands Campaign so didn’t get quite as much done as hoped in my hobby sessions this month.

‘Game Ready’

As mentioned in my D-150 post, while I’d like to get everything completely finished, for now I’m aiming to achieve a ‘game ready’ standard. Essentially all the kit will be painted, decals on and washes done – but not weathered.

LANDING CRAFT AND SUPPORT VESSELS OF NAVAL FORCE S

Landing craft: 28 (18 game ready)

A little progress here, mostly with the LCI(S) conversion to LCS(L). On DDay these vessels helped to guide in the Sherman DDs, mine is likely to do the same and offer some ‘eye candy’. All but one landing craft is now built, and including the LCS(L) there are 8 primed grey and then base coated white. A few evenings and these will be ready for action.

I had planned to scratch build a Rhino ferry to land one of the final waves, but that’s dropped towards the bottom of the queue!

ROYAL AIR FORCE

Aircraft: 2 (1 game ready)

No change here, Spitfire PRU ready for sorties.

BRITISH 3RD DIVISION AND ATTACHED UNITS

Vehicles & guns: 72 (49 game ready)

I’ve made some good progress on green kit with another 8 game ready. A few carriers and a handful of Shermans to finish!

Figures: 386 (156 game ready)

A lot of work to do here as I only finished another 3 figures. I have however tried the expansion range of Vallejo Xpress Colors and am happy with the result – I should pump out the SHQ figures of 4 Commando in no time!

Here’s one of the recognisable characters I mentioned in the D-150 update. In reality Maud was Beach master on Juno not Sword, but I’m a big fan of The Longest Day and couldn’t resist painting him for Sword 80.

BEACH DEFENCES & OBJECTIVES

As I’ve concentrated on landing craft and vehicles there has been little movement with the defences, terrain, buildings – though I have built this rather nice Doppelschartenstand for Cod.

120 days and counting…

With virtually everything now built and at least primed, it’s now all about paint, paint, paint!

For February I aim to complete the remaining vehicles, landing craft, and 4 Commando. March will be a month of painting figures, April mainly terrain related bits, which leaves May for final details and tinkering.

I’m off to the Beachhead wargames show in Bournemouth this weekend which is one I haven’t been to before. I understand there are Rapid Fire Reloaded and Battlegroup demo/participation games being run so definitely one to attend.

My next Sword 80 update will be a D minus 90, if I can just avoid distractions to the Falklands Campaign in the meantime…!