From TimB: 28mm WWI Canadian Infantry & WWII German MG Crew (325)

From Tim:

8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, CEF

The 8th Infantry Brigade was part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force's 3rd Division in the Great War. It consisted of four battalions of "Mounted Rifles" which had been originally been raised in late 1914 as 8 regiments in two brigades. Upon their arrival overseas, however, it became immediately apparent that there would be no role for mounted rifles anytime soon and were thus "dismounted" and amalgamated into four regular infantry battalions. 

These are all to be part of my "Vimy Project" - a megalomaniacal dream to play the entire Canadian Corps' assault on the ridge on the 100th anniversary of the battle in 2017. So far I have done the terrain and miniature for the 4th Division (and the opposing Germans in their sector). This year I am doing the 3rd Division and terrain for it's section of the line (and the Germans opposite). Next year will be the 2nd Division and in 2016 I'll finish up the 1st Division - so I'll have the entire Corps (and terrain... and Germans...) ready for early 2017. 

The entire Fourth Division was made of miniatures I modelled, cast and (of course) painted myself. Later, I got the idea in my head that the rest of the Divisions I would do making up brigades from various different manufacturers. The 8th Brigade, here, is made up of models I picked up from Renegade  Miniatures a couple years back during one of their 5-4-4 sales. I also have miniatures for the 7th Brigade - which are all Great War Miniatures - and so far I have painted the 42nd (Royal Highlanders) Battalion. I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the 9th Brigade...?

Above is the entire Brigade along with the Brigade Commander and headquarters signallers and the 8th Company, 3rd Canadian Machine-Gun Battalion and the 8th Trench Mortar Battery (the Commander, signallers and MG and Mortar Teams were painted previous to the Challenge, but are shown here for completeness!) 

First Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles - which my Great Uncle Bertram served with at Vimy Ridge!

Second Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles (I realized as I was putting these all awayI'd forgotten to put one of the guys from this unit into this picture - he's in the big picture above, but not here - just in case there's anyone paying WAY TOO MUCH attention and start's thinking "hey... there's only 14 in this picture...." I assure you there is 15 in the battalion!)

Fourth Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles

Fifth Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles

Finally, I'd had great plans to do two extras from Straw Dogs (because there's a running joke about that in Hot Fuzz) but that just didn't work out... so here's a a pair of last minute extras from Cross of Iron. 

The figures are, I think, from West Wind Productions. 

yeah... so last-minute there's still drying glue and terrible lighting... 

Extras may be lame... but really... what would you do with ANOTHER Steiner!?

Whoa! What a cracking entry Tim! This is a great project and I can't wait to see the entire tour-de-force set up and ready for the 2017 centenary. It will be a sight to see to be sure.

Also, thanks so much for the excellent MG42 crew. As you say, not everyone can be a star so it's great to get some extras to complete the cast.

The 8th Brigade and the German MG crew will give Tim 325 points, enough for him to meet his 2000 point target. A big congratulations Tim and thanks again!