Big Project Announcement

Announcing Barbarossa 2012!

Hey, that's the cover for the upcoming source book covering the Invasion of Poland and France 1940! What does that have to do with Operation Barbarossa or this so-called Barbarossa 2012? Nothing, really, except that it is the first, official EW source book to be released by Battlefront and the inspiration for the Barbarossa 2012 project.



The Nevsky Lend Lease tankovy will be brought up to its full allotment of M4A2 Emchas once I affix the decals this weekend. Back in December, I started to think about my next army I wanted to create. I went back and forth between a 1942 British Light Armored Squadron or a 1942 Mixed Tankovy. I do need an Allied army for Mid-War. I also toyed with the idea of making a LW army using the Bagration Panzerkompanie PDF. Some of the models for 11.PD can be used interchangeable in LW, which would help down on the cost of building another army. However, I have 3 armies that I should focus on playing and getting to know well before starting another MW or LW army.

Soooo...where did that leave me? Stuck. It wasn't until I saw a Panzer IV F-1 tutorial posted on the FOW Forum that I decided to try my hand at creating a EW panzerkompanie. Here's the link (don't forget to be signed or the link won't work).

http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.aspx?tabid=126&aff=10&aft=509950&afv=topic

GeekEGuy deserves credit for also providing the EW inspiration with his infectious enthusiasm for the French armored forces that fought in the spring of 1940.

What about a time table? The announcement of the planned releases for 2010 had a Q&A with Jean Paul. To quote:

As JP has previously mentioned work is underway, and we are aiming to release the three primary sourcebooks over the next 4 years. The first book will focus on the German invasion of Poland and France. The second book will cover the Africa campaign. The third book will cover the war in the east.

We're look at France this summer, then a North Africa book in 2011 and finally the Barbarossa book in 2012. Hence the name for this project.

Look, I am no illusions about me completing a project. I have the attention span of a 2-year old child and also easily distracted by bright, shiny objects. The pull of family and work puts the hit on building and painting time. If I set reasonable goals, I'm sure I can crank out the makings of an EW Panzerkompanie designed around the 11.PD.

I e-mailed my friend last week, asking if I could borrow his airbrush and compressor. He innocently asked me why. I said I was going to paint up a Flames of War army. The e-mail was flooded with "Muwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You?! Paint?! Muwahahahahahahah! Okay, you can borrow them to paint. Muwahahahahahahahah!"

You see how little faith my friends have in my painting skills?

I just put in an order at the warstore for the following:
4xPzIVE
Additional stowage
Vallejo airbrush German Gray
VMC German Gray, Green Grey, Black Glaze
Tamiya Winter Weathering
Green Stuff Epoxy
2xfine brushes and 2 brushes for drybrushing
New filing kit
Hobby Knife knife

That's enough to get me started.

I also have a PzIVF-2 with a busted (missing muzzle break) that I have dry brushed in Grey to test two winter, white wash painting methods.

I'll also buy the France 1940 book to get an idea on the composition of a EW kompanie. By then, early Pz II's and III's will also be available to purchase.

I'm excited about Barbarossa 2012. I'll feel like a proud papa when it's done.