2 NZ Division Archives - Steven's Balagan

Kiwis vs FJ in Italy – A Crossfire Scenario and Battle Report 1

22 Jan 2022 by Steven Thomas

italy-165 Three types of Sherman - Banner

Jamie popped over for a game, and when it is just Jamie and me we try out something more experimental. Jamie wanted to play Crossfire and I wanted to try out my Crossfire Terrain Cards and some draft armour rules. I also wanted to get my 2 Division New Zealanders on table – “Kiwis” in New Zealand slang – and get the German paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger) out again. This was also the first outing for my Kiwi Armour.

Summary: Great little game. Crossfire Terrain Cards worked well, and happy with the test drive of my armour mods.

Official Crossfire Supplements – I want to write a couple

8 Jan 20228 Jan 2022 by Steven Thomas

I’ve been talking to Arty Conliffe about potential Official Supplements for Crossfire. Official because they have Arty’s blessing and input. I’m thinking about both a commercial scenario book and some freebie booklets. My megalomaniac aspirations for 2022 mean I want to write one of each. There are lots of possibilities and I thought I’m share my thinking.

Steven’s Kiwi Armour in Italy

17 Aug 202113 Feb 2021 by Steven Thomas

Kiwi Tanks in Italy - Crossfire - Banner

I’ve been planning my Kiwis in Italy – Steven’s Wargaming Project for years, since I wrote up a piece on Kiwi Vehicle Camouflage during WW2 in 2006. Well, finally, the plan is coming to fruition. I’ve got my armour for 2 (NZ) Division in Italy. Shermans (III, IB, VC), Stuarts (V), Stuart Recces, Staghound Armoured Cars (I, II), M10 Tank Destroyers, and universal carriers. Most in the unique Mud-grey with Blue-black disruptive pattern but some in plain dark green. Yay!!

Planning my New Zealand Carriers In Italy for Crossfire

17 Aug 202127 Jun 2020 by Steven Thomas

Project - New Zealand Carriers In Italy - Crossfire - Banner

My Kiwis in Italy Project isn’t going well. I still haven’t started painting my the New Zealand infantry of 2 (NZ) Division in Italy. Sigh. But I do continue to make plans. I know I’ve got to do at least one carrier platoon when I finally get around to this. So I want to get my thinking straight about carriers in British / Commonwealth Leg Infantry Battalions and Motor Infantry Battalions. And Crossfire has that silly single APC carries a platoon thing, which is doubly silly for a 4-man universal carrier.

Kiwi Vehicle Names in WW2

25 Jan 2020 by Steven Thomas

I’ve posted on Kiwi Vehicle Camouflage during WW2 but didn’t spend any time researching specific vehicles. Some of the Kiwi vehicles during World War 2 were named e.g. “Discord” and “Katipo”. I thought I’d have a look at my books and see what came up. This is inspiration for my Kiwis in Italy – Steven’s Wargaming Project.

Kiwis in Italy – Steven’s Wargaming Project

17 Aug 202118 Jan 2020 by Steven Thomas

Project - Kiwis in Italy - Crossfire - Banner

They have been on my to do list for years – Kiwis in Italy or, more technically, 2 (NZ) Division in the Italian Campaign of 1943-45. I’m thinking a Crossfire Battalion of infantry and some armour to support them. Here are my overly extravagant Kiwi plans for 2020.

Kiwis in Italy – Two Crossfire Battle Reports from Bruce Stewart

17 Aug 20216 Apr 2019 by Steven Thomas

Bruce Stewart has a collection of Kiwis for the Italian Campaign. He posted a couple of Crossfire after action reports on Facebook and gave me permission to repost them here. One of them is for my own 2 Companies a Side – A Generic Crossfire Scenario. The second is a scenario from the Italian 1944. Bruce games with 1/56 figures and 1/48 – 1/50 vehicles. Being from Facebook these are predominantly photographic reports.

Long Range Desert Group of WW2

13 Apr 201911 Apr 2010 by Steven Thomas

Major R. A. Bagnold, Royal Corps of Signals instigated the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) on 10 Jul 1940. It’s main purpose was long range reconnaissance in the Libyan desert. The men quickly gained a reputation as the best navigators in the desert during WW2. The LRDG operated from Sep 1940 until Mar 1943. Technically it was part of the British Army but initially at least the LRDG was staffed by Kiwis of the 2 New Zealand Division.

2 New Zealand (NZ) Division in Megablitz

13 Apr 201920 Jun 2009 by Steven Thomas

A Megablitz order of battle based on the Historical Order of Battle of 2 NZ Division for Italy 1943.

Sources for New Zealand’s Involvement in WW2

13 Apr 201911 Apr 2006 by Steven Thomas

An annotated bibliography for Kiwi involvement in WW2. The primary source for this subject is the The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945 (NZETC, 2005). It is very comprehensive extending to 50 volumes when I last counted – although many are general NZ history rather than WW2. It is available on-line, and if you search around you can find hard copies.

2 New Zealand (NZ) Division

13 Apr 201911 Apr 2006 by Steven Thomas

Most Kiwis fighting during World War II fought as part of 2 New Zealand Division. For the moment I’ve just written aspects of their time in Italy 1943-45.

Timeline of New Zealand’s Involvement in WW2

13 Apr 20199 Apr 2006 by Steven Thomas

So far I’ve just roughed out a skeleton on which to hang the detail of the Kiwi involvement in WW2.

Kiwi Vehicle Camouflage during WW2

9 Aug 20219 Apr 2006 by Steven Thomas

During WW2 the 2 New Zealand Division adopted British camouflage patterns on their vehicles. This is one of my WW2 Painting Guides. I focus on the Italian Campaign because this is my particular interest. The illustrations are a small selection from Jeffrey Plowman and Malcolm Thomas’s books of the Kiwi Armour series. These are great resources with many more illustrations. I recommend them.

2 NZ Division Timeline – Sango River to Orsogna

13 Apr 20199 Apr 2006 by Steven Thomas

This WW2 timeline picks up 2 New Zealand Division as they enter the line in Italy and goes through to the fighting around Orsogna.

WW2 Painting Guide: Kiwi and British in the Mediterranean 2006

13 Apr 20199 Apr 2006 by Steven Thomas

During WW2 the 2 New Zealand Division adopted British uniforms. So this painting guide covers both Kiwi and British, but only in the Mediterranean. This is one of my WW2 Painting Guides.