Organisation of Heavy Weapons Battalions.

The Heavy Weapons battalion consists of 4 combat companies and a headquarters company.

The Heavy Weapons company comprises two platoons each of 12 privates under the command of a Lieutenant assisted by a Sergeant. The  company is commanded by a Captain assisted by a company Sergeant Major. Each company also has 6 Quartermaster privates with a Sergeant in command . The company is equipped with two heavy machine guns, two caissons, two limbers and an ammunition wagon. The total strength of a company is 37.

The headquarters company comprises a Staff platoon of 4 privates and a Sergeant, a Medical platoon of 10 medics, two medic Sergeants, a surgeon Lieutenant with a surgeon Captain in command. The Quartermaster platoon has 8 privates and a Sergeant with a Lieutenant in command. The whole of the Battalion's Quartermaster contingent is commanded by a Captain assisted by 2 Lieutenants and a Sergeant Major. The Signals platoon has 10 signallers with a Sergeant and Lieutenant in command. The command platoon has a Lieutenant Colonel as battalion commander with a Major as Adjutant and second in command, a battalion Sergeant major and two standard bearers, one with the national flag and one with the battalion flag. The total strength of the headquarters company is 50 giving a total battalion strength of 198..

The vehicles and equipment of the battalion comprises 4 GS wagons towing a field kitchen trailer, a water tank trailer, a signals trailer and  a medical trailer.

The photo shows the Heavy Weapons companies on the left with the headquarters company on the right in front of the battalion vehicles. There is one Heavy Weapons battalion for each Army which forms part of the Army Command Brigade. There are a total of 3 such battalions in my army. The arm of service colour for Heavy Weapons is light blue.

3D Printing of  Miniature Heavy Weapons.

As reported previously I have now used 3D printing to produce heavy machine guns for my army.

I have explained in other postings that all the artillery weapons in my army have been constructed using a readily available object as a gun shield and chassis to which  I attach an axle, trail and barrel. For this platform my field guns use a cut down plastic shelf support stud, heavy guns are based on a paint tin clip while horse artillery guns use a home produced resin cast of a trail spade from an Airfix 5.5 inch gun. However I have never been able to find a platform for my heavy weapons machine guns. As a consequence I have previously had to superglue axle, trail and gun shield together carefully, avoiding the inclusion of my fingers whilst trying to produce a realistic looking model.

Recent internet surfing brought my attention to 3D printing. After a little research I concluded that it may, subject to cost, provide a way forward in respect of  a platform for heavy weapons. I found a local supplier of 3D printing services and made contact. It turned out that this small local business owner had been involved in producing wargaming scenery using 3D printing so my requirements became a little easier to explain, just imagine explaining to a non wargamer or modeller just what I was seeking !!!!!! The upshot was that I built a prototype platform as carefully as possible and met up with Dave the business owner. My initial idea was that he could scan the prototype and print from that programme. However Dave told me me it would be better, and no more expensive, for him to write a CAD programme using the prototype as a guide. In addition, the original prototype included a gun barrel. Dave told me the printing process did not allow protrusions as these could droop due to the heat during printing.. I therefore removed the barrel leaving just the hole as part of the model. Dave gave me some cost indicators that were fully within my budget  so I agreed for him to go ahead and write the CAD programme and print some pre production models.

The pre production models were created and I found them perfect in all respects. Dave confirmed the final costs which I agreed and he proceeded into production. About ten days later I collected the printed models and paid my bill. The following photo shows what I got.

I had four sheets like this together with a number of pre production models and some others that had come apart from the flimsy base sheets. Apart from the holes in the shields for barrels the models also had the towing eye in the trail. The next steps were to separate the models, clean off the sprue and add the gun barrels. For barrels I use small elongated plastic necklace beads from Hobby Craft. I found that the holes for the barrels had to be reamed out a little but that was good as it gave a tight fit so that dripping a little plastic glue around the joint was easier.

The  picture above shows part of the initial batch of 32 with barrels installed. Next step was to drill the holes in the axles for the wheels, (cut down drawing pins) and superglue them as shown below.

With construction complete I primed the whole of each model.

The models were then painted my standard olive drab and then the wheels were painted black. The final result is shown in the photo below.

The picture below gives a good idea of the level of detail in these models which are only 22mm long and 10mm high and the same in width.

There were some leaning points during the process. Firstly the printing material was ABS which is similar in consistency to Airfix plastic soldier figures. It proved time consuming to remove the base sprue which may have been easier if a harder substance had been used, maybe more like Airfix plastic kit material. Secondly the drilling of the axles for wheels was difficult as the plastic, being so soft, melted a bit. On reflection, it would have been easier if I had had the holes printed or again, a harder material had been used. Finally the material was gray, virtually the same colour as my primer, so it was a little difficult to see exactly what I had actually painted than if a different but still pale colour had been used.. All  that said I am delighted with the models and these leaning points are simply the result of experience and in no way detract from Dave's excellent work.

Finally the technical details. I ordered 200 models. The total cost, including the CAD creation, was £50 which I thought very reasonable indeed. The print resolution was 150 microns, about twice the size of a human hair.

My supplier was david.banks@telford3dprinting.com. whom I strongly recommend and thank for his assistance and very helpful attitude.

Construction of Ammunition Caissons.

Caissons are used in all Artillery and Heavy Weapons battalions. Caissons are the link between limbers and the actual guns and provide a substantial supply of ammunition for immediate use. Additional ammunition is carried in the standard Ammunition wagon except in Horse Artillery regiments where reserve ammunition is carried in double caissons towed by limbers. This is in keeping with the philosophy that only two wheeled vehicles have the mobility needed in the Cavalry environment.. I am aware that the use of a caisson between the limber and the gun is not historically accurate as caissons are usually also towed by a limber however I just like the look of the three equipments together.
Construction is based on my standard box trailer described in posts on light GS wagons and utility trailers. The unique feature of caissons is the provision of a spare wheel and a towing hook. The towing hook is not fitted to second caissons in Horse Artillery regiments.

The above photo clearly shows the unique features of the caisson.

Construction of Ammunition Wagons.

Ammunition wagons are issued to Field and Heavy Artillery and Heavy Weapons battalions at the rate of 4 per battalion. The distinctive shape of these vehicles is loosely based on the Napoleonic Gribeauval ammunition wagon. I believe the use of a fixed roof shape helps reduce overloading of the vehicles with heavy ammunition boxes, a historically common problem with GS wagons using a canvas load cover.
The wagons are made using the 12mm thick balsa plank normally used for House bodied wagons. I then carve the A line roof before sanding to final shape. The rest of the wagon construction follows normal procedures as outlined in the post on construction of GS wagons with the sole exception that my ammunition wagons do not have towing hooks.

The photo above shows an ammunition wagon fully built but quite unpainted.                                                     

                                                    

This photo shows a fully painted ammunition wagon complete with horses. The sharp eyed reader will note that it does not have a spare wheel. This is because I only recently started fitting spare wheels to this type of vehicle and therefore there are a large number already in service without spares.. These will be retro fitted when the army currently under construction is completed.
There are will be some  240 of these vehicles in service when the army group is complete.